growing stronger minute by minute.'
`It is a quarter of a mile down the street. I'll get my c ape. You will, of course, stay the night.'
`I don't; think I can. My uncle is ill. When I heard this news I went in to him, told him what I was going to do; I fear it upset, him for, although he knew no more than I told him, my somewhat obvious desire to know the truth about Dwight must have given my feelings away. When I have what news there is I can ride back.'
`Three Hours in - the dark? There are too many, starving men abroad. You must stay. I'll tell Mr s. Stevens to prepare a room.'
Ten minutes later they went out and made their way over, the cobbles and the mud and threaded among the people crowding the narrow street. Shops were still open, the ale houses busy, drunks lay in corners, children played and screamed, blind men and lame men begged, old soldiers stood and gossiped, sailors three abreast sang lewd songs, house-holders stood at open doors, dogs barked and fought and seagulls screamed over all. It was a fine evening and warm for April after the rain. But for Caroline it was a scene without savour, without warmth, without light. These were not human beings who crowded around her but grey and white shadows impeding her progress towards an inevitable end.
At the packet office Ben Pender; a tired little man in an old-fashioned wig and snuff-brown suit, was talking to a pa cket captain in blue and braid, who at once got up and bowed over Verity's hand. Verity introduced them to Caroline and explained her mission.
The captain said - `Unfortunately; ma'am, we only have the message passed on by the sloop, which; came in, with, the news and left by the next tide: Pellew and his ships are still at sea. But here the message is in full - for what it is. Sir Edward Pellew reports having first sighted the two Frenchmen, the Heros and the Palmier, the Heros being a 74-gun two decker, at 3 p.m., on Thursday afternoon in thick weather some fifty leagues south-west of Ushant.- The wind was blowing hard from the westward and sail was made in chase. At three quarters past five the Nymphe and the Travail came up wit h the French ships.' He looked at the paper Ben Pender had,, put before him and hooked a pair of spectacles round his ears. `According to this account a running fight then took place lasting about ten hours in a steadily increasing gale, first under lowering clouds and rain, the n with furious squally showers by the light of a half moon . During this the Mermaid also became engaged and the five ships drifted t owards the French coast. By the time the Brest peninsula was sighted in the half d ark the Heros was disabled, and the Palmier, the Nymphe and the Travail had suffered considerable damage. Both Frenchmen tried to make the Brest estuary but in their damaged condition could not do so. The Palmier struck a rock by the Isle de Sein and sank, the Heros drifted into the Bay of Audierne and ran aground in heavy seas. The Travail also could not withstand the force of the gale and was wrecked near the Heros. The Nymphe, though almost in shoal water, succeeded in weathering the Pointe de Penmarche and making the open sea. The Mermaid, which had suffered the least of the five ships, attempted to close in to help the wrecked ships but was forced to turn away to save herself. Casualties in the Nymphe were sixteen killed-d and fifty-seven wounded. In the Mermaid five killed and thirty-five wounded., Captain Harrington of the Travail was killed early in the action.' The captain unlatched his spectacles from behind his ears. `That is the end of the dispatch, ma'am.'
A clerk came in with a lighted lantern to add to the one on the desk. It helped to show up the charts, the drawings of ships, the yell ow bills of lading, the scales, the inkpot and quill, the mahogany furnishings, the brass rails, the tiled floor.
Caroline said: `Did you see anyone from the sloop; personally, I mean?'
'I had some words with the captain, But you'll
`It is a quarter of a mile down the street. I'll get my c ape. You will, of course, stay the night.'
`I don't; think I can. My uncle is ill. When I heard this news I went in to him, told him what I was going to do; I fear it upset, him for, although he knew no more than I told him, my somewhat obvious desire to know the truth about Dwight must have given my feelings away. When I have what news there is I can ride back.'
`Three Hours in - the dark? There are too many, starving men abroad. You must stay. I'll tell Mr s. Stevens to prepare a room.'
Ten minutes later they went out and made their way over, the cobbles and the mud and threaded among the people crowding the narrow street. Shops were still open, the ale houses busy, drunks lay in corners, children played and screamed, blind men and lame men begged, old soldiers stood and gossiped, sailors three abreast sang lewd songs, house-holders stood at open doors, dogs barked and fought and seagulls screamed over all. It was a fine evening and warm for April after the rain. But for Caroline it was a scene without savour, without warmth, without light. These were not human beings who crowded around her but grey and white shadows impeding her progress towards an inevitable end.
At the packet office Ben Pender; a tired little man in an old-fashioned wig and snuff-brown suit, was talking to a pa cket captain in blue and braid, who at once got up and bowed over Verity's hand. Verity introduced them to Caroline and explained her mission.
The captain said - `Unfortunately; ma'am, we only have the message passed on by the sloop, which; came in, with, the news and left by the next tide: Pellew and his ships are still at sea. But here the message is in full - for what it is. Sir Edward Pellew reports having first sighted the two Frenchmen, the Heros and the Palmier, the Heros being a 74-gun two decker, at 3 p.m., on Thursday afternoon in thick weather some fifty leagues south-west of Ushant.- The wind was blowing hard from the westward and sail was made in chase. At three quarters past five the Nymphe and the Travail came up wit h the French ships.' He looked at the paper Ben Pender had,, put before him and hooked a pair of spectacles round his ears. `According to this account a running fight then took place lasting about ten hours in a steadily increasing gale, first under lowering clouds and rain, the n with furious squally showers by the light of a half moon . During this the Mermaid also became engaged and the five ships drifted t owards the French coast. By the time the Brest peninsula was sighted in the half d ark the Heros was disabled, and the Palmier, the Nymphe and the Travail had suffered considerable damage. Both Frenchmen tried to make the Brest estuary but in their damaged condition could not do so. The Palmier struck a rock by the Isle de Sein and sank, the Heros drifted into the Bay of Audierne and ran aground in heavy seas. The Travail also could not withstand the force of the gale and was wrecked near the Heros. The Nymphe, though almost in shoal water, succeeded in weathering the Pointe de Penmarche and making the open sea. The Mermaid, which had suffered the least of the five ships, attempted to close in to help the wrecked ships but was forced to turn away to save herself. Casualties in the Nymphe were sixteen killed-d and fifty-seven wounded. In the Mermaid five killed and thirty-five wounded., Captain Harrington of the Travail was killed early in the action.' The captain unlatched his spectacles from behind his ears. `That is the end of the dispatch, ma'am.'
A clerk came in with a lighted lantern to add to the one on the desk. It helped to show up the charts, the drawings of ships, the yell ow bills of lading, the scales, the inkpot and quill, the mahogany furnishings, the brass rails, the tiled floor.
Caroline said: `Did you see anyone from the sloop; personally, I mean?'
'I had some words with the captain, But you'll
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