THE GUN KETCH

'Know how to swim, 'Calico Jack'?' Lewrie taunted. 'That might keep you alive a minute longer. It'll hurt like Hell, of course.'

'Youuu!' Finney screamed.

'Let's go, Cony. We have what we came for.'

Epilogue

'Any nation that won t support a navy to protect its interests can't have much objection to make, now, can they?' Captain Childs said with a guffaw as he dined Rodgers and Lewrie in, in the great-cabins of his frigate Guardian.

'The point was made, sir,' Rodgers snickered back. 'Diplomatic, though. Not quite so pointed as you couch it. An' after they learned Finney was a British master, in a British-flagged ship, that shut them up.'

'Well, 'tis all settled now,' Childs went on happily. 'Finney's dead, his enterprises foundered, and his pirates all scattered Hell to Huttersfield. Bank funds recovered, all of Finney's ill-gotten gains property of the Crown. A neat bit o' business, in the end.'

'What about his commercial interests, sir?' Lewrie was forced to ask. 'His legitimate interests, that is? And surely, sir, I found many names in his ledgers of civilians who turned a blind eye, or did his bidding, for a price. Government officials…'

'Ahem,' Childs sobered. 'The, uhm… our Royal Governor is now in possession of those ledgers, Lieutenant Lewrie. I would imagine that some investigation is proceeding. And that someday, they will be brought to book. Civilian doings. No matter to the Fleet.'

'Finney's stores're already taken over by the other Bay Street merchants, lock, stock, and barrel,' Commander Rodgers added, reaching for the wine bottle on the sideboard. 'Stock bought up at pence to a pound at auction. Though devil a hope we have o' lower prices in our lifetimes.'

'Amen to that, sir,' Childs chimed in, eyeing Rodgers' liberality with his wine. 'Might pass that down, once you're done, sir.'

'And the Commodore, sir?' Lewrie presumed to question.

'Ah, well,' Childs scowled. 'Hmm. Pity 'bout that tropical ague that took him of a sudden. Didn't look that sick for so long, as they say he was. No, 'tis best he's off home, to recover in milder climes.'

'With nothing but his Navy pay, in the end,' Rodgers laughed as he passed the bottle down. 'And that in arrears for all his high living.'

'The Admiralty'd probably send someone else out next spring to command the Bahamas Squadron,' Childs sighed. 'Can't have a mere frigate captain such as myself in charge for long, with so many senior men with impeccable connections sitting around on half-pay.'

'But copies of the allegations did go to the Admiralty, sir?' Lewrie pressed harder. 'After all, I would assume Commodore Garvey had impeccable connections mat could… well, preserve his career.'

'Aye, I sent 'em, Lewrie, if that's what you're wondering, sir,' Childs glowered at him. 'All we may do is but hope that Our Lords Commissioners will take them into account for next time.'

'Hope he makes bloody Admiral,' Rodgers snorted, well into his cups at their very private supper. 'Sir, gentlemen, allow me to propose a toast. To Commodore Horace Garvey… may he attain the rank of rear admiral in His Majesty King George the Third's Royal Navy…'

'Bloody hell,' Lewrie muttered, but forced to raise his glass.

'… of the permanently retired 'Yellow' Squadron!' Commander Rodgers concluded with a bark of a laugh, and tipped his glass up to drain it right down to 'heel-taps.'

'There's the fine little fellow,' Lewrie cooed to his son, who had at last warmed to his presence, and didn't bawl when he saw him any longer. Lewrie sat rocking on the dog-run terrace, young Sewallis a tightly swaddled bundle in the crook of one arm, entertaining him as he would William Pitt the cat, with a length of small-stuff tied in a bowline dangled for tiny fingers to grasp. Every time he succeeded in getting hold of the loop in the line, he gurgled his pleasure and lit up his features with a radiant, cockeyed smile. Lewrie rewarded him with a dandle on his knee, which made Seawallis even more ecstatic.

'Lucky fellow you are, Seawallis,' Alan assured him. 'First son, bound for the law. Oxford or Cambridge. You'll never have to go to sea like your daddy does. 'Tis a miserable bloody life.'

'Don't teach him bad words, Alan,' Caroline said, coming out to sit by him, and deliver two glasses of wine. 'He'll learn them soon enough. Yes 'e will, pretty baby! Ooh, li'l man Seawallis, yes! Your daddy I Like to have Daddy play with oo, yes oo do, Mommy knows oo do!'

'Mommy can speak the King's Engh'sh, Seawallis,' Alan snickered. 'Daddy knows she can. And someday, oo will, too! Ain't that a bloo… won't that be a wonder?'

He turned to look at Caroline, she looked at him, and they both laughed at themselves for a fond moment. Until Alan wriggled his nose and looked down at his lap. Young Seawallis had become so delighted he had fouled himself, and quickly soaked through his swaddlings to turn Lewrie's breeches both wet and pale brown. 'Oh, bugger!'

'I'll take him, sah,' Wyonnie offered, coming out to the dog-run. 'Time fo' his nap 'fo suppah, anyhow, sah.'

'Thankee, Wyonnie,' Lewrie said. 'Thank God it's my worst and oldest breeches.'

'I fetch ya a towel, sah.'

Fatherhood, Lewrie thought; hmmm! It must get better as they become continent! Surely!

'How long will Alacrity be in dock?' Caroline asked, sipping her wine, putting her feet up on her hassock and enjoying the sunset.

'About a week to ten days,' Alan replied, taking his own wine in hand. 'Little more than a year in Bahamian waters, and her bottom is foul as the Forest of Dean, copper or no! Least she wasn't eaten with teredo worms like Whippet was. 'Tis a miracle to me we made the speed we did, catching Finney, with that much growth on the bottom. Or him being foolish enough to break off his flight to fight us, just within sight of safety. Carrying too much sail. Loafing along…'

'Perhaps a higher power aided you, dear,' Caroh'ne said with a secret smile. 'A higher power with a strong sense of justice.'

'I would suppose so,' Alan allowed.

'So we have two blessed weeks to look forward to, then,' she said. 'You at home every evening.' She scooted her chair over closer to his so they could lean together and put their arms about each other's shoulders companionably. 'Sleep in the same bed each night…'

'Wake together so close and snug,' Alan suggested.

'Alan,' she said, after a meaningful purring noise. He looked for the tiny vertical line between her brows; and found it.

Oh, shit, he thought with trepidation; what now?

'When Finney was here that evening…'The bastard!'

'Yes, but…' Caroline agreed, taking a sip of wine and gazing out towards Potter's Cay. 'Among his blandishments to win me, he told me… or he strongly suggested, that is… that you were known in the Navy by a nickname. That you were awfully young to have gained one, but that in the Fleet, you were known as… the 'Ram-Cat' He as much as said right out that it alluded to… faithless… amorous… Where did he come by that, dear?' she concluded, looking at him closely.

'Oh, God,' Alan smiled, hiding his panic damned well, even if he did say so himself. He threw in a tiny chuckle. 'Caroline, love. I suppose it came aboard the Shrike brig, under old Lieutenant Lilycrop. I ended up with William Pitt, and half a dozen other cats. He'd make me a present of one from every litter, and we had so many Utters we were ankle-deep in kittens! Fobbed 'em off on every passing ship we spoke, and it was me that had to make the offers, half the time. And, well… Navy blue coats and cat hair don't mix, don't ya know. Every time I reported somewhere, I was constantly brushing myself down. And having William Pitt in London with me. I