Gunns & Roses(52)
Laughing, the friends continued on their way, Emily peering through the throngs of people on the chance she might still find Kyla. But by the time they had all reached MacTavish’s tent, the shoes were still in her mother’s possession. Noticing how her shoulders were drooping with disappointment, her father whispered to her, “Em, you stay outside the tent with me, and we’ll keep looking while the others deliver the messages. OK?” Hearing her husband’s suggestion, Peggy handed her daughter the dancing shoes.
Cradling the shoes in one arm and slipping her free hand into her father’s strong grasp, Emily nodded. “Thank you, Daddy.” They stepped close to the tent canvas, out of the way of the foot traffic as the others entered MacTavish’s, but their eyes roamed diligently over the crowd, looking for the sky-blue kilt and the graceful movement of the young dancer.
They had been standing beside the tent only five minutes when their friends joined them. “Was MacTavish there?” Wally asked.
“Yes,” answered Ian, “and he did take two of the notes from Annie.”
Annie added, “He didn’t actually confess to knowing McKenna, but he did take the note addressed to her and promised to ‘try to locate her.’”
“I hope MacTavish was telling the truth this time,” said Peggy. “Do you think we should take the note to Eli’s aunt now?”
Alice glanced up from the map she had been consulting. “You know, the lost and found booth is close to the harpers’ building. Peggy, why don’t you, Wally, and Emily deliver both the note and the shoes? The rest of us will stop at Kit and Caboodle, and then we’ll look for Brooke to give her Finley’s note.”
Peggy took a glance at her watch and nodded. “It is getting pretty close to closing time. We don’t want to keep the shoes so long that Kyla doesn’t have time to ask about them at the lost and found.” Seeing Emily hug the shoes closer, Peggy gently patted her daughter’s shoulder.
A frown lowered the corners of Emily’s mouth, but she slowly nodded. “I know, Mom.” She sighed. “I just wish we’d seen her.”
“Me too,” said Peggy. “But I wrote our address in the note, in case Kyla wants to write. Maybe you’ll see her dance again next year.” Deciding where they would meet the others after their errands were completed, the Carsons entered the stream of people, which was starting to thin as parents carried their mementos and tired children to the parking lot.
Thirty minutes later, every note duly entrusted to messengers they didn’t know, the Stony Point friends followed the crowd leaving the Highland Games.
15
Annie nestled into the cushioned deck chair at Grey Gables, luxuriating in the soft breeze that flowed across her front porch. After her jam-packed Saturday at the Highland Games, she intended to take her Sunday as a serious day of rest. On the small round table beside her stood a glass of iced sweet tea next to a stack of her grandfather’s journals.
As soon as she had returned from attending the morning worship service at Stony Point Community Church and had eaten lunch, Annie had combed through the multitude of journals Charles Holden had composed and saved during his many years as a veterinarian. Lining the bottom shelf in Grey Gables’s library, the journals were arranged in chronological order, which made the task of finding the ones most likely to contain what Annie was looking for simple. She started by selecting the journals labeled 1978, the year the Highland Games had begun, to 1985.
She paused to gaze at the seascape before her. Few things moved her as much as the sight of the ever-changing water world. At times, it terrified her with its power and anger. Often, as on that warm August day, it soothed and delighted her. Always, it seemed to put things into perspective.
Annie stretched her arms overhead just in time for Boots to spring onto her lap and nose around under her chin. Lowering her arms, she returned the favor by caressing the cat in the same location. “Did you miss me yesterday, Boots?” After a “meow” and some kneading with her paws, the feline answered by curling up in a tidy heap in Annie’s lap and making herself comfortable.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” Smiling, Annie reached over and plucked the first journal from the pile. “Hope you don’t mind being a book rest.” Positioning the soft-backed book on the cat, she opened to the first page. As always, the sight of her grandfather’s handwriting brought both poignancy and comfort. How she missed her parents and grandparents! How thankful she felt to have so many reminders around her of the people they had been, and the ways in which they had helped her to grow into the woman she was.