by Ria Cantrell
Kiera couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Without a second thought she said, “I’ll take it.”
“Now wait a minute, girlie. There are things ye’ll be needin’ to know if you take this job.”
“What sort of things? It sounds just perfect to me. I will give my notice and be back to Scotland in two weeks.”
“Kiera…Lass, don’t ye’ want to know why the guide quit?”
“Not particularly, but I have a feeling you are going to tell me.”
The old woman sighed heavily on the other end of the call. She said softly, “They say the place is haunted. The guide got frightened by something and she never wants to step foot in the place again.”
“Well, I am not afraid of ghosts. Besides, it’s not like I will be alone in the place.”
“Aye, lass, there are times, when tours are light and no one stays at the Keep as guests.”
“But there are other staff…cooks and maids, right?”
“Aye, but only when there are guests in residence. None of them stay the night.”
Kiera felt the hairs on the back of her neck bristle, but she was not going to be daunted by ghostly legends. This was the perfect opportunity to fall into her lap. This was more than she had wished for. She forced the memory of the times she had seen ghosts as a child to the back of her mind. She did not want to relive those instances at the moment.
“I think I will be fine. I have never been afraid of ghosts and I certainly won’t be now.”
“Alright, Lass. But dunna’ say ye’ were not warned.”
Kiera laughed a little nervously. “Now you are just trying to scare me. I don’t scare easily, Moira.”
“Good, Lass, good.”
Kiera heard unspoken doubt in the old woman’s voice. She shrugged it off as old superstition. Something was bringing her there and she had the validation of just such a thing as this opportunity became available for her. This was the chance of a lifetime and she wasn’t going to let a few little ghost stories stand in her way. She had handled that affliction as a child and she would again. Kiera had no doubt about that. She heard the word “freak” in her mind where it had lived tucked away in the memories best not revisited.
“I will put in my notice today. I hope to see you soon, Moira.”
“Alright, lass. Let me know when ye’ will be arriving.”
Kiera hung up and could not believe her good luck. She felt this was destiny calling her and she was not going to waste one precious chance of it. Suddenly, all the hurt and pain from the last few months had receded into the chambers of her heart. This adventure was going to be quite a thrill ride, she was absolutely certain.
******
When Derek realized that his redemption would come at the hands of a MacCollum, he lost all sense of control; if ghosts were able to sense such a thing. While he wanted to forget that the girl in his dream was a MacCollum, he could not put the last shreds of hatred in his heart aside. Despite wanting her touch and kiss, she would always be the spawn of his enemy. He did not want to think that perhaps in this time, there was not the hatred and war between the clans as there had been in his time, but it still existed in his heart. It still existed in his soul. His hatred of all things MacCollum had brought him to this point. How could his redemption come at the hands of one such as this? Those feelings of anger and hurt pushed everything else aside and he once again succumbed to the rage that had ruled his life while he walked the earth in his mortal form. He was incoherent with the force of it. He knocked over pedestals, sending vases crashing to the floor. He threw objects, dashing them to the walls. He never thought about the people who bore witness to his ranting tirade.
On one such occasion, he found himself staring again into the eyes of the painting of the woman the Guardians had deemed to be his salvation and he became so enraged at the prospect; he picked up an expensive urn and hurled it over the heads of the people who followed that uniformed woman throughout the Keep. As terror and shock registered on the woman’s face, it snapped Derek out of his rage induced tantrum. He thought for a brief moment the woman actually looked at him, but then he realized that she was staring at the broken pottery; having seen it fly off the perch seemingly of its own volition. The people who had followed her around the Keep fled and scattered at the onslaught and the woman in the uniform ran from the Keep, not even venturing to look back.
Then, once again, Derek was left with the hushed emptiness and silence that filled the keep and filled his soul. As he stood in the midst of the shards of the broken mess he had created, he seemed to snap out of the rage and he said, “What have I done? Will I never be free of the past or the things that tormented me? Will I never be able to fight against the bitterness in my heart?”
He wished he had not scared those people or that woman, for although they could not see him, they filled the Keep with sounds and life and without them, he was reminded how very much alone he was and once again would remain. This had to end. He had paid long enough. But as he pondered his solitude yet again, he knew that his only chance of hope was with that girl in his dream. Even if she was a blasted MacCollum, he had no other choice. He cursed the Ancients and their ironic puppetry. They were not kind, but seemed to revel in their cruel manipulations. So, as the quiet settled back into a deafening silence, Derek settled back in to the lonely boredom of his solitude, left only to ponder how this MacCollum wench was going to wipe clean the bitter slate of his heart.
Chapter 14
The ride back into the Highlands was proving to be as pleasurable as Kiera had imagined. She had sent all her things ahead the very day she had spoken with Moira and accepted the position as the tour guide and grounds keeper of Castle Campbell. She only had one bag of clothing left and a few sundries for her train ride north. She had brought her laptop and Kindle to pass the time on the trip, but she just could not concentrate on anything but thoughts of her new adventure that awaited her. She tried not to think of the ugly scene that ensued at her giving notice, but as she replayed the moments in her mind, a smile lifted her lips in triumph.
The pedantic little shit was dumbfounded as she gave her notice, and when he had grudgingly offered her a raise to make her stay, she had said that no amount of money could convince her to continue working for him. If she could have taken a picture of the look on his face to keep forever, she would have. It turned very ugly after that. He pitched the mother of all fits and after swooshing all items and papers that were haphazardly piled on his desk onto the floor, Alex threw her off the set for good. He actually did her a favor because by ending her employment earlier, she now had a chance to use a couple of days to finalize her plans and travel arrangements, as well as take the time needed to let people know where she was heading. She did not have to wait impatiently for the two weeks to begin the new chapter in her life. She was on her way and she couldn’t be happier. Already, she seemed lighter and less burdened by the oppression of Professor Alex the Turd.
Kiera thought about the reluctant warning she had received from Moira. She did not give too much credence to the ghost stories Moira had once again tried to caution her about. She could not afford to. She had banished ghosts before and she would again if she had to. She wasn’t going to be the freaky woman who saw spirits. No, sir-ree. That was a part of the past she had worked to forget. She would never let that happen again. For once she thought her mother had been right. Kiera shoved thoughts of the teasing she had received as a child to the locked corridors of her memory. She was a grown woman now. All the “ghosties” and “ghoulies” had long gone.
Kiera’s mind was made up and she just could not wait to arrive in the Highlands. Her train ride this time was relaxing. It was like she was breathing again and she felt the pull of it on her very soul. She was once again met at the station by the kindly and elderly Duncan. She smiled at him, trying to break his discerning stare, remembering that she looked like that woman in the picture and he still looked at her as if he had been the one who had seen a ghost. As
a smile lit her face, the older man could not help but to smile back.
“Good to see ye’ back, lassie. I hope ye’ will enjoy working at the castle. It is such a wondrous place, to be sure.”
“Oh, Duncan, I am thrilled. I can’t wait to explore the place and see all its hidden secrets and treasures.”
Duncan nodded. A far-away look seemed to cross his face. Snapping himself out of his thoughts he said, “Lass, it is a place that has treasures in every corner of it.”
Kiera laughed softly and teased, “If I didn’t know better, I would swear you know first-hand. The way your eyes light up when I mentioned the place made me almost feel like you lived there, yourself.”
A slow grin spread on his face and he said, “I spent lots of time there, to be certain. I always feel like I am home when I am there.”
He could not explain that not only had he lived there, he had seen it in all of its original splendor, back in a time when life was simpler. He had watched his own father finish the construction of the Keep when he was still a young boy and he lived out the remainder of his life within its stone façade. He could not tell her that he had raised his children there and outlived them. He could not explain that his grandsons had let the place fall to ruin after his mortal death. No, none of those things could be explained now, nor for that matter, perhaps ever. She would have to discover some of those secrets for herself.
Duncan helped her with her bags and settled her into the back seat of the cab. He saw the look of ease that seemed present on the woman’s face and he hoped that this one would unlock the prison his grandson had been cast into for the past seven centuries. Even though he was a Guardian, he did not know how things would play out. It seemed the Fates had stepped in and brought this girl to their doorsteps. He had silently watched the torment his grandson had endured and he wondered if it would not have been better had he met his complete and earthly demise all those years ago. He gave the lad credit. He was not sure that he, himself, would have been able to endure the endless years of loneliness and nothingness. It had been a steep price to pay. It was yet going to be a steeper price to come at the end of it all. He hoped this girl would have mettle enough to persevere, for his grandson’s sake as well as for her own.
Truth be told, he was already quite fond of this girl. She had spirit. His eyes met hers as he looked in the mirror. She was a beauty, albeit if she was the spitting image of Jenna MacCollum-Brandham. As she smiled at him, he felt relieved. She would save his precious grandson. He could almost feel it. He had agonized over the fall and depravity of Derek’s brother, Roderick. He had hoped that Derek would follow a different path, and keep his Clan’s honor intact. He had not seen his beautiful granddaughter, Gabrielle grow into womanhood but he watched over her and was glad in her union with Rory MacCollum. Rory had turned out to be the best mate for his beloved wee lassie. Now, this one was going to be the salvation that had long been denied to his grandson.
Kiera was undaunted by the silence that followed her departure from the train station. She had a million questions and she was certain Duncan could give her some answers. He had said he spent lots of time at Castle Campbell and so he probably knew about the legends and the history. Kiera wanted to know all about it.
“Duncan?”
“Aye, Lass.”
“Please tell me about Castle Campbell.”
“What do ye’ want to know?”
“Everything.”
Duncan laughed and said, “Ye’ll find out fer yerself when ye’ take up residence there.”
“Moira said I look like a girl in a painting there.”
“Aye, Lass. Ye’ do. Ye’ could be her twin.”
Kiera laughed and said, “I swear the way you say things…it’s like you knew her personally.”
“Nay, Lass. I never met her.” I was long gone by the time she was born, Gavin Campbell thought.
What an odd thing to say. Of course he would not have met her. Kiera was just going to have to get used to the way these Scots conversed. They seemed to speak in riddles at times and Kiera knew it was just probably a cultural thing.
“What about Moira’s claim that a ghost lives there? Do you believe in such things?”
Gavin’s eyes snapped to the mirror and he met the eyes of the young woman. Well, here we go; that didn’t take very long to come up!
“Aye, Lass. We all believe in such things.”
The girl gave a nervous little giggle and she said, “Oh now you are just trying to scare me. Just so you know, I don’t scare easily. Besides, I have rather enjoyed wee ghosties in the past,” she said, affecting the burr of the Highlands in a playful way.
“Have ye’ now?”
Nodding she said, “Yes. I can remember my dear grandfather visiting me when I was but a child. I loved him, so it never frightened me to see him.” Or, for that matter, the countless others she had denied seeing. She had never been afraid, but she would give them no merit. If she could ignore seeing beings from the spirit realm, they would eventually just go away.
Again the old man’s eyes met hers in the rear view mirror. She could not see his entire expression but she sensed he was frowning, because like a smile that reaches one’s eyes, so too did a frown. He said, “Lass, I am glad ye’ arena’ afraid of the Ancient Ones. But not all those who still walk beyond the veil will be like yer’ grandfather. Ye’ must take care not to provoke….”
“Duncan! Are you trying to frighten me off?”
“Nay. I really am not trying to frighten ye’. I just dunna’ wish ye’ to be caught unawares. I also dunna’ want ye’ to be put in danger. Ye’ need to talk to Moira and learn how to protect yerself.”
“Duncan, I’ll be fine.” Kiera said it out loud, but all of sudden she felt a little nervous after all. She was actually glad she would be able to spend time at the Bed and Breakfast for a few days before she was going to take residence in the Castle. Kiera also refrained from asking any more questions for the moment. She suddenly felt a bit jittery and she did not want to be dissuaded any further. She gave herself a mental shake and strengthened her resolve to not get sucked into the superstitious warnings. She had come too far and was not about to let a few little ghost stories deter her. Upon greeting Moira, Kiera’s fears were pushed back and she once again had that wonderful feeling of coming home and being just where she belonged.
As the old woman gave Kiera a bear hug, all anxieties seemed to evaporate. She thought to herself that this woman was more than an acquaintance and the welcoming warmth and sincerity that Moira exuded was so heartfelt, Kiera almost felt like a member of the family. All nervous doubts slid happily away. Moira led Kiera into the Inn and sat her down to offer her a light repast of some fresh bread and cheese. Suddenly Kiera felt famished and though the meal was simple fare, it was delicious and satisfying. Moira sat and chatted with Kiera for quite some time. Kiera had so many questions but she did not want to overload the old woman straight off. Kiera asked if she could visit the Keep before the day ended, but Moira said, “Nay, girl. Tomorrow is another day. Settle yerself’ in and get some rest. Ye’ will have plenty of time to get acquainted with the Keep.”
Kiera smiled tentatively. It was almost as if Moira, and for that matter, Duncan, did not want her to arrive just yet at her new post.
“Okay,” Kiera agreed. “I supposed I am just excited to see the place. Who would have thought I would be able to live in a castle? It’s like every girls’ dream come true.”
Moira looked at her quizzically. “Every girls’ dream?” She was not sure she understood what the girl meant.
“Why, sure. Who doesn’t dream of being a princess in a castle? I mean, I know I am not more than a grounds keeper and a tour guide, but I will get to imagine being a princess in a grand castle. I just can’t wait.”
Moira’s lips lifted in a pensive smile. If only the girl knew what life really was like inside a thriving Keep. She had spent many years within the castle walls of MacCollum Keep. While it had been a wel
l-run and well-tended place, it required much work to maintain. Her beloved Laird Caleb assured its prosperity with his strong warrior sons and his beautiful daughter. It had been a comfortable home for her, but surely it was not as glamorous as this girl had imagined. Still, she supposed, it did offer a rather majestic sort of life. Life back then was hard, but the simplicity and purity of it was something Morag was glad she had experienced and she would not have traded it for anything in the world. Castle Campbell had been restored to a romanticized glory, that would not disappoint this girl in her notions or fancy. As she continued her musings, her grin widened. Oh, and lest she forget that braw ghostie that would surely make life interesting for the girl.
Kiera watched as Moira seemed lost in thought. She cleared her throat to bring the old woman out of her reverie. She could see that Moira was visiting memories of her past. Blinking, Morag turned to Kiera and she said, “Sorry…sometimes an old woman turns to reveries and fancies of her own from her younger days. About the keep, I think ye’ will be well pleased with the accommodations.”
“I am just a bit nervous that it will be quite extensive to manage, but I am excited for the challenge.”
“Ye’ will have staff to help ye’ in the daily running of the place. I promise ye’ will not be left to flounder. And ye’ will have Duncan and myself to aid ye’ when we can.”
“Duncan? I had not realized that he…well, I thought he was just…”
“A cab driver? He does that now, but make no mistake, girl, he will be a valuable friend in this endeavor.”
Kiera gave a little nervous laugh. Why did Moira make it sound like some sacred quest or something? She was just there to see to the tours of the place. It wasn’t like she was going to be finding the Holy Grail. Still the way Moira had said that last statement made Kiera think that perhaps Moira hadn’t been as straight forward with her job description as she may have thought. Something niggled at her conscience and Kiera had the feeling that she would be required to do more than just leading tourists through old stone walls filled with untold artifacts. She said, “Forgive me. I did not mean to imply that Duncan was just a.…”
