She shut the front door behind her, dropping the bag and ropes. She walked through the bedroom into her closet room, struggling to pull off her wet clothes, but they clung to her like the kelp that wrapped itself around her legs whenever the tide came in after a storm. She let them fall to the floor in a sodden heap. There was no point in drying them by the fire just now; the oil marks would need scrubbing in the burn first.

She slipped into the water. It felt almost scaldingly hot to her body numb with cold. She sat with her knees hugged to her chest, her teeth chattering as she closed her eyes and tried to think of something, anything, that would make this feeling go away. Her heart was racing, her mind overwhelmed with panic. Right now, he was still here. Right now he was down the street, but by the time she went to bed tonight, he would be on a yacht home, sailing on a high tide to outpace a storm. She’d never see him again. He’d be lost to her.

‘So they didna’ need you over the other side after all then,’ her father said from the other room.

She mashed her lips together, hating the charade. ‘No, the plan changed. I’ll go over tomorrow instead.’

‘And why did it change?’ His voice was hard and she knew he knew she was lying.

‘Because I ran into Lord Sholto and the factor at Am Blaid. His lordship asked me to teach him some roping skills before he leaves tonight,’ she muttered, keeping as close to the truth as she could. ‘I couldn’t say no. He and his father have paid me two shillings to guide them. I felt obliged to honour my duty to them first. The girls will understand.’

‘You can still go over this afternoon. It’s light enough.’

Effie felt her heart pound. He was calling her bluff, tying her up with her own lies. ‘I’m too chilled to sleep out. The cold went to my bones. I’ll stay warm tonight and go at first light.’

There was a pause, just long enough that she thought he might have decided to let it pass. ‘And how did you end up from teaching his lordship to climb, to that display in the water just now?’

‘Display?’

‘Aye,’ he said firmly.

‘He was teaching me to swim. I can teach the kiddies now. It’s safer if they know. We should all kn—’

‘Enough!’ he snapped suddenly. ‘I wasn’a born yesterday, girl. You think I don’t know why you been like a cat on a hot tin roof these past few days? You’re sweet on the man!’

‘No, I’m not!’

‘Don’t lie t’ me! The whole isle’s just watched you auditioning t’ be a lady!’ His tone was mocking.