CHAPTER TEN ~ ABBY ~ NOW #2
Graeme eyes me with an enigmatic smile as he passes. Behind me, I hear Fern say, “Come be my seat buddy, G. This’ll give us a chance to catch up.”
Once everyone is on board, Bruce dons a headset and introduces himself again before giving a brief safety speech, and then we’re off.
The sound of instrumental Celtic music mixes with chatter from the other passengers as we navigate through the worst of the morning traffic.
As we head out of the city, the music stops, and Bruce’s thickly-accented voice fills the bus.
“All right, lads and lassies, I’m going to share some interesting bits of Scottish history and lore with youse today.
If you don’t care to listen to me blether, I cannae say I blame you, but I ask that you respect those who do want to hear about the rich, complex, and often bloody history of Alba, as it’s known in Gaelic, or Caledonia, which was the Latin name the Roman Empire gave to the north of Scotland.
Now, as we head out of Edinburgh, can anyone tell me the old Scots nickname for the city that originated in the sixteenth century? ”
I smile to myself as I sink back in my seat, camera at the ready, and eyes glued out the window.
* * *
Bruce punctuates his lesson on Edinburgh history with a short stop in South Queensferry so we can see the Forth Rail Bridge, a trio of rail and road bridges that connect Edinburgh and Fife over the Firth of Forth.
We’re not crossing today, but I’m excited nonetheless because the third bridge, the Queensferry Crossing, hadn’t been built yet when we visited last time.
I’ve seen pictures of the cable-stayed bridge, but seeing it in person feels oddly like a full-circle moment.
As we head northwest, I find myself making a mental list of the places I want to visit based on snippets of information from Bruce.
“We’re close to Linlithgow Palace now. Despite its hundreds of years of history and the fact it was the birthplace of Mary, Queen of Scots, it’s been a popular destination among Outlander fans since it was used as Wentworth Prison in the first series. ”
From the motorway, we get an excellent view of The Kelpies in Falkirk. The pair of massive steel Clydesdale horse heads were built the year after we came to Scotland the first time.
“Duke and Baron were constructed to represent the horses that shaped Scotland’s industrial history,” Bruce says, slowing the bus as much as he can on the busy road.
“Many tourists are more interested in their ties to folklore, though, much like Nessie in Loch Ness, the fae, and Selkies, just to name a few. Most Scottish children of my generation learned of the shapeshifting water horses as a cautionary tale to stay away from dangerous waters.”
I also add Stirling Castle to my list as Bruce fills us in on some of its history and promises a quick photo stop on the way back to Edinburgh this evening.
Our first proper tour stop of the day is Doune Castle, a medieval stronghold that dates back to the fourteenth century.
Out of all the tours we considered, a visit to Doune Castle was a selling point for Drew and me; as Outlander fans, we immediately recognized it as Castle Leoch from both Outlander and its prequel, Blood of My Blood.
Drew is one of the first people off the bus when Bruce stops in the parking lot. Brodie and I share a laugh as we meet in the aisle, and he ushers me forward with his hand on the small of my back.
“I’m sure you want to take pictures of the outside first, but I’m going straight in if that’s okay,” Drew says, practically bouncing on the balls of her feet.
I assure her that’s fine, and the five of us head down the path toward the entrance.
I linger long enough to snap a few photos of Drew going inside, knowing she’ll appreciate it, then veer off to the side, where a tree-lined path runs between the castle and a river.
I spot a small signpost on a tree that identifies it as the River Teith.
A twig snaps behind me, and I whirl around to see Graeme standing a few feet away.
“Sorry,” he says, holding up both hands. “Old habits die hard, I guess. I expected you to head straight into the castle, but I was curious when I saw you head this way.”
“I wanted to check out the grounds first,” I tell him.
He nods slowly, his gaze sliding past me to the river. “I thought maybe you were avoiding me.”
“Oh,” is all I manage to say.
“You’ve been doing a fine job of it so far,” he says, his tone light. “Quite impressive, really, considering we’re staying in the same flat.”
“You’ve been busy with work,” I say automatically.
“Aye, but I’ve joined you lot for dinner every night, and you’ve managed to sit as far from me as possible each time,” he says. “Then when we go back to my place, you head straight for your room.”
I open my mouth, prepared to say I’ve been jetlagged, but that would be an excuse, and we both know it.
The last three nights, I’ve shut myself in the spare room to go through my pictures from the day before reading on my tablet until I fell asleep.
If pressed about what I’ve been reading, I wouldn’t be able to share a single detail because my thoughts have been focused on the fact the man I once loved was just down the hall.
I sigh. “I’m sorry.”