Page 80 of Sunday's Child

Freddie rose to his feet. ‘I apologise, sir. It was a s-sudden decision, but I should h-have spoken to you in person.’

Bertie grinned. ‘Well, we cleared that up. So what did you discover in London?’

Lady Pentelow glared at him. ‘Is that all you have to say, Bertram? I would put it in much stronger terms if it were my ward.’

‘I trust my sister’s judgement, Lady Pentelow. If Rosie did not raise any objections she must have thought the journey necessary. Anyway, they are back now and I can tell by Nancy’s expression that she has something to tell us.’

Nancy rose to her feet. ‘We went to see a friend who is in the shipping business. He checked with Lloyd’s List and discovered that the Cyrene is in dock for repairs, so it doesn’t look as if Leo and Alex have set off for home.’

‘That’s nonsense,’ Lady Pentelow said crossly. ‘By the time the news reached London the ship could have been back at sea.’

‘That’s true, but we had to start somewhere.’

‘What are you thinking, Nancy?’ Rosalind demanded eagerly. ‘What else did you learn in London?’

‘The Bonaventure has set sail for Barbados and will be calling in at Exmouth to pick up a cargo. William thought they might take paying passengers. I would like to volunteer and Freddie has agreed to accompany me.’

‘The devil he has,’ Bertie said angrily. ‘I say no.’

‘I echo that,’ Walter added hastily. ‘You don’t know that they are still on the island. It could be a wild-goose chase.’

Lady Pentelow held up her hand. ‘I say let her go. I stand to lose everything if my grandson is not brought back to Trevenor very soon.’

‘I’ll go with you,’ Aurelia volunteered. ‘Piers is my brother and Alex is my cousin. I want to see them safely home.’

‘I’d go myself,’ Bertie said thoughtfully. ‘But a cripple in a Bath chair is no use to anyone.’

‘Don’t say that, Bertie.’ Patricia shook her head vehemently. ‘If anyone should go with Nancy it is I. Leo is my husband.’

‘I would go too, but I can’t leave the children,’ Rosie said wearily. ‘I think we all agree that something should be done.’

‘If anyone is going to that foreign island, it should be me.’ Lady Pentelow stood up, resting both hands on the table. She looked round the astonished faces, glaring at each one in turn as if daring anyone to argue with her. ‘I have the most to lose.’

‘My husband has risked everything to go in search of Piers,’ Patricia said angrily.

‘As has mine.’ Rosalind also rose to her feet. ‘The father of my children is also risking his life to search for his errant cousin.’

Patricia laid her hand on her heart. ‘The father of my unborn child is also in danger, Rosie.’

There was a moment of silence and then everyone rose to their feet, with the exception of Bertie.

‘Patsy, that’s wonderful news,’ Rosalind cried, rushing round the table to hug her sister.

‘Why didn’t you tell us before?’ Bertie demanded. ‘Why do women make such a big secret of a perfectly natural occurrence?’

Hester shook her fist at him. ‘You be quiet, Bertie. You aren’t too old to be scolded by me. I gave birth many years ago and I can tell you it isn’t an easy procedure. You would know if your late wife, Tommy’s mother, had not kept silent, God rest her soul.’

Nancy turned to Bertie. ‘I know it’s not my place to say anything, but there isn’t much time to decide. I have no ties and I owe this family so much. Let me do this one thing for you all.’

Chapter Seventeen

The captain of the Bonaventure stared at Lady Pentelow in undisguised contempt.

‘Madam, this is not a passenger ship. There are no facilities for ladies on board.’

‘My husband, Sir Edmund Pentelow, ran a fleet of merchantmen. I need to get to Barbados. I do not ask for special treatment, other than a cabin to myself, of course.’

‘Grandmama, can’t you see that this is impossible?’ Aurelia tugged at the sleeve of her grandmother’s fur mantle.