Winter's End Part 6

"Yes. Almost like it."

"But where are we going?" asked Jai.

"The Black Cuillins," she said in a mysterious voice.

"The Black Cuillins," repeated Hannah softly to herself.

"Yes, but not until next Sat.u.r.day. It would be close to the end of winter so it might be even warmer. And besides I have some meetings to attend to. So if your mother doesn't mind, we can all take that trip to Loch Coruisk."

"But you said we were going to The Black Cuillins," argued Hannah.

"Hannah," Jai said impatiently. "Loch Coruisk is the lake the lies at the base of the The Cuillins. That's how we get to the mountains. Right, Mrs. Kinnaird?"

Ethel nodded, beaming proudly.

"Well, Mum," asked Jai. "Do you want to take a boat ride to Loch Coruisk?"

Sat.u.r.day couldn't come any quicker as the children waited impatiently for their trip. It was a great start to their mid-term school break.

At about eleven in the morning, Theodore drove by to pick them up. Attached at the rear of the sports activity vehicle was a boat trailer on which sat a beautiful white boat.

"Lady Loch" whispered Jai in an awe filled tone. He ran his hands along the sleek, clean sides.

"So are you coming or what?" said a voice as the back door flung open revealing Ethel.

The children hurriedly sat into the far two rear seats, while Emma joined Ethel at the back.

"Nancy," said Emma, surprised on seeing the housekeeper in the front pa.s.senger seat. "You're coming along as well."

"Couldn't pa.s.s over the opportunity, Mrs. Winston," she answered, her face radiantly joyful.

Emma laughed. "I'm glad."

Half an hour through Ford Road and then a set of series of right turns later, they stood at the Loch Coruisk jetty, looking over the waters at the Black Cuillins in the distance. Warmth of the oncoming spring had caused a large number of people to flock to the Elgol lakeside. Trailers that served as booking offices for boat trips fringed the tar sealed banks of the loch.

It didn't take long for Theodore to launch the boat from the trailer into the water. With everyone on board, he revved up the engine and fired the boat through the lake, leaving behind thin streams of water at its stern.

The triangular peaks of the rugged mountains dominated the horizon. As they neared the mountains, seals and their pups basked in the warmth of the morning on the small seaweed strewn rock mounds that peeked over the water.

Theodore slowed the boat into the bay, pulling close to the steep, wooden jetty. It was a rugged set of steps that rose against the short cliff of rock, greatly complementing the coa.r.s.e and craggy landscape.

"It looks...almost primitive," said Emma in an awe-filled whisper. "Like someone has turned the clock back in time."

"I wish someone could," sighed Ethel. She watched the younger woman closely. Her auburn hair was clasped back in a clip and her almond eyes glimmered with innocence as it roamed the statuesque mountains.

"Aren't you coming Mrs. Kinnaird?" said Jai breaking into her thoughts.

"No," she said. "I'm too old to climb those stairs. Now run along and don't forget to take your mother with you."

"Will you be alright, Ethel?" Emma asked.

"Of course, I will. Besides Nancy will be here with me. And she can manage this boat as good as Theodore. Isn't that right, Nancy?"

Nancy emerged from the tiny, front cabin carrying a gla.s.s of juice for Ethel. "We will be fine, Miss. I've been here several times, so don't you worry your pretty little head about us. And I also do need to stay to manoeuvre the boat away from the jetty to allow others access to it."

Emma gave a small, a.s.suring squeeze of Ethel's hand and bounded out of the boat and up the stairs after her children.

The top landing of the stairs expanded into dark rocks that swept the hillside. Following Theodore along the banks of the loch, the water narrowed into streams and waterfalls into the River Scavaig, flowing over rocky slabs, marking its end in the sea.

Emma dipped her hands into the chilly, crystal water while Jai and Hannah leapt onto the rocks strewn in its flowing pathway.

"Hey Hannah," said Jai. "Do you want to see some magic?"

He pulled out his compa.s.s and covered the front with his fingers so Hannah couldn't see it. Looking intensely at his right palm that held the compa.s.s, he waved his left fingers over them.

"Aamanagoubishida!" he commanded and opened his palm, revealing the compa.s.s to Hannah. Its hands were amazingly dancing, unable to locate their bearing.

"Why... how?" Hannah whispered in astonishment.

But Jai pulled the compa.s.s away from her, laughing. She ran after him, begging to see it again.

Theodore called the girl over to him.

"You see," he explained. "the volcanic rock in the Cuillins has some sort of magnetism that gives compa.s.ses their baffling qualities. I don't know why that is but it is. It's no magic. It's science."

Hannah looked over in disbelief at the distant ridges that formed the eerie, dark summits in the horizon.

"You don't know what those magnetic things are?" she asked Theodore shook his head.

She indicated for him to come closer. "Maybe, it is magic. You just don't know it yet," she said quietly in his ear.

Theodore chuckled. It probably was.

An hour later, they headed back to the jetty and climbed back aboard Lady Loch. Ethel was still seated in her favourite spot under the fashionably designed roof that covered most of the boat. Her eyes were glazed with inner thoughts. But on hearing the children's exciting voices, she rose her head towards them, admiring their bountiful spirits. Their energy was so excitable that it made her feel young and alive all over again. She couldn't remember when she felt that way. Maybe a long time ago when she had Arthur and her own children by her side.

The boat veered out of the bay, but the cauldrons of the mysterious mountain ridges still remained visible. Their presence would prevail over them all the way across the lake to Elgol, she knew. She sighed.

"Mrs. Kinnaird," said Hannah, running up to her. "That was awesome. Can we come back again someday?"

"My old eyes might have seen the last of the black cauldrons, child," she said tiredly. "But maybe one day, I could have someone else could bring you back here. Someone better who could take you further in and climb the ridges and the traverse with you. Maybe even The Red Cuillins."

"I'd love that," said Hannah, giving her a hug. "Thank you, Mrs. Kinnaird."

" 'Grandma' would be nice," Ethel said, letting out another weary sigh. "Maybe you could call me 'Grandma'."

Nancy arched a curious brow, turning her head towards Theodore. But Theodore was silent, his eyes fixated on the Elgol jetty in the horizon, pretending he hadn't heard his mistress's endearing wish. It was his tight, pursed lips that gave him away.

CHAPTER 7.

Emma walked through the damp meadow that lay behind the Kinnaird Estate. The children were back in school for their spring term, leaving her alone once more for most part of the day.

On some occasions she sort the company of the Kinnaird household. She had become a regular guest in Nancy's kitchen while Ethel herself was now such a close friend, it was as if they had known each other for a lifetime.

It was also amazing how Jai and Hannah was growing fond of the old lady who they fondly called Gran. Emma didn't mind it at all. She never really had parents of her own. Her mother was usually too drunk or too busy to acknowledge her. And her late husband, Robert, had lost his living parent, his mother, four years after their marriage. Ethel was the grandparent the children never had. She fussed over them as if they were her own. Emma appreciated that.

But it was Theodore and Nancy's disposition that strangely worried her. They didn't seem far too keen on seeing her children call Ethel, "Gran". Although, they never really said how they felt about it aloud. At least to her. Nevertheless, it was clear that they cherished the children as much as did Ethel. She supposed that that should suffice and began to wonder if she was reading too much into the situation.

She plucked a snow white primrose amidst the many that were blossoming in the early spring afternoon. The first blooms of violet were already on show and many of Skye's birds were back in their nests. She heard the tweets of skylarks in the trees around her. A white-tailed eagle was seating perched on a distant rock.

The magic of spring affected her in her gait as she walked back towards the house, her face beaming from the freshness of the new season. She felt almost like a child, twirling the small white flower in her hands, her head inclined to the sky while her eyes tried to possess all the blueness in it.

As she neared her house, she heard the children laughing. She smiled at first and increased her pace to join them. But something stilled her instead. Their laughter possessed a cheeriness that she had not heard in a long time- ever since they had left London. It was then she heard his voice and her heart almost froze. Richard was here.

She stood at the door of the living room as she watched Richard pick Hannah up onto his lap. Jai was hovering over him, detailing his new school life and new found friends. They giggled while they watched Jai comically demonstrate an antic that had landed him into trouble with the teacher.

His jet black hair was still trimmed short, like the day when she had first met him. But today he was dressed in a faded pair of jeans and a tee shirt that snug tightly to his body. She could tell that he maintained his regular schedule to the gym. And when he looked up at her with his blue eyes, she almost melted into them.

"Hi," he said, rising to his feet. "I didn't see you arrive."

"Shouldn't that be my line," she said with a hint of friendly sarcasm. "When did you come?"

"About half an hour ago. The children told me you went on your walk," he smiled, his eyes ran over the details in her face. "You still do that? Go for walks?"

She smiled. "It keeps me sane."

He came nearer. "How have you been?"

"Good. We've been good. The children are well-adjusted. Their school is quite close so I don't have any trouble picking or dropping them off. And they rave so much about their friends and teachers that I know they love it."

He put a finger to her cheeks and brushed away a rebellious strand of hair. "I meant, how were you?"

Fixated by his eyes, she answered, "I've been well." She felt the tips of his fingers spark an electric current in her nerves and she pulled away immediately.

"How is business?" she said, quickly.

"Never been better. We've expanded our Hardwick Street office. We even secured a huge multi-million dollar contract in New York, which did involve a lot of initial work, late nights and all. It's why I couldn't come any sooner," he said slowly and added quietly. "I wish I could and I did try, Emma. But things didn't work out as I wanted them."

"So you sent Mr. Collins," she thought to herself. She felt a spark of anger rising inside her. Attempting to brush it away, she said "I'll make us some tea?"

"Emma," he said, touching her gently at her elbows.

She hesitated but only momentarily. "Well, maybe I should get dinner ready too."

Emma prepared a delicious beef sirloin roast with mushrooms and creamy, mashed potatoes on the side. She nibbled at it slowly while Jai and Hannah continued to entertain their Uncle Richard. He clearly was enjoying both the dinner and the company. She, on the other hand, couldn't wait to be alone in her bedroom.

"I can't believe how much I missed your cooking, Emma," he said.

She realised then that he had been watching her. She didn't answer but walked silently away with her plate to the sink and began clearing the dishes.

Richard rose to help her.

An uncomfortable silence lingered between them as they cleaned up the kitchen, trying to avoid clashing into one another.

"When are you leaving?" she asked at last.

Richard pulled out a plate from the dish-washer and wiped it dry, looking at her out of the corner of his eyes as he did.

"I've just come, Emma. And you're already sending me away? Where are your manners?" he teased.

She gave him a scornful look before marching into her bedroom.

She didn't want to talk to him. She didn't want to argue with him. h.e.l.l, it was hard just seeing him there.

She climbed into bed, praying when she woke up in the morning, it would be all a dream. And that she would be once again happy in Skye, like the way she had been- alone.

She was running through the dense woods. Something was chasing after her but she couldn't tell what it was. Her eyes rounded in fear, her heart beat racing. She looked back occasionally to locate her predator but she never saw it. She felt it though. She felt its breath on her skin, she felt fear in her bones.

She saw Robert in the distance and cried out for help. He looked at her strangely and turned away. As he did, she saw Richard behind him.

"Richard! Help me!" she screamed, trying to race closer to him.

But for some reason, the distance between them remained, no matter how fast she ran towards him.

She could feel her predator gaining on its distance.

"No! No! Go away!" she screamed.

She awoke with a start. Her heart was still racing.

Downstairs, she heard the excited voices of the children and occasionally, Richard's voice overpowered theirs with his laugh.

She ran a hand through her hair, contemplating the strangeness in her dream. After a brief while, she sighed, resolving that dreams were usually strange.