Page 10 of Once Upon a Haunted Horn and Hoof

“Shhh, Avianca,” said Yvaine, with a finger to her lips. Then her eyes flashed over to Lorna. “I’m sorry. Ye werena supposed to hear that.” Yvaine grabbed her daughter by the hand and pulled her into the room.

“Is there really a ghost?” questioned Lorna, her eyes moving back and forth from the woman to the child.

“He was scary, and chased all the customers away.” The child looked at her with frightened eyes.

“Avianca!” Yvaine pulled her daughter closer.

“It’s all right. Ye can tell me,” said Lorna. “I’m no’ afraid of ghosts.”

“Ye would be of this one,” said Yvaine, looking out to the hall and then quickly closing the door. “I’m sorry. My daughter never should have told ye. We were warned to keep quiet.”

“Whatever for?” Lorna chuckled again.

“Because the ghost is yer grandda,” admitted Yvaine.

“And Callum is the one who killed him.” Avianca got another nasty glare from her mother.

“What?” Lorna’s smile faded. “Is this true?”

“Well, yes and no,” Yvaine quickly answered. “The ghost is real and he is yer grandda, Lennox MacNeil. That part is true.”

“Nay,” gasped Lorna, holding her hand to her mouth. She slowly lowered herself atop a chair.

“However, Callum swears the man’s death was an accident. Lennox fell from his horse and broke his neck while Callum was trying to keep him from learning his secret.”

“Secret? What secret?” asked Lorna.

“How to make Mountain Magic,” said the little girl.

“Do ye mean the whisky?”

“That’s right,” answered Yvaine. “Callum has kept it a guarded secret all these years, and never told a soul. Not even his own son.”

“Well, I hardly think something as silly as that is worth dyin’ over.” Lorna couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She knew their clans were enemies, and it had something to do with her late grandfather, but her own father had never wanted to talk about it or even tell her more.

Yvaine continued. “The MacKeefes dinna think their coveted whisky is silly, I assure ye. And honestly, every clan in Scotland would like to get their hands on the information of how to make it, because it brings in a lot of money. I’ve heard from my husband that Lennox was goin’ to steal the secret and sell it to an enemy of the MacKeefes.”

“Does my da ken his own faither is a ghost?” asked Lorna.

“Nay. And neither do the MacKeefes want him to find out,” answered Yvaine, seeming very worried now. “Oh, please, Lorna. Dinna tell him. And dinna let anyone ken that Avianca told ye, or I will be in a lot of trouble.”

“Of course no’,” said Lorna, putting her hand on the woman’s shoulder. “Yer secret is safe with me. Now, let’s go find somethin’ to eat. And I want ye to tell me all about yer brathair. After all, if I am goin’ to be marryin’ the man in a few days, I’d like to ken how brave and strong he is.”

“Uncle Keithen is no’ a Highland warrior like my da,” blurted out Avianca.

“He’s no’?” asked Lorna.

“What she means is that Keithen doesna wield a sword like the others,” Yvaine quickly spoke up.

“He doesna? Why no’?” asked Lorna.

“Oh, please dinna ask me that.” Yvaine wrung her hands together.

“Nay. I need to hear the answer,” said Lorna, wondering what else the MacKeefes were hiding from her.

“Lorna, I hope this willna cause ye to change yer mind about marryin’ my brathair. I mean, he’s one of the nicest, yet bravest men, ye’ll ever meet,” continued Yvaine.

“Tell me,” she demanded.