He nodded. ‘I think you’re right. Itisa football anthem. I can’t remember which team.’
‘A football team?’ Ronnie screwed up his nose. ‘We’re singing a football song at an engagement party?’
Millie asked the question of Lucy, who laughed. ‘It’s become the anthem for a Scottish football team,’ she admitted, ‘but there’s so much more to it than that. Actually, it’s become quite popular at funerals as well, but maybe we shouldn’t dwell on that in the circumstances.’
‘Great,’ said Isaac. ‘I can’t think of anything more romantic.’
Harmony laughed. ‘We should at least give it a shot. It’s not as if we’ve come up with anything better, right?’
‘Shall I play it?’ Lucy asked Millie and Immi, who nodded.
They all sat quietly, exchanging glances occasionally as the music floated out from Lucy’s laptop and across the stage.
‘Well?’ Lucy asked when it had finished. ‘What did you think?’
Danny glanced round at everyone. Agnes and Aubrey were huddled together, both in tears. Brooke looked as if she was a million miles away. Harmony, who had arrived without the Roman this time, was sitting with her arms wrapped around her knees, deep in thought. Everyone else looked highly doubtful.
‘What I don’t get,’ Millie said, ‘is how come we couldn’t have The Beatles because of all the “yeah yeahs” in their songs, but this one’s got a load of them in it, too, and that’s okay.’
‘She has a point,’ Percy agreed. ‘Too many yeahs, if you ask me. Why can’t people at least say yes if they must use the word repeatedly?’
‘How very British,’ Harmony said, with a wry grin.
Polly admitted she wasn’t sure about the song. Ray thought it was dreadful.
Walter said that the lyrics were sadly lacking in poetic substance.
Ronnie and Bill agreed it was too soppy, which made Peter and Isaac laugh and point out that was rich coming from two people who’d killed each other over a girl.
‘Where is Leith anyway?’ Florrie asked. ‘I ain’t never ’eard of it.’
‘It’s in Scotland,’ Aubrey explained, as Immi asked Lucy the question.
‘Edinburgh,’ she said.
There was an immediate chorus of protest.
‘Well,’ said Polly, ‘I’m not being funny, but what’s that got to do with Rowan Vale?’
‘I shouldn’t think there are many songs about Rowan Vale though,’ Immi pointed out. ‘I think it’s lovely, Lucy. I really liked it and I think Mum and Brodie will too.’
‘Well I think it’s the most depressing song I’ve ever ’eard,’ Florrie told them, ‘and Robert and John agree with me, don’t you?’
Robert and John, who seldom dared do anything else, nodded.
‘Can’t we ’ave “Give a Little Whistle” fromPinocchio?’ Florrie enquired. ‘That was the last film I ever saw before I came ’ere,’ she told everyone. ‘It’s a proper cheery song that. Better than that maudlin’ rubbish.’
‘Well I think it’s terribly romantic,’ Aubrey said firmly. ‘Perfect for the occasion, in fact.’
‘Oh, I agree,’ Agnes said. She frowned. ‘You know, it sounds rather familiar. I’m sure I’ve heard it before.’
‘You may be right, my dear,’ Aubrey mused. ‘I rather think I have, too.’
‘What’s the reaction so far?’ Lucy asked.
‘Mixed,’ Immi admitted.
‘I’ll play it again. It often takes a while for a song to grow on people. Think about the lyrics and the emotion of the song while you’re all listening.’ She tapped her laptop again and the voices of The Proclaimers began to sing.
