Chapter 3

Their long journey to Scotland finally having come to an end, Kathryn and Jamie got settled into their room at the Rosewood. Kathryn set to work unpacking her clothes and hanging them up in the wardrobe. They had taken the train early that morning from London's Kings Cross to Dundee, and then took a half an hour bus ride to the bed-and-breakfast. The train ride had been smooth, accented by some lovely scenery, but a bit tedious nonetheless. To pass the time, Kathryn had started telling Jamie more about Glamis Castle, its history and the legends behind it, and even about the reports of strange activity.

Finally having put all her clothes away, she afforded another glance around the room and sighed happily. It was located on the second floor and they'd had to climb a gorgeous, carved dark wood staircase to get there. The room itself was done in rose and cream, with rose damask bedding atop the two beds inside: a small, single bed and a somewhat larger full-size bed. It presented a cheery, yet almost regal atmosphere with some dark mahogany antique furniture.

Not long after they'd entered, she'd caught Jamie eyeing the bedding with a grimace on his face. Kathryn thought she knew what his reaction was about but questioned him anyway. He'd blushed and admitted the room seemed much more suitable for lassies for his tastes. She frowned, although truth be told was quite amused by the idea of her boyfriend feeling his manliness being threatened by staying in such a 'girly' room.

"Then perhaps you'd prefer to sleep outside on the ground? I reckon you're man enough to handle it," she'd countered, giving him a playful smirk.

"Hey, now, I didnae say that," he retorted. She found a dimple peeking out of the corner of his mouth as his lips lifted into a rakish grin and he playfully nudged her. "I was just havin' ye on, lass. As long as yer happy with it, that's all that matters tae me." Smiling sweetly at her, he stepped back and began stroking her hair.

"Well, thank you," she replied with a mock smugness. Her smirk softened into a fond smile. "I'm so lucky to have such a thoughtful, accommodating boyfriend." She leaned forward, giving him a quick kiss on the lips.

"Of course," he smiled. He then glanced around the room. "'Tis a lovely room. And the owners seem very nice."

Kathryn nodded, agreeing the couple who owned and operated the establishment were quite warm and friendly. She was no stranger to Scottish hospitality before, having experienced it whenever she spent holidays at her father's hometown. It was nice to experience it again after all these years.

Taking a seat on the larger bed, she smiled as Jamie sat next to her. He'd returned her smile and then seemed a bit distracted, gazing at his watch. "It's aboot four o'clock now. Do ye have any ideas aboot what we should do?" he asked.

As she gazed at his sweet face and into his eyes, she tried hard to resist the urge to grab him and knock him over onto the bed, kissing him all over. The very idea nearly made her blush all the way down to her toes, but - she very much wanted to do this. After all, they'd been a couple for nearly four months now. Even given her previous hesitancy regarding jumping into a relationship, Jamie had proven what a genuine, kind-hearted – not to mention wonderful – bloke he was.

She realized she'd just talked herself out of her reservations.

Before Jamie could react, she'd turned and grabbed him with such force she knocked him over and he'd tumbled onto the bed.

"Oof!" he uttered before she covered his lips with hers and kissed him hungrily. She'd just barely noticed Jamie's eyes widening in apparent shock but that only seemed to last a few moments. He'd finally relaxed and deepened the kiss, wrapping his own arms around her as if to pin her to him.

That familiar tingle she'd felt since she'd first met him was back but more like a firecracker igniting deep inside herself. Feeling the endorphins coursing through her body, she uttered a soft moan. How she'd ached to be this close to him. Granted, they weren't making love just yet; Jamie as old-fashioned as he was had once said he didn't want to be dishonorable. She was a bit surprised to hear this at first but wasn't about to complain; she herself had yet to let go of the last of her inhibitions borne out of her tumultuous relationship with Tom. She was confident they would get there, though. As it was, she was enjoying these moments with him. Just being close to him in any capacity was something she cherished.

She finally heard Jamie gasp, as if trying to catch his breath. Reluctantly she separated from him and eased up slightly. He was panting and gazing at her with what appeared to be some leftover shock, perhaps even bewilderment. She wouldn't allow herself to feel mortified but still hoped she hadn't come on too strong for him.

Her worries were quickly dashed as she found a slight smile twitching at his lips and spreading into a wide grin, his expression affectionate with a hint of naughtiness. "Well. I certainly wasnae expecting that," he drawled. "Not that I'm complainin', mind you." He gave her a wink and then sat up himself, wrapping his arms around her once more and capturing her lips in a tender kiss.

"Ye continue tae surprise me, lass," he chuckled. He then turned and ran a finger through his fringe, tossing it back slightly from his face. She could keep from grinning at how askew it now was across his forehead.

Jamie apparently caught on and self-consciously smoothed it down some, which made her grin even more. He was so adorable, even if he didn't intend to be. She then watched him turn and pick up a few of the brochures they'd brought with them. He'd found the one for Glamis Castle and showed it to her. "Would ye like tae go there an' take a tour, perhaps before dinner?"

Accepting the brochure from him, she scanned it for the relevant information and frowned. "I'm afraid we can't," she replied, shaking her head. "The last tour ended at three o'clock. They start again tomorrow morning at ten, so why don't we have a nice breakfast here, see if we have time to do anything else, and then take the first tour?"

"Aye, sounds perfect, lass," Jamie replied, grinning. He then looked down at the other brochures in his lap, picking them up and giving them another read. She watched his brow knit thoughtfully as he read one in particular. "Perhaps this might be a nice place we can spend the rest of today?" Raising his eyebrows expectantly, he handed it to her.

Kathryn took it from him and as soon as she laid eyes upon it, felt her face crack open in a huge smile.

"Perfect!"

The soft glow of twilight that shone through the window dimmed slightly as Jamie switched on the light in their hotel room. Taking a seat on the edge of the smaller bed, he sighed and bent down to untie his boots. Recalling how he and Kathryn had spent the rest of the day, he smiled. They had visited a large 'wildlife preserve' that was open until dusk. They had taken in some interesting scenery and wildlife, including birds, other small animals, different kinds of plants and the like. They also had a lovely view of the Grampian Mountains off in the distance. Watching the sun go down and creating a beautiful, yet haunting glow on the horizon, Jamie decided that if this wasn't Heaven, it was very close. Of course, sharing it with Kathryn helped make that a reality. He was so glad they'd decided to pick this place to visit, and she seemed to be glad as well.

After visiting the park, they then had dinner at a small, nearby restaurant which served some quite good food. As they were leaving, they'd spotted a piper outside dressed in full regalia playing his pipes. Listening to the man play, Jamie stood silently, concentrating hard in order to recognize the song. The fact that he couldn't quite make it out left him a bit frustrated, but the sound of the pipes being played didn't make him feel any less emotional.

He and the rest of the small crowd applauded as the piper finished and thanked them. He then took notice of Jamie, asking him if he played. Not expecting this, Jamie had started a bit but nodded, telling the piper he played but had not done so for quite some time. This didn't seem to deter the older man at all and he'd reached out to hand Jamie his pipes. Feeling a bit embarrassed, Jamie shook his head, thanking the man but saying he'd need to brush up on his skills. "Perhaps another time," he'd told him.

As they walked away, he noticed a mock pout on Kathryn's face before she told him she would have liked to hear him play. She seemed to be joking, but he could also hear some disappointment in her voice as well. Feeling a warmth rise up in his cheeks, Jamie told her he wasn't prepared to do so; it'd been a while since he'd last played. Besides, he'd rather play with his own pipes, which, sadly, he no longer had with him. She made him promise to play them for her sometime and he finally agreed. Perhaps when they got back to London, he would be able to fulfill his promise. He was optimistic he'd find his chanter in the least ...

Having removed his boots, Jamie settled back onto the single bed and sighed. Ever the gentleman, he'd insisted that Kathryn take the larger, full-sized bed for herself. At first she would have none of it, but he wouldn't back down and insisted she be comfortable, even though she was smaller than he was. He had reaffirmed that he only wanted the best to her. Not about to argue with that, thankfully, she finally gave in and accepted.

Dressed in an attractive, frilly nightgown, she approached him and sat softly on the edge of his bed. Jamie rose, sitting up on his elbows. As he got a good look at her in the dim light cast by the end table lamp, he couldn't help smiling at her.

"Och, you are so pretty," he'd told her for perhaps the hundredth time since he'd first known her.

And she'd briefly looked away, blushing with a sheepish smile, as she'd probably done for the hundredth time as well.

"An' after all this time, I still make ye turn as red as a beet whenever I say that," he teased.

"And you're still taking the piss out of me for it," she replied.

"Eh?"

His reaction apparently made her laugh. "I mean you're still teasing me over it!"

"Oh, aye." His confusion melted away and he smiled at her fondly. "So, are ye havin' a good time so far?"

"Uh huh," she replied, nodding with a sweet smile. "And are you all right with being back in Scotland?" Her smile faded a bit and her expression seemed tinged with concern.

"Aye, I'm fine. As I said, I'd never been here before. It's nice tae explore other parts of Scotland. An' bein' here with you makes it even better."

She returned his broad grin and the next thing he knew, she had gathered him in a hug, broken only when she stepped back to capture his lips in another tender kiss.

They finally let go of one another and Jamie gazed lovingly into her eyes.

"See you in the morning, Jamie."

"Good night, Kathryn," he returned, his eyes never leaving her as she left his side and crossed the room toward her own bed. Comforted by the warm feeling of her being in his arms, he switched off the lamp and let himself be consumed by sleep.

Opening the lab door and peering inside, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart frowned. The Doctor was still bent over that TARDIS console, picking away at it. It didn't seem as though he would actually get it fixed, so it was obvious his full attention wasn't on it. His mind seemed to be elsewhere the past couple of days or so. The Brigadier surmised it had to do with his former (or was that once again current?) companion and his girlfriend. Yes, McCrimmon had ended up none the worse for wear during the Drix situation several months back, but the young man came through it fine. Grinning, the Brigadier surmised he must have nine lives, much like a cat.

Whatever the case, he wasn't keen on seeing the Doctor this way. He had to take his mind off whatever was bothering him.

"Oh, Doctor. There you are."

"Here I am, Brigadier," the Doctor muttered in reply, not taking his eyes away from the object of his attention. "Did you expect to find me anywhere else?"

"No, I didn't, actually," he replied, his lips lifting into a thin smile. "That's what concerns me."

That seemed to get the Doctor's attention. He straightened up and strode away from the console, taking a seat at the table and eyeing him curiously. The Brigadier remained in one spot, trying to come up with something to distract him. "Well, I was just chatting with Sergeant Benton and we think we may have found something unusual once again in the vicinity of Devil's End. It might be worth checking into."

"Mm," the Doctor simply muttered, his back to the Brigadier once again and appearing to be staring at some random spot on the tabletop.

The Brigadier finally took a few steps across the room and stopped at the Doctor's side, eyeing him in frustration. He wasn't sure how much time had passed when the Time Lord finally turned and regarded him with some frustration of his own.

"What is the real reason for your visit, Lethbridge-Stewart?" he asked, giving the other man a piercing stare.

The Brigadier sighed, feeling a bit stupid for thinking the Doctor would believe him. "All right. If you don't mind my saying so, you've seemed rather preoccupied lately, Doctor. It's become a bit troubling."

The Doctor had briefly looked away and when he turned back, he had a sort of sheepish – perhaps contrite – expression on his face. He uttered a humorless chuckle. "Yes, I suppose I have been rather … lost in thought. Perhaps a bit too much for my own good." The Brigadier quirked an eyebrow, his way of prompting the Doctor to continue. "I've just been thinking about Jamie and his girl. After reading that report in the paper several weeks ago about the occurrences at that castle, I can't help being concerned."

The Brigadier nodded. "I understand. But I'm sure they'll be just fine." He forced a smile. "I gave McCrimmon one of the communicators just to be safe, but I highly doubt they'll need it. To be frank, I gave it to him mainly to give you some peace of mind."

A pensive frown appeared on the Doctor's face. "Yes, I can always count on you for that, Brigadier," he said dryly.

Growing frustrated once again, the Brigadier felt his thin smile morph into a frown of his own. His attempts to cheer the Doctor up all for naught, he was about to leave when he watched the Doctor look beyond him, eyebrows raised. Turning, he noticed Captain Yates at his side. He offered the Captain a look of surprise, not even noticing when he'd shown up.

"The Brigadier is right, Doctor. I'm sure they'll be fine," he chimed in. "They were planning on visiting Glamis Castle, weren't they?"

"Mm, yes," the Doctor confirmed.

Yates nodded. An amused grin suddenly lit up his face and the Brigadier resisted the urge to groan. "There are all sorts of interesting stories surrounding that castle. I remember hearing a story about a woman who saw something so awful there, it completely petrified her. She got so scared, her hair had turned white and she never spoke a word again for the rest of her life." The Captain chuckled, seemingly pleased with himself for sharing this anecdote. "'Course it was just a story, mind you, but the place seems quite notorious for bizarre happenings."

"I'm so pleased you find that amusing, Captain Yates!" the Doctor suddenly snapped, glaring angrily.

The Brigadier's eyebrows shot up and he regarded the Doctor in surprise. Admittedly, the Captain's comment wasn't the most tactful given the current circumstances, but he still hadn't been expecting the Doctor's reaction. Turning back to Yates, he found a look of surprise on his face as well.

"Are you all right, Doctor?" the Captain asked in a small voice.

The Doctor sighed and shook his head wearily. "Ever since I read that article about that strange occurrence at the castle, I've had a funny feeling about it. It's only got worse since Jamie told me he and Kathryn were planning to visit it. I don't want them to be in harm's way."

The Brigadier nodded. "We understand, Doctor." He then turned to regard Captain Yates pointedly. "Don't we."

The Captain nodded, blushing faintly.

The Doctor still appeared discontent. "Is there something you wished to speak to me about?" he asked, addressing Yates.

The Captain shrugged, still seeming taken aback by the Time Lord's reaction. "Well, there was something I wished to tell you, but it can wait," he mumbled sheepishly just before turning on his heel and the leaving the room.

The Brigadier watched him go and then turned back to the Doctor, who now appeared a bit sheepish himself. "I feel badly about snapping at him like that, but it could not be helped. You of all people know I'm not one to buy into superstition and all that sort of mumbo-jumbo, but this funny feeling keeps eating at me. Why would they be so secretive about what happened at Glamis? Could they be hiding something really awful so as to avoid negative publicity?" He sighed, scrubbing a hand over his face. "I only want Jamie and Kathryn to be safe, Brigadier. If only there was some way I could talk them out of visiting that castle."

The Brigadier gazed at him sympathetically, wishing there was more he could do to reassure the Doctor that his companions would be just fine. "Doctor, I promise you they will be safe. We'll be on standby just in case we hear from them and something has indeed happened." His lips twitched into a ghost of a smile. "Try not to make yourself mad over it. They will be fine. I'm sure of it."

"Mm. I really hope you're right," the Doctor replied after a pause. His tone seemed a bit more optimistic than before, but that wasn't saying very much.

All the Brigadier could do was nod just before leaving the room. As he turned to look back at the Doctor, he really hoped he was right as well.

"... And through here is the Drawing Room."

Jamie nodded and, holding hands with Kathryn, followed the tour guide and the rest of their group into a large, ornately decorated room with various portraits on the walls. Having had a delicious breakfast earlier in the bed-and-breakfast's dining room, they'd decided to spend a brief time outside, taking in the glorious Scottish sunrise before attending the castle's first tour of the day. Their group wasn't especially large, about eighteen people or so, and the tour guide was doing a lovely job introducing them to the story of the castle and its inhabitants.

Once they'd all entered the Drawing Room, the guide started talking about the history of the room and its use. Jamie's interest began to wane as the guide stepped over toward several woman's gowns hanging on mannequins. He'd said something about who was believed to have worn them and the style. Feeling himself growing bored, Jamie began fidgeting and looking back toward the door.

Kathryn seemed to notice and nudged him. Turning to her, he found her rolling her eyes. "Looking for an escape, are you?" she teased him quietly, a slight smirk on her face.

Jamie smiled sheepishly at her. "Sorry," he replied, barely above a whisper as he leaned into her. "I'm just no' that interested in lassies' clothes. I mean, it's nothin' out of the ordinary for me. I've seen plenty of dresses like that in my own time-"

Kathryn quickly shushed him as a few fellow tour goers suddenly walked past. Jamie quickly slapped on an innocent smile and nodded to them with an awkward "Hello." He sighed in relief, realizing they didn't seem to have heard what he'd just said.

The tour guide finally having finished his spiel, he directed the group out of the room and into a corridor which would lead them to the next room on the tour. Jamie grabbed hold of Kathryn's hand again as they followed the group.

"Excuse me," a man suddenly spoke. Jamie turned to find a man in his thirties with a woman of similar age regarding him curiously. "We couldn't help noticing your kilt." His accent sounded almost American and reminded Jamie of several of the 'Yankee' soldiers he'd met in that American barn back during the War Games. "Are you from here? I mean, Scotland?"

Jamie broke his curious gaze and nodded. "Aye. Born an' bred," he told them proudly.

The man smiled. "We've been in Scotland nearly a week now and aside from a few pipers or men in costume dress at historical landmarks, we haven't seen native Scotsmen dressed this way."

Feeling slightly awkward, Jamie dropped his gaze to the floor. "Aye. Well, I'm from the Highlands an' I'm verra proud of my heritage. My family was directly involved in the Battle of Culloden." As was I myself, he'd added silently as he looked back up at them.

The couple nodded thoughtfully, seemingly impressed. "Well, that's nice to see," the woman told him. "I mean, it's nice that you're proud of who you are and where you're from."

Jamie felt himself growing emotional but simply grew a smile and nodded to them. "Well, thank you." Suddenly hearing the scuffling of shoes next to him, he turned and saw Kathryn looking at them curiously. "Oh, I'm Jamie. This is my girlfriend, Kathryn."

They'd both reached out to shake their hands and the couple introduced themselves as Dan and Elizabeth from Ontario, Canada. After exchanging vague pleasantries, they began following the guide down the corridor.

Jamie's legs suddenly felt a bit woozy and, spying a bench, he sat heavily down on it. Kathryn sat next to him, eyeing him in concern.

"Are you all right?" she asked, reaching over to stroke his hair. "You seemed as if you were about to get emotional back there."

A bit embarrassed, Jamie shrugged. "'Tis a bit difficult for me tae think aboot Culloden, 'specially after reading that history book aboot what happened to my people soon after our defeat." He sighed heavily. "Those in support of Bonnie Prince Charlie had paid a great price. Their homes had been burnt down, their cattle which was their main source of income was stolen, people were taken prisoner … They were also punished by no' bein' allowed tae wear their kilts and tartans, play their music ..." He drifted off, blinking away the tears that had filled his eyes. Even though Jamie hadn't experienced all this first hand, simply reading about it made it feel as if he had and the wounds were still quite fresh.

"I'm sorry," he told her, his voice thick with emotion. "It still makes me emotional from time to time. I'm just glad the Doctor took me away from all that."

"Don't apologize," she replied softly. "I'd learnt what happened after Culloden." She then dropped her voice and spoke in quiet tones. "I can just imagine how it affects you, to have been directly involved in something like this."

"Yer truly amazing, lass," he told her as a smile spread across his face. He reached over to hug her and then planted a soft kiss in her hair. Once they'd separated, Jamie looked all around and found the group had already moved on. "Oh. Er … we'd better find the rest of the group so we don't get lost an' end up havin' tae spend the night here," he said sheepishly, causing her to laugh.

They both rose from the bench and set off further down the corridor. At last they'd met up with the rest of the group and the tour guide, who was now directing their attention to some hunting relics and some animals heads up on the wall.

"The Earl was known as an expert hunter, and these are some of his 'prizes' … mainly deer and boar. Not only did he hunt and bring back animals here in Scotland, but from other countries as well, some further away than you might imagine."

Jamie furrowed his brow in thought, listening intently as he observed the stuffed and mounted animals. That last sentence especially gave him pause. That laddie sure got around. He'd hunted in faraway countries as well?

As they ventured further down the corridor, a large, stuffed animal standing in the corner suddenly caught Jamie's eye. From a distance, it appeared to be a large bear, but something about it seemed dreadfully familiar.

Drawing closer to it, Jamie suddenly realized why this was so and his mouth dropped open in shock.

"It can't be," he whispered.