"Nevertheless, that is what has happened to my lady in waiting. I sent her yesterday to order me a bolt of cloth of silver for a new gown, and she has never returned. As you can guess, I am much upset."
Sir Ian smoothed a small wrinkle in his breeches. "Lord Murray and Colonel Martin have made discreet inquiries," he said, "but they can find no trace of her. The colonel recalls seeing her fleetingly in Port Royal yesterday morning, and as he remembers it, he passed her in the High Street, but he isn't positive. In any event, we can't find the girl, Your Excellency."
"How very unfortunate." Sir Arthur, deeply perturbed, set his wineglass on a table. "It is possible, of course, that she may have been abducted, for there are many unsavory men roving the streets of the town, unfortunately."
Caroline crossed her ankles, and a quick warning glance at her chamberlain indicated that she would be the spokesman henceforth. "I have already considered your suggestion. Sir Arthur," she said slowly, "and while it is indeed possible that Mademoiselle Groliere was abducted, I consider such an eventuality highly unlikely. When we consider that she is in love with the scoundrel who stole your nephew's good name, it is an almost inevitable conclusion that she is trying to assist him in some way. Being inexperienced as well as young, I fear she might act impulsively."
The governor general felt old and weary. Rising stiffly from his chair, he walked to the nearest window, opened the blind, and stared at two nearby palm trees. There was no breeze, and the fronds drooped listlessly. "Those who govern must be merciful as well as just," he said heavily. "Even if we were to learn that the girl is embroiled in some futile scheme to secure her lover's release, I would be inclined to forgive her and to permit her to go unpunished."
Behind his back Sir Ian was about to reply, but the Duchess shook her head in a fierce negative. "I agree with you wholeheartedly, Your Excellency," she said to Sir Arthur, "on one condition—that she has done nothing that will call the case of the unfortunate impostor to the attention of the public. If it should become generally known that he has been condemned to Death Island and that she is attempting to rescue him, the authority of your regime would be badly shaken should she escape the law unscathed."
Sighing deeply, the governor general turned back and faced Caroline. "You have a habit of being right. Your Grace. We must find the girl before any heal harm is done."
"That would be wonderful!" Caroline cried. "And if you are successful in locating her and bringing her back, I shall allow her to resume her position as my lady in waiting.*
Sir Ian could contain himself no longer. "I cannot agree to the wisdom of returning Mademoiselle to Your Grace's employ," he said sulkily.
The Duchess flashed her most brilliant smile at him. "I was sure you would not, Ian. But I cannot be as stern and heartless as you men. Oh, you may give her one of your dour sermons, but I tell you I will have her with me again, provided she is found in time."
Sir Arthur Bartlett gazed at her admiringly. "You are remarkably generous, Your Grace. But we will accomplish nothing unless and until we can locate Mademoiselle Groliere. With your permission I shall withdraw to give instructions. A thorough search will be made for her immediately."
He stalked out of the study, looking very old and tired. The couple remaining in the room said nothing, but Caroline's eyes were sparkling, and a trace of a smile appeared on Sir lan's thin lips. Simultaneously they lifted their glasses, silently saluted each other, and drank deeply.
It was very quiet in the living room of the little frame house, and even the cook was silent as she padded about in the rear. Esther Mary Pennywell lounged in her favorite window seat and now and again peered up at the sky, judging the hour by the position of the sun. Janine Groliere sat equally silent in a straight-backed chair, staring tensely but blankly at the bare wall opposite her. At last she stirred and raised her head.
"It's midafternoon, Mistress Pennyweli."
"Call me Esther Mary," the dark-haired girl snapped. "I think we can dispense with formalities—under the circumstances. And it's later than midafternoon, for your information."
"You needn't bite my head off." Janine had thought herself drained of emotion and was surprised to find she could be irritated.
"I'm thinking of more than you and your delicate feelings."
"I can assure you, Mist—Esther Mary, that my thoughts are not centered on you, either."
"No such assurance was necessary, Sister Janine. I already knew it."
"Oh?" Janine stiffened.
"Of course. You're thinking of Jeremy Stone. You've thought of him constantly for a very long time."
Janine forced a laugh. "As a mind reader you do very poorly, my dear. It is true, of course, that I wonder if the attempt to rescue him will prove successful. But as you have told me nothing about what is being done, or by whom, I am left to the devices of my own imagination. What is more, I have had no experience in this sort of thing—at which you appear so adept—so I have little on which to draw."
Esther Mary rubbed her scalp with the knuckles of her left hand and was about to retort, but thought better of it. Again she looked at the position of the sun, then dropped back into a moody silence. But the French girl was aroused now and was not content to let the conversation rest. She watched the minister's niece for several minutes and then laughed again, tauntingly.
"Why," she asked carefully, "should it matter to you if I care to spend my time thinking of Master Stone?"
"It doesn't matter in the least." Esther Mary pretended that she had barely heard, but her eyes were smoldering.
"Really? Your own interest in Master Stone seems to be rather extraordinary, you know."
"In what way?"
Janine took her time replying. "You're risking a great deal, it seems to me, to help a man you've met only a few times."
"That isn't why I'm trying to help him. You'll learn about that soon enough. And if you're by any chance trying to find out whether Jeremy Stone and I have a romantic association —we have not."
"It's a matter of indifference to me whether you do or don't, my dear."
It was Esther Mary's turn to laugh, and she did, quite naturally. "Unlike so many who have been brought up to think it is ladylike to be reticent, I say what I think and feel. And I don't mind telling you I'd not object if he found me desirable. I find him attractive. And interesting."
"Oh, then you admit "
"I admit nothing!" The clergyman's niece was on her feet, legs planted wide apart, arms akimbo. "I have made a flat statement, without evasion or hesitation. I tell you freely and frankly that I would like to sleep with him. What's more, so would you!"
Janine jumped up too. "The thought has never crossed my mind!" she said in an abnormally loud voice.
They glared at each other balefully, and although Janine knew she was no physical match for the bigger girl, she felt an insatiable desire to force the smirking leer from Esther Mary's face. And in return, conscious of her boyish attire and short hair, Esther Mary wanted to rip the dainty gown from her antagonist's shoulders, smear dirt on Janine's fragile features—and, above all, cut off those long, fiery curls.
Janine was the first to realize that she was behaving as no lady should, and she sat down primly and smoothed her skirts with a hand that trembled. Esther Mary continued to stare at her for a moment longer, then dropped onto the window seat with a thud and twisted around until she was facing the partly opened blinds. Her back was rigid, and though her hands were steady, her breathing was rapid.
Once again there was absolute silence.
It was near dusk when the cumbersome rowboat pulled up to a small wharf on the Port Royal waterfront. Seamen from a merchant ship that once had been a Spanish frigate milled about, getting their land legs, and dock hands grunted and strained under the load of heavy crates containing salt fish, metal tools, and table delicacies which had come out of the merchantman's hold. A foreman recognized Reverend Penny-well and caught the line which Gabriel threw to him. He held it steady while the clergyman clambered ashore and watched with interest as the two Negroes sprang to the dock, then lifted the heavy boat out of the water and onto their shoulders as though it were made of the thinnest sandalwood.