Tall, Dark and Kilted (13 page)

She’d
love
coffee, but the tea was on the table. Readily accessible caffeine was the best caffeine.

“Where’s Uncle Mac?” She poured a cup of the tea. “Is he sleeping late?”

“Your uncle?” Aunt Birdie nearly choked on a piece of smoked haddock. “He was up and away before the sun. It’s him that they’re all fussing about this morning.”

“Uncle Mac?”

Aunt Birdie nodded, her gaze flicking to the agitated colonel.

“Bollocks!” Seated at the head of a large antique pine table, he waved a speared sausage. “He’ll not find anything but bog cotton and muck on his wellies! You didn’t hear
him
saying he was going off to look for Vikings, did you?”

Across the table from him, Violet Manyweathers sniffed. “Of course he didn’t say the like. He doesn’t want to alarm us unduly.”

“You’ve gone full dotty.” The colonel popped the sausage into his mouth and chewed angrily.

“The laird never goes out so early,” Flora Duthie chimed, tucking a napkin into her collar. “Not before his breakfast. We all know that.”

As unobtrusively as she could, Cilla parted the glossy dark green leaves of the coffee bean tree and sneaked a look at the other table.

The only one occupied besides hers and Aunt Birdie’s.

“Mac MacGhee’s business is just that—his business.” Colonel Darling forked another sausage. “He won’t appreciate a gaggle of old biddies speculating on how he chooses to fill his morning.”

Flora ignored the insult. “The Vikings were especially active last night,” she said, adding a pinch of salt to her porridge. “Like as not he saw them, too, and hoped to catch any that might still be floating about.”

“Might still be floatin’ aboot!”
Red-faced, the colonel mimicked the tiny woman’s burr. “The only thing floating about this place is that insufferable boxtie.”

He yanked his tweed cap more snugly onto his head and shot an angry look at Violet. “That abominable bird of yours is the real spook. Mark my words.”

Her expression infinitely calm, Violet spooned a helping of haggis onto her plate. “Gregor is a bonxie, not a boxtie. And”—she returned the serving spoon to the dish of haggis—“who the spook around here is, is a matter of opinion.”

Flora tittered.

Colonel Darling reached for his tea, nearly dropping the cup when Leo shot out from under the table and leapt up to snatch the napkin off his lap.

“Damnation!” He half rose from his chair, shaking a fist at the retreating dachshund. “Long-backed little bugger! I’ll get my hands on him one of these days!” he roared, dropping back onto his seat. “Him, and that wretched boxtie.”

“Great skua, affectionately known as a bonxie.” Honoria waltzed into the room, bearing a platter heaped with crispy bacon, black pudding, and steaming scrambled eggs.

“Affectionately!”
The colonel glared at her.

Looking pleased to have corrected him, the housekeeper plunked her tray onto a large oak buffet near his table. “You’ll not be touching either creature or you’ll have to contend with me.”

“Bah!” He grabbed a piece of toast and started smearing it with butter. “Bring me another napkin or you’ll have
me
to deal with.”

“I’m trembling in my shoes.” The housekeeper’s lips twitched as she did as he bid, even spreading the napkin on his lap for him.

“Harrumph.” He nodded gruff thanks and returned to his toast.

Cilla released her grip on the coffee bean tree leaves and turned back to the table. Through the windows she caught a swift movement out on the lawn, near the sundial. Her heart leapt, then dipped when she spotted two rabbits playing chase in the grass.

She’d thought it’d been
him
.

Her Kiltie.

Despite his antics—if he was indeed behind the red devil face—some crazy-mad part of her wanted to see him again.

But nothing moved on the emerald green lawn except sun shadows, the rabbits, and a sparrow that seemed intent on pecking at something on the stone face of the sundial.

“Honoria!”

Cilla started. The colonel’s bark brought her back inside the conservatory.

“Cook forgot to serve Flora’s porridge in her wooden bowl.” He held up the silver porringer as evidence. “Porridge cools too quickly in this contraption, fancy as it is.”

Cilla watched as the housekeeper took the silver bowl without a twitch of irritation.

Holding the porridge before her, she started for the door. “I’ll fetch another serving and make sure we use Flora’s special bowl.”

The colonel nodded, clearly appeased.

Flora gave him a twittery smile.

“See?” Aunt Birdie reached across the table to nudge Cilla’s arm. “The bickering between them is pure stuff and nonsense. They’re all actually quite fond of each other. I suspect that’s a reason they’ve stayed with us when others have left.”

“Did the others really leave because of Viking ghosts?”

Aunt Birdie shrugged.

“That’s what they said, yes.” She lowered her voice. “See, my dear, with the exception of those like your uncle and Achilles—that’s Colonel Darling—many people hereabouts still believe in the old folklore and traditions.”

“I know they do.” Cilla smoothed her napkin into place. “I remember you saying so when you’d visit Yardley.”

“It’s still true.” Aunt Birdie brushed at her skirt. “Seers and second sight, healing rituals and sacred places are all things that are still widely accepted. And”—she glanced out at the sun-bright morning—“not just in gathering twilight or on long winter nights.”

“Then you’d think the notion of ghosts wouldn’t bother them.” Cilla slid another look at the sundial. The rabbits and the little sparrow were gone. “Why—”

“Because along with the harmless and good, like believing a branch of rowan tacked above the byre door will safeguard the health of the animals within, there are other, darker beliefs, as well.”

“Such as?”

Aunt Birdie looked at her, her face as sincere and earnest as ever. “Omens and taboos that can be quite frightening. The evil eye and the powers of goodwives whose magic is anything but.”

“Even today?” Cilla had trouble believing it. “People really worry about those things?”

“Don’t forget you’re in Scotland, dear.” Aunt Birdie topped off her teacup. “And Sutherland, remote and rugged as it is, is Highland Scotland at its best and its worst, depending on your viewpoint.”

Visions of the red devil face rose in Cilla’s mind and she opened her mouth to say so, but closed it as quickly. Aunt Birdie and Uncle Mac had enough on their plates without her adding hovering devils to the brew.

She cleared her throat, pushing the image aside. “So the residents who left really were afraid of Viking ghosts?”

“Indeed they were, sadly.” A tiny crease appeared between Aunt Birdie’s brows. “One woman confided she feared the Norsemen were harbingers of doom. That they’d come to get her in her sleep. Sort of like the tales down south of those huge phantom dogs said to slink about the moors at night. To see one of the great black beasts meant certain death.”

Cilla shivered. “I’m sorry. I wish—”

“Things will improve. Our stalwarts are still here and soon others will join us. I am sure of it.” Aunt Birdie flashed a smile and reached for a basket of what looked to be very large and thick scones.

“Have a soda farl.” She jiggled the basket. “Cook really has a way with them. And”—she cast a look at the colonel and his buttered toast—“they’re much better than toast. Like the English, the Scots never seem able to serve anything but cold toast.”

“What about you?” Cilla took one of the soda farls. “Do you think there are Viking ghosts?”

“Me?” Aunt Birdie set down the basket, her arm bangles jingling again. “You know I believe in ghosts. I’m sure there are plenty Viking ones all up and down Scotland’s coasts. But I’ve yet to sense any here.”

“And the chivalrous ghost you said was angry at Grant for ditching me?” Cilla’s heart skittered on the words. “Is he still here?”

She had to ask.

Even though she knew the question put two bright spots of red on her cheeks.

“A ghost angry at Grant?” Aunt Birdie didn’t seem to remember.

“That’s what you said.” Cilla wished she’d never mentioned him. She could still feel his hot gaze raking her. His fingers brushing her nipples, and his soft, warm breath tickling her neck when he’d leaned close that once.

She shifted on the chair, crossing her legs before such thoughts brought on another attack of the tingles.

“Ahhh, it’s coming back to me.” Aunt Birdie tilted her head, peering into nowhere. “He was quite dashing if I recall correctly. At least”—her lips curved in a soft smile—“his
energy
was bold, even rakish. That’s all I caught, regrettably. A fleeting impression, no more.”

“And now?”

Aunt Birdie’s brow creased again. “Now . . .” She closed her eyes, concentrating. “I cannot sense him at all.”

“He’s gone?”

“He’s not here at the moment, no.” Her aunt’s eyes popped open, clear and focused again. “That doesn’t mean he won’t return. Many ghosts come and go at Dunroamin, even if your uncle scoffs at the notion. I’m not the only one who notices them. My theory is that they feel at ease here, perhaps because we keep things as they were.”

She picked up her teacup and took a sip, watching Cilla over the rim. “To our residents—and us—Dunroamin is a refuge from the stresses of modern life. Why should that change in the afterlife? Why wouldn’t such souls seek a slower-paced, edge-of-the-world haven if they appreciated such places in their earthly lives?”

Cilla bit her lip.

Something told her that Kiltie had very different reasons for popping by Dunroamin.

Reasons she suspected might be dangerous to know.

As was the kilted ghost himself, she was sure!

“Aunt Birdie . . .” She drew a breath to change the subject. “What did the colonel mean about bog cotton and muck on Uncle Mac’s boots? Where is he, anyway?”

Her aunt’s mouth twitched. “He’s just there where the colonel so aptly described. Out in the middle of his peat cuttings, but not to look for ghosts. He’s helping Honoria’s nephews load a lorry with peat.”

“Loading peat?” Cilla’s eyes widened. “Isn’t that backbreaking work?”

“It is.” Aunt Birdie’s brow crease returned. “Although this is the first year we haven’t had a score of helpers, young Robbie and Roddie are perfectly capable of doing the work on their own. But you know your uncle. . . .”

Cilla set down her fork. “He is rather stubborn.”

“That isn’t the half of it.” Aunt Birdie glanced over to the residents’ table, where voices were rising again. “It’d be easier to soften stone by boiling it than to get him to see reason sometimes.”

“But why does he need a whole lorry of peat? As close as his moorland is—”

“That bloody bird has a wingspread of five feet!”

Cilla jumped, Colonel Darling’s outburst about Gregor cutting her off.

Someone—Violet?—tsk-tsked. “If you’d be nice to him—”

“Nice, you say? To a dive-bombing pterodactyl?” The colonel flushed red. “I once heard of a chap who lost the tip of his nose to one of your beloved boxties!”

When he quieted, Cilla turned back to her aunt. “I meant, with Uncle Mac’s moorland so close by, can’t he just have Robbie and Roddie bring up the peat as needed?”

“We do that with the peat we burn at Dunroamin.” Aunt Birdie sipped her tea, immune to the ruckus at the other table. “It’s the distillery peat that needs a lorry.”

“Distillery peat?”

“That’s right.” Aunt Birdie looked at her, a touch of pride in her deep blue eyes. “Dunroamin has superior peat, or so your uncle believes. If you didn’t know, it’s peat smoke that distinguishes Highland whisky. Distilleries use it to dry their barley. All peat has its own distinctive reek, depending on area. That’s what determines a whisky’s ultimate flavor. Our Dunroamin peat is prized for the rich, earthy-sweet tang of its smoke and—”

“So Uncle Mac’s gone into the distillery business?” Cilla tried to remember.

“No, the
peat
business.” Aunt Birdie refilled their teacups. “He’s been trying to sell our peat to a few of the area’s smaller distilleries. Simmer Dim and Northern Mist are just two that have shown interest. Now, with their initial orders coming in and”—she set down the teapot, frowning—“the local young men who’d agreed to help refusing to set foot on our moors, we’re in danger of losing this avenue of supplemental income, as well.”

“Don’t tell me the locals are afraid of Viking ghosts, too?” Cilla stared at her aunt. Shades of Dawn Paterson and her parents whirled across her mind. “Or is there another reason Uncle Mac’s helpers left him in the lurch?”

“That’s the million-dollar question, my dear.” Aunt Birdie sighed. “Sutherland has never been an easy place to make a living. Your uncle suspects someone bribed the young men, luring them away with promises of better-paying jobs elsewhere.”

Cilla frowned.

That she could believe.

“So it isn’t about ghosts?”

“I’d say it’s a little bit of both.” Aunt Birdie squinted in the bright sun slanting in through the windows. “People hereabouts
are
superstitious. Word spreads quicker than a brushfire. If you sneezed, I can guarantee you everyone in Tongue would know it before you had a chance to reach for a tissue.”

“That sounds like Yardley.” Cilla couldn’t keep the bitterness out of her voice. “Before I drove home from the Charm Box, everyone along the Eastern sea-board knew I couldn’t sell my jewelry.”

“It’s a far cry from Yardley.” Aunt Birdie was her serene self again. “Who could blame the local lads if they were lured away by better-paying jobs? Many have young families to support. If they backed out because they fear something evil haunts our peat banks, well, that’s understandable, too.”

“Because this is the wilds of northern Scotland,” Cilla borrowed her aunt’s earlier words, “and Viking ghosts really might be putting in an appearance.”

Aunt Birdie took a sip of tea. “Exactly.”

“I still think it’s lousy.” Cilla sat up straighter. She knew all about how it felt to watch one’s livelihood crumble away to nothing.