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The tide was coming in, and waves at least twenty feet high broke along the shore in a violent spray of foam. Thick dark clouds converged over the island, and I watched as the sky opened up and heavy drops of rain began to fall. And then I saw it galloping through the water as the swells crashed over it.
A beautiful black stallion.
Mist settled around the water’s edge, and I rubbed my eyes, wondering if I had seen right. The horse disappeared in the turbulent current only to re-emerge again, rearing up on its hind legs. It came down and stared up at the castle, and for a moment, it seemed as if it was looking right at me.
There was a knock on the door. I turned to answer it but felt compelled to look back one last time, but it was too late. Fog blanketed the island, and the coastline was nowhere to be seen.
* * *
I wasable to ditch Alan mid-morning while we accompanied Meerna and Sita Patel to their massage appointments in a spare bedroom on the third floor. The spa day was not my idea of a good time, so I pretended to lag behind the group looking at the artwork on the wall until I could sneak into the kitchen. As it closed, the thump of the door announced my departure, and I was soon walking along a dirt path toward the cliffs.
If truth be told, I didn’t regret last night. If anything, it was a relief. Gone was the Catholic dogma I had been fed my whole life on abstinence and purity. I went from my brothers telling me who I could date to what they would consider utter ruin in one night.
And with a stranger.
Today I was waking up a free woman. I had no ties to anyone. And for the first time, I saw all the possibilities before me.
I sat down on a rock and looked out at the water as it crashed against the cliffs, shooting sea spray high into the air. The sky was still gray and dark clouds threatened rain in the distance, but the mist had lifted.
Though my black stallion was nowhere to be found.
I closed my eyes, letting the past twenty-four hours of fear and unknowing seep away. My hand went to my breast, still tender from Keir’s mouth, and a delicious mix of pain and pleasure settled in my core. I moved it lower, sliding it between the waistband of my leggings. Curious about the feeling it elicited.
“Evie.”
I jumped and looked around. Keir stood feet away from me. “What are you doing out here, lass? I told you to stay with Alan.”
Shit.
“I just needed some fresh air.”
“Get in the car,” he barked.
I stood up and brushed the dirt from my pants. “I don’t see what the problem is. There’s nowhere for me to run to, and I’m already your wife.” I got into the Land Rover. “You got what you wanted.”
“The problem is I told you to stay with Alan. I have my reasons.” He pulled back onto the dirt road. “I left my meeting to come looking for you. Each minute I’m away, those bastards are making decisions and deals without me.”
“Why? I never asked you to come looking for me.”
“Something’s wrong.” He pulled the car over. A group of dusky bluish-gray sheep was huddled in a circle off to the side. “Stay here.”
I ignored his order and followed him over to the sheep. Their bleating cries filled the air in a sad chorus. In the center lay a ram. Something had torn half its throat away and cut off its horns.
Keir put his arms around me, shielding my view.
“Who would do such a thing?” I asked.
“I’m not sure. Let’s go. There’s nothing we can do right now.”
We returned to the car listening as the ram’s harem of ewes continued their lament. Inside, Keir retrieved a walkie-talkie. “Mac, this is Keir.”
“Aye, this is Mac. Have you found the lassie?”
“Aye. She’s with me. Find John and go to the cliffs. Someone has killed auld Mangus.”
“Yes, sir.”
Keir set the radio down and started up the car. Tension radiated from him.
