Chapter 36

Rowan knew enough about early rising after too little sleep to know that she was fine now but would be fuzzy-minded and flagging by noon. She had locked Scarab's rudder and oars in the houseboat cabin. Her post-office book, birth certificate and purse were in her pockets. The house-boat was as secure as she could make it and it was time to go and milk the cows. Even in just one night, this borrowed space of her own had become far too precious for her to risk losing it again so quickly. She wasn't going to mention last night's adventure to either of the Dixons; she was sure that adult though she was, they would put their foot down about her staying there by herself. And, adult though she was, she would find herself giving in in the face of their genuine concern.

The only person she would tell about it would be Mrs Walker. It was, after all, her uncle's houseboat. The problem of course would be to speak to Mrs Walker without Mrs Dixon wanting to know why. If there had been a fair breeze, there would have been a good chance of Mrs Walker sailing down the Lake after taking her daughters to school. In this flat calm, it was more than likely that she would row them across and then row straight back. Rowan wondered if Roger would come to the Dixon's for dinner as usual. Perhaps, if he did, should would tell him about the middle of the night intruder and ask him to speak to his sister-in-law about it.

He did indeed, but before that, Nancy Walker herself came walking along the road from the direction of Holly Howe, carrying young Robert piggyback. Usefully, she seemed as eager to speak to Rowan without other ears as Rowan was to speak to her. Rowan paused in her gate repairs. Robert picked up the hammer and sucked thoughtfully on the metal end.

"Robert isn't infectious anymore, so I thought Mother and Cook would like a childfree day. Did you sleep well on the houseboat?"

Rowan explained about the intruder. Nancy Walker listened intently and without exclamation.

"Can you remember the word? As well as you can?"

"gov no? something like that?"

"But he called out in English? And you're sure it was a man's voice?"

"Yes – at least I think so – I didn't think about it at all, really – just knew that it was."

"Well don't think about it now. You'll only start second guessing yourself. How did you know it wasn't my uncle? It definitely wasn't by the way."

"I didn't that for a moment. I couldn't say why. Not really. Your uncle would certainly know his own houseboat - and know that there wasn't another one on the Lake."

"And before that?"

"I don't know. The strange word, perhaps." Although now Rowan thought about it, surely strange exclamations and oaths were exactly what you would expect of one of Nancy's relatives. Robert was hitting a tussock of grass experimentally with the hammer. "And the footsteps and clumsiness. Someone would know where everything was on a boat they'd lived on for years. And the accent wasn't like yours."

"I didn't think I had an accent." Nancy said. She grinned. "I suppose everyone thinks that about themselves."

"Well I don't have one." Rowan retorted quickly. Nancy laughed. Rowan smiled back. She might not find Nancy completely comfortable company, but she was finding she liked Nancy a lot more with a little less jolliness. "You don't really, either. I mean someone could tell you were from the north of England if they listened enough and thought about it, but they couldn't get closer than that. Not unless they were an expert in that sort of thing. This voice was educated too, but almost …. as if they had been brought up by the BBC."

Nancy nodded. "Look here; don't worry too much about it. It's probably someone – some visitor –chancing their arm and being nosy – or even perhaps fancying a week's free accommodation. It would be common knowledge that the houseboat is frequently empty. It may not even be a coincidence – they might have picked up that Roger had moved to Titty's cottage but not that you had moved to the houseboat. Not that you actual seem shaken by it."

"I'm not. No chance to worry about it before it happened."

"You'll do." Nancy grinned, "Although it's not for me to say so, of course. Robert's better for all practical purposes and Mother really wouldn't mind me spending a night in the houseboat, just in case, providing I'm there to take the kids to school in the morning."

"I'm really not bothered by it at all. I'm sure the man wouldn't come back." Rowan said hastily. She was entirely sure she didn't want Nancy's company overnight, especially if there was any chance of further discussion with Roger.

Nancy gave her a measuring look then nodded once. "Fair enough. No need to bother Sammy with an official report either. Nothing taken and it's not even breaking and entering. I take it you haven't mentioned this to the Dixons?"

"Definitely not. I don't really want them to insist on me staying here. Who's Sammy?"

"Policeman. I know him fairly well. Would you mind if I borrowed the key and the rowing boat and had a quick look about the houseboat before I write to my uncle?"

"Of course not." Rowan pulled the key from her pocket.

Nancy hesitated.

"As well now as later." she said, and Rowan thought she was speaking to herself.

"About your brother Giles…" Nancy began.

Rowan looked up sharply. Perhaps Nancy misinterpreted it.

"Oh he's perfectly alright. His commanding officer has noticed that something appears to be on his mind though, and has had a word with him."

"Your husband commands HMS Bravery? You never mentioned the name of the ship."

That grin again. It made it very hard to be angry with Nancy.

"I try not to put on side." That grin again. It made it very hard to be angry with Nancy. "Come to that, you didn't mention that you had a brother in the navy at all, let along which ship he was serving on."

Rowan held her silence.

"We did put two and two together, the pair of us. Neither of us will tell anyone who doesn't already know where you are. Don't worry about that. But John did reassure Giles that you were alive and well. And he did offer to pass a letter on from Giles to you."

Nancy pulled the letter out of her pocket and handed it over. It was addressed simply "Rowan".

"I hope you can forgive us the interference." Nancy's voice was gentle. Some part of Rowan's mind that grasped at trivialities thought it somehow incongruous. "It will be the only interference, we promise you that. You can return the letter, destroy it, read or unread, reply or not as it pleases you. If you want to reply without saying where you are, once or more than once, that can be arranged too. John told him that we would pass on no more letters unless you wish it. We won't let you be pestered."

"Thank you. I'd… I'd like a bit of time to think about it, if you don't mind."

"Take all the time you need. Look, I'll leave you the rowing boat and walk back to Rio.."

"Rio?"

"Sorry. Childhood pretend games. The village. I've got a few things to buy anyway and Miss Hetty and Miss Letty have invited Robert and me to lunch. I've left our rowing boat by the boat builders. I'll row round with the girls after school and inspect the houseboat and see you then, but if you need more time to decide, that will be fine too."

"I've got tomorrow off work completely."

Nancy grinned again. "See you later. And the day after tomorrow too then, most probably. Robert, it was kind of Rowan to let you borrow her hammer, but you have to give it back now. Say thank you."

Robert looked up rebelliously. "Mine."

"No it jolly well isn't." His mother assured him, removing the hammer from his grasp and wiping it with a clean handkerchief before handing it back to Rowan. "See you later, Rowan. Come on Robert. Are you going to walk or do you want a piggy back?"

Robert waved to Rowan, ignored his mother and started stumping down the lane to Holly Howe in silence.