Remember Me.....

Still interested?

"Eve! Oh, come away in lass. You look worn out!" John Harrison and his wife stood at their door, trying not to stare at the tall, handsome and very familiar man next to her. They both knew exactly who he was, just not why he was with their favourite of the Winters clan.

Eve smiled "thanks John, this..." she turned to Tom, "is Tom Hiddleston.. my..." she paused, suddenly unsure what exactly she should say.

Tom, ever the knight in armour saved the day. Holding out his hand he said quickly "I'm Eve's boyfriend, well, " he looked down at her "a little more than that but we're still working out the fine details, eh darling?" He smiled, and she felt herself grow at least six inches.

"Well, Tom - little bit more than boyfriend - Hiddleston, welcome to Galahaugh Estate! I'm John, and this is my wife Liz." The two men shook hand,  and there seemed to be an instant understanding. Liz stepped forward and smiled,

"Come on, let's get you inside before someone sees you. I've got the kettle on, or would you prefer something a little stronger?"

Tom and Eve followed them inside and settled themselves in the cosy and  comfortable kitchen. A gentle heat radiated from the large green Aga crouching in the corner, the evening light lending itself to the welcoming atmosphere.

"Well, if you have a wee whisky? " Tom smiled,  and John nodded approvingly.  "Can't deny my Scottish heritage!" Tom shrugged with a wry smile. "Although if my Dad knew I took ice, he'd have serious words!"

John laughed and handed Tom a tumbler with a generous measure of amber liquid and a couple of icy rocks.  "Eve?"

Eve shook her head. "No, thanks, though.  The way I feel, I don't think it's a good idea." She smiled, her cheeks flushed.

"Good lass, that's the Eve I remember. " Liz laid a hand on her arm, "John? Why don't you and Tom go through to the sitting room, Eve and I will be through in a minute once we've made the tea?"

John nodded, Come on,  Tom. You'll be wanting a comfy seat after all those hours in the car. " The two of them left the room, but not before Tom had given Eve a little cuddle and kissed her softly.

"Relax,  love, we're safe here for now." He smiled then disappeared with John.

"So, I take it you know her parents are dead now?" John swilled the ice in his glass, downing the last of the dram.  They'd sat in companionable silence for a few minutes, then John had taken the Loki by the horns. Tom nodded as he echoed the movement.

Sitting in the living room of the cottage, Tom got a flavour of the life that Eve had seemingly forgotten.  As he looked around, the room was devoid of any Harrison family photos, but there were quite a few of Eve and her siblings.  One or two were formal group shots, but there was one, a single 8x10 in a simple wooden frame,  that seemed to outshine them all.

Tom stood and walked over to it. Lifting it carefully, he turned to John.  He slowly looked at the photo,  then John and back to the photo.  Before he could speak, John broke into his thoughts.

"She's very special to us.  Always has been since she was a wee girl. We arrived on the estate not long after she was born.  Liz dotes on her.  She's not like the others."

"In what way?"  Tom turned, his curiosity in overdrive.

"Oh, every way imaginable. She's kind and sweet and clever - very clever - not at all 'hoity toity' like her mother.  Neither is she brash and entitled like her siblings. They broke the mould when they made her Tom.  But I think you know that,  don't you?" The older man, who now Tom looked at him properly,  was maybe past 60 but well kept and young for his age.  Tom smiled and set his empty glass down.  "She needs someone like you,  son, not that chinless wonder,  Bruce.  We were so proud of her for turning him down. It's such a pity...."

Before he could say any more, Liz and Eve walked in with tea and cake for everyone.  Eve looked at To,  who was still holding her photo.  "Is that... is that me?" She walked over and took it.  As she'd done before, she ran her fingers over it and closed her eyes.

John and Liz watched as she took a breath and opened them again. "I was fifteen. This was... this was on holiday. Up north, no... on... dammit. Can't remember. But you..." she turned to Liz, "you were there?"

Liz smiled, tears in her eyes. "Aye.  That I was.  It was the last holiday they let you bring me.  Said you were too old for a 'companion'. " she paused, collecting herself.  "You don't remember much,  do you love?"

Eve shook her head.  Putting the photo down, she came and sat next to Tom.  Taking his hand, she related the sorry tale.  You could have heard a pin drop as she took the couple through the events of the previous few weeks, ending with a sigh.

"So you see, it's all a mess, and to top it off, it seems no one missed me at all!" She couldn't keep the despair out of voice now.  Being back, being "home," it all seemed to be too real. It's too scary. She started to cry, and both Liz and Tom reached to comfort her.  Liz got there first and held her tightly.  Eve sobbed, the strangely familiar feeling of Liz's embrace letting her release the final tensions. 

Tom nodded, and John took his arm. "We need to talk, son. we'll let the two of them have a moment. There's something I think you should know."  They left Eve being comforted and walked back through to the kitchen. 

"Tom, you'll forgive me if I'm a bit blunt here, but I need to be. Eve's future is at stake here."  He sat on the chair nearest the Aga, taking a moment to warm his work weary back against it for a moment.  Tom sat and indicated that John should continue.

"Tom, do you love her? Do you intend to be around for her... for good?" He stared at Tom, his dark brown eyes glittered with the fierce determination of a lion defending its pride.

Without missing a beat and to John's eternal satisfaction, Tom nodded.  "Yes. I plan to be with Eve for as long as she'll have me.  Whatever form that takes." He left the wording deliberately vague, the sentiment being focussed like a sniper on his target.  John nodded.

"Good, it's about to get very messy."

"How so?" Tom was concerned.  John looked about as serious as it was possible to look.

"She's not their daughter.  They're not her family.  What had been a suspicion, a whisper in corners, a myth, has been made real." He paused, and Tom stared open mouthed.

"W-what?" He could hardly take in what was being said.

"Her father and mother were not who she thought they were. They were really her aunt and uncle.  Eve was Anna's brother's illegitimate child.  He was thirty-two, and the girl was sixteen.  They covered the scandal up.  Anna agreed to take the child and raise it as her own.  No one, not even the other children knew. Anna thought she'd gotten away with it. They would look after Eve, raise her as their own.  Legally adopt her."  Here, John paused.

"They did it for the best of reasons, but it was all handled so badly.  Then, before anyone had a chance put plans into place for the future, they died, and it all came down to a single document. The adoption papers were in a file in George's desk.  A locked drawer, but one, after his death, that needed to be looked in."

Tom shifted position, aware he was staring intently, but also desperate to hear the outcome. 

"Her oldest brother, Steven, decided that it would be too much of a scandal. They also resented the fact that she would inherit some of what they saw as THEIR money.  They decided to cut her off.  The fact she'd seemingly disappeared just made it all the easier."

"So basically what he's saying Tom,  is I'm a homeless, penniless, illegitimate orphan.  Still think I'm such a good catch?"

The steely voice made them turn round sharply.  Eve and Liz stood arm in arm at the door, her face as white a sheet, her eyes hard and glittering, her mouth set in a determined line. She marched up to him, defiant and resolute.

"Oh Eve!" Tom stood, his arms opening to hug her. "I loved you when you were a NAMELESS homeless penniless orphan - that's not about to change love!"  he smiled, feeling her determination in her hug,  This was his girl, this feisty little Scottish Wildcat about to show them what she was made of.

"Good, because if they think they're getting away with this, they can bloody well think again."