Emily turned to her with eyes sparkling with excitement. “Really, Mom? Can I learn Highland dancing too? Maybe even dance at the Highland Games?”
“If it’s what you want to learn, Em,” Peggy answered. “I figure now’s the time to try different things and see what you want to do the most. How can you know if you don’t try lots of dances?”
Emily whispered, “Thank you, Mom!” and turned her eyes back to the three dancers on the platform, who had already bowed and were beginning their steps in a circle. Immediately, a girl in a sky-blue kilt stood out to all who watched. Her jumps were lighter, higher, more precise and full of joy. To Emily, it was as though only one girl were dancing, and she did not take her eyes off the dancer until she had bowed and disappeared off the platform. Emily leaned back against her father and murmured, “Beautiful!”
All the Seann Triubhas competitors had danced and awaited their scores. To no one’s surprise, the dancer in the sky-blue kilt was declared the winner. Her name was Kyla Bell. The groups for the Sword Dance were called, and the audience took the chance to talk among themselves.
“So, what do you think of the dancing, Mr. Mayor?” Peggy asked Ian.
Ian had divided his time between enjoying the performances and observing the audience and the activity in the vicinity. “I’m impressed by the mastery shown at such a young age,” he answered. “Some of the other dancers looked much older than the first-place winner. This has sparked an idea I’m going to research once I get back to the office.”
“Is it top secret or can some of your constituents be in on this idea too?” asked Alice.
Ian grinned. “Actually, getting some opinions might not be a bad idea. What do you think of having a Robert Burns Day in Stony Point? After all, most of the town’s original settlers were from Scotland. I was thinking about having a Highland dance group come.”
“I love the idea, Ian!” Annie exclaimed.
“So do I,” added Alice. “Just don’t force us to eat haggis.”
“I’m not sure you can have a Robert Burns Day without haggis,” Wally teased.
Alice leaned over and playfully whacked Wally on the head with her brochure. “I didn’t say Ian couldn’t have it … he just can’t force us to eat it. There’s probably someone in town crazy enough to want to try it.”
“I think it’s a great idea, haggis or no haggis,” said Peggy. “But give me plenty of warning so I can haggle some time off with the boss. I might even be able to convince Marie to bake up some scones for the event.”
“There’s a good deal of research to do, and I’ll have to run it past the town board,” Ian said. “But I’ll keep you posted, Peggy, and if it’s approved, I’d certainly appreciate your help.” He looked around at his other friends. “And everyone else’s.”
“You’ll have it, of course,” Annie assured him. “Pitching in is one of the things the people of Stony Point do best.” When Annie had first come to Stony Point she had wondered if she’d ever feel comfortable there, New England being so different from the South. But it wasn’t long before she learned to appreciate those differences; she also saw the many ways in which the people were the same, at heart. And for Annie, the heart was what mattered the most.
Emily tugged on her father’s shirt collar and whispered to him, “Dad, can we stop talking? The Sword Dance is starting. See the swords they put on the stage?”
Wally looked at the stage and saw that his little princess was right. “OK, Em. I’ll be quiet during the dancing … just for you.” The other adults hid their smiles and tucked their conversation in their pockets to pull out later.
Three dancers had positioned themselves behind three sets of crossed swords. As with the Seann Truibhas, the piping played for half a minute before the girls bowed and began their dance. They started on their toes behind the swords before winding their way between the swords with leaps and intricate steps. Although sounds coming from the crowds milling around the platform were constant and at times loud, the audience tuned it all out as they watched the breathtaking dance.
When the three girls had bowed and were leaving the platform, Wally dared to ask Emily a question. “Which do you like best, the Sword Dance or the first one?”
His daughter pursed her lips as she thought about the two dances, and then shrugged. “I like them both. The swords are cool, but the steps in the first one looked fun too.” Her eyes grew starry. “Especially when Kyla Bell danced. I hope I can dance as beautifully as her when I’m her age!” Only the arrival of another trio of dancers drew her out of her reverie.