Part 48 (2/2)
The elder Walrond listened thoughtfully till the story was finished.
Then he slowly drained his tankard. ”It's the final
humiliation. Cromwell, may G.o.d d.a.m.n him, can't rest content merely to strike off the head of his Most Royal Majesty. Now he must needs reduce all that king's loyal subjects to nothing.”
”But it needn't be.” Jeremy put down his tankard. His hands quivered, as though to match the flicker of the candles.
”There's something you haven't told me yet, isn't there, lad? You haven't said why they set you ash.o.r.e. You didn't escape, did you?”
Anthony studied him with sudden dismay. ”I'll wager you were sent back.
Why was it?”
”Aye. The reason is this.” He rose and reached into the pocket of his doublet. The letter was still there, waiting, its wax seal warm against his s.h.i.+rt. ”It's for you.”
He found himself wis.h.i.+ng it had been lost, though he believed with all his heart the message meant salvation. It was a gift of G.o.d. Yet something about it now seemed the work of the devil.
”What is it, Jeremy?” Anthony stared at the envelope. ”Some kind of threat to try and frighten me too?” He looked up and bristled. ”They can spare their ink and paper.”
”Admiral Calvert asked me to deliver this. He and Captain Morris said that whilst you were their staunchest foe, they also knew you for a gentleman. They said you were the only man on the island they felt they could trust. That you alone could prevent this place being brought to ruin by Cromwell--which would probably mean fighting all over the Americas for years, when they just want to settle this and be gone.”
”Are they asking me to be a traitor to the island?”
”They've made an offer, a private offer. They said the a.s.sembly can't be made to reason, that it'd sooner bring ruination to the island than agree to a compromise.”
”This is d.a.m.ned knavery. To presume I'd be party to disloyalty.”
”But think on't.” Jeremy drank again and felt his boldness renewed.
”Why should you sacrifice yourself helping the greedy Puritans on this island? The Council scorns to listen to you, and
you've still not been elected to the a.s.sembly. I'd say you've received naught but contempt, from the day you arrived.” His voice rose. ”Make no mistake on it, there'll be a new regime here after the island surrenders, which it'll have to eventually. Right now, Calvert and Morris just want to keep Barbados out of the hands of this man Powlett.”
Anthony turned the envelope in his hand. ”So what does this cursed letter of Calvert's say?”
”Merely that you're a reasonable man, that you're surely sensible of the ruin a total war would mean. And that he's got terms to offer you that are truly in the best interest of Barbados, if only you'd give them ear.”
”I suppose he made you privy to these most generous terms.” Anthony tossed the letter onto the rough pine boards in front of him.
”If you'd use your influence to work for peace, and convince your Windward Regiment here in this parish to cooperate, he'll take steps to thwart the designs of Powlett. If the island laid down its arms, then there'd be no garrison of troops. He'll guarantee it. And there'd be amnesty for all the planters.”
”It's more d.a.m.n'd Roundhead lies. That's not the voice of Cromwell.
That's the voice of an admiral who fears he can't take this place by force. So he'd try doing it by deceit.” Anthony's face reddened. ”Does the man have the cheek to think I've no scruples whatsoever?”
”But he's promised more. He'd form a new Council and make you its head.
He and you'd appoint the others together. Of course they'd needs be men of moderate stripe, who'd stood for peace. But you could both work together to ensure the treaty was kept. Powlett might still have to serve as governor for a time, but he'd not be able to do anything without the approval of your new Council.”
”It's all a deception, lad.” Anthony sighed wistfully. ”Would it were true. You're young, and I fear to say still a bit gullible. These are promises made in the moonlight and shrugged away at sunrise.”
”I'm old enough to know there's been enough killing.” Jeremy choked back a lump of guilt that rose in his chest. ”But the letter's not addressed to me. It's to you. What harm in reading it? Morris would like to arrange a meeting, unarmed, to discuss its terms.”
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