‘Very well,’ she nodded, wishing she could slip into his arms again. ‘And you?’

His blue eyes penetrated her like sunbeams. ‘Magnificent.’

‘Magnificent,’ she repeated, liking even just the sound of the word, much less what it implied. No regrets.

‘Another picnic?’ she enquired, seeing the basket in his arms.

He hesitated. ‘Not exactly.’

‘What then?’

‘Look inside and see.’

With a nervous laugh, she lifted the lid – and a cold wet nose popped out.

‘Slipper?’ she gasped, instinctively reaching in and pulling her into her arms. The dog wriggled happily. ‘But what are you doing with—?’

Another cold, wet nose appeared. She blinked. ‘. . . You’ve brought two?’

He beamed. It was that same smile she knew from St Kilda. Unsophisticated, heady happiness.

‘Sholto, what’s going on?’ she laughed. ‘Does Huw know you’ve got them?’

‘It was Huw who gave them to me. Or rather, I bought one and he gave me the other to give to you. As a gift.’

‘But why is he giving me a gift?’ she puzzled. ‘I don’t understand.’

‘I went over there this morning. We’ve known each other since we were boys and I wanted to make things right with him. I had to.’

She swallowed. ‘You mean . . .?’

He nodded. ‘I told him. About us.’

‘Sholto.’ Her voice had dropped to a whisper. ‘You can’t.’

‘But I did,’ he said firmly. ‘And now I’m going to tell everyone. My parents too.’

She shook her head firmly, feeling a cold clutch of panic. ‘No.’

‘Effie – yes.’ He made her look at him. ‘Yes.’

‘But what if—’

‘If the worst happens, I can protect you better as my wife.’

‘Wife?’

He blinked. ‘I mean it, Effie. I won’t lose you again.’

She shook her head. ‘You can’t. The shame it would bring to your family—’

‘Stop. I could never be ashamed of you.’

‘Your parents would beg to differ, I can assure you!’

‘They’re back this afternoon,’ he said determinedly. ‘We’ll tell them then.’

‘Sholto—’ she protested. She knew she had to tell him about Weir now, before he went any further. She had to tell him it was hopeless. The police would be coming for her as soon as they had the book. It gave them her motive on a plate – self-defence or not, there was no denying what she’d done.

He pressed a finger to her lips. ‘I won’t pretend it won’t come as a shock to them, but they think you’re delightful, and they want me to be happy.’

She shook her head. ‘Delightful is not enough,’ she hissed, glancing over to check her father was still in the cottage. ‘Me marrying you would be shocking enough to people, but your wife being arrested . . .?’ Her voice broke. ‘No. I did a terrible thing and you have to face it. I’m everything they say I am. I’m too wild.’