‘That may yet be necessary,’ Rhona said with a relieved smile that the subject was over.

They fell quiet after that, but it was a comfortable silence, as though having confided in one another, they could go back to the way things had been.

Minutes later, finishing her whisky, Rhona suggested she would like to head for bed.

‘Sure thing.’ Jamie sprang up and indicated that she should follow him upstairs.

At the top of the narrow staircase was a small landing with three doors.

‘The middle one’s the bathroom,’ Jamie told her. ‘I’m on the left, you’re on the right.’ He opened the right-hand door for her.

Rhona had no idea what to expect, but was quietly surprised by the obviously female bedroom.

‘My wee sister sometimes comes to stay,’ Jamie explained. ‘I keep it ready for her. If I didn’t I’d have hell to pay.’

‘Thank you. It’s great,’ Rhona said.

‘I’m not sure if there’s a nightgown or pyjamas,’ Jamie apologized.

‘A warm bed’s all I need.’

‘Great, well, goodnight, Rhona. I’ll give you a shout in the morning for the search party.’

She thought for a moment he might kiss her on the cheek, but if that had been his intention, Jamie stopped himself and, turning, headed back downstairs.

Entering her room, Rhona closed the door with a definite feeling of relief.

She was, she decided, okay about telling Jamie about Liam. He knew now that her parents had never learned about their grandchild. That she had kept his existence from them. Something that could no longer be fixed, however much she wanted to.

If her revelation had changed Jamie’s opinion of her, he hadn’t shown it. Maybe some day she would bring Liam to Skye and introduce him to Jamie. The idea of doing that lifted her spirits.

She took off her shoes and, stripping down to T-shirt and pants, retrieved her notebook and map from her backpack and spread it out beside her on the bed. Had she managed to reach the cottage, her plan had been to write up her notes from this morning’s examination. Now she was alone, she could do just that.

Studying the map, she could see no reason for the mystery vehicle to continue on the B885. Lee had suggested the same, especially if whoever was driving was looking for medical help. According to the Ordnance Survey map, the single-track road wound westwards to Loch Bracadale, from where you could head north to Dunvegan or return east to join the Uig road, leading back to Portree.

But if they were seeking medical help, Portree’s minor injury unit was only minutes away in the opposite direction. If the injury had been too severe for them to treat, the patient would have been sent on to Broadford hospital or taken by road or even air ambulance to Raigmore.