Page 20 of The Castle in the Bay

‘They’ll do. As long as you don’t mind them getting messy. It can be a bit boggy in places.’

‘Why does that not surprise me?’ He took out his phone and snapped a picture of the hill and the village.

‘Do you want to head back now?’

‘Well, I don’t really want the boat to move, but I don’t want to sit here for the rest of my life either, so let’s go.’

‘Ok then.’ Iona got to her feet and shoved the chocolate back into its compartment. A sudden memory hit her. Ages ago, a friend had left a set of wristbands they’d used for seasickness. They were possibly still stashed in the boat. She rummaged through the compartment. ‘I think I have something that might help with your seasickness.’

‘Oh? What’s that?’

‘Aha.’ She pulled out a little box with a pair of navy wristbands that resembled the sweatbands athletes wore, only they were narrower and had a little metal button stitched into them. ‘These. They’re supposed to help with nausea. I don’t have a clue how they work, but it’s worth a try, right?’

Monty took the bands from her. ‘I think I’ve heard of them, but I’m not sure what to do with them.’

‘Here, let me read this.’ Iona unfolded a little slip of paper inside the box. It had instructions and a diagram for where to place the metal button. ‘So, it looks like you put it in the middle of the two tendons on your wrist, about three finger widths downfrom the base of your hand.’ She stepped closer. ‘Hold out your hand.’ She took his left wrist and skimmed her fingertips over the skin. ‘Make a fist and flex it up, so the tendons rise.’

He did it and Iona pressed the spot. ‘I think that’s where the button goes.’ She glanced up and found his eyes on her, his cheeks slightly pink. Their gazes locked for a moment and Iona’s breath caught. ‘I, um, should let you put them on.’

‘Thanks.’ He took the box, still with his eyes on her, then blinked and slipped the band over his wrist, adjusting it so the pressure point was on the place her finger had been just moments ago.

Monty looked down at the bands, then up at her. ‘Let’s see if this works then.’

‘Fingers crossed. Let’s get going. The sooner we’re back, the sooner you’re off the boat.’

‘Sounds good to me.’ He strapped himself back into his buoyancy aid.

Iona put hers on too and fired up the engine. A gust of wind whipped around them, rocking the little boat. Iona kept an eye on Monty, but he looked calmer, resting his hand along the side of the boat. Perhaps his knuckles were a little white, but she couldn’t expect miracles. She steered the boat back towards the village. A few choppy waves bounced them higher than on the way over and some sea spray fizzed over the side, making Monty call out.

‘Are you ok?’ She glanced back at him.

‘Yeah. The bands seem to be helping, though I keep getting water in my face.’ He took off his glasses to wipe them and Iona had to look away. What was it about this man?

She manoeuvred the boat forward. As soon as they were in the confines of the harbour, the water calmed, and she approached the marina. ‘Here we are.’ She leaned over the side, pulling therope, tugging them in. ‘That wasn’t so bad, was it?’ She took off her buoyancy aid and shoved it into a compartment.

‘It was ok.’ Monty handed her his buoyancy aid and she put it away.

She crossed to the side of the boat and took hold of the rope again, leaning over to check it was secure. A sharp pain stabbed her side. ‘Ow. What the hell?’ She pulled back, clutching her abdomen.

‘Are you ok?’ Monty moved closer.

‘Yeah.’ She checked the knot was tight, then ran her hand along the edge. ‘There’s a sharp nail there. I need to fix that. I never noticed it before.’ Glancing down, she saw her t-shirt torn and spots of red appearing. ‘Seriously? I love this shirt.’

‘You’re bleeding.’ Monty gaped at her. ‘Do you have a first aid kit?’

‘In the storage compartment.’ This was no worse than the grazed shoulder she’d had courtesy of Monty knocking her off the bike. It just looked bad because of the blood. ‘But I’ll be fine.’

‘You should put something on it in case it gets infected.’ He fetched the kit and opened it.

Iona lifted her ruined t-shirt to inspect the wound. It wasn’t deep. ‘Do you faint at the sight of blood?’ she asked.

‘No.’ He ripped an antiseptic wipe from its packet. ‘Here. Put this on.’ He moved forward and reached out, but before he touched her, he frowned and his hand hovered. ‘Shall I? Or would you prefer to do it yourself?’

‘Oh… I can do it.’ Holding her t-shirt up with one hand, she took the wipe from him and held it against the wound. ‘Bloody stings, and I can’t believe I’ve wrecked this shirt. It’s one of my favourites.’

He huffed out a little laugh as he unpackaged a plaster.

‘It might be better if you put it on,’ she said. ‘This isn’t in the easiest place.’

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