“About that,” Dad said. “We won’t exactly have it to ourselves after all. I’m afraid we’ll be sharing it with some guga hunters.”

I frowned. “What’s a guga hunter?”

“It’s an ancient Hebridean tradition,” Kate explained. “Every year in August, ten people from the nearest island come to stay on Bird Rock for two weeks to hunt the guga. That’s the Scottish Gaelic name for young gannets. It’s outlawed in the rest of the UK, but this hunt has a special licence that allows them to continue.” She sounded disapproving. “It’s one of the things your father and I hope to change with our research. Guga meat is considered a delicacy, and the hunters are allowed to catch up to two thousand birds a year.” 47

“They’re scheduled to arrive tomorrow,” Dad said. “Perhaps you saw them when you were there? Anyway, now our visits are overlapping. The hunters will be staying in the stone bothies on the other side of the island.”

He gave me a wry smile. “If you think things are basic here, Jess, just imagine what it’s like in those bothies the monks built. They’re literally stone huts, with no facilities, or running water, or anything. The hunters have got campfires and sleeping bags, and that’s about it. The hunt isn’t a pretty sight, by the way – the birds get their heads bashed open on the rocks, so I’d stay well away.”

He stood up. “Come on, let’s show you around. You’ll like it here once you’ve had the chance to settle in. Most people only ever view Bird Rock from the water, so it really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be able to stay on an island like this.”

I was thinking it was an opportunity I’d rather not have had, but before I could say a word there was a loud knock at the front door.

We all paused. Dad had just said there was no one else on the island at the moment.

“It’s probably Charlie,” Kate suggested, but as she 48spoke we heard our half-brother come clattering down the stairs to throw open the door.

“Hello!” His bright little voice rang out clearly from the hall. “I’m Charlie. Who are you?”

49

Chapter Four

We all hurried from the kitchen in time to hear the visitor speak. “Are your parents here?”

To my surprise, the boy from the hostel was standing on the doorstep, wearing a jacket with a little silver football badge on the pocket. His eyes flicked to me, then narrowed in confusion for a moment before recognition filled them.

“Wait, I know you! You’re that girl who was laughing at my dad in the hostel.”

“I wasn’t laughing at him—” I began, my face already growing hot.