Chapter 19
NINETEEN
‘Lady Campbell!’ Catriona shouted and lunged, trying to grip onto any part of Elizabeth, but nobody could get to her in time.
There was a loud splash as Elizabeth hit the water.
‘Stop the engine, Dad!’ Gloria yelled, and Sandy waved back at them: the boat stilled. ‘Dear goodness. I cannot believe it!’ she muttered, grabbing a long pole and lowering it into the water next to Elizabeth, who was thrashing around.
‘Oh, my…’ Violet swore and ran to the other side of the boat, joining Catriona. Heather stood with them, watching incredulously as Gloria yelled at Elizabeth to hold onto the pole.
‘She’s going to freeze to death!’ Estella cried in alarm. ‘Can’t you freeze to death in cold water in, like, a minute or something?’
‘We’ll get her out, don’t you worry, Miss,’ Gloria said, determinedly.
‘That’s it, Miss. Hold the pole and I’ll pull you to the side of the boat.
That’s the way.’ She looked up to Primrose.
‘Right. When she gets to the back of the boat, you and one of the other girls lean over and haul her in. Reckon you can do that?’
‘We can do that.’ Primrose nodded to Blossom, who accompanied her to the end of the boat where they both crouched, ready. Heather watched in disbelief as they leaned forward, grunting with the effort, and pulled Elizabeth on board. She slid onto the deck in a wet heap like a newborn seal.
‘Quick. Strip off those cold things and wrap her in these.’ Gloria handed Clara a pile of blankets. ‘It’s vital we get her body temperature back up to normal. She could get hypothermia.’ Gloria knelt down next to Elizabeth, who was blue-white with cold and lay dazed on the deck. ‘What’s her name?’
‘Lady Campbell,’ Clara answered automatically. Gloria gave her a brief, confused look. ‘I mean, Elizabeth. Her name is Elizabeth.’
‘Okay. Elizabeth, dear. Are you with us? We’ve got to get you warm, very quick, okay?
This lady’s going to help you off with your wet things and we’ll get you all wrapped up and cosy, and then you’re going to have a big drink of whisky and some hot chocolate, and if that doesn’t work, I’m going to massage your limbs.
’ Gloria crouched down next to Elizabeth, whose teeth were chattering.
‘Lovey, can you get into the food box and get a mug of chocolate ready, and the whisky bottle?’ she added, looking at Bluebell.
‘Oh. Yes. Sure.’ Bluebell jumped into action.
‘I’m not sure… it seems a bit strange for me to take her clothes off,’ Clara prevaricated, looking uncomfortable. ‘I mean, it’s very public. And we’re not technically family.’
‘Clara, she needs help! I’ll do it, then.’ Annie pushed Clara to one side and knelt down next to her mother. ‘Heather, can you give me a hand?’
‘Of course.’ Heather didn’t hesitate. Quickly, she and Annie took off Elizabeth’s soaked jacket, boots, her tailored trousers and the designer roll-neck sweater she’d been wearing.
They left her underwear on, and covered her quickly with blankets.
Violet handed Heather a towel, and, as they sat Elizabeth up, Heather carefully rubbed her hair with it.
‘Try and get her to have the hot drink. And have her sit near the engine. Here.’ Gloria helped Heather and Annie guide Elizabeth to a seat near where Sandy sat, which was sheltered and out of the wind.
‘Come on, Elizabeth. Have some of this lovely drink.’ Bluebell handed Heather a cup full of hot chocolate; Heather raised the cup to Elizabeth’s lips.
Elizabeth looked confused; her teeth were still chattering and she looked blue, but she was at least conscious, which Heather thought had to be a good thing.
‘No,’ she whispered.
‘Elizabeth, you have to warm up. This is necessary,’ Heather said, as kindly as she could. She tipped the cup forward, expecting Elizabeth to open her mouth, but she turned her head away, and the hot chocolate spilled down her throat and onto the blankets.
‘Idiot!’ Elizabeth hissed. ‘Leave… leave… me alone.’ It was difficult for her to speak between her chattering teeth. Heather sat back, shocked.
‘Here. Let me.’ Annie took the cup from her gently. ‘Don’t listen. She probably doesn’t know what she’s saying.’
Heather nodded and stood up, unsure of what to do.
‘Her lips are blue.’ Gloria peered in concern at Elizabeth’s face, and took her pulse. ‘I think we should head back and get her off the water. Seen by a doctor too.’
Heather’s heart sank.
‘Oh. Of course. Yes. Let’s go back.’ She nodded. It was the only possible thing to do, and of course she wanted Elizabeth to be all right. She’d want anyone to be all right after falling in ice-cold water.
Violet appeared at her elbow.
‘Hey, babe. You okay?’ she said, and enveloped her twin in a hug.
Heather was going to say, Yes, sure, I just hope Elizabeth will be all right, but then she stopped herself. She felt the tears welling up in her throat because Violet had seen that she wasn’t okay. Violet had seen that she was upset before she’d admitted it to herself.
She’d been having such a lovely time. The boat trip was one of her all-time favourite things to do, and she’d seen a sea eagle circling one of the cliffs, just before the dolphins arrived.
Both things felt like a blessing. Her heart had been full.
Finally, this had felt right; as if things were headed in the right direction.
And then, suddenly, everything had gone wrong.
She was concerned for Elizabeth, of course, but she was also disappointed, because now they had to go home, and they’d only just come out.
She hadn’t got to see half of everything that had been planned, or enjoy the two families bonding together.
This whole wedding seemed beset with setbacks and problems and Heather had had enough.
She hadn’t got to enjoy her day, because Elizabeth Campbell had been so desperate to get a phone signal.
Because she hadn’t looked up from her phone for five minutes to actually enjoy the views or marvel at the beautiful nature around them.
And she’d called Heather an idiot for trying to make her feel better.
Violet saw her expression and enfolded her in a hug.
‘Hey. It’s okay,’ Violet murmured, as Heather rested her head on her twin’s shoulder.
‘Vi… I just don’t know why it can’t stop going wrong.’ Heather was really trying not to cry, but her voice wobbled.
‘Aw, twinnie. I know. This was bad luck. Maybe we need to sage you or something.’ Despite her making a gentle joke of it, Violet hugged her sister tighter.
Heather felt the boat turning around; she peered out from over Violet’s shoulder and watched as the cliffs veered away, and the harbour at Portree, with its row of pastel-coloured houses, returned to view in the far distance.
‘What’s wrong with her?’ Clara asked.
‘Heather’s just a bit sad that her boat trip has had to be cut short, that’s all,’ Violet said. ‘She was really looking forward to it.’
‘How… selfish,’ Elizabeth muttered from where she sat. Heather was relieved to see that she was now holding the mug of hot chocolate, and looked slightly more alive. But the comment offended her. Selfish?
‘Excuse me? Heather is the least selfish person on this boat, and possibly the world,’ Violet retorted. ‘I think she’s allowed to be sad that you ruined her hen do.’
‘Violet… shhh, please…’ Heather whispered. ‘Don’t.’
‘It was an accident!’ Estella turned around from where she was sitting next to Elizabeth. ‘How can you be so cruel?’
‘It was an accident waiting to happen. She shouldn’t have been standing on the wet seat on a moving boat.
Any child would know that,’ Violet spat.
‘Why was she even looking at her phone in the first place? What was it, the Harvey Nicks sale? Was it more important than building a relationship with your new in-laws?’
‘We don’t shop at sales,’ Estella replied, snootily.
‘Oh, spare me.’ Violet rolled her eyes.
‘Vi, please,’ Heather repeated. ‘Let’s just all go home.’
‘No way! We can get a car to take them to the clinic and the rest of us can go for a few drinks before lunch.’ Violet looked scandalised. ‘No way are you missing out on the rest of your day! She’s fine.’
‘I don’t know if Elizabeth is fine, and I’d feel terrible having a lovely lunch with all of you and the Campbells being at the clinic,’ Heather said in a low voice to her twin. ‘Can you just leave it, please?’
‘Heather, they’ve been so mean to you since they got here! I’m just saying what everyone thinks,’ Violet said, at volume. Heather winced. It was true, but she’d been trying so hard to keep the peace. Violet turned to Estella and Clara.
‘Yeah. I’m talking to you. Don’t try and act like all three of you haven’t had your noses in the air ever since you got here.
You didn’t want to come today. You complained.
You so clearly wanted to be anywhere else but here.
I think I speak for everyone when I say we wish you hadn’t come, too.
’ Violet’s eyes flashed and she stood with her hands on her hips.
‘Girls!’ Catriona got between Violet and Estella. ‘Can we just tone all this down a little, please? Lady Campbell’s not feeling very well, and tempers are obviously running high. We should all just calm down for a moment.’
‘Don’t speak for me, Catriona,’ Elizabeth coughed.
‘I can talk for myself. And what I would like to tell you, Heather, since we’re all telling the truth, is that there is no way in the world that you’re going to marry my son.
I’ve been reserving judgement until now, but I’ve seen enough.
You, and your classless, thoughtless family.
’ She coughed again and took a sip of the hot chocolate.
‘If you marry Matthew, it will be over my dead body.’