The Captive Read online

  “Yes, there was a good deal in the papers about Bindon Boys.”

  “Yes … it was originally Bindon Bois. There is a copse nearby. It was called Bindon Boys by the natives and that had become its official name. We had all inspected the house and were deciding what should be done.”

  I nodded. I visualized the heavy black headlines.

  “Bindon Boys Case. Police expect an arrest shortly. ” I was seeing it all so differently now from the manner which I had when Mr. Dolland had sat at the kitchen table and we had tried to piece the story together.

  “We had been over there several times. There was a great deal of work to be done. I remember the day clearly. I was meeting Cosmo at the farmhouse so that we could discuss some plan on the spot. I went to the house and found him there … dead … the gun by his side. I could not believe it. I knelt beside him. There was blood on my coat.

  His blood. I picked up the gun . and it was then that Tristan came in and found me. I remember his words.

  “Good God, Simon! You’ve killed him!” I told him I had just come in that I had found him like this. He stared at the gun in my hand and I could see what he was thinking. “

  He stopped short and closed his eyes as though he were trying to shut out the memory. I laid my hand on his shoulder.

  I said: “You know you’re innocent, Simon. You’ll prove it one day.”

  “If we never get away from this island, no one will ever know the truth.”

  “We are going to get away,” I said.

  “I feel it.”

  “It’s just hope.”

  “Hope is a good thing.”

  “It’s heartbreaking when it is proved unfounded.”

  “But it isn’t in this case. A ship will come. I know it. And then ..”

  “Yes, what then? I must hide myself away. I must never go back. I dare not. If I did they would capture me and, having run away, they would say I had proved my guilt.”

  “What really happened? Have you any idea?”

  “I think there is a possibility that it might have been old Harry Tench. He hated Cosmo. He had rented one of the farms some years before. He drank too much and the place went to ruin. Cosmo turned him out and put in another man. Tench went away but he came back. He was tramping the road. He’d become a sort of tinker. People said he had sworn vengeance on the Perrivales and Cosmo in particular. He hadn’t been seen in the neighbourhood for some weeks, but of course, if he’d planned to kill Cosmo, he would naturally be careful about being seen nearby. His name was mentioned during the investigation, but he was dismissed and no longer a suspect. I was a more likely one. They made a great play about the emnity between Cosmo and me. People all around seemed to remember signs of it which I was unaware of. They made much of Mirabel and Cosmo’s engagement to her.”

  “I know. The crime passionnel. Were you … in love with her?”

  “Oh no. We were all a little dazzled by her … but no.”

  “And when her engagement to Cosmo was announced … did you show that you were disappointed?”

  “Tristan and I probably said how lucky Cosmo was and that we envied him or something like that. I didn’t think we meant it very seriously.”

  There was silence between us.

  Then he said: “Now you know. I’m glad. It is like a weight being lifted from my shoulders. Tell me … are you shocked to find you have a suspected murderer with you?”

  “I can only think that he saved my life … Lucas’s too.”

  “With my own, of course.”

  “Well, if you hadn’t saved your own, none of us would be here. I am glad you told me. I wish something could be done … to make things right … so that you could go back. Perhaps one day you will.”

  “You are an optimist. You think we are going to get off this godforsaken island. You believe in miracles.”

  “I think I have seen a few in the last days.”

  Again he took my hand and pressed it.

  “You are right and I am ungrateful. We shall be picked up in time .. and some day perhaps, I shall go back to Perrivale Court and they will know the truth.”

  “I am sure of it,” I said. I stood up.

  “We have talked for a long time. Lucas will be wondering where we are.”

  Two more days passed. The water stock was very low and we were running out of coconuts. Simon had found a stout stick which Lucas used as a crutch. His leg was slightly less painful, he said, but I had little confidence in our attempts to set it. Still, he could hobble a few steps and that cheered him considerably.

  When we were alone, Simon told me further incidents from his life and I began to get a clearer picture of what it had been like. I was fascinated by it all. I longed to be of help in uncovering the truth and helping to establish his innocence. I wanted to hear more of Harry Tench. I had decided that he was the murderer. Simon said Cosmo should not have been so hard on the man. True, Harry Tench was a poor farmer and if the estate was to prosper it must be maintained in a proper manner, but he could have kept Harry Tench on in some capacity perhaps. Cosmo had insisted that he was useless as a worker; moreover, he had been insolent, which was something Cosmo would not accept.

  We used’ to discuss how it would have been possible for Harry Tench to have killed Cosmo. He had no fixed home; he often slept in barns; he had admitted sleeping in Bindon Boys.

  Perhaps he had been there when Cosmo arrived at the house a short time before Simon came in. Perhaps he had seized his opportunity. But there was the gun. That needed a little explanation. It had been discovered that it came from the gunroom at Perrivale Court. How could Harry Tench have got his hands on it?

  And so on . but I am sure it was a great relief to Simon to be able to talk.

  It was our fifth day on the island and late in the afternoon. Simon and I had been wandering round all the morning. We had found some berries which we thought might be edible and were considering the risk of trying them when we heard a shout. followed by a whistle.

  It was Lucas. We hurried back to him. He was pointing excitedly to the horizon. It was just a speck. Were we imagining this or were we conjuring up in our minds something we so desperately wanted to see?

  In breathless silence we watched. It had begun to take shape.

  “It is. It is!” cried Simon.

  In the Seraglio

  Having been close to death for so long, I had thought that anything would have been preferable; but the fears of the next weeks were beyond anything I could ever have imagined.

  How often did I tell myself that it would have been better to go down with the ship or that our little boat had been destroyed in a hurricane?

  I recall now our joy when we first saw that ship on the horizon and then so soon after we had been rescued, I became sure that it would have been better if we had remained on the island, still vainly looking for a rescue. Who knew, we might have found some means of surviving; and we were together, enjoying a certain peace and security.

  From the moment those dark, swarthy men waded ashore, red caps on their heads, cutlasses at their sides, our euphoria at being rescued had been replaced by a fearful apprehension. It was immediately clear that we could not understand their language. I guessed they must be of Arabic origin. Their ship was no Atlantic Star. It looked like an ancient galley. It had not occurred to me that there could still be pirates on the high seas, but I remembered the captain of the Atlantic Star one night at dinner when he told us that there were ships which still roamed about in certain waters, following some nefarious trade or other. And it instantly occurred to me that we had fallen into the hands of such men.

  I did not like the ship; I did not like these men; and it was clear to me that my suspicions were shared by both Simon and Lucas.

  We stood close as though to shield each other. There were about ten of them. They gabbled together and stared searchingly at us. One of them approached and took a lock of my hair in his hands. They were crowding round and chattering excitedly. My hair was
fairer now that it was bleached by the sun and I could only believe that they were astonished by my colouring which was so different from theirs.

  I sensed the uneasiness of Simon and Lucas. They had edged closer to me. I knew they would both fight to the death for me, which brought a modicum of comfort.

  Their attention had turned to Lucas who was standing there, leaning on the stick we had found for him. He looked pale and ill.

  The men were chattering and shaking their heads. They gazed at me and then at Simon. They laughed and nodded to each other. I had a terrible fear that they were going to take us and leave Lucas.

  I said: “We’ll all stand together.”

  “Yes,” muttered Simon.

  “I don’t like the look of them.”

  “Bad luck they found us,” murmured Lucas.

  “Better …”

  “What do you think they are?”

  Simon shook his head, and I felt numb with fear. I was afraid of these men, their chattering voices, their sly sidelong glances, their implication as to what they would do with us.

  Suddenly they made a decision. One, whom I took to be the leader, signed to them and four of them went to our boat, examined it and turned to nod at the others. They were taking our boat out to the galley.

  Simon took a step forward but he was barred by a man with a cutlass.

  “Let them take it,” I hissed.

  It was our turn. The leader nodded and two men, their cutlasses drawn, came and stood behind us. They gave us all a little push and we saw what was indicated. We were to go out to the galley. Lucas hobbled between us . but the three of us were at least together.

  Simon murmured: “We wouldn’t have lasted long on that island, anyway.”

  It was difficult getting Lucas on board. None of them helped us. We had to mount a rope-ladder which was almost an impossibility for Lucas. I think Simon half carried him up.

  Then we were all three standing on the deck surrounded by curious men.

  They all seemed to be staring at me. Several of them touched my hair.

  They laughed together, twisting it round their fingers and pulling it.

  There was a sudden silence. A man had appeared. I guessed he was the captain of the vessel. He was taller than the others and his dark lively eyes held a hint of humour. Moreover, there was a certain refinement in his well-defined features which gave me a brief glow of hope.

  He shouted something and the men fell back.

  He looked at the three of us and bowed his head in a form of greeting.

  He said: “English?”

  “Yes … yes,” we cried.

  He nodded. That seemed to be the extent of his knowledge of our language, but his courtesy was comforting. He turned to the men and talked in a way which seemed threatening. They were clearly subdued.

  He turned to us and said: “Come.”

  We followed him and were put into a small cabin. There was a bunk there and we sat down thankfully.

  The captain lifted his hand.

  “Eat,” he said.

  He then went out and locked the door behind him.

  “What does it mean?” I asked.

  Lucas thought that the object would be to hold us for ransom.

  “It’s a thriving business,” he said.

  “I feel sure that that is what they have in mind.”

  “Do you mean to say they roam the seas looking for shipwrecked mariners?”

  “Oh no. They’ll have another trade. Smuggling, perhaps … or even seizing ships where possible … like the pirates of old. They’d turn their hands to anything if there’s a profit in it. They would presume we must have a home somewhere and we’re English. They are inclined to regard all the English abroad as millionaires.”

  “How glad I am we remained together.”

  “Yes,” said Lucas.

  “I think they were wondering whether I should be worth the effort.”

  “What are we going to do?” asked Simon.

  He looked at me steadily.

  “We must do everything in our power to stay together.”

  “I pray that we do.”

  Food was brought to us. It was hot and spicy. In the ordinary way I should have declined it but we were near starvation and any food seemed palatable. Lucas advised us to eat sparingly.

  I felt a little better afterwards. I wondered how they would send home for ransoms. To whom would they send? My father had a sister whom we had scarcely seen for the last ten years or so. Would she be ready to pay a ransom for her niece? Perhaps my parents had reached home, but they had never been rich.

  And Simon? The last thing he would want was for his identity to be known. As for Lucas . regarding a ransom, he was probably in the best position of all of us, for he came from a wealthy family.

  “I wish I knew where we were,” said Simon.

  “That would be a help.”

  I wondered if he had plans for escaping. He was very resourceful, as he had shown himself to be by escaping from England.

  If he had done that, it was possible that he might be able to escape again.

  So we brooded and all three of us, I am sure, were wishing we were back on the island. Food might have been scarce, hopes of survival slim, but at least we had been free.

  I had an unpleasant experience on the first night. It was dark and we were trying to sleep when I heard stealthy footsteps outside the door and then the sound of a key being turned in the lock.

  I started up as the door quietly opened.

  Two men came in. I believed they were two of those who had come ashore to take us in but I could not be certain at this stage as one looked very like another to me.

  They had come to take me. They seized me. I screamed. Lucas and Simon were immediately awake.

  The two men were trying to drag me out of the cabin, and I could guess by their grunts and expressions what their intentions were.

  I cried: “Let me go!”

  Simon struck one of the men. He was knocked across the cabin by the other. Lucas brandished his stick and hit out at them.

  There was a great deal of shouting and others appeared at the door.

  They were all laughing and chattering. Simon got up; he came to me, seized me and thrust me behind him. I saw that his hand was bleeding.

  A terrible fear swept over me. I knew I was in great danger.

  I dared not imagine what would have happened to me if the captain had not appeared. He shouted an order. The men looked sheepish. He saw me cowering behind Simon and Lucas beside me.

  Simon seemed somehow to indicate that if any one of them attempted to harm me he would have to face him, and he was formidable. Lucas was equally protective but of course he was crippled.

  The captain had clearly summed up the whole situation. He knew what the motive of these men had been. I was different; I had long yellow hair such as they had not seen before. Moreover, I was a woman, and that was enough for them.

  The captain bowed to me and his gesture suggested an apology for the crude behaviour of his men.

  He indicated that I must follow him.

  Simon stepped forward.

  The captain shook his head.

  “I see … safe,” he said.

  “I … only I … captain.”

  Oddly enough, I trusted him. I knew he was the captain of a ship engaged in some nefarious trade, but for some reason I believed he would help me. In any case he was the captain. If we had attempted to disobey him, we should not have done so for long. We were at his mercy. For all their gestures, neither Simon nor Lucas could save me for long. I had to trust the captain.

  I walked behind him through those men. Some of them put out their hands to touch my hair but none of them did. I could see that they were greatly in awe of the captain and his orders obviously were that none was to touch me.

  I was taken to a small cabin which I think adjoined his. He stood aside for me to enter. It was more comfortable than the one I had left. There were covers and cu
shions on a bunk which was like a divan.

  I could rest more comfortably here. Behind a curtain was a basin and ewer. I could wash!

  The captain spread his hands, indicating the cabin. He said: “Safe here … I see safe.”

  “Thank you,” I said.

  I don’t know whether he understood but my tone must have expressed my gratitude.

  He bowed, went out and locked the door behind him.

  I sank on to the bed. I started to tremble violently as I contemplated the ordeal from which the captain had saved me.

  It was a long time before I could regain my composure.

  I wondered what his intentions were. Perhaps Lucas was right. I felt sure he must be. It was a ransom they were thinking of; and if this were the case, they would want us to be returned unharmed.

  I pulled aside the curtain and indulged in the luxury of washing myself.

  I returned to the divan. I lay down. I was exhausted physically, mentally and emotionally, and for a brief spell forgot the hazards about me.

  I slept.

  I think perhaps I tried to forget those days when I lived in a state of perpetual terror. Every time I heard a footstep, every time my door opened, I would be seized by an overwhelming apprehension. One’s imagination in such situations can be one’s greatest enemy.

  Food was brought to me regularly and because of this I felt a respite from being constantly on the alert for danger;

  yet I knew it was all around me. I was not sure what their purpose was, but it was obvious that they were planning something for me. The captain certainly stood between me and a certain fate and at least I had to be thankful for that. I trusted the man . not because I believed in his chivalry but his attitude meant that I must be treated with a certain respect because of what he had in mind for me.

  I found I ‘could eat a little. My creature comforts were attended to.

  It was a great blessing to be able to wash frequently. I wished I knew where the ship was going and what fate was planned for me. I wished I knew where Simon and Lucas were.

  The captain came to my cabin once. I had washed my hair and it was just drying when the knock came. He kept staring at my hair, but he was very polite. I knew that he wanted to talk to me but his knowledge of English was exasperatingly limited.