Chapters (39)
- Title Page
- Dedication
- Prologue
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Epilogue
- Author’s note
- Acknowledgements
- About the Author
The noise of this latest landslide was deafening, terrifying, amplified by the blind confusion of light lack and storm. The door to the Weaver’s Nook opened and Pat appeared, her face a mask of terror as she ran out into the rain, trying to see what was happening.
‘The Fishergirl’s Luck,’ Anna bellowed, right into David’s ear. ‘If the landslide really hits the houses, it’s the only place that might stay safe. Get everyone here. Quickly!’
Twenty-Nine
Pat wanted to go after Frank, but Anna stopped her.
‘David will get him,’ she promised. ‘He’s going to get everyone. Please, Pat. I need your help. We need to get as many supplies as we can carry into the Fishergirl’s Luck. Food, blankets, fuel, matches. Whatever you’ve got that might be useful.’
They started ferrying goods from the B&B to the bothy, drenched every time they stepped outside. The worst of the roar from the cliff had lessened, but it was clear it hadn’t yet stopped falling. Terry and Susan appeared, both distressed, but ready to pitch in. As they stacked the floor of the Fishergirl’s Luck with supplies, Anna began to fill containers with water in case the pipes gave out. Then she ran upstairs to dig out what blankets she had to add to the pile. By the time she came back down again, David and Frank were dripping water on her floor.
‘Where’s Dougie?’ she asked, grabbing them both towels and helping Frank out of his coat.
‘He’s alive,’ Frank said, darkly, ‘but goodness knows for how long.’
‘He won’t leave the house,’ David explained, catching his breath. ‘Says the place has been standing since Crovie was built and it’ll still be standing when the rest of us have gone. He doesn’t seem to understand how serious this is.’
‘Short of knocking him out and dragging him down here, there’s nothing more we can do,’ Frank said, looking around with a frown. ‘Where’s Pat?’
‘Getting the last supplies she can from your place. Terry and Susan are with her.’
‘I’ll go and help,’ Frank said, standing up again.
‘I’ll go,’ David said. ‘You stay here and get warm. We’ll be back before you know it.’
‘But—’
‘Frank,’ David said, already half out of the door and holding up a hand, ‘Seriously. Be sensible. You look done in.’
‘I need your help, anyway,’ Anna said, to distract him. ‘You ever boiled water on a stove before? Everyone’s going to need some hot tea once they get back.’
Frank cast a glance at her tiny wood burner and snorted. ‘We’d best get on with it then, lass,’ he said. ‘Else they’ll still be waiting at Christmas.’