"It's smaller than my first grade class room," Richie said as Duncan showed
him one of the huts in the recreated village.
"It is meant for a small family," Duncan told him.
"Is this like your house?" Richie asked. No one else was in the hut with them so he felt no need to sensor what he said.
"Yes. My bed was here," he pointed to the wall left of the entrance, and my parents slept here," he pointed to the wall opposite.
"Isn't it a little dangerous to cook inside a hut made of grass and mud?" Richie asked looking at the fire circle in the middle of the room.
"Only when it rained did we cook inside. And even then only if it wasn't going to let up soon."
"So you and your parents all lived in the same room?"
"My whole mortal life."
"What happened when they wanted to. you know. give you a little brother or sister?"
"I imagine they did that every time my cousins and I slept out side in the summer and spring."
"I bet everyone was pregnant at the same time if all the kids slept out of the house on the same night."
"Come to think of it. yes. All of the children of the clan had at least two or three cousins the same age. Good point."
"What if you wanted a pet?" Richie asked as Duncan led him back out side.
"Then you named your live stock. I had a goat and two pigs."
Richie smiled "What were their names?"
"I named the pigs after my parents, Ian and Mary, and my goat was named after a man in a story my grandfather told me," he said with a smile.
"Does Conner know you named a goat after him?" Richie asked.
"I don't think so."
"I'm telling then!" Richie laughed. "I bet he nearly dies when he finds out!"
"I bet he doesn't even care."
They spent the rest of the morning exploring the village. Duncan would tell Richie stories about what happened to him and what it had been like to grow up in such a place.
After an 'authentic' ancient highland lunch (the Duncan complained they would have never had unless celebrating a marriage) they went back to the hotel to meet the tour guide for the haunted tour Richie was so excited about.
By the time they made it to Duncan's grave Richie was practically in hysterics. The tour guide and other people in the ground kept giving him funny looks. Every now and then Richie would whisper something to Duncan who couldn't help but crack a smile.
"This is where the most sightings take place," the tour guide said. "This is where Duncan MacLeod was killed in 1629 in a clan war."
"It was 1627," Duncan whispered in Richie's ear. "And it had to have been five miles north of here." That sent Richie into another fit of giggles.
"He has been known to warn passers by of rival clansmen hiding around the bend."
"That's very thoughtful of you, Mac."
"I thought so."
"There are also repots of his ghost trying to kill those who unwittingly wonder onto his lands in wearing unfriendly colors."
"Now if I did that, this guy I know would ground me."
"I don't think you can ground spirits."
"This guy would try," Richie assured him.
"Duncan's kinsman, Conner prefers to haunt a near by inn where it is believed that he stayed when he had been banished from the clan."
"There were no inns in this area," Duncan told Richie. "Conner built his own hut and married Heather."
"Man, these people need to get their facts straight," Richie said shaking his head. "These are nothing by Scottish urban legends."
"What do you say we sneak away and I show you around some more?" Duncan offered.
"Okay," Richie agreed.
They got back on the bus and snuck away in the next town.
"How are we gonna get back to the hotel?" Richie asked as they walked down the street.
"Don't worry about that. This may not be what you're used to but there are still buses and taxis."
Twenty minutes later they were on a bus back to Charles' Valley. They found a small restaurant when they got back and sat down to an early dinner.
"Don't even think about it," Duncan warned when he noticed Richie staring at a girl a few tables away. "No dates, you're grounded."
"Can't I just look?" Richie asked.
"I've never seen it happen," Duncan teased.
"Look, I'm not going to ask her out. I'm just." he trailed off as the girl looked over at him and smiled. He gave her a crooked half grin and a slight wave. She waved back and giggled when he jumped because Duncan had kicked him under the table. Richie glared and kicked him back.
"Don't get any ideas," Duncan told him.
"I'm not, I was just saying hi. or am I not allowed to do that?"
"I'm debating."
After dinner they went back to the hotel and Richie flopped down on his bed to stare at the ceiling. The hotel had not been able to remove the TV, but Duncan had taken the remote and unplugged it. After a while Richie took a shower and went to bed.
The next day was reserved for seeing the more historic places in Charles' Valley. They were in some sort of little of museum when Richie noticed the girl from the restaurant watching him.
"Ah, Mac? Did you see a bathroom around here?" Richie knew where the bathroom was. the girl was standing next to it. Duncan directed him and told him he'd wait in the same general area. "You're following me," he said to the girl as he approached.
"You're American!" she said in surprise.
"Is that bad?"
"No, I just wasn't expecting it. But I should have known, your clothes, mannerisms."
"So you have been following me."
"I have been hoping to run into you. I was also hoping you would think it was a coincidence."
"I think it's a coincidence that you've been following me," he offered. "Because I've been looking for you."
"You have?"
"Yeah."
"I know this is rather forward of me. but I hear you American boys like a girl with guts. would you like to have dinner?"
"Yes," Richie answered immediately, then cast a nervous glance over his shoulder. "God. Mac. I can't."
"But you said."
"I'm grounded."
"Grounded?" she repeated, her thick accent almost distorting the word.
"Um. No phone, no TV, no dating."
"Oh, you're on restriction."
"Yeah, I guess." He looked over his shoulder again.
"Is that your father?" she asked him.
Richie paused. "Sorta. look I better get back before he comes looking for me."
"What hotel are you staying in? Surely there is not a no visitors rule?"
Richie smiled. "I like the way you think. The Valley Inn, room 213. Eight?"
"Sure."
Richie looked at his watch for the fifth time in twenty minutes.
"What's wrong with you?" Duncan asked.
"Um. well, you see, I."
"What did you do? And when did you do it?"
"This afternoon."
"Answer the important question."
"The important thing is technically I didn't do anything wrong."
"If it's not yours it's steeling."
Richie rolled his eyes. "I didn't steel anything. I actually gave something."
"What?"
"My room number," Richie mumbled.
"To who?" Before Richie had a chance to answer Duncan did it for him. "What's her name?"
"Her name? I didn't ask."
"So you gave your room number to a stranger?"
"No. She asked me out."
"Richie."
"And I told her I was grounded, then I had to tell her what grounded was. you never said I couldn't have someone over!" he finished.
"When you're grounded at home do I let you have people over?" Duncan asked.
"No," Richie answered quietly.
"So what made you think this was any different?"
Richie's shoulders slumped in defeat. "Can I be the one to send her home at least?"
"Sure. When is she coming?"
"Eight."
Duncan looked at his watch. "Then we better pay the bill."
The girl was standing in front of Richie's door when he and Duncan came down the hall.
"Sorry," he said. "We had a late dinner."
"It's okay. It's nice to meet you Mr." she offered Duncan her hand.
"MacLeod," he told her shaking it. "And you are?"
"Bridgett MacDaniels."
"It's nice to meet you Bridgett." He turned to Richie. "Five minutes."
Richie waited for Duncan to go into his room before leading Bridgett down the hall to a bench. "I'm Richie," he started.
"That's very American," she smiled at him.
"Look. Mac said I can't have anyone here. So you have to go," he rushed out.
"He also said we have five minutes," she reminded him. "So I don't have to be going right now do I?"
Richie smiled. "I guess not."
"So why don't we plan a way to get you out of here?"
"Me? Sneak out past Mac? Do you have any idea how impossible that is? He has like. Richie radar. The guy always knows where I am."
"It was just an idea," she shrugged. "I wanted to go dancing at this club. and thought maybe I could talk your father into letting you come."
"Not gonna happen. He'll notice."
"Then I guess I might as well go. There's obviously nothing either one of us can do." She leaned over and kissed Richie and held on longer than necessary.
"There's no harm in trying," Richie offered with a shy smile.
"It is meant for a small family," Duncan told him.
"Is this like your house?" Richie asked. No one else was in the hut with them so he felt no need to sensor what he said.
"Yes. My bed was here," he pointed to the wall left of the entrance, and my parents slept here," he pointed to the wall opposite.
"Isn't it a little dangerous to cook inside a hut made of grass and mud?" Richie asked looking at the fire circle in the middle of the room.
"Only when it rained did we cook inside. And even then only if it wasn't going to let up soon."
"So you and your parents all lived in the same room?"
"My whole mortal life."
"What happened when they wanted to. you know. give you a little brother or sister?"
"I imagine they did that every time my cousins and I slept out side in the summer and spring."
"I bet everyone was pregnant at the same time if all the kids slept out of the house on the same night."
"Come to think of it. yes. All of the children of the clan had at least two or three cousins the same age. Good point."
"What if you wanted a pet?" Richie asked as Duncan led him back out side.
"Then you named your live stock. I had a goat and two pigs."
Richie smiled "What were their names?"
"I named the pigs after my parents, Ian and Mary, and my goat was named after a man in a story my grandfather told me," he said with a smile.
"Does Conner know you named a goat after him?" Richie asked.
"I don't think so."
"I'm telling then!" Richie laughed. "I bet he nearly dies when he finds out!"
"I bet he doesn't even care."
They spent the rest of the morning exploring the village. Duncan would tell Richie stories about what happened to him and what it had been like to grow up in such a place.
After an 'authentic' ancient highland lunch (the Duncan complained they would have never had unless celebrating a marriage) they went back to the hotel to meet the tour guide for the haunted tour Richie was so excited about.
By the time they made it to Duncan's grave Richie was practically in hysterics. The tour guide and other people in the ground kept giving him funny looks. Every now and then Richie would whisper something to Duncan who couldn't help but crack a smile.
"This is where the most sightings take place," the tour guide said. "This is where Duncan MacLeod was killed in 1629 in a clan war."
"It was 1627," Duncan whispered in Richie's ear. "And it had to have been five miles north of here." That sent Richie into another fit of giggles.
"He has been known to warn passers by of rival clansmen hiding around the bend."
"That's very thoughtful of you, Mac."
"I thought so."
"There are also repots of his ghost trying to kill those who unwittingly wonder onto his lands in wearing unfriendly colors."
"Now if I did that, this guy I know would ground me."
"I don't think you can ground spirits."
"This guy would try," Richie assured him.
"Duncan's kinsman, Conner prefers to haunt a near by inn where it is believed that he stayed when he had been banished from the clan."
"There were no inns in this area," Duncan told Richie. "Conner built his own hut and married Heather."
"Man, these people need to get their facts straight," Richie said shaking his head. "These are nothing by Scottish urban legends."
"What do you say we sneak away and I show you around some more?" Duncan offered.
"Okay," Richie agreed.
They got back on the bus and snuck away in the next town.
"How are we gonna get back to the hotel?" Richie asked as they walked down the street.
"Don't worry about that. This may not be what you're used to but there are still buses and taxis."
Twenty minutes later they were on a bus back to Charles' Valley. They found a small restaurant when they got back and sat down to an early dinner.
"Don't even think about it," Duncan warned when he noticed Richie staring at a girl a few tables away. "No dates, you're grounded."
"Can't I just look?" Richie asked.
"I've never seen it happen," Duncan teased.
"Look, I'm not going to ask her out. I'm just." he trailed off as the girl looked over at him and smiled. He gave her a crooked half grin and a slight wave. She waved back and giggled when he jumped because Duncan had kicked him under the table. Richie glared and kicked him back.
"Don't get any ideas," Duncan told him.
"I'm not, I was just saying hi. or am I not allowed to do that?"
"I'm debating."
After dinner they went back to the hotel and Richie flopped down on his bed to stare at the ceiling. The hotel had not been able to remove the TV, but Duncan had taken the remote and unplugged it. After a while Richie took a shower and went to bed.
The next day was reserved for seeing the more historic places in Charles' Valley. They were in some sort of little of museum when Richie noticed the girl from the restaurant watching him.
"Ah, Mac? Did you see a bathroom around here?" Richie knew where the bathroom was. the girl was standing next to it. Duncan directed him and told him he'd wait in the same general area. "You're following me," he said to the girl as he approached.
"You're American!" she said in surprise.
"Is that bad?"
"No, I just wasn't expecting it. But I should have known, your clothes, mannerisms."
"So you have been following me."
"I have been hoping to run into you. I was also hoping you would think it was a coincidence."
"I think it's a coincidence that you've been following me," he offered. "Because I've been looking for you."
"You have?"
"Yeah."
"I know this is rather forward of me. but I hear you American boys like a girl with guts. would you like to have dinner?"
"Yes," Richie answered immediately, then cast a nervous glance over his shoulder. "God. Mac. I can't."
"But you said."
"I'm grounded."
"Grounded?" she repeated, her thick accent almost distorting the word.
"Um. No phone, no TV, no dating."
"Oh, you're on restriction."
"Yeah, I guess." He looked over his shoulder again.
"Is that your father?" she asked him.
Richie paused. "Sorta. look I better get back before he comes looking for me."
"What hotel are you staying in? Surely there is not a no visitors rule?"
Richie smiled. "I like the way you think. The Valley Inn, room 213. Eight?"
"Sure."
Richie looked at his watch for the fifth time in twenty minutes.
"What's wrong with you?" Duncan asked.
"Um. well, you see, I."
"What did you do? And when did you do it?"
"This afternoon."
"Answer the important question."
"The important thing is technically I didn't do anything wrong."
"If it's not yours it's steeling."
Richie rolled his eyes. "I didn't steel anything. I actually gave something."
"What?"
"My room number," Richie mumbled.
"To who?" Before Richie had a chance to answer Duncan did it for him. "What's her name?"
"Her name? I didn't ask."
"So you gave your room number to a stranger?"
"No. She asked me out."
"Richie."
"And I told her I was grounded, then I had to tell her what grounded was. you never said I couldn't have someone over!" he finished.
"When you're grounded at home do I let you have people over?" Duncan asked.
"No," Richie answered quietly.
"So what made you think this was any different?"
Richie's shoulders slumped in defeat. "Can I be the one to send her home at least?"
"Sure. When is she coming?"
"Eight."
Duncan looked at his watch. "Then we better pay the bill."
The girl was standing in front of Richie's door when he and Duncan came down the hall.
"Sorry," he said. "We had a late dinner."
"It's okay. It's nice to meet you Mr." she offered Duncan her hand.
"MacLeod," he told her shaking it. "And you are?"
"Bridgett MacDaniels."
"It's nice to meet you Bridgett." He turned to Richie. "Five minutes."
Richie waited for Duncan to go into his room before leading Bridgett down the hall to a bench. "I'm Richie," he started.
"That's very American," she smiled at him.
"Look. Mac said I can't have anyone here. So you have to go," he rushed out.
"He also said we have five minutes," she reminded him. "So I don't have to be going right now do I?"
Richie smiled. "I guess not."
"So why don't we plan a way to get you out of here?"
"Me? Sneak out past Mac? Do you have any idea how impossible that is? He has like. Richie radar. The guy always knows where I am."
"It was just an idea," she shrugged. "I wanted to go dancing at this club. and thought maybe I could talk your father into letting you come."
"Not gonna happen. He'll notice."
"Then I guess I might as well go. There's obviously nothing either one of us can do." She leaned over and kissed Richie and held on longer than necessary.
"There's no harm in trying," Richie offered with a shy smile.