Jack smiled. ‘Are you the one they send out to see if I’m dangerous?’

‘Not really. I just need to know one thing,’ Olav said.

‘And what is that?’

Olav scratched his ear. ‘Are you a tourist? I’m asking because it sounds really … unlikely. The property has been empty since Agnar died, and I don’t think they can rent out a property where there’s no owner. All they told us was that they were looking for an heir and, as far as anyone on the island knows, Agnar didn’t have any family left.’

‘I see.’ Jack didn’t hide his amusement. ‘And you want to know what I’m doing here. Is that so?’

Olav nodded. ‘Yes, if you don’t mind telling me. Of course, you’re under no obligation to do so.’

‘Do you want some tea?’ Jack lifted his cup. ‘I’m happy to get you some.’

Olav shook his head. ‘No, thank you. I don’t really drink black tea.’

‘That’s fine. I don’t have any biscuits to offer you, I’m afraid.’

The mention of biscuits triggered a reaction with Olav. He held out the paper bag he had been holding. ‘Sorry, these are from my partner, Sigrid. They are healthy, I’m afraid,’ he added.

Jack opened the bag. The contents looked like biscuits. He took one out and looked at it. It was round, had bits in it and smelled delicious. ‘What kind are they?’

‘Oatmeal cookies with hazelnut, honey and raisins. We make our own honey. Small scale, but still.’

Olav grinned when Jack carefully took a bite, chewed it and nodded. ‘Not bad, actually. Do you want one?’ Jack held out the bag.

‘No, I had to promise Sigrid to leave all of them for you. It would be rude. She is very partial to hospitality.’

Jack wasn’t sure how to respond to that, so he put the rest of the biscuit in his mouth.

Olav looked at him, obviously waiting for something.

Jack smiled. He had nothing to hide. ‘I’m the new owner of the farm,’ he said.

‘Oh,’ Olav said. ‘That’s certainly unexpected.’

‘Do you want to see the paperwork?’ Jack nodded towards the pile of paper on the table.

‘No, of course not. I have no reason not to believe you. I’m just surprised.’

Not as much as me, Jack thought. He could see Olav trying to figure out what to ask next.

‘Did you buy the farm?’ Olav said after a small pause.

Jack smiled. ‘No. Agnar left it to me in his will.’

‘Well, then that changes matters, I think.’ Olav cleared his throat. ‘I’ve been cutting your grass,’ he said, waving a hand at the fence towards the field.

‘Okay,’ Jack said. What was it with these people and grass? Jens had gone on about the same thing. ‘That’s nice of you, I guess. Did you make those things on the field with the hay?’

‘They are racks to dry grass on, yes. It’s called hesjer,’ Olav said. ‘I cleared it with the lawyers first, of course; I have been doing it for the last five years. Agnar and us, we shared the grass. This farm is organic, just like mine, so we cooperated.’