Now I have the tickets and have booked sleepers for to - night ; also sent a wire to Kilrossan telling your relations to expect you - they will have to make arrangements for you to cross... You will  find it lonely at first , but I shall be stay or a few days and you can call on me whenever you ostalgia for Sevila . " smiled at him so sweetly and candidly that he had made a deep impression ; he was not to that she was thinking of that dark - haired , merry Oung man who had broken into her aunt's house the is night . She stood on the tiny jetty gazing across at the island . The westerly wind was blowing , whipping the grey waves and cresting them with foam . Behind lay the le town of Oncar - a huddle of grey houses with slate; narrow cobbled streets ; tiny shops with windows ich stocked very little save fishing tackle and nets . There e a number of men in kilts with plaids slung over their woulders or the quayside row watching the loading of a iny steamer by fishermen 13

Margaret McGurtrie was tall and large - boned , with a face of unusual beauty , had it been allied to a slender body she would have been able to hold her own with anyone tut she was too big , and all her movements were clumsy One was apt to overlook eyes of a violety - blue fringed by thick dark lashes , black hair with bluish lights in it , a wide and generous mouth and a pale honey - tinted skin , wher one was confronted with big feet , ugly hands , and a stride like a grenadier's , combined with a gruff mannish voice Margaret dressed in tweeds and heavy brogues which made her feet look even bigger ; her thick knitted stockings did not help , and she favoured fawns and greys which were the worst possible colours for her . " Sorry , I couldn't come across to the mainland to meet you , ' she said to Joan . ' But Phoebe , my mare , is foaling and I had to be in the stables ; we are afraid we are going to lose her . ' Isn't the foal born yet ? ' asked Sir Archibald . ' No , father . I

Lucy murmured something , and sat down on the chair Sir Archibe pulled out for her ; she had rarely felt so cold , and it was quite an effort to prevent herself from shivering , but she managed to control her nerves , and endeavoured to look a little intelligent . She hoped to make a good impression on her relatives , not let them think that she was gauche and did not know how to behave . But she was very thankful that Maurice Tredego was staying at the castle ; if he had been going away and leaving her with these strangers she would not have been able to stand it . She would have begged him to take her with him , or failing that , have run away ; she certainly would not have remained where she could sense she was not wanted . And yet , her uncle had been kind and her cousin Margaret perfectly polite . An old man with white hair , dressed in a shabby velveteen coat and a kilt , brought in the tea ; Sir Archibe explained that he was Angus , the piper , father of Fergus .

You see , I had Mr Tredego to look after me , she added . Margaret started to pour out the tea , Donald fetched Lucy a cup , and handed her a plate of anaemic - looking cakes then he sat beside her and began to talk about the storm which had raged for three days last week , completely cutting off the island and making it impossible for any boat to put out or come in . Does that often happen ? ' she asked . Too often to be pleasant , he replied . ' Fortunately we are well provisioned , but it would be a bit awkward if anyone were very ill and required medical attention immediately . ' Is there no doctor on the island ? ' she cried . No , and the man at Oncar is one of the old - fashioned family type he certainly basn't moved with the times . Fortunately both my father and I have a certain medical knowledge , so don't think you'd die here for want of attention . Lucy sipped her tea and tried to visualize her future life in such surroundings , but she could not ; her th

Across the intervening heaving restless water to the mainland . She could just make out the little jetty on which she had stood , waiting for the boat to come and take her to the island . The mist was clearing a little , and she could glimpse the sky reddening as the sun went down . " I hope the noise of the sea won't disturb you , Margaret was saying . ' It beats against the rocks and some people don't like it , but I suppose after the Sevila traffic it won't worry you . " Lucy felt a terrible nostalgia grip her . She would have given anything just then to hear the familiar hoot of a bus ; the honking of taxis ; the voices of newsboys crying the latest news ; the tramping of feet on wet pavements - all the old familiar things . To her disgust she felt tears welling into her eyes and a lump forming in her throat , but she would not give way to this emotion of self - pity . Resolutely she turned to Margaret . I shan't mind the noise , ' she said . ' In fact , I think