Tom and Deb awoke the next morning and once breakfast was over, they headed outside to the gardens and imagined what it was like over four hundred and twenty years ago, when Garreth and Grayson joined with their ladies. They walked along what they imagined to be the flower-lined path and tried to imagine pipers leading them to the altar. Coming to a clear area of grass beside a low garden wall, Deb felt they had come to the spot Uncle Stuart had described. She turned to look back at the castle and imagined a path from it, coming towards her. She tried to imagine the petals leading her down an aisle and an altar in front of the wall.
"Tom, I think we're in the exact spot that Garreth and Therese were." she told him excitedly.
Tom looked around and followed her direction where she described with her hand. He too felt they were there and soon they were imagining what kind of altar they would have and chairs placed for the guests. They embraced happily and stood where they would join, then began kissing. Their passions rose the more they kissed and shortly the desire for intimate touching started. Quickly they looked around and lay down together, readily returning to intimacy. Tom kissed Deb, as he partially lay over her and slid his hand up her body, going under her light sweater. Deb gasped, as he cupped her breast and rolled the tender nub in his fingers. Her fingers grasped his hair and her tongue twirled wildly with his, as she felt her arousal build. She reached down and undid Tom's pants and sought out his rising member, taking it in her hand gently and coaxing it to full readiness, with knowing strokes.
Consumed in the moment, they readied themselves to have sex and stripped away panties and pants. Tom held himself above her, as Deb held him and parted her legs, guiding him between her moist folds. Tom looked deeply into her eyes, as he felt himself enter her slowly, then Deb's fingers clenched into his ass cheeks and pulled him in tightly to her. Tom started to slowly thrust inside her, as their lips and tongues mingled in ecstasy, their hands enticing each other to reach bliss.
As quietly as they could, they reached their goal within strokes of each other and shared a moment with erotic history. Tom and Deb lay together, catching their breath, kissing and smiling, the afterglow relaxing them. The sounds of voices far off on the grounds had them scrambling to get dressed again and then sneak into the gardens and re-appear as if they were walking casually. Gordon was slowly making his way along with Taylor and his wife, Lisa. Tom and Deb met up with them and greeted them, casually talking about the beautiful weather and the gardens.
Taylor pulled Tom to the side slightly and quietly said, "Zip."
Tom quickly turned from the others and pulled it closed and whispered, "Thanks," back.
Taylor patted his back and winked, as he smiled and they walked back to the spot Deb felt was where the altar was back then.
"So what do you think of the story so far, Tom?" Taylor asked.
"It's awesome, Taylor. Uncle Stuart, Tav and Argus sure know a lot about the clan history. That's one of the big things that Deb and I wanted to do when we came here and this is way beyond what we hoped to learn. Can you believe some of the things they talk about though? All that wild sex and the brutal killings and stuff? Deb and I wonder about that some times after they finish, just how much is real and how much they make up as they go along." Tom told him, letting him know they were sceptical about things.
"In all honesty, Tom, everything they've talked about happened. There's things that have happened that would make you sick and others that would make your blood boil. You have no idea, laddie, just what Scotland has gone through. Pay close attention and don't discount anything you think isn't true. If you do think it is, just ask and I'm sure they'll find
some proof for you. This truly is a great experience in learning about your history and the history of the highlands. I've learned so much in the last few days, that it made me feel I knew nothing before. Stuart and Tavish, as well as Argus, are very big on the clan histories and Scotland as well. Don't forget, Tavish was a history professor at Glasgow University." Taylor told him and could see the reality sinking in for Tom. "As for the steamy stuff, who said that was something modern that happened? People have been doing things for a long time and we just happen to be privy to a written account of it. I have to say though, Arabella was quite the lusty woman. Therese, I'm beginning to think, had a thing for the ladies, as well as Garreth." he said in hushed tones.
"No kidding. She would love living in today's times, I bet. That kind of lifestyle would be easier to have now." Tom confided his thoughts.
"What makes you think it was hard back then?" Taylor said and laughed loudly, making his wife and Deb, as well as Gordon turn around to look at them.
They came to the spot and looked around, agreeing it might well be the spot that was used back then. The women started imagining how everything would look and how it would happen. The men casually walked a bit away from them and discussed more manly pursuits, as Gordon slowly made his way back through the gardens, stopping to pick at deadheads on the plants and then moved on towards the castle.
Argus drove onto the castle grounds shortly before ten and parked in the family parking area. He was determined that today, would be the day the MacLeod's learned the truth. Gordon welcomed him in and ushered him to the living room, where Stuart was enjoying his morning cup of tea.
"Argus, yer here awfy early, what brings ye tae the castle?" Stuart asked him as he sat.
"Yer going tae continue the telling today?" Argus asked him, his question almost like a command.
"Aye, in fact I'm waiting on my nephew and his fiancee tae return, so I can continue. Tavish should be here in another hour or so, as well. Molly has just made a fresh batch of shortbread, would ye care fer some?" Stuart asked him with a sly smile, knowing what happened the last time Argus had some in front of him.
"I'm going tae tell it today, but I'm not sure noo, if I want everyone tae hear it." he blurted out, stunning Stuart with his announcement.
"Argus, I beg ye as a friend, tae tell me what it is that ye know. Allow me the honour of saving face and that of my clan." he pled, his face one of growing concern.
Argus looked at his friend of many decades and knew how damaging his information could be to him. In his heart, he knew he didn't want to hurt Stuart, or diminish the clan at all, but his secret had to come out.
