him. 'That's a handsome stock-pin you're wearing. It was not part of the booty, was it?'
'Not part of this booty,' said Jeremy obliquely.
'Come on, then, what is this you're concealing from us?'
'Nothing at all. At least nothing to do with anyone but myself.' Jeremy picked up his own bag and shook it thoughtfully. 'But I am much in favour of losing these recognizable pieces. You have two, haven't you, Paul?'
'The signet ring, which is worth little. And this brooch.'
'If I were you I'd prise the ruby out and throw the brooch into the sea.'
it might be worth a little melted down.'
'Safer to let it go.'
'What has happened to that cup?' Stephen asked. 'What cup?'
'You know - the little one. The loving cup, or whatever it is.'
‘I t's back among the sacks, I suppose. We never actually decided whose share it belonged to.' 'Tis not worth much, is it?' 'No.' .
'What did you do with your money in Bristol?' Paul asked. 'Jeremy tells me you didn't buy into a privateer?'
'No, there was naught I liked the look of. Another time it might've been different. But there was one or two men I wanted to avoid - hard lads I had had words with before ... And more than words.' Stephen felt his chin, I need a shave. No, Paul, if ye are that interested I brought nearly all me money back again - but all in new money. I think maybe I shall invest it here.'
'Are you thinking that a privateer out of Falmouth would be more to your taste?'
Stephen looked at Jeremy and half grinned. 'Not exactly, like. I have a mind to invest in the pilchard fishing. Or in a roundabout way, like, that's what it'll amount to. An d no one can say - not even the Poldark family can say there is aught illegal in that.'
'Well, tell us all about it,' said Paul, it is clear that you are dying to.'
‘I don't think it matters what my family thinks,' Jeremy said, 'if you -'
'It still matters to him what Clowance thinks,' said Paul. 'Eh? ... Well, I'll say in f ront of her brother that she's a handsome girl and a good catch. I'd try the water myself if she gave me half a hope of finding it tepid. If you marry Daisy, Jeremy, we could maybe have a double relationship.'
Jeremy's race was quite expressionless. 'What is this scheme you have, Stephen?'
Stephen was sorting through a few documents left in his bag. He looked up. 'Earlier this summer I was in St Ives -fishermen there - we were talking this way and that: d'ye know what they got for their pilchards last year? I'll tell you. Fifteen shillings a hogshead. As one of them said: it did not pay for the salt and the nets. And that in a sore year - when food was bitter scarce all over the county. But d'ye know what some others got? I'll give you a guess. They got 15s - a hogshead - more than a dozen times as much. Same quality fish caught in the same type of boats.'
Paul said: 'This is a riddle?'
'No. Just that some were more enterprising than others. They sold 'em in their natural markets.' 'Spain?'said Jeremy. 'Italy in this case.'
'What d'you mean - they ran the blockade?'
'Just that. The French can't patrol all the ports they own, any more than we can patrol all the high seas.'
Jeremy fingered his bag but again did not untie the cord. He was still reluctant to handle die money, to touch it
"Was it one of the export firms - like Fox's of Falmouth— who broke the blockade?'
.. 'Nay. As well you might guess. Too scared for their vessels. Nay, twas little men - in their own boats - taking a three month trip and coming home with gold in their pockets - chiefly from St Ives and - they said - Mevagissey and Fowey. Not a dozen in all. But not one was stopped.' 'And you propose ?'
'To do it on a bigger scale this year. Likely it will be the same conditions—a glut of fish; no one to buy 'em—farmers taking 'em at knock-down prices and using, them for manure in their fields. I reckon I can just about afford to furnish o.ut a couple of vessels, make 'em suitable for such cargo, buy the pilchards after curing, pay
'Not part of this booty,' said Jeremy obliquely.
'Come on, then, what is this you're concealing from us?'
'Nothing at all. At least nothing to do with anyone but myself.' Jeremy picked up his own bag and shook it thoughtfully. 'But I am much in favour of losing these recognizable pieces. You have two, haven't you, Paul?'
'The signet ring, which is worth little. And this brooch.'
'If I were you I'd prise the ruby out and throw the brooch into the sea.'
it might be worth a little melted down.'
'Safer to let it go.'
'What has happened to that cup?' Stephen asked. 'What cup?'
'You know - the little one. The loving cup, or whatever it is.'
‘I t's back among the sacks, I suppose. We never actually decided whose share it belonged to.' 'Tis not worth much, is it?' 'No.' .
'What did you do with your money in Bristol?' Paul asked. 'Jeremy tells me you didn't buy into a privateer?'
'No, there was naught I liked the look of. Another time it might've been different. But there was one or two men I wanted to avoid - hard lads I had had words with before ... And more than words.' Stephen felt his chin, I need a shave. No, Paul, if ye are that interested I brought nearly all me money back again - but all in new money. I think maybe I shall invest it here.'
'Are you thinking that a privateer out of Falmouth would be more to your taste?'
Stephen looked at Jeremy and half grinned. 'Not exactly, like. I have a mind to invest in the pilchard fishing. Or in a roundabout way, like, that's what it'll amount to. An d no one can say - not even the Poldark family can say there is aught illegal in that.'
'Well, tell us all about it,' said Paul, it is clear that you are dying to.'
‘I don't think it matters what my family thinks,' Jeremy said, 'if you -'
'It still matters to him what Clowance thinks,' said Paul. 'Eh? ... Well, I'll say in f ront of her brother that she's a handsome girl and a good catch. I'd try the water myself if she gave me half a hope of finding it tepid. If you marry Daisy, Jeremy, we could maybe have a double relationship.'
Jeremy's race was quite expressionless. 'What is this scheme you have, Stephen?'
Stephen was sorting through a few documents left in his bag. He looked up. 'Earlier this summer I was in St Ives -fishermen there - we were talking this way and that: d'ye know what they got for their pilchards last year? I'll tell you. Fifteen shillings a hogshead. As one of them said: it did not pay for the salt and the nets. And that in a sore year - when food was bitter scarce all over the county. But d'ye know what some others got? I'll give you a guess. They got 15s - a hogshead - more than a dozen times as much. Same quality fish caught in the same type of boats.'
Paul said: 'This is a riddle?'
'No. Just that some were more enterprising than others. They sold 'em in their natural markets.' 'Spain?'said Jeremy. 'Italy in this case.'
'What d'you mean - they ran the blockade?'
'Just that. The French can't patrol all the ports they own, any more than we can patrol all the high seas.'
Jeremy fingered his bag but again did not untie the cord. He was still reluctant to handle die money, to touch it
"Was it one of the export firms - like Fox's of Falmouth— who broke the blockade?'
.. 'Nay. As well you might guess. Too scared for their vessels. Nay, twas little men - in their own boats - taking a three month trip and coming home with gold in their pockets - chiefly from St Ives and - they said - Mevagissey and Fowey. Not a dozen in all. But not one was stopped.' 'And you propose ?'
'To do it on a bigger scale this year. Likely it will be the same conditions—a glut of fish; no one to buy 'em—farmers taking 'em at knock-down prices and using, them for manure in their fields. I reckon I can just about afford to furnish o.ut a couple of vessels, make 'em suitable for such cargo, buy the pilchards after curing, pay
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