Miss Whittier Makes a List (29 page)

Hannah
’
s eyes scanned the two rows of wounded, stopping on one shrouded figure.
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“
Don
’
t tell me that is Daniel Spark,
”
she whispered, her hand digging into the surgeon
’
s
ar
m.

“
No, no. He is over there. I do not wonder that you could not recognize him.
”
He took her hand and led her to the end of one row.

She knelt by Spark
’
s pallet on the floor, appalled at the damage the soldiers had done. The surgeon knelt beside her.
“
I think that once the swelling goes down, he will appear much more presentable, but there isn
’
t much I can do about his nose. He will have to resort to a
ppear
ing interesting from now on, rather than handsome.
”

She leaned closer, touching Spark
’
s face.
“
Is he unconscious?
”

Lease shook his head.
“
I think he is just sleeping now. It
’
s been too long since he has done that. You could wake him up.
”

“
Oh, no, I wouldn
’
t dream of it,
”
she whispered, her hand on his chest. The captain stirred and moved his legs, and Lease removed her hand.

“
Gently, my dear. His ribs are broken in several places.
”
He pulled back the blanket to show her the bandages wound tight around his chest.

To her surprise, the surgeon took her hand and placed it on the bandage just above his waist.
“
Feel that.
”

A question in her eyes, she cautiously prodded Captain
Spark.
“
It feels like paper under there.
”
She looked at Lease then,
as the color drained from her face.
“
The dispatch? But why didn
’
t you just destroy it?
”

He leaned closer to whisper in her ear.
“
You need that dispatch to convince the Admiralty that
Antigua
’
s governor and Lord Luckingham at the Hors
e Guard are traitors. Otherwise,
it is just the word of two Americans who have no love lost on the Royal Navy.
”
He smiled at her.
“
At least,
I think this is Adam
’
s case. About you, I am not so sure.
”

Hannah regarded him seriously.
“
I am not sure either, sir.
”

“
Well, so it sits. I have received a message from Futtrell. He had commandeered a fishing boat and plans a rescue tonight.
”

She gasped.
“
Do you think he can do it? Someone has to get the captain out of here!
”

Lease regarded her with a smile.
“
Precisely my thought. Colonel Aillet is quite prepared to forward our captain to
France
and the guillotine, as soon as he is able to stand the rigors of the voyage.
”

“
But Mr. Futtrell!
”
she protested, and then lowered her voice when Spark stirred in his sleep.
“
He is so young!
”

“
You will be amazed what people can do, if they have to, my dear Miss Whittier,
”
he replied, his tone mild, his eyes touched with that weariness again that went beyond mere physical exhaustion.
“
All I ask is that you stay close to Adam tonight and be ready to do what he tells you.
”

She nodded, her eyes on the captain. Lease watched her a moment, then turned away to a sailor who called for a drink of water.
“
Remember, my dear Miss Whittier. Stay close to Adam.
”

Hannah knelt another moment beside Spark
’
s pallet, and then covered his bandaged ribs with the blanket again. She surveyed the wreckage before her, one eye swollen shut, a nose beaky now at the bridge where it had once been so straight.
“
Well, thee will certainly look more fearsome on the quarterdeck,
”
she whispered, resting the back of her band against his neck.

To her surprise, Spark opened his one good eye and looked back at her.
“
Bosoms,
”
he mumbled and then closed h
i
s eye again, as though the effort was too great.
“
I was getting aw
fully tired of that black-and-wh
ite
check
, Lady Amber. Bosoms. Much better ...
.
”
He
was silent then.

I should be offended by thee, she thought as she watched him another moment, then carefully removed her hand from his neck. I wonder why I am not?

“
Thee is a pitiful specimen,
”
she whispered and kissed his hair.
“
Perhaps we should chum thee for sharks.
”

He opened his eye again.
“
I intend to mend rapidly, Hannah.
”

She patted his neck again and rose without comment, pausing in the doorway, wondering if she would see him alive again. My
dear captain
, she thought, once you told me that the worst fear was the sound of the guns firing and running in and out. It is worse, far worse, to
fear for
the life of another.

Hannah would have given the worl
d for a glimpse of Adam Winslow,
but he was nowhere to be found. As it was, she endured a tour of Terceira
’
s fortress of S
ã
o Miguel by Madame Aillet, who had a tendency toward the morbid, and dwelt at length on prisoners who had suffered torture in the dungeons. It was not an itinerary designed to soothe her concern over Daniel Spark
’
s probable fate. She had asked, at the end of the tour, if she could re
tu
rn briefly to the makeshift h
ospital where the Americans lay,
but Madame Aillet
’
s raised eyebrows ended that attempt. She allowed herself to be escorted to her r
o
om, where Madame admonished her to lie on her bed for relief from the enervating heat that rolled across
Terceira
in ate afternoon.

She told herself she was not tired. Hannah paced the room as the little slave skipped after her, fanning, wishing there was something she could do for Daniel Spark besides worry about him. She stopped finally, when she noticed the child was out of breath, sighed, and lay down on the bed, certain that she would never sleep when someone so dear to her suffered. She was asleep almost before she finished castigating herself.

When she woke, the sky was cloudy and thunder rumbled across the choppy water of the bay. She sat by the window in her chemise, staring out a
t
the palm bent by sudden gusts of wind. When the
ra
in finally began, it was almost a physical relief for her. She
continued to stare at the water,
wondering what Lieutenant Futtrell had planned, and wishing it were Mr. Lansing, older and more seasoned, sti
ll
alive and in charge of a rescue attempt. She knew Adam Winslow well, and could only hope that the events of the past month had given him the maturity he
would need for whatever part he played in the events about to unfold.

And w
hat about thee, Hannah Whittier,
she asked herself. Is thee capable of instant action? What length will thee travel to see to the safety of Captain Spark? She did not know the answer, beyond a fervent desire to see him alive and stalking many another quarterdeck, the wind at his cheek, and his eyes on the sails. It is not because I love him, she assured herself. He meets none of my requirements for a husband, beyond the
fact that he is patient with me,
and kind, and listens to what I say. I wish I could say that I was indifferent to his kiss, and the warmth I feel when he is very
near
, but that appears to be the nature of rascals.

Her unprofitable thoughts were given a new direction by the summons to dinner. She followed the servant down the polished stone ha
ll
way to a ch
arming
banquet room with a balconied view of the harbor. Adam Winslow, wearing a handsome coat of
French cut that almost fit him,
beamed at her as he stood conversing with the Aillets, and a tonsured Dominican soon introduced as Madame
’
s confessor. Other officers, some in French uniform, some in Portuguese, made up the dinner guests. She found herse
lf seated between two Frenchmen,
whose English was rudimentary at best, and whose sole occupation appeared to be gazing down her bosom without drawing attention to the fact.

Dinner was delicious, especially the fish g
arn
ished with lemons from Terceira
’
s orchards, and concluded with a robust
Madeira
already so highly praised by the colonel. Hannah ate what was set before her and wondered why it tasted no
better to her than sea biscuits,
salt beef, and Cookie
’
s heavenly plum duff.

When the last plate was removed, the colonel nodded to his wife, who rose and ges
tu
red to Hannah.

“
My dear, let us leave these men to their politics and cigars,
”
she said, holding out her hand.

No, Hannah
thought
in sudden panic. She looked at Adam, who rose and held out a closely written paper.

“
Colonel, please indulge us.
”
he said, after bowing to Madame Aillet. He pointed to the paper.
“
I h
ave taken the liberty of enumerating all the wrongs done to us on the
Dissuade.
”
He looked at Hannah.
“
I would like to read it, and then request that Captain Spark be brought here to sign it.
”

“
But, my dear boy, he can hardly walk!
”
the colonel protested.
“
I must save him from all exertions for the guillotine.
”

Adam
’
s chin went up, an
d Hannah suppressed a smile. Ah,
Colonel Aillet, she thought, you do not know how stubborn this young man can be. She sat down again, content that Adam would prevail.

“
I think you owe it to us,
”
Adam said.
“
I want that beast to hear this, and then I want him to sign it. And I hope he hurts. It would only be a slight recompense for all the wrong he has done us. If you are of a mind to return us to the Caribbean, I want to slap this in the hand of
England
’
s ambassador to the
United States
, once we are home again. The doctor can bring Spark here.
”

Hannah watched her young friend, secretly impressed by the set of his jaw. She leaped to her feet.
“
I can only second what my friend has said. We have grievances which must be addressed, if not in
London
, then in
Washington
,
D.C.
to s

The colonel considered the request, then motioned them closer.
“
Come, you two! I will do as you say.
”

Hannah hurried to Adam
’
s side. He took her hand and held it close to his chest.
“
Let us hope he does not come with a squad of soldiers,
”
he whispered to her as the colonel conversed with his fellow officers, then sent them from the room.

“
He will be with us soon,
”
said the colonel.
“
Some more
Madeira
?
”

While the colonel returned to the table to pour another glass, Adam leaned closer to Hannah.
“
All I know is that Dr. Lease told me he had
arranged
some kind of diversion.
”

She looked at him, a question in her eyes, as the thunder, louder now, rolled across the bay.
“
Thee must be ready for anything,
”
he told her, then accepted the Madeira with a smile from Colonel Aillet.

They seemed to wait forever, and Hannah writhed inside, wondering if Captain Spark was too badly injured to mount the stairs. Madame Aillet finally retired to the chapel with
her confessor, and the colonel went to the window to smoke his cigar and watch the progress of the storm
.

“
I wish thee knew what Dr. Lease has in mind,
”
she whispered to Adam.

“
So do
I
,
”
he replied, his eyes on the doorway. Suddenly his grip tightened on her hand.
“
Well, at least we will know soon. As the captain says,
‘
Tally-ho, Lady Amber.
’
 
”

She turned to the door to
see
the captain, leaning heavily on the surgeon, enter the room. The swelling had lessened, but he still could open only one eye. His usually impeccable white trousers were bloodstained and dirty, and Lease had thrown a shirt about his shoulders. She sighed. There was no guard. This was no surprise; in his present condition, Captain Sir Daniel Spark was no threat to anyone. She peered closer, that look of dogged determination in his one open eye was familiar to her. She crossed her fingers, hoping that Colonel Aillet would not realize what a fire burned within the battered man before him.

“
Ah, my dear Captain Spark.
”
the colonel said.
“
So good of you to join us.
”

Spark grunted and sank with a groan into a chair. Lease set his medicine satchel on the table and glowered at the colonel.
“
I do not know why you have summoned us here, but I must protest such treatment of the wounded,
”
he said, and then pointed a finger at Adam.
“
Don
’
t you think the guillotine punishment enough?
”

Hannah gasped as Adam slapped the surgeon across the mouth with the rolled up document.
“I
cannot stomach your English
arrogance
,
”
he shouted back.
“
We have suffered grievously at this monster
’
s hands, and I will be satisfied!
”

It was a convincing performance. The colonel, bristling with indignation, stepped between Adam and the doctor.
“
Monsieur, remember that you are a guest in my dining hall!
”
he protested to Adam.

Lease turned a cold stare upon Adam, who glared back.
“
It is what I expect from American rabble!
”
the surgeon said, his voice heavy with disdain.

They glowered at each other while Captain Spark rested his forehead on
the table. The colonel chuckled
.
“
Captain, you have reminded us of the reason for this visit. I am sure that my dear American guests will look forward to that moment when your head is situated just so under the blade before it drops.
”

“
Bastards,
”
the captai
n muttered, not raising his head.