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‘Len was Maud’s son?’ Carrie sat back in her seat. ‘You mean… William’s son? Maud’s baby?’
‘Aye. She had William’s baby.’ Dotty nodded sagely, keeping her voice low. ‘I know all this from Myrtle. She found the diaries in Len’s things when he died and she took over the café. But they’d been friends too before that and she knew. He’d told her. Course, Myrtle never knew Maud, but I did. As soon as she told me, I could see the resemblance.’
‘So, Len who ran the barber’s and the black market… he was related to me?’ Carrie couldn’t believe it. This was definitely a good distraction from the Rory situation. ‘But he died.’
‘Aye, sadly. He would have been, what…? Your great-aunt’s son, so… your cousin, once removed.’
‘Goodness. I can’t believe it.’
‘Aye. He wouldae been in the village when you visited, as a child.’ Dotty tutted. ‘Do ye remember him at all? She wouldae introduced ye, maybe?’
Carrie thought back for a moment. ‘D’you know, I do remember a man. That could have been his name. Every time Maud took me and Claire into the village, she’d take us into this dingy little shop, with big chairs in it. It was strange because the window was made of these different coloured panels of stained glass. I used to like looking at those, but I wondered what the big chairs were for.’
‘Uh-huh. That would’ve been Len.’ Dotty nodded. ‘Did she not explain who he was?’
‘Not that I remember. We used to go in and play on the chairs and they’d have a chat. Maud always came away with something she needed, something for the house, or what have you. I remember that. Sometimes he gave us ice lollies.’ Carrie tried to remember more. ‘Sometimes there was a little girl there too, about our age. Wow, I haven’t thought about this in years, but we used to go out and play by the loch, sometimes, if we were allowed. I don’t remember her name. She had dark hair.’
‘Hmm.’ Dotty nodded. ‘There’s a lot you shouldae been told, I’d say.’
‘The diary finished at the point where Maud realised she was pregnant. Perhaps she thought she should stop writing it then for some reason. Maybe she was worried it would be too incriminating if anyone found it.’ Carrie put her china teacup back on its saucer and placed it carefully under her chair.
‘Maybe,’ Dotty sighed. ‘What I know is that she didnae feel that she could bring Len up herself: the scandal wouldae been too great. So, she gave Len to William and Clara, believe it or not.’
‘William and Clara? That’s insane! Clara wouldn’t have wanted to take in her husband’s illegitimate child, surely?’ Carrie gaped at Dotty.
The old woman sighed and ran her fingers through her immaculately coiffed hair. ‘I dunno what happened, exactly, hen. All’s I know is that Len grew up with William and Clara’s kids. Clara got better, slowly, over time, but she was never strong. I suspect William gave her little choice. An’ she needed him, because she couldnae cope wi’ the kids on her own.’
‘If that’s true, that’s an awful choice to have to make,’ Carrie said, appalled. ‘Lose your husband – if he threatened to leave her – or bring up his child from another woman?’
‘Aye, well. People do things ye would never think,’ Dotty admitted. ‘They never told Len he was Maud’s, and I guess she never told him either. But William kept those diaries. I guess Maud gave them to him at some point, aye. At some point, Len found them and he read what you’ve read. And he realised Maud was his mother, not Clara. He told Myrtle one day. And she told me.’
‘So, did you know William?’ Carrie asked.
‘I knew him, yes. Sad story. William Black, married to Clara Black. They had the two children. She was ill most of her life. Course, nowadays, the doc’d say she had post-natal depression, and no doubt some other gynaecological matters. In those days, she was just left to it. Poor thing. You can only imagine what that marriage was like, aye.’
‘I know. It’s terribly sad,’ Carrie agreed. ‘And especially more so because Maud and William seemed to have a really close connection. But he was married, and that was that. Not like now, where maybe he could have got a divorce or even have an open relationship.’ Carrie frowned. ‘In the diary Maud said he gave the name Graves when they stayed at a hotel together. I suppose that was a fake name. To avoid being found out.’
‘I’d think so, dearie,’ Dotty nodded sagely. ‘Very different times. Anyway, the Black family lived in the village a long time. Len has just passed, of course. William and Clara’s two other kids moved away some time back. I was friendly with the girl, Alice. We were about the same age. We did keep in touch for a while after she moved, but you know how it is. People fall away, lives are busy.’ Carrie nodded.
‘But, of course, Bess lives close by,’ Dotty added. ‘You know Bess, don’t you? Maybe you haven’t met each other, mind you,’ she mused.
‘Who’s Bess?’ Carrie frowned. ‘I don’t think I’ve met anyone of that name.’
‘Ach, listen tae me, runnin’ on at the mouth. I havenae told ye the most important thing, then. Len had a daughter. Not far off your age, aye. She lives with her partner in the next village, but she works all around. Handyman work. Handywoman, I should say.’ Dotty laughed, correcting herself.
‘Len… has a daughter?’ Carrie gaped at Dotty. ‘And she lives close by?’
‘Aye. Bess Black. I’ll introduce ye. I’m guessin’ yer, what… second cousins or somethin’? Distant family, but still family.’ Dotty squeezed Carrie’s hand.
‘The girl from the shop…’ Carrie trailed off, remembering the dark-haired girl she and Claire sometimes played with when they visited Loch Cameron. ‘That was her? Bess?’
‘Aye, very probably.’ Dotty nodded. ‘I’d say that even if Maud and William never told Len she was his real mother, Maud wanted tae be around him as much as she could. So it makes sense she’d always be in there, wantin’ things fer the house or what have ye. An excuse to see her son and her granddaughter.’
‘Wow. Thanks for telling me.’ Carrie breathed out a long exhalation.
‘Nae bother,’ Dotty said. ‘Thought ye should know. I’m just sorry ye never got tae know your cousin, once removed. He was a nice fella. I’ll introduce ye tae Bess. Lovely girl, she is. Her partner, Sally, works at the distillery, an’ Bess is our local plumber, painter, odd jobs lassie. I’d be lost without her, that’s no word o’ a lie.’
‘I’m sorry I never had the chance to meet Len.’ Carrie sighed. ‘But it still makes me feel like I belong here a bit more. Knowing I have family here.’
