Hamilton was only a few miles down the M74 motorway. Chatelherault, an historic duke"s hunting lodge modelled on a French original, sat on the hillside overlooking the town. The artificial lake in Strathclyde Park, on McEwan"s left, was a ribbon of silver separating Hamilton from Motherwell. McEwan passed the mausoleum on the way to the exit ramp. The palace long since gone, the mausoleum stood forlorn beside a sprawling retail park. The late morning sun turned it into a golden sandstone phallus thrusting into the blue sky. McEwan weaved his way through numerous roundabouts before parking outside the Low Parks museum.
“I"d like to see inside the mausoleum,” he said to the elderly, white haired gentleman sitting behind the counter, just inside the glass doors.
“I"m sorry sir, the tours ar
