Page 17 of The Castle in the Bay

‘Hector.’

‘Then let’s release Hector MacNeil. It’s time to return him to his homeland. Let his ashes fly free over Kisimul, the stronghold of his ancestors.’ She smiled, and Monty couldn’t stop a grin from spreading across his face. Then he let out a laugh and she joined in.

‘That was quite a speech.’ He got to his feet, the water getting closer than he liked. ‘Let’s not waste it.’ He unscrewed the lid of the urn and took a deep breath. A lump rose in his throat. His hands shook slightly as he lifted the urn, and Iona smiled.

‘Time to fly, Hector,’ she said quietly.

Monty took a step up the rocks. The gentle breeze ruffled his hair. With a deep, shuddering breath, he scattered the ashes at the wall of the castle, watching as some of them caught the breeze and drifted out over the sea.

As the last of the ashes were released, a wave of emotion crashed over him. He closed his eyes and held it in.

‘Hey.’ Iona patted his back. ‘It’s ok. You did what he wanted. He’s free now.’

Monty kept his eyes closed. The sound of the waves getting closer took over his mind, and he focused on it.

‘How did he die?’ Iona asked.

‘He had a heart attack. Just out of the blue.’

‘I’m sorry. But at least you’ve done what he wanted.’

‘Thank you,’ he whispered, turning to face her. ‘I appreciate what you did there.’

Iona gave him a small smile. ‘No worries. We should get back to the boat now unless you want to swim back.’

‘Definitely not. But do you mind if I just sit on the boat for a bit before we go back? I’d like to watch the tide swallowing the rocks… As long as it’s not too choppy.’

‘Sure. It should be steady-ish if I stay alongside the slipway.’

‘Thanks.’ His eyes met hers and the heavy sensation in his chest flickered, changing into something different, but he wasn’t sure what.

‘Come on then.’ She led the way back around the rocks, and Monty cursed himself for sitting there so long. The water really was too close for comfort now. The wind picked up as they walked, and Iona tossed her ponytail back. She glanced over her shoulder at Monty, presumably checking he was keeping up.

As they reached the jetty, she hopped into the boat and held out her hand. Monty took it more out of politeness than necessity. He didn’t think he would fall getting into the boat, but she was likely paranoid after he’d nearly knocked her over twice.

Once he was safely in, he slouched down on the bench, looking back with a sigh at the place where they’d scattered the ashes. His mission was done. Now he could relax. But an odd sensation lingered in his chest, something niggling at him. Words seemed to play in his mind, telling him this wasn’t the end, but the beginning. Only he had no idea what it could possibly be the beginning of.

Chapter Eight

Iona

‘You sure you’re ok?’ Iona sat down beside Monty on the bench in the boat. In front of them rose the walls of Kisimul Castle and all around them was the vastness of the sea, rising on the tide. A cool sea breeze ruffled her hair, and she unthreaded some strands from her lips. The silence between her and Monty was ok, but she couldn’t shake the gnawing guilt at having been so short with him. If only she’d spared a momentto consider why he was here and not rushed in all guns blazing… as she so often did. Sometimes she was her own worst enemy. How bloody insensitive was she?

Monty nodded, staring out at the water. ‘Yeah, I’m fine. Just processing it all.’

‘Ok. Would you like a snack? I have a secret stash of chocolate for occasions like this.’

He gave her a weak smile. ‘Do you often have people scattering ashes on your boat trips?’

‘Ha. No. That’s a new one for me. But I don’t normally do boat trips at all. I usually teach paddleboarding – that’s my most popular activity – but I also do surfing, body boarding, wild swimming, and kayaking, plus cycling and hiking for the land lovers.’

‘You’re unreal. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone quite as adventurous as you.’

She got to her feet, grinning, and went to the front of the boat, opened a compartment, and pulled out a large bar of chocolate. ‘Hopefully, this will make you feel better and not make you sick.’

‘Let’s hope.’

She broke off a piece and gave it to him.

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