Darcone came to collect them late in the afternoon. Instead of seeing them back to their quarters though, they ended up in a room with a small, strange looking plane in it. A man in a uniform nodded to him and Darcone huffed once before turning around and leaving them.

“Not a very friendly sort, is he? Most aliens at least try,” Angus remarked.

“Darcone grows on ya,” Erin said, staring at their guard’s retreating back. “He’s got a lot of good qualities, but he puffs out his chest so big ya can’t look past it.”

Angus nodded as their pilot introduced himself and invited them into the little plane. Having never flown before, he and Erin both gripped their seats as the thing took off. They shot through some opening of the big metal flying machine and out into the bright blue sky. Only the strangeness of other flying vehicles convinced them they were not back home.

“There go some more fecking birds flying by us,” Angus said, staring out the window.

Erin drew in a breath and laid a hand on his arm. “Angus, look where we’re headed.”

“Would ya look at that? It’s a fecking castle.”

Angus had to pretend surprise because he’d forgotten to tell Erin he knew about it. Sincere joy made her face so beautiful it robbed him of normal speech. He smiled when she squeezed his arm.

“It looks so much more grand than those I’ve toured in Eire. In fact, it’s the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen. And it’s on its own island, no less. Who do ya think lives there?”

Angus reached out and took her hand in his. “I think it was the home of the original matchmakers. I never got the chance to tell ya, but after ya left the meeting the other day, Director John said we now owned all the material possessions that the originals had bought. I guess it’s like an inheritance for us.”

Erin blew out a breath and shook her head. “But do ya really think they owned a whole flipping castle?”

Angus lifted his shoulders. “Don’t know. Certainly makes ya wonder what they were like, doesn’t it?”

The little plane landed smoothly on a solid surface in the large courtyard that seemed designed for just such a vehicle. They were climbing out when bagpipe and flute music instantly began to play.

Looking for the source of the music, Angus’s gaze landed on a silver-haired woman and man dressed in their best Sunday plaid walking toward them. The bagpipe music instantly stopped when they did.

Dwarfing them by over a meter in height, Angus looked over their heads searching for the mysterious musicians before meeting the man’s gaze.

“Welcome to Daroonga Castle. My name is Carleton. This is my life partner, Elsa. We’re here to serve your needs.”

“Pleased to meet ya both,” Erin said, sticking out a hand.

Angus had to grin when Carleton and Elsa looked at it strangely. He saw Elsa whisper something in Carleton’s ear. He looked embarrassed briefly, then took Erin’s hand in his and bowed his head to her over it.

When Angus couldn’t hold back his snicker any longer, Erin turned and glared at him for it. He grinned and nodded to both of the castle keepers. “Thanks for coming to meet us. Do ya work here?”

He could tell his question totally surprised Carleton. But Erin’s laughter surprised everyone when the bagpipe music started up again as they began their walk toward the castle. She covered her mouth when Carleton and Elsa looked at her strangely.

“Sorry,” she said. “It’s the music. It’s like it knows every step we take.”

Carleton nodded. “There are sensors implanted across the entire castle grounds. The previous Mr. MacNamara liked the tradition of it greeting him when he arrived home.”

“Can it be turned off?” Angus asked, wanting to laugh again when Carleton’s shocked gaze met his. “Oh, it’s quite nice and all—very authentic to the Scottish part of our homeland—but don’t ya think it’s a bit much for a simple walk to yer front door?”

Elsa turned her head away to laugh over his gentle complaint, but of course they all knew she was doing it because her shoulders were shaking. Angus felt quite proud of himself when Erin had to stifle a giggle as well.

Carleton cleared his throat. “Of course, Mr. MacNamara. I’ll see the music gets deactivated today.”

“No, no. Don’t rush to do anything. I was only teasing ya,” Angus declared. “Leave the music on if Elsa and ya like walking to it. I just can’t promise I won’t laugh my arse off every time I hear it being played at my every step.”

When Carleton sniffed a little, it was all Angus could do not to laugh. The man was a bit stiff, but seemed as polite as a London hotel bellman. He grinned, wondering how much a little alien ale might loosen the man up. Elsa didn’t seem half so proper in her ways.

Seeing it from the air had been breath robbing, but the inside of the castle rendered them completely speechless. Instead of landscapes and paintings, there were medieval weapons covering nearly every inch of wall space as far as the eye could see in the cavernous space.

Rooms off to both left and right of the monstrous foyer held massive furniture sized for giants like Toorg and Berg. He remembered Nate teasing him about being much bigger than the original Angus, so he didn’t quite understand why a small man would surround himself with things that would make him feel even smaller.

He glanced at Erin and saw her mouth open wide. Chuckling, he reached over and knuckled under her chin to close it. She turned and glared at him, then laughed. It had him reaching for her hand and clasping her fingers between his. Even without her possessing a most outstanding pussy, he would still be exceedingly glad the very brave and beautiful Erin O’Shea walked by his side through this place.

“The previous MacNamaras chose a wing in the east end of the castle for their private quarters. Director John contacted me personally and said I was to let the two of you choose whatever rooms you preferred. They can be custom designed to incorporate your living preferences. All you have to do is leave a list with us. Your new quarters will be ready upon your next return.”

Angus nodded. “Ya are going to have to forgive us, Carleton. This place is quite the shock as we had no knowledge of it until today.”

His apology seemed to shift something in the man. Carleton’s gaze fell to his fingers wrapped around Erin’s.

“Elsa and I know you are… alternates. Your originals here knew you would one day be brought to the castle. The original Angus and Erin both warned us that you might be very different from the MacNamaras we were used to serving. Is there anything we can do to help your transition?”

“Oh yes,” Erin said, using the opening. “Ya can show us images of the originals and tell us what they were like. I’d like to know more about the shoes I’m filling. Now that I’ve agreed to stay, I don’t want to be letting anyone down.”

Angus watched Carleton and Elsa exchange a look, before Carleton looked back at them both.

“Actually, they wanted to tell you about themselves and their life here personally. The former MacNamaras left you a private recording. It was entrusted to my care. No one knows about it but me and Elsa… not even their children.”

“A recording? Is there a big telly we can watch it on instead of those small tablet things?” Erin asked.

There was that bravery again, but like always with his Erin, the real motivation was a genuine desire to know all she could. Angus rubbed his chest with his free hand. Falling in love was like getting the worst case of indigestion. He waited patiently for Carleton and Elsa to make a decision about Erin’s request.

“There’s a view screen in the parlor of the private suite. Let’s get you settled there and Elsa will bring you some refreshment.”

“I’m suffering from lack of sleep today. Can I trouble ya for some tea?” Erin asked.

Angus watched panic cross their faces. He chuckled at their anxiety. “She means the stimulant powder ya have with yer morning meal. We call that tea.”

They both nodded in great relief. “Good. We’ve never heard of tea,” Carleton said quietly.

Erin put a hand to her chest and pretended to lose her breath. “Never heard of tea? What kind of place have ya brought me to, Angus?” She turned a smiling face to him.

Angus laughed and smiled back. “I believe this is yer new home, Erin O’Shea.”

Erin got serious fast. “How could a body ever live in such a grand place and ever feel at home? I already miss my little peat fire bad enough. The sheer size of this place is pure torture on the senses.”

“Fire?” Carleton perked up. “I can provide you with a fire—of sorts—Mrs. MacNamara.”

“That’s wonderful,” Erin said, “but the name is O’Shea.”

“Of course,” Carleton said, glancing at his wife. “So I take it you’re not in a committed relationship?”

“Not yet, but I’m fecking working on it,” Angus said, irritated with events. “Let’s go watch yer recording. We had a little telly where we came from so we know what that’s like.”

“Very good,” Carleton said. “Please follow me.”

While his explanation had stifled the castle keeper’s personal questions, Angus had the feeling Carleton was not happy with Erin’s declaration of her unmarried status.

He was mad too.

He just wasn’t sure if it was at Carleton for being nosey, or Erin O’Shea for forgetting her own intentions about pretending they were as committed as any matchmakers this universe had known.

* * *

Erin lifted a framed photograph from the shelves that lined a whole wall of what Carleton had called the parlor. “My whole cottage would fit in this room. Look, Angus. This is them. Goddess, in this picture they look just like us.”

Angus stopped his study of all the plaques and awards his predecessor had collected. He was nowhere near as learned as the man he was replacing. His idea of education was reading a book or two during the winter months when there was little else to do on his land. Ya didn’t need book learning to be a farmer. Ya just needed a strong back and enough optimism to take the bad times with the good.

Angus took the picture when Erin held it out to him. The differences were so subtle, only he and Erin would probably have been able to deny it being a picture of them. “It’s like looking in a fecking mirror, isn’t it?”

Erin nodded and stared at it with him. “My mind’s doing that thing again where it wants to shut down and just say this isn’t happening. I go through it about three times a week now. It was about seventy times a day at first. I still don’t understand any of this, Angus. How could there have always been other versions of us and we never knew?”

Carleton walked into the room a little ahead of Elsa who followed and set down a tray with steaming mugs and what looked like fresh biscuits on it. After he revealed a hidden telly big as the one in the conference room, Carleton started a recording of what looked like the room they were standing in, then froze it.

Reaching down under the telly, he turned a knob and flames leapt to life in a grate behind a set of glass doors. Angus shook his head at how everything he’d seen in this world instantly worked at the slightest touch. If there was effort behind something, he’d yet to see anyone sweating.

Carleton looked between them, seemed to make a decision, and carried the device in his hand over to Erin, which made her smile brightly at him.

“When you’re ready, just press this button on the remote,” Carleton said.

He pointed at it until she nodded. Erin smiled again to let him know she appreciated his help.

“Press the large green button at the bottom when you’re done and ready for me to return. We’ve made your shuttle pilot comfortable and given him some refreshment as well. So you can take all the time you need without worry.”

“Thank ya for everything, Carleton. Yer kindness is greatly appreciated,” Erin said.

Carleton gave them both a little head nod and then disappeared.

“Do ya suppose Carleton is a butler?” Erin asked after he left. “I read about butlers all the time in books. Rich folks hire them to run and fetch for them.”

Angus walked to the sofa and sat. It was the most direct seat to face the giant screen. He patted the place beside him. “Come drink some tea and let’s watch this recording. The biscuits look freshly made.”

Erin stood by the sofa but didn’t sit. “I’m nervous, Angus. I’m not sure I want dead people talking to me. It’s bad enough I’ve already got to answer to humans from the future and fecking aliens.”

He chuckled at her complaining and pulled her down beside him. “Ya are not alone in being a bit spooked, but we’re already on this path. We might as well hear from the source what this is all about. I had the feeling during our meeting that Director John was only telling us what he wanted to about things. Let’s see if our other selves do a bit better by us.”