HF - 01 - Caribee (45 page)

The Dons?
’

They have introduced it in Cuba and in places on the mainland. And it thrives in this climate.' 'And there is a market for this sugar?"

'Tis this new drink which is spreading across the world. Coffee. You'll not have sampled it. It is dark, and strong smelling, and strong tasting, too, and of a similarly strong substance. It needs sweetening. A drop of honey but merely loses itself in so powerful a concentration. But the juice of this plant, when suitably crystallized... mind you, 'tis a deal of work. The juice must be extracted by crushing, and then it must be boiled into granules. We shall need special equipment, rollers and vats. But I have an expert. Major Judge has seen it done when a prisoner of the Dons in Cuba.'

'And it also needs a vast amount of heavy labour,' Judge said. Too heavy for white men, it is considered, at least in this climate. Thus you
’
ll see that we are happy to have seen the last of your wild Irish.'

‘I’
ll have to confess I do not understand you at all,' Edward said. 'We need more labour than ever before for this cane, you say, yet you are happy to let our only labour go?
’

We shall replace them,' Tom said.
‘I
have made arrangements for a shipload of Negro slaves to be brought here. John Painton, you remember John Painton, Edward? He's now turned to slaving. Oh, 'tis a thriving business for those who can stand the stench. He
’
ll be bringing them here within the six month. By then we must have the land cleared and the factory built.'

'Negro slaves? Philip asked.

'Well,
they
'd not come any other way. But you see the point, lad. We buy these p
eople, and they are not cheap, I’ll
tell you that, and then they are ours. No ten-year term.' 'Ours to work to death,' Edward said.

'No one said anything about death,' Tom insisted,
‘I
ndeed, it would be unprofitable. The point I am making is that these people wall be here for the term of their natural lives, and they will understand this. Thus there will be no cause for revolts or thoughts
of revolts, or even for insubor
dination. And there will be women as well as men, so they will be a self-perpetuating labour force. Oh, we are thinking here not of ourselves alone, but of the future. Of generations of cane-planters and their people.'

'From being a governor you'll have become a god,' Tony Hilton remarked softly.

Tom Warner's head came up, but Judge hastily broke in, 'And an even greater advantage, Edwar
d, is that they are born
and bred in a climate very similar to this. So the heat will affect them not a whit'

'You'll explain that remark, Tony,' Tom said. 'By God, sir, I have not forgo
tt
en
that
you were an able assistant to my son in the revolt here.'

'Nor will you have forgo
tt
en that I bear the King's Commission as deputy governor of the island of Nevis,' Hilton pointed out 'Secured by your own good officers.'

'And under my ultimate jurisdiction, by God,' Tom shouted.

' 'Tis best we not quarrel on our first night in this charming place,' Anne Warner said.

' 'Tis best we not quarrel at all.' Tony said.
‘I
'll speak my mind, Tom. It is something I have considered for a good while, and now, since I have had the chance to discuss the ma
tt
er with Sue here, and discovered her to be of
a like opinion, why ... that sh
ip over there is mine, secured by my own backers, and paid for by the
gold I took out of that Frenc
man in mid-channel. You'll not deny that'

‘I
'll not deny the truth at any time.'

Then
I’ll
take her and bid you farewell. Do not worry, I shall abscond with none of your colonists. I've my crew, recruited by myself. I've my wife. And
I’ll
soon have a son. And I've too many memories both of this place and Nevis.'

'You'll sail away? By God, you've a mind to become a pirate.'

"There is a war on, Tom. I've no need to look for ships to take other than Spanish or French.'

‘
You cannot do this,' Edward said. 'Susan?
’

But t
he expression on Susan's face co
nfirmed Tony's words, that it had been at least partly her decision, and perhaps even her suggestion,

'But you have....' he gazed at her belly, and thought be
tt
er of bringing their relationship into the open. 'At least offer me a berth with you.'

Hilton smiled.
‘
Your father has just mapped out your future, Ned. Maybe for the next century. He
’
ll need you, boy. And this is your land. But it is not mine.'

'But....' he chewed his li
p. He did not love the girl any more. He could never love her again, after knowing what she and Tony had done to him. But for the child he would wave goodbye to them with a lifting heart. But the child was lost to him in any event.

'And when there is peace?" Tom asked.

"Why, then, maybe
I’ll settl
e down. But while there is a war on, I'll be serving King and country.' Again that magnificent grin. 'And my own pockets, Tom Warner. Come, Susan, we'll see to our goods. You can bid us farewell in the morning.'

He helped his wife to her feet. She hesitated for a moment, staring at Edward, and then hurried behind her husband.

'By God,' Tom said.

‘I
do not doubt that it is all to the good,' Anne Warner said. 'He is nothing more than a pirate. He will do well, until they catch him and hang him. And the red-headed whore. And I for one have no doubt at all we shall do be
tt
er without him. But we must not leave Nevis deserted. His Majesty was adamant about that. Edwar
d, what say you to a deputy governorshi
p, of Nevis?"

He gaped at her. 'Madam? I am still under trial.'

'Oh, fie upon you,' she smiled.
‘I
am sure the Governor has it far more in his mind to honour you for preserving our colony than for a
tt
empting to oust an obvious incompetent like Hal Ashton.' She spoke without the slightest suggestion, certainly in her mind, that Tom Warner would disagree with her. And without, indeed, any of the respect Edward bad been used to hearing in Mama's tone. He glanced at his father.

'Oh, indeed,' Tom said.
‘I
have been considering that very point while we sat here. You showed great courage, Edward, And more than that. You showed ability and responsibility. I only wish you had done so sooner. What say you to Nevis?'

Nevis? Where every tree, every stone on the beach, would remind him of Susan?
‘I
thank you for your trust, sir. But Nevis is not for me. If you would forgive me.'

'Why, of course we shall,' Anne Warner smiled.
‘I
am sure we shall find a willing governor from amongst our people here. And now I think we have sat talking long enough, and to be sure these mosquitoes have found me out.' She looked up the beach.
‘I
observe that our people have pitched tents and made an encampment. We shall retire, and resume our deliberations in the morning.'

She rose, and the men followed her example.

There is but one more ma
tt
er of great importance, Father,' Edward said.

'Can it not wait?"

'No, sir. It affects a lady's honour. Mademoiselle Galante.'

"The French girl?' Tom Warner peered into the gloom, wher
e Aline had remained standing thr
oughout the conference. 'By God. I assume she is a prisoner of war. And will be treated as such.'

'On the contrary, sir.' Edward sucked air into his lungs and wondered what devil made him take up these indefensible positions. 'She is my betrothed wife.'

'What?" Tom demanded.

'Marry a Frenchwoman?' Anne Warner asked. 'And a papist? Surely you are le
tt
ing your notions of honour run away
with
you. So no doubt you have had your pleasure with her....'

'Madam?"

'Mother, Edward. Mother. Or, as I would prefer it, Anne, as we are so much of an age. Your father told me that we indulge in no false words, no false sentiments, upon Warner's land, and t
hat is a point of view I greatl
y welcome. Now, if this girl has found it necessary to share her bed to survive, that is oft the lot of prisoners of war, or indeed of women in war generally. Yet should you always remember that she belongs to a nation which foully betrayed a sacred treaty between your father and themselves.'

'As her name is Galante....' Tom growled.

‘I
ndeed you are quite correct, sir,' Edward said. 'Her father is Joachim Galante. Yet does this alter my resolution not a whit. We are betrothed, and seek to make our marriage legal as soon as possible.'

'By God,' Tom said.

‘
You love this
girl?' Anne Warner demanded. 'A papist?
’

Edward hesitated.
‘I
wish to make her my wife,' he said.

Anne Warner stared at him for a moment, and then turned away. 'We shall discuss it further in the morning.'

'And Yarico?' Yarico asked in a low voice.

Anne
Warner
checked, and looked over her shoulder. 'Why, Princess Yarico,
you may be sure that you will b
e treated now and always, with the deference your rank deserves. As will the French girl. I will arrange a tent for you to share.'

Aline
remained standing by the fire. ‘I
am surprised and delighted by your generosity, Edward.'

'Did you ever doubt that it was my intention?'

Her turn
to hesitate. 'No,' she said at last.
‘I
did not doubt that, in my heart, at the least. Yet I observe you found it difficult to express your love for me. If you are driven entirely by your notions of honour, I would not have it so.'

'Now, there is a change of a
tt
itude,' he remarked.

‘P
erhaps I am coming to understand the differences which exist, which must exist, between your life here and the life I knew in France.'

'None the less, you will marry me, now,' Edward said. 'Because I wish a wife, and there is none be
tt
er than you. None more suited, either, as you know the worst of life in these islands, as well as the best, and there can be li
tt
le promise of the one in the future without very probably the other as well.'

She tossed her head. 'And you still will not say the word that ma
tt
ers.'

'No, mademoiselle, I will not say the word that ma
tt
ers. You yourself told me it was unimportant, once the event was arranged. Thus you may regard this event as being a
rranged, in either heaven or hell
, as you choose. It is now inevitable.'

She gazed at him for several seconds, before walking up the beach. Why, he wondered. Why treat her so? Do you not love her? Do you know the meaning of the word? Have you been bewitched? Is she to suffer because of what you have suffered, from Susan? But did not Susan suffer because of you in the first place? And Yarico . . . did she not give you her love, entirely and without reservation, and did you not accept that love, until something more compelling came along?

She stood at his elbow. 'Ed-ward, stu-pid,' she remarked, 'A-line happy for love Ed-ward.'
‘I
know that.'

Yarico smiled. 'Anne happy for love Ed-ward, too.'

He glanced at her, sharply. "You'd do well to keep your evil thoughts to yourself.'

Yarico shrugged. 'What happen with Yarico, now? Yarico ain'
t
got no man. Yarico ain'
t
got no people. Yarico best go to forest, Ed-ward.' She pointed to the north end of the island,

'No,' he said. 'You'll not do that. You'll ... I will arrange it for you, Yarico.' 'What?
’

‘I’l
l... I'll speak to my father. Something will be arranged, I promise you.'

She smiled. 'Yarico, Ed-ward. Ed-ward, A-line.' She gave a shriek of delightful laughter, and went to find her son.

Edward watched his father standing in front of the tent, talking with Judge. New people, once again. And father was the newest of all. Sir Thomas Warner, by God. When would the lordship follow? He had found favour at court, as he had always found favour at court; but once he had been too forthright, too honest, ever to capitalize on that hypocritical advancement. Now that too had changed. And Merwar's Hope? Why, that no longer existed. Merwar's Hope was to become
nothi
ng but a copy of all the Spanish colonies in the Americas, breeding grounds for hate and fear and cruelty. He had fought the Dons with a savagery he had not supposed he had possessed, to preserve a dream which had already been ended. His only achievement was to free the Irishmen. But in that cause even Paddy O'Reilly had died. There was a sorry history.

He walked up the beach. And now, to preserve himself and his friends, he must also play the courtier. Thank God his friends were so few.

'Edward,' Tom said.
‘I
had hoped you'd stop by. You'll excuse us, Harry.'

'Of course, Sir Thomas. A good evening to you, Master Warner.' Judge bowed and withdrew into the darkness.

'Sit down, boy. Sit down. You'll take a pipe?'

‘I
'd not keep you, sir.'

Tom Warner smiled. ' 'Tis best I wait a while. She is a ravishing creature, is she not?" 'Oh, indeed, sir.'

'But young. And passionate. This day I am all but exhausted. But then, so is she, I imagine. Give her an hour and she will be fast asleep. And we have much to discuss, you and I.' He lowered himself to the sand with a sigh, began filling his pipe.
‘I
am not a man who finds words easy. You'll know the number of times we have quarrelled, and indeed come close to blows. But I have always borne in mind the lad who came with me from Plymouth those long years ago. A boy of singular courage and ability. I never doubted that in time that boy would return, and by God he has done so. I am proud of you, Edward. I would have you know that. By God, I have ever been quick enough to speak my mind when displeased.'

‘I
have no doubt that I deserved every word of condemnation, sir. Perhaps your original judgment was no more than right, and I was too young to embark upon such an adventure. I thought myself a man while still some years away from that state.'

'Ah, but without such precocity would you yet have achieved such a state of manhood where you would defend an island like this against a fleet of Spain? I doubt that.' Tom held out his hand. There'll be no more differences between us. You have my word and here is my hand.'

Edward grasped the hand, and sucked on his pipe.
‘I
did not have the chance to congratulate you, properly, on the honour done you.'

'My knighthood? If you'd know the truth, it is nothing but a farce. Our noble King has made it a law that every man in the kingdom possessing forty pound a ye
ar must present himself for th
is honour, as you call it. A means of raising income, you'll understand, as it cost me a pre
tt
y penny, I can assure you.'