All three went upstairs and dispersed to their rooms. Megan was happy. She remembered Derek; his handsome face, his kisses, and realized that she didn't want to leave for London anymore. A light, dreamy smile appeared on her lips as she went to bed, full of anticipation for their future meetings. That night, the girl slept soundly and sweetly, without any dreams.
* * *
In the morning, Megan invited Gregor to Malcolm's office to discuss some points about the documents he had handed over to her a few days ago. The manager meticulously answered Megan’s questions and helped her analyze all aspects of the work. Pleased with the results of their brief meeting, she let him go.
Now that I have studied all the information, it's time to make a decision, she thought. There seemed to be only one decision to make – appoint Warren as the head of the factory, leave him in charge of Castle Mal, and head back to London. The castle, in any case, needed to stay in reliable hands. Someone had to live in it to prevent it from falling into disrepair. But Megan had no desire to leave at the moment; after all, Derek had come into her life. She pondered for a long time on what to do. The family meeting was scheduled in three days, and she would have to announce her decision. First of all, it was necessary to talk to Warren, offer him management responsibility with a fifty-fifty profit split. She had no desire to manage the work personally, as the restaurant business required her full commitment.
She could stay a few more weeks at Castle Mal to see how events would unfold. Extending her stay in her historical homeland would not be too bad. The only thing left was to make arrangements with her cousin. Leaving the office, she went down to the hall.
“Glenn, do you know where Warren is?”
“He left for the distillery this morning.”
“Did he say what time he’d be back?”
“No, he always returns at different times. If I see him before you do, I'll definitely tell him you were looking for him.”
“Thank you.”
“I hope you had a successful introduction yesterday. Warren and I wanted to introduce you to our friends. If you're interested, we can arrange, for example, a friendly lunch or dinner in the coming days.”
“Why not? Meeting new people is always useful. Yesterday's rendezvous was quite ordinary, nothing special,” said Megan, feigning indifference. She didn’t like discussing her personal life, so she decided not to mention anything about Derek just yet. There was still nothing between them, and perhaps there never will be.
“Glenn, if you're not busy right now, shall we go for a walk? I'd like to bring some heather back to my room.”
“I'd love to join you. Just let me grab my wrap. It's always chilly with the sea breeze.”
For the next two hours, Megan and Glenn strolled along the beach and through the heather fields. They got to know each other better, chatting non-stop and discovering their differences. Megan was reserved and usually only talked about what she considered safe. She could carry any conversation, but skillfully changed the subject when necessary, so her interlocutor could hardly notice the shift. She only superficially touched on personal matters. Glenn was much more sociable. Always ready to share her thoughts, experiences, and hopes – she never seemed gossipy or pushy. She had a fine sense of when someone didn't want to talk about something and tactfully changed the subject. She was interested in everything around her and listened to her company with joy and attention. Megan felt easy and calm with Glenn.
When they returned to the castle, Warren was already waiting for them.
"There you are! I was wondering where you had disappeared to.”
“Megan wanted to pick some heather, and I decided to keep her company.”
“Warren, I was looking for you earlier today. I’d like to discuss some important matters,” Megan got straight to the point.
“Sure, whenever it's convenient for you.”
“If you’re free now, then I'm ready.”
“Then let's go to Malcolm's office,” the cousin suggested.
It took them about an hour to discuss all the details. Warren was receptive to the idea of staying in the castle and taking over the management of the distillery. He thought it was the best solution to the problem.
“I think I'll stay here a bit longer. A few weeks of vacation will do me good. I've enjoyed the peaceful, measured life here, unlike London, where every day is just hustle and bustle,” Megan said.
“Excellent news! Glenn and I would be delighted. The more frequent and longer your visits, the better. Glenn is so happy with your friendship. She missed that. She has become very attached to you.”
“Thank you, Warren, I'm also very glad that we became friends. By the way, I think it's time to eat something.”
They went downstairs, where Glenn was eagerly waiting for them.
“It's so good you came, I'm so hungry. I thought if you didn't come in ten minutes, I'd start dinner without you,” she said, neatly folding the wrapper from a candy she just ate.
“What's with you today? Where does this appetite come from?” Warren asked.
“I burned hundreds of calories today! Your cousin and I walked many miles. I probably broke my weekly record in one day,” Glenn laughed.
Dinner was pleasant and cheerful, but Megan couldn't wait to go up to her room and look out the window. She was anxious and thought only, will he come tonight? Every day of her life had become one continuous wait. Every few minutes, she looked at the hill in hopes of seeing him, but in vain – Derek did not appear that evening. Only at dawn did the girl finally fall asleep.
* * *
All morning Megan was tormented by theories as to why he hadn’t come. Perhaps he decided not to appear in her life at all anymore? She was suffering, not knowing how to pass the time until the evening. Assessing her own state of mind, she found it highly disturbing. The girl justified her restlessness and confusion by the lack of activities here; she was used to the busy schedule and dynamic life of a metropolis. The first half of the day was drowned in idleness.
When Megan came down for lunch, her relatives were already waiting for her.
“Warren, I keep forgetting to ask, what does the tree and sword on the family crest mean?” she inquired.
“The tree is a Celtic symbol of life. The meaning is that the McKenzies are firmly grounded, having set their roots, and the sword is nothing other than a symbol of bravery and valor of the clan's members.”
“And why do the Drummonds have a raven on their coat of arms? What does that signify?”
“According to one legend, the founder of the Drummond clan was a tall, thin, dark-haired man. He dressed in black and probably resembled a raven. Members of his family were nicknamed The Ravens by the people. They were all dark-haired. After some time, he decided that this bird would be on his clan's crest. But don't be afraid, Megan. They were not warlocks and had no association with magic. The Drummonds were honorable people, just like the McKenzies, and there was never any conflict between our families.”
“Thank you, Warren. I've learned so much these days, it's incredible. By the way, I really wanted to visit the neighboring islands. Can we go on a tour there? I can't wait to see them,” Megan asked with genuine interest.
“If you like, we can go there tomorrow.”
“That would be great.”
The girl sighed with relief, finding a way to spend another day.
“Megan, tonight our family plans to have dinner at one of our favorite restaurants in town. Will you join us?” asked Warren.
“With pleasure.”
After lunch, the girl headed to the library she had discovered a few days ago while roaming around the castle, and continued to explore the vast rows of ancient books. Reading was one of her most favorite hobbies. Moreover, just as in Castle Raven, she found a book of Scottish tales and legends on a shelf and reached for the thick, old, ancient volume with remnants of a greenish image on the cover.
She binge-read stories about the mysteries of Scottish castles, about the blood shed within them, and the bodiless spirits forever locked within these stone walls. Here, she also learned that many Scottish families had their own spirits or house ghosts. She became so engrossed in the history and her own thoughts about it that she didn't notice how quickly the time had passed.
10. What Is Love?
The restaurant chosen for dinner specialized in game dishes, and its interior was largely adorned with hunting trophies.
“This is the best place in town. Malcolm and I used to come here often for freshly brewed ale and delicious meat,” Alaric recalled, smiling as he remembered the good old times.
“You won't find better game preparation anywhere else,” Duncan added.
“You praise the local cuisine so much that I can’t wait to try everything,” Megan laughed.
Ordering various dishes of wild boar, venison, duck, hare, they drank ale and enjoyed the food. The conversation throughout the evening revolved around the factories; they also discussed the latest local news. Megan didn't wait for the planned family meeting to announce her decision and share her plans, which she had previously discussed with Warren.
Alaric was pleased with this turn of events, saying, “I think you made the right decision. It's quite hard to split your time between two cities and manage two enterprises. Warren is a worthy candidate and will handle the business well. You are a member of our family. This is your home, and you are welcome here anytime. We will always be happy to see you.”
“I completely agree,” Duncan chimed in approvingly.
At that moment, a man in his thirties approached their table: tall, broad-shouldered, with light hair and green eyes. The McKenzie men warmly greeted him – he turned out to be an old friend of Warren's. Without much thought, Alaric invited him to join them at the table.
“Craig, I'd like to introduce you to my cousin Megan. She's Malcolm's granddaughter. She came to take care of her inheritance and decide its fate,” Warren explained.
“Nice to meet you,” Craig said, looking at her with an admiring smile, extending his strong firm arm for a handshake.
Megan found the highlander quite attractive. It seemed that the feeling was mutual because throughout the evening, almost all his attention was directed at her. Craig clearly wanted to learn as much about the girl as possible, and she happily engaged in conversation, enjoying the company of the young man and her family members.
“Craig, what do you do for a living?” she inquired.
“I work for one of the local shipping companies.”
“Tomorrow we're using one of your ferries to get to the island,” Warren said.
“Really? What are you heading there for?”
“We're going to sacrifice Megan on the altar of the druids,” joked the younger cousin.
“Thanks, Duncan. At least I know the real purpose of our journey now,” Megan laughed.
“If you don't mind, I’d like to come along,” the young man said, looking hopefully at the girl.
“Of course, you’re welcome to join us. Megan, you don't mind, do you?” Duncan asked.
“Of course not.”
“What time will you be at the dock tomorrow morning?” he asked Warren.
“I think we'll arrive by eleven thirty.”
“Well, Megan, prepare yourself! You're in for an unforgettable experience, since it will be conducted by true local highlanders,” Craig said with a proud smile.
“I’m looking forward to it,” she replied cheerfully.
After dinner, everyone said their goodbyes, and went their separate ways. On the drive home, Warren said, “Megan, in just one evening, you've charmed my friend. I've known him for a long time, and he's already smitten with you.”
“Is he always so quick to fall in love?” she laughed.
“No, quite the opposite! I can't remember the last time he was so enchanted by a woman. Since Craig decided to join us tomorrow, it means he wants to get to know you better.”
“Did you like him? He's quite interesting and handsome, isn't he?” Glenn chattered.
“Glenn!” Warren protested.
“What did I say? I just asked if she liked him. I would be really happy if she found her love here and stayed with us.”
“I understand you'd be happy, but it's tactless to ask such questions. They've known each other for a few hours, and you’re probably already imagining a wedding and a bunch of kids in your romantic fantasies. Let people get to know each other better and then we'll see.”
“Don't worry, Warren. We're women and it's normal for us to ask such questions. Craig is certainly a charismatic and handsome young man, in my opinion. But it's too soon to say anything more. We barely know each other to draw any conclusions.”
As they arrived at the castle, Megan checked the time; it was already 11:10. Her heart beat faster. Was he waiting for her tonight? What if he came, saw no light in her window, and left?
She eagerly anticipated their next meeting and feared it might not happen anytime soon.
After wishing Warren and Glenn goodnight, Megan rushed to her room and ran to the window. He was there, on the hill, waiting for her. Her hands trembled, butterflies fluttered in her stomach, and a joyful smile lit up her face. Without a second thought, she quickly left the castle.
Coming close to Derek, she said, “I'm glad you came; I was waiting for you.”
He smiled, brushed a stray lock of hair from her face, and kissed her.
“I'm glad to see you too,” he whispered softly in her ear.
“Derek, I don't understand why all the mystery? These meetings under my window, without any warning… It's as if we're living in the Middle Ages and there's no other way to meet. Can't we do it differently?”
“You don’t like this?” he asked with a barely noticeable smile.
“Well, it's a bit strange.”
“I work late every day.”
“Don't you have any days off?” Megan asked surprised.
“Not at the moment. I'm currently working on a secret project, and I’m only free in the evenings.”
“There are secret projects in city administration? I never thought that was a thing,” she said dubiously.
“I can't explain everything to you yet. It's not just about the city administration. I've signed nondisclosure agreements regarding my current mission. So, please don't ask me about my work for now. I'll definitely tell you everything when the time comes. This… mystery, as you call it, is temporary.”
“Alright, I understand. Non-disclosure means nondisclosure. You’re probably a 007 agent,” she joked.
Derek just smiled, “How was your evening?” he said, changing the subject.
“Very good, I wasn't as bored today as I was on the other days.”
"Who entertained you?" he inquired.
