Blood of the White Witch Read Online Free PDF Page B

to the surface. He rubbed his hand almost
reverently over the leather interior, before he sidled up closer to
me, lifting my hand and placing it in his lap as he held it.
    Our chauffeur’s name was Connell. He was a
very friendly man, short and stocky in his build with graying hair
that looked as though it may have been a flaming shade of red
during his younger years, dressed informally in sportsman styled
tweeds. He pointed out the sites and facts of interest along the
trip through the countryside, on our way to the castle. I had to
listen to him carefully, since he spoke in a thick Scottish brogue,
so I could understand him but it was a delightful tribute to the
authenticity of our current experience.
    The drive was breathtaking, and we could see
the snowcapped mountains around us as well as the icy loch off to
our right for most of the way.
    When we approached the castle I had to hold
my breath for a second just to enjoy the view, my eyes widening in
wonder.
    Inverlochy Castle was a large granite stone
facility that sat at the bottom of some of Scotland’s highest
mountains. The famous peak of Ben Nevis shadowed overhead, while
the castle itself sat on perfectly maintained grounds. The massive
structure was framed in by tall trees on the property, which sloped
down a gentle decline until it overlooked the gorgeous waters of
the loch.
    “It’s beautiful,” I said and smiled at
Vance, unable to think of a grander way to describe the scene.
    “Fit for a queen,” he replied and squeezed
my hand while placing a tender kiss against my neck which gave me a
little shiver of excitement down my spine.
    The car pulled to a stop, and we exited the
vehicle. Vance led me up to the great gothic looking doors, while
Connell got our luggage, and we went inside to the front desk which
was located in the great hall.
    After we were checked in and given our room
key, Vance followed the bellhop to our room, towing me behind
him.
    I looked around, taking everything in as we
passed by, the beautiful old oak staircase, the grand fireplace
invitingly ablaze, and the fine furnishings that held quietly
mingling guests here and there in comfortable looking nooks and
crannies. The décor was amazing.
    The room Vance had reserved was called The
Queen’s Suite, aptly named after a visit from Queen Victoria who
had apparently spent a week there at some point during her
lifetime, becoming quite enchanted with the place.
    We entered the plush room, and I could see
why she might have found it so charming. I wandered around looking
at the pale colored furnishings with its canopy bed, silk drapes,
and other fine fabrics, before venturing to the windows to take in
the view. The bellhop put our luggage up, after which Vance tipped
him generously, closing the door behind him.
    “The Queen’s Suite?” I asked when he turned
to face me, feeling a little overwhelmed by his extravagant
treatment of me.
    “I thought it was appropriate for the guest
I was bringing here,” he replied, walking up to place his hands on
the sides of my face. “After all, you deserve only the best.”
    He kissed me, gently taking my mouth at
first, before moving to rain over the rest of my face with tiny,
tenderly placed affections. I loved getting to know the romantic
side of him even more, as my heart leapt up in tempo at his soft
touch. He surprised me when he pulled away from me a few moments
later and walked over to the suitcases.
    “Do you want to take a shower?” he asked
casually, unzipping our luggage. “We’ve been traveling for a long
time. I thought it would be nice to freshen up from our trip and
relax some of those tight muscles.”
    “That sounds lovely,” I replied, and I
joined him to help unpack our things, thinking that a shower
sounded exactly like the perfect thing. I gathered up some items
and followed him into the adjoining bathroom.
     
    The shower was indeed refreshing for us, and
afterward we crawled into the luxurious looking bed, deciding