Page 88 of Surprises on the Scottish Isle

Now that the light wasn’t shining directly into her eyes, Tara could make out a figure on the deck.

‘Tara! Can you hear me?’

The voice was achingly familiar, but it couldn’t be.

‘Here!’ she shouted back. ‘I’m here.’ It ended on a sob.

‘I’m going to throw you a rope. Do you think you can catch it?’

It really did sound like Cal, but that was impossible. She must be hallucinating. The cold was affecting her mind, making her imagine things.

‘I’ll try,’ she called, through teeth that chattered so hard she feared they might shatter with the force of it. The thought of releasing her hold on the boat petrified her. She couldn’t feel her hands, and she was afraid they would be too stiff. But when something landed with a heavy thud inside the boat, Tara dived on it instinctively, and she didn’t realise she was clutching the rope until she’d wrapped her hands around it and was holding it with the same death grip as she’d held onto the sides ofMisty Lady.

‘Tie it to a cleat,’ the man yelled, but she hesitated. She had no idea what a cleat was.

‘Tara, hurry! Tie the rope off.’

‘I don’t know what to do,’ she wailed.

‘Youdo! Remember the first time we went out inMisty Lady? You saw me tie a rope to a metal horn on her side? Tie the rope to that.’

‘Cal?Cal!’She was shrieking now, unable to believe it. It hadn’t been her imagination – itwashim on that boat. ‘Is that really you?’

‘Yes, it’s me. Now,pleasetie the rope.’

Tara felt around for one of the metal horns, and when her fingers encountered one, she wrapped the rope around it in a figure of eight. She wasn’t sure how secure it was, but it would have to do.

He called, ‘Hang on, we’re going to pull you in.’

Tara clung to the sides once more as the boat moved beneath her, and she prayed for nothing to go wrong. Not now, not when she was almost home and dry.

She was still clinging on for dear life when Cal dropped into the boat and knelt beside her.

‘Here.’ He placed a life vest over her head, then helped her to her feet.

She swayed as the boat rolled underneath them, and his arms immediately came around her.

‘Thank God you’re safe,’ he said, his mouth against her ear. ‘Let’s get you aboard. I’ll help you reach the ladder and Mack will help you climb it. OK?’

‘OK.’

He gave her a squeeze. ‘Atta girl.’

Unsteady, her legs trembling, Tara shuffled towards the other boat’s ladder, Cal still holding onto her. Guiding her feet onto the bottom rung, he grasped her legs as she heaved herself upwards.

Terrified she would fall, it took a gargantuan effort to reach the top, but Mack was waiting for her as Cal promised, and he ushered her into the relative shelter of the cabin. But no sooner was she inside, he abandoned her.

She stood there shivering, and watched anxiously as Mack threw another rope over the side. Worry for her own safety faded. She now worried for Cal’s instead. What if he fell overboard, or—?

Tara’s legs gave way and she dropped to the floor, trembling violently. This was all her fault. How could she have been so stupid! Burying her face in her hands, she sobbed uncontrollably.

Then Cal was on the floor beside her. He took her in his arms, cradling her as Mack draped a silver foil blanket over her before throttling up the engine.

‘It’s OK, you’re safe,’ Cal soothed.

‘I’ll let the Coast Guard know they’re no longer needed,’ Mack said, ‘and request an ambulance instead.’

Tara’s breath caught in her throat and she raised frightened eyes to Cal. ‘Are you hurt?’

---