Page 47 of A Scottish Island Summer

He shrugged his broad shoulders under his fleece. ‘Because it’s quite romantic, I suppose.’

‘And you don’t think I’d appreciate romance?’ There was a part of me that felt wounded.

‘I don’t know. You come across as a matter-of-fact, no-nonsense kind of girl.’

‘You mean unfeeling?’

‘No.’ Logan laughed. ‘Anyone who was unfeeling wouldn’t have waded into the North Atlantic at ridiculous o’clock in the morning to help a dolphin.’

I tried to push Logan’s observations about me to one side. Yes, OK. I could come across as rather stand-offish at times, but I didn’t mean to. I think it was more of a defence mechanism. In the media industry, it can be difficult at times to tell who your real friends are. And after losing my parents, I closed off. I only allowed my aunt and uncle in. Romance seemed to demand too much, opening you up to hurt and disappointment. At least, that was my track record with it, as my bruised heart and emotions could testify.

A thought prodded at me. What did it matter what Logan thought of me anyway? But the nagging fact was, it did matter to me. It irked. ‘Anyway, enough about me. Please tell me about Garth and what happened next.’

‘OK. So, when he and his men ventured inside the cottage, they found a pretty young woman and an old man inside.’

‘Father and daughter?’

Logan sighed and adjusted his propped arm on the driver side door. ‘Are you telling this story or me?’

I bit my lip. ‘Sorry.’

‘That’s alright. I can tell you’re desperate to hear more. I get that. It’s my sexy voice and charismatic delivery.’

Logan’s face split into a devilish grin.

My stomach performed an impressive back flip. ‘Yep. That’ll be it.’ I hoped my voice was dripping with sarcasm. ‘You were saying?’

Logan concentrated again. ‘Well, it wasn’t father and daughter in the cottage. Turned out the old guy was the young woman’s husband. Her clan had married her off to one of the other clan leaders, by way of trying to strengthen their numbers and authority.’

I tutted in disgust. ‘Poor her. So, what then?’

‘Legend has it, that the old goat, Bran McMaster, was hurting young Bella McKew. As soon as he saw that, Garth was straight in there and rescued Bella.’

‘Good for him,’ I said.

‘Aye, but it was then that things got even more out of hand. In the struggle to save Bella, Garth pushed McMaster and he fell backwards, striking his head on the corner of the table. He died on the spot.’

‘Jesus,’ I breathed, seeing the ensuing melee in my imagination.

‘You can say that again. So, Garth whisked Bella away on his Viking ship. At first, she didn’t want to go. Her family was here on Skye. It was all she’d ever known.’

I continued to listen, enthralled. ‘What happened? What made her change her mind about leaving the island?’

‘Not what. Who. Garth,’ replied Logan simply. The morning light was casting shadows down his face through the windscreen, while he sat there, regaling me with this enthralling tale. ‘Garth fell in love with Bella there and then and won her over. It’s said Bella was no push-over, though. Made him work to win her hand.’ He appraised me. ‘She sounds a bit like you.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘A woman who knows her own mind.’

We swapped a prolonged look as the wakening sky glowed vanilla. ‘But what about Garth taking her away from Skye? Where did they go?’

‘Garth and his crew took Bella back to Norway and they were eventually married there. Had four children, by all accounts.’

‘And did Bella ever return to Skye?’

Logan nodded. ‘Eventually. Several years later. It’s said that Bella still hankered after the island. She was born here, raised here. Skye ran through her bones.’ Logan’s eyes softened as he talked. ‘It has that effect on a lot of people.’

‘And what happened when Bella and Garth came back?’