Free The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley Page B

ones.’
    Mr Hall asked, ‘Have you come across a French ship lately?’
    ‘I’ve not seen one. But I’m told Queen Anne does take a special interest in ships setting out from France this spring. And I am warned, by those above me, to be particularly watchful.’
    ‘Is that so?’
    ‘It is.’ The captain’s answer hung in silence for a moment, as though needing thought. And then he shrugged a shoulder and said, ‘Still, it is not easy to be everywhere at once. I dare say anyone determined to slip by me could accomplish it.’
    The countess cast a glance towards Sophia, and then lightly changed the subject to the news that Captain Gordon brought from Edinburgh, and gossip of the Union.
    When the captain took his leave an hour later, he said fondly to the countess, ‘I remain, my lady Erroll, your most steadfast friend and servant. Trust in that.’
    ‘I know it, Thomas. Do take care.’
    ‘There’s none can harm me.’ With a smile, he bent to kiss her hand, and turned the remnants of his smile upon Sophia, though he still addressed the countess. ‘You may well,’ he said, ‘be seeing even more of me this year than you have done. I have a weakness for good company, and God knows my own crew does ill supply it.’ Then he kissed Sophia’s hand as well, and bid farewell to Mr Hall, and left to make his way down to the boat that would return him to his ship.
    ‘A dashing man, would you not say so?’ asked the countess of Sophia, as they stood and watched him from the window.
    ‘He is very handsome, yes.’
    ‘And very loyal, which in these days makes him rare.’
    Behind them, Mr Hall spoke up. ‘My lady, if you will excuse me, I have correspondence to attend to.’
    ‘Yes, of course.’ The countess, turning from the window, nodded, and the priest, too, took his leave, departing with a bow. The countess smiled and sat, and motioned for Sophia to resume her seat. ‘He’s gone, you know, to write the Duke of Hamilton a letter, for he is obliged to tell his master all.’ A pause, and then, ‘What did you think of him?’
    ‘Of whom, my lady?’
    ‘The Duke of Hamilton.’
    Sophia did not know how to respond. ‘He was quite kind to me.’
    ‘That is not what I asked, my dear. I asked for your opinion of his character.’ And then, because she saw the consternation on Sophia’s face, ‘Or do you not believe that the opinion of a woman is of value? For I tell you, I would rather have a woman’s thoughts on character than those of any man, because a woman’s thoughts are truer, and less likely to be turned by outward charm.’
    ‘Then I’m afraid I’ll disappoint you, for I found the duke to be most charming, though we did not speak at length.’
    ‘What did you speak about?’
    ‘He asked me my relation to you.’
    ‘Did he?’ asked the countess in that tone of guarded interest that Sophia was beginning to associate with any conversation that involved the Duke of Hamilton. ‘What else?’
    ‘We spoke of Darien. He said it was a blessing I had not gone with my parents.’
    ‘And it was.’
    ‘And that was all. The interview took but a quarter of an hour, perhaps. No longer.’
    ‘And you thought him charming.’
    ‘Yes, my lady.’
    ‘Well,’ the countess said, ‘I can forgive you that.’ She gave no further explanation of that statement, nor did she reveal her own opinion of the man, although Sophia reasonably guessed that, in the judgment of the countess, she had been herself deceived.
    But nothing else was said about it.
    Two more weeks passed, and the days began to lengthen, and the restlessness that held those in the castle in its grasp grew ever stronger.
    ‘I would ride today,’ the countess said, one morning after breakfast. ‘Will you come with me, Sophia?’
    In surprise, Sophia said, ‘Of course.’
    ‘We need not trouble Mr Hall, I think. He is yet occupied.’ The countess smiled, and added, ‘I believe I have a riding habit that would well become you.’
    The