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enough to follow in daylight.’
    The stranger followed behind her, though she did not turn her head to look at him. ‘What made you think of looking in the inlet when everyone else was on the main beach?’
    ‘I found some survivors there after a different ship was wrecked last year and took them to the house. It was a woman and child. We cared for them until they were well enough to leave us—but she knew who she was.’
    ‘How fortunate for her.’
    Morwenna concentrated on the descent, resisting the urge to glance back at him. He made her angry and yet he intrigued her. Something in his manner told her that he must be more than the itinerant artist she had thought him for at times he was arrogant, as if used to being obeyed.
    Who was he really and why was he here? Had he truly lost his memory?
    The inlet was tiny and belonged to Michael, though it was no use for anything and normallythe sole province of sea birds and small crabs that lived in the shallow pools and were not nice to eat. Sometimes the villagers took mussels or limpets from the rocks. Michael allowed them to take what little harvest there was, because he and Jacques set their lobster pots out further in the bay. They normally caught enough fish to sell in the village or further inland, besides what they brought to the house for use at table.
    Apart from a few pieces of driftwood the beach looked clear. Obviously, someone had been here before them and it was unlikely that her guest would find his possessions even if anything else had been there to find. He walked down to the water’s edge and stood looking at some rocks, then, seeing something in the water, bent down and picked out a piece of drift wood.
    ‘Have you found anything interesting?’
    ‘It looks as if it came from a rowing boat,’ he said and showed her what was in his hand. ‘The tide must have dashed it against the rocks.’
    ‘A rowing boat?’ She saw some lettering on the wood, though not enough remained for her to be able to read the name. ‘It must have broken free of the ship when it foundered. I doubt anyone would have been foolish enough to try to come inshore in a small boat last night. It wasobvious what would happen; he wouldn’t have stood a chance.’
    ‘No, I’m sure you’re right,’ he replied and smiled. ‘There is nothing to see here. Thank you for showing me the way. I can find my own way back if you have something else to do?’
    ‘I’ve done most of my work for the day.’ Morwenna shaded her eyes and looked out to sea. ‘There’s a ship out there. It’s safe enough on a day like this. I wonder what it is waiting for?’
    ‘What makes you think it is waiting for anything?’
    ‘Well, it appears to have anchored. I don’t think it’s moving, do you?’
    He looked towards the horizon. ‘I expect they just want to admire the view for a while.’
    ‘It can’t be fishermen. I cannot imagine that a merchant vessel would anchor off shore just to admire the view.’
    ‘Perhaps it is a spy waiting for dusk,’ he said, a teasing note in his voice.
    ‘Or waiting to take a spy off again once he’s done his business.’ Morwenna threw an accusing look at him. ‘Just why did you come here?’
    ‘The sea brought me,’ he replied. ‘What would a spy want with you or your family,Mistress Morgan—unless you have something to hide?’
    She turned from him. ‘I have nothing to hide and my brothers, well, they can speak for themselves. If you question them you may wish you hadn’t, sir. If you’re at all worried, I advise you to leave now before you wish you had not become involved.’
    ‘If only I could.’
    ‘What do you mean?’
    ‘I do not know where to go,’ he said. ‘What else should I mean? Since it is obvious I shall learn nothing here I may as well return to the house.’
    ‘No, stay and search for whatever you hope to find. Sometimes things get caught there.’ She pointed to the jutting rock. ‘There is a little pool round the bend and