"Please," she said, "may I come in?"
Silently Dirk allowed her to precede him into the sitting room, then carefully closed the door. Of all members of the Duchess's entourage, he trusted her least, for all that he admired her beauty. He could not forget that it had been she who had exposed Jeremy as an impostor. He waited for her to speak, wishing fervently that he might this once be subtle and facile. The girl, he noted, was deeply perturbed and was out of breath, as though she had been running.
A scarf was tied around Janine's head to protect her hair from the sun, and she tugged at the ends absently while struggling to gain her composure, "We've never met, Master Friendly," she said at last. "But you know me "
"I know ye," Dirk interrupted grimly. "What brings ye here?"
"It's your master. The one who calls himself Terence Bartlett. He's in trouble—I don't know what's become of him, what they've done to him—and it's all my fault!"
Dirk was indifferent to her agitation. "Tell me what ye know," he said harshly.
"I—I shouldn't be here. If anyone should see me—if anyone should report that I've come "
The big American's normally placid features were strained. "Ye're here, girl, so there's no sense a-stewin' about that. Now, tell me!"
"I will—if you'll be civil. It happened night before last," Janine said, speaking softly and rapidly. "Master Bartlett— I don't know what else to call him—came to King's House. Sir Arthur and Her Grace and the others were waiting for him. I was right in the very next room, and although the doors were closed, I could hear most of what they said. They've arrested him."
Dirk rubbed his left arm with his huge right hand. "I told Jerry somethin' like this was goin' t' happen t' him," he muttered.
"Jerry? Is that his real name?" She peered at him anxiously through wet lashes.
"Never mind that," he commanded brusquely. "Go on with what happened."
"The next thing I knew," the girl continued, "the Duchess came into the little room where I had been sewing and told me he had been arrested. I—I think she wanted me to—to let you know, though she didn't say it in so many words. Then she warned me not to get mixed up in any efforts to help him. She said that as her lady in waiting I must be above suspicion or reproach."
"That was near two days ago," Dirk said testily. "What "
"Since then I've heard nothing more. Yesterday Sir Arthur and Lady Bartlett took us to Spanish Town. We spent several hours there on an inspection and came back by sundown, of course, for we hear the Maroons make travel dangerous after dark. Then, after tea "
"It don't matter a damn what them fancy, murderin' folk did or what they ate for their supper!" Dirk had begun to pace the confines of the little room again. "What about Jerry? What have they done t' him?"
"I don't know." Janine stared at the floor. "I haven't seen him, and no one has even mentioned his name. It's as though the earth had opened and swallowed him up. And I'm to blame, Master Friendly. If he's been killed, I killed him as surely as if I'd run him through with a sword!'*
For the first time Dick realized that she was suffering; he took pity on her and patted her clumsily on the shoulder. "Don't blame yerself. That there Duchess, she knew from b'fore ye left New York that Jerry wasn't Terence Bartlett. He told me that himself while we were still on board yer pa's boat."
"Then "
"I dunno any more'n ye know!" he burst out savagely. "But I aim t' find out. 'N' it won't be a-doin, anybuddy any good if ye 'n' me just chew on a slab o' bear rind t'gether. Wait here, ma'am. I'll be a-comin' back in two shakes o' a jackrabbit's tall."
Janine's hands went up to protest. "I can't stay here. Master Friendly!" she cried. "Her Grace sent me into the High Street on an errand, and if I'm not back soon, she'll be angry.
This is the first chance I've had to come here, and unless I'm careful the governor general will know I've "
"Ye have no idee how careful ye've got t' be, ma'm," Dirk replied grimly. "Heed my words 'n' don't ye budge!"
"I can't stay here another minute, Master Friendly 11 won't!"
"Ye'll be sensible if I have t' beat sense into ye!"
Further argument was futile, and Janine knew it. *That will not be necessary," she said coldly. "I'll wait."
He dashed out the door, closing it carefully behind him. Janine moved to the window and looked down into the road. The sun was high now, and only a handful of natives were to be seen, the majority of them women who carried baskets of vegetable produce on their heads. Suddenly the door opened again, and she turned sharply, only to feel an immeasurable relief when she saw Dirk.
"We're a-goin' now," he said. "I had t' find out somethin'." He strode to a chest, opened it, and removed two large pistols, which he jammed into his belt. "It's only a couple o' town squares, so we'll be there in next t' no time."
"Where "
The giant took her arm and propelled her to the door. "We're a-goin't' somebuddy who c'n help us. I hope."
The girl drew back and stopped. "I've already run too great a risk by coming here. I won't be involved any more deeply "
"Y're in already, all the way round yer pretty little neck." Dirk looked at her compassionately. "See here, ma'am. Ye wouldn't have come t' me if ye wasn't a-tryin' t' help Jerry. Ye can't stop now. 'N' anyways, ye don't know but maybe ye was bein' followed into the High Street. Ye've been right kind, 'n' now it's my turn t' try t' protect ye a mite. Come along."
Janine's opposition melted. "Where are we going?" she asked as they walked down the stairs.
"Wait until we're out o' this here place." When they reached the ground floor. Dirk swiftly piloted the girl through a back corridor that led through the kitchen, which was deserted at this hour. A few seconds later they found themselves in a garbage-littered alleyway.
The American whispered to the girl to wait, then sprinted to the end of the alley. After intently peering first up, then down the road that ran at right angles to the little lane, he seemed satisfied that no one was loitering in wait for Janine, and he motioned to her to join him.
"Turn right at the comer, then left at the next one, 'n' after that I'll tell ye where t' stop," he muttered. "Meantime just keep a-goin'."
Janine's confusion increased. "Wait, Master Friendly!" she cried, clutching his arm. "Where will you be while I'm -"
"Walkin' along a couple o' paces b'hind ye." Dirk chuckled at his own surprising cleverness in a moment of crisis. "Ye're somebuddy, but folks hereabouts think I'm nothin' but a gentleman's monkey. We'd set tongues a-waggin' good if'n we was t' be seen a-strollin' t'gether, 'N' mind ye, ma'am, walk plenty slow. Nobuddy in Port Royal runs this time o' day, 'n' ye want t' cause as little notice as ye c'n cause."
She nodded, and her red curls bobbed up and down, but she was still not satisfied. "I must insist on knowing where you're taking me, sir!"
"There'll be time a-plenty for talk after we get there! Keep a-gabbin' here much longer 'n' we'll both end up with poor Jerry in a graveyard or a prison!"
The girl needed no further urging and started off down the road at a sedate pace. Falling in behind her. Dirk could not help marveling at her sudden and unexpected poise. Having made up her mind to a course of action, she was quite obviously determined to see it through in the best possible style, and nothing in her manner indicated that her heart was pumping—or that she was betraying the royal government for her own conscience's sake, or for a man. She seemed to be out for a stroll, and a small, closed parasol attached to her left wrist with a green ribbon swung idly to and fro as she sauntered. Dirk would not have been surprised had she started to hum or whistle.
A few natives were wandering about, and here and there a seaman from one of the boucanier ships in the harbor was idling away the time. The latter invariably showed an immediate interest in the beautiful red-haired girl whose appearance was so different from that of the town's overpainted, under-dressed trollops, but without exception they turned away quickly after staring at her. Janine did not suspect that Dirk's great hulk and fierce scowl were responsible for the sailors' quick departure.