Suddenly my breathing quickened, I could feel my heart beating in my chest. The fear of being caught grasped me; how would I begin to explain what I’m up to? I must get out.
I scooted across the floor in my socks, turned off the lights and picked up my jumper. Then in the glow of my mobile I unlocked the door and with a shaking hand locked it from the other side. I popped the key back in the safe place and, desperately trying to get to grips with my breathing, I very quickly tiptoed to my room. Creak went the door as I shut it behind me. But it doesn’t matter, I’m now safely back where I belong.
Rupert marched into breakfast brimming with news. ‘Major breakthrough by the Tories,’ he said. ‘They’ve halted the spread of wind farms. Passed a bill last night putting a bar on onshore wind farm subsidies.’
Minty had told me her father was in the House of Lords this week trying to pass a bill before Easter. I wonder if it has anything to do with this?
‘Angel,’ said Zoe sharply down the table. ‘Had you heard that?’
‘No, I hadn’t. Hmmm. On the news this morning I suppose?’
‘Yes, just caught it on the box. I’ve been rather interested in the build-up and I had an inkling this would be the result.’
‘You knew it was happening?’ said Felicity. ‘Why didn’t you mention it the other day?’
‘Wind energy’s a controversial subject and, you never know, a debate on the matter could have divided us.’
‘How sensitive of you.’ Felicity missed the sarcasm in Rupert’s voice, and when Giles asked, ‘What’s your opinion of them, Fergus?’ she visibly cowered in her seat.
‘I’m not against wind farms per se, they have a place both in the landscape and in our changing energy needs. However, where they are placed has to be chosen with the greatest possible care.’
‘I was right, wasn’t I,’ said Giles. ‘You have an application mast up, don’t you?’
‘How do you know that?’ Fergus’s eyes twitched.
‘Told you so.’ Giles searched the table. ‘Hey? Minty. Where’s Minty?’
‘She’s left,’ said Zoe. ‘Her mother turned up just after six to collect her. If it wasn’t for Haggis’s barking I would never have known.’
‘Six o’clock this morning?’ said Giles.
He’s very surprised and so am I.
‘Thereabouts. Didn’t hang around. It was a last-minute decision due to the weather.’
‘All the way from Cumbria?’ I said.
‘No, she spent last night with friends nearby.’
Quite nearby, I said to myself…these estates are enormous.
‘Minty wanted me to pass on her goodbyes to you all,’ smiled Zoe.
‘Doubt I’ll see Araminta Froglan-Home-Mybridge again,’ said Shane with flawless timing, and all of us began to laugh.
‘Froglan-Home-Mybridge?’ Rupert was astounded. ‘How could I have forgotten? It was her relation I saw on telly.’
‘This morning?’ snapped Zoe.
‘Yes. It was an old clip of him banging on about wind farms blighting the landscape, damaging property prices and harming the local economy.’
‘Really?’
‘Yes, he’s a Tory peer and it was footage from a previous moratorium on wind farm developments.’
‘Minty’s father?’ said Fergus, not quite getting it.
‘I should hope not. The man I saw is now under arrest.’
‘Under arrest?’ I said and Felicity tut-tutted.
‘Quite unbelievable. Whoever it was, was up to all sorts of shenanigans.’
‘Minty’s relative?’ asked Lianne.
‘On second thoughts I doubt it was.’
I really hoped it wasn’t, for Minty’s sake. But it’s hard to believe there’d be multiple people in the House of Lords with that name.
‘What was he accused of?’ said Zoe, staring fearfully at Fergus.
‘Capturing water voles without a licence,’ Rupert hooted and a crumb of toast shot straight out his mouth.
‘I don’t understand,’ said Felicity.
‘They’re protected,’ gloated Giles.
‘Who cares?’ grunted Shane.
‘Wind farm surveys do. An application can fail based on an otter and water vole survey.’
‘Was he releasing them then?’ said Felicity, catching on.
Giles nodded at Fergus. ‘Bad luck, for you.’
‘Whoa, hang on a minute,’ said Rupert. ‘You’re jumping the gun; the clip I saw said he was breeding them not releasing them.’
‘Maybe it is Minty’s dad,’ said Lianne, terribly overexcited by the notion.
‘Very clever to choose a water vole,’ said Giles. ‘All sorts of birds of prey feed off them. If released, the application would fail the ornithological survey too.’
‘Angel,’ said Zoe, ‘I think you should give Stuart a call.’
Fergus took the order and marched out of the room.
‘The ravens,’ I whispered in Louis’ ear.
‘What about them?’ He hadn’t made the connection – these birds feed off voles.
‘Nothing,’ I shook my head. No point telling him my theory: water voles had been released here, they’d attracted the ravens and it’s all happened at about the same time the art residency began. Mhàiri’s husband Donald saw a light down by the river the night we arrived. The very evening Minty’s father dropped her off.
Rupert changed the subject. ‘That was a two-dog night if ever I’ve had one.’
‘Such a marvellous saying,’ giggled Felicity. ‘What does it mean?’
‘It means it was so cold you need a dog either side of you to keep warm.’
‘I am sorry,’ said Zoe.
‘Not at all, I was exaggerating.’
Haggis rushed into the room; Fergus was back.
‘Poor doggy,’ said Felicity, stroking him at her feet, ‘he’s got icicles clinging to his fur.’
‘Yes, it’s a very, very cold morning. Donald’s outside with the bus so chop chop, everyone, it’s time to get moving. Fifteen minutes and you’ll be off.’
There was a rush for the door. ‘Jane, Felicity,’ said Fergus, ‘if you’re all packed I’ll get Donald to come in and carry your bags down.’
‘Thank you, yes,’ said Felicity nodding and Jane, without breaking her morning’s silence, nodded too.
Rupert began to stack the plates. ‘Don’t bother to clear,’ said Zoe. ‘Mhàiri’s here and you must get going.’
‘Well, I’ll just nip into the kitchen and say a big thank you.’
Rupert rustled his right hand in his right trouser pocket and pushed open the swing door. I knew: he was off to tip the cook. A sterling note
