Erin stood at the window of her office and watched as large white snowflakes drifted down from the sky. There was no wind to stir the snow and it looked peaceful and picturesque. She was not in a hurry to go home as nothing by emptiness awaited her there.
"They say it's to snow through the weekend," Debra McHadden mentioned casually when she entered the office suite. She had found the files the solicitor had requested and put them now on her desk. The tall woman didn't move, only casually glancing in her direction.
"Thank you," Erin said briefly and than turned her attention back to the scene outside.
The secretary looked at her boss. The woman was in a melancholy mood. She had been that way since her sister's visit earlier in the week.
"It would be a lovely weekend to spend in the country," the secretary suggested. "I am sure Miss Macgregor gets lonely living in that big old Castle all by herself. She would probably enjoy a spot of company."
Erin said nothing and with a sigh of resignation the older woman turned and departed not knowing that the solicitor had been thinking of the smaller woman all week, wishing she had been more tactful when she had initially turned down Kellie's invitation to visit the castle.
The barrister sighed and wandered back to her desk. She doubted she would ever be in a worse predicament. She slumped into a chair and stared at the files on her desk. She had no desire to work on other peoples problems but there were things that needed to be done. Just as she was about to reach for the first folder the phone rang. It was George Ludden with news on Angus's Will.
"I just need your signature and everything is complete," the older lawyer said. "I am going to get Henry to deliver the paperwork to Miss Macgregor this weekend."
"That won't be necessary," Erin said hastily making a decision. "I am going to Loch Loe tonight. I will run by your office and sign the necessary forms on my way out."
"Splendid idea," the other man agreed. "I didn't exactly relish the idea of having Henry drive out to the country in this foul weather."
As soon as she hung up the phone Erin was out of her chair and grabbing her coat. She knew that if she wanted to make the afternoon ferry she would have to leave immediately. After a quick stop at home to change clothes and collect her toiletry she was on her way to the other solicitor's office.
George Ludden was waiting in his office when she arrived.
"I suspect your troubles will just be beginning," the older man commented as he watched her sign the necessary documents.
"Oh?" Erin was curious about what the man meant by that remark. "You anticipate a problem with Miss Macgregor?"
"Not personally," George flushed, embarrassed that his comment had been misinterpreted. "She is a lovely person and I look forward to a long association with her. I was thinking more of the project she is working on. I imagine she will be needing a lot of money to finance the Castles restoration. She will be coming to you for some of the principal."
"We both decided it was a good idea and the money wouldn't be wasted," Erin said a little stiffly. "Angus might not have agreed but I think this is the right way to spend the money."
The other lawyer said nothing more aware that he may have offended his colleague with his candid opinion. Erin finished signing the documents and than left, anxious to be on her way.
Lady Shannon lay naked on the bed, only slightly shy under his roving stare. He had stripped her bare before laying her there. She watched him now as he slowly undressed, peeling his woolen clothes off and dropping them on the floor.
She stared at the broad shoulders and rippling muscles as he loosened the buttons on his trousers and let them fall to the floor. She gasp at the sight of his manhood. He looked so large and magnificent.
She quivered as he climbed up on the bed beside her. In spite of his age and experience, she had always found her husband quite clumsy. There was no such fumbling with this man.
He knew what to do and his hands and mouth were confident as they touched and caressed her body. Soon all her inhibitions were gone as she gave herself up completely to the pleasure he offered.
Ewan had never thought it could be so good. He cupped her breasts with his hands and than suckled them with his mouth. He felt her tremble, her body involuntarily arching up to meet his every assault. When he finally moved between her legs she was eagerly awaiting his possession.
Lady Shannon parted her thighs. She was moist, her body begging for a respite from the aching pleasure that was assailing her senses. She moaned gasping as he gently thrust into her apex. There was a pause as she adjusted to him and than more warmth as he thrust deeper inside her heat.
The man felt only pleasure as she wrapped herself tightly around him. He waited until she was comfortable and than slowly started thrusting, moving his body in and out in a gentle rhythm that slowly increased as the intensity of their passion mounted.
Lady Shannon was no longer in control of herself, her body responding naturally as it arched up to meet his assault. The nights she had spent with her husband had never felt like this, they had never been as wild or pleasurable.
It was a shock when the orgasm exploded over her. She did not know what it was but the feeling was so exquisite she tried to prolong the moment as she clung to her lover.
Ewan watched, waiting with his own climax until she was done and than he let loose the power of his body measuring his strength so as not to hurt her. Finally he thrust one last time and threw his head back, the veins in his neck standing out.
She felt his warmth spread itself inside her and than welcomed him in her embrace when he was spent. The man collapsed on top of her knowing that he could now die a happy man.
Kellie was sitting in the quiet of the drawing room when she heard an unusual thumping sound coming from in the hallway. She stood up, briefly wondering if the place had ghosts before following the noise to its source. She was surprised to see Erin standing outside the front door, a small carryall clutched in one hand.
Blue and green eyes met and Erin felt her heart began to thud loudly. The blond woman looked so adorable, dressed in her warm clothes. For the first time she noticed a pair of glasses perched on the pert nose.
"I didn't know you wear glasses," the dark haired woman knew it was a dumb thing to say first off but she hadn't known how to break the silence.
"They're just for reading," Kellie said and unconsciously removed them. She crossed her arms defensively. "What are you doing here?"
"I thought I would accept your invitation," Erin said feeling awkward. "George Ludden called to say that he had a copy of the final papers for you. I suggest you put them in a safe place." She paused, holding out an envelope. "Is it all right if I come in?"
"Certainly," the Canadian remembered her manners moving to one side so the taller woman could step in out of the cold. She waited silently as the other woman brushed the snowflakes off her shoulders before shrugging out of her coat. After hanging it up on a peg by the door she turned once more to her hostess.
"I didn't know if I was welcome," she managed to say.
"I said you were welcome here anytime."
"Yes, you did," the solicitor nodded. "But I didn't know if you were being sincere or just polite."
"I never make an offer I don't mean," Kellie said quietly studying the taller woman's features. It was past the dinner hour but she wondered if her sister had stopped to eat on the journey down. "Are you hungry?"
Erin flashed a lopsided grin. "I'm famished. I was in such a rush to catch the ferry that I didn't want to chance a stop for a bite to eat."
"Okay than, put your stuff away while I fix you something," the blond woman said. "Don't expect anything fancy I'm still not used to cooking on the woodstove."
"Anything will be fine," the tall woman said agreeably and than trooped dutifully towards the staircase. "Where do you want me to put my things?"
"You can use the same room as last time," Kellie said. "You also might want to light a fire. The central heating is on but it can still get rather draughty. There is some wood in the bedroom that I use."
Erin nodded, watching the smaller woman disappear in the direction of the kitchen before bounding up the stairs. By the time she returned Kellie had reheated some of the leftover stew that she had prepared for her own supper. The tall woman sat down at the table and immediately dug into the aromatic smelling dish that was set in front of her.
"Don't you get lonely here by yourself?" Erin wondered out loud in between spoonfuls of the delicious tasting food.
"Sometimes," the blond woman admitted as she poured herself a cup of tea before joining her companion at the table. "But when I do get lonely I just take a walk down to see Roma Leach. She always has time for a cup of tea and a chat."
"Has she told you yet that her mother and grandmother kept house for Angus?" Erin asked.
"She did mention something," the smaller woman conceded. "I have been consulting her husband Morris about which local contractors to hire."
"Morris is a good man. He won't steer you wrong. That is one thing about the people in this district, they stand by their word. To them it is important, none of them will do you wrong."
"That's nice to know," Kellie said. "I trusted Morris from the first moment I met him and he has been invaluable."
"George Ludden mentioned you had already started renovating," Erin mentioned casually glancing at her surroundings.
"Yes, though it doesn't look like it," the small woman said. "I am going at it slowly making sure everything is being done right. I have hired a local man to do the stone work and sent some of the older pieces of furnishings out to be restored but I haven't done much other than that."
The solicitor looked at her for a long moment. "If you are waiting because of the money, it's all there for you. All you have to do is ask."
"I don't want to bother you," Kellie said and than reminded the other woman gently. "After all you were skeptical about my decision to renovate."
"You shouldn't care what I think. You shouldn't care what anyone else thinks."
"But I do," the blond woman sighed rising to her feet. "Maybe it would be easier to accept if you weren't so damn nice about everything."
"Do you want me to be nasty?" Erin was astonished by the admission.
"No," Kellie sighed again folding her arms across her chest and leaning back against the cutting table. "It's just that I feel so guilty about spending any of the money."
"There is no reason to feel guilty," the dark haired Scotswoman said.
"I know it sounds illogical but I don't feel like I have done anything to deserve everything that I have been given. It's probably because all my life I have had to work for everything that I got," the blond woman admitted shyly. "Does that sound crazy?"
"It sounds perfectly natural," Erin disagreed. "Give it time and let yourself get used to the idea of the money and the Castle. Under the circumstances it would be overwhelming to anyone." She paused. "And for the record, I think what you are doing to the castle is great."
"You weren't always so agreeable."
"True if I had inherited the Castle I probably would have simply turned it over to the National Trust Society. But I don't have the time to spend on it like you do," Erin paused and looked at her. "Is there anything else bothering you?"
"No," the blond woman lied convincingly.
Kellie could not tell the other woman of the doubts that she had started having. The more that she looked over the old photographs the more she wondered about the truth, doubting that she was related in any manner to the former owner of the castle. The next morning she slept later than usual and by the time she awoke Erin was already cooking breakfast in the kitchen.
"I hope you don't mind that I took the liberty of starting breakfast," the dark haired woman said when Kellie joined her in the kitchen
"On the contrary it is very thoughtful of you," the younger woman replied.
"I thought after we have done eating we could go over the plans you have. You will be needing money and I need to be assured that it is being spent wisely."
After eating and washing up they went through the Castle and Kellie told her in detail what was to be done. Erin had seen the original plans but she knew that changes would occur as the building proceeded. She asked intelligent questions but offered nothing else.
After touring the place they donned their winter wear and tramped outside. The snow was still falling, blanketing the ground in a pristine coat of white. After showing her the various repairs that were to be done on the exterior, they tramped across the open fields to the shore. The whole time Kellie talked about the plans she had for sprucing up the island.
"Do you ever miss your home?" Erin asked unexpectedly as they walked. It was cold but not so bone chilling that it was unbearable.
"This is my home now," the smaller woman replied honestly making that decision as she spoke.
"You don't miss Canada?"
"Sometimes," Kellie admitted reluctantly. "There are things that I naturally miss but I grew up on a farm in the middle of nowhere so I am used to being on my own. I do miss that I just can't pick up the phone and ring someone."
"You should have a phone installed," Erin suggested.
"I have thought of that and have even talked to all the appropriate people but it is frightfully expensive," Kellie sighed hunching her shoulders against the cold. "It may sound weird but I kind of like the isolation of the island."
"You are beginning to sound like the romantic person you said you weren't."
"You make it sound like that's a bad thing," she grimaced.
"No. I didn't mean too imply it was a bad thing," Erin realized that lately she always seemed to be apologizing.
"That's all right. I guess deep down inside I am a romantic. The Castle and the Island just seem to bring it all out," the Canadian confessed slyly. "Perhaps that's also the reason I write. Ever since I was a child I had this very vivid imagination, growing up by myself I often had to pretend I wasn't alone, so I made up these imaginary friends and played these imaginary games."
"What kind of games did you create?"
"I have forgotten most of them," Kellie laughed easily. "But I do remember that as a child I used to love it when it snowed like this. I could never wait to go outside and make snow angels."
"Snow angels?" Erin seemed genuinely puzzled and the blond looked at her in amazement.
"Come on you must know what snow angels are. Every kid that lives in a wintry clime knows what snow angels are."
The taller woman looked at her strangely and shrugged helplessly and to prove her point Kellie lay down in the snow and moved her limbs up and down creating an image of an angel. Erin could not contain her amusement and Kellie looked at her aware than that she had been teasing her.
Instinctively she scooped up a handful of snow and flung it at her companion. Erin had not been expecting that reaction and was to slow in ducking out of the way of a snowball so that it caught her square on the side of the head.
A full fledged snow fight ensued and ended only when they both slumped exhausted on the ground. Erin lay on her back staring up at the cloudy grey sky not remembering when she had last had so much fun. She turned her head and looked at her companion. The tense lines she had noticed earlier were gone.
"Did it bother you growing up as a bastard?" the blond woman wondered out loud.
"No, my grandparents were good about making me understand that it wasn't my fault. Of course there were some kids who made the usual remarks but mostly it wasn't an issue," she paused. "What about you?"
"There was a lot of whispering and some kids who couldn't play with me because their mothers thought I was some kind of infection their daughters would catch," Kellie remembered with a bemused smile on her lips. "Funny thing was that no matter how much they would denounce my mother, their lives were always worse. But you don't hear all the dirty secrets until you are older."
"How come your mother never married?" Erin was curious.
"I don't know," she was honest. She sat up and than struggled to her feet. "I think it's time to go in, my clothes are soaked and I'm starting to get cold."
Erin did not argue jumping to her feet and following her hostess back to the Castle. Her own clothes were wet and she didn't want to get a chill.
"You don't happen to have a spare outfit to borrow. I accidentally left my clothes bag in the car. I was in such a rush to catch the ferry," she admitted sheepishly and Kellie looked at her critically.
"I tossed all of Angus's stuff out and I know you couldn't fit into any of my clothes so all I can offer is a clean blanket to cover yourself while your clothes dry."
"Fair enough."
Kellie fetched a blanket from the second floor landing and left it with the solicitor while she went to change her own damp clothes. She would have liked a hot bath to warm her skin but decided against leaving her guest alone that long. When she returned to the sitting room she found a roaring fire already ablaze in the hearth.
She paused in the doorway and scanned the scene. Erin had laid her damp clothing on stools in front of the fire. She had wrapped the blanket around her waist, leaving her chest exposed. Unexpected Kellie felt her heart skip a beat. For a woman who had a desk bound occupation the dark haired woman had a muscular build. She took a deep breathe and walked into the room purposefully trying to ignore looking at the other woman.
"Would you like some tea?" Erin offered. In her absence the solicitor had even managed to prepare a fresh pot.
"Yes, thank you," she nodded slipping into a nearby chair. She watched as the older woman gently tipped the tea pot to drain some of the dark liquor into a cup. She accepted the cup that was offered, taking a sip as the tall woman pulled up the blanket around her shoulders before settling back into a chair.
"Have you decided what you are going to do for Christmas?" Erin asked casually.
"I have invited my Aunt and cousin over for the holidays," Kellie said revealing her plans. "They have never been out of the country and never really had enough money for a proper holiday so I thought for a Christmas present I would fly them out here for several weeks."
"That sounds great," Erin masked her disappointment with a smile. As in past years she was closing her law office for a fortnight over the holiday season and she had hoped that they might spend some of the holidays together.
"You are more than welcome to come round and meet them. They would love to meet you." Kellie invited.
"Perhaps I will," the barrister agreed amicably.
Lady Shannon woke in the early hours of the morning. She felt warm and more relaxed than at anytime in her short life. She snuggled closer to the source of the heat, reveling in the comfortable pressure of the weight of the arm and leg that were straddled over her body. She had never felt this comfortable in her husbands embrace.
Gently she leaned forward and laid a tender kiss upon her lover's rough cheek. He stirred immediately and a thread of desire rippled through her body. She always dreaded sharing her husband's bed, but with this man it was different. While she always longed for her husband to sleep she wanted this man to awaken and possess her once again.
She reached over and ran her hand over his back and buttocks, savouring the feel of the firm muscles of his body. She felt the man move, pressing himself closer against her flesh. She kissed him again and this time he responded.
Ewan had not believed the woman would respond so easily but he sensed that her body was betraying her common sense. He suspected that his older brother was not a good lover, only interested in his own pleasure. Many of the older man's mistresses complained of his inattentiveness. He could understand now why this woman sought his comfort.
He took possession of her body once more, filling her with his heat and unleashing his passion. She returned his ardour with the same strength. Her hands and lips seeking the most intimate parts of his flesh.
He took her until he no longer had any strength. Only than did he collapse into her embrace. She clung tightly to him, never wanting this evening to end.
Kellie drove into Edinburgh to do the little Christmas shopping she had. She spoke to her cousin Shaun to confirm they had received the tickets and were still planning on coming over for the holidays. She noted the time and date of their arrival, securing rooms at the Inn for them. She even arranged dinner for their first evening in the city booking reservations at a restaurant that was recommended to her by Erin.
It was easy buying gifts for her cousins and Aunt and with a seemingly unlimited budget she was extravagant for the first time in her life. She purchased only a simple gift for Henry unwilling to place to high a value on their friendship. The most difficult time she had was picking out a gift for Erin.
In the few months she had been in Scotland the solicitor had been a huge support and she valued her friendship above all else. She appreciated the other woman's kindness and wanted to show what it meant to her. In the end she finally selected an expensive gold watch and a woolen sweater. She didn't know if the dark haired Scotswoman would like either but she wrapped them with infinite care.
She drove into Edinburgh the day before her relatives were to arrive. It was five days until Christmas and the city was festively decorated for the season. It had snowed and the city was blanketed in a fresh white coat.
She walked to Erin's office, greeting Debra McHadden with a cheery holiday greeting and a small gift which surprised and delighted the older woman. The dark haired solicitor was pleased by the younger woman's appearance and immediately accepted her invitation to dinner.
That evening they dined at a fancy eatery and than bundled up and took a long leisurely walk downtown to admire the lights and decorations. Erin knew that she enjoyed Kellie's company far too much yet she was never able to resist her invitations. She continued to curse the fact that they were of the same father.
"I want you to come to dinner tomorrow night," the small blonde extended the invitation.
"I wish I could," Erin was genuinely regretful. "But unfortunately I have other obligations I must attend."
Kellie was barely able to hide her disappointment, yet she was determined that she should meet her family.
"Than if you have time over the holidays, perhaps you could come up to Loch Loe," she suggested. "You will be visiting your family and its just over in the next district. You could pop over the week between Christmas and New Years."
"Aye, I will think about it," Erin remained uncommitted.
The next morning Kellie was at the airport early and she embraced her Aunt and cousins eagerly. She was so happy to see them that tears sprang up in her eyes. She was so engrossed in the reception that she momentarily failed to notice that they were not alone.
"Kellie," Tony said meekly emerging from the background. He was uncertain that he would be welcome. The woman looked at him in surprise.
"Tony, what are you doing here?" Though there had never been anything serious between them she had missed his friendly face. She embraced him now.
"I took a page from your book. The old man ragged on me one to many times and I quit. Anyway, it was time to move on. Who knows maybe there is a Castle in my future," he replied sheepishly, and than paused. "I wanted my appearance to be a surprise but perhaps I am not welcome."
"Of course you're welcome," Kellie was genuine. "The more the merrier, only there might be a problem for dinner tonight I only made reservations for five instead of six."
"I don't want to intrude," Tony was slightly embarrassed.
"Nonsense, Henry would love to meet you," she chided quietly before moving them all along to collect their baggage. She had invited the other man when she had found out that Erin was unavailable.
If Tony had thought that her inheritance would not change her, he was wrong. She looked like the same person he knew back in Canada yet there was a difference that was more than the way she dressed. There was a change in her character.
Where once she had been content to let others take the lead, now she was in charge, handling everything with a confidence she had rarely displayed. Tony marveled at the transformation and wondered if it was due to her relationship with this Henry fellow.
In hindsight he realized his surprise visit may not have been the wisest decision. When he had broached her cousins with the idea of joining them, they had been enthusiastic. No one had mentioned anything about this Henry fellow as they might have had Kellie been dating the man. He knew though that Kellie very rarely confided in anyone about her personal life.
"Perhaps it's not such a wise idea for me to tag along," he suggested that evening when they met in the lobby of the Inn.
"Why?" she asked curiously.
"This Henry fellow might get the wrong idea about my presence," he said carefully.
"Henry and I are just friends," she assured him and Tony wondered if it were true or if the other man had secret hopes as he did of being more than friends. His question was answered when Kellie introduced them later that evening.
Tony was unfailingly polite but just for an instant he had seen the crestfallen expression flit across the other man's face. He knew in that moment they had been accorded the same position in her life. In that searing moment both men realized that no matter what they did she would hold no more affection for either of them than friendship. It was a sobering realization.
The meal was pleasant though both younger men drank too much. Afterwards Kellie saw that Henry was safely sent off in a taxi before hailing one for them. She was innocently unaware of either man's feelings. She had never given neither of them any indication that she held any romantic interest in them.
Erin was in court the next morning and so missed seeing Kellie when she popped in before heading off to Loch Loe. She saw the presents the smaller woman had left on her desk and the hastily scrawled note wishing her a Merry Christmas. She swallowed the lump that gathered in her throat.
If she had not already promised her grandparents that she would be home for the holidays, she would have gone to spend Christmas with Kellie and her family. She was eager to know what the blond woman had gotten her but decided to wait until later. There were several parties where it was mandatory that she attend and she performed her duties before packing a suitcase and driving out to her grandparent's farm.
When Lady Shannon woke again she knew she was alone. She turned her head and saw her new lover sitting on the edge of the bed. He had pulled on his shirt and breeches and was now pulling on his boots.
"Must you leave so soon?" she asked with a hoarse whisper. The man paused, turning his head to look at her.
"I never wish to leave your bed my Lady but my men report that they have sighted your husband coming towards the island with a small force. I will have to repel him."
"Do not let him take me back," she shocked even herself with the earnest appeal. After sampling the pleasure this man had to offer she had no wish to go back to her husband.
"If it is in my power I will keep you here forever," he replied. "My heart and my home belong always to you."
"But what of the maiden to whom you were betrothed?" she asked.
"It was done for you," Ewan said softly and than reached across and stroked the side of her face with his long fingers. "I did this for you. I waited for you to be my bride but your father sold you to my brother for a higher price. He only desired you because he knew how full my heart was with love for you."
"Don't go," she said, her heart trembling with fear. "My husband will kill you."
"Not if I kill him first," Ewan intoned fiercely. He felt more powerful now knowing that the small woman wished to stay.
"I have no wish for you to die," she begged but he smiled and gently placed a hand upon her belly.
"I do not wish to perish either but if I do it is my hope that I have planted my seed inside you," he leaned forward and captured her lips in one last embrace.
Lady Shannon watched helplessly as he strolled out of the room. Tears misted her eyes. Her heart was filled with grief as she feared she would never see the man again. She glanced down at her stomach and placed a tender hand upon its surface. She knew that he had left her with child.
It snowed Christmas morning, offering a perfect setting for the holiday. They had spent the previous evening drinking eggnog and decorating the tree that she had purchased from Morris Leach.
That morning they shared a hearty breakfast and than exchanged gifts. Her cousins were delighted with their presents and Tony was surprised to find a few small things under the tree for him. Afterwards they went for a walk around the island.
"I can't believe this is all yours," Tony shook his head in amazement. Even after three days he had not gotten used to the fact that she was Lady of the Manor, though the role seemed to suit her well.
"It came as a bit of a shock to me as well," Kellie admitted with a half smile. "It took me a while to get over the fact that Angus Macgregor was my father and that I had a sister. I keep remembering what you said when I told you about coming here."
"Yes," he smiled.
"Only I didn't get a title."
The man stopped walking and turned to look at her. The others had gone ahead without them. Tony needed to know the truth.
"Are you happy Kellie?" he asked his eyes probing her face. "This isn't anything you ever wanted."
"I am happy and this is exactly what I needed," she disagreed softly. "I know it's rustic and isolated but its perfect for me and I feel like I am where I belong. Since coming to the island I have been writing steadily, the stories just seem to be flowing out of me. I have made some good friends and I am content."
There was no argument that Tony could pose to change her mind. He saw by the expression on her face that she had meant every word she had spoken. He had come here in the hopes of changing her mind. He had wanted to persuade her to come back to Canada. Life had not been the same without her.
"This is my home now Tony," she said softly as if sensing his thoughts. "This is my life now. I was happy back in Canada but I am even happier here."
That afternoon they had a huge meal which Aunt Margaret cooked in the ancient wood oven. Afterwards Tony drank a little too much and eventually fell asleep on the settee in front of the fire. Meanwhile Kellie and her Aunt poured over the scrapbooks of pictures she had pieced together while her cousins lounged by the fire.
"She was about fifteen in that picture," she said showing a picture of a younger Erin. "She has grown much more handsome."
"She sure does look like your father," Margaret mused thoughtfully.
"Yes," Kellie nodded and glanced across the room to where her cousin Shaun and his wife were curled up on a sofa. "She has such a strong resemblance to our father but I have none."
Aunt Margaret glanced at the younger woman. She saw the frown on her face.
"Why does that bother you?"
"Because I am afraid I might not be his daughter," she admitted her fears for the first time.
"Why do you think that?" the woman asked cautiously.
Because I want it to be the truth, Kellie wanted to scream but she kept her thoughts in check.
"I guess because mother never told me who my father was," she paused biting her lower lip and twisting the ring on her finger she dove back to the box and withdrew another photo. "Here is a picture of mother with Angus and a stable hand. If you look closely I resemble him more than I do Angus."
She showed her Aunt the photo and pointed out the similarities. She had stared at the photograph for hours and the more she had looked at it the more convinced she had become that this stable hand was her father.
"There does seem to be some similarities," Margaret agreed quietly. "But I don't think that your mother would ever lie about something like this. Maybe she was confused."
Kellie quirked an eyebrow. "Come on Auntie, you know my mom. Did she ever seem like the kind of woman who would sleep with two men at the same time?"
"No," the woman conceded. "Why do you think she deceived the man?"
"I don't know," Kellie sighed feeling incredibly weary.
"Well, if you want to know the truth than why don't you just take one of those a blood tests they are always talking about on the television. The doctors should be able to tell you the truth."
"I have thought of that," the younger woman admitted reluctantly. "But I am afraid."
"Of what?"
"Of what will happen if I find out I'm not the man's daughter," she revealed her fears. "I will feel like I defrauded Erin and I couldn't live with that."
"Why is it so important that she doesn't think badly of you?" Margaret asked curiously.
"Erin has been so nice," the younger woman conceded. "Her mother was angry about the will but she didn't seem to care. I would feel horrible thinking that I was given what was rightfully hers."
"You have no reason to," Margaret disagreed. "By what you have said it seems to me that this Angus Macgregor was no fool. He undoubtedly had a reason for doing what he did. You didn't defraud anyone."
Her Aunt's reassurance didn't help. There were so many doubts. Too many doubts and the more she thought about the matter the more confused she became.
Chapter Eight
Ewan and Sheila Mctavish had a small farm in the country of Dorshire near the coast. At one time cows and sheep roamed the gently rolling hills but now the land was leased to a neighbour though they still lived on the property in the old two storey stone house.
The old couple had raised seven children and one grandchild in the place and this holiday season Erin was reminded of all the chilly winter mornings when she rushed from one room to the next lighting the fires in all the main rooms. She remembered the buckets of water she had carted to the house from the well by the barn.
But things had changed since her childhood. One Christmas the whole family had gotten together and paid to have electricity and running water installed in the house. The expense had been worthwhile for the labour it now saved the aging couple.
Erin enjoyed going back to visit her grandparents. She loved her grandmothers home cooking and her grandfather's conversation and this holiday week was no different as most of the family gathered for the Christmas celebrations.
As usual there were mountains of food, laughter and good cheer. There were presents for the youngest grandchildren and special gifts for the oldest family members. There was plenty of everything yet for the first time in her thirty three years Erin felt something was missing.
She stood in the doorway of the front room watching as people moved in and out. She looked at her grandparents sitting side by side in their chairs, their aged faces beaming with happiness at the family that gathered around them.
Suddenly she felt an incredible ache. She wanted what they had. She wanted the same loving companionship that they shared. Until recently she had been happy as a bachelorette but unexpectedly now she wanted more.
She wanted a wife and children. She wanted to walk into her house at night and have someone there to greet her. Her thoughts suddenly went to Kellie and her heart trembled. She wanted all those things with the Canadian woman.
She thought about the gifts she had received from her sibling for Christmas. She glanced at the gold watch on her wrist. She had also gotten an expensive bottle of wine that she was planning to save for New Years Eve. She hoped that maybe they could share it together.
She slammed the door on her thoughts. She had to remind herself about whom she was thinking. It was ridiculous this infatuation she harboured.
"You seem very pensive," Sarah Liddell remarked stepping up beside her cousin and handing her a glass of eggnog. "Why the big frown?"
"No reason," she shrugged avoiding the need to answer the question. The woman glanced about the room.
"Grandfather mentioned you were going to bring your new sibling down for the holidays," Sarah said casually.
"Kellie had already invited guests from Canada," Erin shrugged feinting indifference as she swallowed a mouthful of the Christmas cheer.
"So, when are we going to meet this mysterious sister?"
"Soon," was the response. "She is renovating the Castle and I mentioned I had a cousin who was a decorator."
"You did. Bless you, you are a sweetheart," the woman was genuinely pleased. She flung her arms around her tall cousin's neck and gave her a resounding kiss on the check. "A job like that would look fabulous on my resume."
Erin laughed, infected by her cousin's optimism. She did not doubt that Sarah could accomplish any goal she set. Besides running her flourishing decorating business, she also looked after two lively young daughters. She admired her spirit.
"What are you two laughing about?" Gladys McTavish inquired as she strolled up to them. The laughter died but Sarah's enthusiasm was not dampened by her Aunt's presence.
"Erin just promised to introduce me to a fabulous commission," the younger woman said smiling impishly at her cousin. "She is going to introduce me to her half sister."
The mention of the Canadian brought an immediate scowl to the older woman's face. Erin winced at the disgruntled tone of her mother's voice when she spoke.
"That money grubbing woman, I can't believe you can have anything to do with the girl," Gladys made her opinions known to everyone who would listen. "I can't believe the old bastard did that to you and after you were so good to him."
"Give it up mom," Erin interrupted impatiently. "It's all history. Kellie had as much choice as I did about who her father was."
Without waiting for a reply, she spun on her heel and walked away, unable to tolerate her mother's attitude. Both women followed her with their eyes.
"She has been awfully moody lately," Gladys commented dryly.
"I expect it has been more difficult for her then she's let on," Sarah suggested astutely. "You know Erin keeps everything bottled up inside."
"Yes," the older woman sighed. "I think it's absolutely disgusting what Angus did and the girl seems to be rubbing her nose in it, fixing up the Castle and spending all the money."
"From what Erin has said I don't think Kellie is like that."
"Nonsense," the older woman didn't believe a word. "After all she is Angus's daughter."
Lady Shannon woke alone. She lay in the bed under the down covers allowing her mind to savour the memories of the night. She turned her face into the pillow and breathed deeply, smelling the lingering scent of her absent lover. She stretched out her limbs, languishing in the liquid feeling that encompassed her body.
There was a slight knock and the maid servant came in bringing with her a tray of hot porridge and milk. She put the meal on a table before bending to stoke the fire.
"Is Lord Macgregor about?" Lady Shannon hesitated to ask as she climbed out of bed and donned her clothes. The handmaiden stood up and turned to the young Lady. There was a grave expression on her face.
"The Lord is down on the shore. Your husband has come to claim you back."
Lady Shannon stood very still. She knew why the servant was so serious. The siblings would fight and someone would die. She thought of her husband and than of her new lover. She did not want harm to come to him.
"Fetch me a cloak," she ordered the maid servant.
Ewan stood with her small army on the ridge overlooking the beach. He had seen the many long boats with the soldiers come ashore. He had seen the white flag and allowed the messenger from his enemy to come forward. He walked down the sand dune to meet his brother. There was no affection in their greeting.
"I will only be asking thee once brother," Jonas Macgregor said when they were within yards of each other. "Return what thee have taken and I will bring thee no harm."
"I only took what was stolen from me," the younger man answered in harsh tone.
"The girl was given to me in good faith by her father," Jonas continued. "If you have a quarrel it be with him and not me."
"You knew of our betrothal yet you still interfered."
"She was beautiful," Jonas shrugged indifferently, "and a virgin."
Ewan would have liked to lunge at the man but he held his temper in check. His position was exposed and he would be the target of the first volley of shots fired.
"Be sensible little brother, return what is mine and I shall leave."
"You have no affection for the woman," Ewan claimed.
"Perhaps not but she is my wife."
"She no longer wishes to go with you."
"You are wrong," Lady Shannon interrupted as she scrambled down the dune to the beach where the men stood. Both siblings looked at her. There was triumph on the face of her husband and anguish on the face of her lover.
"I wish to return with my husband. It is my place to stand by his side."
The nostrils on the younger man flared and she feared that he would pursue the fight. She stepped before him, her eyes on his face.
"I must go, but know that my heart belongs to you and the child I carry is yours."
There was an appeal in her delicate features that he could not ignore.
"We will be together again," she assured him before turning and walking to the longboat. The sibling's gaze met.
"The Lady has made her choice," Jonas said gallantly and with a swift and sweeping bow returned to his boat.
Kellie could not describe the joy she felt at seeing Erin. They had been tramping around the island and had been at the village when the ferry came in. She recognized the tall frame and carriage immediately and rushed down the pier to welcome her.
It was a spontaneous gesture that made her wrap her arms around her neck and plant a welcome kiss on her cheek. Erin flushed as her body sprang alive. She gently disengaged her arms aware that it made her slightly uncomfortable.
"Erin you must meet my cousin Shaun, his wife Marnie, Aunt Margaret and my friend Tony."
Erin greeted each introduction with a firm handshake ending with the single man. For a moment their eyes met and a mutual dislike settled between them. Tony was perceptive enough to see by the way Kellie had introduced them that this woman was special. Her green eyes sparkled in a way he had never seen before. Suddenly things began to make sense in his mind.
They walked back up to the Castle and Kellie immediately set about preparing lunch. They sat around the table chatting amicably and afterwards while everyone else retired to the sitting room Aunt Margaret and Kellie set about clearing away the dishes.
"I understand what you mean," Aunt Margaret said when the two of them were alone. She had seen the way her niece's face had lit up when the woman appeared. "She is very nice."
"That's what I mean," Kellie agreed. "She has been so good about everything."
"I think she would understand," Aunt Margaret interrupted. "I think if I were in your shoes I would get my blood tested if not than my head should be examined."
It wasn't until much later that the two siblings were finally alone. Shaun, Marnie and Margaret retired early and Tony, having drunk too much, finally gave up trying to stay awake and staggered off to bed.
"The man is in love with you," Erin said softly.
"I know," Kellie admitted a truth she had tried to deny. "I haven't given him any encouragement. I didn't know he would be coming."
Erin looked at her solemn face and knew she was telling the truth. She had missed the smaller woman and it had been a shock to see the man. It worried her that she might be in love with this Canadian. Her relief at the truth was indescribable.
"Wait here," she said and disappeared, returning moments later with an arm load of packages.
"You skipped out of town so quickly the other day I didn't have a chance to give you, your presents," she dumped the load on the smaller woman's lap before dropping into the seat beside her. "And thank you very much for the gifts."
She pulled the sleeve of her shirt to display the watch and Kellie smiled proudly.
At the taller woman's urging she opened the parcels. Inside the largest box she found a lovely blue silk dress. A smaller box contained a sweater and pair of trousers. The final gift was a matching pair of earrings designed in the shape of crosses. They were beautiful and she impulsively leaned over and kissed her companion.
"They are absolutely fabulous," Kellie exclaimed with delight and immediately put them on.
"I have always wanted a sister to buy for," Erin shrugged off the appreciation hastily rising to her feet and crossing the room to the bar to pour herself a drink. She liked making the smaller woman happy.
However, despite her good intentions she could not stay away from her sibling, seeking out her company whenever possible. It didn't help that they shared so much in common. Though she had resolved to leave before New Years, she stayed on for the New Years Eve party in Lamerrant.
Morris ran the ferry that evening so everyone from the Island could attend the party at the town hall. They arrived in gay spirits, determined to have a wonderful time dancing with each other.
Kellie never lacked for partners, as no sooner would one companion relinquish her when someone else would accept an invitation. It seemed every single, young man in the district was intent on introducing himself.
Erin watched from a distance as the local lads lined up to troop around the dance floor with her blond sister. It was not hard to see the reason why for she was by far the most beautiful woman in the room. She felt proud that the smaller woman had chosen to wear the dress that she had given her.
"Tis' a pity," old Shamish McLeish mused as he meandered slowly up to the tall solicitor.
"What's a pity Shamish?" Erin asked lightly.
"That the old man never got to know his daughter," the old man said bluntly. "A man should be proud to give life to a lassie as Kellie Macgregor. She's a good girl, and people round here quite like what she's doing to the old place."
"Nobodies objected than?" Erin asked quietly.
"Nay," the older man shook his head. "Most think it a grand good idea. They talk that opening the Castle to tourists might bring more cash into town."
"Aren't they worried that it would spoil the county?"
"Nay," the man repeated. "At first there were some folk worried but when Morris Leach told everybody what she planned they changed their minds. It helps that she is using locals to work on the Castle and not hiring outsiders."
Erin said nothing but turned to watch as Kellie whirled around the dance floor on the arm of an attentive young man from the neighbouring county. She knew that Kellie had been wise in her approach in implementing her plans. She did not know if she would have been so farsighted.
"Why the frown?" Kellie asked sidling up to her tall sibling. She was breathless from the last dance.
"No reason," Erin shook her head and the smaller woman smiled impishly before grabbing her arm.
"Good, than there is no reason why you can't have this dance with me," she laughed and dragged the Scotswoman out onto the floor.
Somehow they found themselves together at the stroke of midnight. The kiss that Kellie gave her was chaste enough but it burnt right through her. Erin knew than it was over. The game she had been playing was finished. If she remained in the other woman's company she would end up doing something which she would regret. She did not want to do anything to spoil their relationship.
Kellie noticed that Erin was distracted the next day and none of her humorous cajoling could put her back in the proper mood. The solicitor caught the last ferry that afternoon but instead of returning to Edinburgh she drove out to visit her grandparents.
"You seem troubled lass," Ewan said puffing on his pipe as they walked over the pasture land next to the homestead.
They had been surprised that the girl had returned to the farm so soon after her departure for the city. The old man sensed that something was worrying the girl and had invited her for a walk.
"I have a lot of things on my mind," Erin answered in an absent manner.
"You never let your work bother you, so I be guessing it's a woman."
"Aye," she smiled faintly glancing sideways at her companion. Ewan was not looking at her but concentrating instead upon putting one foot ahead of the other on the uneven ground. Her grandparents had never shown anything but support for her lifestyle.
"I think I have fallen in love with a woman I can't have," she admitted reluctantly uncertain she could talk about this with the old man. She wasn't certain she could talk to anyone about this, yet she needed to confide in someone. Ewan was a fair man, never judgmental in his opinions.
"Is she married?" the old man asked pausing to sit down on the stone wall they reached.
"No," Erin sighed, resting her frame alongside the old man's. "It's my sister. I am having feelings for her that I shouldn't have."
Silence greeted her words and she was afraid to look at the old man least she see condemnation. Her awful secret was out and she felt relief for sharing it but the burden of her emotion was still there.
Ewan was shocked by the girl's admission and for awhile he was at a loss as to what advice to offer. He needed only to glance at the lass to see the struggle that was being waged inside her heart.
"Are you sure of how you feel?"
"Yes, granddad," Erin sighed again standing up and pacing restlessly around in a tight circle. "I have gone over this thing endlessly and I know how I feel. I know it's wrong and I keep telling myself its wrong but nothing helps."
Ewan looked over the girl. He wondered about this woman who had gotten into the girl's favour. Erin had told them very little about the Canadian lass and all they did know came from her mother who had nothing pleasant to say.
"Perhaps you are overlooking the obvious," he said casually and the girl stopped pacing to look at him. "Maybe you aren't Angus's child."
"You think mother lied about that?"
"She could have," the old man shrugged. "As mean as Angus could be I don't think he was ever unfair. It could be his doubt of your conception had some merit. Your mother was not the most discreet woman and she was not above using any situation to her advantage."
"What about our resemblance?" Erin wanted to know. There were some indisputable facts.
"Aye, the resemblance between Angus and you is uncanny," the old man agreed. "But you might want to check things out for yourself otherwise all you can do is stay away from the girl."
"Thank you for listening," she said knowing that her grandfather's advice was sensible.
"Anytime lass," the old man said puffing on his pipe.
Tony returned to Canada two days later and her cousins left on their month long driving tour of Europe. It was strange to be alone again after all these weeks and at first it was lonely but Kellie soon got back to work.
For the next month she was busy with the architects and contractors. Though she called Erin regularly she only ever spoke to her secretary who passed along her messages and returned with her responses. She didn't get back into Edinburgh until the end of January but when she finally did she went straight to Erin. She was shocked by the older woman's abrupt attitude.
"Have I done something wrong?" she inquired surprised by the chilly demeanour of the other woman.
"I should think you would understand," was the terse response. After much contemplation Erin had decided that the best solution to her problem had been to avoid the other woman at all costs. The only way she could think to do that was to alienate her.
"I don't," Kellie replied hesitantly perplexed by the other woman's abrupt change of behaviour.
"You want the truth than," the solicitor said in a harsh voice. "I can't be nice about it any more. I thought I could be a good about this but I can't. The truth is I hate you for having inherited everything."
"I said I would share," Kellie mumbled confused by this sudden turn of events.
"I don't want to share," Erin continued. "I am tired of you and the Castle."
"I'm sorry to hear that," came the stammered response.
"From now on whatever you want just tell Mrs. McHadden and she will get the money."
Kellie didn't know what to say. Instead she ran out of the office feeling like a fool. Tears smarted in her eyes as she sprinted down the street to where she had parked the car. Erin wanted to follow, to apologize for all the horrible things she said but she didn't, willing herself to stay seated in her chair.
"That was rather harsh," Debra McHadden mentioned casually having witness the scene. The behaviour that her boss had displayed was unlike her character. She could not understand the change.
"It's time I was a little harsher," the younger woman said without explanation.
Kellie drove back to Loch Loe feeling completely miserable. She had felt betrayed. Erin had been so convincing as a caring older sister. For the first time since arriving in Scotland she felt truly alone. Even her writing suffered. For the first time she began to doubt her decision to remain in Scotland.
Lady Shannon waited each night for her husband to come. Since her return he had visited regularly and she had been forced to endure his attentions. As time past he once again lost interest.
As she had known, she was with child. She knew it was not her husbands but his brothers. At night when she was alone she would dream about her lover, savouring again the feel of his powerful body moving inside her own. She longed for the tender caress of his hand on her body. Instinctively she knew she had to go back to him. She gathered the courage and confronted her husband with the truth.
"I am with child," she announced one evening at dinner. He had just returned from being with his mistress.
"Splendid," he was excited by the news.
"The child is not yours," she said in hopes that he would release her from the bands of their marriage.
"It does not matter," Jonas laughed. "I do not care that the child is my brothers. It will only make him more envious now I have you and his first born. You are both mine."
He laughed and shivers ran down her spine. As if to prove his ownership he took her right than on the floor, hurting her tender flesh with his bruising touch. Afterwards he left her and went back to his meal while she was left to adjust her skirts. She was filled with a desolate sadness and that night she cried loudly in her sleep.
The dead of winter gave way to an early spring and work on the Castle was progressing well. Though she had been excluded from Erin's life, she found herself now an accepted member of the island community. She was invited to birthday dances and other social gatherings. Though several local gentlemen expressed their interest she was careful to stay only on friendly terms with them. She did not want anyone to get any ideas.
"Aye miss, you got any relatives in these parts?" one of the older workmen asked one morning when they stopped for tea. Kellie had noticed the man staring at her.
"I only have a half sister."
"Erin Macgregor," the man acknowledged wise to the rumours that had circulated around the district. "It's just that you look a lot like me mate. His father used to work as a stable hand here at the Castle going on thirty years now."
"No," Kellie smiled politely and shook her head.
"Aye, you sure look like Tommy," this time the man shook his head.
That night Kellie took out the book again and stared at the photograph. She had begun to have more doubts but she was afraid to learn the truth. She had grown to love the Castle. It felt like home. She dreaded to think that she didn't really belong to the place.
"Roma, do you think it's possible for me to speak with your grandmother?" she asked of her friend a few days later. The workman's comments had haunted her every waking hour.
"She lives up in Edinburgh with me Auntie," Roma said uncertainly. "Why do you want to speak with her?"
"I need to know if she remembers my mother," Kellie tried to explain without revealing the true reason.
"She is not as sharp as she used to be. But she was with Angus the longest. She might know."
Kellie got the woman's address and than spent the next three days pacing around the Castle trying to decide whether she should attempt to visit the elderly woman. She was looking for answers that might not even exist. Finally the noise of the ongoing construction got the better of her and she took the ferry to Lamerrant and than headed to Edinburgh.
Lily Rose lived on a quiet street in the older part of the city. Roma had called ahead to let her relatives know that Kellie was coming around. She had no trouble finding the place but she had to wait as the old woman who, though in her nineties, was out on her daily walk.
"Aye you are her," the old woman said squinting in Kellie's direction when they were finally seated in the kitchen.
"Who?"
"The foreign girl, the one that put the Master in such a fit."
"I don't understand," Kellie was confused.
"Me mom talks in riddles sometimes," the old woman's daughter smiled. "Mom, this is the girl's daughter."
"Her daughter!" the woman exclaimed in surprise and peered more intently through her squint.
"Aye you are a young thing. So you be Tommy Cladden's daughter."
"Who is Tommy Cladden?" the puzzlement showed on her face. "Am I not Angus Macgregor's daughter?"
"Is that what they tell thee?"
"Yes."
"Than they didn't tell you the truth," the older woman chortled. "Aye, I remember that summer. The lass from Canada, a lovely creature, caught Tommy's eye. He was after her from the start and she didn't say no.
"Angus didn't know about it at first but when he did, he quickly put a stop to that nonsense. He sent Tommy back to his wife and family in the next county. When it was learned that the girl was carrying a child, Angus claimed it was his own. Few people knew different."
"Why did he do that?" Kellie was stunned.
"He felt bad he did, for letting that sort of thing go on in his home. He felt he had let his old friend down. Your mom stayed here until the baby was born and than returned to Canada. Heard tell that the lass claimed to be married and widowed within a month. That way nobody back where she came from would know that she had a child by a married man."
Kellie didn't know what to say. She was not Angus's daughter and Erin wasn't her sister. She understood now the sadness that her mother carried. It was guilt.
"Do you know where this Tommy Cladden lives now?" she asked hesitantly uncertain whether she really wanted to know. All her life she had envisioned her conception as a romantic tragedy. Now it just seemed like a tragic mistake.
"He still lives in the next county," the woman's daughter supplied obviously intimate with the story. "He owns a small riding stable there and teaches the local kids to ride."
"Thank you," she stood up to leave but the old woman caught her hand in a crippled grasp.
"Your mom was a good girl. Tommy had a charm that was hard for the local girls to resist. Your mom didn't know he had a wife and baby."
"I appreciate that," Kellie patted the woman's hand grateful to know that her mom had been misled. It made her feel somehow better.
"It's a good thing you are doing with the home place. The Master wanted it taken care of. He would have done it himself but in the end he was too old."
She left the kindly woman comforted by the knowledge. For a moment she considered going to Erin and confiding the truth but than decided against that idea. She had not spoken to her sister since that day in January. Her mind suddenly paused on the word, sister. If it was the truth than Erin and her were not related in any manner.
She drove back towards Loch Loe but at the last moment she stayed on the main road. It was easy enough to find the small town of Timberley and the local shop keeper was kind enough to point her in the direction of the riding stable.
She pulled her car over onto the side of the road and stepped out from behind the wheel. The property was modest with an older two story building and weary looking stables. There was a small paddock where several elegant looking horses were grazing in a corral.
It was the corral that held her attention for inside was a man and a small pony on which sat an anxious looking child. There was a small group of children and adults standing together at one end by the gate.
Kellie watched as the man held onto the halter of the pony and led it in circles around the fence, the child clinging tightly to the reins. It was a touching, homey scene.
It was the man that she stared at. There was a cap on his head and muddy boots on his feet. There was a moustache over his upper lip yet he was definitely the same one from the photograph with Angus and her mother. He was older, the hair under his cap greyer but he was definitely the man.
Kellie took a deep breathe when she saw the man glance up and look at her. There did not seem to be anything more than a polite expression on his face. She didn't know what she expected. She didn't know what she wanted.
She watched as the man walked the pony over to the group and the frightened child slithered off the creatures back. She turned to leave, knowing that this would be as close to the man as she would ever get. She was just about to step into the car when a childish voice called out.
"Aye Miss are you looking for riding lessons?"
She turned to see a small boy of perhaps eight years, standing just on the other side of the fence. His cheeks were red from the fresh air and the cap on his curly dark head was slightly askew. He was a slender child.
"Me, grandda gives riding lessons if thee want," the boy offered but Kellie only shook her head a sad smile on her lips, aware that this child was her blood.
"No, thank you, I know how to ride," she said quietly.
"Did your da teach you?" the boy asked curiously.
"No, my grandfather did," she smiled.
"Aye, me grandda taught me to," the boy affirmed glancing across the paddock to where the older man was working with a young charge. He turned to look up at her, eyeing her curiously.
"You're not from around here are you?"
"No, I'm from Canada," she shook her head and wondered how much she should say. This child was innocent of the history that bound them together.
"You're a tourist than," the lad nodded his head knowledgably.
"Yes," she countered quietly. She was about to turn around and leave when it struck her that she might not have another opportunity to resolve the questions she had.
"Actually, I have a friend who is looking to take riding lessons," she said and the boy grinned happily.
"I'll introduce you to me grandda," he said and held out a small hand. "Colin Cladden."
"Kellie Macgregor," she replied shaking his hand before following him around the fence to the gate where a small contingent of people stood. It was obviously the end of a riding class as there was a group of small children with their mothers huddled nearby. She waited with the boy until the others departed, only than approaching the man.
"Grandda, this be Kellie Macgregor and she be looking for some riding lessons," Colin made the introductions.
"That's not entirely true," she said weakly glancing at the lad before turning her attention back to the man. "My name is Kellie Macgregor but I'm not looking for riding lessons. I'm seeking a Tommy Cladden, a gentleman who used to work as a stable hand for Angus Macgregor of Loch Loe."
The man was silent as he stared at her for a moment and than looked down at his grandson.
"Colin me lad, go up to the house and fetch me a flask of tea," he said gently to the boy who nodded his head and instantly turned and raced towards the grey stone manor about a hundred meters away.
"What you be wanting with Tommy Cladden?" the man was curious and Kellie turned her eyes from the boy to the man.
"I want to know if he knew my mother," she responded honestly to the question.
"Now who be your mother?" the man wondered staring at her. Kellie met his gaze and saw something familiar in the deep green of his eyes. She knew than without a doubt that this man was her father.
"Annie Macgregor," she replied quietly. "She was a Canadian woman who came to Loch Loe to visit Angus Macgregor about thirty years ago."
The man was silent and for an instant his eyes narrowed. She could feel the intensity of his stare as it traced over the features of her face. He turned away and began fussing with the harness of the horse to whose reins he was still clinging.
"It were a long time ago," he said simply not looking at her.
"Yes," Kellie agreed, jamming her hands in her pockets. "I was born in Scotland, in Edinburgh before my mother returned home to Canada. I never knew who my father was, my mother never said, and than about nine months ago I received a letter that an Angus Macgregor had died and I had been included in his Will."
She paused to ensure that the man was still listening. Despite his seeming inattention she knew that he was hearing everything she said.
"You can imagine my surprise when I learned that Angus Macgregor was my father and that I had inherited his fortune."
"I say it be lucky for you," the man commented without looking up as he continued to tend the horse.
"At first that was what I thought but than I realized that there had been a mistake," she paused again. "I'm not Angus Macgregor's daughter am I?"
"I know nothing of that," the man mumbled unwilling to look in her direction.
Kellie could understand his hesitation over admitting the truth. He had a wife and family to think about. Probably the same wife he had cheated on and it was important to him that nothing interfere with that.
"I'm not here to make trouble," she said shoving her hands deeper into her pockets. "I just want to know the truth."
This time the man did pause to glance in her direction. For a moment their eyes met and Kellie knew that any thoughts she had ever had of reconciliation were not to be.
"It seems to me you have already figured it out," the man said quietly.
There was a loud bang and they both looked in the direction of the house where the young lad had emerged. In his hands was a large thermos and a pair of cups. They turned their attention back to each other.
"I don't know what you want from me," the man said and turned his attention back to brushing the horse.
"I guess I want you to say that you did care for my mother and that she wasn't just a fancy you had taken to because you were away from home and lonely."
"It was a long time ago," the man shook his head and Kellie knew her answer. It surprised her the overwhelming sadness that engulfed her heart at the knowledge.
"My mother loved you," she said quietly. "She never married and she never told anyone of your secret. I was always very proud of her and I think I am more proud of her now. I am just sorry she wasted her love on someone who didn't appreciate it."
Without another word she turned and would have walked away except that she heard her name called. She turned back and watched as the boy ran up to his grandfather.
"Would you like some tea before you go?" Colin asked politely displaying the fact that he had brought enough cups for all of them.
"No, thank you," she said before walking back to her car and driving away.
She got only a few miles before she had to pull over and stopped the vehicle. Tears blurred her vision and for a long moment she allowed them to flow unabated. She felt heart sick for her mother, a kind woman who had loved someone who had not loved her back.
The truth was not the only thing that preoccupied her mind the remainder of the journey back to Loch Loe. That night she paced anxiously around the Castle wondering what she should do. She knew she could keep quiet and carry on, but at the same time she felt an immense measure of guilt. The Castle, the island, the money, none of it really belonged to her. She rang her Aunt needing to talk to someone.
"Perhaps the old woman got it wrong," Margaret could hear that her niece was upset. "Didn't her granddaughter warn you she was a bit off?"
"The woman wasn't lying," Kellie sighed and than told the other woman about her trip to Timberley. "The instant I looked at the man I knew he was my father. It wasn't just the way he looked, it was something I felt inside and now I don't know what to do."
"Well dear, before you do anything, take the blood test that we talked about, and see what the doctors say," Margaret advised sensibly. "You could be wrong."
Kellie knew the woman was right but she knew she didn't need a blood test to confirm the truth.
Continued...