The Tangling of the Web by Millie Gray Read Free Book Online Page B

were buried there? After pondering this, he would go and run and whoop over the place marking the fallen English.
    There were so very many other things about Granny’s that Harry loved, like her home-made bread, scones and pancakes, and his favourite, a large, warm, steaming clootie dumpling that she always made for him coming. For the three days it lasted, and he didn’t mind if the delicacy was served hot, cold or fried.
    Of course, Granddad always had chores for Harry to do and he looked forward to being kept busy on the croft, seeing to the hens, ducks, sheep and cattle.
    The only thing that Harry didn’t like about Smithton was he had to visit his aunt and her husband, whose croft house adjoined Granny’s. This peculiar set-up came about because Granny had been left the holding by her father, who had gone to his grave lamenting that he had never been blessed with a son.
    Granny had had the large house and land divided in two, knowing both that her days were numbered and that Aunt Shonag would need to support her husband. Shonag got her part immediately, and when Granny died the remaining half would go to Harry’s mother, Flora, who, Shonag’s husband said, should get no part of the land or house as she had made a life for herself in Edinburgh.
    Aunty Shonag was so different from her sister, Flora, in that she gave the impression that, like her husband, she was very holy. She also dressed the way he thought respectable women should. This meant her continually donning, even in summer, a hat that Harry was sure was an old, badly hand-knitted tea cosy. The balaclava-type helmet was rammed so fiercely down on her head that not only were her brows and ears never seen but neither was her chin. To add to her submissive and unattractive appearance, she was always kitted out in a long black skirt, which brushed her stout shoes and thick, hand-knitted stockings.
    Given pride of place in Fergus and Shonag’s home was a painting that terrified young Harry. The likeness was of one of Fergus’s malevolent great-grandmother. So high in esteem did Fergus hold his ancient Bible-bashing foremother that he had turned Shonag into her living image. Always when she was faced with Harry, she would chant, ‘Children should be seen and not heard. Not heard.’
    Harry would sigh and think, ‘And who would want to speak in this horrible, off-putting place anyway?’
    From a very early age Harry was able to assess situations and detect where there was disharmony in relationships. He therefore realised that Fergus was a man who allowed no one an opinion that was different from his. His wife, who through her inheritance provided everything, obeyed his every command. She even chased after their cockerel on a Saturday night and made sure he was locked up in a shed by himself until Monday morning. This was done because her husband declared that he wished no ugly, wanton hens to be enticing his handsome rooster to dishonour himself on the Sabbath.
    William, the only son of the family, was a different kettle of fish from his parents. Whereas his father was a strict disciplinarian, somehow William, who was five years older than Harry, viewed the world differently and always went about his day whistling.
    As the years went by, Harry fell more and more in love with Smithton. He felt made welcome there by all except his aunt and uncle. Nonetheless it would always be a memory of great sadness for Harry that after blowing out the candles on his birthday cake, eighteen-year-old William blew away forever the pretence that his family was happy and united.
    Harry always shook his head when he remembered how with a devilish smile and a cock of his head William stood at the top of the table and declared to the assembled family that he didn’t wish to go a-courting Kristy McLeod, who had been specially invited to the celebration.
    Rising to challenge his son, Fergus demanded, ‘And why not?’
    William smiled broadly to Kristy, who was blushing deeply.