by David O'Neil
***
HMS Hera arrived at Long Key to find HMS Lively waiting. The sloop was underway as the schooner sailed into the anchorage.
The signals were simple and direct. “Commodore sailed for New Providence this morning. We are to follow and wait in the lee of Hog Island. Sao Paulo is patrolling offshore just in case. What have you found?”
Hera sailed close alongside Lively. Lieutenant Harris used his speaking trumpet to call across between the ships. “All three anchored at Governor’s Island, they were doing repairs. I suspect they are here for a reason, otherwise why not go straight to Nassau.”
Lieutenant Keats was no fool and he realised that the Commodore could be putting his head in a noose. He cracked on all sail and called back to Harris, “We must warn the Commodore as soon as possible, Will you find Sao Paulo and pass on the news to Captain Ramos?”
The schooner was already turning when the acknowledgement flag swooped up on the halliard. The schooner heeled to set course to the rendezvous with the Portuguese frigate.
The approach to the harbour at Nassau was busy when HMS Vixen made her appearance. Martin had not made a serious attempt to rush to the Bahamian capital. He had never met Sir Anthony Warren and was preoccupied with the problem of warning him without causing a panic reaction. As they approached Hog Island, a small boat put off from the shore and someone dressed in Midshipman’s uniform was waving.
“Mr. Brooks, if you will!”
Patrick Brooks saw the boat indicated by the captain and called the master to slow the ship to allow the small boat to come alongside.
“Hand the mainsail, a touch on the lee side, bo’sun.” Jared Watson called.
The boat came alongside in froth of foam and the midshipman hooked onto the boarding stair with a boathook, while the other crewman threw a bag up to the frigate’s deck. Then taking the boathook he held the two craft together while the midshipman climbed aboard. He then released the ladder and the boat sheared off and turned back to the island.
On the deck of the Vixen Lieutenant Cameron looked at the midshipman in astonishment. As he had climbed onto the deck, the hat Catherine, the Governor’s daughter, was wearing, came off releasing her long blond hair to flow in the wind.
“Who are you?” Cameron stuttered, overcome by the vision before him.
Catherine grinned, “I am Lady Catherine Warren, daughter of the Governor of the Bahamas. Take me to your captain, please.”
The tall figure of Martin appeared the hint of a smile on his face. “Can I help you, Milady.”
“If you are the captain, then ‘yes’ you can. My father has been taken and replaced by Sir Adrian Maxwell in the name of the American government.”
Martin held up his hand. “Perhaps you would be more comfortable, more formally dressed. I presume the bag contains clothing?”
At Catherine’s nod he continued, “My cabin is at your disposal. I will join you in a few minutes. Mr. Brooks, let us have a tangle in the rigging. Shall we say fifteen minutes before we resume progress?”
Brooks acknowledged the order and called the master once more.
***
Properly dressed again, Catherine sat demurely in Martin’s cabin and told him everything that had occurred over the past two days. Martin listened without interruption.
Then he spoke, “I am most grateful for your information. What you have told me accords with what we have already suspected. I will call upon the Governor and, if you explain the location of the summer house, my people will arrange for the release of your father. Are you certain of the names Rowlands and Barrat?”
“I heard the names quite clearly. I certainly have no doubts.”
Martin stroked his chin thoughtfully, “The reason I mention it, is that I was involved in transporting two men, named Rowlands and Barrat, to the Indies.”
“Well, it is clear to me that the men have been employed by Maxwell, wherever they came from.” Catherine was quite definite.
Chapter fourteen
Questions and Answers
Martin sent for Lieutenant Brooks, and Lieutenant Cameron. To Brooks he gave his orders. “You will have the ship stripped for action and the guns run out to cover the town. There has been a coup here by American sympathisers. I will go and see the Acting Governor, the Marines will accompany me.” To Cameron he said, “You will take a plain-clothes party to the address this lady will give you. There you are to rescue the Governor of the Bahamas who is being held prisoner. The men holding him are criminals, and extremely dangerous. Take no risks, shoot without hesitation, but ensure the Governor’s safety.”
Brooks and Cameron both acknowledged their orders. Catherine accompanied Cameron to the gunroom where she drew a map with the location of the summer house.
“There is an easier access to the place but I would need to show you.” She said.
“That cannot be. It would be far too dangerous.” Cameron sounded quite firm on the subject.
Catherine looked at him directly, turning on her full power of persuasion. “I would not be spotted if I dressed in boy’s clothes. Getting in by the back way means we can enter the building unobserved. Not only would it give us an advantage, it could save lives. No one else will need to know.”
In the Captain’s cabin she slipped out of her dress. Retaining her drawers, she climbed into the breeches she had donned for her escape. She donned the grubby shirt. Looking in the mirror, apart from the hair and the curve of her breasts she could pass for a rather nice-looking boy. She giggled at the thought and dragged her hair back and stuffed it under her hat. Adding the belt, she slid the pistol into the loop provided and checked her dirk was secure. With the addition of the cloak found for her by Cameron, who could recognise her? She spared a thought for William Cameron. He would get in trouble if her part in this rescue was discovered. The thought made her feel guilty at the way she had exploited her assets to gain his cooperation. She shrugged. That was a problem she would face when the time came. Meanwhile!
***
The jollyboat slipped away from the seaward side of the anchored frigate mingling with the other harbour traffic. Carrying the twelve-man group it pulled to the shore and tied up at a pier beside an empty warehouse. With weapons concealed, the group scattered and reformed several streets back from the waterfront, where the town ended abruptly and the plantation land began.
The summerhouse was a house that had been built some fifty years before for a plantation owner, who had it designed for his beloved wife. She sadly died before it was ever used. It had lain idle ever since. Catherine, like most of the youngsters of the town, had played in the grounds of the summer house as a child. As they approached she lifted her hand and directed the party into the overgrown road behind the building. The storm drain under the road was clear. The rainy season had delivered a final flush-through two weeks ago. Catherine led Cameron, followed by the entire party, in the crawl through the pipe. The drain ended at a metal grid, where the pipe ran under the corner of the house. At the grid Catherine indicated one of the vertical bars of the grid and pantomimed levering it out. “Here!” Cameron looked puzzled still, so she drew the dirk she carried and inserted it between the bar and the metal plate behind it. Yanking back with the dirk, the grid moved and swung back Cameron grabbed it before it could hit the side of the pipe. The party followed her, crawling through to a point where a hatch was visible in the top of the pipe. Once more the dirk did its duty, the hatch squeaked on clogged hinges, but opened and allowed the party through.
When the group were all assembled in the cellar of the house, Catherine explained where they were, using the rough drawing of the house she had prepared. Cameron gave his orders and the men spread out to search the building. Catherine and Cameron waited listening for any sign that they had been discovered.
The men returned one by one, bare feet quiet on the wooden floors. The pair checking the ground floor spotted two men at the door watching. The last pair returned with the news that there was a prisoner o
n the top floor being held in what they guessed was a back bedroom. He appeared to be tied to the bed. There were two men playing cards, apparently on watch over him.
Cameron divided the men, the Bo’sun and three men were left to deal with the men at the front door, while Cameron led the others up to the top floor. Catherine went with Cameron’s party, to identify her father, as she put it.
They crept along the edge of the landing close to the wall, so that the boards did not creak. At the corner Cameron peered round at ground level.
“Damn!” He whispered.
“What?” Catherine asked.
“One is sitting in the passage the other must be in the room with your father.”
“Let me see.” She said laying on the floor, and lining her head to see round the corner.. As she looked the second man came out of the room and joined the other man. “I’ll distract them.” Catherine said, and rose to her feet. She pushed her pistol in the back of her waistband and removed her hat, shaking her blond hair loose. Before Cameron could protest she stepped around the corner and walked toward the two men.
“Is one of you named Rowlands, The seated man stood, “I’m Rowlands!” He said.
“Maxwell, sent me to speak to my father. We have come to an agreement so he will be released soon. She reached behind her, pushing her breasts out before them. Both looked instinctively at her shapely figure. Then she produced the pistol. “Cameron!” She called.
There was a clatter of feet and Cameron and three others appeared.
Rowlands flung himself backward and reached for his own pistol. Barrat stood shocked as Catherine shot Rowlands. Barrat reacted, reaching for the slight figure in front of him. The marlin spike flew past Catherine’s head and hit Barrat between the eyes with a thud that could be heard throughout the entire top floor. Barrat dropped where he stood, Rowlands wounded, cried out when he saw Barrat fall, “You killed him, bitch!” He said, “He was my friend.”
Catherine scooped-up Barrat’s pistol, checked the load, and shot Rowlands in the head.
“Now you’ve both paid for kidnapping my father. She turned and went to the figure on the bed. Taking the gag from his mouth, she kissed him and said, “Time to go home, Daddy,” and cut the bindings attaching him to the bed and rubbed life back into wrist and ankles.
As he stood the Governor spoke to his daughter, “Thank you for the rescue, my dear. We will address the matter of the boys clothes when we return home. Now get that hat back on before anyone sees you.”
***
Martin and his escort of marines made their way through the streets to Government House. The twelve marines marched between the lines of houses with few witnesses. None of the population seemed to be taking much interest in the so-called revolution.
At the gates of the mansion the soldiers on duty stood to attention, unsurprised at the arrival of the armed party. They were completely unaware of the events that were supposed to have resounded throughout the colony.
Martin informed them he was visiting the Governor. They stood aside as Martin approached the Mansion with his Marine escort.
Sir Adrian Maxwell was seated at the desk in the Governor’s office when Martin entered unannounced. He looked up at the interruption. “Who the devil are you? He demanded.
“I am Commodore Forest-Bowers RN of His Majesty’s Ship Vixen, and who, sir, are you?
“I am Sir Adrian Maxwell, acting Governor of the Bahamas. I should have been informed of a naval presence in the Islands.”
Martin smiled grimly. “I have just informed you, sir. Now where is the Governor?”
“He is ill at present and I have been placed in temporary charge as acting-Governor.”
Martin smiled grimly. “By whose authority pray?”
“Why by order of the Governor himself.” Replied Maxwell.
“You have the order to hand, I expect?” Martin allowed a touch of impatience to enter his voice.
Maxwell shuffled papers on his desk, “I have it here somewhere.” His hand rose lifting a pistol that had lain beneath the documents. The rising pistol stopped suddenly as the sound of the click of a hammer being cocked sounded from the room window.
The pistol was laid onto the desk carefully.
“Good. That is better.” Martin stepped forward and took the pistol himself. “Now sit down and tell me when were the ships due to appear?”
“Soon enough, you’ll see.” Maxwell sneered. “Your puny ship will not stand a chance.”
“If you are talking about the recently built American frigate, I’m afraid you will be disappointed. The former naval frigate Hasty 32 plus two schooners seems to be the total size of the invasion fleet currently lying at Governors Island. To reassure you my ships are keeping them under observation in the meantime.”
Maxwell was beginning to lose his cocky attitude, as he began to realise that things were not going the way he had planned.
There was a disturbance at the door and voices approached along the hallway. The door opened and the Governor Sir Anthony Warren walked in.
“Arrest that man.” He indicated Maxwell. “The charge is treason.”
The man with him stepped forward and gripped Maxwell’s wrist, clamping a metal band to it, he took Maxwell’s other hand and locked it into a second.
Martin nodded at two of the marines. “Go with them,” he ordered.
When the four men had gone Martin turned to Sir Anthony, “Sorry it took so long. Your daughter, Catherine, warned us as we passed Hog Island. It took a little time to arrange matters.”
The Governor smiled, “I was relieved to know that my daughter was safe. That fool thought he was going to marry her, despite the wishes of us both. The man is probably the richest in the Islands He had long complained about the taxes charged by the Crown, justifiably. I have been working to equalise matters regarding taxes, but these things take time. It will happen. Of that I am certain. For all his wealth Adrian Maxwell is a stubborn fool, and now it has cost him everything, possibly even his life.”
As Martin looked at the determined man before him he was impressed. He guessed that this man would make happen, given the chance, whatever was needed.”
“Very good, sir. Shall I leave the marines with you when I return to my ship?”
“I do not think that will be necessary, Commodore.” He looked up as Catherine swept in accompanied by Lieutenant Cameron. Properly dressed now, she made a stunning sight to Martin’s eye.
Martin was unaware of the part Catherine had played in the rescue of her father. Though he realised something was amiss when he saw Cameron’s face.
“Father, before you do or say something you will regret, I have to explain something.” Turning to Martin, “I’m pleased you are here, sir, as I feel that you also deserve an explanation, since I believe Mr. Cameron is intending saying nothing on the subject in his own defence.”
The two men addressed stood slightly shocked at the approach. Martin was the first to react. “Perhaps we should all sit down and you can explain.”
He raised his hand to stop Cameron from speaking. “Ladies first,” he said, gallantly.
They all seated themselves and Catherine started.
“The summerhouse was not an easy place to attack, certainly if it is important to take the occupants by surprise. The area all about the house is open and visible from the upper windows. When I drew the plans for William,” she coughed, “Lieutenant Cameron, I realised that it would be impossible to approach without giving warning. It was only then that I remembered where as children we used to play, and the culvert came to mind.
“We used it several times and we found ways to bypass the locks of the metal grills in the culvert. It is not an easy thing to convey to someone who does not know the place. I then realised I would need to accompany the raiding party to see them through the culvert and into the building.
“I knew that lives would be at stake if we tried any other way.” She looked at Cameron. “We were both concerned that, without
surprise on our side, my father could be killed.”
Cameron nodded in agreement.
“I used the clothes that I had used to escape the house here, when you were taken by Maxwell. As a boy I passed unnoticed then, and on this occasion also. I was able to guide the group through the culvert, and open the gates silently to allow us through, and into the Summer House. I stayed with the party for protection. When we reached the floor where you were being held, I saw the men and realised that a woman would not be threatening to them, so I pulled off my hat and strolled down to the men calling one by name and telling them that Maxwell had sent me. The man, Barrat, suspected. The other man Rowlands, was only interested in my body. So I shot Rowland, and wounded him. He was pulling out his pistol. Someone threw a marlin spike at Barrat who dropped on the spot. I grabbed the gun from Barrat’s dead hand as the wounded Rowlands shouted and started to aim his own pistol. I shot him with Barrat’s gun. Everything happened in a flash, and Mr. Cameron, despite his protests, stood at my side to defend me all the way from start to finish. Without his sensible acceptance of the situation and actions thereafter, our people could have been killed, including you, father.”
She stopped and, overcome by the release of the tension she had been under, turned to Cameron seated at her side, and collapsed in tears into his ready arms.
For a few moments the room was silenced except for the sound of Catherine’s sobs. Martin was not surprised, guessing it was probably reaction to the events of the past several hours.
Sir Anthony broke the silence. “Please, Lieutenant, would you take my daughter up to her room. The maid should be there to look after her.” He looked at Martin, “Do you need the Lieutenant further?”
When Martin shook his head, he added, “Off you go, and thank you for your part in my deliverance.”
Cameron drew Catherine to her feet and supported her out of the room to the foot of the stairs. Catherine looked up at the stairs rising upward and started to say “I don’t thi….”
