Chapter 3

Unbeknownst to her, William was considering similar thoughts and was wondering what Elizabeth would do if he attempted to take things further between them. One of the locations on Elizabeth's list was the Orkney Island and he knew it was a location where it would be easy to spend two or three days visiting.

With that in mind, he booked a trip, including a stay in a cottage and made arrangements for several tours and visits while there. Choosing to take the cowards way out, he messaged Elizabeth with the plans for her approval.

W: I know the Orkney Island were on your list. Would this weekend be good?

E: The whole weekend?

W: Yes, I found a cottage with a private beach where we could stay.

On the other end, Elizabeth was not sure how to respond to the invitation. "What is he thinking?" she wondered.

William started to wonder what Elizabeth might be thinking when several minutes went by without her responding and decided to just ring her.

"Hey," she said when she answered.

"Hi," he began. "So, I know Orkney Islands is more than a single day trip. I was looking around and I found a cottage, well, probably slightly bigger than a cottage, but that is what they called it, that I could rent for the weekend. There are several bedrooms, and it has a private beach and some incredible views."

"Oh," she said, still uncertain about the trip and what it might mean.

"Elizabeth?" he asked after she was quite for several minutes. "Are you alright?"

"I think so," she replied after another moment.

"Are ye busy right now?" he asked, nervously realizing he may have made a mistake in suggesting the trip as he had.

"Not really," she told him. "I am at the flat, typing up some notes and observations.

"I think we need to talk in person," he said, abruptly deciding they needed to have a serious conversation. "I can be there in half an hour."

"Oh, okay," she replied, still wondering what this was about exactly and feeling uncertain about his intentions.

Elizabeth spent the half hour waiting for him to arrive in nervous anticipation. She was pacing around the small flat and the moment he entered, she blurted. "I don't want a meaningless vacation 'fling'."

The corners of his lips twitched. "I do not want to be a 'fling'," he replied, feeling slightly more certain than he had before.

"What do you want?" she asked hesitantly.

"I do not know yet," he said. "But I am fairly certain I am in love with you." He blanched, having not quite meant to say that just then. "I mean, I do like you a lot and I have enjoyed spending time with you. I confess … I, uh, I already dread the thought of your leaving Scotland."

"I dread it too," she replied, her voice soft.

He slowly walked toward her and pulled her into his arms to embrace her. "And how do you feel about me?" he asked quietly.

"I like you too, a lot," she told him. "More than I thought I could, and I have enjoyed spending this time with you very much. But I do not see how anything can happen between us when I have to leave again in less than a month."

"Is there a circumstance where you could ever see yourself moving to Scotland?" he inquired.

"I don't know," she whispered into his chest. "Are you asking me to?"

"Not yet, but if I did, is that something you would or could consider?"

She didn't respond right away, considering the idea. "I am guessing you moving to the US is nearly impossible," she observed., pulling back slightly to look at him.

"I imagine I could visit frequently, but no, living there is not possible. My sister is here; my family is here; my business is here," he replied, caressing her cheek with his hand. "My sister is a major consideration, and so is the business. I cannot simply leave it for someone else to take over."

She nodded her acceptance of this. "It would be possible, I guess, but I don't know about visas and things. I would need a job. At some point, I would have to go back to finish my degree, but that would be a matter of a few weeks once I finish up here."

He seemed to consider that. "There are several issues to consider, but I think they can all be considered later. But my question right now is, what is this between us?"

He felt her shudder slightly in his arms as she took a deep breath. "I don't know," she told him. "I have wondered this too, but I didn't know what you felt. I mean we've kissed and held hands but what are we doing? Are we dating? Are we friends? I like you, and I think I could love you, but without knowing what you were thinking, I have been afraid to let myself feel more."

"Do you think I volunteer to escort every beautiful American around to visit all the sites in the Highlands?" he teased, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

She laughed. "No, I guess you wouldn't get much work done if that were the case."

Becoming serious he answered her question. "I would like to spend the rest of your time here exploring what this might be between us. We can keep things as they are and continue to get to know each other better and see how we both feel in May when it is time for you to leave."

"What if one of us feels more strongly than the other?" she asked.

"Then one of us might wind up getting hurt," he said. "It can't be helped in any relationship. There is always the chance one party feels more strongly than the other. The question will be is it with continuing to try."

"So, what do we call this 'relationship'?" she asked, still pushing.

He kissed her forehead. "Elizabeth, I …" he trailed off, hesitating, uncertain of how to frame what he wanted to say, finally letting it all go in a rush. "I care about you, and I would like to keep you in my life, beyond just this month you are here. I do hope you have come to care about me as well. I do not want to be a 'holiday fling' for you, or someone who fills in as a friend for you while you are abroad. Perhaps it is different for me, because I am home and I am not in a foreign country, but you have become important to me and the time we spend together feels like a relationship. Do we call what are doing 'dating'? Do I call you my 'girlfriend' or just my friend? Does it matter what I call you or does it simply matter that we know what we are to each other?"

He felt, rather than heard her, laugh against his chest. "I do care about you, William. And I do hope that we are something more than friends and that whatever this is between us lasts beyond the month I am to be in Scotland." She lifted her arms from his waist to his shoulders and kissed him lightly.

Not satisfied, he deepened their kiss, attempting to show her some of what he felt for her. The kiss lasted for several moments, his fingers entwining themselves into her hair before moving down her back and then up again. Finally, they broke apart, both feeling somewhat breathless from the passion expressed in the kiss, but both somewhat more certain of where things stood between them.

Releasing Elizabeth from his embrace, William carefully took Elizabeth's hand in his and led her to sit down on the sofa. The conversation turned to the trip to the Orkney Islands as William began to explain some of the arrangements he had already made, including visits to several historical sites like the Maeshowe Chambered Cairn, the St. Magnus Cathedral, and several other ruins and cairns scattered around the islands. Elizabeth was most excited about the prospect of touring Orkney's Neolithic standing stones and the ancient village of Skara Brae.

William and Elizabeth agreed to take the trip this coming weekend. Friday morning found them boarding a small plane to take them north to the Mainland Island, the largest island in the archipelago that made up the Orkney Islands. A hired car was ready for them, and they began their trip by dropping off their bags in the "cottage" William had rented, although Elizabeth had laughed at the huge house that had been given that name.

Heading back into Kirkwall, the largest town in the islands and where the airport had been located, they quickly found a small café for a small bite to eat before touring the High Street, shopping and sampling food and drinks, including a distillery tour where they sampled various gins made on the island. They also visited St. Magnus Cathedral and the Orkney Museum. Both were of interest to the couple, and they spent several hours walking around these and other places on interest.

After snacking most of the afternoon, they chose to skip dinner, and elected instead to purchase various bread and pastries, along with some fruit, to snack on that evening or for breakfast in the morning. Since they had done little more than drop their bags of earlier, they took some time to explore the house and the grounds. The old home was isolated and had a walled garden, as well as access to a private beach, although Elizabeth quickly determined it was far too cold for swimming. William laughed at her for her unwillingness to do more than wade in the water, but neither did do more than put his fett in the water.

Returning to the house, they looked around and placed their things in two of the bedrooms. After taking a few minutes to change and clean up a little, they met in the lounge and settled together on one of the sofas, snuggling together as they selected a movie to watch. William had poured them each a glass of wine before they sat down, and Elizabeth had brought over some of the pastries and treats they had purchased earlier, and they laughed and teased each other as they simply enjoyed the closeness.

It was late when the second movie ended, and William looked down at Elizabeth in his arms and realized she had fallen asleep. Carefully, he attempted to stand without disturbing her. Looking down at her asleep, he decided her would carry her to bed, but wanted to make sure he could do so without any impediment, so he walked down the hall and opened her bedroom door and turned down the sheets before returning to the lounge.

William stood for several minutes watching her sleep, before bending down to pick her up in his arms. She snuggled closer to him, seeking his warmth and his heart lurched at the action. Pressing a light kiss to her temple, he carried her into her room and laid her down on the bed, covering her with the blanket. Her arm reached out and grabbed his, pulling him toward her. He laid down beside her, determined not to stay for long, but wrapped his arms around her and held her close. Neither woke until the following morning.

Elizabeth woke feeling very warm, but very crowded in her small double bed. She opened her eyes and felt a warm arm around her waist and a large body pressed against her back. Snuggling more deeply against him, she relished the feel of him until she felt him stir.

William woke with a start, immediately recognizing where he was and praying Elizabeth would not be angry with him. As he considered that thought, he felt Elizabeth stir against him, snuggling more deeply into his embrace. He smiled and squeezed her waist slightly.

"Good morning, mo leannan," he whispered, his voice husky with sleep.

"Good morning, Will," she whispered back. "What did you call me?"

He blushed lightly and kissed her ear. "It is Gaelic; it means sweetheart. Other Gaelic terms of endearment are mo ghràdh which means 'my love', or mo chridhe, meaning 'my heart.' Of course, I can also call you 'my bonnie lass', which also suits you well." He watched her cheeks turn pink and relished that he could do that to her.

"As much as I do not want to, I do need to get up," Elizabeth told him. "How did this happen, by the way?"

"You fell asleep on the sofa, and I carried you to bed. When I tried to leave, you grabbed my arm and pulled me close," he explained. "I must have fallen asleep as well."

"You are very warm," she laughingly told him. "I was very snug."

"Good," he said, kissing her on the lips, being careful to keep it chaste. After a moment, he stood and then helped her to stand as well. Drawing her to him, he kissed her once again. "I will meet you in the kitchen shortly so we can grab a bite. We have a bit of a drive this morning to get to the standing stones and Skara Brae.

Reluctantly, she nodded her agreement and moved to the bath to shower and to dress.

Less than a half hour later, they were both standing in the kitchen, each of them grabbing a pastry before they headed out to the car. They stopped for more substantial food and a coffee for each of them, along with some waters and other snacks to keep in the car for later. Before long, they were arriving at Skara Brae.

Pulling into the car park, they exited the car and were greeted by a stunning view of the Orkney coastline to the East. Admist rolling hills and green pastures, they saw the ruins of Skara Brae, an ancient Neolithic settlement discovered in the 1850s. They walked through the settlement to see up close the well-preserved stone houses that are approximately 5,000 years old.

Wandering through the village, Elizabeth and William were struck by the level of detail that had been preserved over the centuries in what is sometimes referred to as Scotland's Pompeii. The stone furniture, fireplaces, and storage units were all still intact, providing a fascinating glimpse into the daily lives of the people who had lived there thousands of years ago.

As they made their way through the various archeological sites and buildings at the site, Elizabeth in particular was surprised at what she learned about the Viking heritage of the region, and William added what he knew about the area and history as well.

"I had no idea that the Vikings were so involved in this area of Scotland. It's fascinating to see how much they've influenced the culture and history of this place," Elizabeth remarked to William at one point on the tour.

William nodded in agreement. "Yes, the Vikings played a significant role in shaping the Orkney Islands. They were here for hundreds of years and left their mark on the landscape."

It was nearly noon when they finished walking through Skara Brae and Skaill House, a historic manor house that serves as a museum for the site. Grabbing lunch from the cafe, they ate and talked before going go see standing stones and the Ring of Bridget, a circular arrangement of standing stones

William explained the history of the 4,000-year-old stones. "There are 27 stones standing in a circle. They range in height from 2.1 to 4.7 meters and are arranged in a perfect circle that measures around 104 meters in diameter," he read before adding additional detail he remembered. "It is smaller than Stonehenge and a little younger, and considerably less we'll know. Regardless, it is impressive considering how it was built."

Elizabeth agreed. "It's amazing to think about the history and stories behind these ancient structures. I feel so lucky to be able to see them in person and learn about their significance."

After walking around circumference of the stone, they visited the Stones of Stenness, another set of standing stones, although only a few remained, and the Maeshowe Chambered Cairn, a large ancient tomb.

The cairn was fascinating, nearly 5,000 years old, and one of the most impressive and well-preserved chambered cairns in Britain. They took one of the guided tours of the mound-like structure and learned that it was 36 meters in diameter and seven meters tall and is divided into various chambers and passages. Historians believed those were used as both burial sites and for ritual purposes, but most interesting, they were told, was how it aligns with astronomical features.

Of particular interest to Elizabeth and William was the fact that the cairn was designed to align with the setting sun on the winter solstice, similar to other ruins and structures similar to this one. As they finished up their tour of the Maeshowe Chambered Cairn, Elizabeth was fascinated by the Runes the Vikings had varved into the walls in the 12th Century. "It's incredible to think the Vikings could create something so beautiful and detailed with such limited tools," she said, examining the carvings closely.

William smiled. "Aye, it is remarkable. And the fact that the entire cairn aligns with astronomical features adds to its significance. It's amazing to think about how much knowledge and skill went into constructing this structure nearly 5,000 years ago."

Hours of exploration left both Elizabeth and William very tired when they finished for the day, and so they picked up take away for dinner and went back to their cottage by the sea. After kicking off their shoes and a quick change of clothes, they sat down at the small dining table in the kitchen and enjoyed their meal.

As they ate, they talked about the highlights of the day, talking about the fascinating details they had learned and seen. Afterwards, they curled up on a blanket outside, William with a dram of whisky and Elizabeth with a glass of wine, listening to the sound of the waves and watching the wildlife that was nearby. Snuggling together, they chatted quietly, discussing their plans for the next day and how they wanted to explore more of the Islands.

Eventually, the soft sounds and the exhaustion of the day caught up with them, sending them inside to find their beds. Elizabeth took a quick shower and threw on shorts and a tank top, before going out into the kitchen to get a glass of water before bed.

William has a similar impulse and was in the kitchen holding a glass of amber whisky when she entered. "Oh," she said, surprised to see him and quickly looking down at her attire.

He seemed to recognize her unease and tried make her comfortable. "You look lovely, mo leannan," he told her before switching into his exaggerated Highland Scot accent. "Would ye like a wee dram of whisky, lassie?"

She laughed, as he intended, and nodded her agreement, much to his surprise. Pouring her a small amount, she did as she had been told at the distillery, swished it around before smelling it, and then finally tasting it. "Umm," she said, making a sound of approval. "That is very good. One of yours?" she asked archly.

"Aye," was his reply. "A special one, one that I tend to hoard for myself. The wooden casks we use for this one are somewhat unique and it was casked by my grandfather when I was a bairn. I have attempted to reproduce it, and of course, until it ages somewhat, I cannae be certain of my success with it."

Elizabeth smiled softly at William, and he stood there watching her for several moments without speaking. Downing his whisky, he took the glass from Elizabeth's hand, setting it on the counter before leaning in to kiss her for several long moments.

Sighing, he released her and said, "We should get some sleep, Elizabeth. We have several things planned for tomorrow – I dinnae think to ask before now, but you do not get seasick, do ye?"

"No, I have never had any problems with that," she replied after a moment, flustered by the kiss and then the sudden change in topic.

"Good night, Elizabeth, mo leannan. Sleep well," William said, and then disappeared down the hall to his room.

Stunned, Elizabeth stood in the kitchen for a moment before picking up her whisky glass, finishing it, and then making her way into her room. She laid down in the bed, but it took ages before she found sleep, especially as she swore she heard noise in the hall outside her room several times.

After lying in bed for an hour, she heard the noise again and decided to call out. "Will?" she called softly.

She heard a noise against her door and walked over to it. "Will?" she called again.

"Aye," she heard his voice from the other side.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Aye, just cannae sleep," he replied.

Elizabeth pulled open the door and took William's hand. "Would you like to go snuggle on the couch?" she tried.

He fixed his gaze on her. "Why do you call me Will?" he asked suddenly.

She shrugged. "I don't think I realized I did," she told him. "When have I done that?"

"Just now, you called me Will. And this morning when you woke, you said 'Will' instead of William," he replied.

"I am sorry. Do you mind?" she asked, apologetically.

"No, I like it," he breathed. "No one has called me that before."

"Ahh, so I have a special name just for you then," she teased.

"Aye, and I have one for you, mo ghràdh."

"I like that one," she smiled up at him. "Sweetheart?"

"No, sweetheart is mo leannan," he said quietly, pulling her into his arms and breathing in the scent of her. "Mo ghràdh means my love. I do love you, Elizabeth; I have never had a more pleasant day than today, and it has nothing to do with the things we saw or did, but everything to do with who I spent it with. I want to spend many days with you like this."

"Oh, Will," she cried, her eyes welling up with tears. "I love you too. I have loved everything we have done this last day or so, but it was so much better because it was with you."

He gently caressed her face, drying the tears that rolled down her cheek. "Why are you crying, mo chridhe?"

"These are happy tears, Will. I am so happy it escapes my eyes sometimes," she laughed.

With those words said, Elizabeth made a decision and pulled William into her room. "Can we sleep like we did last night?" she asked shyly.

"Oh, aye," he said, before they both laid down in the small bed face to face. William moved first and they kissed for what felt like hours, alternating between sweet, nearly chaste kisses, interspersed with deep, passionate kisses that left them breathless. Occasionally, a hand roamed into unfamiliar territory, but those were quickly pulled back. After kisses that lasted for ages, William encouraged Elizabeth to turn over so they could spoon together, and finally, the couple found rest for the night.