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Chapters (59)
  1. THE WOMAN FROM THE WAVES
  2. Copyright
  3. CONTENTS
  4. Dedication
  5. PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
  6. GLOSSARY
  7. PROLOGUE
  8. THE SURFACE
  9. CHAPTER ONE
  10. CHAPTER TWO
  11. CHAPTER THREE
  12. CHAPTER FOUR
  13. CHAPTER FIVE
  14. CHAPTER SIX
  15. CHAPTER SEVEN
  16. CHAPTER EIGHT
  17. THE SHORE
  18. CHAPTER NINE
  19. CHAPTER TEN
  20. CHAPTER ELEVEN
  21. CHAPTER TWELVE
  22. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  23. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  24. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  25. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  26. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  27. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  28. CHAPTER NINETEEN
  29. CHAPTER TWENTY
  30. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  31. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  32. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  33. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
  34. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  35. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  36. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
  37. THE STORM
  38. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
  39. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
  40. CHAPTER THIRTY
  41. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
  42. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
  43. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
  44. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
  45. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
  46. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
  47. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
  48. CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
  49. CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
  50. CHAPTER FORTY
  51. CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
  52. CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
  53. CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
  54. CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
  55. CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
  56. EPILOGUE
  57. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  58. ALSO BY ROSLYN SINCLAIR
  59. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The first time she’d been in an aeroplane was to visit Madeleine in Pennsylvania. She’d looked out over the wing, holding her breath at takeoff, unable to believe that she was finally flying. She’d known, then, that nothing would do but to try it for herself. She should have known Madeleine would encourage it, when the time was right.

Now an aeroplane was under her full control, and she navigated the crosswind confidently. Below them, the ocean shimmered under the sun. Waves broke against the mighty cliffs, leaving white curls of foam that looked deceptively small and gentle from up here. The summer fields of Orkney flashed yellow and green. If Hæra craned her head just so, she’d be able to see the farm and the white sheep dotting its pasture.

With Madeleine at her side, solar-bright joy blazed warmly in Hæra’s chest. She’d thought she needed the storms to fly. It turned out that she belonged in clear skies instead.

Madeleine clasped her hands to her breast. “Oh my God. We’re doing it. We’re flying.” She turned to Hæra with sparkling eyes. “I mean, you’re flying. I’m just along for the ride.”

“No.” Hæra briefly took her hand from the throttle to place it on Madeleine’s knee. “You’re more than that. We’re both flying. You made this possible.”

Things hadn’t turned out like Hæra had intended when all this began. But she’d been right about one thing: she’d needed Madeleine in order to soar.

“If that’s true, then I’m glad. Only God and the Great Mare know how glad I am.” Madeleine cleared her throat and pointed at the throttle. “But, um, should you keep your hand on that thing? Is that how it works?”

Hæra laughed, wild and free. She squeezed Madeleine’s knee. She put her hand back on the throttle.

Together, she and her wife left both land and sea behind, and sought the sky.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The Woman from the Waves took me over two years to write, from start to finish, and it would not be what it is without the help of many incredible people.

Thanks to the talented professionals who put the book’s best foot forward: Syd Mills as cover artist, Fay Lane as cover designer, and Kelly Cozy as copy editor.

I was fortunate to work with extraordinary beta readers. Fran Ringley, who helped me both with Scottish vernacular and Catholicism. Caroline Swift, who helped me more with Catholicism. Avery Friend, who asked really good questions. Jade Lovewell, who read the whole thing with a gimlet eye and provided insight into the characters and plot that I lacked.