A History Maker by Alasdair Gray Read Free Book Online

looking away from her, “There is no kinder or more experienced body in Craig Douglas than you, but please get someone else to go.”
    She stared, laughed then said, “Mibby you would have been happier in the bad old historical days when it was a man’s duty to be jealous, but I doubt it.”

    Survivors of great slaughters knew they must help the women of their clan replace lost comrades so duty, not desire brought Wat to Annie’s room. Apart from a homo-erotic affair in the Warrior house all Wat’s lovers until now had been older than him so the childish furnishing in Annie’s room almost made him walk away. Shelves were crowded with cuddlytoys, romantic videos about historical lovers and comic ones about talking animals. A typical young girl’s collage covered the walls; it showed Annie in many moods and dresses from babyhood to teens mingled with pictures of her mother, aunts, grannies, pets, girl friends, boyfriends and popular icons. Wat recognized Donald Duck, Botticelli’s Venus, Robert Burns, Alice in Wonderland, Krishna among the Cowgirls, King Kong, Rodin’s Kiss , Dracula, Marilyn Monroe and modern stills of famous soldiers from their most violent battles. Over her bed was a life-size cut-out of himself on the edge of the cliff shouting “No!” when asked if Ettrick would surrender. His heart lurched — was Scottish Wat now a legend like the African Inongo, American Winesburg, Chinese Pingwu? — then he felt sick. After that shout he had stabbed a man who thought the battle over. It was a filthy way to enter the erotic fancies of a sixteen-year-old girl. However, he let her undress him and entered her bed.
    Â Â Â 
    Before nightfall he was amazed to find he liked Annie better than her mother. Though less experienced in love and coffee-making she had Nan’s sensuality, humour and intelligence in a more slender and playful body. She made him feel powerful and wise. She also liked tosleep with her ceiling clear as glass. He opened his eyes early next morning and looked straight up at a full moon between banks of hurrying cloud. Not quite awake he felt Annie snuggle warm at his side, her arm across his chest. He thought he was lying with her on the floor of a roofless cottage in a wilderness far to the north. He seemed to remember escaping from a shameful disaster which had befallen but at least Annie and he were safe. Glad of this he fell asleep again.
    Â Â Â 
    Later she wakened him by singing, “ A hero, a hero, a hero in my bed, the first man to fuck me is a heeeeero. ”
    Wat said, “You’ve fucked with others.”
    â€œOnly with laddies. Lads don’t count. Stop interrupting and listen!
    A hero, a hero, a hero in my bed,
    the first man to fuck me is a heeeeero.
    I stole him from my mammy,
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  he wanted me instead,
    O the first man to fuck me is a heeeeero. ”
    â€œYour mammy sent me here.”
    â€œAye but it’s good to pretend. Try it. You’ve fought three wars, right?”
    â€œAye.”
    â€œAnd seven battles, right?”
    â€œAye. Your bloody uncle Jardine made the lastwar continue for three.”
    â€œSeven bloody battles and never once wounded!” shouted Annie, “A miracle!” Wat showed her his hands. She shouted, “Seven bloody battles and never once wounded by the sworrrrrd ! UNSCATHED HERO JAGGED BY JEALOUS WHINBUSH AFTER GLORIOUS LAST-MINUTE MIRACLEDRAW AGAINST OVERWHELMING ODDS! That’s how the public eye should have announced it. If I was wee Wattie Dryhope,” she said, kissing him sweetly, “I would pretend somebody was saving me for something gloriouser.”
    â€œWhich somebody? Jesus MacGod or Accident MacDestiny?”
    â€œMacGod of course. God orders you to conquer the universe for him but you say, ‘No, sorry God,