Book One. The Inheritance
June of 2016 proved to be unusually cold in Great Britain. The last suitcase was packed, and the path to Scotland lay ahead – Megan's ancestral home, yet a place she has never known. With a sense of longing, she looked out the window, where the rain had been falling incessantly for days on end. Her gaze then swept over her favorite room in the cozy Chelsea apartment, where she had spent most of her life with her mother, until she got married and moved to America, leaving her daughter behind. Megan was just nineteen when she found herself completely alone in London – a young woman in the heart of a vast metropolis. By the age of twenty-five, she had learned to live independently and handle all the challenges that life presented.
The day before, she received a call from Thurso, a town at the northernmost tip of Scotland, informing her that her grandfather, Malcolm, the patriarch of the McKenzie clan, had passed away. This clan had been deeply respected in the north since the medieval era.
Twenty – five years prior, following a bitter dispute with her father, Megan's pregnant mother, Arline, left her family home for good, moving to London and severing all ties with Malcolm. Over the years, reconciliation remained elusive. Even on his deathbed, the elder McKenzie could not forgive his daughter, leaving Arline with nothing in his will but regrets over the family discord. However, he harbored a deep affection for his granddaughter Megan, with whom he kept regular contact, and to whom he bequeathed his entire fortune, including an ancient castle and a thriving whiskey distillery.
Megan was unaware of both the ancestral home and the distillery that had now come into her possession. She only knew that her grandfather's passing marked a profound loss for her. The next step was to venture to Thurso and decide what to do with the inheritance.
The trip proved to be quite challenging. After flying to Inverness, Megan boarded a train for an additional four-hour journey. She was pleasantly surprised by the stunning landscapes for which Scotland is renowned. The view from the window showcased mountains, crystal-clear lakes, scenic beaches, and ancient castles, each with its own secrets. Admiring the scenery, she became lost in thoughts about the future and didn't notice how quickly time flew by. There were very few people at the small station, but Megan immediately noticed a man in his sixties rushing to meet her – a silver-haired gentleman with a kind expression.
“Miss McKenzie?” he inquired.
“Mr. Douglas?” Megan responded.
“Welcome to Scotland! I hope your journey wasn't too exhausting, despite the distance?”
He greeted her with a warm, paternal smile and shook Megan's hand. She appeared quite youthful to him. The girl was of modest height, with a slender waist and lean legs. Her large, expressive brown eyes and thick chestnut locks of hair, both typical traits of the McKenzie clan, were certainly distinguishing. Her delicate build and facial features gave Megan a porcelain, doll-like appearance. She was dressed in a formal dark pantsuit that elegantly complemented her slim figure. Simple shoes with modest heels completed the young woman's business-like, sophisticated look – just as Malcolm had described his granddaughter.
“All is well, thank you,” she took in the small railway station with a quick glance. Judging her surroundings, Megan quickly surmised that this was not a town but a village.
“I'm delighted by your arrival and our acquaintance. I've heard much about you from your grandfather,” the silver-haired man said as he carefully placed Megan's suitcases in the trunk of the car. “He was very proud of you. I've spent a large part of my life by his side, always as his loyal friend and the family's solicitor.”
