Stretching between the castle and the royal palace of Holyrood, the Royal Mile in Edinburgh seemed to boast everything you could possibly want from an historic city. And yet if that was all you saw, then you hadn't even scratched the surface of the beautiful city itself with all its wonders, both in history and in the present day. Rand had been amazingly forbearing in allowing his new wife to drag him into every church they passed, to admire the woodworking more than anything, and chatter on about technique and form until he knew more than most sane people might ever want to know about her chosen art form.
North of the border, the days were chilly and the nights chillier yet, but there really was nothing quite like windburned cheeks and a sense of brightness that came after a day spent trawling through the hidden treasures of the beautiful city. Kit had finally relented today, after belated realizing that she had somewhat dominated their honeymoon thus far, which was how they had ended up on the Royal Mile to begin with. They were debating whether or not to visit the castle or the palace first.
"Well, it depends if you want to walk up the hill after lunch, or down," Kit was saying to her husband, ducking cheerfully out of the way of a group of English students who looked as though they would rather be anywhere but Edinburgh today. "It isn't as though either place is going to suddenly disappear just because we went to the other one first!"
He seemed to consider this very seriously for a moment, as if it was a matter of great import, before replying. "Well, if we go uphill before lunch, it will be easier to go downhill after," he reasoned, when their stomachs would be fuller and they'd likely be feeling lazy. Whichever they decided, he seemed in no great hurry, perfectly happy to indulge her in whatever she wanted to do.
He had a new lease on life, after all. He couldn't be happier, and it showed in the way he was smiling and laughing, more relaxed than he'd felt in many years. This little honeymoon of theirs wasn't so much about having fun as it was about spending time alone together without the worries and cares of everyday life hanging over their heads.
"So ...the castle it is, then!" She beamed, delighted to have come to a decision in half the time it would have taken her on her own, and hugged him impulsively. He wasn't the only one with a new lease on life, and was learning that one of the many reasons his little wife worked with wood had very much to do with her tactile nature. She tended to pout if she wasn't allowed to touch, and now he was hers irrevocably, she touched, hugged, and kissed whenever the mood took her.
He had no complaints. That part of him that had been a ghost for over a hundred years craved the warmth of a human touch, especially that of the woman he had loved for so long. He beamed a smile back at her as she hugged him, glad to see her so happy after all the sadness she had suffered during her life. Somehow he knew her grandmother was smiling down on them from the afterlife, the plan she had set into motion years ago finally coming to fruition. He did not doubt Katherine had hoped for this outcome all along, somehow knowing that Kit was the one who could break the curse that had help his soul prisoner. Taking hold of her hand, they started up the hill together, hearts light and carefree.
It seemed as though nothing could cast a cloud over them, until Kit heard a voice she hadn't been expecting to hear at all.
"Katrina" Oh, my goodness, Katrina!"
She froze on the esplanade in front of the castle, her hand tightening in Rand's, and slowly turned to find that, yes, it was indeed her mother bearing down on them.
Bottle blonde and dressed to kill, Amelia Clarke descended on them in a cloud of expensive perfume, wrapping her daughter up in a hug that was evidently not warmly received. "What are you doing here, my darling?" she declared, apparently delighted.
Kit's jaw clenched as she ground her teeth, hating the performance more than anything. "I'm on my honeymoon, Mum," she told her mother calmly, tugging Rand closer. "Please meet my husband, Randal. Rand ....this is my mother."
Inwardly, Rand cringed at the realization of just who it was they had happened upon here on their honeymoon, of all times and places. Later, he might ponder why here and now, but at the moment, there was no time to consider such things; he could only react. He could have passed the woman on the street and neither would have known who the other was, nor would have had noticed much of a resemblance to the young woman who'd stolen his heart. He stood back a pace while the two embraced, or more accurately, Kit's mother gave her daughter a hug. He was unable to tell whether that hug was sincere or her mother truly was the master of deception Kit claimed her to be, but it seemed he was about to find out. He plastered on the most polite and charming smile he could muster as he was tugged closer, offering a hand to the woman in greeting.
"I'm pleased to meet you, Mrs. Clarke. Your daughter has told me so much about you." Hopefully, she saw that for the warning it was. The part of him that had been a ghost remembered Kit's mother differently. She'd been a timid woman then, plain, lonely, and frightened of her own shadow. This Amelia was very different.
"Oh, and this must be your young man!" Evidently listening wasn't among Amelia Clarke's skills. She bypassed the offered hand and enveloped him into an embrace that was deeply inappropriate for her to be giving to even a friend of her daughter, much less her own son-in-law.
Kit's teeth ground audibly for a moment, anger flashing in her eyes as she watched her mother plant a kiss far too close to Rand's mouth for her liking. "What are you doing in Edinburgh, Mum?" she asked, old habits built on keeping on the woman's good side keeping her tone light and friendly.
Amelia drew back from Rand with a saucy wink, turning her wide smile back to her daughter. "Oh, darling, I'm here with Andrew," she declared brightly. "You remember Andrew, don't you?"
The blank look on Kit's face said it all, until her mother flashed a sparkling diamond solitaire in her face. She sighed, careful to keep her irritation under wraps. "When did you divorce Joseph?" she asked politely, gripping Rand's hand tight as her mother laughed gaily.
North of the border, the days were chilly and the nights chillier yet, but there really was nothing quite like windburned cheeks and a sense of brightness that came after a day spent trawling through the hidden treasures of the beautiful city. Kit had finally relented today, after belated realizing that she had somewhat dominated their honeymoon thus far, which was how they had ended up on the Royal Mile to begin with. They were debating whether or not to visit the castle or the palace first.
"Well, it depends if you want to walk up the hill after lunch, or down," Kit was saying to her husband, ducking cheerfully out of the way of a group of English students who looked as though they would rather be anywhere but Edinburgh today. "It isn't as though either place is going to suddenly disappear just because we went to the other one first!"
He seemed to consider this very seriously for a moment, as if it was a matter of great import, before replying. "Well, if we go uphill before lunch, it will be easier to go downhill after," he reasoned, when their stomachs would be fuller and they'd likely be feeling lazy. Whichever they decided, he seemed in no great hurry, perfectly happy to indulge her in whatever she wanted to do.
He had a new lease on life, after all. He couldn't be happier, and it showed in the way he was smiling and laughing, more relaxed than he'd felt in many years. This little honeymoon of theirs wasn't so much about having fun as it was about spending time alone together without the worries and cares of everyday life hanging over their heads.
"So ...the castle it is, then!" She beamed, delighted to have come to a decision in half the time it would have taken her on her own, and hugged him impulsively. He wasn't the only one with a new lease on life, and was learning that one of the many reasons his little wife worked with wood had very much to do with her tactile nature. She tended to pout if she wasn't allowed to touch, and now he was hers irrevocably, she touched, hugged, and kissed whenever the mood took her.
He had no complaints. That part of him that had been a ghost for over a hundred years craved the warmth of a human touch, especially that of the woman he had loved for so long. He beamed a smile back at her as she hugged him, glad to see her so happy after all the sadness she had suffered during her life. Somehow he knew her grandmother was smiling down on them from the afterlife, the plan she had set into motion years ago finally coming to fruition. He did not doubt Katherine had hoped for this outcome all along, somehow knowing that Kit was the one who could break the curse that had help his soul prisoner. Taking hold of her hand, they started up the hill together, hearts light and carefree.
It seemed as though nothing could cast a cloud over them, until Kit heard a voice she hadn't been expecting to hear at all.
"Katrina" Oh, my goodness, Katrina!"
She froze on the esplanade in front of the castle, her hand tightening in Rand's, and slowly turned to find that, yes, it was indeed her mother bearing down on them.
Bottle blonde and dressed to kill, Amelia Clarke descended on them in a cloud of expensive perfume, wrapping her daughter up in a hug that was evidently not warmly received. "What are you doing here, my darling?" she declared, apparently delighted.
Kit's jaw clenched as she ground her teeth, hating the performance more than anything. "I'm on my honeymoon, Mum," she told her mother calmly, tugging Rand closer. "Please meet my husband, Randal. Rand ....this is my mother."
Inwardly, Rand cringed at the realization of just who it was they had happened upon here on their honeymoon, of all times and places. Later, he might ponder why here and now, but at the moment, there was no time to consider such things; he could only react. He could have passed the woman on the street and neither would have known who the other was, nor would have had noticed much of a resemblance to the young woman who'd stolen his heart. He stood back a pace while the two embraced, or more accurately, Kit's mother gave her daughter a hug. He was unable to tell whether that hug was sincere or her mother truly was the master of deception Kit claimed her to be, but it seemed he was about to find out. He plastered on the most polite and charming smile he could muster as he was tugged closer, offering a hand to the woman in greeting.
"I'm pleased to meet you, Mrs. Clarke. Your daughter has told me so much about you." Hopefully, she saw that for the warning it was. The part of him that had been a ghost remembered Kit's mother differently. She'd been a timid woman then, plain, lonely, and frightened of her own shadow. This Amelia was very different.
"Oh, and this must be your young man!" Evidently listening wasn't among Amelia Clarke's skills. She bypassed the offered hand and enveloped him into an embrace that was deeply inappropriate for her to be giving to even a friend of her daughter, much less her own son-in-law.
Kit's teeth ground audibly for a moment, anger flashing in her eyes as she watched her mother plant a kiss far too close to Rand's mouth for her liking. "What are you doing in Edinburgh, Mum?" she asked, old habits built on keeping on the woman's good side keeping her tone light and friendly.
Amelia drew back from Rand with a saucy wink, turning her wide smile back to her daughter. "Oh, darling, I'm here with Andrew," she declared brightly. "You remember Andrew, don't you?"
The blank look on Kit's face said it all, until her mother flashed a sparkling diamond solitaire in her face. She sighed, careful to keep her irritation under wraps. "When did you divorce Joseph?" she asked politely, gripping Rand's hand tight as her mother laughed gaily.