"Finally," Elizabeth Bennet said as she disembarked from the plane in Edinburgh. Although she normally enjoyed traveling, the trip from Atlanta to Inverness had been difficult and much longer than intended.
The flight from Atlanta to Heathrow in London had been diverted to New York, where it had been delayed for a couple of hours before being able to take off again. During that time, no one had been permitted to disembark, which added to the overall sense of frustration by many onboard. Once she landed in Heathrow, she discovered she had missed her connecting flight to Inverness and had to speak to customer service to get her booked onto another flight.
With all of this, she was arriving in Scotland a day later than she had intended and still wearing the same clothes she had been in since she left her home more than two days ago. Never one to sleep well sitting up, she was exhausted and grumpy and just ready to find her bed. However, she had traveled enough to know that going to bed at noon would only make her jet lag worse. Her best bet was to stay awake until a more normal bedtime so she would sleep all night.
While standing waiting for the luggage carousel, she noticed a man standing apart from the rest of the crowd. His eyes were scanning the room and he appeared to be searching for someone or something, but it didn't appear to be his luggage since he was not paying any attention to the carousel.
He was incredibly handsome, with thick, dark, wavy hair and beautiful clear blue eyes. He was tall, several inches over six feet tall, with broad shoulders, and something told Elizabeth that the muscles she saw under his jacket were not gained in a gym. Elizabeth, watching him, felt a strange sense of familiarity to the man, and blushed deeply when he caught her staring at him. She quickly averted her eyes, hoping he hadn't realized she had been staring at him.
Elizabeth was startled with the buzzer sounded indicating the carousel was starting. She stepped closer and noted that the man moved too, and that after a moment, he was standing only a few feet from her. She kept her eyes on the luggage carousel, although she did keep a watch on him in her peripheral vision.
After a few minutes, she recognized her suitcase, and moved to grab it off the carousel as it went around. As she did, the man also moved toward his own bag which was, ironically, right next to hers. When he grabbed his off, he used his other hand to grab hers off as well, which told her that he was as aware of her as she was of him. It was strangely satisfying, although she did wonder the reason.
Feeing grateful for his help, she quickly said, "Thank you," as he set the suitcase down in front of her.
"You are most welcome," he said, his voice deep and soothing and with a distinct Scottish burr. He man smiled at her, his blue eyes twinkling at her. "You are here for a visit?"
"An extended visit, I guess you could say," she said. "I am here for a month to do research for my master's degree. I am focusing on the connection between the dialect found in the Appalachian Mountains in America and Scotland and Ireland."
"Interesting," he stated. "My name is William Darcy, by the way."
"I'm Elizabeth Bennet," she replied.
Neither spoke for a moment, unsure of what to say next. Finally, he broke the silence, his accent slightly thicker in his nervousness. "Do ye have a place to stay already? Can I help you get there?"
She was surprised by his question and uncertain about how to answer. While she felt drawn to the man, she did not think it wise to get into a car with him in a foreign country. "I have a short-term lease on a flat in the main part of the city and I need to find a taxi or shuttle to take me."
"Let me show you where to find one," he offered, and Elizabeth sighed in relief.
"Thank you, William. I appreciate the help." She smiled up at him and nearly gasped when he gave her a full smile in return. They chatted for another moment or two about some of her plans for her stay and he volunteered the information about the whisky distillery where he worked – deliberately not mentioning that he was the owner of the distillery. He also mentioned a few other places she should visit while she was there, and she was pleased with the information.
Knowing from her comments that was staying in the city centre, William chose to see what would happen and if he would encounter her again while she was staying in Inverness. He elected to tempt fate and not ask for a phone number, but he did pay attention when she gave the address of where she was staying to the taxi driver.
Elizabeth felt slightly disappointed that he had not asked for nor offered his phone number but recognized that he had told her where he worked – perhaps in the hope she would drop in. Visiting a whisky distillery was on her list of things to do while she was there, so maybe in a few days she could pay a visit.
It was a short ride from the airport to the flat she had rented for the next month. She had booked it for four weeks but had the option to add an additional two weeks at the end if needed. After settling in, she showered and changed, looking longingly at the bed. Deciding it was still too early to sleep, she left the flat to explore what was nearby and to find something to eat.
The next morning, Elizabeth woke early and prepared for her pre-booked tour of Loch Ness. She laughed to herself as she remembered the conversation with her professor about this trip and the hope he had expressed that she would see "Nessie" as she traveled on the famous Loch. While she held little hope herself, in fact, she doubted, like many that this monster even existed, she was looking forward to first excursion.
Meeting at the pre-arranged location, she boarded the bus – or coach – that would take them to the loch. She reveled in the beautiful scenery as she passed, her first real look at the rugged beauty of the Scottish Highlands. Having grown up in and around the Great Smoky Mountains, the views she saw were both familiar and new. One view that was definitely new was the herds of sheep throughout the region and the spattering of highland cows or "coos" that were interspersed around the area. The road was winding and narrow, and the coach had to stop a few times to allow other vehicles to pass – on the wrong side of the road, Elizabeth thought.
Finally arriving at Urquhart Castle, Elizabeth was in awe of building that carried so much history. While she was familiar with old houses, nothing she had visited before compared to the centuries old castle that stood before her. Walking around for the allotted hour, she explored as much as she could and was determined she would visit again.
Soon enough, she was boarding the boat that would take them on their tour of the loch and Elizabeth was surprised to recognize a pair of startling blue eyes. "William!" she cried in surprise, a smile lighting her face.
"Good morning, Elizabeth," he said in his low voice.
"I am surprised to find you on a tour of Loch Ness," she teased, trying to recover her footing at her surprise of seeing him there.
"A favor for a friend," he stated honestly. "I am something of a history buff and my friend had a tour guide quit on him suddenly, so he called me and asked me to fill in. I will admit, I demurred, but then he sent me some information about the tour, and I happened to notice your name on the booking …" He trailed off then, unsure of how to complete the sentence.
Elizabeth smiled broadly at him, feeling pleased that he had been willing to take this tour because he had seen her name. "Then, I look forward to hearing your stories about Loch Ness and 'Nessie', and any others you share on this tour," she teased him.
William smiled at her teasing, but before he could respond, someone tapped his shoulder indicating it was time for him to start. He winked at her before he walked away. "Guid morning," he said, addressing the group. "My name is William, and I'll be yer tour guide for today's journey alang Loch Ness."
Elizabeth chuckled at his exaggerated accent as he began the tour. Although he clearly spoke with a Scottish burr, he was now using the more traditional language of the region, frequently interspersed with Gaelic.
"Well, folks, let me tell ye the tale of Nessie and Loch Ness," William began. "Ye see, Loch Ness is a bonnie loch, nestled in the heart of the Scottish Highlands, as ye see. But it is also believed to be home to a mysterious creature known as Nessie, or the Loch Ness Monster. In Gaelic, we call her 'Niseag,' which means 'little Nessie,' but most folks know her as the Loch Ness Monster. 'Tis said she's a giant creature with a long, serpent-like neck and a body that's as big as a whale. Some say she's friendly, while others believe she's a dangerous beast.
"Some say that Nessie is a kelpie, a water spirit from Gaelic mythology that can take on many forms. Others believe that Nessie is a plesiosaur, a prehistoric creature that somehow survived extinction and made its home in the loch."
William continued in this vein for most of the next hour, telling stories about the loch and the various sights, while giving the tourists time to look at everything as they passed. In these times of quiet, he would occasionally drift over to Elizabeth to tell her other stories that were not part of the tour and point out sights he thought she would enjoy.
Elizabeth felt a distinct sense of disappointment as the tour concluded and they came close to the shore. She had enjoyed William's company on this tour and hated that once again they would part.
"So, my bonnie lassie," William said as she disembarked, still using the exaggerated accent he had used on the tour, "would ye like tae join me for dinner tonight? I ken just the place, a wee restaurant with the best Scotch fare in all of Inverness." His eyes sparkled as he spoke to her using the Scots dialect.
Elizabeth grinned at the invitation and the delivery. "I would love to," she responded. "Shall we meet at the restaurant?"
He recognized her ploy – she was being cautious with an almost-stranger in a foreign country. With that in mind, he nodded his agreement and told her the name and address of the restaurant where they should meet and suggested a time. "Do ye have a mobile?" he asked.
"I picked one up today," she said. "I'll admit, I do not know the number yet, but you can program your number in it, and then I can send you a message or call you so you have it." She handed him her phone and he quickly programmed in his number.
As she quickly sent him a message, he asked, "Just wondering, why did you purchase a mobile today?"
"I need to set up some meetings and things and figured it would be easier to have a local number to give people," she said. "I know that I will have to travel to Edinburgh in a week or two, but I need to set up some appointments at the University there first. It was another recommendation from my professors to make it easier for me while I am here. I also need to see about renting a car, but I am uncertain about driving on the left."
"I ken a few roads that are not well traveled where you could practice," he offered. "I would be happy to offer whatever help you may need."
She laughed. "I will think about the offer and let you know. I plan to stay closer to Inverness for the next week though." Just then, she noticed that most everyone was boarding the coach for the return trip to Inverness. "I need to go, I think, but I will see you tonight. Is there a dress code or anything for the restaurant?"
"Nah, lass, it is a casual place we'll go to tonight," he said. "I look forward to seeing you there."
She smiled at him before leaving. He watched her as she boarded the coach, which left a few minutes after. Walking into the gift shop, he looked around for something he could give her that evening, since he had kept her from having time to look around. He found a trinket he thought she would appreciate, but his attention was caught by a pendant in the shape of thistles. It was made of silver and had an amethyst in the center and probably cost more than he ought to spend on a new acquaintance, but for some reason it seemed perfect for her, and he decided he really wanted her to have it.
He purchased both items and decided that he would hang on to the pendant until closer to the time she would leave. With that thought, he bought a bracelet in a similar pattern and then purchased a matching kilt pin for himself. This done, he headed toward his car and back to Inverness and his office until it was time to meet Elizabeth.
Elizabeth enjoyed the ride back to Inverness although her thoughts drifted to William more than they did the scenery. She was very pleased to have been invited to dinner with him and found she was very much looking forward to it. Although they had not had a lot of personal conversation, she found she enjoyed talking to him and especially listening to his lilting burr. She felt she would enjoy listening to him regardless of what he said, with his voice, even the most boring text would sound interesting.
The rest of the afternoon was spent with Elizabeth setting up some of the meetings she had mentioned to William that morning. She had gotten in touch with the professor at the University of Edinburgh and was scheduled to meet with him in three weeks and he had promised to email her some information she would need before the meeting. That professor had also pointed her to a faculty member from the University of the Highlands there in Inverness who she could speak with. With these contacts made, Elizabeth thought it would be much easier to find the answers she needed.
The last part of the afternoon seemed to drag by as Elizabeth waited to meet William for dinner. She attempted several different endeavors to make time go by more quickly, to no avail. Finally, however, it was time to leave to meet him. Programming the address into her phone, she realized the place he had suggested was just a short walk, so she exited her apartment building and made her way there slowly. She window shopped on her way and noted a few places that looked interesting and determined to visit another day.
Elizabeth noticed William standing on the sidewalk near outside the restaurant. He was also early, a fact that did not surprise her, since that was also her tendency. The impression she had of William was that he was the type of person to arrive 10 to 15 minutes early for any appointment and who hated to be kept waiting.
She felt intensely gratified when she noticed his face break into a wide smile the moment he spotted her and she returned the smile. He walked toward her and without quite knowing how, they ended up with their hands tightly entwined. William looked down at their hands and then up at her, squeezing the hand in his own.
"Hi," she said, suddenly feeling shy.
"Hello, lass," William said softly, his voice warm and soft. "You look bonnie tonight."
"Thank you," she replied, blushing. "You look nice, too."
He squeezed her hand. "Are ye ready to eat?" he asked, leading her toward the restaurant and holding open the door so she could enter ahead of him. They were quickly seated at a quiet table in a corner and a waitress took their drink orders and told them about the specials for the evening.
William made a suggestion, which Elizabeth readily agreed to, so once their food was ordered, they began to speak, first of trivial things and then more and more about themselves.
Elizabeth spoke of growing up in East Tennessee, near the Great Smoky Mountains, a portion of the Appalachian Mountains. William had grown up between Inverness, Edinburgh, and London, and they were surprised to find they shared many of the same interests. They both enjoyed hiking and other outdoor activities, although Elizabeth had escaped to the outdoors to avoid being home, where as William had enjoyed the time outdoors most often in the company of family, most notably a slightly older cousin.
Books also played a big role in both of their lives, which again brought to the fore a difference in their upbringing, since the books Elizabeth read were most often borrowed from her local libraries, whereas William's home contained its own private library.
"I dream of having a private library in my home," Elizabeth told him. "I have a fair number of books that I have purchased over the last few years, most of them purchased from a secondhand store, but I still borrow them from the library more often than not.
"While I valued books, my mother did not, and I was often reprimanded for 'wasting time' reading books as a kid. My mom hated that I spent so much time outdoors and on reading and of course, I preferred time spent in both." She laughed at her statement, but William looked at her quizzically.
"Where was your father in all of this?" he asked.
Her face fell slightly. "I don't know," she replied after a moment. "I was the second daughter and he left shortly after I was born. Mama always said he wasn't ready to be a father the first time and the second time was worse, although she also blamed me for his leaving. His mother, who I called Granny, was around though, and I spent a lot of time with her growing up, at least until she passed away when I was twelve.
"She was the one who taught me the value of the written word and the outdoors and who taught me to be proud of where I came from. She taught me to value education, how to cook, how to shoot, how to do a lot of things. I think that was another reason Mama never really liked me – because Granny did, and she reminded Mama of my dad."
His face softened as he realized all she had overcome to get where she was; he admired her for her determination and had listened to her with empathy. He was especially struck by her resilience and strength despite the challenges she had faced.
"I'm sorry tae hear that your mum dinnae appreciate your love of books and the outdoors," he said, his burr more pronounced. "But it sounds like your granny was a wonderful influence in your life and I wish I could've known her."
Elizabeth nodded, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Yes, Granny was an amazing woman," she said. "I miss her every day."
"Aye, and you seem to have accomplished much, despite the lack of support from your kin," he continued. "You should be proud of what you have accomplished."
"Oh, aye," she teased, wanting to change the conversation to lighter subjects. She laughed. "Do I sound like a Scot?"
Realizing this was her way of changing the topic, he laughed at her segue from a difficult topic to a significantly lighter one.
"Perhaps?" he asked, his eyebrow arched in question.
She laughed in reply. "I have heard that repeatedly today as I tried to set up appointments at the university here in Inverness and in Edinburgh. I will need to visit there in a day or two in about two weeks."
As they had been talking, their meals had been delivered and consumed. The hovering waiter delivered the check when he noted their laughter and William quickly grabbed it, laying down several notes, and waving off Elizabeth's thanks. "I invited ye out," he said, "it is ma pleasure to treat you."
Smiling, William took Elizabeth's hand to help her out of her chair and did not release it when she stood, instead wrapping it around his elbow and holding it close to his side. His free hand came up and covered her hand on his arm, and he entwined her fingers with his.
Leading her toward the River Ness, that runs through the center of the city, the couple walked across one of the bridges to the west side of the river to walk toward the Inverness Cathedral, a cathedral of the Scottish Episcopal Church. As they walked around the cathedral in the evening twilight, Elizabeth admired the building's architecture, with its pointed arches, stained glass windows, and intricate carvings. William, ever the history buff, recounted what he knew of the building's history as well.
They continued along the west side of the river, talking over trivial things, before crossing over to the east bank. From there, they walked back toward the city centre, with William expounding on the history of the area and Elizabeth chiming in with the occasional question or comment about things she had read about the city. Much sooner than either would have liked, they found themselves back at the entrance to Elizabeth's flat. A quick check of his watch revealed the time, and Elizabeth was surprised by the lateness of the hour.
"I am surprised that it is still as light as it is," she commented.
"Inverness is considerably further north than what you are used to, I supposed," William explained, his burr more pronounced. "Twilight lasts significantly longer here as we approach the summer solstice. In the weeks and days leading up to it, Inverness experiences something known as the 'midnight sun'. During the summer months, the sun doesnae fully set, and we can experience twilight all the way until dawn."
"I had not considered that," Elizabeth replied, frowning slightly. "I am scheduled to leave in mid-May, unless I extend my stay the additional two weeks, but I will miss the solstice either way."
William frowned at the thought as well. "Do still have several classes left to take for your degree?" he asked.
"Not exactly," she told him. "I am writing my thesis and I am supposed to meet with my advisor frequently, but we are doing that online while I am in Scotland. I will need to defend it, and that will need to be done in person, but when I have completed that, I will have completed my degree."
He seemed to consider that for a moment. Seemingly reaching a conclusion, he spoke again. "Well, lass, it is late, and I am working tomorrow at the distillery. You should plan to stop by one day and I will give you a tour."
"I would enjoy that," she replied. "I have a couple of meetings tomorrow, but I hope to have time in the afternoon. I have not had whisky before and am anxious to try it."
"It can be an acquired taste, but I do hope I can show you how to enjoy it," he said. Reaching up, he caressed her cheek lightly before quickly leaning in and placing a kiss where his hand had touched. "I will ring you tomorrow evening if you do not come by," he said, his voice rough.
"Good night, William," Elizabeth said softly.
"Good night, Elizabeth," he replied. He stood there watching her until she entered the building. She turned and waved as the door closed behind her.
Sleep was difficult to find that night, for both of them.