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carefully, "I know that you do not trust me and perhaps with good
reason, but what I did I did only for your own good." At Captain Saber's
furious step forward, Robert held up a hand and commanded, "Hear me out! I
do not want to haggle with you! As I began to say just a second ago, you do not
trust me, but in this case I think you should. I will try to prepare the way
for you if you insist. Let me talk to Simon first. I shall try to broach the
subject gradually and make it less of a shock. But I ask that you be prepared
for me to fail."
    "Why
should I trust you. How do I know that you are not lying to me?" Captain
Saber growled in a thick voice.
    "You
don't," Robert replied carelessly. "But the state of Lord Saxon's
health can be verified very easily. And believe me when I say any sudden
unsettling event could precipitate a fatal attack. If you want to take that
chance then go ahead and force yourself on him."
    "Goddamn
you!" Captain Saber burst out hotly. "You know that I dare not after
what you have told me. Very well then, in this case I shall do what you say.
But so help me, Robert, if you—"
    "My
dear young man! You forget he is my father and that I would do nothing to upset
him. As for you— you interest me not at all but I shall try to arrange an
interview for you. Now where are you staying?"
    His
jaw tight, Captain Saber muttered, "At the Bell and Candle. Robert, I
meant it when I said I have no desire to create a scandal. And I must return to
London tomorrow. You will have to act this evening. I cannot delay my departure
beyond tomorrow afternoon." Almost apologetically he added, "I know I
should have notified someone of my return as soon as I arrived in England, but
I had no thought then of even trying to see him. It was only yesterday that I wondered
if perhaps I couldn't try to lessen the constraint between us."
    "Mmmm.
It is too bad the idea ever crossed your mind. But since it has, I shall do
what I can. And, young man, if you do not hear from me by ten o'clock tomorrow,
then I shall have failed and you can be assured that any attempt on your part
to intrude upon a sick old man will have dangerous consequences."
    Captain
Saber swallowed with difficulty. "Very well, I understand. If I do not
hear from you then I shall know that nothing has changed."
    The
two men exchanged no further conversation, leaving together, going in opposite
directions as soon as they quitted the pavilion.
    The
pavilion now deserted, Nicole and Sally regarded each other.
    "Well!"
Sally burst out at last. "I wonder what that was all about? Why does this
Captain Saber want to see Lord Saxon so badly?"
    Nicole
said nothing; the conversation she had just overheard was not of much interest
to her. What did interest her, though, was that Captain Saber was here in
Surrey and that he wanted seamen. That thought was uppermost in her mind and
she was almost oblivious to anything else. Who cared why he wanted to see old
Lord Saxon? Or why Robert Saxon was willing to intervene for him? She didn't!
Out loud she said, "Who knows. He probably was an underbutler and pinched
some silver and now wants to ease his guilty conscience."
    "Maybe.
But I don't think it was that. More than likely though," Sally said with
disappointment. "Wouldn't it have been exciting if it were something more
than that, though? Like if—"
    "Oh,
Sally, will you shut up about it," Nicole muttered with exasperation,
suddenly wishing that Sally would leave her alone with her thoughts.
    Not
unnaturally Sally took offense at Nicole's manner and remarked huffily,
"Well, if that's the way you feel! I'll just let you sulk up here by
yourself. You are so young, Nicole. I honestly don't know why I bother
with you."
    Nicole,
instantly contrite and not really wanting to hurt Sally's feelings, said
quickly, "I'm sorry and I'm not sulking. But, Sally, I would like to be by
myself, if you don't mind."
    Resignedly
Sally replied, "All right. I'll go. Shall I see you next week at the horse
fair or