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Katie gasped. ‘I – I’ve never rowed a boat in my life.’

Jess grinned. ‘I have. Remember when we were at uni and I went out with the captain of the boat club and had a go myself?’

‘Yes, but that was fifteen years ago.’

‘It’s like riding a bike. You don’t forget. I’ll give you some tips.’

‘OK.’ Katie found herself saying as the need to see Arlo again seized her. ‘What could possibly go wrong?’

Before she could change her mind, Jess gave her a quick briefing and very soon after, she was stepping into the boat.

‘Whoa!’ It rocked alarmingly when she climbed in and wobbled as she settled on to the seat. ‘Can you imagine what Wanda would say if she saw me?’

Jess grinned from the jetty. ‘She’d probably say good luck!’

Katie donned a buoyancy aid that had been left under the seat. ‘I’d better wear this, I suppose, just in case.’ Even the act of putting it on made the boat tremble.

‘Nothing will happen,’ Jess insisted. ‘Now, rest one oar in the rowlocks but inside the boat and keep hold of the other so you can push off. I’ll wait here until you tell me you’re safely at the jetty.’

Katie did as she was told and Jess placed her rucksack in the bow before untying the rope. ‘Let me know as soon as you reach the island. I’ll wait here until I know you’re there and then I’ll wait if you want me to.’

‘No. Once I’m on dry land, you can go. I’m going to do what a Katie Quillam heroine would do. What someone who’s vowed to live life to the full and not worry about the future would do.’ She blew a kiss to Jess while keeping one hand on the oar. ‘Thank you, thank you for being the best friend ever.’

‘Mwah,’ Jess said. ‘Push off with the oar and start rowing like I told you.’

Katie levered her craft off the jetty with one oar and then put it in the rowlock. The boat drifted away from the jetty and from safety. Like the boat, she had a momentary wobble about her impulsive decision, ignored it and dipped the oars in the water.

‘Good luck!’ Jess waved from the shore. ‘Go get him!’

Katie started to pull away in earnest, watching her friend grow smaller and smaller as she headed for the middle of the lake.

It was when Jess had vanished from sight that she realised she hadn’t given any thought to what she would do with the boat when she reached the island.

CHAPTER FORTY

‘Pongo! Cease!’

Pongo would not cease. Pongo’s barks were sharp and incessant. Pongo was darting around the garden, making the loudest racket Arlo had ever heard.

‘What’s the matter?’ Arlo dropped the axe on the ground next to a pile of badly split wood. He’d hurried to the woodshed the moment he’d landed back on the island, hoping to work out some of his frustrations and anger at himself. So far, it hadn’t worked.

Pongo shot off towards the jetty, barking. The dog sounded frantic and alarmed, which made the hairs stand on end on Arlo’s arms. It was possible that kayakers had landed on the island for a picnic or to light a fire. It happened a few times a year and resulted in Arlo having to go all ‘Get off my land’ and sound like his father.

It could also be Erin’s swimmers, which he didn’t mind at all.

With a sigh, Arlo jogged after the dog and found him standing in the shallows barking so loudly he might be heard in Keswick.

‘Pong—!’ Arlo’s shout was cut off. ‘What the fu—’

A few metres off the jetty was a rowing boat that contained Katie – on her own. For a second, he thought he might be hallucinating some vision of the lady of the lake but then he saw her expression and realised she was real.

‘What are you doing?’ he called, running along the jetty.

‘What does it look like? I’m trying to dock this thing. But I’m not quite sure how.’

‘Come alongside as carefully as you can. I’ll grab the boat.’

He knelt down on the jetty while Katie rowed closer and he managed to grab the painter to secure it to the mooring cleat.