He is always most dangerous when he is most quiet. We shall hear of him again, and that before very long.'
'And,' added Penrose, 'he will strike just where we least expect him, under our very noses. But it will be the last time.'
'It will be my very special pleasure,' said Eustick slowly, 'to hang him from the tallest tree in Godolphin's park, just before sundown. And I invite the company here present to attend the ceremony.'
'Sir, you are very bloodthirsty,' said Dona.
'So would you be, madam, if you had been robbed of your possessions. Pictures, silver, plate-all of considerable value.'
'But think what joy you will have replacing them!'
'I fear I consider the matter in a very different light.' He bowed, and turned away, his cheek flushing once again in annoyance.
Godolphin accompanied Dona to her carriage. 'Your remark was somewhat unfortunate,' he said. 'Eustick is very near with his money.'
'I am notorious,' said Dona, 'for making unfortunate remarks.'
'No doubt in London they are understood.'
'I think not. That was one of the reasons I came away from London.'
He stared at her without understanding, and handed her into her carriage, 'Your coachman is competent?' he asked, glancing up at William, who alone, and unattended by a footman, held the reins in his hands. 'Very competent,' said Dona. 'I would trust him with my life.'
'He has an obstinate face.'
'Yes-but so amusing, and I adore his mouth.'
Godolphin stiffened, and stepped away from the door of the carriage. 'I am sending letters to town within the week,' he said coldly, 'have you any message for Harry?'
'Only that I am well, and exceedingly happy.'
'I shall take it upon myself to tell him of my anxiety concerning you.'
'Please do not bother.'
'I consider it a duty. Also Harry's presence in the neighbourhood would be of enormous assistance.'
'I cannot believe it.'
'Eustick is apt to be obstructive, and Penrose dictatorial, I am constantly having to make the peace.'
'And you see Harry in the role of peacemaker?'
'I see Harry wasting his time in London, when he should be looking after his property in Cornwall.'
'The property has looked after itself for a number of years.'
'That is beside the point. The fact of the matter is we need all the help we can get. And when Harry knows that piracy is rampant on the coast…'
'I have already mentioned it to him.'
'But not with sufficient force, I am persuaded. If Harry thought for one moment that Navron House itself might be menaced, his possessions stolen, his wife threatened-he would hardly stay in town. Were I in his shoes…'
'Yes, but you are not.'
'Were I in his shoes I would never have permitted you to travel west, alone. Women, without their husbands, have been known to lose their heads.'
'Only their heads?'
'I repeat, they have been known to lose their heads in a moment of crisis. You think yourself brave enough now, no doubt, but if you came face to face with a pirate I dare swear you would shiver and swoon, like the rest of your sex.'
'I would certainly shiver.'
'I could not say much in front of my wife, her nerves are very bad at the moment, but one or two ugly rumours have come to my ears, and Eustick's also.'
'What sort of rumours?'
'Women-er-distressed, and so on.'
'Distressed about what?'
'The country people are dumb, they give nothing away. But it looks to us as if some of the women in the hamlets hereabouts have suffered at the hands of these damned scoundrels.'
'Is it not rather unwise to probe into the matter?'
'Why so?'
'You may find they did not suffer at all, but on the contrary, enjoyed themselves immensely. Drive on, will you, William?' And bowing and smiling from her open carriage the Lady St. Columb waved her gloved hand to Lord Godolphin.
Down the long avenue they sped, past the peacocks on the smooth lawns, and the deer in the park, and so out on to the highway, and Dona, taking off her hat and fanning herself with it, glanced up at William's stiff back and laughed silently.
'William, I have behaved very badly.'
'So I gathered, my lady.'
'It was exceedingly hot in Lord Godolphin's house, and his lady had all the windows shut.'
'Very trying, my lady.'
'And I found none of the company particularly to my taste.'
'No, my lady.'
'And for two pins I would have said something perfectly terrible.'
'Just as well you had no pins upon you, my lady.'
'There was a man called Eustick, and another called Penrose.'
'Yes, my lady.'
'I disliked both equally.'
'Yes, my lady.'
'The fact of the matter is, William, these people are beginning to wake up. There was much talk of piracy.'
'I overheard his lordship just now, my lady.'
'Talk also of plans of capture, of banding themselves together, of hangings from the tallest tree. And they have their suspicions of the river.'
'I knew it was only a matter of time, my lady.'
'Do you think your master is aware of the danger?'
'I rather think so, my lady.'
'And yet he continues to anchor in the creek.'
'Yes, my lady.'
'He has been here nearly a month. Does he always stay as long as this?'
'No, my lady.'
'What is his usual visit?'
'Five or six days, my lady.'
'The time has gone very quickly. Possibly he does not realise he has been here so long.'
'Possibly not.'
'I am becoming quite knowledgeable about birds, William.'
'So I have noticed, my lady.'
'I am beginning to recognise the many differences in song, and the variations in flight, William.'
'Indeed, my lady.'
'Also I am quite an expert with rod and line.'
'That I have also observed, my lady.'
'Your master is an excellent instructor.'
'So it would appear, my lady,'
'It is rather strange, is it not, William, that before I came to Navron I thought very little about birds, and even less of fishing?'
