“Well, he must have meant those he stored after Mr. Benedict left. There were a couple unopened. Now you go down and become acquainted with the boat, and I’ll see what I can rustle up. You’ll find wine and cheese in the refrigerator. Fruit juice, vitamin water. The bread’s in the freezer. You just toast it, you see. And the Brie defrosts perfectly as well.”

“You are very kind, indeed,” said Dertu, grasping the man’s hand, “and you must tell our gracious host we had the most splendid time, that we found his castle simply amazing, and not a single aspect of it was lost on our appreciation, to be sure. Come, Derek. Let’s go.”

The wind was whipping wildly around the great castle, as they made their way down the steep steps to the path. The path circled the caretaker’s cottage and fields, and went down to the harbor. All around them the trees of the island were gray and twisted from the fierce wind, and the earth was wet from the recent rains.

“I’m free,” Derek whispered to himself. But he couldn’t feel the joy. He stopped, turning, and leaning into the wind, he looked up at the bleak hulk of the gray stone castle one last time. It filled him with fear as did the great churning gray sea all around him.

“I might have been imprisoned there forever,” Derek whispered, and he could not feel it that he had escaped and he was free and that Dertu was with him.

“Come on, Father,” said Dertu.

There were actually four different boats in the small port, three of which were cabin cruisers, and all being rocked violently against their moorings. The largest of the boats looked sinister to Derek, but the giant cabin cruiser, the Benedicta, looked substantial and heavy, and safe perhaps for the freezing sea.

Dertu marched down the pier to the boathouse, emerging a moment later with the keys held high in his hand.

He led the way onto the boat, and then helped Derek, relieving him of his suitcase and carrying both suitcases to the large salon. The salon resembled the images Derek had seen on the computer. Built-in furniture, striped couches, gleaming wood floor. The galley was as large as the salon, and there stood the giant refrigerator with its precious wine and food.

Dertu inspected everything, then took a bottle of brandy out of the bar, uncorked it, and offered it to his father.

“Not too much, just enough to make you warm.”

“We cannot drink,” said Derek.

“Yes, I know all about that and that you did and you have. All of you. You loved wine and beer and spirits when you came here to Earth. Now just a swallow. Go ahead.”

Derek’s hands were shaking. The boy had to steady the bottle for him.