On the other hand, Robyn had no idea as to the identity of the elderly gentleman with the bushy grey whiskers and beetling brows, though by the dried blood stains on the front of his frock coat she guessed that he was a surgeon of the old school, one who operated in his street clothes and let the stains advertise his profession. Here was a much more worthy adversary than the hospital matron, and she rounded on him with the battle light bright in her eyes. Then, sir, I am amazed that you admit so readily your ignorance and your bigotry.'
The surgeon-general spluttered for breath and a ready answer. By God, madam, you do not truly expect me to look for dangerous poisons in each speck of dust, in each drop of water, on my own hands even. ' He held them up for her inspection, shaking them in Robyn's face. There were dark rinds of dried blood under the nails, for he had operated that morning. He pushed his face close to hers, and she drew back a little as his spittle flew angrily. Yes, sir, ' she told him loudly. 'Look for them there, and on each breath you exhale, on those filthy clothes.'
The editor scribbled delightedly in his shorthand notebook, as the exchanges became more violent, more loaded with personal insult. He had not bargained for anything so spectacular, but the climax came when Robyn had goaded her adversary until he used an oath as potent as his rage. Your choice of words is as foul as these lowly little white sponges of yours, she told him, and let him have the sponge full in the face, hurling it with all her strength so that water flew and dripped from his whiskers on to the front of his frock coat as Robyn marched from the operating room. You hit him? ' Zouga lowered the newspaper, and stared across the table at his sister. 'Really, Sissy, sometimes you are no lady. 'True, ' Robyn agreed unrepentantly. 'But that is not the first time you have made that observation. Besides I had no idea that he was the surgeon-general.'
Zouga shook his head in mock disapproval and read to her. 'His considered opinion of you, as expressed to the editor, is that you are a fledgling doctor of dubious qualification very recently obtained from an obscure school of medicine, by even more dubious means. 'Oh, rich! ' Robyn clapped her hands. 'He's a better orator than a surgeon. 'He goes on to say that he is considering going to law to obtain redress. 'For assault with a sponge. ' Robyn laughed lightly as she stood up from the breakfast table. 'A fig for him, but we must hurry if we are to keep our appointment with Captain Codrington.'
Her mood was still gay as she stood beside Zouga in the stern of the Water lighter when they came alongside the steel side of the gunboat. The south-east wind had raked the surface of Table Bay into a cottonfield of white caps, and had spread a thick white table-cloth of cloud upon the flat-topped mountain. The people of the Colony called this windThe Cape Doctor', for without it the summers would have been oppressive and enervating. However, it provided a constant hazard to shipping and the bottom of the bay was littered with wrecks. Black Joke had two men on her anchor watch as she lunged and fretted against her cable.
As the lighter came alongside, the thick canvas hoses were passed down and a dozen men on the pumps began to transfer the cargo into the gunboat's boiler room tanks, before any attempt was made to take visitors aboard.
As Robyn came up through the entry port to the maindeck she looked immediately to the quarterdeck.
Codrington was in shirt sleeves, he was a head taller than the group of warrant officers around him, and his sun-bleached blond hair shone in the sunlight like a beacon.
The group was giving its attention to the coal lighter which was secured against the port side of the ship. Have the hands secure a tarpaulin over the buckets Codrington shouted down to his boatswain in the lighter. 'Else you'll have us looking like a party of chimneysweeps.
' The deck was alive with the purposeful pandemonium of revictualling, hunkering and watering, and with Zouga beside her, Robyn picked her way through the litter.
Codrington turned away from the rail and saw them.
He seemed younger than Robyn remembered, for his expression was relaxed and his manner easy. He had an almost boyish air when contrasted to the grizzled and weatherbeaten sailors about him, but the illusion was dispelled the moment he recognized his visitors. Suddenly his features were stern and the line of his mouth altered, the eyes chilled to the hardness of pale sapphires.
IisCaptain Codrington, Zouga greeted him with his most studied charm. 'I am Major Ballantyne. We have met before, sir, Codrington acknowledged, making no effort to return the smile.
Zouga went on unruffled, 'May I present my sister, Doctor Ballantyne? ' Codrington glanced back at Robyn. 'Your servant, ma'am. ' It was more a nod than a bow. 'I have read something of your further exploits since our last meeting in this morning's news-sheet. ' For a moment the stern expression cracked, and there was a mischievous spark in the blue eyes. 'You have strong views, ma'am, and an even stronger right hand.'
Then he turned back to Zouga. 'I have orders from Admiral Kemp to convey you and your party to Quelimane. No doubt you will find our company dull, after your previous travelling companions. ' Deliberately Codrington turned and looked across a half mile of wind creamed green water to where Huron still lay at her anchor, and for the first time Zouga fidgeted uncomfortably as he followed the direction of the Captain's eyes. Codrington went on. 'Be that as it may, I would be grateful if you could present yourselves aboard this ship before noon on the day after tomorrow when I expect a fair tide to leave the bay. Now you must excuse me. I must attend to the management of my ship. ' With a nod, not offering to shake hands or make any other civility, Codrington turned away to his waiting warrant officers, and Zouga's charm deserted him. his face darkened and seemed to swell with anger at the abrupt dismissal. The fellow has a damnable cheek, he growled fiercely to Robyn. For a moment he hesitated and then with a curt, 'Come, let us leave, ' he turned, crossed the deck, and clambered down into the water lighter, but Robyn made no move.
She waited quietly until Codrington had finished the discussion with his boatswain and looked up again, feigning surprise to see her still there.
Captain Codrington, we left Huron on my insistence.
That is why we are now seeking other passage. ' She spoke in a low husky voice, but her manner was so intense that his expression wavered. You were correct. That ship is a slaver and St. John is a slave-master. I proved it.'
How? ' he demanded, his manner altering instantly. I cannot speak now. My brother-' She glanced back at the entry port, expecting her brother to reappear at any moment. He had given her strict instructions as to how he expected her to act towards Codrington.
I will be at the landing-place at Ragger Bay this afternoon, she went on quickly. What time? 'Three o'clock, she said, and turned away, lifted her skirts above her ankles and hurried to the ship's side.
Admiral Kemp sat impatiently in the immense carved abbot's chair which his junior officers referred to as the throne'. The size of it emphasized the thinness of the old man's body. It seemed his shoulders were too narrow to support the mass of gold lace which decorated his blue uniform. He clasped the arms of the chair to keep from fidgeting, for this young officer always made him uneasy.
