Frenchman's Creek Page #5

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Take it home to your mother!

Pierre!

Oh no you don't!

Hurry!

They're after her.

Fire on them.

Get down! Get down!

-Are you alright;

-Yes l am.

There's your friend Godolphin.

There's a woman aboard.

Don't fire.

A safe passage back to land.

But first...

He's taken my wig!

Give it back!

The impertinence!

You'll pay for this!

l'll have you on the rack!

l'll have you hanged!

l'll have you arrested!

You'll pay for this!

l'll have you on the rack!

Save your powder boys.

You will not catch us this time.

AIe, aIi, aIo,

saiIor overboard.

AIe, aIi, aIo,

saiIor overboard.

-Who is it;

-Are you awake yet;

Come in.

l'm afraid l lost

my earrings after all.

l came once to see how you were

and you threw a pillow at me.

You're lying. l never saw so.

You were too far gone

to remember anything.

But we will not argue.

Are you hungry;

-Yes.

-l thought we'd have dinner together.

-What time is it;

-About 3:
00 in the afternoon.

-What day would it be;

-Sunday.

Your Godolphin will have

missed this morning in church,

unless there's a good

wig maker in Fowey.

When did you put it here;

When you were seasick.

-Can you eat a wing;

-Yes.

By now we might be hanging from

a tree in Godolphin's park.

We would have been if that

wind hadn't shifted.

Do you always have

the devil's own luck Frenchman;

Always.

l'm glad l had the adventure

and the excitement

but l'm glad it's over too.

You did not do too badly

for a cabin boy.

How long are we going to be

on the Merry Fortune;

Why;

Do you want to go;

l just wondered.

What are we going to do now;.

As we will not get a breeze

before nightfall

we can do as we please.

We might go fishing in

the cool of the evening

before the sun is down.

We might.

This could be forever if we wished,

tomorrow and the next day.

Lady St. Columb is not

Dona the cabin boy.

She is someone that

has a life in another world.

Lady St. Columb is still

asleep at Navron.

And her dreams are

very, very lovely.

For all that,

they are still dreams.

She will wake when the sun is up

and begin to look after her house.

No, this. Always this.

Always the fire and the dark night,

the supper we've cooked and

you here against my heart.

Sail with me now and

never return to Navron.

-Sail with you;

-Yes.

Perhaps one day you will regret it.

l know what l have to offer can

never compensate what you give up.

Women would wonder for a time

and play at adventure,

but in the end, instinct

is too strong for them.

They must make their nest and

l would sail alone and you hate me.

-What is the answer then;

-There never has been an answer.

But if there is one come with me

and we will find it together.

-But l must plan things.

-No. No plans.

Just come back.

Come back and we'll have breakfast,

then we'll take the boat down river.

And so another day, and another,

and another...

No past, no future.

Only the present.

Only the present.

William. William.

l will open the hall door.

-lt's locked.

-Quick.

What is it;

The children;

Sir Harry has come.

Late last night.

Lord Rockingham is with him.

Come here.

Why did they come;

l gather it was

Lord Rockingham's idea.

lt would be Lord Rockingham...

What have you told Sir Harry;

That you'd been in bed for

several days with high fever.

You were at last getting some sleep

and it would be bad for your health

if Sir Harry so much

as entered your room.

-He accepted the story;

-Yes my lady.

They've certainly come down

to help take your master.

You must get word to him,

at once. He's in deadly danger.

The ship must leave the creek

at next tide.

lt would be more prudent

to wait until nightfall.

Your master will decide that.

l'd thought to go back

and have breakfast with him.

Don't worry. lt will come right.

You will be together again.

Forgive me.

lt had something to do

with being so happy...

l know.

Poor William. You haven't slept,

waiting for me.

-Thank you .

-My lady.

Thank you.

You've grown, you have.

Here you go.

Off you go moppets.

Get along.

Devilishly hot here.

l'm sweating through my shirt.

You don't look so ill.

-l'm very much better.

-l'm glad to hear that.

l expected you at death's door

from what William told me.

l cursed him good for

not sending me word about it.

-What kind of servant is he;

-The best l've ever had.

Well, as long as he pleases you...

Rockingham's here Dona.

l know you left London over him,

but he doesn't bear any grudges.

Why did you bring him down here;

lt was Rock's idea really.

One day he met a cousin

a George Godolphin,

who told him a French pirate

was plundering the county.

So Rock said let's go down

and help the Godolphin's.

How is Godolphin by the way;

-Out of temper when l saw him.

-So l should think.

His brother in law has

lost a ship at sea.

-Do you know Philip Rashleigh;

-Not to speak to.

-Well l've invited him here.

-Why;

We met him in Helston yesterday

in a devil of a temper.

This Frenchman sailed out of

Fowey right under his nose.

And Godolphin's too.

Why did you invite Rashleigh here;

That was Rockingham's idea as well.

He suggested we all set

a trap for the Frenchman.

When we've caught him, we'll

string him up for a laugh.

You think you'll succeed

where others have failed;

Rock's already thought

of a plan.

Hi Rock.

Here's Dona.

My Lord.

So you've had a fever.

-A messenger for Lord Godolphin.

-What;

A most becoming fever.

You don't appear

delighted to see me;

Why should l;

lt's some weeks since l saw you

and you left in an extraordinary way.

l suppose l did something

to offend you.

l told Harry when l left London

that l wanted to be alone.

We came down on business.

We'll catch the pirate that

is causing you so much trouble.

-How do you propose doing that;

-We shall see.

-l expect he's back to France.

-l'm afraid not.

Why so;

The vessel was seen only yesterday

making for the English coast.

But the coast of England

goes a long way.

Yes but he leaves most of it

alone it seems, all but

this little bit of Cornwall.

Rashleigh thinks he's even

visited your river.

He must do it at night then,

when l'm in bed.

Possibly he does.

lt'll be amusing to stop

his little game.

How really ideal for a lawbreaker.

Navron is the only big house

in the district.

l almost wish l were

a pirate myself.

The house to be without protection,

the lady as beautiful as you.

-Yes Rockingham;

-l'd be tempted to come here often.

But you're not a pirate.

Simply an unscrupulous, intrusive

person l continue to detest.

What a delightful little speech.

The Cornish air has made you

venomous.

Hey Rock.

A letter from Godolphin.

The hounds are gathering.

We'll have some fun with this.

Did you send an answer;

l said we'd be delighted

to receive the gentlemen for supper.

Whom shall l be delighted

to receive;

Godolphin, Rashleigh, Eustick

and half a dozen others.

After supper we'll all go down

and catch the fellow.

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