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‘Who?’
‘Bloody Calum Matheson.’
‘Oh no.’ Judy tapped her foot on the lino. ‘I love living here but those Mathesons make life so difficult. I wish they’d move away.’
‘Yeah, and he was harassing Rhona by the looks of things, wasn’t he?’
‘No, he wasn’t,’ Rhona said. ‘I told you.’
‘I saw the way he was looking at you. If he hadn’t said anything, he was about to.’
‘What is going on with you and him?’ Judy asked. ‘After that boat fiasco. I’d never have forgiven him if anything had happened to you. I hope he’s not got some hold on you. You have to tell us if he does.’
‘Seriously, Mum.’ Rhona slapped her fingertips to her forehead. ‘Nothing happened on the boat.’ Nothing bad anyway. Just one amazing night.
‘I’ll stop when I’m sure he can do no more damage and that’ll be the day he either leaves this island or gets locked up.’
‘What boat are we talking about?’ Arran said.
‘Rhona went off on his boat with him to Coll.’ Judy pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. ‘And I’m still very dubious about his motives.’
‘What the hell?’ Arran gaped at Judy, then turned to Rhona. ‘I will fucking kill him.’
Her chest burned with the constant vitriol they threw at Calum. Telling the truth was what she wanted to do but that would backfire like a misloaded cannon and cause even more pain.
‘Apparently it was an archaeology trip,’ Judy said before Rhona opened her mouth. ‘The idiot hadn’t checked the weather forecast and, what do you know, a storm blew in and they were stranded overnight. We got a message from the coastguard. I nearly died of shock. Didn’t sleep a wink for worrying.’
‘It wasn’t like that,’ Rhona said. ‘He had checked the forecast but weather changes all the time out here.’
‘Jesus Christ, if I’d known that, I’d have given him what for,’ Arran said. ‘Was it just you and him?’
Rhona nodded, barely restraining her eye roll.
‘You went to Coll alone on a boat with him?’ Arran glared at her. ‘Have you completely lost the plot? Or did he force you? He better not have.’
‘He didn’t force me to do anything. He’s an ok guy really.’ Her voice was weak, barely more than a whimper. This conversation was draining. The entire situation leached the life from her. Why did they go on and on like this? Round and round, rehashing the same old arguments, refusing to see any possible changes. ‘All this stuff you say about him being violent, I’ve never seen it.’Unless you include today.She’d spent hours watching him fight. But that was different. Very different, right?
‘Not yet. Give him time,’ Arran said. ‘He’s good at bottling it. He’s like the picture of calm, then one day he snaps.’
‘It’s true,’ Judy said. ‘He has a terrible temper. Only last year, it was all around the island how he was trying to evict tenants by forcing up their rents and threatening them. He’s a bully.’
Rhona massaged her temples. She wanted the truth. Calum’s version of the truth. But years of not trusting Matheson’s had been drilled into her and the simplest thing to do was to let him go. She would find someone else given time, wouldn’t she? Tears threatened and her throat burned. She fought to keep her face neutral and calm.How can I even think that? I don’t want anyone else.She wanted Calum. She loved him. But having him was a different matter. Someone was going to get hurt and if she wasn’t the one to crush him, however unintentionally, her family would do it for her.
Chapter 22
Calum
The words from Rhona’s text were imprinted on the inside of Calum’s brain. Ron and Anne had done everything to ‘console’ him. Or so they thought. And maybe he should praise their efforts. If he’d broken up with Rhona, he could count on them to be there full of commiseration along with a big dollop of shit to slap on the faces of those dreadful Lamonds.
He sat in his flat, massaging his temples. A few hours ago he’d been on cloud nine; he’d come third in a karate competition and told Rhona he loved her. Now he was here alone. He’d watched her walk off with Arran. Was that how it would always be? Lovers in secret, as long as no one knew.
Apathy descended on him and he slouched on his leather couch, staring over the marina, flipping his phone. Should he reply? Say what? He’d told her exactly how he felt that morning. Words he’d never said to anyone except his mum and dad. She hadn’t said anything in return. The noise she’d made had sounded like a laugh. Why would she laugh about that? Maybe love was several steps too far for her. She wanted to keep seeing him while she was here, while it was convenient, but not forever. She showered him with affection but it wasn’t the same as love. Rhona threw affection around freely. Was he a fool to think he was special?
His phone flashed and another message lit the screen.
RHONA: Please don’t give me the silent treatment. I’m so confused and I’m not sure what to do. Are we still ok? I guess while Arran’s on the island, it’s not a good idea for us to see each other. I wanted to ask you what happened when you were at school. Why did you do it? Sorry, I just need to know. I miss you already XXX
Chewing the inside of his lip, he opened a reply box.
