Alphabet Bachelors

By Catherine Carson

The four Logan brothers, Adam, Bart, Charlie and Dirk along with their good friend Euan Eunson have enjoyed their bachelor life style, but one by one they succumb to the feelings they have developed for the five women in their lives.
Which of the bachelors will be the first to enter into matrimony; will Adam admit his feelings for Lorna; will Bart fight his attraction to Joanne; will Charlie ever shut up long enough to declare his feelings for Helen; will Dirk finally have to do the chasing to win Carly and last, but not least, will Euan gain the happiness he desires with Ellie………?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Apr 21, 2015
• ISBN: 9781326253462

Book preview

Alphabet Bachelors

Alphabet Bachelors

By Catherine Carson

Standard Copyright © Catherine Carson 2015

ISBN 978-1-326-25342-4 Paperback

ISBN  978-1-326-25346-2

About the author

Born in Scotland I now live with my husband in the North West of England.  We have three children who, between them, have given us six wonderful grandchildren.

During the years I became something of a letter writer as friends and family lived in many parts of the country.  Often friends and family would tell me…..’you could write a book’ to which I always replied…..‘but would anyone read it’. 

When my granddaughter asked if I would write a book especially for her I discussed it with my good friend Lisa Schmidt and she told me to go for it.  That book became the first of many stories which had been lurking in my imagination for a good number of years.

Once started I found the stories simply kept coming and often an overheard conversation or a glimpse from the passenger seat of the car would trigger a likely scenario which my imagination would then elaborate and weave into a story.

My hope is that my writing brings a little pleasure into the reader’s life and allows them to leave the mundane world behind for a few hours as they meet the characters I adore creating.

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www.facebook.com/catherinecarsonbooks.uk

www.catherinerenacarson.jimdo.com

Dedication

This book is for everyone who loves reading about families of young men and women as they find the love of their life.

The characters in this book are completely fictional and bear no resemblance to any living person.

Other books by this author

The Mouse in the Library

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Family Ties

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Tapestry of Love (Book 1)       

Twins Exchanged (Book 2) 

Highland Feud (Book 3)         

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Overall Construction

Wounded Wolf

Coffee and Cakes

Memories Rekindled

Wholesale Love

Hope’s Conflict

Estates of the Heart

Sibling Rivalry

Fighting for Custody

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Soil, Seed & Betrayal (Book 1)

Desert Prince, Exiled Princess (Book 2

Body Language (Book 3)

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White Knight Black Knight

Through the Garden Gate or The Girl Next Door

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An Open Book (Book 1)

Afraid to Love (Book 2)

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A Second Chance (Book 1)

Taming the Playboy (Book2)

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Love Lost and Found

Chapter 1

Come on Ellie, there must be a few of your friends who would be willing to come and spend their summer break helping out.  Adam Logan was appealing to his sister in a hope that she would be able to help him and his brothers out of a tight spot.

Rory and Moira Logan bought a rundown estate in the Highlands of Scotland, which had originally been owned by a family who could trace their lineage back to the Jacobite Rebellion but had ceased to exist when the last laird had died a bachelor without issue. They spent a great deal of money restoring the house and establishing the adventure centre and raising five children.

Adam was the eldest of the Logan brothers and was thirty-two years old, his brothers, Bart, Charlie and Dirk followed him with a two year gap between each of them and their sister Ellie was the baby of the family at twenty and in her second year at university in Edinburgh.

Their parents had died together in a sailing accident when Ellie was twelve years old and her brothers had become her surrogate parents with Adam taking his responsibilities as head of the family extremely seriously.

As a young man of twenty-two at the time of his parents’ death, he was already at university studying business management and an interim manager was hired until he could step in and take over the reins when he had gained his degree in accountancy and business studies. He was now the driving force behind the whole estate, but his main interest was in the prized herd of highland cattle, whose pedigree offspring were much sought after throughout the world of farming and breeding.

Bart and Dirk followed Adam and gained degrees in business management, but Charlie chose to go to agricultural college being much more a man of the land.

At times the younger brothers rebelled but somehow Adam always managed to be aware of the undercurrents and would suggest they have some free time. 

Dirk was a perceptive young man and a natural judge of horseflesh and Adam took advantage of his talents to send him off to various horse sales throughout the country.  He also arranged for him to visit the USA and Australia to visit similar outfits, where he could study different techniques which would help in the running of the Logan Adventure Experience complex.

Bart was the realistic one of the four who always saw things as they were and had both feet firmly planted on the ground, whereas Charlie was inclined to be the most outspoken of them all which often got him into trouble with his siblings.

Both Bart and Charlie were kept busy organising the fly fishing runs and wildlife photography activities, while Adam remained in the office organising schedules, talking to various representatives who came trying to sell their wares and ensuring that his herd of cattle received the care and attention required to keep them in tip-top condition.

Studying business management in order to come back and help the family, Ellie was a popular girl at university and knew that some of the friends she had made would love to come to the highlands and help out her brothers, especially as they had seen the photographs sitting on her dresser in her dormitory.

All four of her brothers were tall, good looking men with blue eyes and dark hair.  Ellie thought if Adam smiled a little more he would probably be the best looking of them all. His smile was something of a rare occurrence but that did not seem to stop the ladies vying for his attention. With their ready smiles and light hearted banter Bart, Charlie and Dirk were also popular with the ladies and a constant stream of girlfriends passed through the estate gates.

Dirk always maintained that when their mother produced a small fair haired girl she knew it was time to stop at the letter E and so Ellie remained the baby of the family.

At the approach of the long summer break from schools, colleges and universities, it became imperative that extra help be found to cover the increased demand of people wishing to take up the activities Logan’s offered.

Well, can you find a couple of girls to come and work for the summer?  We need someone who has experience with horses and preferably someone who can help me in the office.  You will be working with Bart and Charlie as usual, so how about it?  Adam waited with his arms folded leaning back in his chair behind the huge desk in his study.

Carly Winford would be the best person to work with the horses and Adrianne Chappleton is on the same business course as me, so she would probably be able to help you out in the office.  I shall give them a ring and let you know later.  Ellie left the study and went off to make the calls and to find Molly Eunson who would be busy in the kitchen preparing the evening meal.

Chapter 2

Molly Eunson had been the housekeeper and cook to the Logan family since their parents’ death.  She had been widowed at the age of forty-four when her husband had died of pancreatic cancer at the age of forty-eight, leaving her with a son and daughter to care for.

When Molly moved into the tied cottage her son Euan was the same age as Adam and they attended the same university. Her daughter Lorna was a similar age to Ellie and they had become close friends.

As the years passed Euan grew more like his father with the classic high cheekbones and straight nose of his Nordic ancestors.  His Blonde hair and blue eyes made him stand out from the dark haired Logan brothers.

Although they had attended Edinburgh University at the same time Euan had joined the medical school and after attaining his degree had specialised in the care of cancer patients becoming an oncologist, helping victims fight their battle against the disease which had taken his father.  He lived and worked in a large hospital in Glasgow and had now become a Registrar to one of the top Consultants, but came home to visit his mother and sister as often as he could.

Hi, Molly I hope there is something good for dinner because I am absolutely ravenous.  Pulling out a chair Ellie sat down at the kitchen table and accepted the cup of tea and piece of cake Molly placed in front of her.

I should imagine anything would be good after the food you have been eating.  I know all about the rubbish you students eat. Molly was laughing but there was an underlying censure in her voice.

When is Euan coming home?  Ellie tried to make her enquiry sound casual and kept her eyes fixed firmly on the mug she held, rather than look at Molly.

He was home last weekend sweetheart, and won’t be back until the end of the month.  I think he wanted to get away for a wee while from some of the more difficult cases he has been dealing with in the Oncology Unit.  Molly knew that young Ellie had always had a bit of a crush on Euan and did not want her to be too disappointed that she had missed him.

Good for him, he needs to relax and get away from the stress he is dealing with every day.  Lifting the cup to her lips Ellie felt her eyes filling but she did not want Molly to know how much she missed Euan.

Adam has asked me to recommend a couple of friends to help out over the summer break.  Adrianne Chappleton has jumped at the chance to come and help out in the office.  She is always asking about the guys and in particular Adam.  Hoping that changing the subject would distract Molly from saying anything more about Euan, Ellie told her about Adrianne finding Adam’s dark brooding looks something of a challenge.

I think she rather fancies herself as being the woman in his life.  It should be fun watching her try to wrap him round her little finger.  Ellie laughed.

Who will be trying to wrap who round their little finger?  Lorna Eunson had opened the kitchen door and heard the end of Ellie’s statement.

Leave those mucky boots out there Lorna, before you come in here young lady.  I have scrubbed the floor and I do not want your muddy footprints left everywhere.  Molly knew that her daughter was not going to be happy about a young woman trying to attract the attention of Adam Logan.

Molly had her suspicions that Lorna’s feelings for Adam went deeper than being his pal and confidant.  Since the first day she arrived on the estate ten years ago she had followed him around when he was home from university and had found an easy camaraderie with the normally taciturn head of the Logan family, having the ability to see through his strict unbending image and bringing a smile to his lips.

Lorna was the same age as Ellie Logan but unlike her, she had gone to agricultural college rather than university and was now working alongside the men employed by Adam to look after his pedigree herd of highland cattle.  In particular his prize bull Hector.

Each time a new girl came on the horizon Molly saw Lorna go through the process befriending the woman and reporting back to Adam, but she wondered how her daughter would react if one of those women really caught Adam’s attention.

She was totally unaware that her Mother was suspicious of her friendship with Adam.  In actual fact her Mother would have been surprised had she realised that Lorna simply enjoyed the light hearted camaraderie Adam  and she enjoyed and had no secret desires to be his significant other half. 

That was until she had heard Ellie’s assertion that Adrianne Chappleton would be making an all out attempt to gain his attention.

Lorna had flame red hair and green eyes and the proverbial temperament to go with such features.  When she had finished her course at agricultural college she had come back to the Logan’s and Adam had welcomed her as part of the team who looked after his prize winning herd of Highland Cattle.

It had been something of a family joke that she was a throwback to the ancient Irish family her mother Molly was descended from, as unlike her widowed mother, who was a tall, slender, blue eyed brunette, Lorna was barely five foot three inches tall and tended to have a rounded figure.

Discarding her boots and leaving them in the utility room she came into the kitchen and again asked who was being wrapped around a little finger.

Adam is, at least Adrianne will do her very best to capture his attention.  She never misses an opportunity to come into my room and lift his photograph and stare at it.  Ellie was laughing and demonstrating her friend’s starry eyed look.

Ellie’s friend is going to come and work in the office for the summer, dear.  Molly said matter of factly hoping that Lorna would not be upset at the information that a young woman would be working in close proximity to Adam.

Wow! Well at least it won’t be boring.  I suppose one of your other friends is going to be helping with the horses.  Lorna hoped she sounded upbeat at the thought of two new young women coming to the estate and wanted to convince her companions that whatever the women were like she would remain Adam’s friend and confidant.

Yeah, Carly Winford and she is a real sweetie who lives, eats, sleeps, breathes horses, so Dirk will be happy to know that he won’t be in danger of being swooned over. 

Okay you two enough about who might swoon over whom, go and get ready for dinner Ellie.  Molly shooed the young woman out of the kitchen and turned to look at her daughter.

Lorna was still a little shocked at her reaction to hearing about Adrianne’s attraction to Adam and saw her mother’s concerned look. If this Adrianne can make Adam Logan forget about his responsibilities for a little while, then good luck to her.  I am going back to the cottage and will see you later. 

Molly watched Lorna slip her feet into the rubber clogs she kept by the back door and walk across the backyard and take the pathway which lead to their cottage.

Although Molly was the housekeeper and cook for the family she had never encouraged either of her children to think that they were part of this family other than as good friends and close companions.

Being the same age and studying at the same university, Adam and Euan had become firm friends and Ellie and Lorna likewise had gravitated towards each other, but Ellie had attended a prestigious private school after leaving the local village primary school and so the girls had drifted apart only seeing each other during school holidays.

Chapter 3

Hey little girl, how is that prize bull of mine doing, I trust you are taking good care of him?  Adam had walked to the stockyard knowing that Lorna would probably be grooming Hector. 

The bull snorted when he saw Adam climb on the metal gate.  Don’t come over that gate Adam, it has taken me the best part of an hour to calm this damned fella down.  He got a whiff of those new cows you bought and I think a couple of them must have come into season. 

Adam laughed knowing that Hector would not take kindly to his scent.  For some reason since the bull had come to him as a young calf Lorna was the only person he would allow near him.

The randy bugger will have to wait before he gets anywhere near those cows.  The vet has still to pass them and the last thing I need is him having his wicked way if they are not ready for mating. 

Talking of randy buggers, what’s this I hear about you and your new office mate?  Ellie tells me you think she is the best thing since sliced bread.  Lorna was laughing and expected Adam to reply in a light manner but when she saw his body stiffen and the smile disappear from his lips she knew she had hit a nerve.

Adrianne is a very efficient PA and she really does not need you and Ellie inferring that she is anything other than that.  Make sure that bull is kept away from those new cows and while you’re at it make sure Broderick McFarlane sluices the milk parlour properly next time, the last thing we need is an inspector making an unannounced inspection and finding it in a poor state of cleanliness.  Climbing from the gate Adam marched off and from his posture Lorna was left in no doubt that he was angry.

Ensuring Hector was secure Lorna went to find Broderick and ask him about the milking parlour.  She had a feeling that there was absolutely nothing out of place in the parlour and that Adam was simply reminding her that he was the boss and she was his employee.

After speaking to Broderick who confirmed the parlour was immaculate Lorna thought to go to the stables and find Dirk or Carly.

Carly was grooming one of the horses and Lorna quietly lifted a brush and helped.  They worked silently until the task was done.

Replacing the brushes and combs in the tack room Carly turned to Lorna and tilting her head to one side asked if someone had upset her.

Not really, Carly.  Sometimes I forget that the Logan’s are my employers.  I have known them forever but became close when I was twelve and my Mum came to be their housekeeper.  Ellie and I became like sisters for a time but when she left to attend private school and then university we seemed to drift apart.  Lorna hoped that Carly would accept her explanation as she really did not want to examine the hurt she had felt at Adam’s reprimand.

I know how you feel.  I missed my sister dreadfully when she married and then I went to university and met Ellie and we seemed to hit it off immediately.  Then Adrianne came on the scene and Ellie suddenly became her best friend and hung on her every word as if she was the font of all knowledge. 

I’m sorry Carly.  It would appear Adrianne is an extremely clever manipulator and I think perhaps it would be in our best interests to steer clear of her.  Lorna thought that Carly really was the sweetie Ellie had described her as and hoped she would not be hurt by Adrianne and her ambitions to become a permanent member of the Logan family.

That evening Euan rang to ask how things were going and when Lorna told him about Adrianne and the way she seemed to be insinuating herself into the Logan family by using Ellie, he went very quiet.

Keep an eye on Ellie she is such a naïve kid at times.  So has Adam found himself a new woman for you to vet or is he too busy entertaining his new PA? 

Now it was Lorna’s turn to go quiet.  Lorna has something happened sweetheart?  Knowing that her brother had always been aware of her moods she tried to reassure him that everything was fine. 

It’s just that the Agricultural Show at Caldargon is coming up and Hector is so unsettled that he may not perform to his best and then Adam could lose some valuable clients who want him to sire their cows.  Lorna hoped that Euan would accept her explanation.

Yeah I know what you are saying sweetheart, but if Adam Logan steps out of line he will have me to contend with.  Take care sweetie and I’ll see you at the end of the month.

Adam was in a filthy mood before dinner tonight and I think Bart and Charlie went off into the village to eat at the pub instead of sitting at the same table as him.  Adrianne sat there telling him that his brothers were ungrateful idiots and Ellie was nodding her head in agreement.  Dirk was trying to get Carly to talk to him but she simply answered with yes or no or simply shrugged her shoulders.  I tell you darling that house has not been the same since that woman arrived. 

I’m going to bed Mum, and I shouldn’t worry about the Logan’s I am sure they can all look after themselves without us worrying about them.  Goodnight Mum.  Lorna kissed her mother’s cheek leaving her to mull over her words.

Chapter 4

Hosing down the milking parlour after the cows had been turned out to pasture, Lorna was thinking about the two young women who had come to the estate to help the family.

Carly Winford was a hard worker with a pleasant personality and Lorna had found her easy to talk to. She was an experienced horsewoman and was not afraid to help muck out the stables and groom the horses. 

When Lorna saw her leave the stable on the big bay gelding she had to admire her posture as she rode out of the yard and took the bridal path, followed by a group of young riders.

Adrianne was a different