making. Indeed, you can say I acquired it along with the
rest of this property. I’ve never seen it myself but I
understand it walks the corridors, lamenting who knows
what and tapping on the walls and doors.’
‘Yeah, and I suppose it plays bagpipes on the
battlements too?’
‘Not that I know of, madam, but as I say, I’ve
never encountered it myself.’ Elsa exhaled noisily down
her nostrils. ‘Then if it shows up I’ll send it along to visit
you with a flea in its ear. Now if you don’t mind, kindly
bugger off because I’m tired.’
Conrad bowed and withdrew.
After his departure Elsa moved across to the floor-
length brocade drapes that covered her window. She swept
them back and gazed out into the Highland night. A
Highland night now clear of fog, and unpolluted by
artificial lighting. A near-full moon had risen, gleaming on
the distant pines and cedars, and washing blue-white over
the gables of a projecting wing of the house to her right.
Quietness pressed in, total but for the crackling of those
logs in the grate. For some reason Elsa shuddered.
Irrationally, she disliked this place almost to the point of
abhorrence. Fleetingly she even considered checking out
and ordering Roland Sadler to fly her to Edinburgh now,
before the fog had a chance to descend again. But she
guessed he would refuse at this hour; and anyway she
couldn’t be bothered. She really did feel weary.
After a moment she pulled the drapes back across
her window, glad to shut out the night.
53