Page 38 of Miss Whittier Makes a List
Dinner was delicious, especially the fish garnished with lemons from Terceira’s orchards, and concluded with a robustMadeiraalready so highly praised by the colonel. Hannah ate what was set before her and wondered why it tasted nobetter to her than sea biscuits,salt beef, and Cookie’s heavenly plum duff.
When the last plate was removed, the colonel nodded to his wife, who rose and gestured to Hannah.
“My dear, let us leave these men to their politics and cigars,”she said, holding out her hand.
No, Hannahthoughtin sudden panic. She looked at Adam, who rose and held out a closely written paper.
“Colonel, please indulge us.”he said, after bowing to Madame Aillet. He pointed to the paper.“I have taken the liberty of enumerating all the wrongs done to us on theDissuade.”He looked at Hannah.“I would like to read it, and then request that Captain Spark be brought here to sign it.”
“But, my dear boy, he can hardly walk!”the colonel protested.“I must save him from all exertions for the guillotine.”
Adam’s chin went up, and Hannah suppressed a smile. Ah,Colonel Aillet, she thought, you do not know how stubborn this young man can be. She sat down again, content that Adam would prevail.
“I think you owe it to us,”Adam said.“I want that beast to hear this, and then I want him to sign it. And I hope he hurts. It would only be a slight recompense for all the wrong he has done us. If you are of a mind to return us to the Caribbean, I want to slap this in the hand ofEngland’s ambassador to theUnited States, once we are home again. The doctor can bring Spark here.”
Hannah watched her young friend, secretly impressed by the set of his jaw. She leaped to her feet.“I can only second what my friend has said. We have grievances which must be addressed, if not inLondon, then inWashington,D.C.to s
The colonel considered the request, then motioned them closer.“Come, you two! I will do as you say.”
Hannah hurried to Adam’s side. He took her hand and held it close to his chest.“Let us hope he does not come with a squad of soldiers,”he whispered to her as the colonel conversed with his fellow officers, then sent them from the room.
“He will be with us soon,”said the colonel.“Some moreMadeira?”
While the colonel returned to the table to pour another glass, Adam leaned closer to Hannah.“All I know is that Dr. Lease told me he hadarrangedsome kind of diversion.”
She looked at him, a question in her eyes, as the thunder, louder now, rolled across the bay.“Thee must be ready for anything,”he told her, then accepted the Madeira with a smile from Colonel Aillet.
They seemed to wait forever, and Hannah writhed inside, wondering if Captain Spark was too badly injured to mount the stairs. Madame Aillet finally retired to the chapel withher confessor, and the colonel went to the window to smoke his cigar and watch the progress of the storm.
“I wish thee knew what Dr. Lease has in mind,”she whispered to Adam.
“So doI,”he replied, his eyes on the doorway. Suddenly his grip tightened on her hand.“Well, at least we will know soon. As the captain says,‘Tally-ho, Lady Amber.’”
She turned to the door toseethe captain, leaning heavily on the surgeon, enter the room. The swelling had lessened, but he still could open only one eye. His usually impeccable white trousers were bloodstained and dirty, and Lease had thrown a shirt about his shoulders. She sighed. There was no guard. This was no surprise; in his present condition, Captain Sir Daniel Spark was no threat to anyone. She peered closer, that look of dogged determination in his one open eye was familiar to her. She crossed her fingers, hoping that Colonel Aillet would not realize what a fire burned within the battered man before him.
“Ah, my dear Captain Spark.”the colonel said.“So good of you to join us.”
Spark grunted and sank with a groan into a chair. Lease set his medicine satchel on the table and glowered at the colonel.“I do not know why you have summoned us here, but I must protest such treatment of the wounded,”he said, and then pointed a finger at Adam.“Don’t you think the guillotine punishment enough?”
Hannah gasped as Adam slapped the surgeon across the mouth with the rolled up document.“Icannot stomach your Englisharrogance,”he shouted back.“We have suffered grievously at this monster’s hands, and I will be satisfied!”
It was a convincing performance. The colonel, bristling with indignation, stepped between Adam and the doctor.“Monsieur, remember that you are a guest in my dining hall!”he protested to Adam.
Lease turned a cold stare upon Adam, who glared back.“It is what I expect from American rabble!”the surgeon said, his voice heavy with disdain.
They glowered at each other while Captain Spark rested his forehead onthe table. The colonel chuckled.“Captain, you have reminded us of the reason for this visit. I am sure that my dear American guests will look forward to that moment when your head is situated just so under the blade before it drops.”
“Bastards,”the captain muttered, not raising his head.
“Why you ....”Adam reached for Spark, but Lease grabbed the back of his coat.
“Now, now, gentlemen!”the colonel admonished again.“Monsieur Winslow, I suggest that you read your document, so the captain can sign it.”He giggled.“At least, if he has enough unbroken fingers to sign it.”
Adam snapped open the paper, stood in front of the captain and ship’s surgeon, and read his catalog of injuries, some real, most imagined, dealt them on the last voyage of theDissuade.He paused to scowl at the captain, who leaned back in his chair now, silent in the face of such accusation.
When Adam finished, his last words still ringing in the hall, he slapped down the paper in front of Captain Spark. Colonel Aillet procured quill and ink from the buffet and set it on the table before the captain, after clearing a space amongthedishes.“I wonder that England allows such men as you to go tosea,”he said as he dipped the quillin the ink and handed it to Spark.
The captain looked up from his own contemplation ofthedocument spread before him.“And you have waged a humane war?”he asked quietly as he took the pen awkwardly in his hand. Hannah winced to see his swollen knuckles andtheway he sucked in his breath as he applied pressure with hisarm.
