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.'Why, Robert,' she smiled, at the utter consternation on his face.'You'd think I was a ghost.''By God,' Robert cried.'By God.But where did you find her, George? She was for St.Lucia when last I heard.' 'And caught up with us there, as she intended,' Rodney agreed.'But as we were at that moment informed that the frogs were putting to sea, why, she had no choice but to come along.''By God,' Robert said again.‘You were in the battle?' 'And more than that, Robert,' Rodney said, before Sue could reply.'She found herself on deck fighting a gun.' 'What? What?''I was like to be violently ill, below decks in the heat and the smoke and the scent of blood,' Sue explained.‘I but sought the fresher air on deck.''At a sad cost to discipline,' Rodney said.'But none the less, it is actions like hers which give this glorious old navy of ours its legends and its tradition.And truth to tell, I think she was concerned about her cousin.'Robert gazed at his sister, his mouth opening and then closing again, and turned to look at Matt.'By God,' he said.'Another survivor.''And all of a hero, I do assure you,' Rodney said.'Let me present Monsieur Louis Corbeau.''My great pleasure, Mr.Hilton.' The Frenchman bowed.He was as tall as Matt, but not so broad in the shoulder.Indeed, if there was a single word to describe him, it would be elegant, even in his ill-fitting clothes, borrowed from Lord Cranstoun.Nor were his features less distinguished, with the high forehead and long nose hanging over the tremendous wide gash of a mouth and the big chin.His hair was black as midnight, and lay loose on his shoulders, and his eyes were also black, and more filled with life than any Robert could recall.'Corbeau?' he asked.'Corbeau? You'll not pretend your father was Pierre Corbeau.' 'The same, Mr.Hilton.''By God,' Robert said.'Why, sir, I sat you on my knee when you were a babe.And was christened by your bladder.By God.And does Rio Blanco still thrive?''It yields to no plantation in the Indies, Mr.Hilton.Save Hilltop, of course.''Aye.Aye.Your father was always a diplomat also.I was sorry to learn of his death, boy, even if he was a froggie.Yellow fever, they said.''It is the curse of St.Domingue, Mr.Hilton.''But.you were with de Grasse in Martinique?''You forget, sir, I own a plantation at Trois Islets, as well as Rio Blanco, much as you also own Green Grove.And I was there, endeavouring to repair the damage done by that storm of two years ago - you will not credit this, Mr.Hilton, but there was scarce a house left standing on my estate -when the Count de Grasse arrived with his ships, calling for volunteers, gentlemen, as well as common people, to help him beat Admiral Rodney here.' He paused and smiled.'And got beat himself, by God,' Robert shouted.'I like that, sir.I like that.''But you have not heard the heart of the matter, sir,' Corbeau said.'My ship was sunk, and I was thrown into the most busy water I have ever seen.I suspect every shark in the Caribbean had found its way to that spot.''It was quite horrible, Robert,' Sue said.‘I shall never forget the screams of those men to my dying day.''And your young cousin here would have a ship's boat away to see what could be done,' Rodney said.'With the rest of the battle still to be fought.But it was a brave thing.''And so you see me, forever in the Hilton debt,' Corbeau said, still smiling, but now at Sue.'Nor could I have found a more charming family to owe my gratitude.''So you are all of a hero, Matt,' Robert said.'Have you nothing to say?''I wondered perhaps what you might have to say to me, Robert,' Matt said.'You will observe that I am no longer in Statia.''Aye.Aye.' Robert was suddenly serious.'There is much.aye, much to be discussed.Have I your permission to take these two rascals ashore, George?''With my pleasure,' Rodney said.'I doubt not we could make Matt into a brilliant seaman, given time.But I also doubt whether the Royal Navy has that much time.As for you, Mistress Huys, you may be sure that if the Battle of the Saintes will fill my memory for every day of the rest of my life, your role in it will be a considerable part of that recollection.' He kissed her hand.'It has been my pleasure.''You'll excuse us, Corbeau,' Robert said.'My family is in a state of turmoil.But you'll dine.Oh, yes, you'll dine.And you, George.I'll expect you tomorrow night.''But I am coming with you,' Corbeau said, looking from Matt to Suzanne to the admiral in a mixture of amusement and dismay.'What? What?''Monsieur is a prisoner of war, Robert,' Rodney said.'But he is also a prominent planter, and a gentleman, and it was your cousin dragged him from the mouths of the sharks.I have agreed to release him into your custody, on parole, until the conclusion of peace.''By God,' Robert said.'By God.Then you'd best come along.' He stamped to the gangway, where Arbuckle waited, with McLeod and the gun crew.'God bless you, Mr.Hilton,' said the quartermaster.'You'll do well, sir.You'll do well.'Matt shook their hands and discovered to his distress that his eyes were moist.‘Do you know, I almost wish I were staying, and a week ago I'd have regarded such a thought as sheer madness.Mr.Arbuckle, may your prize money amount to millions.McLeod, I'll never hear a cannon again in my life but I'll think of you.''And God bless you, mistress,' they shouted after Suzanne, who was already on her way down to the boat.'We'll drink to you for fifty years, on how you served the gun at the Saintes.'Suzanne smiled and waved even as she flushed; her eyes were also bright.'By God,' Robert said.'You're a right pair.A right pair.' He stared at the warship as the boat pulled for the shore.'You'll not credit this, Corbeau, but I had considered this cousin of mine as little better than a dandy.Cricket, bah.''Cricket?' Corbeau asked
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