The Gallant (20 page)

“Yes, precisely that,” the old man confirmed.

“My son Dominic has changed the paper radically since I entrusted him with its sole running, and he refuses to listen to my objections or

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heed my advice. So … I’ve thought about it, as I said, for a while-a long while. But I took no action, mainly because there was no one here in Hobart that I deemed suitable to assist me with the news gathering. And then

you

arrived here, out of the blue, and I had my answer.

You’re an experienced journalist-you’ve cut your teeth professionally and worked under an editor for whom I have great respect.” Damien Hayes paused, eyeing Johnny expectantly. “What do you say, John-would you be willing to work for me? I could promise you a better salary than you’re on with the Herald,

and my new paper would be adequately capitalized-I’m a rich man. And I believe we should work well together … we see eye to eye on most matters.”

“I-sir, I-was Taken completely

by surprise, Johnny found himself lost for words.

Damien Hayes was offering him a splendid opportunity, no denying that, and it was one he could not hope for if he stayed with the

Herald,

which, if anything, was overstaffed with men at least as competent as himself. Dominic would be furious, of course-not that he would permit Dominic’s reaction to influence him-but … there were the Cadogans, there was Kitty. He swallowed hard. He had given Kitty and Patrick his word, had promised to help them in any way he could; and if his newly formed suspicions concerning their intentions were to prove correct, then … dear heaven, he might well find himself in a most invidious position! He . .

.

Sensing his indecision, Damien Hayes said quietly, “Take time to think about it, John. There is no immediate hurry and much to do before I could hope to put a new paper on the street. I have a printer in mind, but an office would have to be found and government regulations studied and complied with-that will all take time. And I realize that you have a commitment to the young friends who accompanied you here-Lady Kitty and young Patrick Cadogan. And their unfortunate brother.”

“Yes, sir,” Johnny admitted, reddening.

“I have. But I-was Kitty, he thought resentfully, had scorned his aid and, as she had done at Norfolk Island, had chosen to avoid him and seek other company. For all that, however, he knew that were she to ask him to keep his promise, he would not refuse. Whatever the

cost, and even if it were to mean his refusing old Mr. Hayes’s offer.

“I imagine,” Mr. Hayes put in

shrewdly, “that when you pay your visit to the Port Arthur Penitentiary, you will-notwithstanding any assurances my son Dominic extracted from you when the visit was first suggested-you will try to see the prisoner called Big Michael?”

Johnny replied to the question honestly. “I shall endeavor to do so, sir, yes. But if it is possible, with the commandant’s permission. Or-depending on circumstances, sir-I would seek his consent to a visit from the Cadogans.”

Seemingly satisfied, Damien Hayes inclined his white head. “Very well, my dear boy. I shall take it that, following your visit to Port Arthur, you will know more where you stand as regards your obligations to Lady Kitty and her brother … and I may then expect a decision from you concerning my offer?”

“Yes, sir. And I-was Johnny rose with him, extending his hand. “I’m honored by the offer, Mr.

Hayes-deeply honored and grateful. There’s no one I’d sooner work for, sir, believe me. But I gave my word to Lady Kitty, and-was “And also, if I’m not mistaken, your heart, did you not?” Mr. Hayes’s hand grasped his warmly. He smiled. “That question requires no answer, my dear boy. But if you will heed an old man’s advice-which I fear you will not-you will think long and earnestly concerning any

future-er-commitment of a permanent nature. The young lady is exceptionally beautiful, and she possesses great charm, to which, it will not have escaped your notice, my son Dominic is not immune.” He released Johnny’s hand and waved him to silence, anticipating his indignant protest. “I will say no more, John, save to tell you that women like my daughter-in-law Marion may not possess the same measure of beauty or charm, but … as wives you cannot fault them.”

Johnny remained obediently silent, but he was still seething with indignation when, just before sunset, he went again to the Customs House Hotel in search of the young Cadogans. From the vantage point of the wharf, he watched for the return of the sealer Mary Ann,

but it was dusk before a helpful passerby pointed the vessel out to him.

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“That’s her, that’s the old

Mary Ann,

sir,” his informant volunteered. “Her master’s a feller name o’ Seth Thompson. Bit o’ a rogue, they reckon-served time at Port Macquarie a good while back for liquor smugglin’. But-was He broke off, lips pursed in a silent whistle, as he studied the figures standing on the sealer’s dimly lit deck. “Well, I’ll be damned! Fancy seem’

him

on board! And the quality. Wonders never cease, do they, sir? An’ I’d heard as he’d got religion!”

Johnny drew in his breath sharply, his lingering suspicions concerning the Cadogans flooding back.

“Who,” he asked tensely, “do you mean, if I may ask?”

The passerby-a seaman, by his garb—gave vent to a chuckle. “Why, Martin Cash, sir-that’s who I mean. The only feller that succeeded in abscondin’ from Port Arthur. Some years back, it was-I don’t rightly recall “ow many. Got ‘is ticket-o”-leave in the end, Cash did-from Norfolk Island, I believe. They say as “e’s workin” here now, in the botanical gardens.”

Still chuckling, the man went on his way, and Johnny watched apprehensively as he saw an oared boat lowered from the

Mary Ann’s

deck and splash into the water. Kitty and Patrick climbed down into it, followed by the man named Martin Cash. The boat pulled toward the wharf, but Johnny did not wait for it to come alongside.

Instead, he walked briskly back to the hotel, and he was standing in the entrance when Kitty and Patrick made their appearance, talking excitedly to each other. They broke off at the sight of him, and after a moment’s awkward silence, Kitty came running to his side. Martin Cash had vanished.

“Johnny-I’m

so

glad to see you!” Her greeting was eager, her smile radiant, echoing her words. It was, Johnny thought bitterly, as if it had been he who had eschewed her company, rather than she who had so persistently stayed beyond his reach. But, as always, he found it impossible to resist her charm, and taking the small, gloved hand she extended to him, he bore it to his lips.

“And I,” he began, “am glad to-was Patrick interrupted him. “I received your note, telling me of the appointment with Dr.

Hampton, Johnny. I’m so sorry that I was unable to join you, but we had arranged a boating trip and a picnic with friends, you see, so I could not.”

A boating trip and a picnic, Johnny thought, in the

Mary Ann,

with her rascally skipper and

a friend

named Martin Cash, notorious because he had made a successful escape from the Tasman Peninsula. .

. . Surely they must think him naive, if they expected him to believe such a tale! He started to say so, but Patrick again cut him short.

“Were you able to obtain permission for a visit to Port Arthur?” he demanded. “Was Mr.

Hampton agreeable?”

“He was agreeable,” Johnny answered, unable to keep the resentment from sounding in his voice. “And he granted permission-but only for myself, Patrick.

He refused on your account, I’m sorry to say.”

Both the Cadogans looked crestfallen, and Patrick said angrily, “Oh, the

devil! I was depending on you, I-did you tell him that I intend to write a book on prison reform? And that I had been to Norfolk Island with Sir William Denison’s consent, with that end in view?”

“I told him all that. He simply wasn’t impressed, Patrick. He-was

“But what reason did the infernal fellow give?

He must have given a reason for refusing me?”

“Yes, he did.” His voice devoid of expression, Johnny repeated what the comptroller of convicts had said. He added, looking at Kitty, “You

have

given the impression that you are lighthearted travelers, simply here to enjoy Hobart’s social life. I imagine Dr. Hampton

heard talk about it.”

Patrick swore under his breath, but Kitty silenced him with a warning glance. “We cannot talk here, Pat. Let’s go to our room. Please,

Johnny, dear friend, come with us-we have a sitting room here, and we can order drinks or a meal.”

She linked her arm in his, and Johnny, the warm, lovely scent of her hair strong in his nostrils, let her lead him into the hotel, conscious that once again he was falling victim to her charm.

Their sitting room was large, comfortably furnished, andwitha fine view of the river from its windows. Patrick ordered refreshments, which were promptly served, and when the hotel

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servant had gone, he poured lavish measures of brandy for each of them and waved Johnny to a chair.

“When are you exercising your official permission to visit the penitentiary, Johnny?” he asked, his tone peremptory.

“In three days’ time-that’s on Thursday,”

Johnny told him with restraint. “I’m to be given passage in the government steamer Opossum.”

“And you’ll stay for how long?”

“Dr. Hampton did not specify any

limit, but-was Johnny shrugged, determined not to allow his annoyance at Patrick’s brusque questioning to get the better of him. “I presume the ship will be there for two or three days. She delivers mail and supplies, which have to be

unloaded.”

“I suppose”-again Patrick ignored a warning glance from his sister-“you made no mention of Michael, when you talked to Mr.-that is Dr. Hampton, did you?”

Johnny shook his head. “I considered it best not to, especially since the doctor told me that special-category prisoners were not included in what he called the “separate system” at the penitentiary. But I-was

Patrick leaned forward, almost overturning his glass. “But Johnny, you will try to see the poor devil, won’t you?”

“Certainly I will try,” Johnny promised.

“It may not be possible. There are over nine hundred men in the model prison alone, as far as I could gather, and then there are outstations-a big timber yard at the Cascades, an invalid establishment at the Saltwater River, and an agricultural station at a place I think is called Impression Bay. Hampton showed me a map, but I’m speaking from memory. And-was He hesitated, looking from Patrick’s flushed face to Kitty’s pale one. “He showed me the map in order to demonstrate the impossibility of escape from Port Arthur. And I believe it is

impossible, Patrick. You see-was He started to repeat what Dr. Hampton had told him, but Patrick put in, an edge to his voice.

“Johnny, we know the only way out is by an isthmus known as Eaglehawk Neck and that is strongly guarded, by troops and dogs. We-was Kitty cut him short. She pleaded tearfully, “Oh, Pat, you

promised that Johnny should not be involved. He has to live here, whereas we-we can go back to Ireland.”

But Patrick was not to be distracted. “Three men did

escape, Johnny. They got past the dogs and the guards at that infernal neck. And I’ve talked to one of them. He told me how he did it. He-was “I take it you mean Martin Cash?” Losing patience with him at last, Johnny abandoned pretense. “You had him with you on board the sealer-the Mary Ann

comtd, didn’t you? Oh, for God’s sake, man, don’t trouble to deny it! I saw you come in. I was on the wharf.”

“The devil take you!” Patrick reproached him furiously. “I had supposed you to be our friend, but you were spying on us, damn your eyes! Kit was so determined that we must not involve you by-by dragging you into our affairs that I did everything I could to keep you in the dark. Evidently I failed.”

“Yes,” Johnny retorted, restraining himself.

“You failed. And since you did, why don’t you quit trying to pull the wool over my eyes and tell me what you’re up to? Or shall I hazard a guess? You’re going to attempt to organize your brother’s escape-that’s about the size of it, isn’t it? Or can’t you trust me sufficiently to admit it?”

It was Kitty who answered him. She leapt to her feet and, setting down her virtually untouched brandy glass, dropped to her knees in front of his chair, her hands clasped as if in prayer as she looked up at him.

“Dear Johnny,” she whispered, her voice taut with strain, “don’t you understand it’s because I truly care for you that I tried not to involve you? Not that Patrick and I don’t trust you comwe do, I promise you we do! And we need your help, if you can find it in your heart to help us.”

“My help, Kitty?” Only a man of stone could have resisted her appeal, and Johnny’s brief anger faded. He took her small, trembling hands in his, wishing that he could draw her into his arms-but prevented by Patrick’s presence from attempting to do so. “How can I help you?”

“By delivering a letter to Michael,” Kitty said softly. “Patrick would have delivered it, but …

you said that Dr. Hampton has refused to allow him to visit the prison, so-there’s no

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one else, no other way, is there? We have to tell him that we are here, haven’t we, Pat? And that we will have a-a vessel waiting to pick him up, if he can make his escape from the prison. We-was It was madness, Johnny thought-a madness that carried with it the most terrible risks, but … He looked into Kitty’s lovely, tear-filled eyes, his heart thudding.

“Why not try to obtain clemency for him? Why not appeal to the governor to review Michael’s case?” he questioned, desperately seeking an alternative.

“We have tried,” Patrick told him

harshly. “But to no avail. Michael is a political prisoner-he was convicted of high treason, Johnny. That requires a royal pardon. Oh, we arranged for our lawyers to lodge an appeal in the English courts before we came out here, as Michael asked, but-even if it should be successful, it could be months before it will reach here. The governor here promised to look into Michael’s case, but he held out little hope that anything can be done at this end. Michael’s serving a life sentence, he … We have no choice, Johnny.