Page 27 of A Castaway in Cornwall
“Why can Laura stay but not I? Are we not both ladies?”
Laura took her arm and led her from the room. “Come, my dear, let us fetch tea and biscuits for the gentlemen.”
“Do you think he is a gentleman?” Eseld whispered as Laura dragged her to the kitchen. “I was hoping for a pirate.Somuch more romantic!”
Over the graves of drowned sailors were planted the figure-heads of wrecked vessels, and these in the mist might have been taken as the dead risen and mingling with the living...
—S. BARING-GOULD,INTHEROAROFTHESEA
Chapter 5
Later that day, the local agent, Mr. Hicks, returned with Laura’s uncle.
As they stepped into the guest room, Uncle Matthew explained, “I saw Mr. Hicks in Padstow and happened to mention our survivor had come to his senses. He is eager to talk with him.”
Laura noticed Alexander subtly stiffen.
The agent stepped forward, hat in hand. “Howard Hicks, wreck agent for theKittiwake.”
When Alex remained silent, Laura said, “This is Alexander Lucas.”
“Mr. Lucas. Well, I have written to the ship’s owners for an official list of the cargo and crew, but since yer awake, perhaps you could provide at least some of that information yerself.”
“I am afraid not,” Alexander replied.
“No? And why not?”
“I was only a passenger. As I’ve told Miss Callaway, I wastraveling with a friend, so I can certainly give you his name—Daniel Marchal—but not all the others.”
Uncle Matthew spoke up. “I am sorry for your loss.”
“Right, right. Tragic.” Hicks wrote in his notebook and then turned a page. “But surely ye met some of the officers or crew. Can ye at least confirm the captain’s name?”
He nodded. “Frederick Smythe, I believe. And the mate was Peters—I didn’t hear his given name.”
“We’ve traced the owners to Yarmouth. Is that the port ye departed from?”
“Yes.”
Hicks wrote it down. “And where were ye bound?”
“Portreath. But heavy seas prevented us from entering that harbour, so we continued on, seeking safe haven. Unfortunately, the sea had other ideas.”
“Not surprising,” Hicks replied. “Padstow is one of the few safe harbours on the North Cornwall coast. And what was yer business in Portreath?”
Alexander hesitated. “How inquisitive you are. Do you always question mere passengers about their private business?”
Careful, Mr. Lucas, Laura thought, knowing evasion would only make the agent more dogged. She gently nudged his arm.
“Yer the sole survivor, Mr. Lucas,” Hicks said. “There is no one else to question.”
Alexander glanced at her and changed tack. “Sadly true. Forgive me, Mr. Hicks, my loss is still fresh.”
“Right. I understand.”
“The captain planned to deliver his cargo there. I only intended ... only hoped ... to go home. We planned to secure passage the rest of the way from there.”
“And where is home for ye? Not in Cornwall, I take it?”
