Page 93 of Grace on the Rocks

Bryan nodded forLùcasto help him pick up the next window and heft it into place. “Goingto uni?” he asked.

WhenLùcdidn’t respond, he glanced up at and his cousin shrugged again. “WhatwouldIstudy at uni?”

“Whatwouldyou?”Bryanturned the question back on him.

“Art,Isuppose,”Lùcassaid, shaking his head.

It surprisedBryana little, but maybe it shouldn’t have, coming from someone who couldn’t resist illuminating the margins of library books. “Greatopportunity to get off the island for a while, if you think you’d like to explore,”Bryansuggested.

Lùcas shook his head again, slapping caulk on the next frame. “Ifmy da has his way,I’llwork at the shop and never leave until they put me in the ground.”

“And if you had your way?”Bryanasked.

Again he shrugged.

“It’ll take a while to get the distillery up and running,”Bryanexplained. “Butif you’re here and still want a job, it’s yours.”

That seemed to please the lad, whose shoulders relaxed a bit as they continued to work in silence untilBryanhad an idea.

“One thingI’llneed sooner rather than later—a logo and a label.Youwouldn’t have any interest in helping me design them, would you?”

His cousin’s face lit up likeBryanhad switched on a megawatt light. “Truly?”

“If you’re keen.”

“I’ll start drafting ideas tonight!”

Oh, to be seventeen and have the energy to do anything after a day of hard labor.

They picked up the next window just as thunder cracked overhead, and together they slid into a faster pace.Therewas only one left to mount whenEòghannburst through the back door, wild-eyed and breathless.

“Are they here?” he demanded, andBryan’sstomach sank.

“What d’you mean?”Bryanasked, though he had the worst kind of feeling he already knew.

“Gavin down at the ferry called, said two idiots in a dinghy were out in the middle of the ferry lane.Captainsaid he didn’t see them until he was right up on top of them.Gavinsaid by the sound of it, ‘twasEilidh’sboat.Shehasn’t been out in years, soIthought?—”

“Aye,”Bryansaid grimly, as a paralyzing chill ran through his bones.

“They wouldn’t have taken it out?Notin this weather.TellmeI’mwrong.”

Bryan opened and closed his mouth, but no words came out.

“They went for a walk, you said,”Lùcasoffered.

“I b-b-begged them.”

Eòghann’s face went another shade of white.

“Eilidh’s little motor?”Bryanasked.

His cousin nodded, stricken.

He was going to be sick.Hehad to get to them.

It thundered again, andBryanlooked up at the gaping hole that was the last window.

“I can finish on my own,”Lùcasassured him.

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