“What punishment do they give to people who harbour malefactors?” Gentle Annie called from over her cooking.
“Who’s a malefactor?” called Tresco from the middle of a towel with which he was drying his roseate face.
“What are you then?”
“I’m a gentleman at large, my dear. No one has charged me with anything yet, let alone convicted me.”
“But there’s a warrant out against you, old gentleman.”
“Maybe. I haven’t seen it.”
“But what’s my position?”
“You’re accessory after the fact, if there is a fact.”
“What am I liable for?”
“That depends on the judge, my dear. It might be two, three, or more kisses. If I was on the bench, the sentence would be as heavy as possible, and I’d insist on executing it myself.”