The River Flows On Read Online Free PDF

opened his mouth to speak, hesitated, and gestured with a nod of his head to the carving of the robin which she held in her hands.
    ‘I’m not as good a painter as you, but I think I’ve managed it not bad. There’s always bits of wood left over at work.’ Robbie, like his father before him, was serving his time as a cabinet-maker and joiner. ‘I found the wee log down by the river. You know yon big trees, past where the rowan trees are? There’s a branch that got snapped off during the gales last month, so I broke this bit off for the robin to stand on.’
    Somehow Kate had the feeling that wasn’t what he’d started out to say. She also had the distinct feeling that he was prattling on, which wasn’t like him at all. Giving her time to recover? Recover from what? Pushing the thought to the back of her mind, she smiled at him. ‘It’s lovely,’ she said. ‘Did you make a robin because of what Mr Asquith did?’
    Robbie nodded his shaggy head. It was less unruly than usual this evening. His mother might not use the instruments of torture on him but she had obviously instructed him to wet his hair to dampen it down before coming upstairs.
    ‘You were that upset when he killed yon wee robin you’d been feeding... And I thought, well, he can’t get this one, at any rate. Can you, you wee monster?’ he went on, stooping to stroke the culprit who was snaking his way around his legs.
    ‘Happy New Year, cat,’ he said, scratching the sleek head. ‘Gosh, his fur feels real smooth. Has your Ma been polishing him or something?’
    When Robbie suggested that Kate come out for a walk with him half an hour later, she opened her mouth to say no, but her mother forestalled her.
    ‘It’s too cold out there.’
    Neil Cameron and Agnes Baxter exchanged a look.
    ‘Och no, Lily,’ said Agnes, ‘it’s quite mild really. Well, no’ exactly mild, but if they go well happed up, they’ll be fine.’
    ‘It’s too late,’ snapped Lily.
    ‘No, it’s not. It’s Hogmanay. There’ll be other people out walking,’ said Kate’s father, giving Agnes Baxter what looked suspiciously like a wink.
    ‘But-’ began Lily.
    Neil Cameron’s good humour evaporated. ‘Enough,’ he growled, bringing his fist down hard on the table beside him. ‘Am I not allowed to be master in my own house?’ The whisky was beginning to do its work.
    There was an embarrassed silence. Mr and Mrs MacLean glanced nervously at each other and murmured something about it being time they should be thinking of going home. Lily fixed Kate with a look. ‘You heard your father. On you go.’ She turned her gaze to Robbie. ‘But if the two of you are no’ back in half an hour there’s gonnae be trouble.’
    ‘Come on, Kate,’ said Robbie. “Where’s your coat? And mind and put your muffler on. It’ll be real cold by the river.’
    It was real cold by the river. They had walked the short distance from the house to the ferry in silence, an unaccustomed awkwardness between them. She wouldn’t have thought twice about being alone with Robbie before, but something was shifting and changing between them - and Kate didn’t like that at all.
    There was no need to discuss where they were walking. They always headed for the river, first the ferry and then along the path which skirted the grounds of the whisky distillery.
    Kate paused by the railings which guarded the unwary from falling onto the ferry slipway. The river was like black silk, flowing silently through the night towards the sea, its smooth surface dotted with shimmering reflections of the lights of the houses across the river in Renfrew, everybody up late tonight to see in the New Year. At her side, Robbie was quiet, waiting for her to speak.
    ‘Tm sorry,’ she said at last. ‘I bit your head off this afternoon, didn’t I?’
    ‘Aye, you did,’ he said, his voice slow and considering. Its tone was beginning to deepen as he grew older. ‘Och, but Kate, I understand full well why.