When they’d finished breakfast, Patti asked Ally if it would be all right to use the sitting room for most of the day. They’d do their best to take their minds off the horrendous tragedy by watching TV or trying to read. The girls had their phones, of course, and would be glued to those.
As predicted by Amir, the media had arrived in force – reporters, film crews and photographers all hanging around in the lane between the malthouse and the village. Two of them ventured to the door to ask the whereabouts of the Armstrong family, and Ally politely told them that she was not at liberty to give out that sort of information, hoping that none of them would leave the sitting room while she was dealing with the press. One reporter was particularly persistent. ‘Surely,’ he said, ‘it’s not going to harm the case if we just have a chat with Mrs Armstrong?’
‘Mrs Armstrong does not want to be disturbed at this sad time,’ Ally said, repeating one of Amir’s suggestions.
In spite of their grief, everyone got hungry around lunchtime, and Greg was dispatched to find some pizzas, which he did, after directions to Concetti’s from Ally. The reporters presumably didn’t know who Greg was, so he was able to walk down to the village, returning with a mountain of boxes, in every imaginable flavour, plus two bottles of wine, and they all moved to the dining room after Ally produced some plates, glasses and cutlery.
Back in the kitchen, she was making herself a sandwich when there was a knock on the back door and in walked the earl.
‘Oh, Hamish. Good to see you! Can I make you a sandwich?’
‘That’s kind, Ally, but no thanks. I just wondered how the Armstrongs were bearing up?’
‘They’ve recovered enough to be eating pizza in the dining room,’ Ally replied, ‘if you want to go in there.’
Hamish shook his head. ‘I don’t particularly want to see them. Just wondered how you were coping with a bereaved family, and to tell you that the rifle we had stolen has been found and believed to have been the weapon that fired the shot. Would you believe the bullet was found in thecaber?’
‘Murdo told us this morning,’ Ally said. ‘I think he saw Angus on his travels.’
‘Poor Angus! He’s beside himself!’ Hamish sighed. ‘He just can’t understand how anyone could have broken into that cabinet without him being aware of it.’
‘And is that definitely the gun that fired the bullet that indirectly killed Archie Armstrong?’Ally said.
‘Yes, the police are now certain it was actuallythatrifle, and they found it in the woods that adjoin the field. Whoever fired that gun was a very good shot indeed, even if they didn’tquitehit their target, but no one appears to have seen anything. No fingerprints yet, of course.’ He stroked his beard. ‘Ghastly business.’
‘I understand that Angus is related to the Armstrongs,’ Ally remarked.
‘Yes, he’s Pat’s uncle – although I’m told we must call her “Patti” now apparently.’
‘Did you ever meet her?’
Hamish nodded. ‘I remember her well because she used to come up and stay with her uncle Angus for a week every summer. She was always a bit of a girl, man-crazy in her youth. She was just plain “Pat” back then, when Archie met her at the Glenfinnan Gathering eighteen years ago, according to Angus. Archie was competing, and Pat was serving drinks at the bar. They haven’t been over much since, but Angus was pleased that she and the family had visited him at the castle a couple of times earlier this week after they arrived.’
‘You don’t think…?’
‘No idea. Just saying.’ Hamish gave a hint of a smile.
‘Fancy some tea or coffee?’
‘I’d rather have a wee whisky,’ he said.
As Ally poured the whisky, she asked, ‘How’s Magda?’
‘She’s very well, thank you.’
Ally was glad that Hamish had abandoned his old, somewhat lecherous ways. When she’d first arrived in Locharran, Ally had been warned about the earl and his penchant for the ladies. As predicted, he had made advances in her direction, and she’d had to tell him firmly that there was to be no hanky-panky but that she’d like him as a friend. Much to her surprise, he’d agreed, and they had indeed become firmfriends.
When Magda arrived on the scene, it had been during a really difficult time for her, during which she’d not bothered much with her appearance, and it was Ally who had driven her to Inverness for a great haircut and some smart clothes and make-up. This had proved so successful in bringing Magda out of her shell that it hadn’t been long before she and Hamish had struck up a relationship and the twins were on the way. Since only legitimate heirs were allowed to inherit, a delighted Hamish had wasted no time in putting a ring on Magda’s finger and seemed to be embracing first-time fatherhood in his mid-seventies, despite having little idea of what it might entail.
‘I’m longing to see the babies again,’ Ally said.
‘Well, you know you can come up to see them any time you fancy,’ Hamish said, knocking back his drink. ‘We’re always delighted to see you – and Ross. Now I must go!’
Concetti’s pizzas appeared to have revived the Armstrongs a little, even the girls. One of them knocked on the kitchen door that afternoon. ‘Could my sister and I take your dog for a walk, please? Or play with her in the garden?’
Ally was taken aback for a moment. ‘Yes, yes, of course,’ she said. ‘I know Flora would be delighted.’
Flora was. She came bounding out into the hallway at the mention of the magic word ‘walk’.
