We'll meet again

Violetta said that the worst time of Nanny Crabtree's day was that hour after lunch when she sat... awake... sipping her tea and going over that dreadful day when she had failed to be alert while her charge was in danger.

One of us liked to be with her at that time of day.

About a week after Tristan's rescue, I was sitting with Nanny. I didn't listen very intently to her conversation. She was rambling on about our childhood ... usually of my rebellious ways, and how different my sister had been. I had heard it all before, and it usually amused me, for when Violetta was the recipient of these reminiscences, she did not come out of them quite so perfectly.

She said musingly: "I haven't seen much of that Simone lately.

What's happened to her?”

"Oh, she's around," I said. "I saw her only yesterday.”

"She was one for a cup of tea. She'd come in when I was having one and say, in that funny way of hers, 'Dutay,' or something delicious. She said the tea I made tasted better than any she had ever tasted. Bit of flattery, if you ask me. But I must say, she liked her cup of tea.”

"I expect she's busy on the estate. I know she comes sometimes to Tregarland's on business. I suppose that's when she looked in on you.

"Well, Jermyn's and Tregarland's ... they're one and the same now.

This home has brought them together more than ever. Well, I suppose your sister started it with that Jowan. Oh dear, I wish he'd come home.”

"So do we all, Nanny.”

"I look forward to that Simone popping in. Nice girl. Nice way with her. Of course, she's a foreigner, but she can't help that. And I reckon she's really nice. Coming here like that with her brother.

That took a bit of doing, I'd say. You wouldn't get me out in one of them boats, I can tell you.”

"I hope that will never be necessary, Nanny," I said.

There was a sound from the next room. We were both on our feet.

Tristan was just waking up and smiled with satisfaction when he saw us.

He knew he was safe. It would never happen to him again while we were hovering round him like guardian angels-myself, Violetta, Nanny. We would always make sure that we knew where he was every minute of the day and night.

Even Charley had made himself a guard, and Bert, of course, was his assistant. When Tristan was in the garden, if they were not at school, Charley and Bert would be watching him. Charley had assumed an almost conspiratorial air. He was delighted because Gordon had told him he had acted in a wise way in reporting the motorboat he had seen in the cove. It had been a great help and Gordon hinted that "very important personages" wanted to applaud him for his sagacity. Charley was overcome with pride and, since the kidnapping, which must have seemed to him like sensational fiction, he wanted to be part of the scene.

I think, too, that he felt he was part of the family; we were the only ones left to him; our tragedies were his and he wanted to stand beside us, fighting to overcome them.

Moreover, he was beginning to regard Gordon as a hero. He was never happier than when he was given some job about the estate.

Violetta noticed this.

"Poor Charley!" she said. "Poor Bert! This dreadful war has robbed them of their home ... their parents... everything that was familiar to them.”

"And has given them Tregarland's-and Gordon," I answered.

"Charley regards him as a sort of god. Gordon must be gratified.

Who wouldn't be, to be elevated to the heights of Olympus? But he pretends not to notice.”

"Which," said Violetta, "is typical of Gordon.”

Simone had disappeared. I was not aware of this immediately. I did not see her very frequently. Sometimes I ran into her in one of the Poldowns, sometimes on the estate when I went over to work at the Priory; but it often happened that for days we did not meet.

Mrs. Penwear had reported that she had not seen her for several days.

She had enjoyed Simone's company.

"She be a very nice lady," she said. "Always polite with that French way, which is rather nice in a young lady like Simone. She was fond of a chat and we'd often have a talk together. She'd tell me about the estate and I'd tell her about the folk round here. She never seemed to tire of listening. I didn't know she hadn't come home at first. Like as not, I'd be fast asleep when she come in. She was sometimes late.

And then she'd be off again early in the morning. She always made her bed and tidied up before she went.”

But eventually Mrs. Penwear had begun to be alarmed.

"I talked to Daniel Killick. She was friendly with him. A nice young man. He hasn't seen her either. Mr. Yeo sent someone to look for her, but there was no sign of her.”

The news spread. Simone was missing.

What could have happened to her? What was wrong with this place?

Only a little while ago a child had been kidnapped-and now a young girl was missing.

There were the usual rumors. Someone had kidnapped her. Why?