But she still suspected she had a bigger prize on her hands. For a fishing expedition, Mure was certainly turning out to be absolutely chock-full of useful things.

“So,” she said, turning all her attention toward Konstantin, who still looked worryingly distracted. Perhaps he was gay; there were a lot of gay men up here. On the other hand, if he was who she thought he was, then that wasn’t it at all.

“So you must miss Norway living here.”

Konstantin squinted. Why was she asking him all this stuff?

“Oh sure,” he said. “But it has its compensations.”

“It looks like you’re cutting quite the swathe through the local girls!”

Konstantin eyed her suspiciously. “What?”

This reminded him, he should get back to speak to Isla.

“How long are you thinking of staying in this life?”

It was an oddly worded question, and if Konstantin had been paying closer attention he would have asked for clarification or had his suspicions about what, exactly, she was after. But he was desperate to get back to Isla, finish what he started. A smile played across his lips.

“Not long then?” said Candace pushily.

“What? No,” said Konstantin, just as they both turned round at a commotion at the door.

“Where is that Scandi fellow?” someone was shouting.

The room turned round. Flora barreled up, cross that people were making a commotion at what was meant to be, excuse me, a children’s party.

It was Malcy.

“We’re having an emergency council meeting,” he said. “You need to come and explain yourself.”

“It’s eight o’clock at night,” said Flora, furious.

“That’s why it’s called an emergency meeting.”

“Also I don’t want to go,” said Konstantin.

“Well . . .” The man hadn’t really been anticipating this. “You have to.”

“I don’t. You’re not the police.”

“You have to come and explain yourself.”

Konstantin waved his hands. “Yeah, no thank you.”

Joel stepped forward, along with Ed, the young police officer who rarely had anything more to do than direct lost tourists and was looking slightly nervous.

“Excuse me?” said Joel. “I’m this man’s lawyer.”

“I don’t need a lawyer!” said Konstantin.

“I’m the lawyer for the money spent by the Colton Foundation,” Joel went on smoothly. “This is something you’ll have to take up with me in the morning.”

“Yeah, also you can’t walk into people’s houses like that,” said policeman Ed. “I think.” He screwed up his face. It had been a while since Tulliallan Police College, after all.

Malcy looked about in consternation. He was used to being pretty much a big man on Mure, and he wasn’t used to being spoken to like this.

“Well, we’ll sort it out tomorrow then.”

“I’m afraid we got permission from the council,” said Joel, “so it’s going to be a bit of a fight.”

“You have to take it down.”

“We have to do nothing of the sort,” said Joel.

“And it’s beautiful,” said Konstantin crossly. “You just have absolutely no taste, which is why you are wearing those trousers.”