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.When he watched her expressive face, he could almost believe that there was something special abouttoday.Except he knew better.But on she went, smiling at each man, a smile that was warm and inviting,honest, a real smile that could move him more than it was comfortable to admit.The past few hours had held no smiles.She had made that comment about his pride, then had quietlymoved across the cave, curled up against the security of her dog?her only friend in the world?and slept while he d sat there feeling like a puffed-up horse s ass.He felt a sharp pang of guilt as he watched her.Because he remembered how pointedly silent she hadbeen a few minutes ago.She had stood before him with her arms full of bread and cheese.She had no smile for him.She stood there as if she couldn t bear to look at him, so instead she held outthe food while staring at her shoes.Made him feel like the very devil.He knew what she needed.She needed to be home.She needed to be away from him.She needed tolearn reality?that dreams didn t come true.And no matter what she did, how hard she tried, he wouldnever, could never, allow himself to be what she wanted him to be.Her knight on a white horse.He absently rubbed the thick stubble on his chin and stared at her a little longer.He supposed it wasbest to leave things as they lay.She handed the other brother a wedge of cheese and some bread. Thank ye, Missy. Phineas looked up at her and paused, then added, Ye was right, ye know. Me? She smiled that smile. About what? On the other ship, when ye came to our defense.Ye said we didn t mean no harm.We didn t have thefoggiest notion them crates were full o gun locks until it was too late. He hung his head slightly and said, Ye might be finding this hard to hold true, but ?he held up his right hand? God s truth, we ve neversmuggled afore. Richard didn t find that difficult to believe at all.In fact, he d have wagered most of his fortune on it. Truly? she said, then she darted a covert look at Richard. Just as I had said.One doesn t feed peoplethat one is intending to murder.That doesn t make sense. Turning back to Phineas, she added, Richard told me that people who are going to be executed aregiven last meals, you see. She lowered her voice. He s a known rakehell. She stopped to give a hugedramatic sigh, as if the notion was difficult to bear. So he knows quite a bit?for an earl, I mean-about gambling, drinking, smuggling, debauchery,executions, even piracy.Did you know that he was the one who told me that the term privateer was amore socially acceptable word for pirate ? I surely didn t know, never having been around pirates.Ofcourse, now we all have, haven t we? But back to my point. In which lifetime, Richard thought, would she make her point? I believe that is why he?Richard, that is?can be so terribly cruel at times. It was his turn to flinch.She d made her point.Quite accurately. But you didn t intend to harm us, did you? she continued. And, as I was saying, I told him so, after Ifound out he d lied to me about the little adventure to tell our?I mean, my grandchildren.But he said thatthe gun locks were the only reason you had to nab us. She took a breath and hugged the bread and cheese more tightly to her chest, then cocked her head. So why did you take us? Phineas frowned, nodding his head every so often as if he were trying to recall everything she had said.Philbert nudged Phineas with an elbow jab and whispered, Forget all the blithering questions.Justanswer the last one. Both brothers exchanged a knowing look, then turned toward Phelim, who was sleeping against a cavewall.Like the others, Richard found himself staring at the sleeping smuggler.He no longer had his admiral shat or eyepatch, but one sleeve of his shirt hung empty, the arm that belonged in it resting in a long lumpacross his belly.His burnt-brown skin showed his years on the sea and in the sun, and like the others, he had a shock ofgraying hair, which had dried and now sprang from his head in clumps of cowlicks.Richard stared at theman s head and had the sudden image of a red water jug with large handles.He d be willing to wager thecontents of both were the same.Phineas and Philbert pointed at Phelim and in unison said, He did it! Phelim s only response was a loud snore. Why did he do it? she asked. Cause he lost his wits, Philbert muttered. Now, Bertie.Ye know Phelim wouldn t ve done that what he did if his head were right.Me brotherhain t been himself, Missy. Phineas shook his head. Not since he come home from the navy.He took ahit in the head.He was in Nelson s navy for twenty long years, while Bertie and me saw to the business.The whole time Phelim was off fighting the frogs, we took care of what were ours, we did. The hellion looked at them. So you weren t all in the navy? Phineas shook his head.Philbert added, We be milk hawkers.Buttermen. Richard took a deep breath, rested his forehead in one hand, and stared at the cave floor.They d beennabbed by cow farmers and shell-cracked sailors.God.He could almost hear Seymour crowing now. Our dairy farm be near the village of Dappledown, Philbert told them. Phineas took the butter-cart tothe village every day but the Sabbath. Bertie here makes the finest cheese and the whitest butter in the parish, Phineas said with brotherlypride. Thank ye. Ye re welcome.I only spake what were true.I miss the life, Bertie, that I do. It be a good life, Philbert agreed. Aye. Til the bleedin Parliament went an passed the Enclosure Acts.Took away the common pasture andforced us to sell off all but two cows, Philbert explained. Phelim come home just after.I knew weshould ve kept him with us.Should never ve let him go off to London, Phineas.Should ve never. He served in the navy fer a long while, Bertie.For England and God and King. Tweren t his fault whathappen to him. Phineas looked at the hellion, his shoulders slumped in defeat. We lost the farm, the lasttwo cows, everything, we did. The hellion had tears glistening in her eyes as she patted the older man on his slumped shoulder. How? He took off to London with Harry and the others. Philbert looked at them. They d all been t gether inthe navy and up and set a meet at the Fish and the Tail, a dockside tavern.Rough place it were too.Phelim didn t duck during a brawl and got hit on his head. Philbert gave them a knowing look. Ye ve all seen what happens.He thought t be Nelson barteringwith the enemy for his stolen brigantine.By the time he came home, he had traded our small farm fer aship. But it s obvious he s not well, Letty said. No one should hold him to a trade, considering. We tried to explain, we did, both Bertie and me, Phineas added. But the bloke what bartered it saida trade s a trade.He d been looking to pension out on a farm himself, he had.So we was stuck with nohome, no income, only that ol lugger what was barely seaworthy before it wrecked.We be livin aboardthe ship when Phelim took it into his poor head to make a deal with some froggie émigré. The gun locks, Richard said, thinking aloud. Aye. Philbert nodded. We was told all we had to do was ship some crates o food, blankets, and thehie to his family what were still in France. Claimed they was struggling to hang on to their home, said Phineas, picking up the tale
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