The Lost Boy and The Gardener's Daughter (19 page)

Chapter Twenty One

He’d telt them efter tea, jist as he wis heiding aff tae meet up wae Morven at the burn, that he’d be leaving oan his fifteenth birthday, which wis within the next week or so.  He said that while he loved staying at the croft, he missed being back hame in Glesga.  Whitey reached across the table and put her haun across his and gied him a wee smile.

  “I’m sure you’re doing the right thing, Paul.  Your family will have missed you.  We knew you would be leaving when you felt the time was right.  Isn’t that so, Innes?”

  “Aye, there’s not much of a future in a place like the strath for a young fellow these days.  The only work about here is on the estate and I’m afraid living with us would have torpedoed any work opportunities there...that, and the two black eyes you gave young George,” Innes chortled.

  “Ah’ve met some amazing people and learnt a lot since Ah’ve been here, bit Ah’m getting this pull tae go hame.  Ah don’t know why that is, bit that’s how Ah feel,” Paul admitted.

  As he heided through the trees, he wondered whether tae tell Morven jist noo or tae leave it and tell her nearer the time.  He looked aboot.  The trees and the plants wur aw in full bloom and the bumblebees wur making a racket, gaun aboot their business.  He’d miss gaun fur a run aboot there first thing in the mornings.  The last couple ae mornings hid been strange though.  He’d come across The Gardener’s Daughter up oan that big fancy white horse ae hers while he’d been oot oan his run.  She’d been dressed in full horsey clothes this time, although she’d still been wearing her John Lennon glasses.  The first time he’d come across her, she hidnae clocked him as he’d sat watching her.  She looked as though she wis looking fur something.  She wid move oan through the trees fur a bit and then stoap, looking aboot.   The second time, which hid been the previous day, she’d clocked him and hid heided straight fur him, waving her erms.  When he’d disappeared through the trees and done a full circle tae come oot behind her, she’d followed the track tae where he’d disappeared and hid then gaun back tae her search fur whitever it wis she wis looking fur.  He’d watched her fur aboot a hauf an hour and hid then slipped away and carried oan wae his run.  He’d decided tae change his route.  If he came across her, then there wis a good chance he’d come across wan ae the Sellars.  He wanted tae avoid that at all costs.

  He heard their voices before he saw them.  He crept tae the edge ae the clearing opposite the burn where he’d planned tae meet Morven.  He couldnae believe his eyes.  The baith ae them wur sitting oan the bank wae their feet dangling in the water, laughing at whitever it wis that wan ae them hid said that wis funny.  They wur wearing shorts and baith hid semmets oan tap that he could see showed aff their nice pert paps, even fae where he wis staunin, which wis aboot fifty feet away.  Morven wis in white and The Gardener’s Daughter wis in green.  He swithered whether tae fuck aff back the way he’d come, bit hesitated.  Why wid she bring the She-Devil up here?  He thought he’d made it clear tae Morven that he didnae want anywan tae know that he wis coming up oan tae the estate.  She’d hiv been jist as well tae hiv brought wan ae the Sellars wae her, as far as he wis concerned.  Fuck it, let’s see whit the score is, he thought tae himsel, as he stepped oot intae the sunlight.   They never noticed him at first until he wis haufway between the trees and them.  It wis The Gardener’s Daughter that clocked him first.

  “Oh,” she said, stoapping kicking the water wae they feet ae hers.

  “You’re late,” Morven said wae a smile oan her coupon.

  So, she’d deliberately brought her boss pal then, Paul realised, feeling really annoyed and wondering whether tae dae an aboot-turn and piss aff back the way he’d jist come. He looked beyond them towards the trees at the sound ae a Cuckoo. His radar wis gaun haywire.  Ignoring them, he held his gaze until he wis satisfied that it wis jist him and them that wur aboot.  It wis clear that something wis gaun oan and he wanted tae find oot whit it wis.

  “Fur whit?” he finally replied.

  “Oh, I’m sorry, Paul.  I made Morven bring me,” Lady Muck said, wae an apologetic smile oan that rich face ae hers.

  “Did ye?  And how did ye know Ah wis coming tae meet up wae Morven then?” he asked Saba, looking across at Morven.

  “I’m sorry, Paul.  I thought you two should meet properly this time.  The last time was a bit tense, to say the least,” Morven replied, looking nervous.

  “And ye didnae think ae maybe asking me first, tae see if Ah wis okay wae yer decision then?” he scolded, looking aboot, wondering if the Sellars wur jist aboot tae jump oot oan him.

  “The two of you are my friends.  You should get to know each other better.  It’ll save complications in the future,” she said, pleasantly enough, although her voice sounded a bit defensive.

  Paul felt his anger simmering jist below the surface ae his skin.  Friends?  He thought they wur supposed tae be gaun oot wae wan another.  He wanted tae tell Morven tae fuck right aff because he wis pissing aff back tae Glesga soon, so he didnae gie a monkey’s fuck fur her or her pal.

  “Ah thought we wur keeping it a secret between us aboot meeting up here?” he reminded Morven, keeping his voice steady, as he scanned the tree lines, trying tae work oot where the Sellars wid be skulking, if it wis a trap.

  “It’s really okay, Paul.  No-one else knows we’re here,” Saba said reassuringly,
looking aboot tae confirm her statement.

  “Right, whit’s the score here, Morven?  There’s something gaun oan, so spit it oot,” he said, staying alert and continuing tae look aboot.

  “Er, Saba wanted to ask you something and asked if I could bring the both of you together.  Sit down,” Morven pleaded apologetically, realising that he wis really pissed aff at her.

  “Is that right?  Fire away then,” Paul retorted, looking fae wan tae the other.

  “Er, well, I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind doing me a terribly big favour.” Saba asked, as Paul sat doon, cross-legged, in front ae them.

  “Oh aye…and whit wid that be then?”

  “I need to get to my grandmother’s house, down in England.  I think Morven has already mentioned that, despite my best efforts, I’m having problems managing to get more than a couple of miles down the road before I’m dragged back here.”

  “Why me?”

  “Because I don’t have anyone else I can ask.  Everyone else is scared of what my father would do if he found out they were helping me.  I’m not asking you to take me to England, just far enough away so that I can get a train or a bus.  I’d be willing to pay you.”

  “Whit makes ye think Ah’m no scared ae yer da, like everywan else aboot here?”

  “Are you?”

  “Naw.”

  “So, you’ll do it.  You’ll help me escape from this place?”

  “While Ah’m no scared ae that da ae yours, there’s other people aboot me that him and they country yokel henchmen ae his, could dae permanent damage tae though.”

  “Oh, like who?”

  “Ah live wae an auld couple, who’ve been really good tae me and hiv helped me a lot wae a few wee problems Ah’ve hid recently.  They’ve fed me and gied me a bed tae kip in.  Ah’m no sure Ah’d want tae bring trouble tae their door, particularly fae somewan like yer da.  They’ve goat plenty ae experience ae whit happens tae people who cross him.”

  “I see,” Saba murmured, clearly disappointed.

  “Somehow, Ah don’t think ye dae.  Ask yersel this…ye don’t know me fae Adam, other than Ah’m wan ae yer da’s tenant’s lodgers.  Ah come tae you and ask ye tae dae whit ye’ve jist asked me.  Whit wid yer response be tae me?”

  Silence.

  “Aye, Ah thought so.  And as fur you, Morven.  Ah’m well-pissed aff wae ye fur trying tae get me involved in this.  You know fine well whit wid happen tae Whitey and Innes if Ah wis caught up in something like this.  Where else wid they go if they wur cleared aff the croft?  Hiv ye even stoapped and gied a thought tae that?  Thanks a bundle,” Paul said, staunin up and looking at them fur a few seconds
before turning and walking quickly away, expecting the Sellars tae jump oot at him at any second.

  “Paul, wait!” Morven shouted, bit he wis awready entering the trees and disappearing withoot looking back.

Chapter Twenty Two

  “Are we all set, Riddrie?” The Duke asked.

  “Everything has been concluded, as per your instructions, m’lord.”

  “And McWhirter, down in Tain?  Has he received my deposition?”

  “I understand that Mr Sellar hand-delivered it, in person, yesterday morning, m’lord.”

  “Did he now?  And the response?”

  “Sheriff McWhirter initially said that it was Mackay that was on trial and not the delinquent ruffian from Glasgow, m’lord.  He said that it would be stretching it for him to bring the boy’s past misdeeds into the trial as part of the prosecution evidence.”

  “What?  But that’s preposterous!  Did Sellar not inform him that we have a vicious two-legged rabid fox running about up here in the strath, with a history of robbery and violence towards communities, not to mention a history of being confined to a lunatic asylum?” The Duke exclaimed, pacing back and forth in the smoking room.

  “I believe a carbon copy, detailing the extensive previous crimes committed and convicted by this…this vagabond, McBride, which was sent to us by Sir Frank Owen, was included in your correspondence, m’lord.”

  “But if he’s still in custody, what the hell is he doing tramping about my estate?”

  “McWhirter stated that the terms of reference regarding custodial responsibility for the boy, as highlighted in Sir Frank’s report, make it clear that the responsibility for the supervision and welfare of the youth has been passed from the judiciary to the health authorities.  They in turn have passed this responsibility, via the local social work department, onto the MacKays, who are acting in loco parentis.  He therefore is unable to recommend a recall supervision order to return the boy back to an approved school, as advised by Sir Frank, m’lord.”

  “This is outrageous.  Sellar has already informed me that between the two of them, they’ll soon clear anything that moves on the southern part of the estate.  I will not sit back and let this happen.  How many outings has McWhirter had this year, Riddrie?”

  “I believe he’s been shooting three times, as well as fished for salmon on the Carron and sea trout on the Kyle, m’lord.”

  “And he’s been made fully aware of my concerns?”

  “Your correspondence subtly highlighted that what hath been given, can be withdrawn, m’lord.”

  “And?”

  “After deliberation, McWhirter believes that a successful outcome to your problem can be achieved.  However, it may take a little longer to resolve than the time available to the court today, m’lord.”

  “And?”

  “McWhirter believes he can curtail the activities of both Mackay and the boy in such a manner that will ultimately guarantee not only financial hardship for the MacKay’s, but will ensure eventual custody for the both of them, m’lord.”

  “Really?”

  “Having studied his solution to your problem, m’lord, I believe McWhirter may have put a hole below MacKay’s waterline.”

  “And what about this other poacher from Lairg?”

  “That will be Ross, m’lord.”

  “Guaranteed conviction?”

  “McWhirter said he would try his best, m’lord.”

  “And you’ll be in attendance this morning, Riddrie?”

  “I will be attending as a member of the public in the gallery whilst Mr Sellar and his two sons will be in attendance as prosecution witnesses, m’lord.”

  “Excellent.  Make sure you take a bottle of thirty-year-old malt with you as an appreciation of McWhirter’s understanding in this matter and inform him that I have invited a few select guests for a grouse shooting party on the twelfth of August and I would be delighted if he could join me.  Now, if there is nothing else, breakfast is calling out to me on the terrace.”  

Chapter Twenty Three

  Paul and Innes wur up at the crack ae dawn and walking doon the strath towards Ardgay by seven thirty oan the Friday morning.  Whitey hid been wanting tae go tae court in Tain wae Innes, bit she’d stood oan a rusty nail that hid been sticking through a bit ae wood that Wan-eye hid dragged oot ae the barn and left in the yard the previous day.

  “So, whit’s gonnae happen the day, Innes?”

  “Och, I expect I’ll get a fine, seeing as I’m a first offender.”

  “And the rowing boat?”

  “Och, that’ll be confiscated.  I’m not bothered about the boat as it needed replaced and was rotten through.  It’s a pity about the oars though, they still had a few years left in them.”

  “Ye’ve hid a good run if this is the first time ye’ve been caught.”

  “Oh, I’ve been caught quite a few times, but never charged.  Most of the keepers are just like ourselves in that most of them started out as poachers, so don’t really see taking a rabbit or a salmon every now and again as the crime of the century.  I’ve usually talked my way out of trouble by sharing the spoils.  I remember one time Packer and I got caught with thirteen salmon by Swein McTavish.  We couldn’t believe our luck.  Not only did he put them in the back of the police car, but he gave us a lift down to Donald’s shop in Golspie to get rid of them and then gave us a lift back to where we had left our boat.  On the way to Golspie, we had to lay down in amongst the salmon in the back of his Landy, covered by a sheet of canvas while he told John Sellar that he had to respond to an emergency down in Golspie and that he would be back in two hours to continue helping in the search for the poachers who were believed to be hiding in amongst the trees.”

  “Christ, thirteen salmon.  That wis some haul.”

  “Och aye, but that’s unusual.  Donald had been asked to supply the meat and fish for a banquet that The Duke of Sutherland was throwing for the marriage of one of his daughters over in Dunrobin Castle, just outside Golspie.  Donald was chuffed to hear our Duke tell The Duke of Sutherland how impressed he was with the quality of the salmon.  We all had a good laugh at the thought of our Duke tucking into his own salmon while giving the credit to someone else.”

  “I know you won’t like this, Innes, bit fur the life ae me, Ah jist cannae bring masel tae trust the polis, even if he did gie youse a lift tae sell yer salmon haul.  Ma experience is that they’re aw crooks and wid sell their maw fur a penny if it meant getting a leg up the greasy pole.”

  “It’s just a job for Swein, Paul.”

  “Aye, that’s whit they aw say.”

  The courthoose stood oot like a sore thumb. If ye wur tae ask a blind man whit building wis the courthoose, he wid’ve pointed straight at it.  Apart fae a few wee differences, it looked basically like every other courthoose Paul hid been in.  It wis bigger than any other building, apart fae maybe the picture hoose that wis doon the street fae it.  It wis built wae the same broon sandstone that maist ae the tenements in the Toonheid wur built wae.  It hid a big square clock face wae smaller round wans oan the sides ae it.  Paul and Innes wur staunin oan the corner ae Tower Street and High Street, in between the picture hoose and The Royal Hotel, looking up the street tae where the entrance ae the courthoose wis.  Paul looked up at the clock.  The wan facing oot said ten past nine, while the other wan looking doon the street tae their left said twenty past.  Whichever wan wis right, they’d definitely goat there by the nine thirty, as stated oan Innes’s summons.  The door ae the court hid a wee brass plate ootside it that stated that this wis indeed the Tain Sheriff and Justice ae the Peace Court.  They crossed the road tae join the people awready arriving.

  “Innes, is it yourself?” a big ruddy-faced giant asked.

  “Hello there, Malcolm.  Aye, I’m afraid it is,” Innes replied, shaking the shovel that wis put oot tae him.

  “This is Paul, who’s come to court today to keep me company.”

  “Oh, hello there, Paul.  You wouldn’t be the young fellow that boxed the ears of the Sellar boys at the Ardgay games the other week there, eh?”

  “Aye, the very same, Malcolm,” Paul replied, getting his haun crushed by the same shovel that hid shaken hauns wae Innes.

  “Och, I wish I had been around to see that.  You’re the talk of the Highlands, you know.  You’ve become famous,” Malcolm smiled kindly.

  “I take it this isn’t a social call for you either, Malcolm?” Innes asked, as they trooped inside.

  Like the ootside ae the building, the court set-up inside wis standard. An auld strawberry-nosed Sheriff sat up oan the bench, facing the great unwashed, while the dock wis oan the left and the press gallery and witness staun wis oan the right.  In the middle ae aw this sat the defence and prosecuting tables wae a few other flunkies hinging aboot, kidding oan they wur entitled tae a wage at the end ae the week.

  “Aye, aye,” Innes said, looking across at the press gallery, the best seats in the hoose, as they took their seats.

  Sitting in the middle ae the front row ae bowler-hatted buzzards, The Duke’s man, Riddrie, sat stony-faced, wae a sly smirk oan that coupon ae his, as Innes, Malcolm and Paul looked across at him.  Morven hid pointed him oot tae Paul at the Highland Games.  She said, next tae The Duke, he wis wan ae the most powerful men in the Highlands.

  “Who’s the other wans wae him?” Paul asked.

  “That’s all the secretaries from the various Highland estates down to make sure that justice is meted out correctly,” Malcolm murmured.

  Everywan went quiet as Strawberry Nose banged his gavel.

  “Call the first case, Mr Grovel,” Strawberry Nose rasped.

  “Fletcher, Fisher and Fraser, m’lord,” Grovel shouted oot, as three wee boys, aw aboot ten years auld, wur hustled through a wee swing gate at the front ae the public gallery by the court usher.

  “Charge?” intoned Strawberry Nose, who looked bored shitless before the day hid even started.

  “These three little termites were found in possession of a sling shot, a set of snares and a fishing rod on Lord Dunkley’s estate on the thirteenth of February, m’lord.”

  “How do they plead, Mr Grovel?”

  “Not guilty, m’lord.”

  “Fine, that’ll be a two pound fine for each set of parents, to be paid within sixty days of this date.  Failure to comply will mean the defaulting father will spend seven days behind bars. Next!” the judge shouted, as wan ae the bowler-hatted buzzards nodded wae satisfaction.

  Oan and oan it went, aw through the morning.  Paul thought he’d learned a good bit aboot poaching fae Innes, bit this wis like attending poaching college oan day release.  Wan ae the funniest bits ae the day came jist before the lunch break.

  “Next!” Strawberry Nose rasped.

  “Hickory and Dickory, who claim to be travelling salesmen from Dingwall, m’lord,” Grovel shouted, as two wee shifty looking poachers wur pushed forward fae a door o’er tae the left. 

  They wur obviously attending fae custody, hivving being picked up efter Dickory wis caught wae a ferret doon his left trooser leg up a glen oan Lord McGowan’s estate the day before.

  “Are you trying to tell me we have Hickory and Dickory in the dock, Mr Grovel?”  Strawberry Nose asked, jist as the big clock oan the tower ootside, struck wan o’clock and the public galleries aw burst intae laughter, before being telt tae be quiet by the judge.

  The baith ae them goat fined ten pounds each fur the audacity ae trying tae blag a rabbit or two belonging tae Lord McGowan.  The ferret wis ordered tae hiv it’s neck wrung by the court usher during the lunch break.

  Efter they’d scoffed the breid and cheese pieces fae the parcel that Whitey hid made up fur them in case they’d tae wait aw day, it wis Malcolm’s turn.

  “Who’s first up this afternoon, Mr Grovel?”

  “Ross, your honour,” Grovel grovelled.

  Malcolm stepped o’er the wee gate before the usher could move forward to open it and lumbered intae the dock.

  “Charge?” you know who rasped.

  “Ross has been accused of poaching a stag from the estate of The Duke of Kyle, m’lord.”

  “How does he plead?”

  “Not Guilty, m’lord.”

  “There’s a surprise.  Go on.”

  “On the nineteenth of February of this year, the accused was seen to run off in the possession of a struggling stag, belonging to his Lordship, The Duke of Kyle, m’lord.”

  “A struggling stag?”

  “Yes m’lord.  The accused was seen by three estate keepers, running up the side of Glen Cassley with an adult stag curled round his neck and shoulders and its legs clasped together by the hands of the accused.  The stag was displaying signs of great distress, m’lord, and was seen to be struggling to break free.”

  “And how do we know that it was the accused that was in possession of the poor beast?”

  “He was identified by the three estate keepers, Mr John Sellar and his two sons, George and Cameron, who are present as witnesses today, m’lord.”

  “Right, to save on time, bring the three of them in together, Mr Lock,” Strawberry Nose said tae the usher.

  Paul watched the three ae them enter the witness stand.  He hidnae clocked the brothers since the marquee gala dance in the field in Ardgay.  Cameron’s face wis jist aboot healed, bit George’s eyes still looked a bit puffy and the skin roond aboot them wis yellow and streaked wae blue striped bruises.  They ignored Innes and Paul as they took their places.

  “Now, gentlemen, can you identify the poacher in this courtroom that you claim to have seen running up the side of Glen Cassley with a distressed stag wrapped around his neck?” Grovel asked, as aw three ae them immediately pointed tae the giant who wis staunin opposite them.

  “I rest my case, m’lord,” Grovel said, strolling back tae his seat as if
he’d jist scored the conviction ae the century against the Bird Man ae Alcatraz.

  “And what have you to say in your defence, Ross?” Strawberry Nose asked.

  “I believe these gentlemen to be wrong, sir,” Malcolm replied.

  “Right, Mr Sellar, seeing as you are the senior here, I’ll address my questions to you.  Did you retrieve the said struggling distressed stag?”

  “No, your honour.  Ross disappeared over the top of the Ben with it.”

  “Did you give chase?”

  “We did your honour, but he had a head start on us.  By the time we turned and went back to our vehicles to head him off on the other side, the stag was gone, your honour.”

  “And Ross?”

  “We found him at his croft, pretending to be working, your honour.”

  “If Ross had a head start on you, how do you know it was him?  I assume he had his back to you and wasn’t running up the mountain backwards where you would have seen his face?”

  “There’s only one person I know in the Highlands who would have the strength to run up a mountain with a struggling stag on his back, your honour, and he’s standing in the dock opposite me,” John Sellar replied, wae a smug look oan his coupon.

  “So, you didn’t recognise the accused in person but assumed because of his brute strength and size, that it was the accused, Ross?”

  “That’s right, your honour.”

  “Hmm, I think you will need to do better than that, Mr Sellar.  In order to ensure justice is served, I’m going to defer this case for a further six months to ensure that the prosecuting authorities have sufficient time to state their case more precisely.  You’re free to go, Ross, but you will have to return to this court in December to respond to this charge,” Strawberry Nose said tae Malcolm, bit was looking across at Riddrie.

  Innes wis up next.  It wis an open and shut case.  Sellar senior wis asked tae exit the witness stand while George and Cameron wur allowed tae take his seat as the charge wis read oot tae Innes and he wis asked how he wanted tae plead.

  “Guilty,” Innes declared, obviously wanting tae get this o’er and done wae, tae the disappointment ae the two stooges who wanted tae staun up and point the finger at him.

  “Any known previous convictions, Mr Grovel?” Strawberry Nose asked.

   “No, m’lord.”

  “Right, before I sentence this scoundrel, what are his financial circumstances, Mr Grovel?”

  “MacKay is of pensionable age, m’lord, and has a joint old age pension income with his wife.  Other income includes fifty two pounds per annum or, one pound sterling a week to be precise, from social services as a result of sheltering vulnerable young people who are in need of care and respite, m’lord.” Grovel declared gleefully.

  “Thank you, Mr Grovel.  Now, Mackay, have you anything to say before I pass sentence?”

  Innes briefly looked confused, bit then shook his heid.

  “Right, well, you’ve admitted to being guilty of this dastardly deed.  We cannot and will not tolerate theft from the estates in the Highlands.  It is my job to stamp it out and protect the public from people like you.  Obviously, this is not your first offence, but rather I dare say, it’s the first time you’ve been caught.  The fact that our social services have foolishly entrusted our young and vulnerable into the care of a person such as you, is a cause for grave concern.  I will be writing to the head of Ross-shire Social Services today to demand that both you and your wife be removed from the child respite care list and are not allowed to be entrusted to look after children who are in the greatest of need.  I will also be writing to request that any vulnerable child currently placed in your care be removed forthwith and returned to a more caring and secure environment.  I will also recommend that any such child be adequately assessed before being transferred again to the care of non-professionals, in case they have been adversely influenced by being in a criminal environment.  As for the punishment for the theft of a salmon from The Duke of Kyle’s estate and taking into consideration income accrued from social services, this court fines the accused seventy five pounds, to be paid within thirty days. Failure to pay this fine within the said period will result in the accused facing sixty days in jail.  All equipment and accessories found in possession of the accused on the day of the crime are to be confiscated.  If the accused wishes, he may pay all or part of the fine at the cashier’s window on the first floor today.  You’re free to go, Mackay,” Strawberry Nose thundered, banging doon his gavel wae a crash that amplified aroond the stunned silence ae the courtroom.