Chapter 7

Elizabeth did not see William much for the next couple of days. Since they had returned on Tuesday night, William found he had a significant amount of work to catch up on, especially as he would be going to Edinburgh with her the following week and then again with her to Tennessee soon after. They did, however, talk on the phone frequently and messaged each other. Elizabeth sent pictures as she continued to explore Inverness and William sent her a hired car with a driver one afternoon to take her to Culloden.

Friday afternoon a driver arrived to deliver Elizabeth to William's house. He offered to take her out to eat, but she had volunteered to grab some groceries from the market and cook for him. They had decided that his house was better equipped for cooking and so the driver picked her up around 2, took her to a larger market that she had been to before, before finally dropping her off at his house. He met her at the door, showed her the kitchen, and the a few other rooms, before she shooed him away so she could cook while he finished up his work.

It was a very homey environment he entered sometime later and seeing her in his kitchen like she belonged there was extraordinarily satisfying to him. Careful to make some noise so she was aware of him, he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Mo ghràdh, you belong here, do you know that?" he whispered, kissing her neck just below her ear. She shivered and he pressed more kisses to that same spot so he could watch her do it again, and then continued to kiss her neck and her throat. His hands, which were around her waist began to trace circles on her stomach and she felt him pressing hotly against her back. She moaned "M'eudail, Elizabeth," he breathed, finding her mouth with his, kissing it, caressing it softly, insistently.

She turned in his arms as she returned his kiss. He embraced her more tightly and his hands caressed her back and her hips, occasionally straying beneath the hem of her shirt and his touch threatened to drive her mad. When they moved down to caress her bottom, she jumped slightly, but then moaned as his touch inflamed her further. Both started when the timer dinged, bringing them both back to the present.

William pulled away slightly and pressed his forehead to hers as he attempted to catch his breath. Elizabeth heard his mutter something under his breath, and then he spoke, raising his hand to caress her cheek. "I apologize, mo ghràd, if I pushed too far," he whispered.

Still slightly breathless, she whispered back, "You did not, William." She sighed. "I love it when you touch me," she said in such a quiet voice he wasn't sure he heard it correctly. Pulling away, she spoke in a normal voice. "I need to check the food," she told him.

He sighed. "We will be in Tennessee in a little less than a fortnight, correct?" he asked.

She looked up at him from where she was checking the roasting vegetables. "Yes, although I would imagine you know the travel arrangements better than I do at this point."

William nodded. "Mrs. Reynolds emailed both of us the itinerary yesterday," he agreed. "I hope you do not mind, but I upgraded you to first class, along with me, at least for the overseas part of the flight. We have a layover somewhere, but I have forgotten where."

Elizabeth looked at him inquisitively. "I guess that your rather tall person would not fit too well in most seats in coach, would it? I want to tell you that it is unnecessary, but I bet you would tell me it is."

He grinned. "You would be right, and when that seat converts to a bed just a little longer than I am tall, you will find that it is makes traveling much more comfortable."

"The flight from Atlanta to Heathrow was miserable, in large part because of the unexpected delay in New York, when they would not let us off the plane. I was stuck in my seat because I did not want to ask the person sitting next to me to get up, but it was snug, even for me. Since you're at least half a foot taller than I am, I cannot imagine you in one of those seats for very long."

William gave an affected shudder, causing her to laugh lightly. "Is there anything that I can do to help?" he asked, the thought suddenly occurring to him.

"Plates and silverware, perhaps?" she suggested. "Drinks for us both?"

He readily agreed and gathered what he needed to set the table. Disappearing for several minutes, Elizabeth wondered where he could have gone until he returned carrying a bottle of wine. "Care for a glass?" he asked. At her nod, he took out two wine glasses and poured them each a glass.

Working together, they carried the food to the table. Elizabeth had roasted the fresh vegetables and salmon filets she had found at the market, along with a salad. The meal was pleasant, and they spoke about what they each had done on the days they had been apart.

Elizabeth told him about visiting Culloden battlefield, the sight of the final battle of Jacobite uprising in 1745. "I was amazed at the many flags and markers sitting the moor, and the 'cairn' was massive. I learned a lot in the visitor's center, but I've also read Outlander," here she paused to wink at him, "so I did know a little about it before I arrived. Still, it was a tragic event, so many killed and so much carnage. I think the experience might compare to visiting Antietam or Gettysburg – Civil War battlefields in the States."

William, who had visited Culloden before could only agree. "Aye, it is a absorbing place, but such a sad reminder of the tragic events that took place there. So many lost their lives, and its affect upon the folks of Scotland, in particularly in the Highlands, was terrible. It's a sobering reminder of the devastating consequences of war." Williams paused for a moment, considering. "The Darcys were still in England at the time – we are Sassenachs but in the last century or so have become more accepted by the locals." As intended, they both laughed at this lasty comment, lightening the mood considerably.

That led to him telling her how his family, originally from Derbyshire had ended up in Inverness. Apparently, a second son in the 1800s had met and married a 'bonnie lass' when visiting the family holdings nearby and had chosen to stay there with her. Eventually, this several-times great grandfather had at some point had decided to learn about and then invest in making whisky and that business had only expanded from then. Pemberley whisky was one of the few remaining family-owned distilleries in the Highlands and while they did not produce as much as some of the larger ones, they had a steady following that purchased their brand, which was sold mainly in the United Kingdom for now.

Elizabeth was interested in the family history, as hers was less well known, particularly on her mother's side. So, she asked questions about Pemberley - both the whisky distillery and the estate he had mentioned located in the county of Derbyshire in England. That same second son who had established the distillery had eventually inherited the family estate, when his brother had died without heirs. Apparently, since that date, there had been few sons born in each generation, and the Darcys had settled more permanently in Scotland, while still maintaining the family estate in Derbyshire. "Quite a bit of the land was sold in the early 1900s, when tenant farmers became harder to come by due to industrialization, but the manor house and the park are owned by Georgiana and me," he explained. "It is still a rather large estate, and the home farm is still in operation, along with a few herds of livestock. We keep horses there as well, and Georgiana and I still visit a few times a year."

He continued to explain how the estate was largely self-sufficient, since it was frequently rented out for weddings and other events, and visitors could pay to enter for a tour. These, along with a few other things, allowed the estate to pay for itself, including the ridiculous amount of taxes owed on the land it still contained. While at one point, the Darcy family had owned close to half the county he told her, now it only owned a few hundred hectares of land and it required fewer staff to run it now.

Eventually conversation turned to their trip to Edinburgh. They would drive down tomorrow, taking their time to allow Elizabeth to drive through Cairngorms National Park before making some other stops, including a visit to the Kelpies in Falkirk. William, who had made this drive many times, was looking forward to seeing it all through Elizabeth's eyes and was anxious to have her view some of the best spots. He continually had to remind himself that she would be back to stay and that it didn't all need to be done on this particular drive.

Mrs. Reynolds had made the hotel arrangements, booking a two-room suite at the Balmoral, a historic landmark hotel where they would stay until Tuesday, when they would drive back that afternoon after Elizabeth's meeting at the university. They would spend Sunday with Georgiana, including reservations for dinner, and a play at the Royal Lyceum theater. William's cousin Richard hoped to meet them at some point during their trip to Edinburgh as well.

Aside from that, they planned to do some shopping, and on Monday they had an appointment at William's solicitor's office to deal with both visa issues and to discuss the prenuptial agreement. While he maintained solicitors in Inverness, the ones who dealt with family affairs were located in Edinburgh. William had already directed his solicitor to file the proper paperwork at the registry office for the wedding and to get started on the necessary paperwork for Elizabeth's visa. This request would be filed once they returned from United States with the legal marriage certificate.

They had finished eating as they talked, and together carried the dishes into the kitchen. William helped her wash up and then they settled together in the lounge and continued to discuss their plans.

Among other decisions, they spoke of their wedding to be held in Scotland upon their return from Tennessee. While it had not been truly necessary to file with the registry office, since they would legally be married in Tennessee, William had asked the attorney to do so anyway. "Where would you like to marry, Elizabeth?" he wondered. "We can marry in St. Andrews in Inverness, or we can have a ceremony about anywhere else you may like."

"Outside?" she asked.

"I think it could be arranged; I believe there is additional paperwork for an outdoor wedding," he replied.

"What about at Loch Ness?" she asked him. "Perhaps in or around that castle?"

William looked at her as he considered. "When?" he asked.

She looked at him momentarily uncertain. "When?"

"Yes," he said. "How soon after we return would you want to hold the wedding? Summer, perhaps July or August, would be ideal for an outdoor wedding at Urquhart Castle, I think."

"Early in July?" she suggested. "I do not want a large wedding, something simple would be perfect, but I did like that location, and we did meet again at Loch Ness."

"I like the idea, and early July should work well. We can take a two- or three-week honeymoon to Pemberley, if you like, or anywhere else you might like to go," he told her.

"That sounds lovely, actually," she said. "Won't there be events and things happening there?"

"Perhaps, but most are only for a few hours or so. Plus, there are areas of the house for the family that are off-limits to visitors. We would be largely on our own there," he said with a wink.

She snuggled into him more closely. "I love you, William. I don't think I said when I arrived how very much I missed you when I didn't get to see you."

William kissed Elizabeth's forehead. "I love you too, mo ghràdh," he replied. She sighed and neither broke the silence.

Some hours later, William woke with a slight crick in his neck, and he realized they had fallen asleep on the couch. Awkwardly rising, he stretched his neck for a few minutes and then picked her up and carrying her into his room. He watched her sleep for several minutes after putting her down before he crawled into the bed behind her and quickly fell back to sleep.

Elizabeth woke and felt briefly uncertain when she realized she did not know where she was. However, she quickly felt William's presence behind her and his arm across her in his sleep. She slowly turned around to face him, trying not to disturb him as she did so, and watched him for a moment before brushing his hair off his forehead. This slight touch seemed to disturb him, and he reached to pull her closer to him. Almost immediately, his mouth found hers and kissed her deeply. Not fully awake, and thinking he was dreaming, he allowed his hand to caress over her body, touching her bolding and leaving a trail of heat in its wake.

She moaned slightly when he once again grabbed her behind and pulled her into him, and she felt the presence of his desire as he rubbed her against him. As his other hand came up and roughly caressed her breast, she gasped in pleasure, and it was that sound that woke him. His eyes popped open, and he moved his hands around to her back to a much safer position, as he slowed the rather passionate kiss.

"Good morning, mo ghràdh," he whispered huskily when he had released her lips. "You will be the death of me, I do hope you know."

She laughed lightly and pressed a kiss to his nose. "I certainly hope not, but for two people who have slept together as often as we have, I feel I am nowhere near as knowledgeable as I would like to be. So, you absolutely cannot perish yet."

"We can fix that problem rather quickly, dearest, but we are wearing too many clothes for that," he laughed.

She laughed in reply. "Ten more days, I think," she said, sighing slightly. "I'm struggling as well, William. I told you yesterday that I like the way it feels when you touch me, and I always want you to be touching me in some way or another. I feel it too, Will, but isn't it better if we wait?"

Not certain how to respond, but knowing it was for the best, he pressed a light kiss to her lips. "You are absolutely worth waiting for, Elizabeth. I believe I have been waiting my entire life for you."

Later that morning, after quick 'fry up' of eggs and sausages, they were in William's car and on the way to Edinburgh. As planned, they made several stops to walk and look at both spectacular views and a few ancient buildings. At each location, they had walked together, holding hands, and talking about what they saw and, of course, William would frequently share the history he knew about the locations.

The Kelpies in Falkirk were one of the sights Elizabeth and William visited on their way. Huge horse heads, standing 100 feet in the air greeted them and William told Elizabeth what he knew about the sculpture. Their stay there was brief, and before too much longer they were arriving in Edinburgh.

After all day in the car, despite the frequent stops to see the sights, both William and Elizabeth were happy to be shown their room at the grand Balmoral Hotel. Elizabeth, unused to such luxury, was impressed by the red-carpeted entry and the kilted doormen who greeted them. William checked them in, and they were soon shown to their suite. It was a large room with two bedrooms joined by a living room and fireplace. Multiple windows allowed natural light in the room as well as provided amazing views of the city. Elizabeth was stunned by both the views and the luxury of the suite.

"This is stunning, William, all of it," she gushed. "I have never stayed in such a gorgeous suite before. And look, there are little chocolates and, of course, whisky already waiting for us."

William just smiled as Elizabeth looked over the suite in great detail. After she returned ti the living room, he asked her about dinner. "We can do room service or one if the restaurants here at the hotel. My sister was going to keep tonight available in case you wanted to meet her tonight. Richard is also in town - I just got a message from him - we could all four go to dinner or eat here if you'd prefer that."

"I would live to meet your sister and I know your cousin's schedule had made meeting difficult. If they are both good with tonight, I am as well. And I am fine with going out or staying in - I've never been to Edinburgh, and I wouldn't know where to go anyway."

"True," he said smiling. "Then do you object to us inviting my family to meet us here? It will be far easier that way, plus I haven't told them about our engagement. I wanted them to meet you first."

Elizabeth responded positively and he sent messages to both inviting them to join them in their suite. Food was ordered, although Elizabeth fussed about the amount, but he simply told her she hadn't met Richard yet.

Georgiana arrived first. Like her brother, she was tall and had the same blue eyes. However, where William was dark, his sister was fair. She greeted them both enthusiastically. "Hullo," she called out immediately when William opened the door for her and gave him a hug. As soon as he introduced Elizabeth, she received a hug as well. "I have been looking forward to meeting you!" she exclaimed. "William has only said a little, but from that, he likes you a great deal. Your trip to Orkney sounded amazing."

Elizabeth smiled at her. "It was wonderful. We have nothing nearly that old in Tennessee. It was pretty incredible to see the Neolithic sights and I love all the old castles."

They chatted for a few minutes about the island trip before Richard showed up. He was a giant bear of a man, nearly as tall as William but broad shouldered and muscular. And hairy - a beard covered more than half his face. Elizabeth nearly laughed out loud as she conjured a mental image of him as a Viking.

He greeted his cousins exuberantly and then turned to Elizabeth when William introduced her. "So, this is the lass who has captured my reticent cousin's attention. She's a bonnie one, Darcy, and no doubt too good for the likes of you," he teased, punching his cousin in the arm as he spoke. Then, capturing her hand in his, he brought it to his lips. "Pleased to meet ya', lass, especially since you seem to have enticed my cousin there to smile a bit and even take a bit of a holiday."

Elizabeth looked at William in surprise. "I would have never described your cousin as reticent. He's not loquacious, certainly, but reticent?"

William looked at Richard annoyed but felt pleased at Elizabeth's opinion of his character. One of the many things he loved about her was her willingness to let him be himself with her. There were no awkward silences between them; they were simply comfortable with each other. It was amazing to him in such a short time that he could feel so completely at ease with another person.

As he had contemplated this, the other three were talking their plans for the following day. Richard was in town for the weekend and planned to tag along on their expeditions the following day as they introduced Elizabeth to Edinburgh. William joined in, making a few suggestions, and reminding them of the plans already made for dinner and a play the following night. Monday morning would be consumed by business, and Georgiana had school, but Richard agreed to tag along with them again on Monday afternoon.

The meal arrived and the four settled down to eat and chat. Conversation flowed easily and both Richard and Georgiana gave William indications of their approval of Elizabeth. After the food was eaten and cleaned away, William retrieved a bottle of champagne and four glasses. "I have an announcement," he began, after giving everyone a glass and then sitting back down next to Elizabeth. "I have asked Elizabeth to marry me, and she has agreed. I will accompany her home next week, and when we return, we will begin our plans. We hope to marry at Urquhart Castle in July." He smiled broadly at Elizabeth and leaned in to kiss her softly.

Elizabeth smiled back at him lost in his eyes. The others watched in surprise but observed the look between the couple and recognized the obvious love and connection between them.

Georgiana spoke first. "Congratulations, William and Elizabeth! I am so happy for you. Elizabeth, can I help at all with the wedding plans?"

Richard was slightly more caution. "That is wonderful news. Elizabeth, does this mean you are moving to Scotland?"

Elizabeth blinked at the question. "Yes, I was here to complete my research for my degree. In the two weeks we are home, I will finish things up, and will return permanently. We will meet with William's attorney Monday to ask questions about visas and such. I hope to find a job, perhaps with a school near William's home, when I am able."

Richard looked at her thoughtfully. William was a very wealthy man, and while she did seem to make him happy, he wanted to make sure she would not be taking advantage of him. William had not dated often, and he wanted to be sure this woman was worthy of his cousin.

It was not long after that the party broke up. Richard did corner William for a few minutes, and they had a whispered conversation that clearly annoyed William. However, Elizabeth was deep in conversation with Georgiana and did not see. After they agreed to meet at a restaurant for a "full Scottish breakfast" the following morning, Richard and Georgiana left.

Elizabeth noticed that William seemed a bit out of sorts. "Is everything okay, William?" she asked him.

He sighed deeply. "Richard asked if it was you or me pushing for such a fast wedding and engagement. He is worried that you are taking advantage of me."

"What did you say?" she asked.

"That I trust you completely and am not worried about you taking advantage. I have come to know you well in these few weeks, but no matter how short a time it has been, I know that I love you and that I want you as my wife. There was more, but I will not repeat those, since they were crass and rude," William told her.

She looked surprised at this. "I thought he liked me," she said.

He kissed her forehead. "I think he did, mo ghràdh, but he … I guess he just needed to be certain that I knew what I was doing. As I expected, he asked about the prenuptial agreement. I told him we would see the solicitors on Monday about that as well."

She nodded and the leaned into his shoulder. "Are there others who will oppose?" she wondered.

"My Aunt Catherine will object vociferously," he answered. "Largely because you're American, but also because she has some misguided idea about wealth and class. She had a bride chosen for me, a lady from London who hates everything about the Scots and particularly the Highlands. I am not certain what kind of marriage she imagined for us, since I live near Inverness and she lived in London. I met her once and her disdain for me and my life was evident. The only reason she was considering it was because of the estate in Derbyshire and the fact that I am somewhat wealthy."

"That would have been a miserable marriage," she replied aghast at the thought.

"It would," he agreed. "She occasionally throws women at me, but I try to avoid both her and them. I do not intend to invite her, plus, since we will actually marry sooner, she can do little but complain."

She nodded her acceptance. "Let us retire, Elizabeth. I intend to wake you early for a little adventure on our own first thing," he told her, pulling her to his chest and kissing her forehead.

Before long, they were snuggled together in one of the bedrooms. After exchanging a few kisses, they eventually fell asleep clasped together in each other's arms.

The following morning, Elizabeth and Will woke before sunrise. William was eager to start their day in Edinburgh with the two of them taking the short walk to Calton Hill. As they made their way to the top, the sky began to lighten with shades of pink and orange, and they could see the sun just beginning to peek over the horizon. When they reached the peak, they were rewarded with breathtaking views of the city below, including Edinburgh Castle, Arthur's Seat, and the Scottish Parliament building, all bathed in the soft glow of the rising sun. As they stood there together, Elizabeth leaned against William's chest with his arms around her waist as he pointed out the sights they would visit the next few days. Standing that way, pressed against each other, absorbing each other's warmth, they relished the connection and continued to speak quietly about whatever came to mind and taking in the beauty of the moment.

Finally, they turned to go back down the hill hand in hand and returned to the hotel. Back in their room, William took the opportunity to kiss her passionately as he had longed to do at the top of Calton Hill. Cupping her face with his hands, he pulled her close and kissed her until both were breathless and panting. For a long time after, they stood together, lost to everything around them as they simply held each other.

Too soon, it was time to go meet Richard and Georgiana for breakfast. They walked to the restaurant where the others were already there, having just arrived. After their orders were placed, the four conversed lightly about their plans as they waited for their food. When their food came, Elizabeth was amazed at what constituted the "full Scottish breakfast." There was toast, tomatoes, sausages, bacon, eggs, beans, and even a slice of black pudding. She tried a little bit of everything, savoring the rich flavors and the hearty, filling nature of the meal.

Feeling a bit hesitant, Elizabeth was still determined to try everything on the plate. The toast, eggs, sausage, and bacon were typical enough, although the beans were more typical of a Southern BBQ than of a breakfast food. The grilled tomato was a good accompaniment, and she even enjoyed the 'tattie scone' that was present as well. However, when she came to the slice of black pudding, she eyed it warily.

William noticed her hesitation and leaned nearer to explain what it was. "It's a traditional Scottish dish made from blood and oats," he said, a hint of amusement in his voice. "It's an acquired taste, but you should try it, at the very least."

With a strong sense of trepidation, Elizabeth took a small bite. To her surprise, it was not terrible, but neither was it exactly to her taste. Fortunately, she was rather full, and a small bite was enough.

After breakfast, the group made their way down the Royal Mile, taking in the historic buildings and quaint shops that lined the street. As they wandered through the city, the group made a point to stop at some of Edinburgh's most famous landmarks and told Elizabeth all manner of stories, although she quickly learned to doubt Richard's.

At St Giles' Cathedral, they marveled at the intricate stonework and stained-glass windows. William explained the history of the cathedral, including how it was originally a Catholic church before being converted to a Protestant place of worship during the Scottish Reformation. Injecting some humor into the trip, Richard told the story of how a bagpiper had once gotten stuck in the church's narrow staircase while playing during a wedding, causing quite the commotion.

Next, they stopped at the Scottish Parliament Building, a modern structure that stood in stark contrast to the traditional buildings around it. Here, Richard told the group the legend that a group of construction workers accidentally left a set of blueprints in a pub during the building's construction. Apparently, when they returned to retrieve the blueprints, the regulars at the pub had made modifications, adding secret passages, hidden rooms, and even a trapdoor leading to a slide that went to the café.

"According to the legend, the construction workers were amused by the changes and incorporated some in into the building's actual design. If you know where to look, you can find some of the secret passages and hidden rooms that the regulars at the pub added," Richard told the group.

They all eyed him warily. Finally, Georgiana spoke up, hands on her hips, "I don't believe that story. There is no way construction workers could just decide to add rooms and passages like that."

Richard laughed. "Aye, lassie, it did not happen that way. But it is a good story and is oft' told to tourists who spend time looking for these secret places."

Their final stop of the afternoon was the Palace of Holyroodhouse. As they approached the Palace, Elizabeth felt awed at the grandeur of the building. Entering the palace, they were greeted by an array of stunning artwork, lavish furnishings, and ornate decorations. William explained some of the history of the palace, including its role as the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland and the site of numerous historic events over the centuries. The gardens, full of beautiful flowers and lovely fountains, were equally spectacular.

Concluding their brief tour of the city, the group popped into several shops along the Royal Mile as they made their way back toward the hotel. They stopped in a traditional Scottish tartan store and a charming tea shop. William purchased a couple of gifts for Elizabeth at various stores and four enjoyed a cup of tea and some sandwiches and pastries to tide them over until dinner.