“Good evening, Miss. Welcome.”

Malcolm had greatly valued the estate manager for his impeccable manners, respectfulness, discretion, and cool, calculated intellect. He was one of those individuals who spoke little but listened much. When the distillery faced a downturn, it was Gregor who secured lucrative contracts with partners. Now, he was in charge of communication with the main whiskey buyers, working in tandem with Megan's cousin Warren, whom Malcolm had recently involved in the business affairs.

Gregor took two suitcases from Mr. Douglas and led the way inside.

As Megan entered the mansion through the grand doors, she paused, taking in the interior with interest, which blended modernity with history. The original stone walls were adorned with numerous hunting trophies.

“Deer hunting has long been considered a noble pursuit for true gentlemen, such as your grandfather,” Mr. Douglas explained, noticing Megan's surprised examination of the hall's unique decor.

“Are there bears around here?” Megan inquired warily, noticing a bear skin by the fireplace.

The manager smiled at her question, “No, that skin was a gift to your grandfather from an American hunter, an old friend of his.”

“That’s good…” replied Megan thoughtfully. She had always been afraid of wild animals.

“One need not fear the beasts,” Gregor unexpectedly interjected, his gaze inscrutable as he looked at her. “Often, it is people who pose the greater threat…”

Megan scrutinized his face with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. His last remark seemed odd, even menacing. Deciding she might be reading too much into his words, she chose to remain silent and turned her attention back to the hall's interior.

The chairs and sofa were upholstered in wool fabric made at the McKenzie mill, featuring the family's traditional blue-green tartan. Legend has it that this pattern and color scheme were adopted by the clan chief and his kin in the 13th century. Consequently, it had become a tradition for all family members to own several items in the blue-green tartan, for holidays, significant events, and everyday wear, suitable for any weather.

Megan's initial impressions of her ancestral castle were undeniably profound. A bittersweet melancholy washed over her as she realized that, despite the years which have passed by, she had never once made the effort to visit and see everything with her own eyes, to feel the deep connection to her lineage.

All these years, Arline had painted these places as a godforsaken backwater, untouched by civilization. Megan had imagined nothing more than crumbling walls of an ancient castle, frozen ruins on the verge of turning to dust, a vague memory of a glorious past. Now, she understood that her previous notions bore no resemblance to reality.

A grand staircase led upwards from the hall. She approached it, touching the cold stone balustrades. The center of it was carpeted with dense wool, also in the McKenzie tartan style, as was the furniture. Twenty steps led to the second floor, where the bedrooms were located.

“I wasn't sure which room you would prefer,” Gregor said, “so we've prepared two options for you – your grandfather's chamber and your mother's former bedroom.”

“I'll stay in my mother's room,” Megan replied, thinking that she likely wouldn't be able to sleep peacefully in her grandfather's chamber. Despite being 25, she still harbored a fear of something unexplainable associated with the dark. Megan occasionally chuckled at herself for this; after all, she was an adult, a capable woman who could quickly find a way out of any difficult situation while maintaining complete composure. Yet, she was still afraid of the dark, ghosts, and horror movies, just like a little girl!

The castle is probably filled with the ghosts of ancestors, she thought, and immediately tried to dispel this notion to avoid scaring herself.

On the second floor, two corridors branched off from the staircase, one to the right and one to the left, with bedrooms lining both.

“The second door on the left,” directed Gregor.

Arline's chamber, was both cozy and spacious. To the right from the entrance stood a king-sized bed made of mahogany, covered with a white down comforter and topped with a woolen blanket in the recognizable family colors.

Everything in one style, Megan thought, and she found it very appealing.

In front of the bed was a wide, large fireplace, above which hung a set of bagpipes – the national musical instrument of Scotland – mounted on the wall. The room, situated in a corner of the mansion, was one of the brightest in the castle thanks to two tall windows. Between them, there was a small round table and two chairs. The stone floor was covered with a, thick, plush carpet that was soft underfoot.

Warm rugs were often used in the interiors of ancient castles; they added a sense of comfort and retained heat. The climate of northern Scotland was harsh, and the close proximity to the North Sea brought cold winds and dampness. However, thanks to modern technology, the McKenzie castle was well-equipped to combat these elements.