Stranger At The Door, Day 16 By Neilla Martin

I have caught him rereading your letter to him. I have begged him to reply to it, but he refuses

His left arm encircling Sarah’s waist, Daniel extended his right hand. “Sarah is now Sarah Morrison, my wife,” he said politely but firmly. “And you are very welcome in our home. Please come in.” At that, he felt Sarah relax. With a curt nod of acknowledgement, Bertha Ogilvie stepped over the threshold. Behind her, Jess, Sarah’s friend, hesitated, looking flustered.

“Come away in, Jess,” Daniel continued while Sarah began to recover her composure. Jess hesitated.

“But if it’s family business...” she began, her cheeks flushing. Sarah reached out and drew her over the threshold.

“If it’s family business, you’re not out of place, Jess. To both of us, you’re family.”

After a little fussing, Jess agreed to wait in the bedroom while Daniel took Bertha’s coat and drew a chair for her nearer to the fire. He settled himself in the chair opposite.

“Come and sit by me, Sarah.” Again, his arm encircled her waist. There was a small silence as Bertha’s critical gaze swept round the room.

“It’s small, but we’ve made it cosy,” Daniel went on. “And we have another room. It’s big enough for the two of us, but we have plans for the future, Miss Ogilvie.” Great shock There was no reply from Bertha, but the slightest of nods which hinted at approval.

“Of course, you must realise that all of this was a great shock to your father and me,” Bertha said. “In fact, it was out of concern for him that I made the journey from Edinburgh today.” “Is he ill?” Sarah leaned forward anxiously. Bertha Ogilvie took a moment or two to choose her words, staring into the fire as she did so.

“Your father is a man of few words, Sarah,” she said at last. “And his words have become even fewer of late. He spends much of his time staring out of the window and would seem to have given up any thought of securing a teaching position in the city.

“Several times, I have caught him rereading your letter to him. I have begged him to reply to it, but he refuses to discuss the matter.”

At that, her voice began to quiver slightly and she stopped speaking. Daniel could feel Sarah tremble and, glancing at her, saw her eyes were tear-filled.

“I am glad, then, that you came today, Miss Ogilvie,” he said, giving his wife a reassuring squeeze. “Because if you return to give our news to Master Ogilvie it will allow him to take a step forward.

“He will be more content in his mind. When the time is right Sarah and I will come to Edinburgh to meet with him. Late in the day as it is, I would like to seek his approval.”

Bertha Ogilvie looked doubtful. There was a pause, and for the first time that afternoon, she smiled.

“I had almost forgotten the eagerness of the very young,” she murmured to no one in particular.

The visit became warmer and more cordial from that point on. Refreshment was offered and accepted, and Jess was brought in to share tea with the visitor.

Outside, Tricky Binnie had assumed the task of minding Jess’s pony and had rounded up his children to assist him.

Mingled shouts of warning and delight made Miss Ogilvie start in alarm at first as they floated into the room and interrupted the conversation, but as Daniel and Sarah embarked on several anecdotes of Tricky and his exploits, the visitor permitted herself more than one smile. Approval She noted, with approval, the embroidered tea cloth and the china cups which Sarah set out.

“I’m pleased to see that you’ve kept up standards,” Bertha whispered to her niece when Daniel was occupied in chatting to Jess.

When talk turned to the Wee School, Bertha permitted herself another smile.

“Your father will be pleased to hear that you’re teaching the younger children,” she told Sarah. “He’d be more pleased still to hear that you intend to continue your studies in some form or another,” she added. There was a pause.

“Sarah’s studies are part of our plan for the future,” Daniel said confidently. “She attends to her books when she can, but there’s little time these days.”

“It won’t always be so, as Daniel says.” Sarah directed a fond gaze at her husband. “Please tell my father that, Aunt Bertha.”

A glance at the clock reminded them all that it was getting late and a flurry of arrangements for Bertha’s return journey began.

Daniel insisted that he would drive her to the Junction for the train to Edinburgh. Bertha Ogilvie hesitated, looking slightly nervous.

“Does the pony know you well enough to do your bidding, Daniel?” she asked as he held her coat. Jess laughed.

“That pony’s everybody’s friend, as long as they feed him titbits. And Daniel always has something for him in his pocket. They’re the best of friends,” she told the visitor.

There was a catch in Bertha’s voice as she took Sarah’s hands in hers. “I have news which will cheer your father,” she said. “And I’ll write to you with news of him. That is at least a beginning.”

Sarah felt like throwing her arms round her aunt, but knew that the Ogilvies did not approve of such displays of affection, so she simply nodded.

“Safe journey,” she added as Daniel handed the visitor into the trap.

Indoors, Jess seated herself in a fireside chair while Sarah bustled off to make another pot of tea. As the two settled down, tea poured, lamps lit against the gathering gloom of an approaching evening, Jess gave a sigh of relief.

“I didna know what to expect, Sarah,” she said at last. “I was worried, too,” Sarah confessed. “But Daniel saved the day, didn’t he?”

Jess nodded. Saved the news “Spoke like a gentleman, he did. Could charm the birds out o’ the trees, that Daniel.

“Mind you,” she added after a beat of silence. “That same Daniel could haud his own in the worst o’ tirryvees, if I’m no’ mistaken.

“A bit like my Sandy,” she added, and the two of them laughed. Then, smiling, Jess began to tell Sarah her much-delayed news.

“Sandy and me’ll be havin’ company afore long,” she began. Sarah looked at Jess, plump and contented, face rosy with the heat of the fire, and she suddenly knew. “When?” she asked. “Come the spring.” Jess jumped up and hugged Sarah. “A bairn for Sandy and me, Sarah. We’ve only told my mother.

“We’ve saved the news for you and Daniel afore we’d tell anybody else.”

The two of them laughed and cried by turns as they turned the good news over and over again. More tomorrow.

Artwork: Andrew Lloyd Jones