"'Right,' says Brother Rabbit, turnin' to Rabbit Child, who's been hangin' about watchin' all this. 'Run on down to the pond and ask Sister Beaver to come on up here and maybe bring a few o' her brethren along wit' her.'
"'What he doin'?' ask Brother Bear. 'How dat gonna help?'
"'Shut up, Bear,' says Brother Fox.
"I'm gonna shut up, too, right here," says Jemimah. "Time to get ready for dinner. These men be gettin' hungry."
Me, too.
Chapter 43
Lieutenant James Emerson Fletcher
Onboard HMS Dolphin
En route to rendezvous off Key West
And not a moment too soon
Jacky Faber
At once my greatest joy and my greatest trial
Onboard her schooner the Nancy B. Alsop off Key West
Or, at least, I think she is—one never knows
Jacky,
I do not know what I have done in this life to deserve the things that happen to me in regard to you. What should have been the simplest of love stories—I take your hand and you take mine—turns out to be the most tangled of knots.
We arrived in Kingston in good order—the ship in full dress, gun salutes and all that. There was great joy upon the ship, for good Captain Hudson has granted daytime shore leave for all trustable sailors aboard, the liberty to be accomplished in three rotating watch sections. As you well know, it is rare for a commander to let his men off his ship in these times of war, fearing that they will desert, so they love the captain all the more for it. Some pay was issued and the joyful anticipation was palpable.
Upon mooring, we piped the Governor aboard, and I am reminded that the pirate Henry Morgan was once made governor of this island by our own government. After all the bowing and scraping was done, this present Governor, General Sir Eyre Coote, invited Captain Hudson and Lieutenant Bennett to dine at his residence. We junior officers were invited to the Officers' Club on the base, an invitation we gratefully accepted. Several of the lads and I made preparations and, seeing the ship well-secured, set off in a state of high spirits.
We went by coach and we passed by the very tavern you and I dined in all those years ago. I must pronounce myself moved to see the place. And when I saw the wall, the wall upon which you stood that day, your dress blowing about you, I closed my eyes and saw you standing there yet, so young and wild and free, and so very, very beautiful.
At the club—an elegant palace built in the Spanish style, all high ceilings and swooping arches—we were graciously received and introductions were made. I cast my eyes over the crowd and saw that, while there were a number of blue naval uniforms, there were many more of army scarlet. I was being introduced to several of them when I received a jolt.
"Gentlemen, may I present Captain Lord Richard Allen, Sixteenth Dragoons?"
I stiffened because I recognized the name—and the face—instantly, for I well remember when I came upon you and him together in the Mississippi River. That scene has been forever burned into my mind.
There were bows and murmurs of introduction all around.
"Mr. Fletcher. So good to see you again," said Allen, extending his hand and waving me to his table. "A glass of wine with you, Sir?" The wretched man was unable to keep a sheepish grin from his face. I gritted my teeth and sat down.
Wine was poured and dinner served, and a great spread it was—a fine treat after shipboard fare. I enjoyed it thoroughly, in spite of the awkward situation.
"May I hope that our mutual friend is safe and well?" Allen came right out and inquired.
"She is."
"It gladdens me to hear that. And do you know just where might she be?"
"She is on a scientific expedition."
He regarded me and my distinct lack of enthusiasm in answering his questions concerning you.
"If you require satisfaction, Fletcher," he said, "I am willing to give it."
I, of course, did wish to kill him for having laid his hands upon your person. But if I were to manage to slay all those who have similarly done so, I would have racked up quite a lengthy Butcher's Bill. So what I said was, "My Captain, whom I respect, has forbidden his junior officers to duel. Besides, I do not perceive that you forced your attentions on Miss Faber. She is her own person, and she has an open and affectionate nature as you might well have observed."
"Oh, yes," he said, a little too heartily for my taste. "And you must excuse me for being very fond of her. And furthermore we must be friends, you and I." He extended his hand to me.
I took his hand and said, "Very well, my Lord."
"Good, and you must drop that 'my Lord' stuff. I am not much of a Lord and we are similar in rank. I answer to both Richard and Dick," he said, grinning broadly.
I was finding it difficult to dislike this man.
The dinner dishes were cleared and more wine was poured.
"So, just where in the world is this 'scientific expedition'...Good Lord, is that Flashby over there? I never expected to see that particular blighter again. Last I heard of him was a splash as he went over the side of the Belle of the Golden West. Flashby! Come over here."
I looked over to see that Flashby had, indeed, entered the room and was startled to hear his name spoken. Upon recognizing Lord Allen, his face darkened, but he walked over to stand next to our table, his hands clasped behind him. Neither the Captain nor I stood up.
"Up to more nasty business, Flashby, eh, what?"
"I am here on His Majesty's business," replied Flashby, coldly.
"If you're involved, it's sure to be nasty, Flashbutt." It was plain that Allen was not at all worried about offending Flashby. It was equally plain that Flashby was furious ... and extremely uncomfortable. "I did not come here to be insulted, Mr. Allen," he said, his teeth clenched.
Captain Allen got to his feet and faced Flashby. "Then meet me at dawn. Name your second. Mr. Fletcher here will second me. And that's 'Lord Allen' to you, Flashby." There is silence from our table and from all near us, this being an outright challenge.
"I am forbidden from dueling in my current command," said Flashby, his nose in the air. "Perhaps some other time, my Lord. May I be excused from Your Lordship's presence? Good day, then."
Flashby turned on his heel and left the place, to a hum of conversation. A Royal Navy officer had refused a challenge—a serious loss of face...and a discredit to the Service, which does not go down well with those naval officers present, myself included. While I thoroughly enjoyed Flashby's humiliation, I did not like seeing the Service disgraced.
Allen sat back down. "Do you think he speaks the truth on that?"
"Yes, my Lor ... yes, Captain Allen. He is Second Mate on HMS Dolphin and I am Third Mate on the same ship. Had Captain Hudson not imposed his rule, I should have called Flashby out long ago. I will do so when the restrictions are lifted."
"Hmmm ... Well, don't expect that cowardly rascal to be around when that happens. He's a slippery bastard," said Allen. "So you've heard what he did to her?"
"If you mean that he repeatedly struck her and confined her in durance most vile? That he burned her leg and promised even more torture? Yes, if that's what you mean. If there was more, perhaps I do not want to hear of it."
"No. That was about the extent of it."
"She tells me you were instrumental in stopping the abuse, and for that I thank you."
"Ummm ... Well, rest assured that she dealt out far more than she received," he said, chuckling at the remembrance. "But tell me the name of your ship again."
"HMS Dolphin. Why do you ask?"
A smile spread across his features.
"And where is our girl and her 'scientific expedition'?"
"Off Key West. We will rendezvous in four days."
"Um. So she must be gathering very valuable specimens," he said, and then laughed. "Oh, this grows so very, very interesting!"
"But why...?"
"Because I, along with a squad of my men, have been assigned to your ship to guard something of great value." He lifted his glass to me. "We shall sail together, James Fletcher, and we will see just what our little friend is really up to."
Good Lord.
Chapter 44
I'm tending to El Gringo over at the coop, handfeeding him shelled walnuts—figure he could use the oil the nuts got in them to glossy up his feathers some, and maybe put a little more weight on him, which can't hurt—and Jemimah's over at the breadboard, mixing up flour and water and forming up loaves for kneading, and the kids are pleading for the rest of the story.
"So you remember that Fox and Bear are still down in that trap?"
Both heads bob up and down.
"All right, then you'll recall that Brother Rabbit done sent off his boy to fetch Sister Beaver and her crew, and by 'n' by Miz Beaver come waddlin' up the path, with Brother Beaver and other of the Beaver Clan by her side.
"'What chew want, Brother Rabbit?' she say. 'We gots work t' do. Dams don't build demselves, y'know.'
"'Want some chewin' done, Sister,' says the rabbit, gettin' up and goin' over and puttin' his paw on a sweet gum tree that he had picked out. 'Now iffen you and Brother Beaver was to chew on dis side o' dis tree, it'll fall over dere and dat big ol' branch'll poke down into dat hole and doze Brothers'll be able to climb out.'
"Sister Beaver look down into de pit and say, 'Don't see de wisdom o' settin' doze two rascals free, but all right.'
"So she and her man commence to chawin' away, and by 'n' by the tree come down and the branch fall where it was supposed to and the fox and the bear was able to climb out, blinkin' in the sunlight.
"Brother Rabbit, not quite trustin' the conversion of Brother Fox and Brother Bear, take his child and head off down the hill and back to the rabbit shack.
"But Sister Rabbit, no, she stand her ground, as the newly freed fox and the bear tower over her, to test the strength of their promises, and maybe her own faith, too.
"'Today's Wednesday, Brothers. See you at Meetin'.' Then she tuck her Bible under her arm and hop off down the hill after her man and her boy. End of story."
There is silence for a bit and then Joannie asks, "What happened to those brothers after that? Did they keep their promises?"
"Well, child, Brother Bear, he go back to live with his mama, who give him a good spankin' for hangin' around with bad company like that Brother Fox and he promise never to do it again and he live out his life all happy, gettin' fat on eatin' berries and roots and apples and suchlike—but no bunnies, 'cause Brother Bear don't want to go to Hell for the breakin' of a promise to the Lord, nossir.
"And Brother Fox, he starts goin' to church and meetin's and soon he takes the Spirit into his heart and he put on the black hat and long frock coat and white collar of the preacher. Preacher Fox preaches all through the Big Woods and then goes to preachin' up and down the Big River and he got right famous and he never again ate another rabbit. End of story, back to work, both of you."
"Jemimah, do you mean that there ain't any more stories?" asks Daniel, a bit crestfallen.
"No, boy, I don't mean that at all. Y'see, when one wily fox step aside, another one will step up and take his place, and when one bear decide to lie back and smell the flowers, well, another mean old bear will come roarin' in, up to all sorts of rascality."