The Inheritance Read Free

gothic.  Have you Googled it?  Maybe there’s a picture online?”  Her excitement was contagious, but I wasn’t biting.
                  “I don’t want to.  I want to be surprised and see it in person.  It’s more fun that way.”
    “You ’re right.  I’m jumping ahead of myself as usual.  It’s like waiting for Christmas morning to open your gift instead of finding it in your mother’s closet and taking a peek before she wraps it.  Not that I’ve done that.”  We both knew perfectly well that no gift had ever been an actual surprise.
    “Exactly!” I said laughing.  “Ok ay, got to go book my flight.  See you tomorrow.  We’re still on for dinner, right?” 
    “ Absolutely.  See you there.”
    I logged on to Travelocity to find myself a flight to Edinburgh.  My adventure was about to begin and despite my apprehension , I was getting excited.  What was the worst thing that could happen?  Worst case scenario was that I would have a nice vacation in Europe all expenses paid.  Best case scenario, I would have a nice vacation in Europe all expenses paid.  Whatever I would find in Scotland wouldn’t change my life.  I would simply have to sign some papers and decide how to dispose of my new property and then return home restored and refreshed.  Nothing to worry about.

Chapter 4
     
    My flight to Scotland was very pleasant.  I flew Continental out of Newark and we took off exactly on time.  There wasn’t a screaming child within hearing distance and the meal was actually edible.  I thought I wouldn’t be able to sleep, but all my anxiety over this trip finally caught up with me and I dozed off, only to wake up as the flight attendants started serving breakfast and handing out the customs forms.  Mr. Ogilvy promised to meet me and drive me to a bed and breakfast close to my castle.  We would decide on the rest of the plan later.
    Daniel Ogilvy wasn’t at all what I expected.  I think I was looking for a taller version of the Lucky Leprechaun, but this man was dark, handsome and well-dressed in an expensive pin-stripe navy suit, with a gorgeous silk tie in shades of blue and gray that brought out his slate-gray eyes.  He shook my hand as he introduced himself and immediately took hold of my bags.  His Mercedes was parked outside and he opened the passenger door for me before loading my bags into the trunk, or the boot, as he called it.  Another suave foreigner , I thought with an inward sigh of longing. 
    “Sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.  It should take us close to three hours to get there.   I took the liberty of booking you a room at a B&B.  It’s the only one in the area, so it’s not as if there was much choice to be made.  It’s run by a lovely couple and the house dates back to the eighteenth century.  It’s charming.  The meals are included, so you don’t have to worry about anything,” he informed me with a smile as he took the airport exit and headed north.
    “When will I see the castle , Mr. Ogilvy?”
    “It’s entirely up to you.  I booked myself a room as well, so we can do it this afternoon, or if you ’re tired from your trip we can drive out tomorrow morning. It’s not too far from the town of the same name.  We can visit the distillery the following day.  And please, call me Danny.”
    “I ’m anxious to see it.  I didn’t look it up because I wanted to be surprised.  The anticipation is killing me,” I confessed.
    “I see you have a flair for the dramatic,” he said with a smile.  “I would have done the same.  However, if you did look it up, you would have found some references to this castle.  It has a long and bloody history.”
    “Just blood, no romance?” I asked , disappointed. 
    “Oh, there was that too, aplenty.  There was even a great mystery surrounding a certain young lady whose ghost is still believed to be haunting the west tower.  Are you spooked?”
    “Now you ’re just teasing me.”  I