# ■ 2 The Island

We went to Scotland the next day，first by plane，then by train．Greta Ross travelled with us．

I looked out of the train window and saw fields and villages and mountains．‘Mum is right，’I thought．‘Scotland is a very beautiful place．’

‘You're going to be my husband's secretary，’Greta Ross told my mother He's a businessman，but he never leaves the island．He does all his work by telephone and letter and computer．He invests money in companies， all over the world．’

‘Do many people live on the island？’I asked．

‘Not many，'said Greta Ross．‘You'll meet them soon．’

‘Greta Ross is young，’I thought．‘Is her husband young，too？ How can a young man buy an island？Is he very rich？’

After the train， we went on Mr Ross's boat， which took us out to the island． The boatman was a young man． He had dark hair and was brown from the sun．

‘This is Tony， said Greta Ross．‘He works for Mr Ross．’

‘Hi，'said Tony．

Soon we were near the island．I could see the beaches and the cliffs． The boat slowed down．

‘There are dangerous rocks around the island，’explained Tony．‘A lot of them are under the water and you can't see them．I have to be careful．But the rocks keep other boats away，and that pleases Mr Ross．’

‘Why？’I asked．

Tony looked at Greta Ross but she wasn't listening．‘Mr Ross doesn't like visitors to the island，'tony said in a quiet voice．

Then Greta Ross looked at us and Tony said no more．

‘Why doesn't Mr Ross like visitors？’I thought．‘Has he something to hide？’

When we arrived on the island， my mother and I followed Greta up to the house．It was very big and there were trees all around it．

A woman was waiting inside the house．

‘This is Mrs Duncan，Tony's mother，'said Greta．‘She's the housekeeper and her husband is the gardener．Mrs Duncan will take you up to your rooms． I'm going to tell Mr Ross you've arrived．’

The housekeeper was a little woman with short hair． She went up the stairs，and my mother and I went after her．

My room was next to my mother's．I looked out of the win dow and saw the garden at the back of the house．A man was working in the garden，near some trees．‘Is that Mr Duncan？’I thought．I looked between the trees and saw the sea．‘It's a beautiful house and a beautiful island．’

That evening，we had dinner with Mr and Mrs Duncan and Tony．We ate in the big kitchen．

‘What happened to Mr Ross's last secretary？’asked my mother．

‘She's in hospital，'replied Mrs Duncan．‘She's going to be away all summer．’

‘Isn't Mrs Ross lonely here？’I said．

‘No，'said Mrs Duncan．‘She likes painting a lot．She has a room upstairs and goes there to paint．She's very good．Sometimes she goes to different places on the island to paint pictures．’

We finished eating our meal．Soon after，Greta Ross came into the kitchen．

‘Mr Ross wants to see you and your daughter now，Mrs Sanders，'she said Follow me，please．’

We followed her through the house and into a big room．This was Mr Ross's office and he was sitting behind a desk．

I was surprised．He was a young man，about thirty．He had a moustache，short dark hair，and he wore glasses．

Mr Ross was speaking into the telephone．‘Who does he look like？’I thought．‘Is it Tony Duncan？’

‘Mr Ross is talking to a business friend in New York，'said Greta．‘Please，sit down．’

While we waited， I looked around the office．There were three telephones，a computer， and lots of books and papers．

There was another door and I could see a smaller room，next to the office．There was a smaller desk and another computer in there．

Mr Ross finished speaking on the phone，then looked care fully at my mother and me．For a few seconds he didn't speak，and just watched us．Then he said，‘I'm pleased to meet you，Mrs Sanders．I need some help with my work．My secretary is in hospital，and there's a lot of work to do． Sometimes you’11have to work late at night，because of time differences in New York and Tokyo．Is that all right？’

‘Yes， that's all right，’said my mother．

‘Can you use a computer？’

‘Yes．’

‘Good．’He looked at me．‘Is this your daughter？’

‘Yes， this is Carol，'said my mother．

‘Hallo，’I said．

‘Greta says you like gardening．There's a big garden here，so you can help Mr Duncan．And there's a farm．Dan and Stella Parks live in the farmhouse and work on the farm．You can help them，too．We have some animals．Some sheep，a few cows and chickens．And there's a horse called Smoke．He's grey，like his name．Can you ride？’

‘Yes，’I said．‘I can ride a horse．’

‘You can ride Smoke around the is land，if you like．’

‘I'd like that，’I said．‘Thank you．’

‘And we grow vegetable and fruit，’he said．‘I work on the farm sometimes．I enjoy it．’

I smiled at him but he didn't smile back．

‘Carol will enjoy working on the farm，'said my mother．‘Won't you，Carol？’

‘Yes，’I said．

‘Mr Ross looks sad，’I thought．‘But how did he get all his money？ And why does he hide away on an island？’

■ 2 島嶼

第二天我們就去了蘇格蘭，先乘飛機，後乘火車。格里塔·羅斯與我們同行。

我從火車車廂的窗子向外望去，看到了田野、村莊和群山。“媽媽說得對，”我想，“蘇格蘭是個非常漂亮的地方。”

“你就要當我丈夫的祕書了。”格里塔·羅斯告訴我媽媽說，“他是個商人，但他從來不離開這個島。他通過電話、信函和電腦來幹他所有的工作。他向遍佈世界各地的公司投資。”

“許多人住在島上嗎？”我問。

“不多。”格里塔·羅斯說，“不一會兒你就能見到他們了。”

“格里塔·羅斯年輕。”我想，“她丈夫也年輕嗎？一個年輕人怎麼能買得起一座島嶼呢？他很有錢嗎？”

下了火車，我們上了羅斯先生的船，那船帶著我們出海向島駛去。船伕是個年輕人。他長著一頭黑髮，皮膚晒成了棕色。

“這是託尼。”格里塔·羅斯說，“他為羅斯先生工作。”

“你好，”託尼說。

不久我們就離這個島近了。我能看到海灘和峭壁了。船慢了下來。

“島的四周都是危險的礁石。”託尼解釋道，“許多礁石在水下，人看不見。我得很小心。但這些礁石使別的船不能靠近這個島，那使羅斯先生感到很高興。”

“為什麼？”我問道。

託尼看了一下格里塔·羅斯，但她沒在聽我們說些什麼。“羅斯先生不喜歡客人到島上來，”託尼輕聲說。

接著，格里塔·羅斯看了看我們，託尼便沒再說什麼。

“為什麼羅斯先生不喜歡客人呢？”我思考著。“難道他有什麼事要遮遮掩掩嗎？”

我們到了島上之後，我和我媽媽隨格里塔來到了那幢房子。它很大，四周都是樹。

一個女人正在房子裡等著我們。

“這是鄧肯太太，託尼的母親。”格里塔說，“她是女管家，她丈夫是園丁。鄧肯太太將帶你們上樓去你們住的房間。我去告訴羅斯先生你們已經到了。”

管家是個留著短髮的小婦人。她上了樓，我和我媽媽隨後跟著她。

我的房間就在我媽媽的房間的隔壁。從窗子向外望去，我看到了房後的園子。有個人正在園子裡幹活，那兒旁邊有些樹。“那就是鄧肯先生吧？”我想。我透過樹林，看到了大海。“這房子漂亮，這島也漂亮。”

那天傍晚，我們與鄧肯夫婦和託尼一起進餐。我們在大廚房吃飯。

“羅斯先生的上任祕書發生了什麼事？”我媽媽問道。

“她住院了。”鄧肯太太回答說，“整個夏季她都將不在。”

“羅斯夫人在這兒不寂寞嗎？”我說道。

“不寂寞。”鄧肯太太說，“她非常喜歡畫畫。她樓上有個房間，她常去那兒畫畫。她這個人很好。有時她去島上不同的地方畫畫。”

我們吃完了飯。不久之後格里塔·羅斯來到了廚房。

“羅斯先生現在想見見你和你的女兒，桑德斯夫人。”她說，“請跟我來。”

我們跟著她穿過房子來到一個大房間裡。這是羅斯先生的辦公室，他正坐在辦公桌的後面。

我很驚訝。他是個年輕人，大約三十歲。他留著鬍子，長著黑色短髮，並戴著眼鏡。

羅斯先生正在打電話。“他看上去像誰呢？”我思考著。“像託尼·鄧肯？”

“羅斯先生正在與紐約的一位商界朋友通話。”格里塔說，“請吧，坐下。”

我們等著的時候，我打量了一下這間辦公室。屋裡有三部電話、一臺電腦以及許多書本和文件。

辦公室還有一個門，所以我可以看到緊挨著辦公室的一個小一些的房間。那裡面有一張小一些的辦公桌，另有一臺電腦。

羅斯先生打完了電話，然後仔細地看了看我媽媽和我。有那麼片刻他默默不語，只是在打量我們。然後他說：“見到你們很高興，桑德斯夫人。我需要人幫助處理我的工作。我的祕書正在住院，有許多事情要處理。由於紐約和東京都有時差問題，有時候你得在深夜工作。你看行嗎？”

“行，那沒什麼。”我媽媽說。

“你會用電腦嗎？”

“會用。”

“那很好。”他看了看我。“這是你女兒嗎？”

“是，這是卡羅爾。”我媽媽說。

“您好，”我說。

“格里塔說你喜歡園藝。這裡有個大園子，所以你可以給鄧肯先生幫幫忙。這裡還有個農場。丹·帕克斯和斯特拉·帕克斯住在農舍裡並在農場幹活。你也可以給他們幫幫忙。我們養了些動物。一些羊，幾頭牛和數只小母雞。還有一匹叫‘煙’的馬。這匹公馬灰色，跟它的名字一樣。你會騎馬嗎？”

“會騎，”我說，“我會騎馬。”

“如果你喜歡，你可以騎‘煙’在島上轉轉。”

“那太好了。”我說，“謝謝您。”

“我們還培植蔬菜和水果。”他說，“我有時在農場裡幹些活。我喜歡幹農活。”

我朝他笑了笑，可他沒回敬我的笑。

“卡羅爾會喜歡在農場幹活的。”我媽媽說，“是不是，卡羅爾？”

“是的，”我說。

“羅斯先生顯得有些憂傷。”我想，“但是他怎麼會有那麼多錢呢？而且為什麼他要隱匿在一個島上呢？”