Barbarians on an Ancient Sea by William Westbrook

Author:William Westbrook
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: McBooks Press
Published: 2019-12-24T00:00:00+00:00

THIRTY-THREE

THE NEXT DAY WAS SUNDAY AND BEAUTY ORDERED A MAKE AND MEND day, which allowed Rascal’s crew to patch, darn, and wash their clothes and generally have the afternoon to themselves without having to be on duty. Fallon, however, had much to do and even more to think about.

At the top of his list was what to do with Little Eddy. The boy had been all but invisible since Loire’s prize crew had come back aboard, no doubt hoping that he would be “out of sight, out of mind.” But he was very much in Fallon’s mind and he decided to speak with Beauty, Visser, and Aja and get their thoughts. Really, he was just putting off the decision.

In fact, here was Aja at his cabin door.

“A note from Admiral Davies, captain, sir,” he said. “Just came by his gig.”

“Thank you, Aja,” said Fallon, taking the note and putting it aside for a moment. “I’ve been meaning to compliment you on your first independent command in getting Loire to Bermuda and then English Harbor. And your work on setting her to rights was truly impressive. I’ve no doubt the prize agent was astounded by your efforts. It looked like the ship was taken without a shot! But, truly, your abilities belie your age, young man. Well done.”

Aja beamed, beamed like a child at Christmas seeing the toy he’d wished for, prayed for, appear with a bow. Nothing mattered more to him than Fallon’s approval and he stood awkwardly smiling now before mumbling his appreciation and shaking Fallon’s hand.

“Now, if you will be so good as to ask Beauty and Visser to join us here I’d like your collective guidance on a matter,” said Fallon, returning to the business at hand. Aja left the cabin and Fallon turned his attention to Davies’ note, which revealed an invitation to dinner aboard the flag-ship that afternoon. Besides he and Elinore, the guests were all friends: Beauty, Aja, Visser, Doctor and Señora Garón, and of course, Paloma. Now that was a dinner to look forward to, thought Fallon. There would be a vineyard’s worth of wine poured and Davies could be relied upon to have his cook lay on his best.

But here was a knock at the door and his little meeting was about to begin.

“First, we are all invited to dinner on the flagship,” he said to the group as they squeezed into the cabin and sat down around his desk. They all smiled in anticipation of the invitation and the sure knowledge that the dinner would be a feast, indeed.

“But I’ve asked you here for your counsel,” continued Fallon, turning serious. “Something must be done about Little Eddy and I would like us all to be in agreement, if possible, as to what that something is. It is black and white, I’m afraid. He either stays aboard or he is sent home on the next packet ship to Bermuda.”

Beauty looked at Aja. Aja looked at Visser. Visser looked at the floor. No

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