John Schettler - Devil's Garden

“Yes, yes, well it can’t be helped. Yours is the only ship off the coast just now. I’ve an urgent need to get somewhere, and this seemed the only practical solution. Now then, is Captain Cameron aboard?”

“That he is, sir, below decks in his cabin. I’ve sent a boy to alert him. Just follow me and I’ll lead the way.” He turned to two hands who were watching the scene with some interest. “You men there, up with that luggage.”

“Good,” said the Duke. “My footman, Mister Thomas here, will wait with the bags while I see the Captain and settle affairs.” He gave Thomas an admonishing glance as if to reinforce his earlier remarks about being seen but not heard.

“Very good, sir.” The Boatswain had given the two men a good long look, and thought their clothing and manner of dress to be most unusual, but he was not prepared to question the men further. The gentleman certainly carried himself well enough, and looked to be upper class in deportment and aspect, though his hair was close cropped and he did not wear a wig. That was not unusual, so he would leave it to the Captain to sort this business out.

Thomas waited as Ames was led off, taking a hatch and short stairway down to the Captain’s cabin, where the Boatswain knocked gently on the door.

A muffled voice answered-“Come,” and the Boatswain eased the door open. “Visitors, Captain. One Sir Roger Ames.”

The Captain was seated at a narrow wood desk studying a map and rose with a polite smile. “It isn’t often I receive such a pleasant surprise in the morning. Do come in, sir. That will be all, Mister Delson.”

“Thank you for receiving me without any notice, Captain,” said the Duke. “I have urgent need of passage and come to beg your forbearance if you can find room for two more.”

“Indeed,” Captain Cameron raised a thin brow. He was a man in his later thirties, dressed out in a navy blue Captain’s waistcoat with brass buttons. His greatcoat hung on a nearby peg, along with a black cocked lace hat of felt, braided with gold looped trim.

“Forgive my appearance,” the Duke went on. “I’m dressed for adventure more than propriety at the moment.”

“Of course,” said the Captain. “And may I enquire as to your need for passage?”

“The coast of France or Belgium. Any port of call will do, sir.”

“I see…Well sir, we’ve watered and provisioned in Edinburgh yesterday, and just eased down the coast for a brief anchorage here. How was it you learned of us, if I might ask, sir?”

“Suffice it to say I’m in the know in my position, Captain. A stout ship you have here. You once had Letters of Marque and Reprisals for action against the United States, did you not?”

“We did indeed, sir. That sorry war was good for nothing, though we were in and out of the thick of it in our day. Of late it’s been ferry duty, what with the army mustering on the continent.” The Captain gave him an odd look now. “You will forgive a poor sea Captain for being unaware, but I have not heard of a Sir Roger Ames in Northumberland, sir.”

“Which is just the way I prefer it, Captain. If you want to know the truth I’m a simple gentleman looking to make my way to the continent-a gentleman of some means, but a simple man nonetheless. Now then…I’ve an engagement to attend an affair being put on by the Duchess of Richmond in Brussels, five days hence, and I was desperate to arrange passage to the continent before that date. As you can see, I am traveling light, with no more than a footman in escort, and I can, of course, reward you handsomely for your accommodation.

“You’re in luck, Mister Ames. I was just consulting my charts here, and intending to set sail for Ostend within the hour. I would be most pleased to entertain you and your footman aboard my ship.”

“Splendid. Here…” The Duke reached into his pocket and set a small gem on the Captain’s map, right on the spot where Ostend was labeled in the Channel. “I’ve carried that in my pocket to compensate you. I’m afraid packing sight drafts and other currency is inconvenient for me given my present circumstances. Most of my itinerary has already been arranged, but given an unaccountable late start, I missed my ship in Edinburgh and was told you might still be riding off this coast.”

The Captain stared at the gem, a small stone, but obviously a diamond, his thin brow rising again.

“But sir, he began… This will in no way be necessary.”

“Now, now. I insist on it, Captain Cameron. There’s hardly enough profit in a merchantman’s voyage these days. I very much doubt you’ll be acting on those Letters of Marque to seize American prize ships in the Atlantic any longer, but do accept that as a token of my appreciation. I realize how boorish it is of me to come rowing in out of the fog like this without notice.”

“Well, sir, it is a handsome reward indeed, and will set the books right soon enough. At your insistence I will accept, and welcome you aboard. You are too kind. I shall insist you quarter in this very cabin, sir, and we shall have you to Ostend by mid-day tomorrow.”

That went well enough, thought the Duke, very well indeed.

“I’mafraid you may have misunderstood me earlier, said Sir Roger. He was lounging on the Captain’s bed below decks with Ian Thomas seeing to their effects and luggage by the table. “I trust you had a good look at this ship and crew while you were waiting.”

“An efficient lot,” said Thomas. “I had no idea there was a ship like this still sailing, and I’ll say one thing for them, they certainly dress the part. Is this a new venture, sir?”

“A new venture? No Mister Thomas, it’s quite an old one. This ship is a British merchantman, built in the year 1801.”

“It’s a very authentic reproduction, sir.”

“That’s just it, my man. You see this is not a reproduction at all. It is indeed the ship built in 1801 at Rotherhithe by the shipwright John Randall. The man launched over fifty vessels in all, including some very notable ships like HMS Defiance . In fact, after completing this ship, he built the Illustrious just before his death, a 74 gun ship of the line. An industrious man, this Mister Randall. Well, the point of all this is to make it known to you that this is the original ship Ann , a small brig in the employ of the British East India Company until 1817. We are standing on that very vessel, sir, not a replica.”

“I see… Amazing that they could make it seaworthy again like this without extensive work.”

“No restoration is needed. The ship is a little past its prime, I’ll warrant. It will be sold in just a few years, but we are standing on this ship just as it was in the year 1815. She has a crew of sixty men, along with the two of us. Of late she has been assisting in the transport of supplies for the British Army in Belgium.”

“Right, sir. I’ve warmed up to the notion and I believe I can play my part well enough. We aren’t dressed for the period, but I’ll try to be inconspicuous.”

The Duke gave Thomas a long look, his lips pursed with thought. “This is not theater, Mister Thomas. It is not a pleasure cruise either, nor a fanciful notion in my head. In twenty-four hours we will make port at Ostend. I suppose that if I have not persuaded you to the reality of our present situation by then, you will have ample evidence for your eyes there. Once we do land on the continent we have but a few days time to get to our destination.”

Thomas did not know what to make of that, and was cautious about any disagreement with the Duke at the outset of what looked to be a long journey. He decided to change the subject a nudge and see what he could learn. “I did not ask about the itinerary earlier, sir, out of respect to you and all.”