“Right!” She clapped her hands and kissed him, before turning to Sophia who had tears in her eyes as she watched the scene. “Right, Mama?”

“Right, my angel,” she rasped through her closed up throat, “anything you want.” She breathed and took in the castle again. “I couldn’t have imagined that Airgead would look so modern,” she mentioned to Alice, “it looks like Galewick Hall.”

“That’s because of a fire in the nineteenth century that destroyed a great part of the castle. The seventh duke employed the same architect, adding a third floor, Sophia,” Leonard explained.

“The Airgead estate covers fifty-thousand acres. We are blessed here; there is excellent brown trout and salmon on the spate rivers. And the bay is filled with squat lobsters, crabs, octopus, starfish, and much more,” Tavish complemented. “Some of our shellfish ends up on plates of the best restaurants in London. And we offer some of the finest hill and woodland stalking available in Scotland.”

“It’s a must for anyone who loves nature, Sophia,” concurred Alice. “And the gardens are incredible too. Airgead’s gardens receive over seventy-thousand annual visitors, between April and November.”

Beyond the lush lawns of the estate entrance, bordered by ancient sequoias, there were extensive gardens with an outstanding mixture of red and white rhododendrons and azaleas, beautiful cherry trees, various shrubs and other plants.

“It’s truly amazing,” said Sophia looking around.

“Oh, no. Not this garden,” smiled Alice. “The one at the back, near the loch. That’s really incredible.”

“Come on,” said Alistair taking Gabriela from his father’s arms and snatching Sophia’s arm from Alice’s. “You can continue this chit-chat inside. I’m hungry and I bet this little girl is too.”

“I want to choose the fish I’m going to eat and I want to see the aquarium as you promised,” Gabriela put her arm around Alistair’s neck and her fingers played with his hair. “Aren’t you going to cut your hair?”

“Ah-ah,” Sophia interrupted before he could answer. “Alistair Connor isn’t cutting anything. I like it like this. He looks like a highland prince from centuries past.”

Promoted from warrior to prince. Alistair smiled down at Sophia. It’s getting better.

“Prince Charming with long hair?” Gabriela cocked her head back to look at Alistair while she combed his hair.

Sophia grinned at Alistair and enlaced her fingers in his, “My prince charming.”

“Mm,” Gabriela had pulled his hair into a ponytail and was seriously analyzing his face. “The Beast has a ponytail, so I guess you can have long hair.”

Christ! What’s the problem with these women that they love that ugly beast? “I’m not the beast, wench,” he groaned.

Gabriela smiled unfazed at him, “Can I put a blue ribbon in your hair too?”

Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Nae. “I-”

“Aye, you can.” Lachlann allowed and Tavish laughed from behind as they entered the entrance hall. “He’ll love it, Gabriela.”

Sophia stopped dead in her tracks, craning her neck to be able to see it all. “This is... dramatic.”

The dark Armoury Hall was large and its central ceiling soared up to display the Airgead earldom crest etched on it. Small lights evenly distributed complemented the enormous iron chandelier in the center. On either side were the other crests that belonged to the MacCraig family. Breathtaking displays of arms adorned the walls, with especial attention given to antique Scottish claymores, dirks and sporrans.

“The former hall was too modest for Alistair Connor, the Beast, so when he was given Airgead, he ordered the original entrance rebuilt,” Lachlann smirked at his son. “It’s the highest ceiling in Scotland. Seventy feet.”

“God, Alistair Connor,” she eyed him. “And I’m the one with an ego problem?”

“Yeah, you must have an eating disorder, too,” he grunted and towed her to one of staircases at the end of the hall. “Let’s wash up and eat before I turn into a real hungry beast and eat this little girl in my arms.”

Gabriela’s giggles filled Sophia’s and Alistair’s hearts as they climbed up the stairs to their rooms.

4.49 p.m.

Alistair looked around the Tapestry Drawing room and found neither Sophia nor Gabriela.

“Sophia wants us to finish the guest list, Father.” He sat beside his father and opened his laptop, “Where are the girls?”

“They just left with Alice, the children and Tavish Uilleam,” answered Leonard.

“They are very much alike, you know?” Lachlann mused aloud to no one in particular, as he put his feet on the ottoman, peering at Sophia and Gabriela’s photo on Alistair’s computer screen.

Leonard turned to look at his father-in-law, his brow creased, “What do you mean?”

“Tavish Uilleam and Sophia. They both have known pain. Physical and spiritual. They’ll form a steady friendship. You’ll see.”

Alistair, who was typing, stiffened and his stance darkened. “There can be no friendship between a man and a woman as beautiful as Sophia.”

“Don’t be stupid, Alistair Connor,” Lachlann scowled, “he’s your brother.”

“I’m going after them.” He closed the computer decidedly.

“No, you’re not,” said Lachlann and Leonard in unison.

“Don’t smother her, Alistair,” Leonard admonished. “Give Sophia some space.”

“He’s your brother and she’s your fiancée,” Lachlann reasoned. “Since he came back from Afghanistan, getting close to Tavish Uilleam has been hard. Once he allows someone in, he embraces them wholeheartedly. I don’t know how, but she found a way into the hearts of each and every one in this family. Besides, you know Tavish is fiercely protective of those he loves. And he loves you, Alistair Connor.”

Alistair fisted his hands and struggled with the jealousy that burned in his veins.

He opened the computer again and unleashed his emotions in shaving down the first guest list he had done.

Sunday, April 18th, 2010.


11.23 a.m.

Sophia was being lulled to sleep by Gabriela and Ariadne’s hushed giggles and the sound of waves, coming through the speakers, in the peaceful pool lounge.

The building that housed the spa was located in a small elevation and faced the stunning Gairloch beach, a small distance from the main castle. Light came in through skylights and the floor-to-ceiling glass wall, where the infinite pool seemed to join the clear green waters of the bay. Hidden from the castle by a hedge of well positioned cheery trees and flowering shrubs, it was a modern construction, taking full advantage of the landscape and the view.

“It’s easy to understand why so many people flock to Airgead, isn’t it?” Leonard commented as he sat on the chair next to Sophia’s.

She opened her yes and looked at him, “Yep, it’s truly breathtaking. A peaceful haven. It... awakens the senses and relaxes the mind.”

“It’s too quiet,” complained Alice, sitting on another chair. “It’s a blissful escape to replenish the energies, but I prefer the city. It’s good for a short visit.”

“I’d like to live in a calmer place,” Sophia sighed, eyeing a couple on their honeymoon, who were staying at the castle.

Alistair propped on an elbow to look at her, surprised, “You wouldn’t. No fancy restaurants, no Chanel, no Van Cleef, no sports cars. What else?”

I wouldn’t miss any of it, Alistair Connor. “No need for bodyguards, no press gossiping about what you’re doing, wearing and so on. No need to rush around all day, spectacular horses to ride and, more important, more time with Gabriela.” She looked at her daughter playing in the pool and smiled. “Besides, there are enough books in that library for a few lifetimes.” How about you?

“Aye,” he sneered, “your books. I still think you’d soon be bored.”

“Yeah, my books. And a mother is never bored, Alistair Connor. Once a month, we could take a week off and travel somewhere. This would be home.”

Alistair put a hand on her forehead, teasing, “Are you sick? This is not the Sophia I know.”

The Sophia you know... She smiled at him. “There are many Sophias in this one.” And I like this much more.

Who is this new Sophia? “You would truly live in the country?”

“Why not? Look around. There is this beach, which is as beautiful as any in the Caribbean and lots of fresh shellfish and fish; a stunning garden and woodland where you can walk for miles without meeting anyone, but birds and wild life; mountains where you can go skiing in the winter. And amazing friendly people. What else do you need?”

“You do make it sound better than living in London,” Alice said as Alistair raised his eyebrows not convinced at all.

“Well, London has its appeal like New York or Paris. Or any big city. Lots of traffic, pollution, millions of people hurrying to and fro, who don’t even look you in the eye. As for the museums, theaters, cultural entertainment,” she shrugged, “since you have a chopper and a private airplane, they can be reached in mere hours.”

“Fucking unbelievable,” Tavish muttered. “Do you have sisters, Sophia?”

Sophia laughed. “Well, Carol’s already engaged but there are the twins-”

“Oh, no!” Alistair sat in a fluid movement. “Those two spitfires would drive Tavish Uilleam crazy in a second.”

“I don’t want two, just one,” Tavish informed, amused.

Alistair shook his head, “I don’t think they would survive apart. They are practically... Siamese. They complete each other’s sentences. They can talk telepathically. They even dress alike, matching everything from their hairbands to their shoes. It’s weird.”