Caldwell motioned to Sergeant White to have his men dismount for the time being. With the grooms still obediently holding the horses’ bridles, everyone swung to the ground and began stretching their limbs. As he did likewise, Caldwell took in more of his surroundings. Movement could be detected in the far-off fields, no doubt the activity of slave hands at work tending or harvesting crops. The vanes of the mill continued to turn with the winds grinding out sugar, flour or whatever product the harvested crops provided. He looked up at the towering façade of the huge house. Between the columns of the portico and elsewhere, including the gables protruding from the roof were a collection of multi-paned windows looking out over the expansive lands.Which one? Caldwell found himself thinking, as his heart seemed to beat even faster – almost fluttering. Is it even any of the ones I see? Is she even here?After a short space of time, the servant reappeared on the veranda.“You may come with m

Blevins started to walk along the table toward the opposite end of the room. He stopped at a pedestal which bore one of the extraordinarily large books and casually turned several pages.“Sir, I...”The master of the house interrupted Caldwell yet again, turning back to look in his direction and shaking an index finger in the air as he spoke.“Listen to me, Gambles is a shameless opportunist, nothing more! The very post he now holds within the government is one that I myself had designs on when it became vacant two years ago. It might very well have been mine if he hadn’t resorted to such activity as I thought should be beneath him.”“Of what activity do you speak, sir?” Caldwell asked him.Blevins was now walking back toward him slowly wearing a sardonic grin.“Young man, I’m afraid you don’t yet possess the wisdom and maturity you claim to have achieved if you have to ask me that question,” he said. “Suffice it to say that no politician can truly count any other man in the same prof

Sophie continued to grip Henry’s hand, squeezing it even more tightly at times as though lending emphasis to what she was telling him. “Oh, they had their arguments and some rather wide differences of opinion as most politicians do,” she said, “but at some point during the past year, things became quite heated and adversarial. Father often told of how he had intended to put several ideas for the benefit of the colony before the council and the assembly. Yet Mr. Gambles would either create opposition to their enactment or find a way of taking credit for them himself. He obtained an appointment to the position he now holds, even though his knowledge and experience in relevant matters doesn’t come close to father’s, but this was merely a pretext for enriching himself at the government’s expense – and for concealing probable French intrigues.”“Sophie, that’s a deadly serious accusation to be making against such an influential man!” Caldwell warned.“No accusation has been made, Henry,” s

Allison didn’t think he bore all of the world’s burdens, but there were times when he felt like a great many of them were present, weighing down both his spirit and his physical body. The Doctor was a man of fine discernment. Even though Allison had been through a great deal which had caused him physical pain and injury, it was plain that Deakins could see through the corporeal aspects of that adversity. Very possibly something about his mood and bearing was betraying hints of mental or emotional strain, despite his efforts to the contrary. Though any man might be expected to endure some measure of distress from frightful or dangerous experiences, Allison knew that as a commanding officer he didn’t have the luxury of allowing himself to be affected in such a way. Despite the constant reminders he provided himself daily, it was apparent that his efforts needed to be redoubled. Fortunately, the Doctor was also a man of discretion and could be counted upon to never allow anything he h

A decision had to be made and his subordinates were still waiting for it. Fortunately for Allison , his reprieve would come from an unexpected source.“Mollusk is signaling, sir!” Peter Fortescue called out. “A single red lantern amidships! She intends to alter course to larboard!”Allison squinted his eyes as he focused on the light which Fortescue had just described. It remained in place for a short amount of time before he started to see it move, demonstratively from side to side.“Second signal... ’All clear’ or ’All is well’?” the midshipman said, stating the signal’s literal translation aloud while sounding confused.Allison however saw a very clear meaning in the two signals which had just been sent one after the other. He smiled broadly and with a “Hah!” of recognition, slapped his thigh. Suggs had apparently seen everything they did over the past several minutes and was now giving Allison the confirmation he sought, almost as though reading his mind. The intended message b