Tuesday Tales: From the Word RUN

Welcome to November. Many of the leaves have fallen and we’ve even had a dusting or two of snow. This week the Tuesday Tales authors bring you posts based on the word RUN. I’m continuing with Listen to the Stones, my Contemporary Romance with paranormal elements.

Duncan turned back to the road. “The Laird was a feared man for many years after his brother died. He kept to himself and interacted with his tenants only when necessary. Some said he battled ghosts and a guilty conscience until one Hogmanay, about twenty years ago.”

She frowned. “Hogmanay? I’m unfamiliar with that term.”

“Scotland celebrates the end of the old year and the beginning of the new one with a holiday we call Hogmanay. There are several parts to it, such as first footing, exchanging gifts of food and drink to bring friends health and prosperity, and sanctifying the house. As a lad, my favorite activity was donning the sheepskin and going from house to house to collect black buns, a type of fruit cake, and shortbread. We’d run from house to house, knock on the door, and say, ‘Rise up, guid wife, an’ shake your feathers. Dinna think that we are beggars! We are bairns come out to play, get up and gie’s our Hogmanay!’ ‘Twas a lot like a second round of Halloween.”

“It seems I have a lot to learn about the island’s customs. I’ll make sure to have plenty of black buns and shortcake on hand.” She chewed her bottom lip. “So what happened to my uncle?”

“Some say the stones paid him a visit since he wouldn’t go to them, although as far as I know he never did, not even after the change. Like the famous Ebenezer Scrooge, he became more kind and understanding. He invested in the tweed mill and had his weavers trained to make the tweed. He helped his crofters improve their farms and grow their herds, he planted more pine trees, and he gave to the poor of the island, rarely doing so publicly so as not to be thanked. “Twas only after he died that many learned who had been their benefactor. Then a year following the change as we called it, Angus decided to open Fraser Hall as a bed and breakfast. People weren’t sure he could make a go of such a thing, but he had the black house renovated and hired staff to help him with it. For what it’s worth, I think he simply got tired of his own company. Having guests stay for a night or a week satisfied his need for humanity.”

She frowned. “You sound as if you knew him personally.”

That’s it. Stay safe, and don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales.