Pastoral Affair

Colonel Glinka’s seaplane touches down on a stark, windswept sandspit far from any bustling port. The arid cliffs, the distant cries of Caspian terns, and the sight of robed figures watching from the rocks set a mood of uneasy isolation. He’s come to the island searching for an old acquaintance, a reclusive doctor whose name is whispered only as “Sidi Doctor Stephens.”

Soon Glinka encounters Abdul, a young Saudi who navigates the rugged terrain with a mix of defiance and curiosity. Their uneasy conversation reveals a patchwork of cultures—British military bearing, Arab customs, and the lingering presence of oil‑field workers. As they climb toward the lone house that may hold the doctor’s secrets, the colonel’s determination clashes with the island’s mysterious inhabitants, promising a tense and atmospheric encounter that will test loyalties and uncover hidden motives.