Back in time…or was it a dream ?

It was a very hot day. I was driving through the Scottish landscape and didn't know where exactly I was. My shirt was wet of the sweat. I was feeling sweaty over my whole body.

Dark clouds were appearing. It started raining. From far away I heard a thunderstorm coming closer. It seemed to be a very big thunderstorm. Somewhere between the hills I saw some towers of a castle. Maybe I could ask to hide there and wait till the storm was over. But who knows, in castles mostly they're living eccentric old men with eccentric old butlers.

Within some minutes I could hardly see where I was driving. It was pouring. The thunder was becoming heavy. It was the one flash after another. I decided to stop but there was no possibility to get of the road. There were green walls at both the side of the road.

At once the thunder didn't go over. It was just like it got the same rhythm.

Tadum tadum tadum...

It was more like the sound of a lot of horses who are galloping that I heard.

I saw something coming closer to me. Something very dark. The noise was getting louder and louder. I was so scared. I tried to drive the car to the edge of the road. But there was that wall. That dark thing was coming closer and closer. I couldn't avoid it anymore.

I heard a crash and everything was getting dark around me.

When I woke up again I had an awful headache. And it was like I was shaken through eachother. I opened my eyes and realised that I was sitting in a coach with horses before it.

I was feeling sick and miserable. I could hardly breath. When I looked at myself I saw I was wearing an oldfashioned travel costume. I looked at my hands and saw I was wearing gloves in the same color as the costume, dark blue. I was feeling at my head and hurted my hands at the hat I had on it.

What happened ? It was just like I was back in time somewhere at the end of the 19th Century !

It hurted everywhere. I feel something in my back. I think it was a steel of a corset. That was the reason of course I could hardly breath, I was constricted in that corset. How uncomfortable are these clothes. Can't believe women can wear them.

Looking outside I saw we were coming closer to a castle. I saw a young men standing outside. He was wearing a dark costume and a big hat on his head. When the coach stopped he looked into my way. I frightened. He had very dark brown eyes and was looking angry to me. But he didn't take his eyes of me and within some moments the angry look changed into a wee smile.

At once an old man was coming out of the castle. With a grim on his face he shouted to the young man

" Archibald, how could you ! I heard you've left your fiancee ! And you know that her father is a very rich man, we could use his money for the castle ! "

The young man answered also angry to him " Father, you know Justina couldn't get used to here, she's really a city girl and didn't want to live in this Scottish area. And I realised that I didn't love her enough. Should you really want me to marry a wife that I don't love at all ? "

The old laird answered with a grim.

" Did you love mother when you're married her ? " Archibald asked again. The father didn't answer at all and in the meantime both the men saw my coach.

The coachman jumped of the box and opened the door for me. The old laird came to me.

" Lady MacTavish, so you're arrived yet ! Welcome to Glenbogle ! "

'So that's the name of this beautiful castle. How can I come out of this coach without falling over this long dress ?'

The young man came to me and was holding his arm before me so that I could lean on him. With a smile I thanked him and again I realised how gorgeous he is. When I was standing on the ground I looked around to the beautiful garden and tried to take a deep breath.

" Golly " , the old laird said to the coachman, " ask Duncan to help with the luggage of Lady MacTavish "

"Aye, your lairdship " Golly answered. But before he could drive away with the coach a young man with red hair and wearing a kilt arrived from around a corner of the castle. It was just like he heard someone was calling his name. He was looking very shy. Golly asked him to take the luggage of the coach and so he did.

'Was that really all mine all those suitcases ? Did I take so many clothes with me ? I didn't realise that I had so many things ? '

Duncan tried to take all the suitcases with him in one time, but he didn't succeed in it. He was doing a bit clumsy and at once he let one fall. The suitcase bursted open and a lot of silk was coming out of it. I wanted to go to help him but a light pression of a hand on my arm let me stop. I looked beside me to Mr.Archibald and without words he let me know that I had to stay with him.

" Let us go inside, my wife is waiting for you " the old Laird said. Inside the house a pretty old lady was coming to me with open arms and kissed me.

" Hello Alexandra, that's a long time ago you've been here. Let me have a look at you, oh you're still looking very pretty. You must be tired after that long trip from Glasgow to here. Ewan ! " she shouted.

A young butler came into the hall. " Yes mylady " he said with a bow in my direction.

"Ewan can you show Lady MacTavish where here room is, she wants to rest. Take your time my dear " she said again to me " We're having dinner at eight, so you can rest some hours. "

'I tried to walk up the stairs but it wasn't easy with that long dress, God what should I feel happy I can take that thing out !'

" So mylady, this is your room and Annie is your servant during the time you stay here "

A young girl made a curtsy for me.

'How courteous everyone is for me, it's just like I'm a princess'

" Shall I help you with taking your dress off mylady, so you can take a rest and within some hours I shall prepare your bath " I nodded to her and thanked her. I tried to take of that dress alone but now I could believe why women needed servants in this time. It wasn't possible at all to change alone with all those knots and bows.

I was glad to lie down on the bed and be alone for a while. My head was still hurting. I was trying to remind what happened with me, but the only thing I saw before me were the dark brown eyes of Archibald before I was falling asleep.