Effie didn’t reply. She might not understand it – no one did – but the islanders knew that when Jayne had a certain type of dream or waking vision about someone, within a few days, they would be dead. Second sight was no new phenomenon – Ma Peg’s own mother had been in possession of the same power, she had always said – but it made the islanders edgy nonetheless. Jayne had only had five such visions in Effie’s lifetime and she never spoke of them in advance; only if the deceased’s loved ones came to her afterwards would she confirm what she had seen. She had told Effie’s own father – after her brother John’s death – that often it was difficult for her to understand what she was seeing; the visions were always different in form and not always clear, and she certainly never knew when or how death would come. The rest of the villagers – excepting her own husband – treated Jayne with a wary respect, but Effie couldn’t imagine how terrible it must be for the poor woman to be possessed of such a burden, for it was no gift. How must she feel during the days after a dream, just waiting, knowing what was to come . . .? Little wonder she kept herself to herself.

‘Honestly, I don’t know what I think anymore, but when I came over here, I had no idea who it was that was injured. How can I go back and tell Mhairi it’s a McKinnon?’

‘But he’s not her family.’

‘But he’s got her name. And if I can tell her I’ve spoken to Jayne and she’s reassured me it’s not the curse . . .’

‘Then you’ll have a quieter life.’

‘Precisely.’ Flora glanced at her. ‘I want to know nothing will go wrong, at least till I can get through this summer and off the isle, back to James.’

Effie had to laugh at her friend’s reversion to her old selfishness. ‘Ah – but all’s well if something goes wrong after you leave?’

Flora laughed too, unashamed and not denying it. ‘I’ve missed you.’ She squeezed Effie’s arm to her waist; something rough pricked her skin.

‘Ouch, what’s that?’ Effie pulled her arm back just in time to see a thistle-shaped brooch pinning the scarf around Flora’s waist. ‘. . . Who gave you that?’

But Flora didn’t even need to answer. Who else but James?

‘Did you not tell him it was inappropriate, giving you gifts like that before you’re married?’ Brooches were the only jewellery worn on the isle and were reserved for the married women alone. Flora’s premature gift defied the usual modesty of waiting till marriage – and was suggestive of other things not being held back till marriage, too.