As the Sparks Fly Upward (36 page)

July 28, 1588

T
wyla had been listless and dull for the past few months—actually, ever since Adam had recovered. She had hoped when Colin told her he had overcome the illicit passion he felt for Heather by the will of God that he would declare his love for her, but he had not said a word like that. Everyone had noticed that Twyla smiled only very infrequently and that she went about her work in a listless fashion.

Colin hasn't said a word to me, not what I want to hear, anyway.
Now as she sat sewing a dress, she suddenly realized that she had no need for pretty dresses. She threw it to one side and rose from her chair. She would have left the room, but through the window she saw Colin ride up, dismount, and head for the front door. She didn't want to see him, for he brought her only pain and grief. He came in quickly, however, and caught her as she was heading down the long hallway that led to the stairs. “Twyla, I need to talk to you.”

“What is it?” Her voice was short.

“Is there something wrong?” Colin asked.

“No, of course not.”

“The Spanish fleet is on the way. Walsingham's agents tell us they'll be here very soon.”

“We knew that was going to happen.”

“I've been thinking about something, Twyla. I wasn't going to say anything, but now I must. It's about something I must do. I know you won't like it, but I feel it's proper.”

“Just tell me what it is, Colin.”

Adam had divorced Heather and had gained rapidly in health, so he was able to report to Drake that he was capable of serving on the fleet as the English were preparing to meet the Invincible Armada. Adam was back at his ship, ready to fight.

“I've decided to serve on Adam's ship as a physician. Men will be wounded, and they'll need someone to care for them.”

“Colin, you're not a fighting man!”

“No, but I can take care of those who do fight. Suppose I had a son one day, and he asked me what I did to keep England free when the Spanish came. All I could say to him is, ‘I stayed home while other men fought for England.'”

“Many men can fire a gun, but none can save lives like you do. You mustn't do it, Colin!”

“I knew you'd take it badly.” Colin dropped his head for a moment, then lifted it and reached out to take her hands. “I know you're worried, but just think of this: there are women all over England who are sending their men off to fight. I know it's hard, but that's the way war is. I don't want you to be so concerned.”

“How can you say that? You think concern is something you can turn on and off? Don't you know how much—” Twyla almost finished the sentence with
I love you
, but said, “—how much I owe to you? You've made my life what it is. I don't know what would happen to me if you got hurt in battle. I don't even want to think about it.”

“Let's go into the sitting room. We will talk about this.”

The two moved into the sitting room and sat down on an oversized sofa. Twyla listened with a sense of dread as Colin tried to explain his actions. She knew he was a man of honor,
but to her it made no sense that with his talent he should risk everything.

“I don't want to listen to you anymore.”

She got up to leave the room, but Colin caught her hand and said, “Twyla, please don't act this way! I knew it would hurt you, but this is something I have to do.” Suddenly Twyla felt his arms go around her, and he pulled her close. She looked up, startled. She knew that this man she had grown to love had little idea of how much she cared for him. As a last desperate measure, she reached up and put her hands around his neck, pulled his head down, and kissed him. Colin was shocked, and Twyla felt a sudden tremor in his body. She held to him, and his lips were firm on hers. At first they were just passive, but then they grew demanding. Twyla held him close. Finally when he lifted his head, she whispered, “Don't you see how I feel, Colin? Please don't go!”

Colin looked shocked. He didn't speak for a moment but finally said, “I'd like to say things to you, Twyla, but I don't know what lies ahead of me. I can't make any promises, because I may not live. This is going to be a difficult battle, but I'll try to come back to you.”

“Please don't go, Colin!”

He shook his head and freed himself from her embrace. For a moment he held her hands, then lifted them to his heart. “Pray for me,” he said. “When I come back, we'll have time to talk.” He turned and left quickly.

Twyla just stood there helpless. Her only enemy now was a war that threatened to destroy the finest and best of England's young men with a terrible blow!

Sir Francis Drake was always a man for sport, so when the word was out that the Spanish would soon be in sight, he was playing a game of bowls on Plymouth Hole. A messenger named Flemming came running up so out of breath he could barely speak.
He did manage to gasp, “Sir, the Armada has been sighted at the Scilly Isles!”

Drake turned and winked at Adam, then grinned and said in his West Country drawl, “Well, we'll have time enough to finish the game and beat the Spaniards too.”

They did finish the game; then Drake seemed to be electrified with energy. “Come, my brave fellows, it's time to singe the beard of the king of Spain! Better yet, to roast him hoof, hide, and toenails!”

The sailors followed Drake down to the harbor. When they arrived, Drake suddenly turned and spoke to Adam. “I don't feel right about this, Winslow. You were badly wounded, and you're not fully healed even now.”

“I'm completely able, Sir Francis. I can't be left behind.”

Drake studied Adam for a long moment, then turned to face Colin. “What about you, Dr. Winslow? This will be a little bit different from administering a pill in a quiet hospital or sickroom.”

“I hope I can be of service, Sir Francis.”

“I wish every ship could have a qualified doctor on it. Some poor fellows die for lack of good medical care. You understand that a Spanish musket ball has no brains? It won't stop because you hold the title of physician.”

“I want to do my duty, Sir Francis. That's why I've come.”

“Stout fellow! Well, let's get to it!”

Despite all the efforts of her council, Queen Elizabeth was determined not to stay at home while her country was under attack. Elizabeth may have been easy to upset, but she was impossible to frighten! She led a marshal procession of barges down the river and landed at Tilbury Fort. It was here the Duke of Parma would land—unless the Seahawks were able to hold him and his army away.

Elizabeth was met by her general, the Earl of Leicester, and on
the morning of August 14 she rode on a beautiful horse to address her troops. There was a review, and all the captains of her army came to stand before her. The soldiers were lined up crowding around her, and Elizabeth's voice was strong as she spoke.

My loving people, you've been persuaded by some that are careful for our safety to take heed how we commit ourselves to armed multitudes, for fear of treachery. But I assure you, I do not desire to live to distrust my faithful and loving people. Let tyrants fear! I have always so behaved myself that, under God, I have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in a loyal heart and the goodwill of my subjects; therefore I am come amongst you as you see, at this time, not for my recreation and disport, but being resolved, in the midst of the battle, to live or die amongst you all and to lay down for my God and for my kingdom and for my people my honor and my blood, even in the dust. I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king and of a king of England, too, and think foul scorn that Parma or any prince of Europe should dare invade the borders of my realm; to which rather than any dishonor shall grow by me, I myself will take up arms, I myself will be your general, judge, and rewarder of every one of your virtues in the field. I know already for your forwardness you deserve rewards and crowns, and we do assure you, the word of a prince, they shall be duly paid you.

The troops broke into wild cheering—Elizabeth of England knew that this was her finest hour!

All of the Seahawks opposed hand-to-hand fighting in sea battles. They advocated battering the enemy from a distance with new long-range guns. The fact was that only thirty-four of the queen's ships could be put to sea to meet the enormous Armada of Spain. The British, by superior skill, gained the weather
gauge, which meant that they would have the choice of when and where to attack. Drake, followed by Admiral Howard, swept into the main body of the enemy. Howard reported, “The Spaniards are forced to give way and flock together like sheep.” Indeed, the waters in the Channel were difficult for the Spaniards. The guns of the English ships raked the decks of the galleons, killing crews and demoralizing soldiers, with much less damage done to the English.

Throughout the battle, Colin felt himself to be more of a hindrance than a help. The ship commanded by his brother had stayed at long range, so that no cannon or musket fire could reach them. With their long-range guns they had decimated the Spanish ships. As far as Colin could see, the battle had been won. All the English had to do was stand off at long distance and blow the Spanish out of the water.

Suddenly, he saw a messenger coming in a small craft. He watched as the message was passed to Adam. He advanced at once, asking, “What's happening, Adam?”

“Our ships are almost out of ammunition, blast it! If we had enough balls and powder we could finish them off, but there's not enough.”

“What can be done then? Will they be allowed to escape?”

“No, leave it to Drake to think of something! We're going to attack with fire ships.”

“What is that?” Colin had to yell over the gunfire.

“We take ships and load them with flammable materials. We use old ships usually. Put skeleton crews aboard them, and aim them toward where the Spanish ships are gathered. Just before they strike, the crews set the ships afire. The crews escape on small boats, and the fire ships go in the midst of the Spanish ships.”

“Do you think it will work?”

“The worst danger to a fleet of wooden sailing ships is fire. Everything can go up—their sails, their sun-dried decks and
spars. There is only one problem, Colin. We've been assigned to take charge of one of the fire ships. That means we'll be forced to get in close, so there'll be some cannonballs coming our way. I want you to go down below at once.”

“No, I'll stay here. If there is danger to the men I want to be able to help them.”

“We can bring them below. Now, get off the deck!”

Colin had never disobeyed his brother's word, but now he did so. “I won't do it, Adam! If you put me down there you'll have to tie me, because I'm staying where I can help!”

Suddenly Adam laughed, and the light of battle was in his eyes. He reached down and hugged Colin. “All right, Brother, try to dodge all the musket balls you can.”

“You do the same, Captain!”

Adam left then to bring the ship closer to the action. They found the fire ship they were in charge of, and Colin saw Adam consign a small crew to raise sails and guide the ship into the Spanish. Ten minutes later he well understood what Adam had feared of. They were close now to the Spanish ships that were packed tightly together. Colin looked up and saw a small army of musket men along the rails of the galleons aiming at them. The natural tendency of a man caught in a target like this was to duck or to run away, but Colin did neither. Men would be hit, and he stood ready to help them.

Then the fire ship seemed to ignite, and the crew steered it directly toward the center of the massed line of Spanish ships.

Colin turned and stared at a line of muskets only a hundred feet away, and they all seemed to be pointed at him! At that moment he knew that when the volley came, he would be killed. Colin had always heard that if a man was caught in a situation like this, his whole life would flash before him. This didn't happen to Colin Winslow. Thoughts of Twyla were swirling in his mind when suddenly one of the officers, a thickset lieutenant, came running up. He stood in front of Colin, waving his
sword and cursing the Spanish. Just as he did so the volley sounded. The lieutenant was driven back, hit by dozens of bullets it seemed. He crashed into Colin, who fell to the deck under his weight. Colin pushed the soldier off and saw that he had, indeed, been struck by many musket balls.
If he hadn't been in front of me, I would be dead!
Others were down, but Adam had turned the ship away. Colin watched as the fire ships struck all up and down the line until the Spanish ships were blazing.

“A beautiful sight, isn't it, Colin?” Colin turned to see Adam's face lit up with a smile. “Are you all right?”

Colin looked over at the burning Spanish ships and smiled too. “Yes, Adam, for the first time in my life I think I am.”

The rest of the battle was determined by a fierce windstorm that scattered the Spanish fleet, destroying many of their galleons. Queen Elizabeth smiled and said, “This is the wind of God!” And so it came to be a proverb: “The enemy came, but God blew on them. The Wind of God saved England!”

Twyla was walking the floor, though it was dark now, well past midnight. The news had come that the Spanish had been driven away. The ships that hadn't caught fire had fled down the coast, pursued by the Seahawks. Now as Twyla tried to block out the terrible thoughts that came, she knew there was nothing she could do but pray. Praying was all she seemed to do lately.

She heard the clock strike three. The house was dark, for she had snuffed all the candles except one in the sitting room. She sat down; her hands trembled as she covered her face. How long she sat there she didn't know, but she continued to pray fervently. She finally heard a faint sound.

Someone's trying to break in!
The sound wasn't at a door, but at a window. She rose and went at once to the side room and saw a dark form struggling to open the shutters from the outside. Twyla had been warned that there would be looters, and she looked around frantically for a weapon. She had no pistol, so
she picked up a huge thunder mug used for toilet purposes. She stood holding it over her head, and as the shutters opened, a dark form climbed inside. Instantly, Twyla brought the thunder mug down on the intruder's head, and the man cried out and fell to the floor. The shock of the blow drove the mug from Twyla's hands. She suddenly felt hands grabbing her, dragging her down, and terror came to her then, for she knew what a woman could expect from a man who would break into a house!