in to pick up all this stuff and he even got me to phone them up. It must be a first. I don’t think he’s ever done an interview since Calum Steele did one in the West Uist Chronicle a few years ago.’
Annie clicked her tongue. ‘Aye and that was a hatchet job. Our Calum knows how to make enemies.’
‘Anyway, he seemed to like the idea. I guess he feels it could do his business a bit of good.’ He stopped and grinned. ‘From what he said he doesn’t think that they are real people.’
At which all three of them laughed.
‘Some people seem happy today. Is it a private joke?’ came Dr Dent’s voice. He had entered the shop unnoticed, despite the fact that he was still wearing his waders. He stood with his broken insect net in one hand and with his specimen collecting box hanging from one shoulder.
‘Good morning, Doctor Dent,’ said Alec. ‘I don’t suppose there is any harm in telling, since it will be on TV soon enough. Guthrie Lovat has agreed to let the Flotsam & Jetsam folk see him. He got me to phone Fergie Ferguson while I was delivering his mail. And I have to say that Fergie seemed right pleased.’
‘Interesting,’ returned Dr Dent. ‘I could do with seeing him myself. I’ve tried telephoning, but the last time I spoke to him he just said there was no way he would have me on his land.’ He shrugged. ‘The Lord only knows why.’
Annie McConville frowned. ‘Oh he is such a rude scunner. Always was.’
‘I have got a pretty good idea about the insect population of West Uist,’ went on Dr Dent, ‘but I have an idea that the Half Moon Cove area could be very different to the rest of the island.You see, it’s like a funnel to the Atlantic Ocean, I believe that knowing more about the midge larval population around the beach and the sand dunes could be very interesting scientifically. That is why—’
‘Why don’t you make a plea on the Flotsam & Jetsam show tonight?’ Annie suggested. ‘I see that you are going to be on the programme already.’
Dent nodded, and then looked at Alec. ‘I hadn’t thought of that. But then I hadn’t heard this news about Guthrie Lovat. I will do just that. But perhaps if Alec here also had a quiet word in Mr Lovat’s ear, it would help to get me in through that barbed wire fence of his.’
Alec considered for a moment then nodded in agreement. ‘Anything I can do to help the progress of science.’ He pointed to Dr Dent’s insect net. ‘Have you had an accident with your midge net there?’
The entomologist told them of his encounter at the river and about reporting the incident to the police.
‘Why not let Calum Steele at the West Uist Chronicle know about it as well?’ Agnes suggested. ‘He is always on the lookout for news. That would be right up his street.’
‘Hmm, maybe,’ Dr Dent grunted. ‘Though he has a tendency to distort things, as I know through experience.’ He shrugged as if dismissing the matter. ‘Meanwhile I’ll need some of your finest fishing line to see if I can mend the net.’
Agnes nodded. ‘I’ll be with you as soon as I have finished with Mrs McConville.’
‘Ah, you’ll be wanting money then,’ Annie said to her. Then she took a sharp intake of breath when Agnes told her the price. ‘Goodness, I’ll be needing a bank loan soon.’
‘Ha! Everything is so expensive these days, isn’t it?’ Dr Dent said. He turned to Alec and pointed to the post office counterat the end of the shop. ‘So I think I had better draw some money out of my account while I am here. Anew insect net like that will be expensive to replace and I can’t be without something. I will need to send to the mainland for another.’
Alec nodded with his usual cheerfulness. ‘Let me just deal with my bag and then I’ll see to your money.’
‘Oh yes, and I’ll take a bottle of your best malt whisky, too,’ Dr Dent added. ‘I might need a bit of Dutch courage before this TV show.’
III
Morag pushed open the door of the
Annie clicked her tongue. ‘Aye and that was a hatchet job. Our Calum knows how to make enemies.’
‘Anyway, he seemed to like the idea. I guess he feels it could do his business a bit of good.’ He stopped and grinned. ‘From what he said he doesn’t think that they are real people.’
At which all three of them laughed.
‘Some people seem happy today. Is it a private joke?’ came Dr Dent’s voice. He had entered the shop unnoticed, despite the fact that he was still wearing his waders. He stood with his broken insect net in one hand and with his specimen collecting box hanging from one shoulder.
‘Good morning, Doctor Dent,’ said Alec. ‘I don’t suppose there is any harm in telling, since it will be on TV soon enough. Guthrie Lovat has agreed to let the Flotsam & Jetsam folk see him. He got me to phone Fergie Ferguson while I was delivering his mail. And I have to say that Fergie seemed right pleased.’
‘Interesting,’ returned Dr Dent. ‘I could do with seeing him myself. I’ve tried telephoning, but the last time I spoke to him he just said there was no way he would have me on his land.’ He shrugged. ‘The Lord only knows why.’
Annie McConville frowned. ‘Oh he is such a rude scunner. Always was.’
‘I have got a pretty good idea about the insect population of West Uist,’ went on Dr Dent, ‘but I have an idea that the Half Moon Cove area could be very different to the rest of the island.You see, it’s like a funnel to the Atlantic Ocean, I believe that knowing more about the midge larval population around the beach and the sand dunes could be very interesting scientifically. That is why—’
‘Why don’t you make a plea on the Flotsam & Jetsam show tonight?’ Annie suggested. ‘I see that you are going to be on the programme already.’
Dent nodded, and then looked at Alec. ‘I hadn’t thought of that. But then I hadn’t heard this news about Guthrie Lovat. I will do just that. But perhaps if Alec here also had a quiet word in Mr Lovat’s ear, it would help to get me in through that barbed wire fence of his.’
Alec considered for a moment then nodded in agreement. ‘Anything I can do to help the progress of science.’ He pointed to Dr Dent’s insect net. ‘Have you had an accident with your midge net there?’
The entomologist told them of his encounter at the river and about reporting the incident to the police.
‘Why not let Calum Steele at the West Uist Chronicle know about it as well?’ Agnes suggested. ‘He is always on the lookout for news. That would be right up his street.’
‘Hmm, maybe,’ Dr Dent grunted. ‘Though he has a tendency to distort things, as I know through experience.’ He shrugged as if dismissing the matter. ‘Meanwhile I’ll need some of your finest fishing line to see if I can mend the net.’
Agnes nodded. ‘I’ll be with you as soon as I have finished with Mrs McConville.’
‘Ah, you’ll be wanting money then,’ Annie said to her. Then she took a sharp intake of breath when Agnes told her the price. ‘Goodness, I’ll be needing a bank loan soon.’
‘Ha! Everything is so expensive these days, isn’t it?’ Dr Dent said. He turned to Alec and pointed to the post office counterat the end of the shop. ‘So I think I had better draw some money out of my account while I am here. Anew insect net like that will be expensive to replace and I can’t be without something. I will need to send to the mainland for another.’
Alec nodded with his usual cheerfulness. ‘Let me just deal with my bag and then I’ll see to your money.’
‘Oh yes, and I’ll take a bottle of your best malt whisky, too,’ Dr Dent added. ‘I might need a bit of Dutch courage before this TV show.’
III
Morag pushed open the door of the
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