for an elderly couple making their way home after having a few too many at the Fourways Inn.”
One dark brow rose. “That’s to be the way of it, is it?”
“Unless you have a better idea.”
“None as . . . creative as yours, no.”
“Then let’s go.”
They avoided the road, and walked along the blustery seaside path, wind blowing sand in their faces. Laura tasted the salty tang of the sea on her lips. Glad for the protective shawl, she raised it over her face.
In the long, salt-stained coat and powdered wig, Alexander looked a bit strange, but still handsome and virile, like some aristocratic ancestor in the framed portraits at grand Prideaux Place, on the outskirts of Padstow.
“If we pass anyone,” she admonished, “you’ll have to affect an older person’s gait.”
He nodded his understanding.
Reaching Black Rock, Laura led the way to the ferryman’s cottage, where Martyn’s father was likely sleeping off one too many. For once, Laura almost hoped so. At her tentative knock, a sleepy Martyn came to the door. “Who are . . . ? Oh . . . it be you, miss. Strange to see you like that. ’Bout gave up on you.”
“Sorry, everything took a bit longer than I expected.” She turned to Alexander. “And this is . . . my friend.”
The boy nodded but didn’t look too close. For one so young, he’d already learned the sometimes cagey ways of the Cornish. A wise seafarer could look an excise man in the eye and say he couldn’t describe whomever it was they were looking for, be it for wrecking, smuggling, or anything else.
“And here’s the other you wanted.” He handed her a wad of something, and Laura stuffed it into her bag, then handed the youth another coin.
They made their way to the village quay, where the ferry was moored, and a few fishing boats besides. As Treeve had predicted, the tide was rising.
“All right if we take my uncle’s fishing boat instead?” Martyn asked. “Easier to row and will draw less notice this time o’ night.”
“Sounds like a wise plan.”
While the youth untied the mooring lines, Alexander gave Laura a hand in, then helped the lad push the boat over the sand and out into the water.
“I’ll row,” Alex offered.
“No,” Laura said. “Someone might see you. Martyn is strong enough. Aren’t you, Martyn?”
“Aye. I row regular-like for Pa.”
Alex frowned. “Very well, but I don’t like it.”
When they reached the Padstow harbour a short while later, Martyn hopped out, very fleet of foot, and secured the rope.
Laura was not happy to see a few men loitering about. Did they never sleep? She said under her breath, “Time for your acting debut, Captain.”
He rose to step from the boat to the quay, swayed, and nearly fell backward. She braced his back and gave him a shove forward, and in her best impression of Wenna said, “Out with’ee, old man. Ye be that blind.”
Alex mumbled something incoherent, or perhaps stifled a laugh.
She kept her face down, back stooped, and stepped out after him, Martyn reaching down to offer her a hand. “Thank’ee, lad.”
Martyn quickly climbed back into the boat, apparently eager to return to his warm bed.
Laura put her arm through Alex’s, oddly glad for the chance to do so. The two leaned on each other, walking up the quay in a stuttering gait that hopefully passed for the aged or intoxicated or both.
One of the seafarers stared at them through bleary eyes.
“What’ee doing out so late, old maids?”
She felt Alex stiffen beside her, but he surprised her, singing a few bars of an old sailor’s ditty in a warbling tone. “‘Of all the wives as e’er you know, Yeo ho! Lads, ho! There’s none like Nancy Lee, I trow—’”
“Hush, man,” she chastised. “Ye’ll wake the dead.”
Back of her neck prickling, Laura resisted the urge to look over her shoulder as she led Alex around the harbour, past the custom house and the shipwright’s, then along the coast out of town. She was relieved to hear no footsteps following them.
Continuing along the bank of the Camel Estuary, they made their way to secluded St. Saviour’s Point, half a mile away.
“How much farther?” he whispered.
“Just down there.” She pointed to a moonlit cove visible between the scrubby trees and rocks. “See?”
“All right. I can go the rest of the way on my own.”
Her heart pounded. “No. They don’t know you. That is, I made the arrangements, so I—”
“I will explain,” Alex assured her. “I met Perry’s brother on several