Page 56 of A Castaway in Cornwall
“He is recovering well, thanks to Dr. Kent.”
“Then I shall have to pay a call and introduce myself ... properly.”
“Not yet,monsieur,” Miss Roskilly purred. “You must give yourself time to recover. You’ve been through an ordeal. Rest and good food are what the doctor prescribes. Is that not right, Perry?”
Perry looked from her to Laura to the patient and, taking the hint, said, “Yes. Exactly. Too soon to go gallivanting across the parish.”
LaRoche watched this exchange with an ironic tilt to his lip, which curled into a smile when he looked at Kayna. “D’accord.I am in no hurry to leave my lovely hostess and such charming accommodations.” He turned back to Laura. “But the time will come, never fear.”
“You may meet him in two days’ time, right here.” Miss Roskilly said, then looked up at Laura. “Mr. Lucas is coming to the ball, is he not? I do hope you’ve invited him. We could use more men to make up our numbers, otherwise we shall be sadly lacking in dance partners.”
“I don’t know that with his recent injuries, Mr. Lucas will be equal to dancing,” Laura replied. Considering his salvage work, it was a weak excuse, but she did not want to divulge the real reason Alexander might hesitate to attend.
“Bring him anyway,” Kayna said. “The more the merrier. And what about you,monsieur? Will you dance?”
“Bien sûr.” LaRoche grinned. “Others may make excuses like a whiny little boy, but I would not miss my chance to dance with suchbelles femmefor all the world.”
Miss Roskilly smiled at the Frenchman. “Good. I shall hold you to that.”
LaRoche held her gaze, wearing the self-satisfied expression of a cat. A cat with a mouse under its paw.
“We are hosting a subscription ball to help raise funds to uncover St. Enodoc and see to its restoration,” Kayna explained.
“I have a new dress for the occasion,” Eseld added.
Eyes twinkling, Miss Roskilly said, “And now I see why Mr. Bray struggles to pay for renovations.”
Eseld blushed, and Miss Roskilly touched her arm. “Only teasing you, pet. I have a new dress too.”
Laura had no new dress but said sincerely, “My uncle is very appreciative, I know. He has been trying without success to make headway on the problem since he moved here.”
“We are happy to help.”
LaRoche’s blue eyes glinted. “How noble. I shall look forward to doing my part as well.”
On the drive back, Laura decided she did not like François LaRoche, nor did she trust him. She knew she was not objective in her assessment, and that she was already prejudiced in Alexander’s favor. Even so, there was something about LaRoche she wouldn’t like even had she no prior knowledge of his character.He struck her as arrogant and insolent. And there was something rather oily—unctuous—about the man.
When she returned to Fern Haven, she thanked the Kent brothers for the ride and went to find Mr. Lucas, knowing he would be anxious to hear her account of the visit.
She found him in the parlour, reading war reports in the newspaper.
He looked up when she entered. “How did it go?”
Laura described LaRoche’s account of his escape and the Roskillys’ kind offices to their guest.
“Perry asked him if he knew you. And LaRoche said the only passengers he knew were men named Marchal and Carnell.”
She watched his face as she said the names, but his expression remained inscrutable. When he didn’t respond, she added, “I remembered your friend’s surname was Marchal, though I reiterated that yours is Lucas.”
He nodded vaguely.
She studied him. “Do you wish to explain why this man whose name you knew and with whom you shared a cabin does not know a Mr. Lucas?”
“I ... cannot say.”
“Cannot or will not?”
“As I said before, I will tell you all when I know I can trust you.”
