The Second Queen of Hirta

Chapter 9: Insolence

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The next morning was one of the last which did not begin with me thinking about Callum. I had forgotten about our exchange of smiles, and when it came back into my mind in the early evening it seemed unimportant. I met him the day after that, but we simply greeted each other in the same way that we had done before, and the same way that we greeted everyone else we met.

Two days later, things changed. I was walking back to my house after the milking, and he was walking towards me. "God save you, Rachel," he said as we came close. "God save you, Callum," said I in my turn. There was nothing unusual in this, excepting that instead of each of us looking forward as soon as the words had been spoken, we continued to look at each other for a little longer. When we were within two paces of being alongside each other, I lowered my gaze, and as I did so he surprised me by coming to a halt. I nearly continued walking, but stopped in my turn when he spoke further.

"Did you enjoy the feast, Rachel"? he said.

"That I did, Callum," I replied. He did not say any more, but he was smiling again, and I felt I should continue the conversation a little longer. "I enjoy our feasts as much as anyone on Hirta, and I most especially favour the one at New Year. It seems to me the most joyous of them all."

"That is just what I think," he said, still smiling and still looking straight at me.