Cassandra came and sat beside him sharing his vigil. "I was wrong about her," she said, "I let my anger cloud my judgement. Your cousin has a strength of character that I wish I possessed. For someone to suffer what she has and still be able to cope with the pains and fears of others is admirable. I wish I could repay her in some way."
"I think the fact that she will see the excellent results of her work last night will be payment enough. I have begun to learn that my cousin is easily embarrassed by praise and is shy of too much attention."
"And no wonder at it," Cassandra said, "having seen the evidence of the kind of attention she received in Glenfinnan, I'd be shy of it too. What I'd like to know is how she manages to maintain such an even in keel in the face of all that hostility?"
"It's an act I assure you." Catriona said, her voice showing some signs of weariness as she opened her eyes. She sat up slowly, now fully awake.
"If I manage to appear calm and in control then it's more by accident than design. With my duties as an Ollamh I am in control, but my life aside from that is chaos. I feel as lost and bewildered as everyone else most of the time. Perhaps it's a consequence of not being able to use my gifts to benefit myself, but I am perfectly and as normally in turmoil as the rest of the world."
She looked at Methos who was by now also awake and she blushed.
"I'm so sorry Methos." she said.
"Sorry? What for? As far as I am concerned you owe me no apology." he said.
"I promised you that I would not reveal your history without your permission, yet last night there it all was, on display for all to see, for that I am truly sorry."
"Believe me, at that moment
you had my full permission to do anything in your power to resolve the
situation." Methos said, dryly. "And I am grateful that you did."
"We all are." Cassandra said. "Perhaps me more than anyone. You pulled my fat from the fire and gave us the peace I was hoping for. I'd call that an unqualified success."
Methos nodded. "So would I."
Catriona regarded them both solemnly.
"Then I am forgiven and I thank you, though I did nothing that anyone else would not have done."
"Well I certainly wouldn't have, seeing that I had made such a complete mess of conducting the ceremony up to then."
"Maybe you'd not have made those errors if I had bothered to write down the details of an actual soul loss ceremony instead of merely ridiculing Caesar's description. I'll make sure I do something about that for future editions of the book."
"But I'd still have needed you or someone like you to conduct the ceremony." Cassandra said. "You said yourself, it is not possible to use your skills to serve your own benefits. I couldn't have done it alone"
Catriona nodded, she was still tired, but she felt much better knowing that she had managed to salvage the ceremony. She glanced over at Joe. He was awake and Gerald was helping him to his feet, Connor was beside them offering his assistance and in all the whole party seemed about ready to leave. She took a deep breath and struggled to her feet, resisting offers of help. Duncan, who had taken the opportunity to go and investigate the tide level, returned to announce that they were clear to go.
Cassandra suggested that they ought not to leave the broken bowl, the knife or any other artefact that she had used in her aborted ceremony behind. Catriona agreed with her and also insisted that the sand that had been used to make the caim should be returned to the pool. The 'fire' that had kept the cave warm during the night was terminated and they began the arduous journey back. It was slow progress, given Joe's legs and Catriona's fatigue, and they were glad to reach the beach. By then the prospect of climbing the steps above that led to Joe's van seemed impossible to the two mortals. Cassandra suggested that Joe let Gerald should go in the van with Duncan and Methos back to the bar and that she would transport Catriona and Joe across the bay in her boat. Despite Cassandra's new demeanour towards his cousin Duncan could not help but be a little hesitant over her offer. Joe stared him down as he began to protest that they would be fine.
"Speak for yourself Mac, I'm beat and I think Catriona needs to get some real sleep in a real bed, I for one am happy to accept Cassandra's offer. I would like it though, if we could all get together at the bar this evening, in the private room. I think it's time we had our little celebration." Joe offered Catriona his arm and she accepted it gratefully, though it was hard to say who held who up at that point. Together they walked to the speedboat.
By the time the rest of them were half-way up the steps to the lighthouse, Cassandra had started the motor on the boat and was pulling out into open water skilfully avoiding the dangerous undertow the current formed around the base of the lighthouse rock.
Later that evening....
The party, despite being a quiet affair of eating, drinking and gossip, seemed to achieve it's main aim of breaking the tension that still existed among them. Methos discovered, much to his discomfort, the elaborate plans that the others had made to celebrate his birthday.
"You shouldn't have gone to so much trouble," he said, "until a few weeks ago I had no memory of when my Birthday was, let alone that I'd ever had any celebrations. All I needed was the company of friends."
"And that's what friends do for each other." Joe reminded him. "So we'll have no more arguments about it." Methos dipped his head in acceptance and smiled.
He was tired too, despite the healing he had received from the ceremony and that generated by his own immortality, he was feeling drained of energy both physically and emotionally. As the evening wore on though he seemed to relax and he resumed his usual teasing of Joe and Duncan, their friendship very much strengthened almost to what it had been before Bordeaux by the events of the past few months. He also began to notice Duncan's behaviour towards him. He was flirting with him. It made his stomach flutter. Apart from a raised eyebrow though he made no comment.
It seemed to Connor though that the oldest immortal indulged himself in a little reciprocal flirting with the younger Highlander. Nothing too overt, just the odd glance, the tone of voice a little sultry, his body leaning a little closer than necessary, all signalling his acceptance of Duncan's tentative advances. It seemed to the older Highlander therefore that it was with a sense of reluctance that Methos stood and announced that, wonderful though the evening had been, he needed his beauty sleep. This announcement was greeted by catcalls from Joe and Duncan and slight looks of concern from Cassandra and Catriona.
The shy smile that appeared on Methos' face in response made him look years younger than usual, making it easy to believe that he had been a mere 21 years old at the time of his first death. The harshness of his life until that time wearing upon him and making him seem a good ten years older in the normal scheme of things.
Duncan quickly rose to his feet as well. "I know you usually stay with Joe, but will you accept an invitation to stay at the dojo with me for now?" he asked, trying not to sound too eager but hoping that his friend would accept.
"Seeing as Catriona is spending the next few days at Joe's so that she and Matthew can spend the weekend together then I would be glad to accept. I know Joe doesn't mind having more than one guest, but I don't like to be a burden on him."
"As if you could ever be a burden." Joe protested
Methos held up his hand. "Thank you Joe. I really appreciate that. But I shall accept your offer Mac and I'll see you tomorrow night anyhow Joe"
Seeing
the party was breaking up the others began to make their own moves to
leave. Connor announced that he had a late flight to catch to New York.
"It's certainly been an interesting trip," he said, "but perhaps
next time I visit we could do something a little less exciting?"
A wry grin stole over Duncan's face as he clapped his cousin on the back.
"Don't be a stranger Connor." he said as they made their way to the door.
At the door Connor paused and turned to Catriona.
"Well lassie, it's been a pleasure to meet you, and I thank
you for your silence regarding us. I hope to see you again soon.
Slainte." He embraced her and she blushed as he did so.
"The pleasure has been all mine," she said, her blush deepened as Connor bestowed a kiss on her cheek.
"Hug Matthew for me, and tell him I'll be back to see him in a few weeks." he said. "Thanks Joe for your hospitality."
"You're welcome." Joe replied as the older Highlander shook him by the hand.
Catriona and Joe watched as all of them left and then went back into the bar, shutting and locking the door behind them.
"Looks like clean up duty falls to thee and me little sister" Joe
said, smiling at her as he surveyed the detritus of the evening.
She laughed.
"D'you think it was all an evil plot, some kind of Halloween trick that made them all leave at that point?"
"Hmm. Wouldn't be a bit surprised. I mean Death on a Horse, The
Witch of Donan Woods and three other irascible immortals, doesn't sound
much like a group that would go big on washing dishes and sweeping
floors does it?" He replied, chuckling. "But you know what?"
"What?"
Catriona looked at the distinguished man and felt an inner flutter, a nervous but somewhat light and intoxicating feeling.
"I'm not that big on washing dishes myself after a day in the bar, that's why I invested in a dish-washer."
Laughing, they began to load said dish-washer and after a
final wipe of the tables and sweep of the floor twenty minutes later they
were ready to leave.
"Your carriage awaits madame" Joe said as he held the van door open
.
"Thank you Joe." She paused and looked at him. " I know that you don't
mind me staying at the weekends or having Matthew over to visit, but I
want you to know how much I appreciate your kindness."
"Rubbish woman," he retorted, "nothing to thank me for. In fact I
should be thanking you. I love having company, and I especially love
sharing time with Matthew. If I'd ever had a son I'd have been only too
pleased if he were like Matthew. I cherish the times we've had together
and I hope you'll continue to let me share in his life once you get a
place of your own."
"I could never deny either of you contact, Matthew loves you
too, that's obvious, and to know that you love him makes me very
happy." She was unable to hide the catch in her voice as she spoke, and
she tried to cover her tears as she got into the van.
Joe leaned forward as he fastened her seat belt and gently brushed
away a tear with his thumb. Then an impulse he'd been fighting all
evening overtook him.
"It's not just your son I'm in love with you know." he said, caressing her cheek. "I love you Catriona MacLeod."
He felt the tension in her as she trembled. He brushed away a loose
strand of hair and placed a chaste kiss on the cheek he had just
touched so tenderly. He kept a hand on her shoulder and looked into her
eyes, but was unable to decipher what she was thinking. Catriona was
gazing at him like a rabbit caught in headlights. He saw her gulp and
make a visible effort to relax.
"I'm sorry if that was inappropriate. I'd never do anything to hurt
you Catriona, and if you don't return my feelings I will quite
understand. It won't affect my feelings for you or Matthew, nor my
desire to be a friend to you if you'll have me."
Catriona closed her eyes and took a breath.
"I do return your feelings Joe," she said, opening her eyes and
looking at him, "but the truth is I'm afraid of my feelings. You'll
think me a fool, but I have no experience of this and I don't know what
to expect. If you can just be patient with me. I promise that I will
explain, but not here."
Her eyes held his and her voice was barely above a whisper, her
expression begged him to understand. He smiled at her and brushed her
cheek with his thumb again.
"That's good enough for me." he said and he kissed her again before closing her door and going around to the driver's side.
Catriona flushed and fidgeted a little with her seat belt as Joe got
settled, then she turned to him and leaned forward placing a light kiss
of her own on his cheek.
"I'll tell you everything Joe, as soon as we get back to your place I'll tell you everything."
Joe squeezed her hand in response then he started the van towards home.
end of chapter 45.... yes I know it was a tease, Methos and Duncan will get their turn...next chapter, I promise.
feedback can be sent to:
sharonmarais@sam27.demon.co.uk