Free Time Shall Reap by Doris Davidson Page B

glasses he had prescribed and she still forgot to put them on before she started to read anything.
    Dear Mother,
    I am sorry you have had to wait so long for this letter, but we do not have much peace to sit down and write, as you can imagine. We are back off the line just now, so I want to tell you something I meant to tell you that last Saturday but I was in no state. I took Geordie Gray’s daughter to the Masonic Hall dance when I was on leave, and to cut a long story short, we love each other and I am going to wed her when I come back. I don’t want to go to Canada now, so I am sure Father will be pleased. When I was in their house, I saw a grandfather clock with Geordie and Lizzie’s initials engraved on the pendulum. It was the most romantic thing I had ever seen, so I’ve written to a clockmaker I saw in Perth, asking him to make one exactly the same, but with Elspeth’s initials and mine. It will be delivered to Blairton, but it’s for Elspeth. I can hardly wait to see her face on our wedding day when I give it to her. I hope you and Father are both keeping well, your devoted son,
    John
    Meg sighed as she laid the letter down. She was happy that he had found a lass – the Grays were a decent family, and he could do a lot worse – and that he was intending to settle down at Blairton after the war, but it must be terrible out there in France. One of his friends had been reported killed in action already, and another one was missing.
    ‘Dear God,’ she prayed, ‘please don’t let my son be taken from me for good. I’ll be happy to share him with Elspeth Gray or any other girl if he comes through the war safely.’
    Rising to carry on with her housework, Meg’s mind kept going over what John had written. She knew the lassie by sight, a pretty wee thing sitting with her parents in the kirk, but she couldn’t be more than sixteen or seventeen, if she was that. It wasn’t likely that Geordie Gray knew about her attachment to John, so it would be best not to say anything about it to him or Lizzie.
    When Blairton read the letter, he smiled. ‘I was feared he had no interest in lassies, and I’m pleased he’s not like that, for a man needs a wife.’
    ‘Elspeth looks a sober enough creature,’ Meg observed, ‘and I’m sure Geordie Gray’ll not be against the match, though he’ll likely want them to wait a year or so, for she’s still a bit young.’
    ‘She’ll not be so young by the time this war’s finished.’ He looked serious. ‘It’s going to be a long, hard struggle, for we’ll have our work cut out to beat the Huns.’
    ‘As long as our John doesna get killed.’
    ‘Don’t let your mind dwell on that.’ He sat for a few more minutes, then said, ‘Stop worrying, Meg, everything’ll come out all right. Elspeth Gray’s put Canada out of his head, thank goodness, and though I’d hoped he’d pick a farmer’s daughter for a wife, she comes of good enough stock. I’ll have no objection to him marrying her when the time comes, and maybe they’ll have sons to carry on Blairton, like I’ve aye wanted. Now, is my dinner ready?’
    Towards the end of January, Elspeth became numbly aware that her actions on the night of the storm in November and on the day she had spent at Blairton could not be kept secret much longer, but she was afraid to consult Doctor McLean in case he told her parents. Her mother would be angry, there was no doubt about that, for she’d be worried about what folk would say, but once she got over the shock she would shield her daughter as much as she could and see her through her time. It was what her father would do that made Elspeth shiver with fear. He could be cruel and unforgiving, and would likely throw her out into the street like the heroines in Nettie’s sister’s novelettes. She was desperately miserable, recalling the disgust of the local women when the dairymaid at Denseat had to leave in disgrace some months before. ‘Easy meat for anything in