which sat his judges.
Only then did he allow himself to glance down at the dagger upon the table top. The bare blade glinted a bluish-silver in the late sunlight that slanted in from the tall french windows, and the bright point was aimed at Clinton's stomach.
He felt the cold drive of despair in his guts, as though the dagger had been plunged through them. The shock of the injustice of the verdict, the disbelief that his whole life had been brought down at a single stroke, the shame and disgrace of a career shattered and a reputation indelibly besmirched, left him numbed and blind to all but the wicked blade before him, and deaf to all but the voice of Admiral Kemp. Guilty of flagrant disregard of the orders of his superior officer. 'Guilty of acts of piracy upon the high seas.
'Guilty of destroying the property of the subjects of a friendly power. 'Guilty of flouting the terms of a treaty between her Britannic Majesty's Government and the Sultan of the Omani Arabs.'
it must he death, Clinton realized, the verdict was too detailed, the list of his transgressions too long and his guilt too serious. It must be death by the noose.
He lifted his eyes from the accusing weapon, and he stared out of the french windows beyond his judges. The high stock of his uniform collar felt as tight as the hangman's noose as he tried to swallow.
I have never feared death, Lord, he prayed silently. There is only one thing I will regret, that I must leave the woman that I love.'
To be deprived of honour, and of life was sufficient punishment, but to lose his love as well was the final injustice. The Court has deliberated at length on the sentence, Admiral Kemp paused and shot a sideways glance at a lean, tanned and silver-haired Rear-Admiral beside him, the passenger from the visiting East Indiaman, 'and has heard and been swayed by the eloquent arguments of Admiral Reginald Curry.'
He paused again and puffed out his lips, indicating clearly that he did not agree with those eloquent arguments, before going on. The sentence of this Court is that the prisoner be stripped of all rank, privileges and pay and that the Queen's Commission which he holds shall be withdrawn, and that he be dishonourably discharged from the naval service.'
Clinton steeled himself, the stripping of rank and discharge would precede the main body of the sentence.
Furthermore, Kemp paused and cleared his throat. Furthermore it is the sentence of the Court that the prisoner be taken from here to the castle and that he be there -The castle was the place of execution, the gallows would be erected on the parade ground before the main gates. That he be there imprisoned for a period of one year.'
The judges were standing up, were filing out of the room. As the lean silver-haired Admiral came level with Clinton, a small conspiratorial smile touched his lips, and for the first time Clinton realized that it was not death. A year, said the Lieutenant who had prosecuted, as the door closed, 'not a flogging, nor a hanging, damned generous, I'd say.'
Congratulations. ' Clinton's defending officer was grinning incredulously. 'It was Curry, of course, he commanded the west coast anti-slavery squadron himself.
What a stroke of luck to have him on the'Board Pale, voiceless, swaying slightly on his feet, Clinton was still staring blindly through the open windows. Come on, my dear fellow, a year will soon be past the defending officer touched his arm, 'and after that, no more bully beef and hard bread, do pull yourself together.'
Twenty miles a day since leaving grandfather Moffat's mission-station at Kuruman, Zouga had pushed the mules and his servants hard all the way, and now at the crest of the pass he reined in the tall sway-backed mule and stared out across the sweeping panorama of the Cape peninsula.
Directly below him was that strange pale hill of smooth rock, Die Paarl as the Dutch burghers had named it, 'the Pearl', and it shone with an almost translucent lustre in the Cape sunlight of high summer.
Beyond that the wheatlands and vineyards dotted the flat land that stretched away to the Paarde Berg, the Horse Mountains, where once the wild mountain zebra had roamed, and the Tyger Berg. The leopard to the Dutch burghers was a tiger and the zebra was a horse. Nearly home now, Sergeant, Zouga called to Jan Cheroot. Just look at that-'The little Hottentot pointed to the smoky blue flat-topped mountain that stood up tall and massive against the southern horizon. We will be there before dark tomorrow night.'
Jan Cheroot puckered his lips and blew a kiss towards it. 'Pull the cork and tell the Cape Town ladies that my mama didn't call me big cheroot for nothing.'
his mule flicked its long hairy ears to the sound of his voice and gave a little half-hearted buck. 'You feeling it too, you old thunder! ' Jan Cheroot chuckled. 'Let's go then! ' and he whipped the animal up and went clattering away down the steep and rocky roadway.
Zouga stayed to watch the battered little two-wheeled Cape cart follow him at a more sedate pace, carrying its precious burden of ivory and sculptured green soapstone, as it had for a thousand miles and more.
it was a month before Robyn was allowed to pay her first visit to the castle. After the guard at the gates inspected her pass, she was led to a small whitewashed guard room, devoid of all furniture except three highbacked uncushioned chairs.
She remained standing for ten minutes before the low door opposite her was opened and Clinton stooped through it. He stopped, facing her, and she was struck instantly by the prison pallor of his skin. His deepwater tan had faded to a tobacco stain of yellow, and the roots of his hair, no longer bleached by salt and strong sunlight, had darkened.
He looked older, tired and dejected. You at least have not deserted me in my disgrace, he said simply.
The Subaltern of the guard took the third chair and tried to look as though he was not listening to their conversation. Robyn and Clinton sat facing each other stiffly, on the uncomfortable chairs, and their conversation was at first as stilted, a polite series of enquiries after each other's health.
Then Robyn asked, 'Have you received the newspapers. Yes. The warder has been good to me. 'Then you have read what the new American President has promised at his inauguration. 'Lincoln was always a staunch enemy of the trade, Clinton nodded. He has granted the ships of the Royal Navy the right of search at last.'
And six of the Southern States have seceded already, Clinton told her grimly. 'There will be fighting, if he tries to force it. 'It's so unfair, Robyn cried. 'Just a few short weeks and you would have been a hero instead of a-' she broke off with her hand to her mouth, 'I am sorry, Captain Codrington.'
Captain no longer, he said. I feel so much to blame, had I not sent that letter-'You are so kind, so good, then
