If anyone other than Robert had died, the Woollie Man’s visit would have been cancelled. Mourning was taken seriously on Kinness. But Robert had no family left to ensure that the proprieties were observed and no one else felt able to take responsibility. In many ways it was as if the death had never happened. There was no one left to grieve for him. And perhaps they were comforted by the visit. This was one law which had not been broken and they clung to that. The Woollie Man came every autumn to Kinness. So everyone went to the hall as they always did, even those who had no intention of buying. The Woollie Man brought a touch of excitement, a flavour of a different world. Some of the mothers had kept their children away from school just so that they could see him. They brought their offspring to the hall to see the Woollie Man as if he were Father Christmas in his grotto, then sent them back to their lessons.

Will Stennet sat in the aeroplane next to the Woollie Man and felt foolish. He had always believed himself to be independent, yet he had allowed his mother to persuade him to return home without argument. He had been away for less than a week, and had just begun to enjoy the social life at school again. She had telephoned to the hostel the night before and told him she had arranged a place for him on the Woollie Man’s plane. To be summoned home now was the worst kind of deprivation: He would have to make it clear to his mother immediately that he did not intend to stay, but he knew that the task would be difficult and he felt sulky and resentful.

Sandy and Agnes went with Alec to meet the plane. Agnes was desperate to see Will again. She wanted all her children near her. Robert’s death seemed to have shaken her calm and stability. She knew that it was illogical but she wanted Will at Sandwick so that she could see that he was safe. The house was so empty with Mary gone. It felt unnatural. She wanted a child to mother. Alec thought that his mother was being ridiculous.

“You’re mad,” Alec said, glad to have something to shout about. “There’s not enough work on Kinness for the men who are here.”

“Your father will retire soon,” she said. “ Will can work the Sandwick land.”

“That’s crazy. He doesn’t know anything about farming. He doesn’t care. He’s only interested in birds and books and music. He doesn’t want to live on Kinness. He wants to go away to college. It would be disastrous.”