Stormy Petrel (19 page)

I said gently: ‘Mr Bagshaw, you must be tired. There'll be some coffee in a minute, and then perhaps you'll let Archie McLaren take you back to the village. Why not leave your business with Mr Hamilton till after you've rested? I'm sorry we haven't room to put you up here, but I'm sure Mrs McDougall at the post office will be able to help you, or tell you where to go.'

He raised his head, but did not take his eyes from the fireplace. It was as if he was speaking to the dying fire. ‘I had no idea he had this in mind. No idea at all. They have got to believe me.'

‘They do. I'm sure they do. If they hadn't believed you, they wouldn't have gone away without you, would they? They don't even think Ewen Mackay was involved in the drug thing, either, or they'd have taken the boat for a detailed search. You heard them say so. What's been happening here isn't anything to do with you at all.'

His eyes came to me then. ‘I couldn't go back there, Miss Fenemore. I told your brother about it. We came up together in the train. I told him about it then.'

‘Yes, I know.'

‘He saved me, you know. We were in that train accident together, the one that came off the rails near Kendal. When the engine went off the line, and the crash came, I was caught under something, I couldn't see what, it was so dark, but he pulled me out. Your brother pulled me out.'

‘Did he? I didn't know that. It must have been awful. Were you hurt?'

‘No, no. Bruises and shock, that's all. But if he hadn't pulled me out . . . Just after he did it, the whole thing slid down the bank and I might have been killed. That's when his foot was hurt, but even after that he was trying to help some of the people.'

‘Yes, well, he's a doctor. They do.'

‘Then when we were taken to hospital we found we were both coming up here to Moila, so I said I'd wait a couple of days, to be in the train with him, you see, in case he needed looking after. Carrying luggage and all that. So when they let him out of hospital he took me with him to stay with his friends in Glasgow. They were very kind. Both doctors, he's a heart surgeon and she – Laura – she's a paediatrician. But I forgot, you probably know them. Anyway, I stayed there, and then came up with him. It was the least I could do.'

‘It was good of you. I'm sure it was a help.'

‘But don't you see—' He sat up as he spoke, and with the bitter spice in his voice, the life had come back to it. The dull eyes began to brighten. ‘But don't you see, if I had come straight up here – and I could have got the Saturday's boat – I could have stopped that f—, pardon, I'm sure, that stupid, bloody, sorry, Mackay from taking all that stuff and bringing the police down on our necks when all this is above-board and a perfectly straight transaction, because whatever was said at the time, and your brother knows all about this because we talked it over as I told you, I did not know what was going on, or I do assure you I'd have been out from under, because I didn't get much out of it all except a couple of years that I'd sooner forget, and don't intend ever to repeat, and if I had known what that Mackay intended, do you suppose I'd have left him up here on his own to queer my pitch and make a – a mess like this?'

‘Coffee?' said Ann, from the doorway. She came in with a tray, and crossed to the table. ‘Milk and sugar, Mr Bagshaw?'

‘Yes. Thanks. Both, thanks.'

‘And a doughnut?' asked Megan, coming in with a plate. ‘They're terrific. If I wasn't a student of Dr Fenemore's and a fan of Hugh Templar's I'd say
fantastic
.' She met my eye. ‘Yes, I'm sorry, Rose, but you did leave your papers there on the window-sill, and I honestly couldn't help seeing. I say it again. Lit. and met., fantastic.'

‘What are you talking about?' Ann, spooning out sugar for Mr Bagshaw, did not sound interested. ‘Oh, Archie, there you are. Coffee?'

‘Thanks, I don't mind.' Archie came down the stairs and took a mug. ‘Just a half, though. I'd best be getting away again. Thanks. You'll be coming with me, ladies? And you?' This to Mr Bagshaw, who gave me a glance and then nodded.

‘I guess so. I guess you're right, my dear. I'll not impose on you any longer. You look tired, and I reckon nothing good will come of this day until we've all rested and got ourselves back to normal. Mr Hamilton's still out there, is he? I'll get a time fixed with him, and maybe we'll meet again later. You've been very kind, and I'll call on your brother again before I go back to London.' He heaved himself to his feet and put his mug down on the table. ‘And when I get the place going here – and your brother will tell you the plans I've got – you and he will always be welcome, and I'll personally see you get the best of everything Moila has to offer.'

‘Thank you very much.'

He held out a hand and I took it. ‘Give my best to your brother, and I hope that foot will soon be better.' In the doorway a thought seemed to strike him, and he paused. ‘That boat, now. It looks as if I'm stuck with that boat, and I wouldn't know how to handle it, not in this sort of place. If you and your brother would like the use of it – nothing to pay, of course, it's all seen to – you're very welcome, and when you're finished with it, just leave it, I can find some way of getting it picked up and taken back where it came from. With your brother lame as he is, a boat might be a good way of getting around to see places.'

‘Well, how very good of you.' It would have seemed ungracious to say that I was counting on the use of Neil's boat, with Neil to manage it, so I merely thanked Mr Bagshaw again and watched while he made his way down to where Neil, in
Sea Otter
, was busy with the engine hatch open. The two of them spoke briefly, and I saw Neil pointing in the direction of Taigh na Tuir, and then Mr Bagshaw shook hands with him, too, and climbed into the Land Rover. It moved off up the hill.

The girls came out of the scullery.

‘Don't worry,' said Ann, ‘we're going. Let you and your brother say hello to each other and have a bit of peace. You look as if a long sleep wouldn't come amiss, either. Come on, Meg.'

‘But Archie's just gone,' I said.

‘I know. We told him we'd walk back. Believe it or not, the day's yet young, and we've got a picnic here. We thought we'd go back along the machair.'

‘While it's still there,' said Megan. ‘Before the golf balls start to fly. Do you think it would be safe to have a swim?'

‘I don't know. Ask Neil.'

‘I didn't mean currents and things. I meant swim raw. We haven't got swimsuits.'

‘Oh. I still don't know, but good luck to it. It's a gorgeous day for it. Well, thanks for all your help. Come back, won't you, whenever you want to.'

‘Love to,' they said. ‘Goodbye.'

As they set off Megan looked back over her shoulder, and said, under her breath: ‘Fantastic!'

‘What?' asked Ann.

‘Nothing,' said Megan. ‘A rose by any other name. Come on.'

They picked their way down to where Neil still stooped over
Sea Otter
. There was a brief conversation, then Neil jumped out onto the pier and came up to the cottage, while the girls waited.

He looked in at the cottage door. ‘Rose. Are you all right? It's been a grim morning for you.'

‘For us all. Yes, thank you, I'm fine. What happens now?'

‘Now, today, nothing. They'll let me know. So try to forget it, and have a rest. I'm going back to Taigh na Tuir, and I'm taking the girls round in the boat; it'll give them a short cut to the machair. So I'll be off now.'

‘You are coming over for supper tonight, aren't you? Love to have you.'

‘I'd like that very much. If you're sure—'

‘Of course. I'll do nothing all day, and Crispin's brought some goodies, so the meal's no problem. And there's still a lot I want to ask you before I can really start to forget it all.'

‘Then I'll come with pleasure. About seven?'

‘Yes. And – Neil.'

‘Yes?'

‘It's none of my business, but has Mr Bagshaw said anything yet about the House? The sale, I mean?'

‘No. We've arranged to meet there tomorrow, and I'll show him round. But let's forget that, too, for the present, shall we? Tonight at seven, then. Goodbye.'

19

It was after supper that evening. After its explosive start, the day had been peaceful. No one had called at the cottage. I had caught up on some of the sleep I had missed, and then through a long day of sunshine and soft breezes Crispin and I had talked, and lazed, and talked again, till we had caught up on our personal news, and I had told him all I knew about the recent happenings on Moila. Supper was easy, cold chicken and ham with salad, followed by the promised strawberries, and some cheese brought that morning by my brother, and afterwards Neil brought out some camp chairs he had seen that morning in the shed, and set them in the grass by the cottage door. We took coffee cups out and sat there, while below us the sea creamed up over the stones of the beach, and at the jetty
Sea Otter
bobbed and swayed alongside
Stormy Petrel
.

‘It was rather sweet of him.' I had been telling them of Mr Bagshaw's offer of his boat. ‘But I wouldn't know how to deal with it, and I'm not sure if Cris could either. Could you?'

‘I could try,' said my brother. ‘If Neil will give me a couple of driving lessons, and if I don't have to use this foot of mine. A boat could come in very handy.'

Neil laughed. ‘The driving part couldn't be simpler, but I'm afraid you'd have to be a bit more active than you think. There's a lot of clambering about to be done, and even getting in and out of the dinghy could be a problem for you for the next few days. No, you'd better forget
Stormy Petrel
, at any rate for now, and until Archie and I have had time to go over her for damage. I saw a couple of nasty-looking scrapes that look fresh. Ewen must have squeezed it a bit, to get right into the shallows behind that stack. Meantime there's my boat, and I'll be very happy to take you both wherever you want to go.'

‘Well, thank you,' said Crispin. ‘That sounds to me an altogether better idea.'

‘Once I've got tomorrow over, that is.' Neil set his cup down on the grass beside his chair. ‘I told Rose, I've arranged to see Bagshaw at the house. I'm not sure how long he plans to stay in Moila, but naturally he wants to see all there is. And as far as I'm concerned, if it has to be done, the sooner the better.'

‘“If it has to be done?” Does that mean that you're changing your mind about it?'

‘I don't know,' said Neil heavily. He sounded tired and despondent. I had put it down to the recent happenings, which of course had been a good deal more unpleasant for Neil than for me, but now I could see that it went deeper. He looked at Crispin. ‘After what you've told us about his plans, he's certainly not the buyer I would have wanted, but it looks now as if that's up to him. We can only hope the place doesn't meet his standards.'

‘It's a problem,' agreed my brother. ‘You might have considered handing the house to an agent for winter lets, and using it yourself in summer, but if you're teaching in Australia that's hardly feasible. I don't really see what else you can do but sell.'

‘My job in Sydney is finished. I'll be in Cambridge next year. So your solution, Crispin, might be possible, if only this option business can be got round.'

‘What changed your mind?' I asked him.

There was a silence, which all at once seemed charged, and stretched itself almost to breaking before he spoke.

‘You,' he said.

I stared at him.

‘The way you talked at supper. The things you said about the place, the broch, the machair, this little cove with the otters. And Eilean na Roin . . . I've known all my life about the seals and the birds, and I believe I knew about the storm petrels, though I never saw one, but you talked about them –' he hesitated – ‘well, you talked as if the place belonged to them, and when you come to think about it, I suppose it does. I was only a boy when I was here before, and I'd forgotten . . . Then, coming back, and going round the place with you . . .' He paused again, then added, almost as if it were something he was ashamed of admitting: ‘When you told us about your night on the island, and the petrels, I could see that they had really got to you. It was like, well, I suppose poets must feel that way.'

I said nothing. I saw Crispin smile.

‘So when I heard what Crispin had to tell us about Bagshaw's plans – Bagshaw was pretty specific, wasn't he, during that night in the train? – I knew I had to get out of the sale if I could. But how?'

‘Hope that he finds the house depressing,' said Crispin. ‘Hope that it pours tomorrow and the roof leaks and then tell him that one can never get workmen to do anything in the West Highlands. Everything's
mañana
, or whatever that is in Gaelic.'

Neil laughed. ‘There's no such word in Gaelic. It conveys too much urgency. Any other ideas?'

‘Invite him to stay,' I offered, ‘and give him a horrible supper, and tell him that you simply cannot get supplies here in Moila, and that the electricity fails almost every night.'

‘The absurd thing is,' said my brother, slowly, ‘that I rather like him. I know he's brash and full of ideas that we might find hideous, but he's not a bad sort of chap, and he's had a horrific couple of years in jail, and I honestly believe him when he says he got in too deep before he quite knew what was happening. I'm talking about the Prescott fraud case. It's just possible – no, no, I'm talking nonsense.'