Oliver chuckled beside her. “I do believe you put a crimp in their plans, my lady. His lordship looked quite disappointed.”

Which would probably last all of a minute before he remembered what a dunce she’d been at the dinner party. “He’ll recover. Now, what should we be looking for on Teän?”

“Ideally, pirate silver.” Mabena sounded doubtful even as she said it. “Though I’d settle for evidence of Beth’s having found something there.”

Libby pursed her lips. They could perhaps expect evidence of it if someone had been digging or had removed something—but how would they know it was Beth and not someone else? Or even an animal? There was no shortage of wild creatures on the islands, much to her delight.

It was a question they debated as they made the journey to the small island between St. Martin’s and Tresco. They hadn’t really come to any solid conclusions by the time they waded to shore, but it hardly mattered. They would simply keep their eyes open, explore everything they could, and hope to come across something that would provide a clue.

Once Libby’s feet were on dry sand and she’d put her shoes on again, she turned to survey the grassy hills and rock outcroppings with a grateful breath. Though it lasted only a moment. “Looks as though we’re not the only ones here.” She should have expected as much, she supposed. Other holiday-goers hopped all about the islands, courtesy of the locals and their boats.

But Oliver and Mabena both frowned when they followed her pointing finger to the blue sails barely visible over the land, clearly belonging to a boat anchored at another beach.

“The Hills’ boat,” Mabena muttered. “Have they hired it out?”

“Not that I’ve heard.” Oliver’s voice carried a note she’d had yet to hear from him—a bit stern, a bit resigned. “No, I suspect it’s Perry, who ought to be at school, not gallivanting about Teän. And no doubt he has a Grimsby brother or two with him.”

Mabena laughed. “I did my fair share of playing truant on a fine day. Third term was always the worst.”

“Mm.” Oliver sighed. “Come on. Let’s see where they are.”

Libby followed them through the sand and into the grass. The walking was easier than it had been on Annet, which was littered with rocks and holes that were entrances to the underground nests of the seabirds. And she spotted dozens of plant varieties she had yet to catalogue.

Teän had a few ruins she wanted to explore, in addition to her nature hunting. An abandoned cottage, an early chapel, a Bronze Age cairn . . . and they seemed to be walking past one such structure even now. No doubt, because the sound of adolescent voices was coming from within the tumbling walls.