‘I remember the clerks.’
‘When Elijah went to the office to collect them in the evening, he was unable to find them. We questioned the other clerks, the whites and the blacks, but all we know is that they returned to the office after you sailed. They were last seen waiting outside the office for Elijah. They haven’t been seen since.’
‘How’s Abraham?’
‘He has been very tired of late and, of course, he has had to work extra hours to make up for the missing men. We have hired additional clerks, but the missing men had been with us for a number of years and they were reliable. They knew everything about our business. The new clerks try, but they have a lot to learn.’
She changed the subject suddenly.
‘Did you see the Liverpool Lass during your voyage?’
‘No, should I have?’
‘Perhaps. Henry Nicholson’s in command.’
‘When did she arrive in Boston?’
‘A few days after you arrived last time.’
‘I don’t remember seeing her or Henry.’ William was concerned at the information.
‘She berthed at the other end of the wharf.’
‘I wonder why he didn’t call. He must have seen the Albatross?’
‘I don’t like the man,’ said Ruth quietly.
‘Have you met him?’ asked William in surprise.
‘Yes, he came to the office and asked for the price of shingle for ballast. I think he was surprised to be talking to me and not father. His agent is Leather. You may have seen him around the wharfs. All the agents try and sniff out information.’
‘Small man, thinning hair?’
‘That’s him, a quiet, unsettling person with wet hands.’
‘Why did Nicholson try to buy ballast from you?’
‘That’s what I found strange and I don’t know the reason. I heard he bought a lot more ballast than he required for stability. I also heard rumours he bought the extra to sell.’
‘Sell?’
‘I also found it a little odd, but I think I may have worked out why he bought extra.’
‘Why?’ asked William as he guided Ruth back to her carriage.
‘I think he found out that you carried ice as ballast. It was common knowledge and there were plenty of jokes made at our expense.’
‘Not any more,’ laughed William.
‘No, not any more,’ agreed Ruth, ‘but if the idea had failed, your ship would have become unstable as the ice melted.’
‘So Henry gambled he would find me at sea. He’d have been able to sell me some of his ballast at an extortionate price. He knew I wouldn’t have a choice if I wanted to save my ship.’
‘Exactly.’
‘You’re clever to have worked that out. ‘
‘Don’t underestimate me, William!’ retorted Ruth as her eyes flashed.
‘Underestimate you? Never. Now if you will excuse me, I have to see to the discharge of the Albatross. When I have finished, I will call at the office. Will you be there?’
’Yes, I’ll be there, and Father wants you to come to dinner this evening.’
‘Do you want me to come?’
‘Of course I do, what a silly question.’
‘Then I will be happy to accept your father’s invitation.’
***
William had little time to think of the pleasure of the forthcoming dinner while he dealt with the numerous visitors and the requirements for replenishing the Albatross.
James Austin made sure the cargo from Kingston was unloaded quickly, before any more fruit spoiled. The demands on his time seemed endless. William received visits from most of the shipping agents in Boston. They had heard about the tropical fruit. All attempted to buy, but none were successful as Abraham bought it all.
The ride to Mamre gave William plenty of time to think of Henry Nicholson. Why hadn’t Henry called when they were both in port? Why did he wait until after the Albatross had sailed before approaching Ruth for ballast?
During dinner Abraham informed William that he had prepared another cargo of ice for a second voyage to Jamaica. He had built an icehouse near the wharf and filled most of it with ice and still had enough room to accommodate the trial cargo of fresh fruit. He held bags of sawdust and peat in his warehouse for insulation.
The experience gained on the first voyage allowed them to work a lot faster preparing for the second voyage. William knew that they would not be able to complete a third voyage, as the spring thaw would melt the ice on Mamre Lake. At William’s suggestion, he and Abraham signed an agreement to operate as partners on the sourcing and shipping of any cargo out of Boston on any vessel William owned or controlled.
He spent every spare minute he could with Ruth. She helped him to such an extent that her father jocularly commented that she spent more time helping William run his company than she spent helping her own flesh and blood.
William felt great sadness as he sailed from Boston on the second ice voyage. First, he was aware that he had fallen in love with Ruth. Second, he had misgivings that he could not rationalise. All was not right with Henry Nicholson.
On his second arrival in Jamaica, William’s misgivings came to a head. Paris Aristotle did not seem pleased to see him. As soon as the gangway was in place, Paris hurried to board.
‘William, a good trip?’
‘A fine trip and profitable. The fruit lasted longer than I expected, and brought a good price in Boston.’
‘Can we talk?’
‘Of course, but what seems to be the problem?’ asked William noting that the French accent was not in evidence.
‘Not here. In your cabin.’
William waved his hand to the companionway, and followed his fancily dressed partner. As he closed the door behind him, William glanced at the open skylight. ‘Keep your voice down. I do not want the whole world to know our business, but what is the problem?’
‘The ice cream went well last time, didn’t it?’ asked Paris.
‘Yes,’ said William.
‘The ice brought a much better class of customer. From the governor down, everyone wants a cold drink with his own piece of ice.’
‘I am aware of this, Paris, but please come to the point. I have a lot to do now we are in port.’
Paris sighed and appeared to gather his courage to speak.
‘Why do you want me to run a brothel?’
‘What!’
‘Why do …’
‘Yes, I heard you,’ snapped William, ‘please explain that remark!’
‘Some weeks after you left I received a visit from a ship’s captain. He told me that summer was approaching in the north and you would not be able to supply ice – but you did need to keep the partnership alive for next winter.’
‘What captain?’
‘He told me that you had sent him, and I should treat him the same as you.’
‘I repeat, what captain!’
‘Captain Nicholson of the Liverpool Lass.’
‘Henry Nicholson?’
‘I believe so.’
‘Pray carry on, Paris, I will not interrupt again.’
‘Thank you, he told me you wanted to keep an interest in my business and we should arrange for certain ladies to use the upstairs rooms for liaisons.’
‘Carry on.’
‘I objected as I do not wish to lose the customers I have. If they found out that sort of thing was happening upstairs, they would certainly leave me. We all know it goes on, but one never mentions it, and if you run a high class coffee shop, a brothel is the last thing it should be.’
William waved his hand to encourage Paris to carry on with the story.
‘I objected and told Captain Nicholson that I did not wish to have my premises used for such a service. We eventually agreed the brothel would not be on my premises, but a little way out of town. I think Captain Nicholson became his own best customer.’
‘Where did he get the girls from?’
‘From Havana, in Cuba.’
‘I think he got information from my black bitch. A little money goes a long way amongst the local blacks.’
‘All he needed to do was to find out who you were dallying with and then pressure her for information.’
‘I know that now,’ answered Paris.
‘Who knows you are involved in a brothel?’
‘Not many, mainly common sailors. They are his best customers.’
‘So nobody of rank?’
‘No.’
‘That’s something, anyway.’
‘Did you send Captain Nicholson to me?’
‘No, I did not!’
‘Then why did he tell me he came from you?’
‘I am not sure yet, but I believe he wants to discredit me in England. Nothing to do with you, or the coffee house.’
‘Why?’
‘That is something I hope to find out.’
‘I think he is evil.’
‘You may be right,’ William said. ‘I am a member of a group of people in Liverpool who believe a profit can be made from trading to the Indies without the selling of slaves. We are against slavery.’
‘Oh,’ said Paris.
‘Nicholson’s family have made their fortune carrying slaves to here and Cuba.’
‘The Liverpool Lass had come from Cuba,’ commented Paris in a thoughtful voice.
‘Where did Nicholson get the girls for the brothel?’
‘He brought them with him. He didn’t buy them in Jamaica. I don’t believe he visited the local slave market. All this is according to my black bitch, and I believe her. She was frightened that she would be sold into the brothel, until I calmed her down.’
‘Why was he in Cuba?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘Is he still in Jamaica? I didn’t see his ship in the harbour?’
‘He sailed some days ago but I am not sure to where. He loaded a cargo of rum and sugar, so I can only presume he sailed for England.’ Paris’s face changed as something occurred to him. ‘Wait a minute. He was in port for only a few days, which would have been too short to unload his ballast and load sugar. He must have loaded sugar in Cuba and topped off with rum from here.’
Paris watched his partner as he thought through the problem.
‘What bothers me,’ said William, ‘is why he went to Cuba. It could not have been just to buy female slaves and sugar. He could have bought the females here, along with the sugar. It would have been less trouble for him to buy both here. If he bought slaves in Cuba, unless he bought off a slave ship, the price would have been a lot higher than buying from the slave market here in Kingston. What cargo did he carry from Boston to warrant a call at Cuba?’
‘I don’t know, but he definitely arrived from Cuba, not Boston,’ Paris said, and quickly changed the subject. ‘On a lighter note, my friend, we have been invited to a small gathering at the governor’s residence tomorrow evening. Many of the guests will be the cream of the island’s society and most of them visit Paris’ coffee shop, so I cannot refuse to go. I think you should also come. It will expand your circle of acquaintances.’
William sighed and said, ‘If I must.’
The reception at the governor’s house allowed William to meet a number of influential people. During a conversation with the secretary to the governor, Mathew Atkinson, he heard of an American proposal to close American ports to British ships. It was all in retaliation for the way the British stopped American ships to search for British deserters.
‘But the Americans will be the losers if they close their ports,’ said William with indignation. They need our goods.’
‘We have it on good authority, Captain King, that it will happen in the near future. For a trader, it could be a disaster. They also object to our blockade of Europe.’
‘I have heard of the Fox blockade of Europe but surely, after Trafalgar, the French are not in any position to challenge us?’
‘Not in open battle but they are encouraging the Americans to defy us when we search their vessels for war material.’
The conversation drifted to other subjects but William could not help feeling concerned that his trading venture could come to an abrupt end if America stopped him sailing his British ship into Boston, or any other American port.
Later during the reception, two independent traders approached him to discuss the shipping of ice to other islands. Their questions and interest convinced him, more than ever, that the trade in ice could be a success
Within a few days, William had secured another cargo of fruit for the return trip to Boston.
Chapter Twenty-Five
More Proposals
Boston
June 1806
Winter became spring, which allowed Abraham to scour Boston for cargoes to the southern states. He wanted to take full advantage of the availability of the Albatross and run her down the coast as often as possible. William was very happy with the arrangement as the coastal trade kept him close to Ruth, and it was very profitable. Abraham couldn’t help but notice how close his daughter and the captain had become. He only hoped that William was not just dallying with Ruth until the time came for him to return to Liverpool.
The evening before William was to sail once again to the Southern States, he was sitting with Ruth and Abraham on the porch of Mamre. The conversation turned to the missing clerks. It had now been six months since they had disappeared.
‘Did you ever hear of the missing men?’ asked William, puffing on one of Abraham’s special cigars.
‘I made enquiries, in and around Boston, but gained nothing of consequence. I did hear from Mr Leather, the Nicholson agent. He claimed to have seen them talking to some English sailors on the evening of the day they went missing. I don’t know if I should believe the fellow.’
‘They wouldn’t have shipped out, not after having worked for you, Abraham. They were not sailors.’
‘I don’t know what has happened to them, perhaps they will return one day.’
They both sat in silence, lost in their own thoughts, when William changed the subject.
‘Abraham, I received some depressing news in Jamaica that America will close her ports to British ships in the near future, because the British Navy has been stopping American ships to check that the crews are not British deserters. I doubt the American government will put up with this much longer.’
‘I heard that a few days ago,’ commented Abraham. ‘Are you also aware that the British will deem a cargo of grain from Boston to France as war supplies? How long will it take the French to follow the British? If this happens and America closes her ports to British and French ships, we will have a problem. Politicians have a way of fighting that an ordinary man finds a little strange.’
‘I fear you are correct, William. What do you have in mind?’
‘To protect us both, I propose to sell half of the Albatross to you for one dollar. If, for any reason, I fail to gain ownership of the Albatross upon my return to England, then you have only lost a dollar. If America closes her ports, this could be the end of the anti-slavery effort to show that a profit can be made without recourse to slavery.’
‘A dollar, I see what you are trying to achieve, but as your partner, I feel a more substantial amount would be appropriate.’
‘Father, I’m sure William has a good reason for this unusual transaction. Let’s listen to what he has to say,’ said Ruth, quietly.
‘You are right, my dear. William, I will listen to your proposal.’
‘We will have two sets of documents. One to show that you own fifty-one percent of the Albatross, and the other to show that I own fifty-one percent.’
‘How can that be, William? There is only one hundred percent ownership in any business,’ asked Ruth.
‘A good question, Ruth, I said we would have two sets of legal documents, each dated differently. If the British Navy stops me, I produce the documents to show that I own the ship and that the cargo is alre
ady under British control. If an American ship stops me, I produce the other documents and state that, as I am the captain of an American ship, they do not have the right to interfere in the voyage of an American-owned vessel.’
William’s two listeners sat silently.
‘The legal ownership, of course, is the later dated of the two documents,’ said Abraham after some time.
‘I know, my friend, but I will only produce whichever document allows me free passage in the circumstances. After all, we are only interested in profit, not in the squabbles between nations.’
‘Father, this will mean we could take advantage of a British-owned ship to carry goods from a British colony, such as Jamaica, to England, which is currently not allowed to foreign-owned ships.’
‘Yes, my dear, I realise that. Would you please get us another drink or ask one of the servants to do so?’
‘Certainly, Father.’
As Ruth left, her father leaned forward and, in a low voice, said to William, ‘You are aware if you are discovered in the ruse, they will hang you?’
‘I am aware that is what the British will do, but in my defence, I will not endanger England or her possessions in the quest to make money. On the other hand, the restriction of trade between America and England seems to me to be stupid, on the part of both countries.’
Abraham sat back in his chair and contemplated the young man in front of him.
‘There is one other thing, Sir,’ said William.
‘Yes?’
‘I wish to marry Ruth.’
‘In one breath you acknowledge there is a strong possibility you could be hanged, and in another you wish to marry my daughter, and perhaps make her a widow in a very short time.’
‘I don’t intend to make her a widow.’
‘No, I don’t suppose you do.’
‘The risk is small.’
‘But still a risk.’
‘With your permission, I would like to ask Ruth and let her choose.’
‘I know what she will say.’
‘How can you know, I have only just broached the subject?’
‘I have seen the way she looks at you, and you at her, and I suspected you may speak of it tonight. You sail tomorrow, which is why I asked Ruth to fetch the drinks, to give you an opportunity to speak your mind. All I have to do is ring the bell to have someone bring me a fresh drink.’
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