Shores Of Love

Cover Page

Epigraph

About the Author

Title Page

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

Copyright

ALEX RYDER

was born and raised in Edinburgh and is married with three sons. She took an interest in writing when, to her utter amazement, she won a national schools’ competition for a short essay about wild birds. She prefers writing romance fiction because at heart she’s just a big softie. She works now in close collaboration with a scruffy old one-eyed cat who sits on the desk and yawns when she doesn’t get it right, but winks when she does.

Shores Of Love

Alex Ryder

www.millsandboon.co.uk

CHAPTER ONE

AVALON swore under her breath, then clenched her fists and bit her lip in anger. It had happened again! How was it possible? You’d have thought that just for once Fate might have given her a break instead of dropping her in the sludge yet again. You’d have thought that just for once it might have left her to get on with her life in peace. What did it have against her, for heaven’s sake? She was kind to animals and she always gave up her seat in the bus to older people or young mums with kids. But no. Someone up there really seemed to have it in for her. And this time it wasn’t just your common-or-garden-type disaster. She was used to coping with them. This time it was mind-blowingly serious. When someone poked a gun into your ribs and snarled, ‘I’ll deal with you later,’ then pushed you into your cabin and locked the door, you were entitled to break into a cold sweat.

She shivered with apprehension, then took a deep, steadying breath. One thing was for sure. Panic wouldn’t get her anywhere. If she was going to get out of this mess in one piece she’d have to keep her wits about her.

The cabin was tiny and too cramped to pace back and forward so she sat down on her bunk, her green eyes flickering with anger. She’d had a bad feeling about this job right from the start and she should have trusted her instincts. There had been something about Mr Smith and his partner—not to mention their ‘wives’—that hadn’t rung true, but at the time she’d been desperate enough to put her suspicions aside and jump at the chance of working her passage back to England. Anyway, when you were stranded in a foreign country with no money, no passport and nowhere to sleep, your options were pretty limited.

She’d warned them that she was no cordon bleu cook but Mr Smith had assured her that all that would be required of her was plain, simple fare. As long as she could scramble eggs and grill an occasional steak they’d be satisfied.

The lying toad, she thought bitterly. They hadn’t wanted a cook. They’d hired her to be a scapegoat in case anything had gone wrong with their plan and now that she’d found out what they were really up to they were going to make damned sure that she never got the chance to go to the police. They were probably going to dump her overboard when they were far enough away from the coast.

From their point of view it couldn’t have been simpler. Her job was done. No one but they knew that she was aboard this motor-cruiser and if she mysteriously disappeared off the face of the earth there was no way they could be connected with the affair. Anyway, who would miss her enough to make enquiries? Not one single soul that she could think of.

Well, either she could sit here moaning and getting more terrified by the minute as she waited for Mr Smith to return or she could do something about it. Getting resolutely to her feet, she leaned over the bunk and peered through the porthole. It was almost dark but she could see the even darker mass of a coastline barely a quarter of a mile away. Where were they, anyway? It had been five days since they’d left Portugal. Surely they must be near England by now?

The porthole wasn’t very big, but then neither was she. It would be a tight squeeze but she reckoned she could make it. The cabin was right at the stern of the boat, so unless anyone happened to be looking back from the bridge she should be able to get away without being spotted. She was a fairly good swimmer and the sea didn’t appear to be too rough.

If only there were a sign of habitation ashore. A light from a house. Anything. She’d have to get in touch with the authorities and she couldn’t do that if she ended up on some deserted little island. If that happened she’d either die of starvation or exposure.

Suddenly she blinked, and rubbed her eyes and stared towards the land. There! There it was again! A bluish-white light flickering—like a huge candle-flame. It died away but her heart had already given a wild beat of hope. A light meant people…civilisation!

Realising that it was now or never, she quickly unscrewed the brass butterfly nuts and opened the glass cover, then put her arms and head through the opening. Once her shoulders were through she turned awkwardly on her back and reached up. Her scrabbling fingers found the edge of the deck and she pulled and hoisted the rest of her body through the porthole. For a ghastly moment her slim hips got firmly wedged and she could neither get out nor go back in. She kept squirming and struggling and bruising her skin against the hard edges then, like a cork out of a bottle, she popped free.

Six feet beneath her the dark, oily-looking water slid by and she could see the frothy wake astern of the ship. She was in a crouching position, her toes on the bottom lip of the porthole and her fingertips desperately clinging to the deck above. The big danger now was the propellers. She’d have to jump far enough backwards to be clear of them. Raising herself higher, she took a quick look forward towards the bridge to make sure that no one was looking astern then, taking a deep breath, she pushed with her legs and launched herself into space.

The shock as she hit the water drove the breath from her body and she fought and struggled her way to the surface, choking and gasping for air. My God! It was absolutely freezing! Where was she? Iceland? Her teeth began chattering and as she rose on a heavy swell she saw the stern light of the cruiser disappearing into the night

At that moment she was far too concerned with her ability to survive in this icy water to feel any sense of triumph at her escape, and in desperation she struck out for the shore. After a few yards she trod water and kicked off her sandals. It would be better to reach land barefooted than not reach it at all.

A spasm of cramp gripped her thigh muscles and she almost sobbed in despair. The sense of feeling was leaving her fingers and toes and she knew that the numbness would gradually creep all over her until she no longer felt anything. At that point she’d get drowsy and simply give up. It would be the end of everything.

Slowly she drew nearer to the shore and she heard the rumble of the surf dashing against the rocks. Her strength was ebbing fast and she no longer had the energy to swim. She was completely at the mercy of the elements now. She closed her eyes, sobbed and prayed.

The tide swept her relentlessly towards the shore then one wave, larger than the others, bore her high in the air then tossed her carelessly on to a large slab of granite. The receding water surged around her inert body and she felt a sharp pain in her head—and then…nothing.

The dream came later. There was a sensation of floating on a warm, soft cloud and from a great distance she heard a woman’s voice saying, ‘I told you she was coming, didn’t I? From the sea, just like the others. The legend has come true after all.’

‘You say that old Gavin found her?’ That was a man’s voice. Deeply resonant. A voice used to command and demanding respect.

‘Aye. On the rocks just past the point.’

‘But where did she come from?’

‘Does that matter?’

‘Of course it matters, woman. The legend may or may not be true. I’m going to need a lot more evidence than this. Her eyes are half-open. Have you tried talking to her?’

‘It’s concussion. She can’t see or hear anything. All she needs is a good night’s rest and she’ll be as right as rain in the morning—apart from a sore head.’

The man didn’t sound too convinced. ‘You’re sure there are no other injuries? Nothing broken?’

‘Positive. Have a look for yourself.’

It was a good job it was only a dream, Avalon told herself. The top cover was whisked away, leaving her lying naked on the bed. Then the man’s voice became a face. The shape hovering over her was blurred and indistinct but she had an impression of raven-black hair and piercing blue eyes. Then his hands were exploring her body. She should have told him to stop being so familiar but her limbs seemed to be filled with warm honey and she couldn’t even murmur. Besides…there was something exciting about his touch.

Finally he stood up but continued to stare down at her. ‘She’s young,’ he remarked. ‘Eighteen or nineteen.’

‘And a right pretty wee thing, Fraser. Look at that fine blonde silvery hair and the lovely green eyes. Just like a sea nymph. She’ll make a bonnie bride, I’m thinking.’

‘Aye…’ the voice replied gruffly. ‘But I need to know more about her.’

‘She’s perfect, I tell you. They wouldn’t have sent her otherwise.’

‘Well, perhaps you’re right and perhaps not. We’ll have to wait until she wakes up, then we’ll get to the truth of the matter.’

Avalon tried to smile up at him and tell him that she came from London but she was too tired, and slowly the faces and voices disappeared as she slid back into the darkness of her mind.

When she awoke she blinked in the sunlight streaming through the window. For a moment she lay, staring around the strange room, wondering where she was, then the memories rushed back and a shiver of fear ran through her body as she recalled her ordeal in the sea. The porthole…The plunge into the icy water…The roar of the surf dashing against the rocks. She wondered now how she’d ever had the nerve to go through with such a thing. By some miracle she’d been saved and brought here.

She struggled to sit up, then groaned as a heavy band of steel seemed to tighten viciously round her head. Cautiously, she raised her hand and felt the bump on her temple.

She opened her eyes again slowly and took in her surroundings. The room was simply furnished—just the bed she was on, a dressing-table and a chair. The walls, like the ceiling, were bare and whitewashed and the only touch of colour about the place was provided by a huge jar of wild flowers on the windowsill. The floor was pine, deeply glossed through years of polishing, and boasting a huge sheepskin rug by the bedside. There was no sign of her clothes, however, and she had no intention of walking around naked looking for them.

A faint sound from beyond the door caught her attention and she cried out. ‘Hello? Hello? Anyone at home?’

An instant later the door opened and a woman poked her head round. ‘Well, well! So you’re awake at last.’ She opened the door wider and came in. ‘And none the worse for wear by the look of you.’

She was a stout, amiable old dear with iron-grey hair and button-bright eyes the colour of hazelnuts. Her ample figure bulged beneath a chunky sweater and she wore thick stockings beneath a tweed skirt. Motherly was the description that sprang to Avalon’s mind.

From the bed she smiled up uncertainly. ‘Hello…How did I…?’

The woman raised a hand. ‘Just you wait till I put the kettle on. You’ll feel much better after a cup of tea.’

As she left the room Avalon looked at the closed door thoughtfully. The woman’s voice had sounded vaguely familiar. She recalled a dream. Or had it been a dream? There had also been a man…Tall…dark…Her frown deepened as she tried to remember the details, then she gave up.

There was one thing she did remember only too damn well, though. Mr Smith’s threat to deal with her later. They were bound to have discovered about her escape by now. What would they be doing about it? Well, they might think that she’d drowned—but could they take that chance? In all probability they’d have turned round and would be at this very moment trying to find out if she’d managed to get ashore somewhere.

The first thing she had to do was to notify the local police and let them deal with Mr Smith and his friends. Impatiently she got out of bed and stared through the window. The house seemed to be built on a slight rise but the view, from this window at least, consisted of nothing more than miles of empty, desolate moorland stretching into a purple, hazy distance. It was like no land Avalon had ever seen before and she wondered where she was. The woman’s accent had been oddly soft and lilting, yet it hadn’t sounded Irish. Scotland, then? Some place on the west coast of Scotland? Thoughtfully she climbed back into bed. All right. So she was stranded in some Godforsaken spot in the wilds of Scotland and she didn’t have a penny to her name nor a pair of shoes to her feet. But at least she was still alive.

The woman bustled in a few minutes later with a mug of hot, sweet tea. ‘Now, just stay there and drink this. And here’s an old dressing-gown and a pair of slippers to wear until I’ve finished drying and ironing your clothes. When you’ve finished your tea you can have a nice hot bath. We must have you looking your best when the Chief arrives.’

Avalon looked at her with a blank expression. ‘Chief? Chief of what?’

‘Of the Clan, of course. Young Fraser of Suilvach. Lord of the Deer and Eagles, to give him his correct title.’ She paused. ‘By the way, you seem to have lost your shoes. I’ll phone the harbour store and have them send up a pair of plimsolls. What size do you take?’

Avalon’s mouth had been hanging open and now she got her wits back. ‘Er…size four. And thanks, Mrs…er…?’

The woman gave a hearty chuckle. ‘My name is Kirsty. And it’s Miss. Can’t you tell an old maid when you see one?’

‘Well…you’re being very kind, Kirsty. My name is Avalon.’

‘Yes. I know.’

Her mouth dropped open again. ‘You know?’

‘Of course. They told me your name. And they described you perfectly.’

A knot of fear settled in Avalon’s chest. ‘They? Has…has there been anyone asking about me? A stranger calling himself Mr Smith?’

Kirsty frowned, then shook her head. ‘There’s no one called Smith around here. And definitely no strangers.’ She smiled benevolently. ‘Don’t you bother yourself about folk asking questions. You’re perfectly safe here. You’ve nothing to worry about.’

Nothing to worry about? That’s all she knew, Avalon told herself wryly. ‘Is…is there a police station near here?’ she asked hopefully.

For the merest second Kirsty’s smile lost some of its warmth, then she scoffed, ‘The nearest police station is in Oban and that’s over four hours by boat. We don’t need the police here. We’ve always man aged without them. What happens here is our business and no one else’s.’

Avalon’s spirits sank. Four hours by boat! This place must be even more remote than she’d thought ‘You mentioned a harbour,’ she persisted. ‘Is it far from here?’

‘Put on that dressing-gown and I’ll show it to you,’ offered Kirsty.

A few moments later they were standing at the front door of the cottage. From here there was a commanding view over the fair-sized fishing village. Nestled in a sheltered bay the white-painted houses and buildings looked clean and well-looked-after. A few brightly painted fishing boats were tied up at the jetty in the sleepy-looking harbour but there was nothing remotely resembling a motor-cruiser.

Avalon breathed a silent sigh of relief. She was safe for the moment, at least.

‘What do you think?’ asked Kirsty at her elbow. ‘Pretty little place, isn’t it?’

Avalon wasn’t yet in the mood to appreciate the finer points of the scenery but she murmured politely, ‘It’s lovely. Very picturesque. What’s it called?’

‘Port Suilvach.’ Kirsty pointed across the bay to an imposing, granite-built mansion, half hidden behind a stand of pine trees. ‘That’s the Chief’s house. You’ll be staying there from now on.’ She paused for a moment, then added, ‘I really expected you sooner, but better late than never, I suppose.’

Avalon eyed her uncertainly. There was something decidedly odd going on here. Or perhaps it was just Kirsty. She was pleasant enough but seemed a bit eccentric.

They went back inside the cottage and Avalon had a chance to look around. Although there was an atmosphere of solid comfort she had the peculiar feeling that she’d entered some sort of time-warp. A fire burned brightly in an ancient blackleaded grate that apparently served for cooking and heating water as well as providing warmth. An old Victorian sideboard surmounted by silver-framed photographs and two blue and white china dogs took up most of one side of the room while a sombre-looking grandfather clock stood in the corner, reluctantly ticking off the seconds.

‘Bacon and eggs suit you?’ Kirsty asked cheerfully.

Avaion, feeling lost and rather foolish standing there in her grossly oversized slippers and dressing-gown, nodded and admitted quietly that she felt as if she hadn’t eaten for a week.

Kirsty beamed. ‘A healthy appetite is a good sign. Well, the bathroom is through that door. By the time you’ve had your bath I’ll have your breakfast ready.’

The bath was a cast-iron and chipped enamel museum piece, but as Avalon relaxed in the hot sudsy water she wasn’t inclined to be critical. She had far too much to be thankful for—not least the fact that she was being offered such overwhelming hospitality by a complete stranger.

More relaxed now, Avalon considered her next move. Perhaps she should just try to forget all about Mr Smith and his friends and put it down to experience. No doubt the law would catch up with him sooner or later. She definitely didn’t want to see or get involved with them again, and if she reported them to the police she’d end up having to go to court and answer a lot of damned awkward questions. Once she got back to London she’d simply fade anonymously into the population and try to start a new life.

Half an hour later, pink and glowing and feeling at least halfway civilised in her own freshly laundered clothes, she sat at the plain deal table and pushed her empty plate away. ‘That was delicious, Kirsty. I’ve never enjoyed a breakfast as much as that.’

Kirsty chuckled. ‘Aye. I could tell by the way you were tucking in.’ She produced a battered tin full of dark tobacco and deftly rolled herself a cigarette then, after tapping it expertly on her thumb, lit it and blew an acrid cloud of smoke at the ceiling. ‘I don’t suppose folk from London ever bother to bake their own bread. And of course the eggs come from my own hens out the back and the butter is fresh-made in the village creamery. And the water here isn’t full of chemicals. Oh, aye, you’ll find a big difference living here in Port Suilvach.’

It was on the tip of Avalon’s tongue to tell her that she’d no intention of staying here any longer than she could help when there was a loud rap at the front door and her heart gave a lurch. Could that be Mr Smith—or one of his gang—searching for her?

Kirsty gave her an odd look followed by a reassuring smile, then called out loudly, ‘Come in, Jamie.’

A tousled, red-haired, freckle-faced eight-year-old burst in and handed Avalon a shoebox along with a torrent of Gaelic and only stopped when Kirsty reproved him gently. ‘Mind your manners, Jamie. Avalon doesn’t have the Gaelic yet. You must talk to her in English.’

The boy flushed, grinned, then said breathlessly, ‘You have to try them on and if they don’t fit I’ve to take them back and get them changed and is there anything else you need?’

They were top-of-the-range trainers. Avalon tried them on, then smiled at the boy. ‘They’re perfect, Jamie. And no, there’s nothing else I need at the moment.’

As soon as he’d gone Avalon poured another two cups of tea from the enormous teapot. ‘We’ll have this then I’ll help you with the washing-up,’ she offered. ‘Then I’ll have to go down to the village. Do you think there’s any chance of me finding a few days’ work there?’

The brown eyes widened in shocked surprise. ‘Work? But…why?’

‘Why?’ Avalon repeated. ‘Because I’ve no money, that’s why. I’ll have to earn enough to repay you for all this and then pay my fare home. Of course I suppose I could always hitchhike. That would save—’

‘Oh, you poor wee thing!’ Kirsty burst out suddenly. ‘I…I didn’t realise. You still haven’t any idea why you were brought here. How could you? You must have been wondering what I was talking about half the time.’

‘Well…’ said Avalon, feeling thoroughly bemused at Kirsty’s outburst. ‘I’m sorry, Kirsty, but at the risk of appearing rude I still don’t know what you’re talking about. No one brought me here. It was just—-just an accident.’

‘You may think it was an accident but it was all planned by them,’ Kirsty maintained stoutly. ‘They told me. How else do you think I knew your name or that you came from London?’

She could see that Kirsty was beginning to get agitated and she replied in a calm, reasonable voice. ‘Well, anyone can tell from my accent that I come from London. And, as for my name…Well, perhaps you heard me talking in my sleep last night That’s the most likely explanation, isn’t it?’

Kirsty gave an emphatic shake to her head. ‘You must believe me, Avalon. The guardians brought you here to us. Your destiny is here.’

Oh, God, thought Avalon. She’d been right. There definitely was something odd about Kirsty. Guardians…and destiny? Mild delusions, more likely. Perhaps she’d been living here too long on her own. There was probably a medical name for it.

Kirsty heaved a sigh. ‘Oh, dear. I suppose the sooner you know the truth the better.’

Avalon gave her a cautious smile. You didn’t argue in cases like this. You simply played along and pretended to agree with everything they said.

‘I’ve known about you coming here for the last two months,’ Kirsty began quietly. ‘The guardians told me to expect you. They assured me that the old tradition would carry on.’

‘And what tradition is that?’ Avalon asked with feigned interest.

‘The bride of the Clan Chief always comes from the sea.’ Kirsty took another puff at her cigarette. ‘You can’t deny that you came from the sea, can you?’

Somehow, Avalon managed not to laugh outright. ‘No. You’re right about that So you’re telling me that I was brought here to marry this…this…What was his name again?’

Kirsty eyed her solemnly. ‘Young Fraser of Suilvach. Soon you’ll be his wife and the First Lady of the Clan.’

‘Well, that’s nice,’ said Avalon, going on with the game. ‘I’m sure that it’s a great honour, Kirsty, but are you sure that your Chief will agree to marry a complete stranger?’

Kirsty gave an emphatic nod. ‘He’ll marry you gladly. You’ve been chosen by the guardians, you see. If he were to refuse their choice…Well, it would bring nothing but disaster to the Clan. We don’t want that, do we?’

‘No,’ Avalon agreed in a grave voice, ‘we certainly don’t.’ If she ever told anyone about this they’d laugh in her face and accuse her of making it up. ‘Look,’ she said in quiet desperation, ‘these Clan guardians you keep talking about. Are they a committee or something? If they’re down in the village perhaps I can go and have a chat with them. We can get all this sorted out without anyone getting into trouble.’