We went to Scotland¹ 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 theworld．’

‘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， w ewent 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 works³ 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．‘Alot 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'smother，'said Greta．‘She'sthe housekeeper⁵ 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． Ilooked out of the win dow and saw the garden at the back of the house．Aman 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 houseand a beautiful island．’

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

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

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

‘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 fully⁸ at my mother and me．Fora few seconds he didn't speak，and just watched us．Then he said，‘I'm pleased to meet you，Mrs Sanders． Ineed some help with my work．My secretary is in hospital，and there's a lot of work to do． Sometimes you’11 have to work late at night，because of time differences in New York and Tokyo．Is that all right？’

‘Yes， that'sall 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，’Isaid．

‘Greta says you like gardening．There's a big garden here，so you can help Mr Duncan．And there's afarm．Dan and Stella Parks live in the farmhouse and work on the farm．You can help them，too．Wehave 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．

‘Carol⁹ 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？’

第二天我们就去了苏格兰，先乘飞机，后乘火车。格里塔•罗斯与我们同行。

我从火车车厢的窗子向外望去，看到了田野、村庄和群山。“妈妈说得对，”我想，“苏格兰是个非常漂亮的地方。”

“你就要当我丈夫的秘书了。”格里塔•罗斯告诉我妈妈说，“他是个商人，但他从来不离开这个岛。他通过电话、信函和电脑来干他所有的工作。他向遍布世界各地的公司投资。”

“许多人住在岛上吗？”我问。

“不多。”格里塔•罗斯说，“不一会儿你就能见到他们了。”

“格里塔•罗斯年轻。”我想，“她丈夫也年轻吗？一个年轻人怎么能买得起一座岛屿呢？他很有钱吗？”

下了火车，我们上了罗斯先生的船，那船带着我们出海向岛驶去。船夫是个年轻人。他长着一头黑发，皮肤晒成了棕色。

“这是托尼。”格里塔•罗斯说，“他为罗斯先生工作。”

“你好，”托尼说。

不久我们就离这个岛近了。我能看到海滩和峭壁了。船慢了下来。

“岛的四周都是危险的礁石。”托尼解释道，“许多礁石在水下，人看不见。我得很小心。但这些礁石使别的船不能靠近这个岛，那使罗斯先生感到很高兴。”

“为什么？”我问道。

托尼看了一下格里塔•罗斯，但她没在听我们说些什么。“罗斯先生不喜欢客人到岛上来，”托尼轻声说。

接着，格里塔•罗斯看了看我们，托尼便没再说什么。

“为什么罗斯先生不喜欢客人呢？”我思考着。“难道他有什么事要遮遮掩掩吗？”

我们到了岛上之后，我和我妈妈随格里塔来到了那幢房子。它很大，四周都是树。

一个女人正在房子里等着我们。

“这是邓肯太太，托尼的母亲。”格里塔说，“她是女管家，她丈夫是园丁。邓肯太太将带你们上楼去你们住的房间。我去告诉罗斯先生你们已经到了。”

管家是个留着短发的小妇人。她上了楼，我和我妈妈随后跟着她。

我的房间就在我妈妈的房间的隔壁。从窗子向外望去，我看到了房后的园子。有个人正在园子里干活，那儿旁边有些树。“那就是邓肯先生吧？”我想。我透过树林，看到了大海。“这房子漂亮，这岛也漂亮。”

那天傍晚，我们与邓肯夫妇和托尼一起进餐。我们在大厨房吃饭。

“罗斯先生的上任秘书发生了什么事？”我妈妈问道。

“她住院了。”邓肯太太回答说，“整个夏季她都将不在。”

“罗斯夫人在这儿不寂寞吗？”我说道。

“不寂寞。”邓肯太太说，“她非常喜欢画画。她楼上有个房间，她常去那儿画画。她这个人很好。有时她去岛上不同的地方画画。”

我们吃完了饭。不久之后格里塔•罗斯来到了厨房。

“罗斯先生现在想见见你和你的女儿，桑德斯夫人。”她说，“请跟我来。”

我们跟着她穿过房子来到一个大房间里。这是罗斯先生的办公室，他正坐在办公桌的后面。

我很惊讶。他是个年轻人，大约三十岁。他留着胡子，长着黑色短发，并戴着眼镜。

罗斯先生正在打电话。“他看上去像谁呢？”我思考着。“像托尼•邓肯？”

“罗斯先生正在与纽约的一位商界朋友通话。”格里塔说，“请吧，坐下。”

我们等着的时候，我打量了一下这间办公室。屋里有三部电话、一台电脑以及许多书本和文件。

办公室还有一个门，所以我可以看到紧挨着办公室的一个小一些的房间。那里面有一张小一些的办公桌，另有一台电脑。

罗斯先生打完了电话，然后仔细地看了看我妈妈和我。有那么片刻他默默不语，只是在打量我们。然后他说：“见到你们很高兴，桑德斯夫人。我需要人帮助处理我的工作。我的秘书正在住院，有许多事情要处理。由于纽约和东京都有时差问题，有时候你得在深夜工作。你看行吗？”

“行，那没什么。”我妈妈说。

“你会用电脑吗？”

“会用。”

“那很好。”他看了看我。“这是你女儿吗？”

“是，这是卡罗尔。”我妈妈说。

“您好，”我说。

“格里塔说你喜欢园艺。这里有个大园子，所以你可以给邓肯先生帮帮忙。这里还有个农场。丹•帕克斯和斯特拉•帕克斯住在农舍里并在农场干活。你也可以给他们帮帮忙。我们养了些动物。一些羊，几头牛和数只小母鸡。还有一匹叫‘烟’的马。这匹公马灰色，跟它的名字一样。你会骑马吗？”

“会骑，”我说，“我会骑马。”

“如果你喜欢，你可以骑‘烟’在岛上转转。”

“那太好了。”我说，“谢谢您。”

“我们还培植蔬菜和水果。”他说，“我有时在农场里干些活。我喜欢干农活。”

我朝他笑了笑，可他没回敬我的笑。

“卡罗尔会喜欢在农场干活的。”我妈妈说，“是不是，卡罗尔？”

“是的，”我说。

“罗斯先生显得有些忧伤。”我想，“但是他怎么会有那么多钱呢？而且为什么他要隐匿在一个岛上呢？”