“You begin to interest me extraordinarily, Mr Giffard. Or rather, Mr Gaunt. You have my word.”
“Stick to Giffard, if you will. And thank you. Miss Burloyne’s entrance into the whole affair was purely accidental.”
“But not her remaining in it, I take it?”
Giff was betrayed into a snorting laugh, which caused a sharp pain. He winced and set down a forkful of egg. “Miss Burloyne, my dear fellow, is a woman of decided opinions. And a great deal of determination. She wouldn’t back off if the whole world ordered it.”
Warmth grew in his breast as he recalled Delia’s assault on Sam and her anxious efforts to warn him all was revealed. No, she would never willingly desist in her efforts to keep him alive.
The captain picked up the coffee pot, poured himself a refill and set the spout over Giff’s cup. “More coffee? I gather this recital may take some time.”
“I’ll be as brief as I can.”
Giff nodded for the refill and embarked on as succinct an explanation of his circumstances as was feasible while the captain, having demolished his fish, began upon the beef.
“I’ve no proof, of course, which is why my cousin has taken an underhand route.”
The captain finished off the last of his portion of beef and shifted the plate aside. “You think he wishes to dispose of you? What, murder?”
“Not outright. He was open enough when he spoke to Delia — Miss Burloyne. Apparently he thinks to ship me off to the Americas. How I don’t know, but that’s what he said.”
Rhoades ruminated for a moment, frowning. Giff eyed him. He’d told his story only because the fellow was so suspicious. He’d not supposed he might assist in any way, but a thread of expectation grew in his breast.
At last the captain looked up. “He’d have to bribe the skipper of a ship to take you, since one presumes you’d be a tied-up unconscious bundle. You’d not walk willingly up a gangway.”
Giff was startled into a snorting laugh. “Hardly.”
“At gunpoint? Knife point? Sword point?”
“I’ve enough science to prevent any man enforcing me under such conditions.”
A grim smile curved the captain’s mouth. “Yes, I imagine you have. You’ve soldiered?”
“No, but I’ve been trained in Indian ways. My servant Sattar, in his youth, was lethal.”
“Interesting.”
Giff returned to the point. “Piers has to catch me before he can bribe anyone to remove me, permanently or otherwise. And I doubt he’ll use the same rascals again.”
“What do you mean to do to establish this claim of yours?”
“To tell the truth, I don’t yet know. I meant to force my cousin into fighting me face to face, but that must wait now.”
“Because of your present injuries.”
“Just so.”
Rhoades drummed his fingers on the table, the frown still on his brow. “I’ll have my men patrol the town. It will be expected in any event after this attack. That will at least keep your cousin’s ruffians from showing themselves.”
Giff thanked him. “Though as I said, I imagine they have rendered themselves useless by their bungling yesterday.”
“Yes, it was foolish to try for you in broad daylight with any number of persons in the vicinity. This cousin of yours must be growing desperate.”
This was a new idea. “I’d not thought, but you’re right. Delia too. It was her notion that I should parade in public. She thinks being visible ought to protect me, but so far Piers has lain low.”
“Because you are parading, as you call it, under a false name?”
“I didn’t want an open scandal.”