Death of a Gossip (18 page)

Hamish watched the tail lights of the disappearing Rolls-Royce. ‘Did I say that?’ he asked, and then added in so low a voice that Alice could not hear what he was saying, ‘If I
said that then I am a very great fool indeed.’

He helped Alice into his car but he sat for a few moments, staring straight ahead.

‘I’ve always wondered, Mr Macbeth,’ said Alice timidly. ‘What’s a FEB?’

Hamish let in the clutch. ‘Fucking English Bastard,’ he said. And with an angry screech of tyres he swung the car around and they plunged down into the heathery darkness of the road
leading to Lochdubh.