She stuck the apple right inside, then feigned surprise. “Oh dear, were you going to say something? Nothing of importance, I’m certain.”
His neck was slowly turning red, and redder.
She looked him square in his angry eyes and said, “Angry, Mr. MacLachlan? What a shame. Your mother should have taught you not to take things that aren’t yours.”
She stood, brushed her hands together, and looked up at Amy. “Ready?”
Amy nodded, then her gaze searched the room and stopped on the far wall. “Grab that other blanket. You might need it.”
Georgina crossed the room, stepping over squashed apples and clutter she had hardly noticed before. The room was a mess. She pulled another red woolen blanket off a wooden peg on the wall, wrapped it around her shoulders, and spun around.
“Let’s go,” Amy said, still waving the gun at him as she turned and went to the doorway.
Georgina crossed the room and gave the oaf one last look, a triumphant one that said she had won this time, before she closed the doors behind them.
Amy picked up a basket covered with a cloth. “Follow me.”
A few minutes later they were standing on the outside steps. Amy didn’t move, but looked around her, frowning. She chewed on her lower lip, then looked at Georgina. “Where do we go now?”
All Georgina could see was white mist. “The fog looks even thicker than before. These islands have treacherous cliffs. If we aren’t careful we could walk off one.”
“The lantern is still on the deck of the boat. Calum set it down before he carried me here.”
“Let’s go then.” Georgina pulled Amy down two steps.
Suddenly Amy stopped and her head shot up. “What was that noise?”
“What?” Georgina looked around but saw only fog and the dark shadow of the house behind them.
“I thought I heard something squeak, like a hinge.”
They both stared at the front door.
“It’s still closed.” Georgina turned back to her. “It was probably some animal, a squirrel or a bird. Sound carries in the fog, especially at night.” She grabbed Amy’s arm again. “Come this way.”
They went down two more steps.
A loud crash came from behind them, scaring Amy so badly she dropped the pistol and grabbed Georgia’s arm with both hands.
Georgina gasped, then spun around, half expecting the oaf to somehow be standing there.
“What was that?” Amy whispered, releasing her grip a little.
Georgina pried Amy’s fingers from her arm and walked up one step. Her evening slipper crunched on something that cracked under her weight. She bent down where a china washbowl lay in shattered pieces on the stone landing.
Georgina looked at the upper story, but she couldn’t see anything, only fog and the dark shadow of the outline of the house looming high above them.
Amy had picked up the gun and now was peering over her shoulder at the steps. “How did that get there?”
“I don’t know. I can’t see up there, but let’s get out of here. Quickly.” They turned and took off down the steps just as the matching pitcher fell from the foggy sky and cracked apart right where they had been standing.
Georgina half dragged a gasping Amy along with her.
“Did you see that?” Amy whispered in a terrified voice.
“Forget about it! We need to get that lantern.Now!”
They took off running and disappeared into the dense fog. The only sounds with them were the gravel crunching loudly under their fleeing feet, their static breaths, and the faint rumble of the sea against some distant rocky shore, so they never heard the upstairs window squeak closed.
