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“I did speak to Kelvin,” Daniel whispered. “He said it was a loose rule. I go out without him all the time anyway. Besides, the rule doesn’t make any sense with the cabins. Ah, you look confused. Don’t worry, I shall explain that in a bit.”

Steph considered the young man for a while. He didn’t look like he was long out of university. Whether that was true or not was hard to tell as he had one of those boyish faces. He had seemingly struggled desperately to grow some wispy chin hairs to combat this problem, but if anything, it made it worse. He was wiry-looking, the type of build that suggested that no matter how much food he consumed, he was never going to gain a single pound. Above all, though, he had a kindly face. No wonder he was walked over.

Having returned, Michael sat in the backseat with a rifle over his lap. He assured Steph it only shot darts. Why he felt she needed reassurance on the matter was beyond her.

“So why did Kelvin give me a job?” Steph asked. She was going to test how accurate Martina’s assumption was that Daniel would answer her questions.

“He thinks that you will be able to see whether the animals have tried to integrate,” Daniel replied over the mild electric hum of the buggy. “He’s rather a spontaneous person. Makes snap decisions. Says that’s how he made his money in the first place and how he makes more still, so he isn’t going to change his habits. I can’t comment on that; what I can say is that I think he is trying something bold and exciting. Plus, he’s a good boss. Has been to me anyway.”

“And what counts as bold and exciting?”

“You’ll see,” Daniel replied, excitement etched across his face.

“And how does he know I am staying at the hotel?” Stephasked.

“What?” Daniel replied, looking away from the track momentarily.

Michael leant forward. “Because he knows everything; doesn’t miss a trick. Davey possibly told him, but otherwise, he has his sources. He is a little like one of those medieval spymasters who has a person in every royal court across the Western world.”

Michael sat back. Steph digested this information for a while. It made sense, she supposed. Even so, she did not like the idea of someone going to the hotel to get her things. It felt forced, controlling even.

They travelled through areas of trees as well as open heathland. There were slopes that Daniel made a point of avoiding, claiming that the vehicle would never cope with all of them in it. At one point, they crossed a bridge over a river where Steph could see trout swimming.

“We top up the river with trout from a farm,” Daniel said.

“So what other animals do you have here?” Steph asked.

“Loads!” Daniel replied. “All those native plus a pair of beavers – they have just mated successfully. That’s a common species to rewild in this country I know. Deer, wolverine, a pack of wolves, moose, a brown bear, a cave bear, a cave lion, and we would love to have mammoth, but it is hard to find a decent specimen where the DNA is useable. Oh and a small herd of European bison.”

Steph put her hand on Daniel’s arm. He turned as she gestured slowly to stop the buggy, words failing her. Daniel laughed as he gently stepped on the brake.

“How is all that possible?” Steph asked, having gathered herself. “I mean, getting permission for existing animals is one thing but… extinct animals? How is it even possible?”

“Money!” Michael put in, scanning the treeline.

Daniel shrugged then nodded.

“I suppose money does talk when it comes to a lot of things. Itis how Kelvin managed to acquire this land as far as I am aware. All above board! Sort of; as far as politicians are concerned.”

Steph tried to hide her scepticism.

Daniel pushed on.

“That said, I think it’s all rather hush-hush. I think the Scottish government – British for that matter, although they care less – knows there is some sort of rewilding project going on, but not the full extent, even though they have signed documents acknowledging it… or someone has. What they are not aware of is the introduction of more extinct species.”

Daniel stopped as if he thought he had covered the main parts. Steph looked at him.

“She probably wants to know about how an extinct species could possibly be alive today,” Michael put in, shaking his head at Steph and grinning.

“Oh, right! Well, Martina is the one to ask for the finer details,” Daniel said. “However, the gist of it is that they find intact DNA that hasn’t been damaged by a thawing-out process. People wait for a specimen that has been frozen perfectly since the last ice age. The best finds are males with their testicles still intact. They then add the DNA to the egg of a close relative and develop a hybrid. The process is repeated until they arrive at a creature closer to the extinct animal. For the cave lion, we used a mountain lion – I know, smaller, but hardier; not that it seems to have prevented its large size. For the bear, they used… well, a grizzly I believe. It’s basically just a larger bear. Although to me, it is fascinating.”

“His job was meant to help us predict the behaviour of the animals,” Michael added, nodding at Daniel. “But it’s proving to be like getting a hot tip for the races from a snail.”

Daniel frowned, but ignored Michael, instead staring out at the treeline. Steph turned her head to see a mass of shaggy brown fur come loping out from between two trees. Steph sawMichael smile. She studied the animal from afar. It seemed completely disinterested in their presence and sat momentarily on the grass.

“That’s not the cave bear, is it?” Steph asked, frowning.

“Nah, the prehistoric version dwarfs that one,” Michael said.