The Legacy of Lochandee by Gwen Kirkwood Page B

She knows all my weaknesses already.’
    â€˜Fat!’
    â€˜That’ll be the day!’ Beth and Bridie said in unison.
    â€˜Beth spoils me anyway. Apart from her cooking, I’m glad of a friendly chat. I feel I belong here already.’
    â€˜I’m glad,’ Bridie said warmly.
    â€˜I can’t thank you enough for telling me this place was for sale, and for recommending Mr Niven as a solicitor. I’m working three days a week for him now. Oh by the way, did you enjoy your meal with Nick the other night, Bridie? He asked me if there was anywhere you would specially like for a celebration meal. It’s lovely, isn’t it?’
    â€˜Yes, it was. Er … Fiona, have you ever heard of French letters?’ Bridie asked innocently. Beth gasped and put a hand over her mouth. Fiona’s eyes widened and for a moment Bridie thought she saw a flash of amusement in their clear grey depths but it was swiftly hidden as she lowered her lashes.
    â€˜Well? Have you heard of them or not?’
    â€˜You’d do better to ask Beth than me,’ Fiona said.
    â€˜Oh no. We never used them.’ Beth’s face flushed and then went pale. How could she admit that she and Harry had never needed them? They had both longed for children, at least four they had planned, but as they’d discovered, life didn’t go according to plan. Too often, it went terrifyingly wrong when you least expected it.
    â€˜Well, what are they?’ Bridie demanded feeling foolish and wishing she’d never mentioned them.
    â€˜I’ve never had occasion to use them either, Bridie,’ Fiona said gently. ‘But I can tell you it’s just a slang expression for condoms – you know, things that men wear to – to prevent their wives getting pregnant.’
    â€˜O-oh!’ Bridie’s face flamed and now she was the one who clapped her hand to her mouth. ‘I-I see …’
    â€˜I expect you and Nick have lots to discuss before the wedding,’ Fiona said calmly. ‘I’m sure it must be better to talk about things beforehand.’
    â€˜Y-yes. We … I wondered whether you would be my bridesmaid, Fiona?’
    â€˜Why, yes! I’d be honoured.’
    â€˜And Lucy,’ Bridie turned to Beth, glad to talk about other things to hide her mortification. ‘Do you think Lucy would like to be a bridesmaid, Beth?’
    â€˜She’d love it, I know she would. Are you sure you want her, Bridie? I-I mean, has Nick any relations you ought to ask first?’
    â€˜No. He has no close family. It will not be a big wedding, but I think some of his friends from the RAF will come. We haven’t fixed a date but we hope it will be at the end of September.’ Bridie stood up. ‘I’d better leave you two to chat.’
    â€˜Oh don’t go yet!’ Fiona said. ‘I’ll make a cup of coffee.’
    â€˜Not for me, thanks,’ Beth said. ‘I’d better pop back over the road and get that bairn o’ mine to bed. Harry would never think of telling her to go.’ She had half-intended asking Fiona’s opinion about the tiny lump she thought she had discovered. Now she was glad Bridie’s arrival had prevented her mentioning it and making a mountain out of a molehill. She grinned to herself at the comparison. It was probably no more than a pimple in her breast if she could see it for herself.
    When Beth had gone Bridie looked at Fiona miserably.
    â€˜I made a real fool of myself, didn’t I?’ She bit her lip.
    â€˜Not at all, Bridie,’ Fiona reassured her kindly. ‘When you live in the city and mix with lots of different people they talk about things our parents would never have discussed, even between themselves. Er … I know there is a book if you want to know about birth-control, though. I’ll find out the proper name for you. I’m sure you and Nick will be really happy once