“Well, I suppose I can’t turn you out in the middle of the night,” Belinda said. “You can sleep on the sofa but I don’t want this to happen again.”

“Very well, your ladyship,” he said primly.

“I’m not a lady. Only a miss,” she said.

“Not married yet?”

“That’s rather an impertinent question to ask a stranger. Are you?”

“Haven’t found the right girl yet,” he said.

“And I have been too busy furthering my career.” Belinda still sounded haughty and huffy. “My friend beside me is both a lady and married.”

“Well, bully for her,” he exclaimed with an amused grin in my direction. “So are you coming down here to live now?”

“I’m not sure of my plans yet,” Belinda said. “My first one is for a good night’s uninterrupted sleep after a long day’s driving.”

He cleared his throat as if the encounter had been making him as nervous as we were. “Very well, Miss Belinda. I appreciate the offer of your sofa because I don’t like to leave my boat unguarded. But I’ll not trouble you any longer and wish you a good night’s rest.”

He and his cigarette lighter disappeared into the living room and we heard the sofa creaking as he made himself comfortable.

“Well, I promised you adventure, didn’t I? You can’t say this is boring,” Belinda whispered to me. “Jago—what was his last name? I can’t remember. He was one of the local boys who hung around with us in the summer. We had a group of kids who played together, mostly summer visitors but a couple of local children too.”

“Was his father a fisherman?” I asked.

“I don’t think so. Anyway, he’s certainly grown a lot since then.”

“He’s quite handsome, don’t you think? He looks a lot like Darcy.”

“Really? I hadn’t noticed. I was too annoyed.” She moved closer and whispered in my ear. “Actually you know what he was doing, don’t you? Did he smell of fish to you?”

“Not exactly. He smelled maybe salty. Of the sea?”

“So he wasn’t fishing at all, Georgie. He was smuggling!”

Chapter 6

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16

AT WHITE SAILS

More excitement! An intruder in the middle of the night. And what’s more, he knew Belinda. Goodness, won’t I have a lot to tell Darcy!

When we awoke the next morning there was no sign of our intruder or of any boat in the little harbor below. He might almost have been a ghost or even a bad dream brought on by too much pasty, except a large hunk of the bread and cheese was now missing from the larder!