Part 27 (1/2)
”And meanwhile,” he complained to his Admiral, ”I am detained here by the absence of this fool of a Deputy-Governor”
”So?” said van der Kuylen ”But vhy should dad deda as he deserves, and appoint his successor in soifted with a sense of where his duty lies, and with the ability to perform it”
”Aha! But id is not necessary you remain for dat And he vill require no insdrucshons, dis one He vill kno to make Port Royal safe, bedder nor you or ourse Could any man be bedder? You haf seen vhad he can do”
”You think so, too, eh? Egad! I had thought of it; and, rip an was made Governor”
Blood was sent for He ca exploited the resources of Port Royal so to render himself He was a trifle dazzled by the honour proposed to hihbythat he had dreamed, and he was assailed by doubts of his capacity to undertake so onerous a charge
”Dahby, ”Should I offer it unless I were satisfied of your capacity? If that's your only objection”
”It is not, ry for the green lanes of England” He sighed ”There will be apple-blossoms in the orchards of Somerset”
”Apple-blossoms!” His lordshi+p's voice shot up like a rocket, and cracked on the word ”What the devil? Apple-blossoms!” He looked at van der Kuylen
The Admiral raised his brows and pursed his heavy lips His eyes twinkled hureat face
”So!” he said ”Fery boedical!”
My lord wheeled fiercely upon Captain Blood ”You've a past score to wipe out,towards it, I confess; and you've shown your quality in doing it That's why I offer you the governorshi+p of Jamaica in His Majesty's name - because I account you the fittest man for the office that I have seen”
Blood bowed low ”Your lordshi+p is very good But”
”Tchah! There's no 'but' to it If you want your past forgotten, and your future assured, this is your chance And you are not to treat it lightly on account of apple-blossoms or any other damned senti as the war lasts When the war's over, you et back to Somerset and cider or your native Ireland and its potheen; but until then you'll make the best of Jahter But from Blood the pleasantry elicited no shts were on Miss Bishop, as somewhere here in this very house in which they stood, but whom he had not seen since his arrival Had she but shown hi voice of Willoughby cut in again, upbraiding hi out to hiolden opportunity as this He stiffened and bowed
”My lord, you are in the right I arate as well If I have hesitated, it is because there are considerations hich I will not trouble your lordshi+p”
”Apple-blossoms, I suppose?” sniffed his lordshi+p
This ti wistfulness in his eyes
”It shall be as you wish - and very gratefully, let me assure your lordshi+p I shall kno to earn His Majesty's approbation You may depend upon my loyal service
”If I didn't, I shouldn't offer you this governorshi+p”
Thus it was settled Blood's commission was made out and sealed in the presence of Mallard, the Coarrison, who looked on in round-eyed astonishhts to theo,” said van der Kuylen
”We sail to-,” his lordshi+p announced
Blood was startled
”And Colonel Bishop?” he asked
”He becomes your affair You are now the Governor You will deal with hi him from his own yardarm He deserves it”
”Isn't the task a trifle invidious?” wondered Blood
”Very well I'll leave a letter for him I hope he'll like it”
Captain Blood took up his duties at once There was much to be done to place Port Royal in a proper state of defence, after what had happened there He made an inspection of the ruined fort, and issued instructions for the work upon it, which was to be started i of the three French vessels that they ht be rendered seaworthy once hby, he marshalled his buccaneers and surrendered to the it to their choice thereafter either to depart or to enrol the Williast these were Jerele, and dyke, whose outlawry, like Blood's, had co Ja old Wolverstone, who had been left behind at Cartagena - the only survivors of that band of rebels-convict who had left Barbados over three years ago in the Cinco Llagas
On the followingfinally ready for sea, Blood sat in the spacious ashed rooht hiht
”That is very well,” said Blood ”I ahby's departure The orders, Major, are that you place hi him here to hby aboard Adshi+p”
Major Mallard saluted and departed Peter Blood sat back in his chair and stared at the ceiling, frowning Tiro slave presented himself Would his excellency receive Miss Bishop?
His excellency changed colour He sat quite still, staring at the negro ain a manner wholly unusual to them Then quietly he assented
He rose when she entered, and if he was not as pale as she was, it was because his tan dissembled it For aeach at the other Then she ly, in an unsteady voice, a in one usually so calm and deliberate
”I I Major Mallard has just told me”
”Major Mallard exceeded his duty,” said Blood, and because of the effort he made to steady his voice it sounded harsh and unduly loud
He saw her start, and stop, and instantly made amends ”You alarm yourself without reason, Miss Bishop Whatever may lie between me and your uncle, you may be sure that I shall not follow the example he has set eance On the contrary, I shall abuse it to protect hihby's recommendation to me is that I shall treat him without mercy My own intention is to send him back to his plantation in Barbados”