Death on the Lizard by Robin Paige

but—”
    â€œNever mind, Patsy,” Jenna said. Her face was darkly flushed. “Mr. Northrup’s caution is unkind, but I fear quite accurate. The creek is treacherous. It is no place for children. My daughter was not supposed to go there. I don’t know why she disobeyed.” Her voice broke. “I would give anything if I could have prevented it.”
    â€œI do apologize if I have offended, Lady Loveday.” There was real contrition in Andrew’s voice, and although Kate could not quite make out his expression, his eyes seemed to linger on Jenna’s face longer than was polite. “That was certainly not my intention, I assure you.” He put out his hand and took the card he had given to Kate, which she was still holding. “I am staying at the Oysterman’s Arms,” he added, scribbling quickly, “should someone wish to contact me.” He put his cap back on his head. “Now, if you ladies will excuse me, I will be on my way. Lady Loveday, your pardon, I implore you. I am a cad.” And with that he was gone.
    â€œWell, that is God’s truth!” Patsy cried, stamping her foot. “What a rude, horrid man! And what an appalling cheek!”
    Kate pocketed Andrew’s card without looking at it, not wanting to attract the others’ attention. “I wonder what he meant by that remark about boats in the creek,” she said, as much to herself as to the others.
    Indeed, Beryl said wonderingly. What could he mean? It seems such a strange thing to say. And that look he gave her. Why, it’s as if he’s half in love with her!
    â€œBirdwatchers are often rather strange, aren’t they?” Jenna said, with a gesture which seemed to make light of the episode. But her voice had gone thin and reedy, and Kate heard something in it that she could not quite identify. Was it . . . was it apprehension? She looked more closely and saw that the hand that Jenna put up to brush the hair out of her eyes was trembling.
    â€œI think it is time we started back,” Patsy said cheerfully. A breeze had sprung up and the fog thickened, and she glanced at the gray sky. “Do you think it might rain? I for one am looking forward to a nice cup of tea when we return to the manor. Aren’t you, Kate?”
    Patsy linked her arm in Jenna’s and drew her away down the path. Kate pulled her shawl more tightly around her and hurried to keep up with them. The three walked back to Penhallow in a gay and spirited conversation, avoiding any mention of Frenchman’s Creek and the rude, horrid stranger they had encountered in the churchyard.
    But while Kate kept up her end of the conversation, Beryl was mulling over what had just happened and wondering what sort of plot might lie behind it. Andrew Kirk-Smythe would not be here on the Lizard, in disguise, unless he had a mission of some sort. Was he on government business? Did his presence have anything to do with Charles’s visit to the Lizard? Was this something Charles should know about?
    And what was the reason behind Andrew’s remark— for Beryl felt sure there was one—about the boats on French-man’s Creek? Pirates were a thing of the past, weren’t they? Or were they?
    By the time Kate and Beryl got back to Penhallow and warmed themselves with a cup of hot tea, Beryl was already deep in an intricate plot involving a seventeenth-century lady, a handsome, devil-may-care pirate, and a small wooden schooner with its sails furled, riding at easy anchor in French-man’s Creek.

CHAPTER EIGHT
    â€œEveryone tells me exactly what they have done wrong; and that without knowing it themselves,” said Mrs. Bedonebyasyoudid. “So there is no use trying to hide anything from me.”
    â€œI did not know there was any harm in it,” said Tom.
    â€œThen you know now. People continually say that to me: but I tell them, if you don’t know that fire burns, that is no