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“No!” Aidan warns. “Maw, no one wants to hear it!”

But Elspeth pushes on regardless:

Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face,

Great chieftain o’ the puddin’-race!

“All right, Maw, that’s enough!” Aidan says.

Elspeth chuckles. “You’d normally recite it before the meal anyway, so it’s a bit late for the address. Maybe you can hear the rest of the poem another time, eh?” She gives me, Grace, and David a wink.

“Aye!” David says in an accent that’s even worse than my own attempts. “Although I’ll need to bring a Scots dictionary with me. I’ve no idea what a ‘sonsie face’ is.”

“An attractive face,” Elspeth explains. “Just like yours, David.”

Again, everyone laughs—except for Aidan. He looks mortified.

“Maw, did you swig from the bottle when you were making the whisky sauce?”

David, of course, loves the attention. “I’m flattered, I really am, Elspeth, but I’m afraid I’m not available. There’s a young man here in Bannock who I’m becoming quite taken with.”

“Oh? How are things going with Johnny?” Jamie asks.

“Tonight will be date number four. I know it’s still early days, and yes, I’m returning to London soon, but I think it’s going well. I like him.”

This is met by “Oohs” from the room. David grins happily.

“Talking of boyfriends . . .” Jamie turns to Iona. “I hear you’ve got one.”

Lewis’s head shoots up.

Elspeth gasps, an excited smile brightening her features. “Really? Is this true, Iona?”

She nods hesitantly.

“Well, that’s wonderful!” Elspeth enthuses. “Why didn’t you tell me? You were on the phone only yesterday. I want to hear everything!”

“And that’s why I didn’t tell you.” Unlike David, who relishes being the centre of attention, Iona is visibly uncomfortable. “It’s all very new, so I’m taking things slowly. I don’t want to go into details yet.”

“You can at least tell me his name,” Elspeth insists.

Iona sighs. “Richard.”

“But Dick to his friends, eh?” Jamie nudges her. “Is he tall or short? I need to know whether to call him Big Dick or Wee Dick when I meet him. I’m sure Lewis is desperate to know too.”

Iona rolls her eyes, unamused by Jamie’s antics, although David giggles. I do too, just a little behind my napkin.

“He’s tall,” Iona says.

“Ah, Big Dick, then.” Jamie nods knowingly. “Do you hear that, Lewis? Iona’s going out with Big Dick now, so . . . she’s not going to be interested in that thing.” He points at his brother’s lap.

If looks could kill, Jamie would be a dead man. Lewis is not happy.

“Jamie!” Cat says. “Could you not have kept your mouth shut?”

Jamie grins then sips his whisky.

Elspeth shakes her head and says to me, “I said I loved having us all together, but I tend to forget what it’s really like. I romanticise it.”