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Molly and Golly looked at each other and stood as they entered the dining room. Archie took a deep breath with his arm around Lexie "We have decided that we will accept Kat and use the trust if Paul is going to allow me to be laird again."

Paul swallowed as the eyes turned to him, Archie watched him "You don't have to decide now, and I certainly don't want you to leave."

Paul nodded "Thanks Archie but I knew when she explained it that if you said you wanted to take her up on the offer that I would step down, Hector clearly wanted you to be laird. I would be happy to stay on but we would need to work it out. Actually I am sort of grateful, it's your problem now."

Archie smiled grimly "Thanks mate."

"Och Boss did you become a Kiwi?" Duncan asked.

Archie shrugged "It's such a great term actually probably seeing Kat more than anything. She says it all the time."

Lexie laughed "Yeah but then you should hear the Aussie's talk about Kiwi's and vice versa it's hilarious. Also the Pom's and us very funny"

Archie nodded "Yeah both of them are still bitter about the world cup and the Ashes."

They all laughed and the tension was relieved. Suddenly there was a crack of thunder and the rain come plummeting down. Archie sighed as the light flickered. He and Lexie exchanged a look before laughing slightly. Then Molly gasped "Kat's out in that. Remember she went for a walk."

Archie nodded "Mother I'm sure she will be coming back now, you know her. She just needs time to herself she probably hasn't completely come to terms with what she just had to tell us. I expect she was here to talk it over with Father."

Molly nodded. "Yes she did mention something like that. Ok then well, let's have dinner. I think everyone needs something to eat after that."

They all agreed, sitting down and helping themselves.

Archie ate dinner but when they were all seated for coffee he began to worry as did Molly. "Archie I think..."

"Yes Mother, I'm going to go get a coat."

Golly, Paul and Duncan also stood, Archie shook his head "I know where she'll be, probably hasn't noticed the rain yet. Although Golly if I'm wrong could you go up to the outcrop she loves."

Golly nodded "Sure, take a radio, we can tell if either of us find her."

Archie nodded before turning to Lexie, "Can you be on one here if she comes back?"

Lexie nodded, they all left, Lexie returned seconds later with a radio. Paul and Jess scowled. Molly placated them "There are only a couple of places she would have gone and I would suggest that Archie is right, she would have gone to Hector's grave. She used to spend hours talking with him."

Kat toasted Hector with her flask "Thanks mate."

She ignored the water streaming down her face, she was drenched through again but it didn't matter. She saw Archie in the distance and toasted Hector again before going to meet him. He radioed in before bundling her into the rover and driving her back.

Golly met them at the door and they ignored her protests and directed her to the hot bath, before a hot cup of tea in bed. Archie berated her as he sat on her bed causing Molly to smile. Kat scowled at him as he teased her.

Lexie bustled in and saw the smile "What are you smiling about Mol?"

She shrugged "Oh it's déjà vu, I remember when she did the same to Archie he had gone for a walk it had started to pour and he turns up drenched. Kat did the exact same thing. Oh she would always make him laugh."

Lexie watched as Kat patted Archie's cheek before kicking him out. He laughingly left with Lexie and Molly close behind.

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Archie and Lexie sighed as they unpacked in their old room. They sat on the bed and looked at each other.

"Are you sure Arch?"

He shook his head, "No I am not Lex, but this is our home, we both know that and part of me wants to go back to New Zealand because maybe it would be easier but a bigger part of me knows that you love this place and both of us would like to see our kids grow up here. Lex we can make a go of it, all that capital straight up, Glenbogle will be feasible, hell we might even start threatening Kilwillie's profit margin and that would be wonderful. I would get my dream of restoring Glenbogle. But I left for a reason and do I want to live in this crumbling ruin with my lovely but slightly eccentric mother, my half brother who feels like we outed him, and the usually insane rabble that inhabits here? I know you do Lex but..."

Lexie laughed and nodded holding his face with her hands so he'd see it "Yes I do because this is where we belong. Arch this is our home."

He sighed and shrugged as they climbed into bed. He wanted to voice his fears about what it would do to their relationship, or what it had already done.

They lay listening to the rain for a few minutes before Lexie spoke "Katherine, what's her story? I mean we know about her and you but what about her?"

Archie sighed "It's probably not my place but I can't imagine her killing me for telling my wife."

Lexie shook her head "She's seems like a reasonable girl."

Archie chuckled "Well, yes she is to an extent. You see life hasn't been kind to Katherine, you see that she is Aussie but everyone calls her the Lady of Norland implying English."

"Yeah, I did wonder."

"Well her father was a British well ambassador I guess, he and her mother had similar jobs although she was Australian anyway one thing led to another, they got married etc but when Kat was born they were on international territory anyway she was given dual citizenship but her father and mother didn't want her so they left her in Australia with an old friend. She was raised there on a property in the middle of the country went to the local school, became a tomboy, she also learnt to farm and horse ride. Anyway she was damn good horsewoman, but when she was twelve her parents decided that she should be educated in England. She refused, she gained a full scholarship to a school in Sydney and she was going to take it. They cut her off, her guardian did what he could but couldn't support her riding, so she got herself a holiday job...she worked for the government."

Lexie raised her eyebrows "Doing what?"

Archie shrugged "Well put it this way her parents weren't really diplomats, they were information gatherers. She was the same."

"Ohhh so James Bond."

Archie chuckled "Yeah something like that anyway, her mother is about as nice as Hitler and her father as weak, they both inflicted a lot of emotional abuse on her but to make matters worse when they found out what she was doing they made sure she was recruited. Right out of high school that's when we met her. You see she couldn't refuse because she wanted to go to university and they weren't going to pay for her. So she paid for herself in hope that she would get out when she got her degree. No such luck, she's been doing governments dirty work for so long now that I'm not sure she will be able to leave when she has to."

Lexie gasped "What do you mean?"

Archie sighed "I don't know, she just scares me sometimes, the way she talks. It's like sometime's she doesn't know right and wrong, the box doesn't exist for her."

"What do you mean? No one has spoken to her for ages."

Archie shook his head and said quietly "Not true, she has to stay in contact with one person from her family while she's undercover."

"She chose you." It wasn't a question. He nodded anyway "Yeah she did, I would get these phone calls, she'd tell me that she was going to do something and I knew she was saying goodbye, every time that phone rang I was hoping, wishing it was her voice. We'd never say anything important no news just that we were still alive, you know say a joke then hang up. You see I don't know how I would cope without her. I mean when I was really down, she'd sat up with me, downing whiskey, never letting me do something stupid. Lexie I felt like half of me was missing when you left but if Kat died I think it would be like Jamie all over again but she wouldn't be there."

Lexie turned her face up to him looked him in the eyes "I will never forgive myself Arch. And I don't think she would leave you willingly, she like a mother wolf, so protective of you that she couldn't do that to you."

Archie moved away "I just wish I knew what was going on in her head. I mean she seen so much that no one should ever see and look what it's done to her, she has no family except me, mother and Golly, she has no friends except the boys she worked with and a lot of them never came home. She knows people in every trade across the world but has never even practiced law properly despite having taken the bar in several countries I mean what is she doing? I dunno Lex she just scares me sometimes."

"I think you need to let her find her own way, from what I can tell she is extremely independent, she knows her own head and she knows that there is something worth living for. We will just stick with her and hope for the best."

"We?"

Lexie nodded smiling, her hand caressed his cheek "Always 'we', Archie..."

He cracked a small smile and kissed her. They settled down to sleep far more comforted than they had been in a while.

Kat sighed as she did another push up. She pumped out three more before leaping to her feet. She stretched before jogging on the spot, then throwing herself into a run. Her long legs sprinted to the end of the lawn, she touched the ground and sprinted back. She did this short sprint for three minutes before dropping at the end and doing more push ups. She continued on with her regime not realising that there was an audience in the house.

Lexie and Molly were watching her curiously as they had done every morning for the past week. "Well she's got a body, I'll give her that, how does she manage to have reasonable curves and that flat a stomach? I mean she has boobs and a waist."

Molly shook her head "Life isn't fair and neither are genetics."

Lexie sighed then said looking out the window interestedly, "Oh we are getting a show this morning..."

Molly looked up to see Kat pull off her shorts to reveal tight boy shorts in swimsuit material. She then pulled off her tank top to reveal a sports bra like swim top but that wasn't what made them gasp. It was the scar.

It was huge, it ran from under her right breast across her stomach and down her right leg. She then turned around and they could see long scars that could have only come from a lashing. Her back was a crisscross of scars. She stretched and they winced, Lexie gave a small exclamation that caught Archie and Paul's attention. They followed their line of sight, Paul stared in shock, Archie dropped his papers, his face pale. He strode out the door without a word.

The others watched as Kat turned and ran towards the loch. "She's mad." Lexie exclaimed.

Molly and Paul nodded, as Archie shouted "Katherine get back here."

Lexie and Molly giggled as Kat stopped mid stride turned with her foot in the air and ran back to him. Paul shook his head "Bloody smart ass Aussie."

Molly nodded "Yes, you'll find she does that a lot she'll say she's taking the piss."

Paul nodded, "Yeah I know, they are all smart asses."

Lexie laughed "Yeah and everyone else is the butt of the jokes, we used to hire Aussie backpackers to help with the labour."

Molly nodded as Paul asked "What is going to happen to South Bogle?"

Lexie sighed "We are not sure, it's could be a really good offset of Glenbogle, you know we own it but put a manger on the property to look after it. Arch and I haven't really decided."

Molly and Paul nodded, Iona came in and the conversation turned to the need of a new head teacher at the local school.

Archie glared at Kat "You said you were in one piece. What were you drunk at the time?"

Kat held up her hand "I said mostly, I sort of got into the wrong kind of bar fight in the wrong sort of place."

She shrugged "It's no biggie Arch, they patched me up, I spent a bit of time in rehab, I promise I am as right as rain."

He ran his hand through his hair "Please stop."

He looked so desperate and scared. She allowed her fear to seep through and he saw that her facade was just hiding her terror.

"I did."

He stared at her, the thing she was running from, too terrified to admit was...that she had quit, she had skipped out on her job as the government's dogsbody.

He enfolded her into his arms and let her sob.

Paul watched from a distance. He had breakfasted with the family, they had been gossiping. Lexie then had left with Molly to discuss renovations. Iona had gone out to check on her animals. Golly, Jess and Duncan had taken out a fishing party. Amy and Ewan were in the kitchen cleaning some silverware and Paul was supposed to be heading into town to help select the new head teacher but it had been post phoned because one of the members was ill and one of the applicants had trouble with transport.

So he watched. He saw how Archie held this woman. They shared a bond that he and Archie would never hold. They were brother and sister but more than that they were best friends. This woman who swaggered, who stood strong and tall, ready to fight, ready to defend, who's personality radiated from within her sparkling green eyes, was broken.

Paul could see that she wore her scars with pain, they did not define her but they did map her pain. Her body told the story she couldn't. He could see how it affected Archie. His head was bowed over hers, they shared a grief, a shared knowledge and bond that even they couldn't unravel.

He watched as she straightened, they shared a weak smile and laugh before they slung their arms around each other's shoulders and walked back to the house.

Paul turned and stared out across the loch, the loch he couldn't save. He had thought that he had failed Archie because he couldn't save Glenbogle but he now saw that the only person who could was Archie. Paul realised that Archie was meant to be Laird with Lexie and he knew he had made the right decision. It hurt but he knew that it would mean that Glenbogle had a secure future. He and Iona could do what they liked now, he was free again.

Archie groaned as Kat slumped in her chair. Lexie rubbed her eyes "Well at least the books are in order."

Kat nodded "Yup well that is something. I know how much debt Glenbogle is in. Now I get to write a cheque."

Archie shook his head "I can't believe you will clear this debt, are you sure you have that sort of cash?"

Kat laughed "Yes Arch I'm sure, I will get on the sleeper tonight and got to the bank tomorrow and sort it out. I also want to pick up some stuff from the house."

Archie's eyes lit up "So you will stay with us for a bit?"

Kat nodded "Sure, I also have a business proposition for you when I get back. Also what condition are the stables in?"

Archie shrugged "Well the pony is still living in the yards so but I can't imagine that they are in a great state, probably just safe."

Kat nodded "I am going to have to bring Sirrocco back with me, I can't afford to have him fall out of condition. Would you mind if I fixed them up?"

Archie nodded "That should be fine, I know the yards are safe and big, Golly has been maintaining them. It's just the stables probably are barely standing. Will you be bringing Matt and Jack with you?"

"Can you put them up?"

Archie laughed and waved his hand "I'm sure we can find some room for them somewhere in this very small estate."

Kat chuckled.

Lexie frowned "I'm guessing Sirrocco is a horse but who are Jack and Matt?"

Kat laughed "Jack is another horse, he is my retiree, I won three horse of the year's on him. He was a fantastic showjumper. Matt is my...well he is everything. Sort of like a valet in old times. He has been looking after the horses and my house while I have been away, but I brought Sirrocco back with me, I couldn't part with him. But he is in great condition and I would like to keep him that way so I'm going to bring him up here with me. "

Lexie nodded "Oh ok."

Archie chuckled "Kat is one of best horsewomen I know, she had trained with some of best riders in the world before she disappeared. You see Lex, her family are very influential and she was a great rider and many saw that potential and tried to ensure she would have a future as an elite horse rider. She got pretty far but then she disappeared, Jack was retired and that was the last anyone heard of her. So Kat, where have you been keeping your skill?"

Kat shrugged and shook her head "You know I can't say Archie but put it this way I am still a damn good rider just with more range."

He nodded, she stood up and stretched "Ok well I will grab my stuff. Can Dunc drive me to the station?"

Archie nodded "Of course."

Kat walked out and almost ran into Duncan, they agreed to meet at the Land Rover in fifteen minutes.

Lexie and Archie shared a look. Lexie spoke "Well now my laird, what are we going to do now?"

Archie smiled and stood in front of her. She was leaning against the desk so Archie placed his hands on either side of her and looked into her eyes. "Well I did think we might wander into town, our luggage should have arrived today and we need to organise a truck."

Lexie nodded "Sounds good."

They wandered out before Archie called out "Dunc don't worry about dropping Kat off, Lex and I are going into the village for a bit."

He waved his acknowledgement as he rounded the house. Kat came out with her bags and tossed them in the back. They all jumped into the Rover.

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