Bolitho 19 - Beyond the Reef by Alexander Kent Page A

frowning at the sound of voices. “What a family for surprises!” She offered her hand and he kissed it.
    He said awkwardly, “I did not know, Mrs Keen …”
    She smiled. “Please call me Zenoria. Lady Catherine has taught me the informality within this family.” She threw back her hair and laughed at his intent features. “Does command make that difficult?”
    Adam had recovered a little. “Captain Keen must be thanking God every day for his good fortune.”
    She saw him look towards the stair and said, “He’s not yet here. Perhaps the day after tomorrow. He’s sailing with Sir Richard.”
    “Oh, I see.”
    Ferguson said, “Mrs Keen will be staying with us, Captain Adam.”
    She walked into the adjoining room and gestured towards the tall ranks of leather-bound books. “Unlike you, Adam,” she hesitated over his name, “I had little education but what my father gave me.”
    Adam smiled, but his tone was sad as he answered, “I lived in a slum until my mother died. She had nothing but her body, which she gave to her ‘gentlemen’ in order to keep us alive.” He dropped his eyes. “I—I am so sorry, Zenoria, I did not mean to be offensive. I want anything but that.”
    She touched his arm and said quietly, “I am the one to apologise. It seems that life was hard for both of us at the beginning.”
    He looked at her hand on his cuff, Keen’s ring shining dully in the bars of sunshine.
    He said, “I am glad you are to stay here. Perhaps I might call, if my ship is in harbour?”
    She walked to the windows and gazed out at the garden and beyond to the hillside.
    “How can you ask?” She turned, framed against the trees, her eyes laughing at him. “It is your house, is it not?”
    Ferguson left the room and found his wife, the housekeeper here, discussing vegetables with the cook.
    “How is he, Bryan? Will he stay awhile?”
    The cook made some excuse and went back to her kitchen and Ferguson said, “I think he will stay, Grace.” He turned and heard the girl laughing, for girl was all she was. “I just hope Sir Richard comes soon.” To himself he added, and Lady Catherine. She would know what to do.
    His wife smiled. “All together again. A proper home once more. I’ll go and see to things.”
    Ferguson stared after her plump figure, remembering how she had nursed and cared for him when he had come home from the war with an arm missing.
    If only it could be as Grace believed. But one day, inevitably, the news would come. He glanced up at the nearest portrait by the stairs, Captain David Bolitho, who had died fighting pirates off the African shores. He was wearing the family sword. It had been new then, and made to his own design. Like all the other portraits, he was waiting for the last Bolitho to join them. It saddened Ferguson greatly, but perhaps he would not live to see it. He followed the voices to the library and saw Captain Adam offering Zenoria his arm as a prop while she stood on some small steps to examine books which had probably not been disturbed for years.
    My God, he thought, they look so right together. The realisation shocked him more than he had believed possible.
    Adam turned and saw him. “I shall be staying awhile, Bryan. My worthy first lieutenant can use the experience!”
    Ferguson could say nothing to Grace; and anyway she would not believe him. She saw good in almost everybody.
    Allday, then? But he would not be here to offer advice or reassurance once the ship had sailed for the Cape.
    Adam did not even see Ferguson leave. “As you are already wearing riding habit, may I take you up to the castle? It will give us both an appetite suitable for Mrs Ferguson’s table!”
    Footsteps came through the hallway, and he saw lieutenant Jenour staring at him uncertainly.
    Adam shook his hand warmly. “You look weary, Stephen!” He waited for the girl to put a book back on its shelf, his eyes never leaving her. “But you are my uncle’s flag lieutenant so you do not have to