Cold All the Way Through, But Warming

Dalbeattie

Will, joining me at the window, nodded. "Yes, wouldn't want to be out in that. We'd be doing more coughing than breathing here." He settled back onto the bench, a smile on his face. "Much better up in Scotland, fresh air and wide open spaces. Very healthy."

"Speaking of health," I glanced over, "I hope your mother is doing better when we get there, she seemed rather improved when she was in New York."

"I think she had some distractions to help with that." He sighed though, pressing his fingers to his nose. "Peg promised to write if she was getting worse and I haven't heard anything, so I can only hope so. Although I hadn't been expecting the cane."

"Should I have brought her a new one?" I reached over, taking his hand. "I could still arrange for one to be shipped."

He squeezed my hands, although his smile didn't meet his eyes. "I think she'd much prefer the fan you got her, something nice and pretty." I kept hold of his hands as we slowly left London behind, headed for the country. As we passed farms and dairies I rubbed his fingers, tractors and horse drawn wagons fell away as I moved over to his bench and began to work on his shoulders. They were tense, and it took almost the entire trip to Carlisle to get him loose again. We were into the green country now, and despite being in a train station flooded with coal smoke, the air felt cleaner.

"The Caledonian should be right over there." Will strode confidently through the station, "No need for a compartment with this one, we're not traveling that far. No need for one on the trip to Dalbeattie either, we can make do with a bench." He paused, looking over at me. "Right?"

"Of course." I smiled up at him, "I don't think I could sleep anymore and all of this country is so beautiful."

"And we're not even fully into Scotland yet." He teased, helping me aboard the train car after our tickets were checked by a conductor. The car we entered was well stocked with wooden benches, a few already occupied but there was plenty to choose from. Will let me move past him to sit by the window, our valises at our feet. I kept looking out the window as the train started out, forests and fields, roads that followed the line of the railroad. We passed over rivers rushing past us to the sea, and Will sighed to see them. "Do you like to fish, Ana? You can catch such wonderful fish up here, salmon, pike, trout. My Da used ta take me fishin', we would came back and Ma would cook so much food."

I smiled to see him happy. "I can't say I've fished before, although I'm sure we could go out."

"I won't gut 'em in front a ye," Will chuckled, "Although we could bring 'em home and Ma could bake 'em like she used ta." He continued on in that vein for awhile, talking about all the places we could go fish. There were so many places it seemed like it would take weeks for us to visit all of them. He had his arm around me as we started nearing Dumfries. "And then we can visit Kircudbright, it's the biggest town on the coast near us. Might even be able ta rent a boat fer the day."

I made no comment on how much his accent was returning. "Oh, that would be wonderful. A rowboat?"

"I'd prefer a sailboat," Will looked out the window, "Ah, only one more train." He quickly had our bags in one hand as the train pulled into the station, and my hand in the other as we hurtled across the platforms until we reached the final train. Will found us yet another bench, and stretched his legs out for a moment. "Would ye mind if we walked ta the inn? I've had enough sittin' on me bum for one day."

I nodded, "A walk sounds lovely after all this, although I'm afraid we may have to go without our usual entertainment tonight." I laughed at the way he immediately looked to me. "You aren't tired?"

"Not enough to forgo a night with ye, lass." He wormed his arm around my waist. "Although, if ye truly are tired-"

"I was only teasing." I chuckled, pressing myself to him. "Although I'm surprised at how cold it is, especially for summer."