Chapter 2: Hurdles
“That was incredibly rude of your guest, Niall,” Angus drawled as Niall walked back into the drawing room.
“No more than you both not extending a hand of welcome to a visitor in our home,” he snapped back, enraged. “It must have been pretty clear to her that she was as welcome here as mold, both from your rudeness and your tone.” He looked over at his mother as he spoke, and she turned her eyes down to the cup of tea she held in her hands. “Ms. Jamison is a guest here for the weekend, and is likely to return over the course of the renovation process. You don’t have to like what I have planned for the estate, but you do have to pretend that you have the manners of a commoner between the three of you!”
His mother bristled. “How dare you! Watch your tone with me, young man!”
Niall sneered. “Or what, Mother? You’ll take away my allowance? Kick me out of the house? Force me to live on my own like an adult?”
His twin siblings both had the grace to blush at his angry words. Neither of them had ever lived a day of their twenty-six years outside of Bannock Castle, supported by their only remaining parent, despite both having advanced degrees from university. Niall only stayed in the castle when there was business to be done, as now, or when there were official functions at which he, as the sitting earl, was expected to be present. He preferred his own private residence at Barrowwood Hall, a stately manor closer to Edinburgh.
His mother sniffed. “There was no call for that remark, Niall,” she said, but there was little heat in her words. She clearly knew what he thought of her enabling of her younger children’s behavior.
“I’ll ensure that Ms. Jamison is present at breakfast tomorrow morning, so that she can bring you up to speed on the plans for the estate going forward. But for the rest of her stay, if she chooses to have her meals elsewhere, and to interact with you all as little as possible, I’ll see to it that she gets her wish. I wouldn’t want to have to spend time with ill-mannered people, either. Particularly in a place that’s expecting to attract paying visitors.”
“She’s not a paying visitor, though, is she?” Angus sneered.
“She is my guest. I am paying for her stay. You would do well to remember that.”
The further reminder that he had no earned money of his own clearly angered Angus, but aside from his color deepening, so that he looked rather like a lobster, he did not react to his brother’s taunt.
Niall helped himself to a cup of tea and took one of the delicate sandwiches from the plate, devouring it in two bites. He ate another and finished his tea, all while standing at the window that looked out onto one of the estate’s formal gardens. He felt on edge, off kilter, and he knew it had to do with more than just his anger with his family. Meeting Willa Mae Jamison had done something to his internal systems, and he felt as off balance as a baby just taking his first steps.
Niall had met many beautiful women in his time. He had played with almost all of them. But he knew the moment Willa Mae introduced herself to him that there was just something different about her. Her beauty was the exotic kind so rarely seen in Scotland…a warm, dusky skin tone that glowed and beckoned him to her. When she had smiled at him that first time, his pulse had kicked up a notch. She was a woman of average height, though he had to admit that next to him she seemed shorter than she was. Her brown skin tone were a stark and seductive contrast to his fair one. Her body was deliciously curved, her oval face blessed with high cheekbones, long, dark lashes, and a lush mouth. She was breathtakingly beautiful to him, and he couldn’t seem to find a steady leg to stand on when she was near.
He knew that part of his family’s initial response to her stemmed from the shock of having an African American woman stay at the castle. It didn’t help their narrow-mindedness that she was also a highly successful businesswoman in her own right. It wouldn’t have escaped any of them that she was an independent woman working in a career that gave her opportunities to travel and see the world. His siblings traveled extensively, but not on their own dime. Willa Mae must therefore be an embarrassment to them, making her doubly disliked. Add to all that her reason for being there, and the deck was firmly stacked against her as far as his family was concerned.
Still, he was determined to go through with his plan to renovate and upgrade the castle while keeping its authentic lines. It would reopen in six months as a guest house for people who wanted to explore Scotland at a reasonable rate without having to sacrifice luxury and comfort. His family wanted none of it, preferring to keep it drafty and dark, because “it all adds character and charm, Niall”. They would only willingly agree to a fresh coat of paint, a sprucing up of the guest rooms, and the replacement of some infrastructure, such as ancient and malfunctioning bathrooms and the equipment in the kitchen.
“Have you told Ms. Jamison of our wishes with regard to the castle’s renovation?” his mother demanded suddenly.
“She has been apprised of everything relating to our plans. I’ll be giving her a tour of the house and grounds tomorrow, and she has my permission to take pictures everywhere but your living spaces.”
Niall knew he had to make it clear that Willa Mae had his permission to take photographs, or his brother, in particular, would make it his business to impede her at every turn. Sometimes he wondered what he had done to be saddled with a family like his. During such times, he wished his father were still alive. The old man would have been more than a match for all of them, and Niall would have had him as a stalwart ally.
“I hope she will be receptive to them,” his mother continued, sipping her tea.
“Ms. Jamison is here to provide us with the best possible advice for making a go of this venture, so we don’t keep losing money. It’s time we turned a profit.”
“Your ancestor didn’t acquire this castle to make money off it, Niall,” the countess reminded him waspishly, taking another aggravated sip of tea.
“My ancestor didn’t live in a centuries-old castle that was crumbling around his ears, either.” Niall’s response was as snappish as his mother’s had been. “He also had servants to keep it in trim shape. We don’t. Those days are over, and if you expect to keep this castle as a monument to some long-forgotten traditions, you’ll allow Ms. Jamison to do everything she can to make it a viable operation.”
“I don't see how any good can come from people trampling all over our home,” she insisted in a hog-pitched voice. “Don’t you agree, children?”
“We do need the money, Mama,” Angus said. “But I understand your reluctance to let strangers into our home. Perhaps Ms. Jamison will see it our way and keep the changes to a minimum, after all.”
“That would be for the best all round, I’m sure,” Alison chimed in, her tone conciliatory.
Niall had had enough of the conversation. He knew that his mother would adamantly oppose any improvements that would make the castle an open asset to the village, despite the potential for making a lot of money from it. She wanted the castle to remain as some kind of bastion to the gentility that only she clung to so desperately. She wanted her titles and her status to remain untouched by the realities of a home in desperate need of modernizing and a non-existent family fortune.
He sighed. He hadn’t told anyone that it was his wealth that was keeping the castle afloat. His speculations in property in Scotland and abroad had helped him amass a large independent fortune, which he used to supplement the meager income brought in from infrequent tourist visits to the castle. For the moment, he would keep that knowledge to himself. He knew his mother would try every machination she could imagine to stop his plans. But she had forgotten who she was dealing with. Niall had never been one to abide by the rules and laws of others except where they were of benefit to him. Anyone who crossed him found out soon enough that it was a bad idea to do so. He prayed his mother would relent before he had to pull out the big guns.
“I have some calls to make, and then I’ll be taking Ms. Jamison out for the evening. I’ll see you all at breakfast.”
Nodding curtly to his mother, he ignored his siblings and found Andrews waiting for him at his study door.
“What would you like me to do about Ms. Jamison’s accommodations, Mr. Niall?” he inquired.
“Put her in the suite next to mine, Andrews,” he said. “That suite is always ready for family, so the housekeeper won’t have to go to the trouble of preparing another room from scratch.”
“As you wish, sir. The lady is asleep now…when I took her tray up to her, I found her door ajar and herself sprawled quite delightfully across the bed, sound asleep.”
Andrews grinned, and the sight made Niall laugh softly. “I’m sure a trans-Atlantic flight is tiring, especially if she had been working flat out before she got on the plane. I’ll wake her in a while. Be ready to move her things as soon as we leave. Please have Mrs. Reid prepare a light supper before she leaves, so Ms. Jamison can have something before bed.”
“Understood, sir.”
After Andrews left, Niall made a few calls. He had a couple of business partners whom he was courting to bring in to work with him on the castle upgrades. He was prepared to give them a share of the profits, and they were currently negotiating terms. The men had been his friends since his undergraduate days, and he knew he could trust them. By the time he had set up meetings with each man, one in London, the other in New York, it was time to wake Willa Mae. As he climbed the stairs, his thoughts returned to Andrews’ description of her sprawled across the bed asleep. The idea made his heart skip a beat. What would he see when he went up?
He didn’t have to wait long for an answer. Although Andrews had closed the door, preserving her privacy, Niall barely knocked before turning the handle and pushing it open. Willa Mae was still asleep. Niall didn’t know how she had been lying before he got there, but now she was on her side, one arm tucked beneath her head, the other curved across her chest. Her lips were slightly parted, and a soft snore stole from between them before she closed them. Her slacks would be wrinkled when she woke, and the silk blouse covering her upper body would also be worse for wear. Her hips and breasts drew his gaze, and he looked away, swallowing and inhaling deeply to stop his body from hardening at the sight.
“Willa Mae! Wake up! It’s almost time to go.”
Niall forced himself to wake her, so he would have to stop his intense scrutiny of her face and body. He watched her come to consciousness and raise sleepy eyes to his face. It took her only a couple of seconds to remember where she was, and she sat up hurriedly, the material of her blouse sliding down over her breasts while the slacks bunched ups around her hips. Niall tightened all his muscles to stop his body from reacting.
“What are you doing here?’ she demanded, her voice husky with sleep.
“Waking you. We have a date, remember?”
He would need to keep his distance from her if he was to retain any kind of control around her. Better to tease her, to irritate her, to get her testy with him than to continue down a road that would end with her in his bed. While it would be a sweet thing to have the beauty before him under him instead, theirs was a business relationship, and he couldn’t allow anything to get in the way of his plans. Especially not an unwanted attraction to a woman who would be gone again in two days.
“I’ll be down in a few minutes,” she said, sliding to the edge of the bed and standing up.
“Bring a cardigan with you. It can get a might nippy in the evenings.”
Niall turned and walked out before he gave in to the urge to pull her round body flush with his. He went to his suite and took a quick shower, changing into blue jeans, a button-down shirt, and slid his feet into black loafers. Swinging his leather jacket over his shoulder, he walked down to the foyer and found Andrews waiting.
“I assumed you’d want the roadster this evening, Mr. Niall,” he said with a knowing smirk.
Niall chuckled. Sometimes he wondered what he’d do without the man who could read him like a book.
“Thanks, Andrews. I hope it won’t be too cool to ride with the top down for a while.”
“I took the liberty of placing a blanket in the back, sir, in the event it becomes needed.”
Another knowing look had Niall stifling a full blown laugh. “I cannot afford to be remiss in my behavior, Andrews. Ms. Jamison is here on business.”
“So, no hanky panky, my lord?” Now Andrews’ tone was openly mocking.
“Precisely. I’ll have to be on my best behavior.”
“I can only wish you the very best of luck with that, sir,” he quipped. “Because Ms. Jamison is quite an attractive woman.”
“I see you noticed that as well,” Niall retorted.
“One would have to be blind to miss it, sir,” the butler responded, chuckling.
Footsteps on the stairs halted their lighthearted conversation, and Niall turned to watch the subject of the conversation as she made her way down the stairs. Willa Mae had also changed into jeans and a white button-down, and she wore a denim jacket over the shirt.
“I hope I haven’t kept you waiting,” she said, hurrying from the last stair to where he was standing with Andrews.
“Not to worry,” he said. “Shall we?”
He extended his arm and braced himself for the touch of her hand on his flesh, like a pilot bracing for impact. When she touched him, his whole body heated up, starting where her fingers touched him at his elbow and spiraling outward.
“Have a pleasant evening, Ms. Jamison,” Andrews said, smiling brightly at her.
The answering smile she blessed him with lit up her whole face, and drew a sharp breath from Niall’s lungs.
“Thank you, Andrews. I’ll do my best.”
Niall walked her out to the bright yellow Mercedes two-seater and after settling her in the passenger seat, he got in himself and said, before he started off,
“Would you prefer the top up?” he asked?
“Not if it doesn’t bother you,” she replied, not looking at him. “My braids will withstand the wind blowing through them.”
He wished she would let him see her dark eyes, but she steadfastly looks ahead as he drove off. He took her around the surrounding villages, letting her get a feel for the area, and slowed or stopped so she could take pictures in the waning light of late afternoon. Then he drove into town and parked in front of the best eatery the village boasted, The Golden Goose.
“This pub serves the very best local foods,” he told her, and you will get a feel for what village life is like after dark.”
“Sounds like fun,” she said, slanting a brief smile his way.
Immediately as they entered, there was a rousing cry. “Hail to the laird!” Niall laughed, and everyone laughed with him.
“Evening, m’lord!” the innkeeper said, grinning facetiously at him.
“Evening, Al!” Niall teased in his turn. “What’s on tap?”
“Depends. Introductions first, so I can know what to suggest. Who’s the bonnie wee lass on yer arm?”
Niall felt a wave of possessiveness wash over him. He shook himself and released Willa Mae.
“Alistair, meet Ms. Willa Mae Jamison of New York. Willa Mae, meet Alistair Marshall, proprietor of this establishment.”
She extended a hand, and Alistair wiped his own on his apron before taking it. Niall watched as the publican’s big hand enveloped her own, and wished he could hold her hand without reacting.
“It’s a real pleasure to meet you, lassie,” he said. “You seem like a wine sort of woman.”
“I am, usually, but I’m here to learn new things. What would you suggest for a newbie to the beer drinking scene?”
“A lager would be best to start with, lass.”
Niall led Willa Mae around to the side of the pub, where a table had been magically cleared for them to sit. Although he didn’t expect or demand it, the people in the village were genuinely fond of him, and proud of the Drummond family heritage. They also heartily approved of his plans for renovating the castle, since it could only benefit them in the form of greater traffic through the town and more profit from the sale of local items, food, and, any overflow from the castle’s lodgings would spill into the town’s two inns.
One of those inns housed the pub in which they were seated, and as the publican brought their drinks, Niall told her a little of the history of the village and its castle. Established in the late 1500s, the castle, named after the village of Bannock, was established as secondary residence and fortress for a duke at the time. The duke died without an heir, and his will passed the castle on to his cousins the Drummonds. The details of that will indicated that in fact the estate was paid for, as it were, by the Earl of Ayesthorpe, who paid for a grand funeral and burial for the duke in what had come to be known as Bannock’s Folly.
“That’s quite an unusual story,” Willa Mae said, sipping her drink.
“My mother does not like the tale of ownership repeated. It takes away all the romance of an ancient castle, she says, and no one will respect a family whose heritage was purchased.”
Niall swallowed a mouthful of the dark ale he had ordered, thinking bitterly about how his mother’s need to impress people who would likely be enthralled by the unusual history of the castle.
“That’s an angle we should pursue,” Willa Mae said. “The Drummond family castle a tribute to loyalty among family members. Depending on how you package it, that could become a key piece of the pull of the castle. People like the unexpected. They like to hear that fairy tales can come true, that you can buy your way to happiness. Even if it’s ultimately untrue. It’s definitely something for you to think about.”
Niall liked that they seemed to be thinking along the same lines. He liked that Willa Mae was seeing the story as part of the sales pitch for a venture which would pit his small castle against larger, more popular, and more traditionally historic residences than his own. If they could pull this off, Bannock Castle would become a tourist destination to be proud of, despite its small size and lack of importance in Scottish history.
He smiled at her, and her eyes widened as though she had seen a ghost. “Is everything alright?” he asked solicitously, looking around to see what could have startled her.
“Yes…yes, everything’s fine.”
She took a bigger swallow of the lager, and wiped her lips on her napkin. He watched as she avoided his gaze, and wondered suddenly if she was also feeling the pull of attraction that he was feeling. He was determined to resist it, so he turned her attention to the menu that the publican had provided with their drinks.
“What would you like to try tonight?”
Willa Mae looked at the menu and said, after a long moment of consideration, “I guess I’d like to try the haggis with potatoes and turnips,” she began, and it looks like there are one or two dessert items I might like as well. Not sure which to choose.”
“What are they? Perhaps we can share them,” Niall said.
“One is called a clootie dumpling,” she wrinkled her brow as she spoke, and the other is…crannachan? Is that how you say it?”
Niall smiled. You’re close enough. Why don’t we order one of each, and share them?”
“That’s very kind of you. Thank you.”
A waitress appeared to take their order. He had the Angus beef meal, which included potatoes, turnips, peas and carrots. While they waited for their food, Niall asked what she thought about the pub.
“I read that most pubs don’t serve an evening meal,” she said. “So this is quite a pleasant surprise.”
“This pub is part of one of the two inns in the village. The other pub is where the younger crowd hang out, and they don’t serve dinner, just lunch, and tea on weekends.”
“Will I be able to visit that one as well?”
“If you’d like, we can stop in tomorrow,” he promised her.
“So, how large an inn is this? It seems quite small from the outside.”
“If I’m not mistaken, they have four rooms, one with an ensuite bathroom. Sort of like a junior suite.”
“Is it pricey?”
“Quite inexpensive, though I imagine that if all goes well with our plans, that will change.”
“They’ll have to do a bit of sprucing up themselves, to draw visitors in, even with low prices,” she added, taking in her surroundings. “But the pub will be a bonus, as folks won’t need to go anywhere to have a drink, and if they imbibe too freely, they only need walk upstairs. Sweet deal, if you can get it.”
Niall was becoming more and more enamored at the sound of her voice as she reeled out idea after idea for how the village would benefit from his improvements at the castle. He liked her enthusiasm, and he could tell she really enjoyed what she did for a living. When the waitress returned with their food, he took in the wide smile she graced the young woman with, and he wished he could taste that smile. Lowering his eyes quickly, he waited until the waitress had left to say,
“As you Americans would say, dig in!”
At least as long as they were eating, he had somewhere else to put his eyes, and other things he could think about than her smile and her subtle scent and the way she licked her lips as she ate… he dragged his eyes away again and sighed inwardly. Dinner couldn’t end too soon for him.