End of the Line

Chapter Thirteen. The Sabbath.

Chapter Thirteen

The Sabbath 

Meg and her mother rose at dawn the following morning. Meg had already left to see to the cows leaving Mrs. MacLean busily preparing two picnic hampers in the kitchen. As she worked Mrs Maclean whistled a discordant version of "Ye banks and braes o bonnie Doon". It was going to be a wonderful day. Dan had promised to take her, Ma, and Pop Benson on a Sunday afternoon drive; just like in the old days when Mac was still alive. The other hamper was for Meg, who was planning to show the children the sugar bush that same afternoon. But first there was a pancake breakfast to prepare, and then church.  

The MacLean's rode to the nearby chapel in a surrey pulled by the white gelding, Blizzard. Dan took the car to the small Anglican Church in Knowlton. It was only a ten-minute drive but the limited space and Ma's blossoming pregnancy required two trips. He drove Ma, Pop and George first, then. Belle, Mary and the two children.  

When they arrived outside the church, Dan dropped off Mary and the two children. He asked Belle to come with him to help park the car. It was a lame excuse. In reality, he didn't want to enter the church all by himself.  

A broadly smiling sideman greeted Mary at the door and guided her to the central aisle. She spotted George and her parents seated in a pew on the left, quite close to the pulpit. Taking Bill and Betty by the hand, she walked down the aisle. As one, the congregation turned and watched her progress. She blushed. Bill and Betty hung their heads in embarrassment. Then she saw him, the short blond haired man, seated alone in a pew, a startled look on his face. He beckoned. Mary shook her head. She knew what he was thinking.

Dan and Belle did not join the family at the front, but sneaked in to the back pew shortly after the reassuringly familiar service had started. They also skipped the later reception, much preferring to skulk around the churchyard indulging their newfound habit of cigarette smoking.  

Many well-wishers greeted Mary and her parents when they joined the other parishioners for refreshments in the parish hall. The vicar in particular was overjoyed to greet the arrival of such a large family to his parish, a parish that had been suffering a precipitous decline in the number of English speaking residents in recent years. Pop was in his element, swapping stories with one of the sidemen. Ma Benson, tired from standing, took a seat at one of the tables. Mary stood by her side.  

"Mary. Do you know that young man over there? He keeps looking at you." 

"Which young man mother?" 

"The blonde haired one standing over there by the refreshments." Mary reddened and kept her head bowed. "So you do know him don't you. I guess you met him at the dance last night. Looks like a nice young man to me. Aren't you going to introduce me?" 

"Mother don't be silly," she stammered. "I hardly know the fellow." 

"Well he's latched on to your father."  

"Oh no," groaned Mary.

"Well that was a turn up for the books," said Pop to no one in particular on the drive back to the farm. 

"What was that Pop?" asked George. 

"I met a young chap there. Nice chap, English too, and you know what, he seems to have taken a fancy to our Mary." 

"That's hard to believe," guffawed Dan. 

"Believe it or not but it's the truth. He has asked if he might call on her."