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"What is the river called?"
He shrugs. "It doesn't have a name."
"No one ever gave it one? That's odd."
"Aye, but Scots aren't known for adhering to conventions just for the sake of it. The river flows through the Dùndubhan estate, alongside the castle of Dùndubhan."
"What does that name mean?" No, I won't even try to pronounce it. I assume the word is Gaelic.
"Dùndubhan means fortress of the black water. The castle was built in medieval times, and the ancestors of the MacTaggart clan lived there."
"Are you at all related to the MacTaggarts?"
"No. I am a Buchanan." He smirks. "I wouldn't have dated Fiona MacTaggart---briefly, long ago---if we were in any way related."
I assume that means he slept with her, but I won't ask if that's true. None of my business. And it's bad form to ask the big boss about his sex life.
So, I change the subject. "I read that a lot of the distilleries in the Highlands were built by a man called Charles Doig. Was yours built by him too?"
"Not unless we could time travel back to the late eighteen hundreds. Doig was designing distilleries during that period. And I doubt he was immortal."
"I just thought your distillery might be that old."
"No, it's a new construction." He spins around, facing away from the water. "Let me tell you about this river and what it means to the distillery and the people who work here."
Chapter Three
Thane
Rebecca's gaze flicks to the river and then to me, not just once, but repeatedly. I reckon she's still confused by the fact the river has no name, but I don't see what's odd about that. But then, I understand the history of this region, having grown up here, while she is a newcomer. That's why I told the lass that I need to explain things to her.
I keep facing her, which means I'm facing away from the water. But I have always found that eye contact makes more of an impact on the listener. "This river has existed since the Highlands came into being, most likely. No one bothered to name it because such things were of little import in the distant past. And the region that encompasses Dùndubhan was never explored much because of the mythology surrounding its origins."
Rebecca's brows rise, and her eyes sparkle with excitement. "I love mythology."
I would never have guessed that she would get this excited about historical myths, but it's oddly endearing. "If you love legends, then you have come to the right place. The Highlands have some of the best myths and folk beliefs you'll find anywhere in the world. I might be slightly biased, though."
"Please tell me about the river and its mythology. You can't leave me hanging."
"I told you that the name Dùndubhan means fortress of the black water." I turn sideways to wave toward the river. "It's more than a description of the waters, though. For centuries, most of the people who have lived in this area have avoided the mountain on which Dùndubhan sits because witches once lived here."
"Wicked witches?"
"That's a complicated question. Ancestors of the MacTaggarts once lived in the castle---three witch sisters and their nephew, Kieran MacTaggart." I gaze down at the dark waters. "They were good witches, as the legend says, but most folk still feared their powers. These days, witchcraft is not feared in that way. Kirsty MacTaggart owns a metaphysical shop in Loch Fairbairn, and she and her two sisters are Wiccans."
Rebecca inches closer to the edge of the bank, peering down at the river. "The water really is black."
"No, it appears to be black. That's to do with the soil, and the things in it that make my whisky different. But the basic ingredients are the same for all Scotch whisky."
She leans forward a wee bit to squint at the water. "I don't see any magical ingredients floating in the river."
When she turns her head to smirk at me, I know the lass is having me on.
I cross my arms over my chest and shake my head. "You Americans are so easily duped."
Rebecca straightens, turning to face me. "You know I was joking. I'm not that stupid, and neither are you."
"I appreciate the compliment. And aye, I've already deduced that you are not an eejit or a heathen."
