HF - 01 - Caribee (53 page)

'And the only two taken were Aline and Yarico,' Tom Warner mused.

The one because she is my wife, and the other because she betrayed her people.'

‘I
must confess,' de Poincy said, '
that
I do not follow this conversation.'

'My son is convinced that this is no mere raid, monsieur,' Tom explained. 'But the result of a long-standing feud between our people, and yours, and a certain Carib by name of Wapisiane. He is the sole survivor of his people here on St Ki
tt
s, following their destruction by myself and the Sieur Belain.'

'Mon Dieu' De Poincy said.
‘I
was not aware that there was any survivor, other than the Princess Yarico.'

'Neither was I, up to this moment,' Tom said. 'But it appears that there was, through some misguided generosity on the part of my son. And it would seem that events have confirmed his fears.'

'But this changes ma
tt
ers entirely. I had supposed that your son had come to warn us of the opening shots in perhaps an
Indian
war, in which my people and I would be willing to play the fullest part. But if indeed this affair is the result of a feud, concerning an event wi
th which no Frenchman now in th
ese islands has the slightest connection, why, then, sir, I do not see how I can ask my people to risk then lives.'

'Can you not see that
their
lives are alr
eady at risk?' Edward shouted. 'Wapisiane makes no distinction between those who were here when Tegramond was killed and those who were not.'

'Yet is he also a man of some ability and common sense,' de Poincy observed. 'Judging by the way he out-manoeuvred your people on Antigua. And as such, believe me, sir, he will always have more sense than to a
tt
ack a colony as heavily populated and as well defended as St Ki
tt
s.'

'That is true, in my estimation,' Judge agreed.
‘I
have observed this when I was with the Dons, that the
Indian
s would never risk an a
tt
ack upon any force they were not sure
they
could overcome.'

'Monsieur, one of the women Wapisiane took was a French girl, my wife, the daughter of Captain Joachim Galante. Can you condemn her to.. ..'

‘I
condemn her to nothing, Mr Warner. You may rest assured that she is already dead. Of this I have no doubt at all. I grieve for you, young man, believe me, but you are young, and your heart and your spirit will recover. And, no doubt, you will know be
tt
er than ever to show generosity to a Carib again.'

'But she is not dead,' Edward insisted.
‘I
am sure of it. What more terrible punishment could Wapisiane have inflicted on me other than to spreadeagle my wif
e upon the sand as he did all th
ose other women, if only to kill her? His only possible reason for taking her was to make his revenge even more complete.'

De Poincy half bowed towards Anne Warner. 'You will excuse my bluntness, madame, but if that is the case, then she is more than ever dead, to European eyes. What, would you risk dozens, perhaps scores of lives to regain possession of a woman who has been bedded by a savage? What would you do with her? Chop off her head?'

Edward gaped at him in impotent despair.

'Monsieur
de Poincy is right, Edward,' Anne Warner said gently. 'This is a terrible, horrible, ghast
l
y event, but it is not one which can be altered, now it has happened. We can only be more determined to make sure that it never happens again. Antigua is clearly in need of strengthening. Believe me, we all understand your desire to make the colony a success on your own, but now that has failed, why, you must accept help from your father. He will send you fresh people, in sufficient numbers to make the colony impregnable against further a
tt
acks. You must build again. God knows you have done that often enough in the past. As for Joan, you may leave her with me for the time being. It will be my pleasure to care for her, and to secure for her a wet nurse.'

‘I
intend to regain possession of my wife and Yarico,' Edward said, speaking very slowly and clearly. 'Alive, if they are yet alive, and I am sure they are. If not, their bodies. I could not live knowing I had condemned them to a living death. Nor am I acting entirely selfishly in this ma
tt
er. Wapisiane may regard his success of yesterday as vindication of his revenge. The
Indian
s who accompanied him will see it only as a great victory over the white man. Their thoughts will already be turning towards the accomplishment of other triumphs. Unless we show them, and show them quickly, that the white man is not to be trifled with, that he will hit back, twice as hard as he was hit.'

'Could we show them that,' Philip said. 'But how is it to be done? We assume these savages came from Dominica. Why not St Vincent? Or St Lucia? There are Carib tribes there.'

Tell them, Tom,' Edward commanded.

The boy had been silent throughout the meal, watching and listening to the talk. Now he licked his lips. 'People of smoke come to Antigua.'

'People of smoke?' Anne Warner asked.

'Major Judge will have heard of them,' Edward said.

'That I have,' Judge agreed. "They are from Dominica, to be sure, and inhabit the crater of a still active volcano, 'tis said. But how can
this
boy know that?"

'Because he speaks their language? Edward said. 'Does that also answer your question, Philip?'

'So we know
they
came from Dominica. Is
that
not an island every bit as large as St Ki
tt
s, if not larger, and entirely covered with forest and mountain? Did not you and I, Edward, with a score of men, successfully resist over a thousand Spaniards here in St Ki
tt
s? How can you consider leading a force which will necessarily be much smaller into the forests of Dominica?"

'Because I know the forest and I know the Carib,' Edward said.
‘I
know how to fight him, and I know how much he wants to fight me.'

‘It
will involve meaningless bloodshed,' Judge said. 'On military grounds, Edward, I would have to say that your plan has small chance of success.'

'Believe us, Edward,' Anne said. 'We honour and respect your desire to go after Aline, but you must see that it is impossible.'

Edward looked at his father.

Tom Warner pulled his beard.
‘It
is indeed a terrible position in which to find oneself,' he said. 'Supposing you were Governor of St Ki
tt
s, Edward. What would you do?"

‘I
'd call for volunteers.'

Tom nodded, thoughtfully. 'Then you have my permission to do so.'

'Sir Thomas,' Anne exclaimed. 'Surely....'

'Hush, woman. These are men's affairs.'

‘I
thank you, sir,' Edward said. 'And your own part? For this will be important.'

Tom sighed. 'You and I have seldom followed the same path, Edward, saving on that first and most important occasion, when we set sail for these islands. And no ma
tt
er what trials have come upon us in the years between, I have never regre
tt
ed that momentous step. Nor can I convince myself that I have always been right and you wrong. I know now that the massacre at Blood River was a mistake. In allowing Wapisiane to live, you a
tt
empted to assuage your conscience, and I cannot blame you for that. Nor can I ever do less than honour to your spirit which has preserved this colony for me.

The day you set foot upon Dominica, be sure that I shall be at your side.'

'
Father
.' Edward thrust out his hand.

Philip chewed Ins lip. ' 'Tis certain suicide.'

Tom did not look at him. 'You shall not accompany us, Philip, no ma
tt
er how hard you beg. I cannot risk the destruction of my entire family at one blow. You will stay here and care for your stepmother and your stepbrother, and your niece. And care for them well. And you, Harry. I must leave an experienced soldier behind.'

'Oh, what rubbish you men do talk,' Anne
Warner
cried angrily. 'What, will the pair of you storm Wapisiane's stronghold? You'll not get a man to follow you. They have more sense
. God curse the day you were born
, Edward Warner. You have ever been nothing more than a troublemaker. Go on, then, call for your volunteers, and let us have this mad scheme buried within the hour.'

"Aye,' Tom said. The people are waiting.' He stepped outside, on to the raised porch of the new Government House, from whence he commanded a view down the main street, which began in the square imme
di
at
ely beneath him. Here the entire populace of Sandy Point seemed to have gathered, milling about, jostling, and babbling into the still evening air. Tom clapped his hands, and again, and
then
seized a stick and struck the gong which stood close to the steps. The reverberations echoed across the rooftops, and the crowd slowly grew silent.

'You'll all know why we are assembled here,' Tom shouted. 'Our neighbouring colony of Antigua has been a
tt
acked by the Carib
Indian
s, and English Harbour destroyed. Women were s
laughtered there, as well as ch
ildren and men. But what is worse, two of the women were carried off by the savages. Mrs Warner, wife of the deputy governor of the colony, and my daughter-in-law, and the Princess Yarico. God alone knows, and I hesitate to suppose, what terrible sufferings have already been inflicted upon these two unfortunate ladies, but our knowledge of the Carib leads us to suppose they may still be alive. As Christian men we cannot remain here
in that knowledge, without mak
ing some a
tt
empt to rescue them.'

He paused, and the crowd stared at him, although imme
di
at
ely there were whisperings, mostly by the women.

Tom licked his lips, and held up his hands. 'However, this responsibility we have is of small account when set beside the responsibility we have to our own women and children. Were this expedition to be purely punitive it would not h
ave my backing for an instant. B
ut it must be more
than
that. As of yesterday we must consider ourselves at war with the
Indian
s. No doubt
this
is a tragedy some of us long foresaw. We must not shrink from it now. The
Indian
s in Dominica must be made to know that we will not permit them to a
tt
ack English colonies, no ma
tt
er how small and isolated, with impunity. That we will visit them with twice the destruction even.' time they dare take the field against us. Believe me, my friends, this is a necessary act, or you may well awake one day to see Sandy Point itself in flames. It has happened before.'

Again the anxious pause, and again the whisperings.

‘It
will be dangerous,' Tom shouted. 'Make no mistake about that. But we have the advantage of being led by the fore most
Indian
fighter in these islands, Captain Edward Warner. I do not have to tell you, lads, that Captain Warner defended this island against the entire might of Spain, with but twenty men at his back, and those unarmed when the campaign started. We can rely upon him. He has lived amongst the
Indian
s, can think like them, anticipate their every move. He will lead us to victory.'

'And it is his wife we are going to regain,' someone shouted.

Tom scanned their faces. 'Why, yes,' he agreed.
‘It
is hi
s wife. Now, lads, you came here to plant sugar, and grow rich. By the terms of the agreements you signed with me, you are duty bound to take up your arms in defence of St Ki
tt
s when I call upon you to do so. Nothing more. But I would ask you to volunteer to accompany my son and myself to Dominica, resting sure hi your minds that this is the surest way of defending this island that we have, and that any oth
er course were to in
vite the
Indian
s to descend upon us at will. Now, then, who'll be first to volunteer?'

He stopped, and wiped his brow, and the crowd stared back at him.

‘If
Captain
Warner
is so big an
Indian
fighter,' someone called, ‘H
ow come he got beat in Antigua?'

'We were a
tt
acked in two places at once,' Edward replied.
‘I
lacked the men.'