Chapter Two
Ravensmire
Evening
The Introductions
As they headed back up the hill and toward the castle, Michael had that uneasy feeling brewing in the pit of his belly. The last thing he wanted was to watch the shit hit the fan, and Elizabeth being stuck in the middle of it.
She’d come here to recoup, not to be scared at the things that had been going bump in the night.
Damn.
This was a predicament.
Deep down, he hoped whatever this was stayed away until she could safely head home in the future.
What were the chances of that?
The only good thing was that the further they moved from the lake, the less twitchy he was feeling. Maybe he was just overreacting.
All he could hope was whatever was stirring it up wouldn’t get the inside of the castle a-rocking too.
As for Elizabeth having a visceral reaction down there, and saying she didn’t like it…that was more puzzling.
Maybe she was just astute, since she chased death on a normal basis. A lot of death had happened here, and a lot of pain had been endured.
Pushing it aside until he could talk to Graham, he continued on with the tour. Mostly to distract her, but also to distract himself too.
“This is the courtyard where I got married,” he said, walking her through the big gate and into the most special of places to him.
The whole time, Elizabeth looked around.
There were rows of boxwood hedges, carved out to be a low maze. She imagined in the summer, it was pretty here with all the flowers.
If she was getting married here, this would be one of the spots she would have chosen too. In fact, she was pretty sure this would be where Ian and Gryphen would tie the knot—weather permitting.
“I recognize it,” she said, turning to look at the castle and the window they’d all seen the ghosts in. Now, instead, it was dark and undisturbed.
Michael touched the hedges.
“I wish you could see it for summer. Hell! I wish I saw it for summer.”
Elizabeth bet it was.
“I think with the upcoming wedding, we can plan for it out here,” she said. “It’s not going to be warm, but a ceremony isn’t that long. Imagine it filled with pumpkins, and all kinds of fall decorations. I think Ian will like it out here.”
He smiled.
“He does,” he said. “He’s mentioned it would be perfect for a wedding.”
Well, then, he would be getting hitched here.
“If we have a turn in the weather, where can we have it?” she asked.
That was easy.
“The ballroom.”
Well, that worked for her. She was going to be here a while, so she had time to make all of this happen. It was a good thing they wanted to move their wedding up.
That worked out perfectly.
When a gust of wind blew, he was acutely aware she was NOT dressed for being out there.
“It’s chilly out,” he admitted. “Are you cold?” he asked, seeing that she was in a very light jacket.
Elizabeth was honest.
“I’m going to have to buy some warmer things. I didn’t have time to grab gear. I ate and got right on a flight.”
Yeah, he’d put that at the top of his list. It appeared they were going shopping. Now that the threat to their family was over, it should be safe to do that.
“We can go into town,” he offered. “It’s a quick ride back down the mountain, and we’ll get you some things tomorrow for your time here.”
She appreciated that.
What she’d love to have were some thick wool sweaters, made from the wool of some highland sheep.
Oh, and she wanted to pet one of those hairy cows. That was on her bucket list too.
“I hope that’s not problematic,” she admitted. “When I arrived, the guy with the bike didn’t seem to recognize me.”
Yeah, it wouldn’t be a problem.
Michael explained.
“I don’t think you’ll be hassled here. Most people are ambivalent to Americans. If you’re not obnoxiously loud, or draw attention, you’ll blend in. Wear a big sweater and tuck your hair up under a hat. I can guarantee they aren’t overly familiar with the going ons in DC.”
Thank God for that.
To be able to walk around like a normal person, she absolutely would do that.
Hell!
She’d cut her damn hair off to have some anonymity.
What wouldn’t she give to be able to shop in peace like she was a normal person?
“Really?”
He nodded.
“Yeah, if you tell everyone you’re my sister, visiting, they’ll believe it. Your hair and eyes tend to give it away,” he admitted. “You look Irish,” he said. “You’ll blend.”
She considered that.
“My daddy has some Scottish in him, or that’s what he told me. I’ve never met my grandparents. They were gone on both sides before I was born. My DNA is on record, but not to find my origins. Instead to eliminate me on a crime scene in case I inadvertently leave trace.”
Yeah, they’d all had to give DNA in case that happened.
He clued her in.
“This town has a mix of people,” he admitted. “Mostly Scottish, but like I said, you look Irish with the blue eyes and back-alley black hair.”
Well, that worked for her.
Anytime she could blend in, she was absolutely going to do that. It was the small things she missed like getting a manicure or shopping for herself. Online purchases weren’t the same thing.
“Got a hat I can borrow?” she asked. “Because again, I came with just a small amount of things. I need a whole wardrobe for the time I plan on staying.”
He didn’t ask her how long that would be. The last thing he wanted was for her to believe she didn’t belong there with them.
She did.
“Absolutely. We’ll lumberjack you right up, and before anyone knows it, you’ll blend in, Lass,” he said, mimicking his husband’s accent.
He couldn’t help it.
It was sexy sounding.
That amused her.
“When in Rome,” she said, pointing at the door. “Can we take a tour? I’d like to meet my other son in person for the first time.”
He smiled.
When she said that, it gave him so much joy. The fact that Graham’s parents didn’t come around since they had a gay son, and that she’d adopted him as hers…
It gave them both peace.
They had family that loved them more than anything. Their worlds were almost complete. Maybe one day, they’d be dads, but until then, he wanted to share his mom with him.
“Absolutely. We made dinner, like I mentioned earlier. We’re having a roast. No animals on the farm were harmed in the making of the food,” he added. “In case you suddenly thought we were eating Gunny the goat. We’re not.”
She snorted.
“I mean, I’ll never eat goat or horse again…wait. I never did before. If you get cows, I’m going to have to figure that one out,” she admitted. “You know that I love a steak, but I don’t think I can keep eating it once I pet one of those hairy highland cows.”
Yeah, that would be a problem because he wouldn’t be able to fall in love with an animal, and then eat it. Even he had a limit, and that was it.
Once it was a pet, it wasn’t food.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Heading to the door, he told her about this entrance, so she knew the layout of the place.
“This is the back way in, and leads through the newly renovated kitchen. When Callen and Chris chose the layout, they did it with you in mind. Most of the family quarters are on this side of the castle. The guest rooms that we’ll be using for the holidays and the wedding are over there.”
She liked the idea that her kids would be on one side with them. The last thing she needed was her boys exploring a ‘once-haunted castle’ in the middle of the night.
He continued.
“You head up into the tower for the bedrooms. There’s enough for the whole family and security if they double up.”
She was curious.
“Are they all done? Ian and Gryphen’s wedding is coming up, and The President of the United States is supposed to be heading here. We have to put him somewhere, along with his entourage.”
He nodded.
“Yep. They were just finished. The last of the construction is wrapping at the end of next week. The ballroom is being finished in the next couple of weeks. It’ll wrap right before Halloween. Construction began last week.”
Well, that was on track.
When she shivered, Michael knew it was time to get her inside where it was warm.
Opening the door, she stepped into the castle, and immediately, she was hit with two things.
The scent of dinner made her belly grumble, and the grandness of the kitchen was the other thing.
The place was nice.
Like nice-nice.
The kitchen was very tastefully done and big. She wasn’t shocked because they had a brood, and Callen would want all of their kids to fit comfortably. The island was massive, and the stove was ridiculous.
Oh, and she liked it.
Not far away, a man stood, and immediately, she recognized him. He was watching her, and she could see that he looked…nervous.
Well, there was no need.
Without hesitating, Michael made the introductions for them.
“Mom, this is my husband, Graham.”
That was all she had to hear. Toeing off her boots, she headed his way, and when she reached him, she hugged him tightly.
Michael watched, and in that moment, he had tears in his eyes. This was so important to him. Elizabeth was the one person he loved most in the world, next to his husband. Their bond mattered, and now, this mattered too.
Elizabeth knew how to love, so that’s what she did.
“Hello, Son,” she said, lovingly. “I’ve been dying to meet you,” she said, taking his face in her hands so that she could stare into his green eyes.
Graham had been nervous, and he’d be lying if he said he hadn’t been. The whole time they were outside, he was pacing like a caged tiger.
This woman mattered to his husband, and he only hoped she’d not hate him. After all, that was a distinct possibility. His own mother didn’t love him, so putting his faith in a stranger…
It was difficult.
And he was scared.
How could he not be?
This one moment mattered so much to D’Artangnan, and to be honest, Graham was a little jealous that the man he loved had a mom, and he didn’t.
Other than getting D’Artangnan back, his only other wish in life was to have a family. Now, it was being offered up, IF he could make it past this massive obstacle.