Chapter 11
11
A fter trundling through the station with their bags, Cally and Logan made their way outside. Just as Logan was pulling his phone out of his pocket, an old Land Rover more or less flew around the corner, bumped up onto the pavement, and a man with a bushy beard, green overalls, and a flat cap jumped out.
'Ah, young Logan!' the man called out, his Scottish accent thick and welcoming. 'Good to see you, lad. And this must be the lovely Cally we've heard so much about.'
Logan grinned, stepping forward to shake the man's hand. 'Cally, this is Angus. He's been the estate's gamekeeper for, well, forever, really. Is that right?'
'Aye, not quite forever.' Angus chuckled. 'Just the last wee fifty years or so. Lots more left in me yet.'
Cally smiled, held out her hand, and bantered, 'It's lovely to meet you, Angus. I hope people haven't been telling too many tales about me.'
Angus caught on immediately. His eyes twinkled. 'Only good things, lass. Only good things. Now, let's get you two up to the house. I'm sure you're ready for a wee rest after that long journey. Welcome to the Highlands. Where the wildlife is as breathtaking as the scenery and the weather keeps you on your toes…'
Cally beamed. ‘I’m enchanted already, just by the train journey and the station.’
Angus's smile widened. 'Aye, it's a special place right enough. Has young Logan here told you about its royal connections?'
'He has,' Cally nodded. 'It's fascinating. I can't wait to learn more about it.'
Cally climbed into the back seat of the Land Rover as Logan and Angus popped their bags in the back. As the Land Rover pulled out of the station road, she gazed out the window while Logan and Angus chatted. In between chatting, Angus pointed out various landmarks and shared snippets of the little town’s history as they made their way through the main street.
'And over there,' Angus gestured to a hill, 'that's where the old clan battles used to take place. They say on a quiet night, you can still hear the echo of the bagpipes carried on the wind.'
Cally leaned forward. ‘Really? It's hard to imagine battles taking place in such a peaceful setting.’
Angus nodded. 'Aye, but that's the thing about this land. It's seen its share of troubles, but it endures.’
As they drove through a small town, Cally's eyes darted from one quaint shop front to another. Stone cottages with colourful gardens lined the streets, and everywhere she looked, there were reminders of the deep-rooted Scottish heritage. 'This is so nice.’
Logan smiled. ‘It's a great place for a wander. There are some excellent little cafés and shops.’
As they left the town behind and the road began to wind its way into the countryside, the scenery got more and more majestic. Rounding a tight bend in the road, the main house came into full view. Cally swallowed. She really had moved up in the world. It was even more impressive in real life than what she’d seen via her laptop. A magnificent grey stone building with turrets reaching skywards sat on vast grounds. ‘Wow, it’s much bigger than I thought it was going to be.’
Logan chuckled. 'Wait till you see the inside. Thank goodness we're staying in one of the cottages.'
'Aye, a good thing too. The big house can be a bit draughty even at this time of year. The cottages are much cosier, in my humble opinion, but don’t tell anyone I told you that. I saw you’d bagged the wee cottage, Logan. Well played.'
Cally tried to take it all in, not quite believing it was real. ‘It’s beautiful.’
Angus chuckled from the driver's seat. 'Aye, it's not a bad view, is it? When you see it at dawn, though. That's when the Highlands really show their true colours.'
As Angus brought the old Land Rover to a stop in front of a stone cottage, Cally snapped her seatbelt off and hopped out. Standing with her hands on her hips she took in a huge deep breath of crisp Highland air. The scent of pine and heather filled her lungs and she shook her head in disbelief. The air was incredible, the scenery mind-blowing, and the house in front of her was not what she would have called a “wee cottage”. It was a substantial stone building with weathered grey walls speaking of centuries of history. Large windows reflected the lush greenery surrounding them, a dark slate weathered roof sloped overhead, and a door in the centre held a huge wreath woven with blue tartan and heather.
‘This is what you call a cottage?’ Cally laughed.
Logan chuckled. ‘Welcome to the Highlands. They do everything differently up here.’
Gravel crunched under Cally’s feet as she made her way to the front door. She put her hand on the stone wall and took in the patchwork of greys and soft browns. Little patches of lichen here and there added muted pops of pale green and yellow, and ivy climbed one corner of the building. Wide sash windows, painted a brilliant white, stood out against the rugged stonework. Gabled porches covered each of the doors, little fences lined a lush sloping lawn, and two gigantic potted plants sat on either side of the front steps. To the far left of the cottage, a white picket fence guarded a glass conservatory greenhouse which was nearly as big as the cottage itself. Beds lining either side of the conservatory door showcased flowers nodding their heads in the breeze, a plethora of lavender and rosemary bushes rustled to themselves, and in the far distance, ancient trees towered over the whole scene. Cally was a long, long, long way from the horrid '70s housing estate she’d once called home. She was never, ever, ever going back.
Leaving Angus and Logan chatting, Cally followed a path to the side of the house where she came to a small cottage garden with shrubs, beds and hedges on land gently sloping away in the direction of the main house. A small loch glimmered in the distance and a smaller conservatory sat just to the right. Taking a few stone steps down to a terrace surrounded by old walls where despite the cool air, the sun warmed Cally’s face. She’d be having a glass of wine and taking in the view from the little spot, that she knew for a fact. The air in the garden seemed even fresher than when she’d first stepped off the train. She could taste it on her tongue, clean and pure. She took another deep breath, feeling as though she would never get enough of the Highland air. Her weekend away was looking up.
For a bit, she just stood very still, listened, and vacuumed up the view. A few birds sang here and there, leaves on the huge old trees rustled, there was a faint bubble of a stream somewhere and a hoot of an owl came from the direction of the forest. Unless she was imagining it, the scenery, sounds, and smells had already softened her edges.
She continued her circuit of the cottage, stopping here and there until she was back at the front where Logan was just finishing unloading their luggage from the Land Rover. He slammed the car door shut and smiled.
Angus came out of the cottage. ‘Everything to your liking?’
Cally nodded enthusiastically. ‘Oh yes. Absolutely. Thank you. It’s exceptional.’
‘It's a special wee place, right enough. Wait till you see it in the morning light. That's when it really shines. Sit out the back there with a nice tea and watch the whole place come to life before your eyes.’
Cally smiled. She would be doing that with Scottish bells on. She picked up her bag and nodded. She could get used to the Highland life.