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Allison; Taking Control Chapter 88
“Sit,” was the curt, emotionless order he finally gave, accompanied by a point of his right hand. Without turning around, he had indicated a plain, straight-backed wooden chair positioned directly in front of the desk, presumably placed there specifically for this discussion. Allison sat down wordlessly, waiting for his commodore to begin the conversation, but still Sir Roger didn’t speak, turn or move from where he stood. Allison could only assume the purpose of this peculiar behavior was to make him feel uncomfortable; but given the dangers he’d recently faced and the confidence he had in his decisions up to that point, he was determined not to let that happen. Another long pause ensued before Sir Roger deigned to speak further.“Explain to me if you would,” he began at length, “how two British warships managed to allow a band of French raiders to slip into port and steal a merchantman from right beneath their very noses.”Semple’s tone was distinctly subdued and yet something in
Allison; Taking Control Chapter 89
Semple abruptly slammed his fist down on the desk, nearly upsetting the pots of ink and drying sand which he looked to have been using before the conversation began. He then stood up with frightening alacrity, shoving his chair backward as he did so. The captain stepped once again to the windows and resumed his former position, looking out with his hands behind his back, though they were now clenched far more tightly, as his whitening knuckles suggested.Allison didn’t know what to say or do at that point, though he decided that just remaining quiet was probably in his best interest. Sir Roger was incensed, and had obvious reason to be so, but there was far more than his subordinates’ failures, self-reproach, or disdain for men of lower birth to account for it. It was clear to Allison that this man had come here with another burden weighing upon his mind. Recent events had only just added to the disquiet it was already causing him. What has him so distraught? Is it something he’ll e
Allison; Taking Control Chapter 90
“Well, that will do for now, Mr. Allison ,” Semple told him. “As I said, I will send for you and Mr. Suggs when the occasion calls for it.” He made a dismissive motion with his hand before resting the elbow of that same arm on the desk and grasping his chin with his fingers in an aspect of thought.Allison stood up from his seat, replaced his tricorne and saluted.“Yes sir. Good day, Sir Roger,” he said before turning to stride out of the cabin.“And Allison ...” Semple called after him.Allison stopped and turned. “Sir?”“Don’t ever let that Frog bastard get the better of you again. We’ve already brooked enough embarrassment and disappointment in this war.”Allison saluted and wordlessly took his leave, silently refusing to grace his commander’s final stabbing words with any kind of response.Back aboard his own pinnace several minutes later, Allison marveled at how Sir Roger’s abrasive nature refused to be entirely subordinated to reason. He decided in the end that he would be a
Allison; Taking Control Chapter 91
Allison allowed his bent leg to drop from the wall. The sole of his shoe swung down to scrape the ground in the manner of a frustrated child. It was likely Suggs already knew the answer and it shouldn’t even be necessary to broach that subject again. He had ample time during their layover in the dockyard to tell him everything he and Caldwell had discussed on their way back to the island. His arms remained crossed as he leaned against the wall while looking upward thoughtfully at the darkened outlines of the hillocks and headlands that cradled the harbor.“Yes, it’s the concerns about Gambles again,” he admitted with a sigh. “Everything is circumstantial, it’s true, but I’ve said it before, a man in his position stands to do a colossal amount of harm if he is in fact compromised. His wealth and influence give him a very long reach which means that our being here essentially puts us on his very doorstep – and yet we haven’t heard a thing from him. Indeed, it makes any precaution of li
Allison; Taking Control Chapter 92
Allison and Suggs both saluted. Suggs turned and headed back to his vessel, but Sir Roger gestured to Allison with an upraised hand before he could walk off himself, indicating he wished him to remain. The Commodore didn’t immediately say anything to him while he eyed the backlit form of Suggs walking away over Allison ’s shoulder. When he felt the other lieutenant had gotten far enough so as not to hear him, he began.“Mr. Allison , I haven’t forgotten about this secretive purpose you’ve been set to by Admiral Lord Haig. Whatever it might be, I would advise you to see it completed soon. I’m inclined to wonder if some of the recent happenings aren’t in some way pertinent to this clandestine mission of yours. If true, you’d be wise to take them as a sign that time is of the essence. Given the latest news - LaTour’s triumph at St. John’s, our antagonism of the Spanish, and now this talk of traitors - I should wonder if we won’t all see ourselves torn apart both from without and within
Allison; Taking Control Chapter 93
The following morning, Allison sat alone in his cabin. Alex had just cleared away the remains of his half-eaten breakfast which he hadn’t had the appetite to completely finish. The events and revelations of the previous night had not only filled him with enough consternation and dismay to affect his stomach, but had also caused him a nearly sleepless night. Bleary-eyed, he leaned on his elbows, bent over his desk while staring, somewhat vacantly, at both the French signboard Gambles gave him and the brass bell he had retrieved from the remains of LaTour’s floating ruse.Sounds of ongoing work on the decks above could still be heard as the last of the repairs his vessel required were being finished by the crew. Midshipman Hardin had been sent below a short time ago to let him know that Gallant was making preparations to get underway and begin her transit to Kingston. Having nothing further to report to his commanding officer, Allison was more than happy to see the hopelessly disagre
Allison; Taking Control Chapter 94
Allison contemplatively rubbed his chin and tapped on his desk some more before responding.“I know it,” he answered. “That’s why we won’t.”Caldwell looked up, staring at his commanding officer with a questioning gaze.“However that doesn’t mean certain precautions won’t be taken,” Allison said, finishing his statement.Caldwell didn’t seem entirely reassured by that affirmation. Allison was instantly reminded by the look on his officer’s face of how only a short time ago, almost the whole wardroom was genuinely unconvinced that anything more than a local political squabble on New Providence even existed. It was now plainly evident and freely acknowledged that they were involved in pursuing the source of a far greater problem. Still, the threat of clear and present dangers in addition to the recent loss of valued shipmates – as well as other stresses in Henry’s case – could certainly cause a person’s strength of commitment to become strained.Allison pointed toward the page that
Allison; Taking Control Chapter 95
Talbot, who smiled triumphantly at Stanton’s discomfiture, was a distant relation of a noble English family of the same name, with ancestors who fought in France alongside Henry the Fifth and went on to become the Earls of Shrewsbury. Aspiring to a knighthood and proud of his smattering of noble blood, he let it show in his appearance. Shining gold buttons on his coats and waistcoats displayed the lions rampant and lions passant recognizable from his family arms. He had a full head of curly hair, cut short, that he saw no need to cover with any wigs and which only betrayed the slightest hints of gray at his temples. One could tell that when he stood he would have been of a height with Scott.“You do all realize,” Talbot now said, “that His Excellency will not allow the charges you make to be brought before the court, nor will he conscience the reparations you seek to be taken from Mr. Thorpe’s estate.”“We’ve given you evidence!” stated Mr. Hargrove, an assemblyman, and by far the old
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Chapter 112
“Qui êtes-vous? Parlez, maintenant!” growled the sergeant threateningly, insisting they speak.Caldwell was just about to feign a weak answer when a volley of musketry crackled from a nearby alleyway. Five of the French soldiers immediately crumpled to the ground, while the sergeant and the one remaining foot soldier wheeled around to face whatever it was that just surprised them. All at once a group of yelling, shadowy forms charged through the floating cloud of smoke left by the musket discharge. Seen in the guttering light of the lanterns which had been dropped to the ground, the last standing soldier uttered a disgusting gurgle as the blood-soaked point of a bayonet protruded through the back of his neck. At the same time, two attackers grabbed the reins of the sergeant’s horse while a third pinned the man’s sword arm and pulled him down bodily from the saddle. The third assailant then brandished his own sword and slammed the point into the sergeant’s chest several times before dr
Chapter 111
“Arrêtez!” came the shouted command in French to stop. Before the two disguised British officers could even react, five of the vigilant fellow’s nearby brethren had moved in to surround them. Taken unawares, Caldwell and James instinctively raised their hands. The discovered men were then promptly urged out into the clearing by the soldiers’ bayoneted muskets. The man who had originally discovered them made no effort to interrogate them or to find out who they were. He immediately began to call out to another a short distance away whom Caldwell could tell from the soldier’s address was a sergeant. The men who captured them then began to walk them in that general direction.This was dire. Everything the Philadelphia men had accomplished was about to be brought to nothing by a wretched barking dog. Almost as if to taunt the men it discovered, the vile scrawny creature was still milling about nearby yapping and growling toothily at them while wagging its tail. Both British officers knew
Chapter 110
“Well, what now?” James asked as he and Caldwell ducked back behind the pile of logs. “We can congratulate ourselves after a fashion for making it here under such horrid conditions, but that alone will serve no purpose. I’m forced to repeat my previous question: how do we determine just who or what is in there?”Caldwell looked as if he was about to reply with something less than definite when providence managed to intervene on their behalf yet again, though it was not at first clear exactly what was happening. Shouts and calls echoing up from further down the narrow road preempted Caldwell’s response. Both men ducked down and silently moved further to their right so as to observe the unfolding scene from the screen of heavy brush.A torch-bearing advance guard of marching soldiers, conceivably a detachment of the large unit which had come toward Saint-Pierre earlier, tramped up the slope. Following behind were even more men, with muskets at the ready, escorting what was clearly a gr
Chapter 109
Caldwell shook his head. “We can’t have more than three hours of darkness left to us at this point... but I’ll be buggered if I simply turn about and run off with our task undone. I couldn’t so much as face the Captain if we did that.” He then lifted his head and looked intently off into the darkness to the East.James grasped his thinking almost immediately and he didn’t like it one bit. “Oh... oh no! Not again! Henry, are you daft? I’d swear our last trip through the rills and ridges out there made me bleed far more than that splinter in the arm ever did!” He held out the still bandaged forearm to which he referred.“There’s no help for it, I’m afraid,” Caldwell told him. “Anyway, I do believe there’s another rise just east of here that will more than suit our purpose. It should be an easier ascent than the first ridge we scaled, at least at initially, and we should be able to move up onto higher ground by concealing ourselves on its southern slope and moving under the trees.” He r
Chapter 108
“Well, this is rather tedious – and distressing, I might add,” Caldwell told him. “Given the time we noted seeing the soldiers outside Le Carbet, which is just ahead, I’m all but certain they should have reached this particular point on the road at least a half hour ago if they were on the same schedule.”“A varied timetable?” James suggested.“I suppose something like that would only make sense,” Caldwell conceded, “unless they were delayed for some unknown reason.”James held his palms up. “Well, then what should we...”“SHHHH! Quiet! Lower yourself down and stay still! Something is coming!” Caldwell rasped, cutting him short.The second lieutenant quickly complied and did his best to listen to the approaching sounds which were just now becoming audible to him.As if in answer to their question, voices were heard echoing in the distance off to their right. Though they were still too far away to make out anything being said, it sounded like a series of shouts or calls being relayed
Chapter 107
“You’ve both performed superbly, as evidenced by the information with which you’ve returned. However, the problem we now face with the two of you being more recognizable to local inhabitants requires a form of mitigation. After some deliberation, I’ve decided that you are in fact quite right about the language difficulty inherent in sending other men. For that reason one of you – that is you Henry – will have to return. I am not unmindful of the dangers this entails, so it would be advisable for you to vary your attire and outward appearance as much as you can manage.”The two officers listened obediently, but their discomfiture with the new arrangement was palpable. Allison expected nothing less, and he went on to address the concerns that he knew troubled them.“William, you are by a wide margin the most experienced and practiced in these matters, but given the additional precautions I have decided to enact, your talents will be needed in a different capacity.”Allison now turned
Chapter 106
“We made use of the man’s almost messianic view of LaTour to draw more useful information from him,” Weyland said. “Incidentally, he told us that LaTour does in fact hold a regular commission in the French Navy. His letter of marque is held only for the benefit of his men, who are employed in an auxiliary fashion.”Allison shook his head. “I need only have you recall the damage those ‘auxiliaries’ caused with a single broadside when we met them at sea off Antigua to reiterate my previous warning. Even so, the facts you give stand to reason and confirm something we’ve all but suspected up to this point. What else?”Caldwell picked up the narrative. “LaTour is a figure who, by all accounts, places great importance upon putting himself in the public eye for reasons he himself might refer to as esprit de corps – morale of the whole. However, much as he purposefully strode along Saint-Pierre’s streets in the past, gifting shopkeepers and citizens with the odd item of value, these activiti
Chapter 105
It proved to be more than many of the knaves and blackguards in that establishment could ignore, and the majority quickly lost interest in the prospect of punishing the strangers so as to fight over their valuable coins. With a loud cacophony of shouts and yells that was horrible to hear, men were suddenly jostling, shoving, swinging and kicking to get at the treasure that had just been dropped before them. Others were rolling on the floor, wrestling and even biting for the chance to scoop up what they could.Brossard and Guiteau wasted no time in bolting for the door. After leaping over the bodies of several men who were wrangling with one another to get at the coins scattered about the wooden floor, they discovered that not quite everyone had been distracted by their desperate gamble. Brossard had to swing his pistol by the barrel and brain one onrushing assailant to get by him while Guiteau threw his shoulder into another, knocking him down to barge his way past. Then the wide door
Chapter 104
The old sailor paused again, looking back and forth from Brossard to Guiteau as though he expected one of them to ask the obvious question he’d left unanswered. When his audience didn’t offer this time, he continued.“Obviously something of importance is being stored up there. Wagons which are always covered, usually with armed men riding aboard, make their way up and down at times, winding along the wide path that switches back on the hillside. I’m told regular army troops are actually posted to keep the place under guard.”“Does it belong to LaTour himself?” Brossard asked.Rougebec shook his head. “People suggested that at first, but then another story started circulating. A friend of mine told me. He said whatever happens up there is overseen by some high-up government official, an aristocrat of some standing from the old country by all accounts.”“And no one knows who this man is?” Guiteau questioned.“Nope, but word is not even Baron de Beauville, the governor himself, interfere
