“There’s a little damage I would like to speak to you about, my Lord,” the Captain said, after the Marquis had been silent for some time.
“Damage?”
“Nothing very serious, my Lord, but in the storm two of the water butts broke loose and knocked against each other, spilling their contents.”
“Two?” the Marquis asked sharply.
“They’ve been repaired, my Lord, and as good as they ever were, but they are empty and I wondered if your Lordship would consider putting into a bay I know of, a bit further down the coast, where there’s a spring of sweet clear water.”
“You have been there before?” the Marquis asked.
“Twice, my Lord. Once in the war when I was serving in a brig and we were out of water completely, before we filled up there and very glad we were of it too. The second time was when I
