MacGregor

Chapter 1. Weather.

Chloe had ended up in a guest house that night, the weather being too rough for the ferry to run over to the Isle of Harris. The only accommodation available was on the small island of Berneray, connected by causeway to the larger Island of North Uist.

She toweled her rain soaked face and gazed into the large, old antique mirror propped against the whitewashed wall. "Well," she thought, "It's certainly very Scottish." Her hair clung tight to her skin and dripped down to the bare stone floor, cold and hard. She shivered and rubbed the fluffy towel vigorously over her pale skin, shaking out her long black curls before tying them in a top not and changing in to dry underwear.

She lifted her phone and sifted through the photos. This land was like no other. Barren peat bogs stretched into shallow sandy waters, then pale blue and green Atlantic going outwards forever. The causeways connecting the land and its inhabitants had a single track road as the only way in or out. And before the rain violently washed in she'd been treated to glorious light, the type she'd only ever witnessed here on the Western Isles of Scotland. It was her intention to stay a few nights on Harris before heading back to the mainland. It was September and the weather changeable. It wasn't uncommon to have beautiful bright sunny autumns, but it was punctuated by harsh winds, rains and mists so one had to be prepared for delays like this.

Chloe listened to the rain on the window as it slowed to a gentle shimmer. She pulled a map from her rucksack and lay down on the small single bed. Stretching the map in front of her she scanned the illustration. Her fingers ran over the craggy coastline, "Luskentyre!" she sparked, recalling something she'd read about the best beaches in the world and this particular beach on the Isle of Harris had scored very highly. And here, on Berneray, a tiny island which boasted the most exquisite coast line, all clear waters and white sands which stretch forever and rarely another human in sight. "The real beauty of this place is it's not hot enough to attract the package holidays." Chloe giggled. She had fantastically, on her first visit to the highlands of Scotland, enjoyed a whole week of scorching sun and actually gained a golden brown tint on her usually ivory complexion. Her mind conjured the type of person this harsh land would attract. The weather is unpredictable and often wet, so they'd need to be good with wearing waterproofs and looking mostly like a dork. She guessed she was the type to come here. Someone fairly adventurous, but private and with appreciation of the simple pleasures in life, like sunsets, new people, music and dancing, the feel of sea wind on your face and the soothing darkness with it's twinkling starlight. She peered towards the window, the skies clearing wispy cloud over a hazy moon.

Lying back, Chloe mulled over the events that brought her here again. Her work and research in literature had taken her from her home in Oxford, England to far and diverse places, delivering lectures and courses to thousands of students. She'd learned much about life and love, yet she was always passing through, never to stay. Not until she visited The Western Isles for the first time and fallen in love with the place. The only place she'd thought of possibly laying down roots. Out here, she didn't have to prove herself or compete with anyone. She could allow herself to be free and to dream.

By midnight the sky became clear, so clear that the stars were dazzling, forming a beautiful display through the small window. Chloe became very aware of how quiet it was in this tiny croft house. She was lucky to get something at such short notice and the owners had been kind to leave some soup, bread and milk with a selection of teas and a small helping of shortbread. She brewed a tea and polished off the delicious Scottish biscuits. Peering from the window she saw the moonlight illuminate course gorse leading to dunes of white sand. "Oh my!" Chloe sighed, deciding not to build a fire in the small hearth but instead venture out to experience the full beauty of the stars.

Chloe pulled on her jeans and pullover, grabbed shoes, coat, scarf, wrapped up and made out into the night. A small torch guided her across to the dunes. She walked along a craggy path and looked down to the striking scene as moonlight and stars reflected on the ocean. An almost eerie calm bathed the rugged beach dotted with fishing boats and lobster cages. She had walked quite far, occasionally turning back to see the reassuring light of the croft house before continuing on. As she stopped once more to survey the skies, a sound caught her ear of pipes, not an uncommon sound in The Highlands and Islands, playing a melody that sounded like a slow lament. The pipes soared out across the night and Chloe drank in the feeling, the sweet yearning, a perfect soundtrack to the dark skies and shimmering ocean.

As she stared up, the bright stars seemed to fade and become hazy causing her to blink and refocus, but, as cloud passed quickly over, her glorious astral display was erased in seconds. Chloe turned to head back in the direction of the house and walked straight in to a thick rolling fog. The pipes stopped their lament as a swirling white surrounded her until she was in darkness. Chloe knew that the weather could turn quickly and without much warning. A mist can roll in fast, but this had engulfed her, rendering her completely blind to her surroundings and barely able to see her hand in front of her face. Where is the sea? The direction of the croft house? She flicked her torch around, which did nothing but illuminate the misty white sheet surrounding her. Searching with arms outstretched she hoped for anything to hold on to until the mist passed and again she had a clue where she was. Chloe sighed with relief when her hands found something hard and rough and her touch made sense of it as a small tree. Holding on tight, she crouched to the ground as if she might fall off the world. She squinted through the mist and searched for the house light, but nothing was visible beyond a few feet. No light, nothing, just a wall of swirling fog. "Brrr soooo cold", Pulling her scarf tight around her face, Chloe had a sudden fear that she might perish before the mist passed. "AH!" Chloe gasped out as she heard something move behind the tree she was holding on to, she was frozen with fear. "Does Scotland have wolves?" she pondered nervously, her breathing becoming heavy and panicked. And again! There was a shifting beside her like heavy limbs stalking the damp ground. Chloe tensed her whole body, quickly pulling her coat tight around her and closing her eyes, hoping to god this wild animal will decide to turn and leave instead of eating her. Something brushed by Chloe's face and she let out an involuntary scream of terror! The beast was behind her, its face by her shoulder and limbs grabbing around her waist. "Oh god don't eat me please, aaaaaaarg!" Chloe screamed a wild plea, thinking this was it, this was her end. "Shhh sh shhhh calm lass calm, I'm no goin tae eat ye" and the large limbs steadied her, holding her firmly. Chloe whimpered, almost hyperventilating with the shock which slowly gave way to relief at realizing the beast was another human and she wouldn't be anything's dinner tonight. "Oh goodness... you scared me!." Chloe turned towards the stranger, trying to make out his features through the thick curtain of mist. Her eyes were drawn up and up till she finally took in all of the dark form which towered above her. Chloe gasped at the giant silhouette, jumping backwards in fright. The large arms were again around her, breaking her fall. "Wooa lassie, ye nearly sent yourself tumbling down the dunes!" He pulled her close and finally she could make out two deep green eyes smiling quizzically back at her. "MacGregor, Rory MacGregor, pleasure to meet you Miss..." His smile grew as he took in the delicate porcelain skin and large bright blue eyes, lit up like a startled little animal. " Em, Chloe, eh Henderson hi...and...eh...thank you." "It's a pleasure Miss Henderson, now what are you doing out here? Where are ye biding?" Chloe looked around trying to guess the direction "um... the croft house, a B&B, but I'll be damned if I can get back there through this, I don't even know what way's what." MacGregor laughed gently and looked Chloe up and down, sure that she wouldn't have a chance of getting back there before dawn. "Ach well lass it looks like ye'll be in the bothy with me tonight, he brought his face closer to her and grinned cheekily "I promise ye I won't eat ye lass." Chloe smiled reluctantly, she wasn't planning such an impromptu sleepover as much as she wasn't expecting to have an encounter with a giant in a thick mist on a Scottish Island, but she decided to trust this stranger as it really did look like otherwise she'd die there.

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The next chapter will be uploaded in a few days time. Please stay tuned, comment and communicate. All thoughts appreciated. :D