She felt a hand on the small of her back. ‘Try this. Take a deep breath and hold it for a moment. See how your body lifts and rises in the water? Now when you exhale, blow out slowly. You should feel yourself sink.’

‘But—’

‘Trust me. I won’t let you go.’

She closed her eyes again and inhaled. Just as he’d said, she felt her body rise from the water for a few seconds, before gently falling back into its embrace.

‘See that? You can control your buoyancy with your breath. It’s an important thing to know if you’re in a sticky spot.’

‘A sticky spot? You mean – potentially drowning?’

‘Indeed.’

They looked at one another – both upside down to the other; he could see the amusement in her eyes. ‘No, don’t laugh, you’ll sink,’ he chuckled.

But it was too late and as her body folded, Sholto had to hoist her up under the arms to keep her from going under the water. She shrieked. For a moment he held her aloft, half in and half-out of the water, and she could see he was about to throw her. She gasped in fright.

‘Tempting,’ he grinned, placing her back down gently. ‘But not yet.’

‘Not ever!’

‘Well, we’ll have to see about that. I make no promises.’ He flicked the surface of the water with his index finger and thumb so that a small spray hit her full in the face.

Effie gasped in astonishment, before returning with her own double-handed version. It was his turn to be surprised. For a moment they fell still, eyes locked, time holding its breath as the brittle walls of formality – respectability, the factor would have said – began to crack. Within seconds, they were engaged in a full-blown water fight, slapping the sea with their palms and shoving great swathes of it into waves upon each other, the sound of their games ricocheting around the glen like an eagle’s cry.

Chapter Four

The moon was just a few days off being full. It slipped silently over the glassy sea, throwing down a silvered glow as the water kissed the shore with a gentle hush. Effie closed the door behind her and tiptoed down the lane. There were no pools of light puddling on the path from the cottage windows, the villagers now asleep in their beds, the animals nodding in the byres. The encircling mountains formed a dark, protective embrace around the village and even the ever-calling birds were at rest.