Eric Flint: Grantville Gazette.Volume 22

She opened the door wide and invited him in. "My uncle is in the study. Please have a seat and I'll get him."

As she walked down the hall, Svend noticed that the dress she was wearing was a patched hand-me-down.

A few minutes later, Sir Thomas appeared. "Agnes said you've a message from Captain Foxe?"

"Yes, sir." After he handed over the letter, Svend continued, "Captain Foxe asked me to wait for your answer, if it was convenient."

Reading the note, Sir Thomas started back down the hall. He motioned for Svend to follow. When they entered the study, Sir Thomas looked up. "Have a seat. I do have an answer and I won't be a moment composing it." He quickly penned a reply. "Take this back to the Captain. You may tell him that a meeting at ten o'clock tomorrow morning will be fine."

Svend placed the note in the pouch and headed for the door. The young lady watched from a door at the end of the hall.

"I must be getting old," Karl thought, trudging through the gathering dusk to his home. "Only two beers and Magda won't even be surprised. I've been home early every night the past two weeks." He sighed. "Just an old married man." He opened the door to the house he and his wife, Magda, shared with their son, Johann and his family.

" Farmor!" He was instantly mobbed by his four oldest grandchildren. Magda looked up from her cooking. "Children, let your grandfather get in the door before you pester him. Dinner will be ready as soon as Johann finishes at the shop." She tasted the stew and then continued to stir the pot. The stew's aroma had Karl's mouth watering. She gave Karl the look every wife had when she knew something was up. "I hear there was some excitement this afternoon among the refugees. Anything important happen?"

"No, just someone posted broadsides on free land. Can you imagine, the fools actually thought someone would give them free land?" He reached into his tunic and pulled out a rumpled paper. "Here's a copy. Some fools will believe anything."

Magda read the broadside and frowned. "Too bad you're too old to start farming and the land is so far away. We could turn the house over to Johann." Karl looked at her like she had lost her mind, but Magda continued with a twinkle in her eye. "Then they would have enough room, especially since Bergitte just found out she's expecting again!"

Karl asked, "Does Johann know yet?"

"No. Bergitte plans to tell him when he got home tonight. And don't you dare let the cat out of the bag beforehand!"

"This calls for a celebration. I'll get the akvavit from the cabinet."

Karl headed to the storage room, and Magda turned to toss the broadside into the fire. She paused, folded the paper and tucked it into her apron, a thoughtful expression on her face.

The next day dawned cold and cloudy with a hint of precipitation to come. Luke finished the last of his breakfast, then sighed, contented. "Mette McDermott, I can't remember when I've eaten so well!"

"You must be getting old, Captain. You've already forgotten you said the same thing yesterday." Smiling, Mette picked up Luke's dishes and headed toward the kitchen.

While the buxom, blonde widow retreat into the kitchen, Luke realized that he felt better than he had in years. Ever since his trip to Grantville, where he saw his "obituary" in the history books, his attitude on life had changed. Knowing when and how one was supposed to die tended to change one's focus. Now that he had cheated death, anything seemed possible, even starting a family. Now where did that idea come from?

Muttering to himself about crazy old men who should know better, Luke looked up when Svend entered the room. "Are you ready? We have a busy day. We'll head to the ship and get my books and papers for the meeting. I want you and Mr. Barrow to go with me." Luke picked up his boat cape, but the image of Mette McDermott stayed with him.

The familiar harbor smells set Luke to thinking about the planned voyage. He thought over what was involved with the planned expedition and what he had heard about the Roanoke, Jamestown, and Plymouth expeditions and came to some solid conclusions. Those expeditions had tried to get by on half measures and ended up on half rations. If investors could be convinced to actually start a colony on a firm footing, the long term payoff should justify the cost. Four or five seaworthy vessels of at least eighty tons each should meet the need. They would carry not only settlers, but adequate food supplies, tools and trade goods. His ship, the Kobenhavn, would serve as one of two ships to carry colonists. He wanted two ships to carry the soldiers, their equipment and enough food to last until a harvest could be brought in. The fifth ship would carry the livestock, grain and trade goods. They would need to be well armed, too. The Kobenhavn 's armament consisted of six cannon and the livestock ship could carry four more cannon. Those four would be unloaded for the defense of the colony. Along with forty arquebuses, powder, and shot, that should deter any but the most determined attackers. Trade goods to acquire the needed land from the natives should make for good relations with the new neighbors. They would also need at least one resupply of food with the second group of settlers, in case there were crop failures the first year.

The short trip to the Kobenhavn went quickly. Luke came out of us reverie when they arrived and checked the rigging for any problems. His first officer, John Barrow, was efficient, as usual. All yards were squared off and the running and standing riggings showed no sign of excessive wear or stretching. The Kobenhavn was two hundred tons, painted black with a white strake, and was only two years old. Sir Thomas had bought her specifically for the expedition. When Luke and Svend boarded, John met them at the entry port.

"Morning, Captain. I have your papers for the meeting in your cabin, just as you requested."

"Good! You'll be going with us, John. You'll need to know our decisions today first hand. Svend will be along to help carry the papers and books." Luke gestured to the low, gray clouds. "It looks like it might snow soon, so let's be off."

Just before they reached their destination, a fine snow started to fall. John looked disgusted. "Hope the meeting goes quickly, Captain. These cobblestones will be slick if we get much snow."

"We're going to be a while today. Sir Thomas' note hinted that things were moving faster than we originally planned. I want you to speak up if you have any ideas or you catch anything that I miss."

John rapped on the door with the pommel of his knife. When the doorman answered, John announced, "Captain Luke Foxe and party to see Sir Thomas."

"You are expected, sirs. The other gentlemen are here already."

They were greeted by a crackling fire in the brick fireplace of the study. Five men arose as they entered.

Sir Thomas made the introductions. "Captain Foxe, thank you for being so prompt. You know Saul and Reuben Abrabanel. And this is Adolphus Bamberg, the local factor for the House of Cavriani." The fifth guest was pointedly ignored.

"Gentlemen, Captain Luke Foxe, his first officer, John Barrow, and their clerk, Svend McDermott." Svend quietly placed the papers he was carrying on the table as Sir Thomas asked Luke, "What can you tell us about the ships you've found?"

Luke paused to pick up a list from the pile of papers. "Based on the number of passengers and amount of equipment you say are needed for the first expedition, I calculate that we will need over five hundred tons of carrying capacity. The Kobenhavn, of course, and I've located four other ships that I feel meet our needs. Captain Thomas James, with his Henriette Marie, already has experience with Hudson's Bay. We've known each other for a number of years. He would be my recommendation as the second in command of this expedition. His ship and mine would carry most of the colonists. Captain Lars Johannson with his 90-ton Kristina, would carry the expedition's livestock and trade goods. Captain Jan de Puyter of the 150-ton Wilhelm and Captain Martin Rheinwald of the 120-ton Hamburg would carry provisions, weapons, soldiers and equipment. This assumes that we are still looking at the planned numbers and leave in March. Captains Johannson and Rheinwald each have a charter to Luebeck to complete before they are ready to sail, but they'll be back in Copenhagen by mid February."