“Ah! Lady Molly!” he called warmly. “How have ye been settling in? He climbed out of the ferry and met her at the end of the causeway.
“I’m doing all right, James. Just trying to get my bearings, you know?”
“Aye, I know how it is. This place can be overwhelming at first, but ye’ll get used to it,” James replied with a chuckle. “So, what brings ye down to the loch shore on this fine day?”
“I don’t really know, to be honest. I just wanted some air.”
“Ah, I see. Well, ye couldnae have picked a better spot to come to, if ye ask me.”
She looked around her. “It’s beautiful here.”
“Aye, it is that,” James agreed. “Ye know, ye really should take a ride on the ferry while ye are here. It’s a lovely way to see the loch. I’d be happy to take ye out for a ride with me.” He gestured to the ferry. “Would ye like to come?”
Molly smiled. “Don’t you have to work?”
James waved off her concern with a laugh. “Nonsense! The Earl will understand if I take a wee break. It’s his duty to make sure his guests are happy and content, after all.” He smiled warmly at her, and Molly couldn’t help but feel drawn into his enthusiasm.
“Come on then,” he said, motioning for her to board the ferry. “Let’s get going before anyone comes down from the castle wanting a ride.”
Molly laughed and stepped onto the ferry. James helped her settle into a seat and then set to work pushing the boat away from the shore. Molly watched as the castle grew smaller and smaller, and the loch opened up before her. The water was calm and clear, and she could see fish darting about below the surface.
James pointed out various landmarks on the shore as he rowed them slowly along the shore. He told her which farms belonged to which families and pointed out the ruins of a long-lost castle that had been swallowed by the loch centuries ago. He showed her where the local fishermen cast their nets and shared some of his favorite places to catch a good sunset.
As they traveled further away from shore, James took time to explain some of the local folklore about monsters that supposedly lived in the loch and other strange creatures who lurked in its depths. Molly grinned at this, thinking just how much her da would have enjoyed these stories. She clasped the silver knot-work necklace he’d given her, wondering what he was doing right now.
The sun was rising towards mid-morning by the time they reached the end of the loch and moved out onto the river. The village hugged the riverbank on both sides and Molly could see other ferries like this one, taking people across.
James steered them closer, and they passed by several cottages with smoke curling from their chimneys. As they rounded a bend, Molly spotted a woman standing on one of the docks waving at them.
“Annie!” James said with a smile. “She must have seen us coming.” He steered the boat towards her and docked on the riverbank. The woman, Annie, helped him tie up the ferry, and then held out her hand to help Molly disembark.
“Ah, so ye are young Lord Conall’s friend!” she said warmly, eyes twinkling. “James told me he’d brought the two of ye to the keep yesterday. I’m Annie. Delighted to meet ye, my dear.”
Molly glanced between the two of them. “You’re James’s wife?”
“Aye,” Annie said warmly. “For my sins.”
“Oi!” said James, who was finishing tying up the barge. “I heard that!”
“Come inside,” Annie said, ignoring her husband. “Ye must be thirsty after a morning spent out on the water.”
Molly followed her inside their small cottage. It was simple yet warm and inviting, with a stone hearth and an open fire that made the room feel alive. The walls of the cottage were lined with shelves and cupboards. Large bolts of fabrics in all kinds of colors and textures lay stacked against one wall, and near the window was a large loom. Molly noticed that the furniture was all handmade—chairs, tables, benches—and the walls were hung with framed tapestries that she guessed Annie had made.
Molly sat down at the table, the bench creaking as she settled her weight. Annie lifted an iron kettle from a tripod by the fire and poured something steaming into three cups, one for herself, one for her husband, and one for Molly, which she passed over. She sat at the table across from Molly just as James came in and settled himself in a chair by the fire and stretched his feet towards the flames.
“Now,” Annie said brightly. “How are ye finding the castle?”
Molly curled her hands around the cup, savoring its warmth as she considered her answer. It smelled like mint with other herbs mixed in. “It’s overwhelming, to be honest.”
Annie nodded in understanding. “Ye’ll get used to it in no time. The Earl and his wife are good people. They’ll take care of ye.”
Molly thought back to the exchange between Conall and his father. Good people? From what Conall had told her, she wasn’t so sure of that, but she wasn’t about to argue.
She took a sip of her tea. “So, what’s it like living on the river? My father and I live by the sea.”
“It’s peaceful here,” Annie replied with a shrug. “We’ve got all we need, and the village is just a short walk away. I wouldnae change it for the world.”
“I can see why,” Molly said, looking around the room again with its simple, homely comforts.
