Page 38 of Savage Redemption

“Dad’s going with him, and he likes to get all the details right,” I remind her. “Don’t worry about us, we’ll manage to amuse ourselves somehow.”

She grimaces. “Nathan knows I hate these sorts of events. I don’t see why I have to go.”

“Because you were invited,” I state. “Be sociable. At least Cristina will be there, too, so you can chat to her if it all gets too technical.”

“I can handle technical.” She snorts. “It’s the plain boring that bothers me.”

“Go. Enjoy yourself and stop complaining.”

She’s still muttering about being dragged from her work for an entire day as I strap Erin into her buggy. I accept Eva’s offerof help to get her down the main stairs, and we part company in the great hall where the rest of their little party is already assembled.

It’s some sort of land deal, requiring a meeting between Ethan, my dad, and the vendor, to be followed by a business dinner at some posh hotel. The land is in Dundee, on the other side of the Scottish mainland, so they’ll be gone all day and evening. As well as my dad and Eva, Ethan Savage is taking Cristina with him, along with his second-in-command, Jack Morgan, and four more of his men who are apparently required for ‘security’. That just leaves Tony, the next in command to oversee security here on the island while they’re away. Tony Haigh is frankly scary, not a man to be crossed or encountered on a dark night. He has a contingent of half a dozen men to assist him, so I daresay we’re in good hands.

Tony ambles up beside me. We watch their departure together, from the main steps. Both the island’s helicopters are required to transport everyone. I shield my eyes when the two aircraft soar into the air.

“Shall we wave to Grandad and Eva?” I crouch beside Erin and waggle her little hand. She giggles as though it’s the funniest thing ever.

“Do you need anything, miss?” The deep voice comes from behind me.

“No,” I reply. “I was just planning a stroll down on the beach, then we’ll go to the pool, if it’s free.”

“I’ll make sure it is, miss. If you need me, I’ll be in my apartment, got some paperwork to tackle. Most of the men are in the cinema. Apparently, we have a download of the latest James Bond.”

“We’ll be fine. I may drop in and say hello to Faith after.”

He inclines his head. “Aye, you do that. But I gather she’s up here, in the nursery all day, filling in for Magda.”

Magda is a sort of a nanny but also works as a helicopter pilot. She’ll be flying Ethan to and from Aberdeen.

Tony bows politely “I’ll see you later, then.”

He disappears back inside the castle, and I bump the pushchair down the few steps to the cobbled courtyard. It’s about a twenty-minute hike down the cliff path to the beach, but I’ll enjoy the solitude. Erin’s not known for her witty conversation.

The cliff path is steep, but Ethan had a handrail installed, and there are no steps, so it’s safe enough and manageable with a pushchair. I’m thinking we might collect some shells and maybe stick them onto a sheet of paper to make a collage. At fifteen months old, Erin’s at a stage where she can fling glue about so that should pass an hour or so later on.

We reach the flat, pebbled shoreline where a colony of seals are basking on rocks close to the water. I point them out to Erin.

“We need to be quiet or they’ll all swim away,” I tell her.

She seems less than impressed and continues to chunter to herself as we make our way over the terrain. I keep pausing to pick up any likely-looking shells and drop them into the plastic bag I brought for the purpose, and which is now dangling from the handles. The wind is picking up, so I lean down and fasten the top two buttons on her jacket and tug a knitted cap down over her ears. I wish I’d brought a pair of gloves with me; my hands are starting to feel cold.

“Shall we begin making our way back, sweetheart?”

She claps her hands enthusiastically. My little girl is easy to please. I turn the buggy round and start back the way we came.

“Buenos días, Rosa. Te ves bien.”

I whirl. The scream escapes before I can stop it. A dark shape materialises from the rocks alongside me.

I take a step back, shoving the buggy behind me.Where the fuck is Tony?

“Who are you? How?—?”

“You don’t recognise me? I’m wounded,querida.” He takes another step towards me.

“Stay back. I don’t know you, but?—”

“Ah, but you do,mi amada. I know it’s been a couple of years, but I haven’t changed that much, surely?”

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