was a lifesaver.
He left them and, with Boris loping beside him, made his way back into the house. He had keys—something he’d insisted on when Angus had had his last coronary—and he knew the way well, so he left Boris—sternly—at the foot of the stairs and made his way swiftly up to the old man’s apartments.
A doctor here. The thought was unbelievable. His mind was racing forward but for now… He had to focus on Angus.
Angus wasn’t in bed. He was at the window, staring out at the kitchen garden to the sea beyond. He was a little man, wiry and weathered by years of fishing and gardening; a lifetime’s love of the outdoors. Jake remembered him in the full regalia of his Scottish heritage, lord of all he surveyed, and the sight of the shrunken old man in his bathrobe and carpet slippers left an ache that was far from the recommended medical detachment he tried for. He’d miss him so much when he died, but that death would be soon.
He needed a coronary bypass and wouldn’t have one. That was a huge risk factor, but it was his lungs that were killing him. Jake could hear his whistling gasps from the door, signifying the old man’s desperate lack of oxygen.
‘I thought you were going to bed,’ Jake growled, trying to disguise emotion, and Angus looked around and tried to smile.
‘There’s time and more for bed. It’s only five o’clock.’
‘Your supper’s on the bedside table,’ Jake told him, still gruff. He’d brought the meal up himself because if he hadn’t, Angus wouldn’t eat. He and Angus had been friends for a long time now, and it was so hard to see a friend fade.
‘I’ll get to it. What brings you back?’
‘Could you cope with a couple of visitors?’
‘Visitors?’
‘Two Americans. Sisters. One of them says she was married to Rory.’
‘Rory.’ Angus’s smile faded. ‘My Rory?’
‘Your nephew.’ Jake hesitated. ‘Kenneth’s older brother? He must have left for overseas before I came here.’ He paused and then as Angus turned back to the window he said gently, ‘Tell me about him.’
‘I haven’t seen Rory for years.’
‘You had three nephews,’ Jake prodded. He wanted family interest—he wanted any interest—and he was prepared to make himself even later to get it. This had to be his top priority. To see Angus give up on life was heartbreaking, and maybe these two women could be his salvation.
‘I’d be having two brothers,’ Angus whispered, so softly that Jake had to strain to hear. ‘We left Scotland together. Dougal, the youngest, went to America. David and I came here. Dougal and I lost touch a long time ago—yes, there’s another nephew somewhere, but I’ve not met him. But David married here and had Rory and then Kenneth. They moved from Dolphin Bay but the lads came back for holidays.’
‘Were they nice kids?’ Jake murmured, encouraging him.
‘Rory loved this place,’ Angus said softly. ‘He and I would be fishing together for hours, and Deidre and I loved him like the son we could never have. But Kenneth…’
Kenneth. Jake couldn’t suppress a grimace. It had been a dumb question. Kenneth definitely couldn’t have been nice.
‘Kenneth was Rory’s younger brother.’ Angus was struggling hard to breathe. Maybe he shouldn’t be talking, but Jake didn’t intend to interrupt. There were major issues at stake here—like a ready-made family at the front door. If Kirsty really was a doctor… If he could install her here…
‘Kenneth is a troubled young man and I’m sure you can be seeing that,’ Angus managed. ‘You’ve met him. He takes after his father. Every time Rory came near there was a fuss, more and more as they got older and Kenneth realised Rory would inherit my title. As if any title matters more than family.’
He paused and fought for a few more breaths. There was an ineffable sadness in his eyes that seemingly had nothing to do with his health. ‘Kenneth was so vicious toward Rory that, once his parents died, Rory decided family angst wasn’t worth it,’ he said sadly. ‘He took off to see the world. He’s been away these past ten years, and the next thing I knew Kenneth was telling me he was dead. I was so…sorry.’
So maybe Kirsty had been telling the truth, Jake thought. Maybe she did know nothing of Angus. For a moment he regretted he’d made her angry. But then he remembered the flare of crimson in her cheeks and the flash of fire in her brown eyes and he didn’t regret it. He found he was almost smiling.
This was looking good, he thought. This was looking excellent. Angus had been fond of Rory. Rory’s widow was at the gate, and if Rory’s widow was anything like her sister…they could be a breath of fresh air in this place. A breath of life.
‘They’re outside, waiting,’ he said. ‘I told them to give me a minute and then follow.’
‘Who?’ Angus was lost in his thoughts, and was suddenly confused.
‘Rory’s widow and her sister.’
‘Rory’s widow,’ he repeated.
‘So it seems.’
‘Kenneth didn’t tell me he was married.’
‘Maybe Kenneth didn’t know.’
Angus thought about that and then nodded, understanding. ‘Aye. Maybe he wouldn’t. Rory learned early to keep things to himself where Kenneth was concerned.’
‘But you’d like to see them?’
‘I’d like to see them,’ Angus agreed.
‘Could you give them a bed for the night?’ Jake asked—diffidently—and held his breath.
The old man considered. He stared through the window down at his garden—his vegetable patch, where Jake knew he was longing to be right now.
Since his illness he’d drawn in on himself. He barely tolerated the housekeeper being here. Could he accept strangers?
How much had he loved Rory?
Jake held his breath some more.
‘Rory’s widow,’ Angus whispered at last. ‘What would she be like?’
‘I don’t know,’ Jake told him. ‘I only met the sister. Kirsty. She seems…temperamental.’
‘What does temperamental mean?’
‘I guess it means she’s cute,’ Jake admitted, and Angus gave a crack of laughter that turned into a cough. But when he recovered there was still the glimmer of a smile remaining.
‘Well, well. Signs of life. Time and enough, too. That wife of yours has been gone too long.’
‘Angus…’
‘I know. It’s none of my business. You’re saying these women are at the gate now?’
