Chapter 1 #2
“I’m sure someone will be along shortly. Let’s sit here for a while and catch up with each other,” Dylan said, as he led Maggie towards the chairs near the fireplace.
Maggie sat and glanced around the room. “So, this is the home of the MacKenzies,” she observed.
“Yes. It is. Robert is the Laird of the clan and his wife, Irene is sister to Cormac, who you just met. They have another brother, Cailin. I’m sure Edna told you all about them.”
“Hmmm … ”
Dylan wasn’t sure what that response was all about, but Maggie seemed more intent on memorizing the layout of the hall and uninterested in him or what he was saying.
He was disappointed by her reaction and disappointed that the spark he had experienced in Glendaloch seemed to be missing.
In fact, it bothered him a great deal. There was definitely something different about Maggie now, but what was it?
The doors opened and Jenna and Irene made their way into the hall. Jenna hesitated just a moment, doing a double take as she looked at Maggie. “Maggie, is that really you?”
“That seems to be the question of the day,” Maggie replied.
“I can’t believe it. Where did you come from?” Jenna asked.
“And that is the other question of the day,” Maggie teased. “I’m here to see Dylan.”
“I’ll bet he’s happy to see you,” Jenna said. She reached Maggie and pulled her into a hug, raising an eyebrow in Dylan’s direction. Maggie appeared stiff and ill at ease with the show of affection, and didn’t respond to Jenna’s embrace.
After spending some awkward moments with Maggie, Dylan was relieved to see his cousin, but he was almost certain that Maggie didn’t recognize Jenna. Something about her demeanor was definitely off. By the look in Jenna’s eyes, she seemed to be aware of it, too.
“You do remember me, don’t you,” Jenna asked.
“Of course I do. I’m just nae verra good with names,” Maggie replied. Dylan got the distinct impression she was lying, but maybe he was jumping to conclusions. Since he hadn’t known her very long, it was completely possible that she really wasn’t good with names.
“Jenna. I’m Jenna,” she said, sounding confused. “Oh, and this is Irene.”
“I’m pleased to meet ye, Maggie. Welcome to Breaghacraig,” Irene said, and by the slight frown on her brow, she was picking up on Jenna’s confusion.
“Thank you and it’s nice to meet ye as well,” Maggie replied.
The atmosphere in the Great Hall was a little icy as the women eyed each other warily.
After a moment, Maggie’s dismissive attitude became apparent and she very clearly began to ignore Jenna and Irene.
She behaved as if nothing unusual was happening, and appeared completely unfazed by her interaction with them.
In fact, she didn’t seem affected by much at all, to this point.
It was as if she was physically in the room with them, but mentally somewhere else.
Dylan noted her facial expression hadn’t changed at all.
Not out in the courtyard and not here in the great hall.
This definitely wasn’t the Maggie Dylan had remembered.
That Maggie had been warm and engaging back in Glendaloch, but here she was standoffish and cool, based on her reaction to Jenna’s hug.
The Maggie he had known had been full of questions—a naturally curious person.
Dylan liked that about her, because he had a similar personality.
He was a geeky surfer to his friends back home, but not everyone thought of him that way.
He had that laid-back California attitude, sun-streaked golden locks and a ready smile.
Those were all things the ladies loved and up until this point, he had loved every lady he’d had a chance to be with.
He’d never really cared too much about whether he was compatible with them or not.
When he met Maggie, everything had changed and Dylan knew he’d found the girl he didn’t know he’d been searching for.
“How long will ye be staying with us, Maggie?” Irene asked.
“Oh, I’m nae sure. I thought I’d just see how things go, if that’s alright?”
Another odd response, Dylan thought. They were gradually adding up, but unfortunately, he didn’t know what the answer to the equation might be.
“Our home is yer home. Stay as long as ye like,” Irene responded. “I hope ye won’t mind sleeping in the women’s solar, Maggie. All of the bed chambers in the castle have been spoken for.”
Dylan exchanged a questioning look with Jenna, who shrugged her shoulders in response. Obviously, she couldn’t figure out this new and unusual Maggie either. “Irene, she can have my room. I’ll sleep in the soldier’s quarters,” Dylan announced.
“Well, if yer sure ye dinnae mind, would ye show Maggie to her chambers?” Irene smiled sweetly at Dylan.
She had become like a big sister to him, since his arrival at the castle.
She was a lot like Jenna in many ways and Dylan had been comfortable with her right from the very beginning.
She ran the castle like a well-oiled machine, which was saying a lot considering the size of the place and the number of people employed in feeding, clothing and protecting Breaghacraig.
Irene had a hand in it all and she commanded the respect of everyone with whom she came in contact.
Her partnership with her husband was based on love, mutual understanding and respect.
Their children were very well behaved and even though they could be seen getting into mischief occasionally, Dylan knew that the mere sound of their mother’s voice set them back on the right track immediately.
“Irene, we should get going,” Jenna said. “Mary’s waiting for us in the kitchen.”
“Yer right, Jenna. Dylan, Maggie, we’ll see ye at the evening meal.” Irene hooked arms with Jenna and the two women departed, heads close in whispered conversation, leaving Dylan alone once again with Maggie.
“Well, I guess I should show you to your room, and then I’ll take you on a tour of the castle, if you’d like.
” Dylan took Maggie’s hand and led her from the great hall and upstairs to the bedchambers, all the while waiting for her to do or say something which would remind him of the girl he’d left behind in Glendaloch.