“God bless my soul, there’s Will! Come here, my boy.”
Will had been very much “on duty,” for he was crushed with shamefacedness before Katherine. He looked for leave to the Captain, who with one of his great laughs said that the Admiral was the senior officer present.
Will came forward, and the old man in his heartiness did not note the ashamedness of Will’s handshake. Will’s respectful silence was rather what you would have looked for in him.
“What d’ye think I have here, Will?—here’s Kitty!”
Katherine came forward, perfectly self-possessed, and with a gentle welcome.
“Oh, Will, I am glad to see you. How thankful I shall always be that you were one of our preservers!”
“I wish I could have died for you,” he cried, with passionate earnestness.
“She’d rather you lived for her,” grunted her father.
Will felt that he had no right to be so sure of this.
“My Lord,” began Captain Troubridge, “since you know Lieutenant Hardres, I shall with your permission detail him for attendance on you. I shall shortly, when my main body arrives by the carriage road with the stores, have a meal to offer you; and, judging by the dungeon in which you have been confined, I expect you need it.”