'Out in the bay-Cladach Duillich. It's just a wee rock with nothing much on it. I doubt if the oil is there. They put up a few buildings but no drilling rig.' 'Who put up the buildings?' 'They say the government rented the island from an English lord. Wattie Stevenson went over in his boat once, just to pass the time of day, you know, and to say that when the trouble came there'd always be someone in Ullapool to help. But they wouldn't as much as let him set foot on the rock. Not friendly neighbours at all.' 'What sort of trouble was your friend expecting?' 'The weather, you understand. The winter storms are very bad. It's said the waves pass right over Cladach Duillich. That's how it got its name.' I frowned. 'I don't understand that.' 'Ah, you haven't the Gaelic. Well, long ago there was a fisherman out of Coigach and his boat sank in a storm on the other side of the island out there. So he swam and he swam and he finally got ashore and thought he was safe. But he was drowned all the same, poor man, because the shore was Cladach Duillich. The water came right over.
Cladach Duillich in the English would be the Sad Shore.' If what I thought was correct it was well named. 'Do the people on Cladach Duillich ever come ashore here?' 'Not at all. I haven't seen a one of them. They fly south in the helicopter and no one knows where it goes or where it comes from. Not a penny piece do they spend in Ullapool.
Very secret folk they are. There's just one landing place on Cladach Duillich and they've put up a big notice about trespasser s and what will be done to them.' I noticed that his glass was empty and wondered when he'd sunk the whisky. He must have done it when I blinked. I said, 'Have another, Mr… er…' 'You'll have one with me.' He signalled to the barman, then said, 'My name is Archie Ferguson and it's my brother who'll be taking you out to Cladach Duillich tomorrow morn,' He smiled sardonically at my evident discomfiture, and added, 'But I doubt if you'll set foot there.' 'I'm Malcolm Jaggard,' I said.
'And I think I will.' 'Malcolm's a good Scots name,' said Ferguson.
'I'll drink to your success, anyway, whatever it may be.' 'There's certainly something odd about the place,' I said, 'Do you think it's another Gruinard?' Ferguson's face altered and for a moment he looked like the wrath of Almighty God. 'It had better not be so,' he said sternly. 'If we thought it was we would take the fire to it.' I chewed that over together with my dinner, then made a telephone call-to Cladach Duillich. A voice said, 'How can I help you?' 'I'd like to speak to Dr. Ashton. My name is Malcolm Jaggard.' 'Just a moment. I'll see if she's available.' There was a four minute silence, then another voice said, 'I'm sorry, Mr. Jaggard, but I'm told Dr. Ashton went to the mainland and is not yet back.' 'Where on the mainland?' There was a pause. 'Where are you speaking from, Mr. Jaggard?' 'From London.
Why?' He didn't answer the question. 'She went to Ullapool-that's our local metropolis. She said she'd like to stretch her legs; there's not much scope for walking where we are. And she wanted to shop for a few things. May I ask how you got our number?' 'Dr. Ashton gave it to me.
When do you expect her back?' 'Oh, I don't know. The weather has closed in, so I don't think she'll be back until tomorrow morning. You could speak to her then.' 'Where would she stay in Ullapool? I don't know the place.' 'I really couldn't say, Mr. Jaggard. But she'll be back tomorrow with the boat.' 'I see. May I ask who I'm speaking to?'
'I'm Dr. Carter.' 'Thank you, Dr. Carter. I'll ring tomorrow.' As I put down the telephone I reflected that someone was lying-other than myself-and I didn't think it was Archie Ferguson. But to make sure I went into the bar and found him talking to Robbie, his brother. I joined them. 'Excuse me for butting in.' 'That's all right,' said Ferguson. 'I was just talking over with Robbie your chances of getting out to Cladach Duillich the morrow's morn.' I looked at Robbie. 'Is there any doubt of it?' 'I think there'll be a wee blow,' he said. The glass is dropping as the weather forecast said. Have you a strong stomach, Mr. Jaggard?' 'Strong enough.' Archie Ferguson laughed.
'You'll need one of cast iron.' I said, 'The people on Cladach Duillich also said the weather is closing in.' Archie raised his eyebrows. 'You've been talking to them! How?' 'By telephone-how else?'
'Aye,' said Robbie. 'They had the cable laid.' He shook his head.
'Awful expensive.' 'A man there told me a woman came ashore today from Cladach Duillich-here in Ullapool. She's about five feet eight inches, dark hair, age twent…' Robbie interrupted. 'How did she come?'
'By boat.' 'Then she didn't come,' he said positively. 'All the comings and goings are by that bluidy helicopter. There's no boat on Cladach Duillich.' 'Are you sure?' 'O' course I'm sure. I pass the place twice a day, most days. You can take my word-there's no boat.' I had to make sure of it. 'Well, supposing she came anyway. Where would she stay in Ullapool?' 'Ullapool's not all that big,' said Archie. 'If she's here at all we can put our hands on her-in a manner o' speaking, that is. What would be the lassie's name?' 'Ashton-Penelope Ashton.'
'Rest easy, Mr. Jaggard. You'll know within the hour.' He smiled genially at his brother. 'Do you not smell something awful romantic, Robbie?'
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE The wind whistled about my ears as I stood on the pier at eight next morning. The sky was slate-grey and so was the loch, stippled with whitecaps whipped up by the wind. Below me Robbie Ferguson's boat pitched violently, the rubber tyre fenders squealing as they were compressed and rubbed on the stone wall. It looked much too fragile to be taken out on such a day, but Robbie seemed unconcerned. He had taken the cover off the engine and was swinging on a crank. Beside me, Archie Ferguson said, 'So you think the young lady is still on Cladach Duillich?' 'I do.' He pulled his coat closer about him. 'Maybe we're wrong about the government,' he said. 'Could this be one of those queer religious groups we're importing from America these days? Moonies or some such? I've heard some remarkably funny things about them.' 'No, it's not that.' I looked at my watch. 'Mr. Ferguson, could you do me a favour?' 'If I can.' I estimated times. 'If I'm not back in eight hours-that's by four this afternoon-I want you to get the police and come looking for me.' He thought about it for a moment.
'No harm in that. What if Robbie comes back and you don't?' 'Same thing applies. They might spin Robbie a yarn, tell him I've decided to stay. They'll be lying, but he's to accept the lie, come back here, and raise the alarm.' Below, the diesel engine spluttered into life and settled down into a slow and steady thumping. Archie said, 'You know, Malcolm Jaggard, I don't believe you're a journalist at all.' I took a card from my wallet and gave it to him. 'If I don't come back ring that number. Get hold of a man called Ogilvie and tell him about it.' He studied the card. 'McCulloch and Ross-and Ogilvie. It seems we Scots have taken over the City of London.' He looked up. 'But you look less like a financier than you do a journalist. What's really going on out there on Cladach Duillich?' 'We spoke about it last night,' I said. 'And you talked of fire.' A bleakness came over him. 'The government would do that again?' 'Governments are made of men. Some men would do that.' 'Aye, and some men can pay for it.' He looked at me closely. 'Malcolm Jaggard, when you come back you and I are going to have a bit of a talk. And you can tell yon laddies on Cladach Duillich that if you don't come back we'll be bringing the fire to them. A great cleanser is fire.' 'Stay out of it,' I said. 'It's a job for the police.' 'Don't be daft, man. Would the police go against the government? You leave this to me.' He looked down into the boat. 'Away with you; Robbie is waiting. And I'll away and have a talk with a few of my friends.' I didn't argue with him. I climbed down the iron ladder which was slippery with water and seaweed and tried to time my drop into the boat to coincide with its erratic pitching. I fumbled it but was saved from sprawling full length by Robbie's strong arm. He looked me up and down, then shook his head. 'You'll freeze, Mr.
Jaggard.' He turned and rummaged in a locker and brought out a seaman's Guernsey. 'This'll keep you warm, and this-' he gave me a pair of trousers and an anorak, both waterproof-'this'll keep you dry.' When I had put them on he said, 'Now sit you down and be easy.'
He went forward, walking as easily in that tossing boat as another man would walk a city pavement. He cast off the forward line, then walked back, seemingly unconcerned that the bow was swinging in a great arc.
As he passed the engine he pushed over a lever with his boot, then dexterously cast off the stern line. The throbbing note of the engine deepened and we began to move away from the pier wall. Robbie was standing with the tiller between his knees, looking forward and steering by swaying motions of his body while he coiled the stern line into a neat skein. The wind strengthened as we got out into the loch and the waves were bigger. The wind was from the north-west and we plunged into the teeth of it. As the bow dipped downwards sheets of spray were blown aft and I appreciated the waterproofing. As it was, I knew I'd be thoroughly drenched by the time we got to Cladach Duillich. Presently Robbie sat down, controlling the tiller with one booted foot. He pointed, and said, 'The Coigach shore.' I ducked a lump of spray. 'What sort of man is your brother?' 'Archie?' Robbie thought a bit and then shrugged. 'He's my brother.' 'Would you call him a hot-headed man?' 'Archie hot-headed!' Robbie laughed. 'Why, the man's as cold as an iceberg. I'm the laddie in the family to take the chances. Archie weighs everything in a balance before he does anything. Why do you ask?' 'He was talking about what he'd do if I didn't come back from Cladach Duillich.' 'There's one thing certain about my brother-he does what he says he'll do. He's as reliable as death and taxes.' That was comforting to know. I didn't know what lay ahead on Cladach Duillich, but I knew I
