CHAPTER 6 To The Rescue

    Next morning, Mary was called into the head office and informed that next weekend she was going to Toronto to the AGM of Campbell Holdings and that the Glasgow office had nominated her as employee of the year. She would be accompanied by Miss Laura Scott from Glasgow who had filled her vacancy when she left. They would travel business class and all accommodation would be paid for.

Mary was excited but disappointed that she couldn’t tell Jock her good news as he was on exercise in the north of Scotland. The other fly in the ointment was that she had to address the heads of department in her office about the AGM on her return.

Two days later, she met Laura in the business class lounge at Heathrow Airport. Business class was a new experience for them and they agreed that it was a more pleasant way to travel. They chatted almost nonstop all the way across the Atlantic, catching up on all the gossip, office politics and their personal lives and plans. Laura and Barry hoped to marry late next year.

On arrival at Toronto, they were met by a personal taxi and taken to the hotel where the AGM was taking place. That evening after dinner they were summoned to the Penthouse Suite, and on entering, they were given a warm welcome by Mrs Beth Campbell. Mr Campbell poured them drinks and informed them that after the introductions at tomorrow’s meeting they were to go shopping and sightseeing with Mrs Campbell. Both Mary and Laura protested and explained they had to return to their respective offices with a detailed account of the meeting. Mr Campbell laughed and explained that they would be given a typewritten report when the meeting was over and they could study it on the return flight.

Next morning, over a working breakfast, they saw just how big a company Campbell Holdings was as there were representatives from across the world. New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong and Canada to name but a few but mostly from the United States.

Mr Campbell chaired the meeting and he spoke about the achievements of the company over the past year. The biggest purchase was the two aluminium smelters at Fort William and Kinlochleven which were now showing a profit and the expansion plans included the casting of tyre wheels for top models of motor vehicles. This announcement earned him a round of applause. Then he went on to describe how a member of staff had heard about it while waiting in a ski lift queue on a weekend skiing trip and how, after several weeks of follow-up enquiry, she presented a dossier to her immediate manager and in due progress the deal was completed.

“The young lady who started the deal is in the hall today,” announced Mr Campbell, “and unanimously has been voted employee of the year.” Mary was pleased but embarrassed and blushed profusely.

“I now call on Miss Mary Stuart from Scotland to come forward to accept her reward,” announced Mr Campbell. The applause from the delegates reached a crescendo as Mary walked to the platform. The prize was a small, inscribed whisky decanter and an envelope.

When the applause died down, Mary was handed the microphone to address the audience. She thanked everyone who had put her name forward and reminded all the attendees what effect the purchase had had on the communities of Fort William, Kinlochleven and Ballachulish and the workers’ families that lived there. There was a standing ovation when she finished her thank you speech.

Amidst all the congratulations, Mary wondered what Jock would make of it all and how he was coping in the north of Scotland.

When the meeting drew to a halt, temporarily for a coffee break, Mary and Laura were sought out by Mrs Beth Campbell and the happy trio set off to explore Toronto’s retail shops.

After a hectic two hours shopping spree, the three of them had a lunch break, during which time the conversation turned to the subject of Jock. Beth asked Mary how the romance was going and when Mary told her about the exciting Paris trip, Beth was completely enthralled, so much so that she requested Mary tell the stories to Doug that night after dinner.

The afternoon was spent at the Royal Ontario Museum, ROM for short as the locals called it. The three of them were absolutely fascinated by the section on the native Americans and were there until the museum closed at seven o’clock.

In the evening, after a private dinner in the penthouse suite with Mr and Mrs Campbell, Mary and Laura were relaxing with coffee when Doug asked Mary to tell him about the Paris trip.

As Mary related the story of the trip all Doug could utter were swear words of exclamation. When the tale ended, Doug was full of admiration and said in a serious voice to Mary, “Your next task, young lady, is to get that young man into Campbell Holdings by the end of next year. Our company needs the calibre of a man like yours.”

Mary was pleased and retorted, “Easier said than done but I’ll do my best.”

With a lot of hilarity, Beth and Laura suggested she flutter her eyelashes at Jock and ask him outright whilst in the throes of passion.

Doug asked Mary if she had opened the prize-winning envelope yet. Mary had completely forgotten about it and in the earlier rush to go shopping she had left the inscribed decanter and envelope in her room. Doug explained that the envelope contained tickets for a week for two at one of Europe’s most exclusive hotels on the island of Majorca at the end of September. Beth interrupted him and said they had been twice before and thoroughly recommended it. The only fly in the ointment, as she put it, was that although the breakfast and lunch were buffet style, the evening meal was a rather posh affair with evening wear expected and to meet for drinks before dinner. Mary was so overcome that she shed a few tears of happiness.

Beth concluded the evening by declaring that she had booked a trip for the three of them to Niagara Falls and that the coach left at seven o’clock in the morning so an early night was called for.

Later in their own room, Laura and Mary discussed the day’s events and had difficulty getting to sleep at the prospect of next day’s programme.

Next morning, the happy trio enjoyed the coach trip to the waterfall and although wearing the cheap waterproofs provided, got a little damp when the small boat went too close to the tremendous cascade of water. On the return journey, they stopped at a huge retail park for a meal and a bit of shopping. The three of them bought heavy shirts in a checked pattern for their respective men. Mary and Laura were shocked, amused and then grateful when Beth started to haggle with the shop owner for a twenty-five percent discount as they had bought three but she was successful.

That evening, again having a private dinner in the Penthouse Suite with the Campbells, Mary and Laura were given a complete copy of the AGM minutes, with the instructions that they should study them on the return flight next morning.

On the journey home, again by business class, Mary was delighted with the prominence of the takeover of the smelters at Kinlochleven and Fort William.

The following day, Mary gave an account of the AGM and copies of minutes to all the managers of the departments in the office. They were impressed with Mary’s efficiency and congratulated her on her work and award. They were unaware of her shopping and sightseeing expeditions with Mrs Campbell and Laura.

Two weekends later, she was joined at the flat by Jock. They exercised in Hyde Park, went to the cinema, did some shopping and sightseeing but most of the time was spent in the flat, talking and planning for the holiday in Majorca. Mary insisted that she would buy a top range suitcase and forbade Jock to turn up at the airport with his huge rucksack. When she gave Jock his gift of the heavy shirt and the engraved decanter, he was delighted.

The following weekend, they met at Heathrow Airport and again travelled business class. Jock was in awe at the luxury on offer in the lounge prior to the flight and the flight itself. On arrival at Palma airport, they were met by the driver of a private vehicle and taken to the hotel on the far side of the island, in a semi-isolated area. When they checked in at reception, they were informed that the rules had changed and that Thursday evening was evening dress only but every other evening they must be suitably attired. They were also informed that their dining table would be shared with a couple from the Netherlands.

Once unpacked, they decided to have a swim in the fifty-metre pool before lunch. Ample sunbeds were situated around the pool. Mary dived into the clear cool waters and swam to the far end of the pool where she was joined by Jock.

“I’ll race you to the other end,” challenged Mary, full of confidence.

“You’re on,” came the reply. “Any time you like.”

Mary set off as fast as she could but when she looked round at the end there was Jock smiling in triumph. “You cheated,” exclaimed Mary, “You must have run alongside the edge.”

“Try it again,” was the answer.

  So Mary set off again, breathing only to her left this time so that she could see Jock. At first she was level with him, but she soon started to slide back and could only see his torso, then his legs, then his feet, then just the turned-up foam from his leg kick.

“You never swam like that at Glencoe,” gasped Mary.

“Because I was a poor swimmer then. On the course, I’ve been having swimming coaching lessons every morning. I never told you as I wanted to surprise you. Anyway, I thought you might want to go skinny dipping again.”

Mary started to laugh and marvelled at Jock as he swam off, doing a powerful butterfly stroke. That man never fails to surprise me she thought.

At lunch, they met Anita and Peter from Arnhem in Holland and the two couples enjoyed each other’s company. When Peter discovered that Jock was a paratrooper he was in awe and explained that, as a schoolboy, he had looked after the grave of one of the many soldiers who were killed when trying to liberate Arnhem in the second world war. It was something that all the children of Arnhem did. The four of them spent the afternoon on the beach and trying to surf in the sea.

In the evening, they met for drinks before dinner and their attention was drawn to an altercation between management and a party of Swedes who had turned up wearing shorts. Although dwarfed by the three big Swedish men, the small Spanish manager was adamant that they would not be served until properly attired. Reluctantly, and in bad humour, the three Swedish men left to get changed, while their wives and two children were left embarrassed at their behaviour. On their return, the men were loud and aggressive which left an unpleasant atmosphere in the dining area.

The rest of the week was spent enjoying all the available sports. There was surfing, canoeing, sailing, snorkelling, cycling and long walks on the private beach, as well as lounging by the pool. Their favourite sport was beach volleyball and the four of them enjoyed that most afternoons.

There were about one hundred guests at the hotel but the loudest were the Swedish group, who were always complaining and who appeared to be led by a big blond-haired man, his large frame going to fat. He was the father of two lovely children, a girl aged about twelve or thirteen and a boy about nine or ten years of age. His wife was glamorous, rather than good-looking, and was always dressed in the height of fashion. She was instrumental in calming the group when they became too loud and disruptive. The two other couples in the group were also Swedish, tall and blonde, and consumed a lot of alcohol.

Peter told Mary and Jock that the big man in the group was Olaf Petersen whose father was the main shareholder of Saab engineering which made, amongst other things, aeroplanes and motor vehicles. He had just won a major contract to supply NATO countries with light armoured vehicles. His wife used to be a top international model before she was married. It wouldn’t be very long before the father retired and the son took over. He was reputed to be one of the wealthiest men in Sweden.

On the Wednesday afternoon, it was Scotland versus Holland on the volleyball court. However, both teams were challenged to a match by the Swedes who were slightly inebriated. With their height, the Swedes had an advantage over their opponents and won the first game but lost the second. Both had been close run games, so it was decided to play a third game to decide the winner.

One interesting moment was when Jock and Olaf faced each other at the net. Jock always got the fifty-fifty ball because of his ability to leap high in the air. His timing, honed no doubt by the shinty, was also awesome.

Alerted by the shouts of the Swedes, the game attracted a small number of guests as onlookers. Every time the Swedes lost a point, the crowd cheered, much to Olaf’s displeasure. Both sides were even and the final point would decide the game. When a highball came over to the net, Jock and Olaf jumped for it and Jock smashed it into the opposing court. It was game over but Olaf protested that Jock had touched the net. A chorus of boos rang out from the onlookers. Jock shook his head in amusement and his team-mates started to laugh but they agreed to play on. The Swedes scored the vital point on the next serve and won the final game.

Jock went over to shake hands with the winners. He offered his hand to Olaf who made to shake Jock’s hand but then quickly withdrew, put his thumb to his nose and wiggled his fingers at Jock before walking away, laughing. Jock stood stock still, his thumb and forefinger stroking his chin.

Jock, please don’t make a scene, prayed Mary. Thankfully, Olaf’s wife, who had witnessed the incident, gave her husband a good old-fashioned telling off. The other Swedes were embarrassed by his behaviour and poor sportsmanship but conducted themselves in a proper manner.

That evening during dinner, the Swedes were very loud and boisterous again, fuelled by alcohol, when Olaf appeared to find fault with the food he was offered. He became abusive to the waitress who left the table in tears. The manager came over and eventually calmed the situation.

When the same waitress came over to serve Mary, Jock, Anita and Peter, it was obvious she was upset. Jock smiled at her and said, “Maria you are looking beautiful tonight!”

“Oh Senor, you say very nice words to me. It is always a pleasure to bring food to this table, not like some others,” replied Maria, looking angrily at the Swedish group. “Also, this table has two very good-looking men.” The four of them burst out laughing and Maria started to smile as she took their order.

On the Thursday, they went for a cycle ride and after lunch they had a volleyball game, men against ladies, before going for a swim.

During the game, Mary could see the three Swedish men drinking at the pool bar with no sign of their womenfolk. Some of the guests were sunbathing by the pool and a few playing in the sea with floats and airbeds.

During the game, the ball went out of play at the ladies’ end and as Mary retrieved the ball, she could suddenly see Jock running towards the beach. He hurdled over the small fence and ran into the sea towards an empty Lilo. He swam with powerful overarm strokes and did a surface dive not far from the Lilo. Peter was running towards the pool lifeguard, shouting and pointing to the sea.

Jock came to the surface, holding a small boy who appeared to be unconscious. By the time Jock had walked to the shore he had been joined by Peter and the lifeguard. Mary and Anita came over and helped Peter keep the small crowd of onlookers away from Jock, who was giving mouth to mouth resuscitation, and the lifeguard who was pressing on the boy’s heart. Mary kept looking over her shoulder to see if there was any progress.

Suddenly, Olaf Petersen burst through the crowd of onlookers, shouting at the top of his voice. It was then that Mary realised who the small boy was. Olaf pushed Mary aside and ran towards his son.

Jock looked up and got to his feet to prevent the distraught father from interfering with the First Aid. Olaf lunged at Jock and the two of them fell onto the sand but Jock used both his feet on Olaf’s stomach to catapult him onto the water’s edge where he landed on his back with a mighty thump. Jock returned to his First Aid as if nothing had happened. Olaf was completely winded by his fall and when his two friends helped him to his feet, he was violently sick.

At that point, the small boy showed some response and was put into the recovery position. When he started to cry, Mary thought he was going to be alright. A medical orderly came from the pool with a blanket and oxygen. Five minutes later, a helicopter arrived and the boy was taken on board on a stretcher and flown to the hospital in Palma.

Excitement over, the onlookers dispersed. Mary came over to Jock and the two of them hugged each other. Anita and Peter joined them and discussed the incident before going on to the bar while Jock and Mary decided to go for a walk along the private beach.

They had not gone more than a hundred yards when Jock asked to be excused. Thinking he was going to the toilet Mary walked on. After a few minutes she looked back but there was no sign of him, so she slowly retraced her steps until she saw him knelt in prayer. Mary thought that although she loved this man with all her heart and mind, he often surprised her with what he did.

Jock rose to his feet and Mary enquired, “Everything alright?”

 “Aye” he replied, “I was saying thanks to God for helping me. All the time I was trying to bring the laddie round, I was earnestly seeking divine assistance so I was just paying my respect and gratitude. Life doesn’t get much better than this, walking along a private beach with a good-looking woman with whom I am deeply in love.”

Mary was ecstatic and gave her hero a long, lingering kiss. They continued their beach stroll, hand in hand, conversation unnecessary, each content in one another’s company.

When they returned to the hotel, they had a quick dip in the pool before heading to their room for a shower, their playfulness in the large cubicle leading to some love-making in bed. They were so engrossed in making love that it was a hurried scramble to get dressed before they were late for dinner.

They arrived just as everyone was finishing their drinks before going into the dining area. Going into the bar they were greeted by a thunderous round of applause and congratulations from staff and clients. Mary felt embarrassed but also very proud of her man. Anita and Peter joined them at the table. The table normally occupied by the Swedes was empty.

Maria came to take their orders and speaking to Mary she asked if she could have permission to kiss Jock. Mary laughed as Maria kissed Jock full on the lips. Everyone cheered and Jock started to blush. It set the tone for a lovely atmosphere for an excellent meal.

It was coffee time when an expectant hush enveloped the dining area. Olaf Petersen and his wife had entered the room and made straight for Mary and Jock. The wife walked with an assured poise while her husband walked behind her, head down in shame. The wife apologised for interrupting their meal and said that they’d come to inform them that their son had fully recovered but was being kept overnight in the hospital for observation. If there were no complications, they would be leaving for Sweden tomorrow forenoon. She added that the three wives and her daughter had been shopping in Palma that afternoon while the three men were supposed to be looking after the boy but were too engrossed at the pool bar.

Turning to Jock she expressed her gratitude in no uncertain terms and offered, in a very sensual way, that if there was anything she could do for Jock she would be only too willing to oblige. At that remark, Mary felt an acute twinge of jealousy for the first time in her life but Jock appeared to be oblivious to the undertones. Olaf offered to shake hands with Jock, mumbling an apology. Jock waved aside his hand and Olaf burst into tears of shame. Everyone at the table felt embarrassed for him. After the Petersens left, the friendly atmosphere returned and normal conversation resumed.

Next day after saying goodbye to Anita and Peter, Jock and Mary took a shopping trip to Palma where Jock bought her a beautiful Spanish dancer in a clear plastic tube, before boarding a flight to London that afternoon.

On the journey home they talked about the holiday and during the conversation an idea came to Mary. The Petersens were involved in car manufacture and, if the smelters at Kinlochleven were making wheels for high performance cars, then there could be a link between the two firms. She made a mental note to investigate the possibility of a transaction that would benefit two Highland communities.

After they landed at Heathrow, they returned to Mary’s flat and Jock stayed until Monday morning. They spent the weekend at the fitness club that Mary had joined, walking in Hyde Park and dining out.

After Jock left, Mary had that empty feeling and yearned for the next weekend to come round as soon as possible.

On that Monday evening, Mary got a phone call from Jock to say that his old terrier had been killed by a reversing vehicle while he had been in Majorca and his mother was selling up to move to New Zealand. Under the circumstances, he had been given leave and was travelling up to Ballachulish that night to help with the sale and distribution of contents.

The Friday of that same week, Mary received another call from Jock telling her that he was arriving at Euston Station next morning on the overnight train and asking if he could come to the flat. She was overjoyed and fussed over him when he arrived.

After breakfast, Jock told her the full story. His mother’s bed and breakfast business had been sold as a going concern and her private effects had been loaded into a container which was already on its way to New Zealand. His personal effects were in storage and she had caught a flight from Inverness to Heathrow that Friday morning and from there she would fly to New Zealand.

Sitting in the park that afternoon Jock and Mary discussed what they were going to do on their next long weekend off.