James McGee - Rapscallion

The three men turned towards the sound. A small horse- drawn cart appeared. The cart drew to a halt and Jethro Garvey dismounted. "Sorry we're late," he said. He walked to the back of the cart and took down a valise.

Lasseur helped Jess Flynn down from the cart. Taking her hand, and without speaking, he held it to his lips and then to his cheek.

While Garvey stayed with the cart, Hawkwood took the valise and he and Jago accompanied Lasseur and Jess Flynn down to the water.

At the edge of the beach, she looked round. "Come on, you," she called softly.

There was a scrabble of paws and the dog jumped down from the back of the cart and loped slowly down the shingle towards them, tail wagging.

"We'll have to teach him French," Lasseur said.

"Just speak loud and slow," Jago said.

Jess Flynn smiled. "He's not deaf, Nathaniel. He's getting on in years, that's all."

"Like me," Jago said.

Hawkwood placed the valise in the boat.

Jess Flynn let go of Lasseur's hand and kissed Hawkwood's cheek.

"Thank you," she said.

Lasseur helped her into the boat then lifted the dog in beside her. With Hawkwood and Jago's help, he pushed the boat off the shingle and climbed aboard. Slowly the boat pulled away. The last sight before darkness swallowed it was of Lasseur raising his hand in a silent farewell.

"What do you reckon?" Jago mused. "You think the real reason he gave up the gold was so's he could come back for her?"

"Maybe," Hawkwood said.

"Daft sod," Jago muttered.

They turned and retraced their steps.

Garvey was still waiting by the cart.

"Thanks, Jethro," Jago said. "Mind how you go."

As the cart trundled off, Hawkwood and Jago walked to where they had tethered the horses.

"You do realize the only person to get anything out of all this was a bloody Frenchman," Jago said. "Bugger sailed away with a pile of gold and the girl."

"Not strictly true," Hawkwood said. He paused and reached into his pocket. "Here, catch — "

The ingot he'd cut from Morgan's waistcoat landed neatly in Jago's hand.

Jago raised an eyebrow.

"Expenses," Hawkwood said.

Jago stared at the ingot in his hand. "What's it worth?"

"No idea. A lot."

Jago handed it back. "The wages they pay you, you need all the help you can get."

They mounted up and turned their horses away from the beach.

And the sound of a single bark echoed over the darkened water behind them.