Under the Bridges (14 page)

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‘It was wonderful,' Nancy sighed, a few days later. She'd saved the newspapers that reported in detail all the events of the day, and she'd put them carefully away in the drawer that held souvenirs of holidays, and family occasions.

‘I
wouldn't have missed it for anything—seeing the Queen, and the crowds and the bridge. After all this time, watching it being built, and Matt and Walter being part of it.'

She gave a little smile. Walter and Shona had obviously fallen in love. She'd never seen them looking so happy.

‘Well, it's a day I won't forget. And now it's all over, the bridge is finally open.'

‘To think I've seen two bridges built in my lifetime.' Grandpa grinned.

It seemed as if everyone in Scotland had wanted to drive over the new bridge. There had been tailbacks as far as Aberdour, cars breaking down—it was reckoned that fifty thousand drivers had crossed on the first day, paying their half-crowns at the tolls.

‘Well, back to old clothes and parritch, as they say!' Nancy smiled.

‘It's not over yet,' Joe said, a few days later. He had a few days' holiday and he'd disappeared mysteriously that morning.

‘Won't be long,' he'd said. ‘You're not going out, are you?'

Nancy had looked surprised.

‘You know I'm not working today.'

Nancy was puzzled. Why should he be so interested in what she was doing that day? And why was he going out so early, instead of pottering about in the garden, and working in the tool shed?

‘What is it, Joe?'

Joe
had looked mysterious.

‘Wait and see.'

‘Grandpa, do you know what it is?'

Nancy appealed to the old man.

He shook his head.

‘Me? Now how would I know?'

People often paused to admire the Mackays' front garden, bright with annuals and now the new rose, Elizabeth of Glamis, that Joe had just bought for Nancy.

There was a vivid display of cactus dahlias too, that he'd brought on from cuttings.

Nancy looked out of the window.

‘We've got visitors,' she said, noticing the blue car parked in front of the house. ‘Who can that be? And I'd only prepared an easy dinner,' she said in some exasperation.

‘No,' Joe said, as he came into the house, beaming from ear to ear. ‘We don't have visitors. That's our car!'

It had cost nearly four hundred pounds and it was second-hand. But it was only three years old and had been carefully looked after.

A good family car, he'd thought proudly.

He'd smiled to himself when he heard Nancy say she wished they could drive over the bridge. And the sight of his wife's face, her expression of astonishment and delight, was worth all the months of scrimping and saving.

He thought of all the places he could take Nancy—she would enjoy a run down to the Borders, and she'd always wanted to go to the
Lake
District. And now with the road bridge, it would all be so easy.

‘It's lovely,' Nancy said, admiring the leather upholstery and the shining bonnet. ‘To think it's really ours!'

‘You deserve it,' Joe said gruffly.

Nancy, knowing he wasn't one for speeches, put her hand on his arm.

‘Thank you, Joe, oh, thank you.'

‘Well, what are we waiting for?' He grinned. ‘Come on, love, get your coat, we're off!'

‘Off where?'

‘Over the bridge, of course!'