Grace

Chapter 56

I rushed up to my room not taking the time to say hello to anyone and not even registering who I was passing. I thundered up the stairs, slammed my bedroom door open and scanned my room for my brown leather music satchel. My stuff had been brought over with Ben's earlier in the morning and the staff had brought my stuff up even though I'd told them they didn't have to. They were Christian's staff after all. Not mine.

Even so, my things were neatly stacked to one side and the bag I was looking for, the one I'd implored them to be really careful with was on the desk. I picked up the bag quickly, put it over my shoulder and hurried back downstairs.

"Grace, where are you off to?" Dad asked and pulled me to a stop. "You only just got here!"

"There's something I have to do," I said.

"Without saying bye to your old man? I think not," he said and pulled me into a hug. "See you soon, sweetheart."

My impatient hug turned into a proper one when he said that. He'd never ever called me sweetheart before. "See you."

I let him go, hugged Mum tightly and then dashed out calling Fergus to follow me.

Predictably the press were still about and the photo storm started again even though you weren't supposed to use flashes when there were animals about. I held Fergus's lead a bit tighter just in case he skittered, and walked quickly. They didn't try to follow me when I rounded the corner and from there it didn't take long to get to Master MacLachlan's house.

I didn't know how he was going to react or even if what I was doing was a good idea, but I had to do it. I had no right to keep this from him. I asked Fergus what he thought even though I knew I'd get no answer. The closer to the house I got, the more indecisive I grew as to how to approach this.

When I got there I stopped thinking about it for a moment.

The house was exactly the same. I hadn't taken time to appreciate the simple beauty of it for a while, but when I did... everything there was green and wonderful. A spot of nearly wild in a stone world of concentrated learning. It was exactly the same as in the photo Ben had showed me of his Dad and Master MacLachlan stood together. Then I remembered the photos inside that showed the same house with the same rose fence, ivy and cheerful age. Character. Character that had been there for hundreds of years and would be there for generations to come or so I hoped.

Fergus trotted forwards and nosed the gate open. I followed a little more slowly and shut it behind me. I took a moment to read the note by the door again.

My dear friends, for you must be fried if you are coming here, for what enemy is there left that cares for me?, please leave your worries and cares at the door, wipe your feet on the way in and deposit any wet umbrellas in the stand to the right. And don't mind the cat. He will only attack if you try to stroke him.

I hadn't actually seen hide nor hair of the cat since I'd first stepped inside the house and now I realised that the writing wasn't Master MacLachlan's at all. It looked more... Victorian in style and I began to wonder how many decades ago the cat had died. I stepped in and closed the door behind me.

"You needn't have come so soon," Master MacLachlan called from the kitchen. "I do know how to look after myself, Ben, as much as Grace worries. And you know it too, don't you, my dear?"

"It's just me, Master MacLachlan," I called.

"Eh?" he asked and appeared in the kitchen door. "Oh this is nice." He smiled. "I'd almost forgotten what you look like without Ben. Now, what is it you wanted to show me?"

I'd forgotten I'd told him I had something to show him. I wasn't sure if it made this easier or not, but at least he'd started this conversation. Before I could reply he went into the lounge and sat in his chair. I followed and so did the dog.