It had been a cause for general rejoicing when the marriage had taken place in early September (‘quietly’ so the announcement in the paper read) between Lt. Col. John Smithson and Mrs Morwenna Gilbert. The ceremony had taken place in a little church in Cornwall, within sound of the sea, near the village where Morwenna lived, and all those dining at Carafini had been present. Giles had given the bride away and toothy Joyce, resplendent in shimmering turquoise eye-shadow and a matching hat, had been matron of honour. Amy had provided the music, accompanying the small congregation as they sang the hymns chosen by the Colonel, ‘I Vow to Thee My Country’ and ‘Praise My Soul the King of Heaven’, and later playing an arrangement of ‘Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring’ at Morwenna’s special request. The newly married couple had walked out of the church to the rather unlikely Strathspey strains of ‘The Glasgow Highlanders’ – not something usually played at Cornish weddings, but chosen to honour the country where they had met. The bride and groom had radiated happiness and the honeymoon had been spent on a gardening tour round the west of Scotland.

There was much catching up to do and everyone talked at once.

‘Guess what today is?’ announced Marnie. ‘It’s the last day of Christopher’s parole. Isn’t that great? We’re going to be able to stay up at Eilean Dobhran together for the rest of the autumn now the renovations are due to start. He’s a free man at last!’

Everyone congratulated him.

‘We’re hugely looking forward to inspecting Eilean Dobhran for ourselves when we come up for the first meeting of the Trust in November,’ said Giles. He and Isobel had been touched to be invited to join Christopher and Marnie, Marnie’s father, old Ian Drummond and Lord Dunbarnock as founder members of the new charitable foundation, to be called the Luciana Trust. In answer to her tentative suggestion to Neil Dunbarnock asking if he might consider joining them too, Marnie had received a charming letter from him saying he would be delighted to do all he could to help. ‘You couldn’t have thought of anyone better,’ Giles had told her. ‘Neil may be eccentric but he’s very shrewd and extremely generous – a huge asset on any committee. Glendrochatt owes a lot of its success to him.’

‘We’ve decided to ask Jeff and Cherry Barton if they can put us all up at Finterie Lodge,’ said Christopher. ‘Sleeping in the castle in its present state might not be everyone’s idea of a jolly weekend! Marnie thought it might make the newly appointed trustees resign very quickly.’