Page 31 of Highlander's Wild Lass
“It smells just like I remember,” Hugo said, walking deeper into the building.
“It does,” Chester said, wandering around the front of the storehouse.
Celestia remained in the doorway, letting the sunlight stream in behind her. A lump had formed in her throat—she couldn’t figure out if it was from overwhelm or sadness.
“Celestia?” Hugo said.
Celestia focused on her brothers and smiled, pocketing the key. “Let’s pull back the curtains and let in some light.”
The twins divided between each side and began throwing open the curtains that covered the storefront windows. By the time Jacob had returned from caring for the horses, the front door had been propped open to let in some air and the bright afternoon light was spilling in through the windows.
“Ah, ye can tell a woman’s touch is just what this place needed,” Jacob said, brushing off his hands on his trews.
Hugo scoffed with laughter. “The last thing Celestia needs is to be flattered. Just get on with the work and ye will be in her good graces.”
A crooked grin grew on Celestia’s face when Hugo had spoken up. Jacob turned to her, mouth agape, an apology about to slip out of him. Celestia held a hand up. “Just grab a broom. This place needs a good cleanin’ before we get to countin’ barrels.”
“Let’s split up the work. Hugo, take the left side of the storeroom. Chester, take the right. Da said it’s always best to work back to front. Jacob will be there to help ye keep a tally of everythin’ ye find.”
They nodded their heads and went to the storeroom with Jacob following closely behind them, a logbook and quill in his hand.
She stayed in the front of the store, pulling out a quill, inkwell, and stack of parchment and envelopes along with a logbook of all her father’s clients.
Her main priorities today were to take inventory and write letters to all their customers to let them know they were back in business. She grabbed a singular piece of parchment and flipped open to the first page before dipping her quill into the ink and beginning.
She had written near three and twenty letters when a voice broke the silence and her concentration: “I cannae believe my eyes!” It was a voice she didn’t know, and it had startled her speechless.
She stared at the young gentleman. He wore a tartan kilt of pale brown, dark brown, and a hint of pale green. He was of Clan Brochy, just to the east of Inverness.
“Excuse me, miss? Ye are open, correct?”
“Aye,” she said, finally coming to her senses. “We are.”
He approached the counter, taking off his bonnet and sweeping a boyish hand through a mop of strawberry blonde hair. “I’m Deacon Brodie, youngest cousin to the chief of Clan Brochy.” He gave a short bow of his head.
Celestia smiled. “I’m Celestia McLean, owner of this distillery.” It was the first time she had said the words out loud, and it felt strange hearing them.
“O-owner?”
“Aye, it’s passed into my hands now.”
“Oh,” he said, fumbling with his bonnet between his hands. “Is that why the place has done little business in the last several months? Did Mr. McLean pass?”
Celestia shook her head and saw the relief in the man’s eyes. “He’s very ill. But what can I do for ye today, Mr. Brodie?”
The young Mr. Brodie shrugged. “Nothin’ really. I couldnae believe my eyes when I saw the door wide open. I had to come see what was goin’ on—my faither will be very glad to ken McLean’s is back in business.”
“That’s kind of ye. What sort of business does yer faither run?”
“A pub in Elgin. It’s the biggest pub in all of Morayshire.”
“I cannae wait to make his acquaintance—”
“Although,” he started, “due to how hard it was to come by yer whisky, we have had to make changes to our supplier.”
Celestia expected some would have found other distilleries to do business with, her father had expected it would happen too. “If ye daenae mind me askin’, who is yer supplier now?”
“Och, I daenae mind at all.” He smiled, showing a grin with a missing first molar. “We have been gettin’ whisky from Koll Distilleries, but—” he said, lowering his voice conspiratorially. “—I can tell Da is nay happy with the quality and neither is our clientship.”
