The Green Ladye in Red?
by
Scott Insch

While serving in Germany with the Canadian Air Force I decided to visit Scotland.

I drove from Aberdeen to Mintlaw, the birthplace of my great-grandfather.  Upon arriving I visited the tourist centre.  From there, I booked a room in the Station Hotel in Insch.  On my way I visited Fyvie Castle.  It was the spring of 1991, and the castle had just opened for tourists.

Though I acquired a guidebook, I set off in opposite direction to 'Please follow arrows' and ascended the Great Stair to the second floor.  After walking through the rooms towards the Meldrum Stair I entered the small  turret across from the Gordon Bedroom and overlooking the entrance to the castle.  Upon coming out of there I saw a woman enter the Dunfermline Passage from the Great Stair, and briskly walk towards me.  A little stunned by her pace, I waited.  She quickly turned in to the Dunfermline Bedroom.

The woman was very small in stature, standing no more than five feet.  Her hair was dark.  She was wearing a period costume with some red in it.  She was the only one dressed for some historical period; all the others were uniformed in navy blue.  When I passed the bedroom she was sitting on the edge of the bed.  Her head was downcast and her feet dangled.  Her countenance was one of sadness, leaving me with the impression her overseer had just scolded her.  I continued to the Drawing Room.

Some years after returning to Canada I saw a television programme about ghosts.  One of the stories dramatised was that of Dame Lilias Drummond.  After watching that story I was suddenly struck by the realisation that I had seen a ghost, and possibly Lilias Drummond.  Since then I have often wondered about that figure, appearing as it did, as solid as its surroundings.