by Jen McConnel
Her dad grinned. “Anything for you, princess. Consider this your graduation gift!”
Lou smiled. “Thanks, Dad.”
“Yes, about your graduation. Have you decided what you’ll do now?”
Lou faced her mother with a sigh. “I’m not sure, Mom. Right now, I just want to focus on getting ready for this trip.”
Her mom sighed and got up from the table.
“‘Atta girl.” Her dad swished his drink a couple of times. “Can I get you a drink, sweetie?”
“She’ll be having plenty of whiskey in a few days, Todd. Leave the girl alone.” Lou’s mother came back into the room and set a plate of veggies and cheese in front of her daughter, before resuming her seat at the head of the table. “So what do you girls have planned for this little excursion?”
Lou paused, chewing quickly and swallowing a stale mouthful of celery. “We’re going to be in Edinburgh, since that’s where Tammy’s great-aunt lives, but she’s booked us on a tour of the Highlands.”
Her dad leaned back with a chuckle. “Ah, the Highlands. Full of romance and kilted men. If you meet Rob Roy, give him my regards!”
Lou smiled warmly at her dad. “I’ll do that, Dad.”
“Louisa, don’t talk with your mouth full.” Her mother’s voice was sharp.
Gulping, Lou reached for a glass of water and took a quick swallow. “Sorry.”
She chewed in silence, acutely aware of the way her mother was scrutinizing her, and suddenly, Lou lost her appetite.
She forced a yawn. “I’m really worn out. Think I’ll turn in.”
Hugging her father and kissing her mother on the cheek, Lou turned toward the stairs but her mother’s voice stopped her.
“I do hope you’ll be able to attend mass with us on Sunday.”
Lou chose her words carefully. “Tammy is picking me up early on Sunday, Mother.”
Her mother shrugged. “We’ll just have to go to Saturday service, then.” Knowing it was futile to argue, Lou just nodded.
Chapter Three
By Saturday morning, Lou was seriously questioning her decision to come home, and church that evening didn’t help.
Sitting in the familiar wooden pew between her parents, Lou flexed her fingers and tried to ignore the droning priest. She’d always felt slightly uncomfortable in their Catholic church, and recently her discomfort had shifted into a quest for a faith that felt less judgmental. Lou had stopped identifying herself as Catholic two years ago, but she hadn’t been able to tell her parents. She wanted to fiddle with her silver pentacle, worn on a long chord and hidden beneath her shirt, but she felt her mother’s sharp eyes on her. As the choir began to sing a hymn, Lou seriously doubted that she’d ever tell her parents about the new faith that she had stumbled into in college. Glancing at her mother’s serious face beside her, Lou shook her head slightly. No, she wasn’t ready to have that conversation yet. It was easier to just go to mass when she was home and avoid confrontation.
When her family queued up to take the host, Lou hung back. She was willing to attend church for the sake of appearances, but she felt like she’d be insulting the faithful if she took communion. When her mother gripped her elbow tightly and tried to tow her along, Lou whispered, “I haven’t been to confession in months.”
It worked. Her mother shot her a terse frown that said they’d talk about this issue later, but she released her grip on Lou. As she knelt alone in the pew, Lou lifted her eyes to the ceiling of the church. While those around her looked down in submission, Lou prayed to her gods for the strength to deal with her mother. She was almost calm when they left the church, but then her mother started talking.
“Why haven’t you been to confession?” Her mother strode angrily ahead, smiling fakely at passersby as she walked.
Lou shrugged and rushed to keep up. “I’ve been busy.”
“Not too busy to see to your soul, I hope!”
“Too busy to do anything sinful,” Lou murmured quietly.
Her mother spun around and glared at her. “And when was the last time you had relations with a man?”
Stunned, Lou stared open-mouthed. She so wasn’t going to discuss her sex life with her mother. “I’ve gone to confession since then, Mother.”
Her mother snorted. “So your love life isn’t very good, is that what you’re telling me?”
“Mother, can’t we just go home?”
“Louisa, I asked you a question.”
Lou gritted her teeth. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“What are you doing wrong?” They had reached the car. Lou’s father quickly slipped behind the wheel and shut his door, not saying anything. Much to Lou’s annoyance, her mother followed her into the back seat and sat beside her like a school friend.
Lou gritted her teeth. “Why do you assume I’m doing something wrong?”
Her mother took her hand and sighed. “All that haste with your degree, and for what? I was sure you wanted to finish up to get married.”
Silently, Lou shook her head.
“When I was your age, I never had to look very far for a date.”
“I’ve been busy with work and everything.”
Her mother huffed. “That job is such a waste for such a smart girl like you. I don’t know why you don’t live up to your potential.”
“I don’t know what I want to do yet.”
“That’s an excuse for an eighteen year old, not a young woman.”
Lou stared out the window at the slushy streets. “Well, it’s my excuse.”
“Don’t be such a fool, Louisa. Men don’t like girls who are lazy and distracted.”
Drawing a deep breath, Lou started to retort, then thought better of it. She lapsed into the same glazed silence she’d employed at church as her mother droned on and on about her faults. Lou tried to ignore her.
At least she wouldn’t have to put up with her mother for the next two weeks.
Chapter Four
As they boarded the plane the following Monday, Tammy chattered excitedly about all the things they were going to do.
“Of course, we’ll see if we can catch the Loch Ness Monster!” She laughed, and Lou chuckled.
“Are you sure we’ll have time for sightseeing?” She struggled to hoist her heavy backpack into the overhead bin.
“Hell yes!” Tammy exclaimed. “Look, I only have to meet with family once or twice in Edinburgh. We should have plenty of time to take a tour and see some of the sights. You don’t have to come with, if you don’t want.”
“I don’t mind.”
Tammy shrugged. “Girl, I’m giving you a get out of high tea card. You should thank me.”
Pulling her battered manual camera out of her shoulder bag, Lou checked the settings. “Smile!” she said unnecessarily to her beaming best friend. The shutter thunked down and Tammy laughed.
“When will you give up and switch to a nice small digital camera?” She pulled hers out of her purse and waved it around.
Lou shrugged. “I just like the feel of it.”
Tammy chuckled and pulled a magazine from the seat pocket in front of her. “Whatever, Louisa. You’re just an old lady trapped in a young body, admit it!”
Lou sighed. She hated when Tammy teased her about her formal name, but she didn’t say anything. Putting her camera carefully back into her bag, Lou settled back in her seat. In seven hours, they’d be landing in Scotland. She couldn’t wait to get away from everything that haunted her at home; Scotland would be a welcome relief. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep.
It wasn’t snowing when they landed, which Lou thought was a nice break from Boston, but the cold drizzle that was falling from the sky was almost worse. Tammy’s parents had chosen the hotel, and they’d even arranged for a car to pick the girls up. Lou felt a little like royalty when the black sedan pulled up in front of the hotel.
“Wow!” Lou exclaimed, looking up. “That looks more like a castle than a hotel!”
Tammy smiled.
“Mom’s got great taste, right?”
“Welcome to Scotland, ladies.” The driver held the door of the hotel open for them with a patient smile.
Standing in the massive lobby, Lou tried not to gawk. She’d grown up accustomed to her parents’ quiet wealth, but they were frugal when it came to travel, and she’d never seen a hotel that was so luxurious. She wondered if they knew where Tammy’s folks had booked the girls. The floor looked liked marble, and the lobby was furnished with plush sofas and chairs that looked like they belonged in a Victorian museum collection.
Looking around, Lou realized that Tammy had abandoned her in the center of the lobby. She spotted her best friend at the desk and headed over to her.
“We’re all checked in. The hotel has a complimentary breakfast; we’ll have to make a point of waking up early tomorrow morning!”
Lou nodded, taking her room key from Tammy. “But right now, I just want to sleep off the jet lag!”
Tammy laughed and linked her arm through Lou’s. “Isn’t this wonderful? We’re going to have the best vacation ever.”
They rode the elevator up to the thirteenth floor in silence, but when Tammy opened the door to their room, Lou gasped in surprise. “This is insane!” She crossed the large room to the tall window and peeked through the curtain. “Tammy, we’ve got a view of the castle!”
Tammy dropped her bags and flopped across one of the beds. “Who cares about the view; this bed is the most comfortable thing ever.”
Lou sat down on the other bed and sighed. “Seriously. I’m going to sleep for a year.”
Tammy tossed a pillow at her. “Get your rest now, missy. We’ve got lots to see in the next two weeks!”
~
“Are you going to go exploring?” Tammy asked the next morning as she dried her hair. Her great-aunt was expecting her for brunch, and Tammy seemed nervous about meeting her wealthy older relative for the first time. She’d already shorted out the hair dryer twice, and Lou was stepping carefully around her.
“Maybe. Is there anything you don’t care about missing?”
Tammy laughed. “I just don’t want to miss any men in kilts!”
Lou smiled as she slung her camera around her neck. “Maybe I’ll tour the castle today.”
“Good idea. Take notes; you know I love that history stuff.”
Lou nodded. Tammy was majoring in business, but she’d convinced her advisors to let her add a history minor, as well. “I’ll try to remember everything.”
“And don’t get lost! Our tour for the Highlands leaves in two days!”
Lou groaned. “That’s right. Why’d you have to book us a tour group that leaves at five o’clock in the morning?”
“Because,” Tammy said as she put the finishing touches on her makeup and pulled on her burgundy coat, “it’s supposed to be awesome. Bye!”
She waved and headed out of their room quickly. Lou made sure she had her passport and wallet and a few extra rolls of film. Then she grabbed her jacket and headed out into the misty morning.
~
After listening intently to the thick accent of the docent at Edinburgh Castle and snapping two rolls of film, Lou was exhausted. As thrilling as it was to be here, she thought, what she really wanted to do was go back to the hotel and sleep for the rest of the trip. Her high spirits in the castle had quickly plummeted, leaving Lou feeling hollow and empty. Her mind began to tick off all the things that she had left behind in Boston that were worrying her. Lou tried to concentrate on finding her way back to the hotel, but her fears kept poking into her mind.
The morning mist had turned to a downpour, and Lou skittered under the awnings of the businesses she passed. As she raced along, a sign for one-hour film development caught her eye across the street. Making a snap decision, she plunged into the wet cobbled street and raced for the shop. It would be fun to be able to show Tammy her photos from the castle. She had to admit that was one of the drawbacks of using a film camera: waiting to see the pictures.
After dropping off her film, she headed back to the hotel, struggling to stay dry. If only I weren’t unemployed, I’d take a cab, she thought as she finally sloshed into the hotel lobby.
Chapter Five
Lou was sipping her third cup of coffee when Tammy got back from visiting her family.
“Are you bored yet?”
“What do you mean? It was great!” Tammy poured the last of the coffee into a spare mug and sat down.
“Really?” Lou sat forward in her chair.
“Actually, yes. Great-Aunt Hildred had plenty of whiskey, and she likes to talk.”
Lou laughed. “Booze and good conversation. Sounds like your family back home.”
Tammy made a face. “Mom and Dad never served any whiskey as good as she had!”
“I’m glad you had fun.”
“You can come with me next time.”
She didn’t really want to spend her vacation with Tammy’s family. “Maybe.” Lou shrugged, changing the subject. She pulled out the photo envelope from that morning. “I’m really excited about these shots from the castle.” She held them out to Tammy. “Want to see?”
Tammy perched on the arm of the chair, looking over Lou’s shoulder at the pictures. “Why did you waste your money on this film? It’s ruined!” It was true; most of the images had blurry spheres marring them. One shot of St. Margaret’s chapel was almost totally covered with the strange orbs. Tammy leaned forward and grabbed the picture.
Lou looked up at Tammy, debating how much to tell her friend. She was excited about the seemingly ruined photographs because she recognized the blurry shapes from a book she’d picked up recently in the bargain bin at work. Finally, she decided to test the waters.
“They’re orbs.” She flipped back through the pictures excitedly.
“Whatever they are, your camera’s broken.”
“No, that’s not it.” Lou looked up at Tammy and smiled. “Orbs are spirit images.”
“You mean ghosts?” Lou nodded, frowning at the sneer in Tammy’s voice. Tammy laughed. “Lou, you’re crazy. There’s no such thing as ghosts, and even if there were, you wouldn’t be able to photograph them.” Dismissively, she tossed the photo back in Lou’s lap.
“I’ve been reading a book about it,” Lou ventured, her hand straying unconsciously to the necklace hidden beneath her shirt. What would Tammy make of the silver, five-pointed star, Lou wondered?
Tammy sighed. “Lou, you can’t trust every random book that you find.”
“But don’t you think it’s interesting?”
Tammy snorted. “No such thing as ghosts. What are you, a kid?”
Lou glanced back at the photos. “These still look like spirit images to me.”
“Whatever. Forget the ghosts and stuff and come with me. I want to see Edinburgh!”
Lou set the photos down on the desk, deciding not to argue with her best friend. But she was quietly elated. As she followed Tammy to the elevator, she decided she’d have to go back to the castle tomorrow and talk with one of the docents about the castle spirits.
~
“Aye, Scotland is one of the most haunted places around.” The elderly docent smiled at the girls. Tammy looked skeptical, but she grinned back at the old man.
Peering up at the vaulted ceiling, Lou raised her camera and clicked the shutter. Tammy leaned forward and asked the docent a question. “What about ghosts here in the castle?” She winked at Lou, and Lou rolled her eyes. Ever since she’d mentioned the orbs in the photos yesterday, Tammy had been going out of her way to tease her. Lou hadn’t said much since they looked at the photos, but Tammy couldn’t let it go.
The old man laughed. “We’ve plenty of ghosts, make no mistake about that. There’s the drummer lad without a head, although he’s only ever seen before verra’ great battles.” Lou grimaced at the thought, and Tammy chuckled.
“Now, come along, lassies, step lively. There’s still more to see of the castle, and if we’re lucky,” he winked
comically, “we might just spot another ghost or two.”
The girls followed him as he toured the castle, and soon even Tammy forgot about pestering Lou as she stared at the overwhelming size and splendor of the fortress. Lou shot another roll of film while they were there, which she tucked quietly into her bag. She was tempted to ask Tammy if they could stop and get the shots developed, but she was so relieved that Tammy had stopped teasing her about the ghostly images that she didn’t want to say anything that might get her started again. The girls parted at the hotel as Tammy raced to a dinner party at her great-aunt’s house.
“Don’t forget to eat something besides whiskey this time!” Lou offered.
“Don’t forget,” Tammy answered tartly over her shoulder, “the tour of the Highlands leaves tomorrow at five!”
Lou groaned. “I still say that’s an inhuman hour to travel!” She called after her friend, but her words were lost in the bustle of the busy Edinburgh streets. Still, early or not, Lou was starting to look forward to their Highland adventure.
1632
When Isobel Key was a little girl, she dreamed of falling in love. This may seem like a strange dream for a child born in the year 1622, but Isobel had an example in her life that shaped her ambitions: her parents. They had wed for love, against the objections of both families and the expectations of their era, and they had always seemed to Isobel to be the happiest people in the world.
The couple settled down in a little cottage quite near the village of St. Andrews, where Jacob Key earned his livelihood in the kitchens of the famed university there. Isobel’s mother Mary tended their home, but she also tended the people of the village. She was an accomplished midwife before her marriage, and she continued her work after the birth of her oldest child.
To Mary Key, Isobel was a three-fold blessing: a beautiful daughter, a well-mannered child, and, even at an early age, an intelligent and skilled apprentice. Isobel gleefully soaked up all that her parents could teach her: which herbs would speed up a birth, which herbs would sweeten a dish to create a delicacy, and how to give and receive love with true warmth and joy.
