Flux

34. Saint Andrew

For Hugh, it was like looking in the mirror but looking at someone two years his junior. They are very alike him and Andrew. It was uncanny the resemblance. But Andrew was about half a foot shorter than Hugh and less muscular. Dirty blonde hair cut much shorter but handsome and gentlemanly all the same. 

"Got our good looks from our mother, and our impulses from father..." Andrew said as he patted his older brother on the shoulder. 

We met Andrew early this afternoon before we all went into Stranraer for a bite to eat before the journey back. However, Andrew said "I have business in town tomorrow with some old friends about some work that I'm interested in"

He then explained he had booked a night in one of the town taverns but only booked a twin room for him and Hugh not realising I would be joining them. 

We were sitting eating our rabbit stew when Hugh got up and asked the bartender if there was a spare room for me.

"So how long have you known my brother?" Andrew asked quietly, curiously.

"I met him just before Christmas. I was a bit...lost, and Hugh offered me a job as his scullery maid."

"I thought Mary was his scullery maid?"

Obviously, Andrew didn't know about Mary's death. Did he know her well?

"Um...she died giving birth to her baby. She was such a precious..." I said awkwardly trying to be as sensitive as I could.

"M...Mary died?" he sat back on his chair and rubbed his hand over his hair. "I didn't realise she...she..." He paused dumbfounded and in a little shock. "I didn't even know she was pregnant. Hugh never wrote it in his letters to me."

He brought his hands back down and held the sides of the chair tightly. "Mary and I used to run around together in Culzean back in the day. My father never approved, of course. She was from one of the workers families on the estate and he didn't want me mingling with the poor folks. She was my first kiss too. Round the back of the keepers house down the stream aways" He smiled slightly at the memory from his younger days.

"I was there when she passed. Her baby was the most beautiful child I've ever seen. Looked just like her too. I really liked Mary, she was such a kind hearted soul."

"Well I suppose a thank you is in order for what you did for her, being her friend and all"

"No thanks necessary. As you said, I was her friend and I was so humbled that she would have me with her in the end."

"I'm glad she had you Kelty. She didn't have many friends, and I know Hugh had hired her as soon as she was allowed to work. And I know Alice took her under her wing quite quickly."

Alice took us all under her wing without question. She was like a mother figure to all of the staff at Culzean. Even to Hugh, in whom she adored greatly. She must feel the same about Andrew also.

Hugh came back with more glasses of wine. "That's a second room sorted for you Kelty. Right next to ours which is handy."

"Good good." Andrew said. "I must be on my way soon, Frank will be waiting for me down in one of the offices in town"

"Frank? As in..."

"Yes, yes that Frank. He has excellent contacts in the construction and architectural industry, which I'm in need of at the moment." Andrew replied. He stood up dusting down his trousers. "I must bid the good lady adieu and brother..." he turned to Hugh after kissing my hand. "I'll be back in a few hours so you don't have to wait up for me"

Hugh stood up and gave his brother a hug. "Nice to have you back little brother"

"Same, big brother" they both patted each other on the back and let go.

Andrew bowed slightly towards me and he left.

"So, what do you think of Andrew?" Hugh asked handing me a glass of wine.

"He's so much like you! He seems like a gentleman."

"Oh so you think I'm a gentleman?" He laughed and scraped his chair on the floor scooting closer to me. "Well it looks like we've got some time in Stranrear before we have to retire to our rooms. What would you like to do?"

"Oh, I don't know. What is there to do here?"

"We could go a walk along the coast and down by the smaller docks? They sell my favourite crab here. I don't know how, but the crab is so much more thicker and juicier the further down the coast you go. Don't get me wrong, Culzean Crab is nice but here..." He kissed the tips of his forefinger and thumb and made a "Mmm" sound. 

I laughed. "You're ridiculous! You're crabs are fine!"

******************************

We didn't realise the time when we noticed the sun had set a while ago. After tasting some of the local fish, and crab of course, we decided to walk along the coast and go rock pooling. We seen all sorts of sea life. Hugh chased me with a pair of large lobster pincers he found on the sand.

It was such a beautiful night, we didn't want it to end. 

We headed back up to the tavern, hand in hand, enjoying each others company for the last few moments before we went to our separate rooms. 

Before we entered the main door, Hugh placed his hand on my cheek.

"You are incredible, you know that?"

I blushed and turned my head to the side, hiding in his hand.

Hugh laughed and pulled me in closer placing a kiss on my head. "Let's get to bed, so we are fresh for tomorrows journey back home"

I nodded and we walked in.

There was a cluster of men at the bar all singing merrily along with one another, clinking their tankards and enjoying the music being played by the fiddler in the corner.

Andrew was there, red in the face, clearly drunk with Frank on one arm and another man in the other. They were all swaying trying to dance in time with the music and failing miserably. 

Frank spotted me.

"Oh hey!" He shouted. He let go of Andrew and started heading over to us. He looked up and noticed Hugh was holding on to me. I could feel his arm stiffen. Frank turned to Andrew and shouted "Oi! Look who decided to grace us with his prescence!" 

Andrew looked up. "Oy ey! Welcome back brother! Come join us!" He started to sway and sing louder and bigger than before"

Frank stumbled over next to Hugh and patted him quite strongly on the shoulder opposite to where I was standing, but as he did he was staring directly at me smiling wide. Hugh took notice of this and rub my arm to soothe me.

"Hi Frank, having fun?"

"Oh yes, but now that you and our Kelty are here, the party will really start!" Frank started to walk around to my side and took my other arm.

I let him keep his arm under mine but then Hugh interjected "We will be retiring now to our rooms. My brother too in fact". He nodded towards Andrew. "We have early travel arrangements in the morning that we must be ready for." He unhanded Frank from me by lifting his arm off me and nodding politely at him. 

Andrew finally took notice of the awkward interaction and stumbled over to the three of us. "Time for bed? Jeeesh. Okay daaaaad!" He laughed and saluted Hugh with two fingers. "Franks sharing our room too brother, we can squeeze him in ey?"

Hugh huffed in annoyance. "Sorry, no room for three of us in one room..."

But oor Frank has nowhere to go. He's your gid freen is he no? Let him stay wae us?" Andrew chiped.

I snuggled into Hugh and whispered "Let the drunkards have their room, you're coming with me to my room"