in the plural, so the vessel was released without charge. That clause, at least, had now been changed.
He peered across at the other boat. Lotus's second lieutenant, Jack Grimes, was in charge. He was an old hand at the work, who had come up the hard way to gain his commission, from the lower deck. As some one had once said of such promotions,
if he was good there was none better. And if not, then watch out!
Faces had appeared on the barque's forecastle and above the creak of oars and the sluice of water he could hear some one screaming.
Jago loosened his blade and muttered, 'Ere we go, lads! '
'Grapnels! '
The boat surged alongside, the oars vanishing as if by magic. Hands snatched up weapons. Todd, the boatswain's mate in charge, yelled, 'Ready, sir?'
Adam felt Jago's hand on his arm. 'I'll get no thanks from Sir Graham if I lets you get killed first, Cap'n! ' He thrust past him and flung himself up into the fore chains before any one could stop him. The second boat was already grappling the main chains, and Adam managed to see Lieutenant Grimes, hanger in one hand as he shouted something to the men close behind him.
He did not recall climbing up and over the side. One shot was fired, and somewhere a man cried out in anguish. But suddenly the barque's broad deck was theirs… Individual seamen ran to their allotted tasks as if they knew the ship like their own. One was already at a swivel gun and training it aft toward the poop and the blood-spattered aftermath of Lotus's second broadside, others were rounding up some of the barque's people, and weapons clattered on the deck or were pitched over the side. Lotus's men were in no mood for argument, and those who had reached the poop and had found the powerful guns half buried by the false superstructure needed no words of command to keep them fully alert, and ready to hack down any opposition. Had Lotus not played trick-for-trick and been ready to open fire, their little sloop would now be lying fathoms deep.
Seven of the barque's company had been killed in the broadsides; several others had been badly cut and wounded by flying splinters. Lieutenant Grimes made the first discovery. With one of his men he brought the barque's master to Adam from his hiding place in a spirit store in the poop.
He said harshly, 'We must mount a guard there, sir. Enough grog stored to float the flagship! ' He pushed the ship's master forward. 'His name's Cousens, sir. English, God help us! '
Adam said, 'We have already met, Mister Cousens, have we not?' Even the brig's name, Albatroz, was ice- clear in his mind. Like a storm passing: the madness of the attack, each second expecting the jarring agony of musket ball or the blade of a cutlass, then this. A sudden calm which was almost worse.
A year ago, Unrivalled had put a boarding party aboard a suspected slaver. No slaves were found, but his men had discovered chains and manacles slyly hidden in a cask of boiling pitch. Evidence enough, his boarding party had believed.
But once delivered in harbour to face charges, the brig's master, this same man, must have laughed at them, and had walked free.
Cousens looked him up and down. 'You look as if you've fallen on hard times, Captain. An' once again, you'll find nothing.'
The calmness remained, although something deep inside him wanted to cut this man down, here and now.
He said, 'You intended that we should reach Havana ahead of you. So that we might be 'detained' long enough for you to land your cargo.'
'I don't have to say anything until…'
He gasped as Jago seized his arm and twisted it behind his back.
'Sir, when you speak to a King's officer, you scum! '
Todd, the boatswain's mate, was hurrying aft, his face split in a great grin despite the blood and corpses around him.
'Captain, sir! Found the cargo! ' Somewhere along the way he had had his two front teeth knocked out. The grin made it worse. 'Can't get right into it, sir, more locks and bolts than a Chatham whorehouse, but it's gold right enough, tons of it! '
Grimes scowled. 'Something else we'll have to mount a guard on.'
Cousens exclaimed, 'Not my fault! I was under orders! '
Adam turned away and watched the Lotus slowly coming about, her gun ports closed, and from this bearing only the spreading tear in her main topsail to mark what had happened.
And the midshipman, I don't want to leave this ship, had been killed.
It gave him time. But there was never enough when you needed it so badly.
He said, Tut this man in irons, and prepare to get the ship under way. We will ask Lotus for some more hands. We are going to need them.'
Grimes turned his back on the man called Cousens.
'The steering is undamaged, sir. But what do you intend?'
Adam glanced at the carving on the poop, the barque's name in gilt lettering. Villa de Bilbao. It, too, was splashed with blood.
'We shall return to English Harbour. I think we have evidence enough. Sir Graham's message to the captain- general will have to wait a while longer.'
Grimes paused to listen to one of his men, and said, 'She's a slaver right enough, sir. All the usual fittings, no covers on the hatches, just bars to keep the poor devils penned up for the journey, the last for some of them, no doubt! '
'And the gold?'
Grimes studied him guardedly, not yet sure of the bridge that might exist between them. Then he said bluntly, 'Payment for the last few cargoes, I'd wager, ' and seemed surprised when Adam grasped his arm and said, 'I am certain of it! '
Cousens tried to thrust past Jago, shouting, 'What about me, damn your eyes! '
Adam looked along the littered and scarred deck, at Lotus's men leaning on their weapons, another bandaging the arm of one of the barque's sailors, and turned toward Cousens again, remembering the terrified faces he had seen in a slaver's hold, women too, some no older than Elizabeth. They all ended up as pieces of gold.
'You, Cousens, will be put ashore and hanged. You fired on a King's ship, one authorized by law to stop and search any suspected vessel, as well you know. Those who pay you will not save you.'
He felt sick, furious with himself for caring so much. They had captured a prize which, given time, would reveal names and places.
If Cousens lived or died the trade would still go on. But just this once they had made their mark.
He walked over to watch Lotus's jolly boat pulling across the water toward the Villa de Bilbao.
He realized that he was still gripping the old sword in his hand, but could hardly remember drawing it. Another minute and Cousens would not have had to wait for the rope. He tried again to shake it off, the narrow margin of life and death.
He watched the jolly boat pulling closer.
Help was on its way. Very carefully, he sheathed the sword which had served other Bolithos. Not a moment too soon.
12. Catherine
Vice-Admiral Sir Graham Bethune paused under a low archway and gazed up at the house.
This is the one?' He saw Tolan nod, but felt compelled to insist, 'You're certain?'
It was a warm evening, humid, and Bethune was feeling it. He was wearing a boat cloak to cover his gold-laced uniform and held his hat concealed beneath it. He was breathing heavily. Perhaps they were in for a storm; but he knew he was already missing the regular rides and walks across the park in London.
'It's damned quiet.' Again, Tolan said nothing, and Bethune knew he had been snapping at him and every one else since news of the arrival of the sloop Lotus and her impressive prize had been carried to him. Even the boat's
