A Trick of the Light

by Ali Carter

  ‘She saved me,’ cried Felicity. ‘I’d have fainted if I’d had to dance.’

  ‘Lianne loved it.’ Shane tapped her on the back.

  ‘I sure did.’

  ‘So, you’ll all be happy drawing cows this morning?’ said Fergus.

  ‘Not in the field,’ exclaimed Jane.

  ‘No. Don’t worry, they’ll be fenced off.’

  ‘What a relief.’

  ‘It looks jolly chilly outside,’ shivered Felicity.

  ‘Well, perhaps, darling, you could arrange some thermoses. Put something warm in them, you know.’ Fergus revealed his undomesticated hand – surely he could pass this message onto Mhàiri himself?

  ‘I’ll get a basket of goodies made up.’ Zoe fitted the bill of a classic wife (one with servants, that is).

  ‘Susie,’ said Rupert. ‘That was a charming friend of yours we met last night.’

  ‘Yes,’ said Zoe, ‘wasn’t that a coincidence. I hear he’s coming to join the ceilidh. Angel, I hope you offered him a bed?’

  ‘He’s staying in Buchtermuchty, you know, that clapped-out old building on the corner of the high street.’

  ‘Poor him.’

  ‘There was a crowd of them, I’m sure it’s better than we think.’

  Rupert’s voice boomed across the table. ‘He must be keen to see you, Susie, if he’s deserting the stag party to come here.’

  Shane wolf-whistled.

  ‘He’s just a friend,’ I said through gritted teeth.

  ‘I don’t blame him coming here,’ said Jane. ‘It’s terribly common this obsession with stag dos.’

  ‘Part of the reason I invited him,’ said Fergus, ‘is he’s all alone tonight.’

  ‘How come?’ asked Rupert.

  ‘He didn’t want to drive south on a hangover.’

  ‘What a sensible chap.’

  I could have told them, that’s a trained heart surgeon for you. But no, I wasn’t going to big Toby up, he could pave his own way tonight and I wouldn’t be giving him an ounce of help.

  Minty reached for my empty bowl. ‘Shall I take that for you?’

  ‘Yes please. Thank you.’

  ‘Mine too,’ said Shane.

  Mhàiri came bustling through the swing door carrying a plate full of hot toast. The steam was rising in the cold air of the room.

  ‘Do you want some, Susie?’ said Lianne as she reached for a slice.

  ‘No thanks.’

  ‘Oh, go on,’ said Louis, ‘this marmalade’s delicious.’

  ‘I’m so pleased you like it,’ said Fergus. ‘My mother made a batch every year…well, Mhàiri made it but under my mother’s instruction.’

  The shrill of the telephone sent him scooting out the room and, full of inquisitiveness – the call could be the art dealer arranging Jamie Tumbleton-Smith’s visit – I had a sudden urge to eavesdrop. So, I refused Louis’ cajoling of a piece of toast and made my excuses and left.

  I watched the library door close behind Fergus and searched for some plausible cover, an object nearby to look at.

  My eyes settled on a long list of Muchton Earls carved into a wooden board just to the left of the door.

  1715 Hew Angus 1st Earl Muchton 1760–1770

  1737 Angus Hew 2nd Earl Muchton 1770–1791

  1762 Malcolm Angus 3rd Earl Muchton 1791–1823

  1787 Fergus Robert 4th Earl Muchton 1823–1847

  1822 Malcolm Robert 5th Earl Muchton 1847–1873

  1865 Robert Angus 6th Earl Muchton 1873–1911

  1897 Iona Emma 7th Countess Muchton 1911–1943

  1914 Malcolm Fergus 8th Earl Muchton 1943–1944

  1938 Robert Hew 9th Earl Muchton 1944–2015

  I couldn’t hear a word from Fergus and ended up becoming genuinely interested in the Muchton peerage. I was working out at what age each head of the family inherited the title. Forty-five…thirty-three… twenty-nine…thirty-six…twenty-five…EIGHT, wow, that’s young. I bet the girls threw themselves at him. Fourteen…the Countess…

  ‘Susie,’ said Fergus, giving me a fright. ‘I’m so sorry, I didn’t think you’d be standing right here.’

  ‘My fault.’ I looked straight at him but he turned away. So I stood, silent, hoping whatever he said next would give something away. But no, he looked up at the board and said full of amusement, ‘There are certain names us Muchtons are keen on.’

  ‘Countess Iona Emma breaks it up a bit.’ Finally, I had an opportunity to bring her up.

  ‘She certainly does,’ he said and I jumped in with, ‘I’d love to know more about her.’

  ‘Ah well, there’s an interesting story there. Iona got married aged sixteen, imagine that nowadays, it was a ploy to get her pregnant before the First World War. Her parents recruited a suitable husband. However, unbeknown to them this pair were already in love. He was twenty-five years Iona’s elder –’ I knew she’d be a go-getta ‘– the bachelor uncle of her school friend. He gave her a son and then sadly got wounded. They weren’t able to have any more children.’

  ‘Did he die from his wounds?’

  ‘Yes, poor woman, lost him in 1922 and then her only son died aged thirty.’

  ‘Your grandfather?’ I said, glad to be able to bring up the man in the portrait.

  ‘Yes. Hence why my father inherited the title aged six.’

  ‘That’s so sad he grew up without his dad.’

  ‘I agree, although he believed his father’s spirit lived on in the house. Not that that was a good thing; apparently it used to haunt him in the night.’

  ‘Seriously?’

  Auchen Laggan Tosh is old and cold and in need of restoration, and although I sensed unhappiness in the atmosphere, I didn’t feel spooked here at all. I’m susceptible to ghosts. I’ve never actually seen one, but I know when they’re about.

  ‘It’s nonsense,’ said Fergus, and I agreed.

  Then, taking a huge risk, I said, ‘The portrait of your grandfather in the dining room has been painted over, hasn’t it?’

  Fergus’s face lit up.

  ‘How on earth do you know that?’ His brow furrowed as he stared at me intensely.

  ‘I could see an extra eye.’

  ‘Really?’

  Fergus possibly hadn’t noticed it before.

  ‘Yes…just.’

  ‘That’s amazing. You’re right, my father had the head re-painted in profile on top of the original face. He couldn’t bear seeing his father looking at him down the dining room table. It worked as far as putting his mind at rest. He never mentioned the spirit again. But I had no idea one could tell. You must have unbelievably good eyesight.’

  ‘It’s a trick of the light. You have to know where to stand.’

  Fergus’s face froze. ‘Don’t go showing me. If this house was once haunted, I’d hate for it to become so again. You really cannot tell Zoe either, it took a bit of convincing to get her up here.’ He raised his eyebrows. He must be serious.

  ‘You didn’t notice anything funny about the Landseers, did you?’

  Fergus has cracked. Why would he ever jump to the Landseers unless he’d just had a call alerting him that they might be copies? Poor man; his face fell as he waited for an answer.

  ‘No,’ I smiled, ‘nothing other than how wonderful they are.’

  ‘Goodie.’ His lips remained firm and he tapped my shoulder. ‘Right, I must have a quick word with my wife. Zoe, darling, Zoe,’ he called out, and from Haggis’s bark it sounded as if she was upstairs.

  I went to the music room to count up the easels.

  ‘Susie,’ said Minty, who was in there too, ‘would it be okay if I paint this morning rather than draw?’

  ‘Of course, it’s entirely up to you.’

  ‘Mummy wants me to make the most of painting this week. I’m out of practice, you see.’

  ‘It’s important you get what you want from the residency. I hope you’re finding it useful so far?’

  ‘Oh yes, very. I like the routine. It’
s good to have no distractions. If I was at home I’d be forever out riding, but here I’m quite happy being arty all day.’

  ‘It’s a good group, don’t you think?’

  ‘Yes, for a week. Turns out Giles and I have lots of friends in common. What a small world it is.’

  There was a noise at the door. ‘Ah Susie, there you are,’ said Zoe. ‘I just wanted to say…’ She stopped as soon as she saw Minty.

  ‘Don’t worry,’ said Minty, ‘I’m leaving.’

  Oh heck, is Zoe going to confront me about Oliver’s visit?

  ‘Susie, the Mahafi field…’

  ‘Mahafi field?’

  ‘Yes, all the fields have names.’

  ‘Ah, okay.’ My nerves settled.

  ‘It’s where the Highland cows are and it’s reasonably near our keeper Stuart’s house. Now, I don’t want any of the class taking themselves off for a wander anywhere near his house.’

  I swallowed, hard.

  She elaborated. ‘There was an incident on Tuesday morning, a roe deer was found in the woods.’

  ‘Dead?’

  ‘Yes, Stuart thinks a car hit it and the driver dragged it off the road. But I can’t think who would’ve behaved like that. Anyway, my point being the gralloched deer is hanging in the game larder and it’s not a pleasant sight if you’ve never seen one before. I’d hate to end up with a formal complaint.’

  ‘Understood.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  Giles practically walked into me as I left the room. ‘Whoops, sorry, Susie.’

  ‘Don’t worry.’ I put my hand on his shoulder. ‘Would you do me a favour and make sure everyone’s taken an easel and a drawing board to the bus?’

  ‘Certainly.’

  ‘I’m going to put on my outdoor kit. I’ll meet you outside in a bit.’

  Rupert has taken charge of driving again and is following Fergus’s directions to the field. We’re bumping down the front drive, dry weather in our favour, and a lot of excited chitter chatter about the beasts we’re off to draw.

  ‘Right here?’ said Rupert, putting his foot on the brake as we approached a track.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Look at that,’ squawked Jane.

  ‘Oh yes,’ said Rupert, ‘there’s a buzzard on the fence post.’

  ‘It’s gigantic,’ said Lianne.

  Shane banged on the glass and the enormous bird drew up its heavy wings and launched into flight.

  ‘Damn,’ said Louis. ‘I knew I should have brought my camera.’

  ‘You haven’t brought your camera out at all,’ said Jane.

  ‘I’m too busy being a good student. Though I might do this afternoon.’

  ‘All you need is a mobile,’ said Shane. ‘Slip it in your pocket and make videos wherever you go.’

  ‘Nah,’ said Lianne. ‘The quality’s turd.’

  ‘C’est vrai,’ said Louis.

  I do like it when he breaks into a bit of French.

  ‘Ah, here’s the bridge Fergus mentioned,’ said Rupert. ‘Did he say we go over it?’

  ‘Yes,’ shouted Jane and we joined another off-road track.

  ‘There they are,’ squealed Felicity.

  ‘Where?’ said Shane.

  ‘Over there.’

  ‘Over where?’ said Giles.

  ‘Duh,’ said Lianne. ‘In the far distance, look, there’s something orange.’

  ‘That’s far too small to be a cow.’

  ‘It’s a sheep feeder,’ said Minty.

  ‘It ain’t got no horns,’ said Shane.

  We drove straight into a clump of trees and the discussion ended.

  ‘Whose house is that, Miss?’

  ‘The keeper’s,’ said Giles.

  ‘Keeper like gate keeper?’

  ‘No, game keeper.’

  ‘How do you know?’

  ‘All those antlers gave it away.’

  We left the wood and Rupert announced, ‘Here they are.’

  He’d stopped the bus in front of a gate.

  ‘Where?’ said Lianne.

  ‘There,’ he pointed through the windscreen, ‘in the next field. Susie, get the gate, will you?’

  ‘Wow,’ said Minty. ‘They’re huge.’

  ‘Sick,’ said Shane.

  ‘We’re not going in the field,’ ordered Jane.

  ‘No, no,’ screeched Felicity.

  ‘Calm down.’ I was a little impatient. ‘There’s an electric fence around them. The farmer put it up specially so we can get close to them.’

  ‘Susie,’ said Rupert, ‘the gate?’

  I opened my door and put one foot on the ground. ‘It’s very wet here.’

  ‘We mustn’t get the bus stuck, what do you think?’

  ‘I think we should walk from here,’ said Giles, encouraging everyone to get out.

  ‘Susie’s in charge,’ said Louis. ‘Let her decide.’

  ‘Yes, let’s walk, it’s not far. But leave your things here for now. I want to talk you through the class first.’

  The closer we got to the cows the tighter they grouped together. Some were stamping their hooves and all had hot breath steaming out of flared nostrils. It’s a bit intimidating but I must stay strong.

  ‘Not very pleased to see us, are they?’ said Giles.

  ‘They’ll settle down once they get used to it, just don’t make any sudden movements for the time being.’

  ‘I’m scared,’ said Felicity, hanging back in the field.

  ‘Don’t worry.’ I moved closer to her. ‘They’re not dangerous and I promise they won’t cross this fence.’ I coaxed her forwards to join the others.

  ‘If we had a dog it would be a different matter,’ said Minty. ‘I’m jolly glad Haggis isn’t here.’

  ‘Are you sure we’re safe?’ said Felicity as she nestled herself next to Jane.

  ‘Yes. They seem unfriendly at the minute, but look, they’re already beginning to spread out.’

  ‘Marvellous orange colour,’ commented Giles. ‘I think I’m going to use pastels.’

  ‘You can use any medium you want. Minty’s going to paint but I’d encourage the rest of you to draw. We don’t have a very long morning.’

  ‘Do you want us to draw the whole thing?’ asked Lianne. ‘Should we put in the background or not? You don’t have any background in your pet portraits.’

  ‘When I draw animals, I focus on their character. But here it’s different.’

  ‘Why, Miss?’

  ‘Because you have an opportunity to draw a Highland cow in a Highland landscape. It makes for a nice picture.’

  ‘You’re going to have to give me more instruction than that,’ said Rupert.

  ‘Well, as with any subject, you must look very closely before you begin.’

  ‘Frightfully long hair they have, no?’

  ‘Yes, and if you look carefully, you’ll see it’s double-layered.’

  ‘What?’ said Jane.

  ‘Their coat, the top part is oily and stops the rain seeping in.’

  ‘The under bit is downy, isn’t it?’ said Giles. ‘Yes, a warm lining.’

  ‘I wish I had one,’ said Felicity.

  ‘Are you cold?’ Rupert sounded concerned. ‘You can have this if you want?’ and without waiting for an answer, he handed her his scarlet cashmere scarf.

  ‘Thank you.’

  ‘Going back to their coat for a minute, I want you to notice it has a slight wave, it’s not completely straight.’

  ‘Like Jane’s,’ said Shane with a cheeky giggle and she furiously pulled her sou’wester more firmly onto her head.

  ‘Why do they have such long horns?’ said Minty.

  ‘’Cause they’re horny.’

  Lianne punched Shane’s shoulder.

  ‘They use them to dig for food during snowy winters.’

  ‘And fighting?’ asked Giles.

  ‘I would if I were them,’ said Shane.

  ‘Can we go for a walk?’ Felicity was feeling braver. �
�I think it will warm me up.’

  ‘Maybe we could all do a quick power walk to the gate and back instead.’

  ‘Would you mind if I didn’t?’ said Minty. ‘I want to get started.’

  ‘Me too,’ said Lianne.

  ‘Okay then, but it would be really helpful if anyone who’s not warming up could bring two easels each, please.’

  ‘In that case I’ll help.’ Rupert took off towards the bus.

  Jane and Felicity huffed and puffed to the gate and by the time they were back all easels were up and I was ready to start.

  ‘I’ve been thinking,’ said Louis. ‘Why aren’t you drawing?’

  ‘I don’t want to be shown up.’

  ‘You can advise me then, I’ve never drawn an animal before.’

  ‘Sure, I’ll happily stand by your side.’

  ‘Oi,’ called out Shane. ‘Minty, you’re in my view.’

  ‘Include me in your picture then.’

  Shane, genuinely nice-natured, gave in and moved his easel.

  ‘Can you tell us what you want us to do?’ asked Jane.

  ‘Of course. I would advise working out what size you want your picture to be and then draw a light frame in pencil on your paper. This will give you a boundary and help with your composition.’

  ‘I think I’m going to draw after all,’ said Minty. ‘There’s not enough time to paint. Can I share some-one’s pencils?’

  ‘You can share my pastels,’ offered Giles, ‘but you’ll have to come closer to me.’

  Louis let out a faint wolf-whistle and I scowled at him.

  ‘Do you have paper, Minty?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Right, once you’ve all drawn a frame, pick one of these beasts.’

  ‘They all look the same,’ said Lianne.

  ‘They’re similar but just for now pick one.’

  ‘What happens if it moves?’ said Felicity.

  ‘They will move and your drawing will change but try not to worry about that. It’s a general impression we’re going for. So, find your favourite part of the cow you’ve chosen…’

  ‘What?’ shouted Shane.

  ‘Find the spark which draws your eye. It could be the nose, the horn, the belly, it doesn’t matter, I just want you to choose your favourite bit as a starting point. When you have, work out the composition of your picture in relation to this bit and put a mark inside your frame.’

  ‘Like this?’ asked Rupert and I went to look at his picture.