"I have to confess I cursed you all the way from Ullapool. It wasn't very gentlemanly of me, especially considering all you've done since. Perhaps we can start by using each other's first names. Would that be all right with you?"

"I - I suppose so," Shelagh said, somewhat hesitantly. Inside, part of her wanted to run, to bang the door shut and barricade it with furniture. Men had not treated her kindly when she was younger, and now she had a man in her house for possibly some time to come. She had every reason for mistrusting the male gender, and yet this one was different.