Naomi, Greg was pleased to see, had openly chosen to walk just in front of Colin, and Greg could hear her voice as she chatted to him in a friendly way.

Best of all, a warm, dry breeze had met them on the hill, swiftly ridding them of the swarms of midges.

Naomi had shown her worth as a rifle and bagged a decent-sized stag. Stratton failed to do so, but did his best to claim Naomi’s kill as his own. Apparently he’d ‘helped direct her shot’.

When they stopped for lunch, Naomi chose to have hers with Greg.

Now midday, the sun was high in the sky, and you could hear the dry rustle of the heather in the wind.

‘It’s tinder dry up here,’ Naomi said, shading her eyes to look down into the valley. ‘The woods near Ard Choille and the village must be the same. That must be a concern?’

‘Rain’s on its way, I’m told,’ Greg said. ‘June’s traditionally a dry month in Scotland. July not so much. It should break soon.’ He halted there and, changing the subject, said, ‘I didn’t see you with the other women down at the beach yesterday?’

‘I’ve been taking a walk along the shore for my swim. Out of sight, of course.’

Greg was taken aback. ‘Where exactly?’ he said, hoping she hadn’t discovered his own favourite place, on the other side of the lochan.

‘Not far. I think it’s where there was once a small campsite. There’s a jetty. I go in from there.’

Greg knew where she meant.

‘No one camps there now?’ she said.

He shook his head. ‘Lord Main set it up as a wild camping site. He used to go down and chat to the folk there. That all stopped when . . .’ He hesitated.

‘Global Investment Holdings took over the estate,’ she finished for him. ‘Look, I’m really sorry they went down to the village last night. I tried to dissuade Aidan from doing that and refused to go. Aidan said he was beaten up by one of the village thugs?’

They were sitting behind the stone hide, away from the others, but Greg kept his voice low anyway.

‘I pulled Josh off him before he got a blow in. Stratton had been asked politely to leave. Malcolm, the community council chair, explained it was a private event. Stratton wouldn’t listen. Josh jumped him. There were a lot of others there more than willing to do that.’

‘Including you, I expect,’ she said with an understanding look. When he didn’t respond, she said softly, ‘I know what happened here during the pandemic. I’m sorry.’

‘We’re all sorry, but sorry doesn’t bring the kids or Malcolm’s wife, Mairi, back.’