Island girl

The unexpected arrival

 PART ONE:  ALISON

Alison McCrory found herself swearing out loud in annoyance when she realised she had somehow manage to get a puncture in the back wheel of her push bike.

Trust it to happen now, just as she had just reached the foot of the steep hill, and now she would not only have the exertion of walking up the hill, but having to haul her bike along as well.

It didn't help that the sky above her was turning grey and stormy, then she felt the large wet drips of rain starting to fall on her, it made her swear again. Her thin jacket would be no protection, so she would be soaked to the skin before she reached home, she realised in dismay.

Her mood became as dark as the sky over her head as she grudgingly pushed the bike up the hill, hoping she could get home before the heavy downpour that was threatening came down in full force

At least when she got there to her Gran's cottage, her supper would be ready and a she would probably dry off quick by the large burning log fire.

These thoughts quickened her pace,

.After almost twenty years of climbing this hill, she was well used to it.

But her legs ached a little in protest, after all she had spent most of the day on her feet, in the bakery where she worked in the tiny town of Rathendene. It was situated on the small almost isolated Island called Cushnagh, which was just off the Irish coast.

Unfortunately for her, the rain did came down heavier, soaking her long dark hair in the process, and she could feel the dampness come through her jacket. But she trudged on, telling herself, it would not be long till she was home.

As she reached the bend in the road which led to her Gran's cottage her spirits lifted a little, knowing it was just a short distance to go.

It was then she noticed the light in neighbouring cottage, a few yards away from her own home, which caught her immediate attention despite the rain

The cottage belonged to Harvey Maxwell, a well known American publicist, who occasionally used it as a holiday cottage in the summer. But right now it was the middle of winter, and the place was usually empty and deserted, which was why Alison was little surprised to see the lights lit.

When Harvey came to stay or visited, he always phoned to let her and her Grandmother know. After all he had given them the spare keys of the cottage and usually they would air the place for him, getting it ready for his arrival.

But as far as Alison knew Harvey hadn't been in contact with her Gran about coming to visit.

As she got closer she noticed the red car in the driveway. It was not Harvey's car, unless he had got a new one.

Then the front door opened. Despite the rain and the growing darkness, Alison could make out the figure that appeared in the doorway, which was now flooded by the light from the living room, and she realised it was not Harvey, who was middle aged and on the plumpish side with thinning grey hair.

This person was thinner and much younger, maybe in his to mid twenties with short dark hair.

He was hurriedly going over to the car boot and opening it, unaware of her presence

Alison didn't even realise that she had slowed down to the point of stopping in her tracks to watch him.

But then he turned and straightened up after pulling a blue hold-all out of the boot of the car, before closing it again with a slam, that was when he caught sight of her standing at the other side of the cottage gate, making him stop in his actions