Chapter Three

Ruining Tea

The Crimson Dawn sailed into port at Redmond, the seat of English power in the archipelago. The crewmen stopped their work when Demaro called for their attention. Colin stepped forward on the quarterdeck and said, "Lads, we're in Redmond for one night. Don't cause trouble, and don't get yourselves killed. Beyond that, have a good time."

The crew all disembarked, leaving Demaro, Colin, and Verity aboard, as well as the quartermaster below decks, and the cannoneer. "Demaro, keep an eye on things for me. Miss Carlisle and I are going ashore."

"Speak of the devil," Demaro muttered, and Colin turned to see Verity approaching.

"Miss Carlisle," Colin said quietly. He looked at her for several moments before saying, "Well, you certainly can't be meeting the Governor of Redmond looking like that. I have some clothes down in the cargo hold. Find something that would best suit you."

Verity was about to be offended when she realized that the captain was quite right. She was dressed in a nightgown and a dressing robe, and slippers. "Oh, yes, of course," she said, flushing a little. "Thank you."

And so Colin waited for about ten minutes until finally Verity reappeared on deck. She was wearing an olive-green dress with gold lace along the hem, cuff, and low-cut, square neck. She had selected a bonnet, as well, and a pair of shoes with little gold buckles. He stares at her, his goateed jaw dropping slightly. "Err—Miss Carlisle, you look… very pretty. Very, uh, fitting to be meeting the Governor."

"Thank you," she said, and then gave a little curtsey.

Colin now felt slightly underdressed. He had put on clean slacks and a fresh tunic, but his boots were slightly ragged, and the slacks were patched in a few places. He cleared his throat and said, "Err, all right then, Miss Carlisle. Let's get a move on. Demaro, you'll keep everything under control?"

"Aye, sir," replied the first mate, and by the look of him, he was trying hard not to stare at Verity. "Everything will be taken care of."

"Good. Miss Carlisle?"

Verity and Colin disembarked, and they walked up the dock towards the harbor entrance. They could see the thatched roofs of the homes in Redmond beyond the gate, which they approached quickly. "It's hard to believe that the security hasn't been tightened," Verity said quietly as she followed Colin down a gently curving stairway.

"They don't know about Oxbay yet," Colin said out of the side of his mouth as he passed a group of women who were standing in the marketplace. "Once they do, you'll find it hard to move about in the town."

Verity nodded. As they came down an alleyway, they saw a massive, palatial residence on the other side of the plaza. "That'll be the governor's house, then," she said, nodding towards the building.

"That's likely. Let's go." He led her towards the gate. As they approached, the two redcoats at the gate crossed their spears in front of them.

"Halt. What do you want?" one of them demanded aggressively.

"We have business with the governor," said Colin calmly.

The second redcoat looked suspicious. "What kind of business?"

"We've come to tell him that the colony of Oxbay is under the control of the French!" Verity said nervously.

"The French?" said the first redcoat skeptically. "Why would the French move against Oxbay? Are you pulling our legs, miss?"

"She isn't," said Colin with an aggressiveness that seemed to alarm even him. "I saw the French squadron with my own eyes. They were doing battle with the fort. They landed troops in Oxbay."

"We don't know why the French attacked," Verity insisted. "Besides the obvious: they want land. Now, are you going to let us tell the governor or not?"

"We'd better let them in," said the first redcoat, eyeing his partner, who reluctantly nodded.

They uncrossed their spears and gestured the pair forward. Colin knocked lightly on the door, and a few moments later, a page appeared in the doorway. "Uh. Yes?"

"We need to speak with the governor," said Colin quickly. "It's urgent."

"Yes, well, the guards look very much alive, so you can't be all that dangerous." The page looked slightly put off by this, and more than a little disappointed. "Oh, well, you'd better come inside."

"Thank you," Verity said as she stepped into the hall of the governor's residence. The room reeked of European finery, with gold and silver candlesticks, expensive-looking books, and marble that almost certainly had to be imported. Verity saw Colin's jaw clench as he saw a jewel-encrusted sword sitting atop a bookshelf.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" she whispered teasingly.

He looked round at her. "What? Oh. Just looking. I'm not a thief."

Verity simply pressed her lips together and rolled her eyes thoughtfully. The page closed the door, bolted it, and said, "This way, please." He led them down a hall to their left. At the end of the hall, a pair of double doors opened into a study, where sat a massive man in a blue tunic that barely stretched over his belly. "Governor Sybarite, these people are here to see you."

The governor, who looked as if he were about to tuck into a rather large piece of cake, looked up distractedly, then set his fork down. "I'm tending to very important matters. Matters of, ah, state business," he added importantly, smoothing non-existent wrinkles from his tunic.

"Indeed," Colin said with a smirk. "We shan't take too much of your time then, your Excellency. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Captain Colin Black; I'm a privateer in the service of His Majesty the King. And this is Miss Verity Carlisle, a citizen of the town of Oxbay, and a loyal subject of the Crown."

Verity raised an eyebrow and looked over at Colin. She had no idea he could be this formal, and it surprised her. He caught her eye, gave a polite smile, and folded his hands in front of him.

"Well, as long as you're both in good standing," the governor said, nodding to the page. "Do fix us some tea. And bring some sweets for our guests," he added, attempting to stand. He struggled for a few moments with his own girth, and then finally squeezed out of the chair. "Have a seat, Captain, Miss Carlisle."

"Thank you, your Excellency," Verity said demurely as she took a seat in one of the luxuriously upholstered chairs.

"Governor Sybarite, we really should…" Colin began.

The governor cut him off with a wave of his meaty hand. "Tea first, my friend. We are not barbarians, you know." He gave a grin, which forced his fat cheeks to look even fuller. Straightening his wig, he sank into his own chair. It gave a quiet groan of protest, and then the room was silent for several moments before the page returned with a tray of tea.

Several moments later, with tea in one hand and a coconut macaroon in the other, the governor said, "Well, what's this business that couldn't wait until the morning?"

Colin had been helping himself to a macaroon, which he promptly dunked into the tea and ate in one bite before answering. "Well, your Excellency, I'm afraid we bring some bad news from Oxbay."

"Bad news?" the governor said, taking another macaroon just after popping the first one into his mouth. Crumbs spilled down the front of his tunic as he looked to Verity, as if expecting her to either contradict or corroborate the answer.

"Yes, your Excellency," Verity said, setting her own un-touched macaroon on a napkin on the table in front of her, next to her tea. She cleared her throat and said, "Oxbay has been attacked by a squadron of French ships."

The governor looked thunderstruck for several moments, then quietly said, "Well, that's one way to ruin a perfectly good tea." He was quiet for several more moments before his face turned purple with rage. "The French!" roared Sybarite. "My cook is French! I shall never eat another thing he creates! He is, as of this moment, unemployed!"

For several moments, everyone looked down at the macaroons. The governor gave a sheepish smile, and then said, "Well, it wouldn't do to waste." He leaned forward (the chair groaned again) and snatched another few macaroons.

"And since we risked great personal trouble to tell you," Colin said quietly over the rim of his teacup, "I think it appropriate of you to do me a favor."

"A favor?" The governor looked blankly at the sea captain for several long moments before letting out a guffaw. "You mean payment, of course, my good man! Yes, well, the Crown has authorized me to reward subjects for helpful actions."

"Payment, yes, but there is something else. Something that perhaps you as governor would be well able to do best."

Verity looked over at Colin, who seemed determined to look anywhere but at her. She had heard nothing of this request, but it might be interesting. She rested her hands in her lap and looked back to the governor.

"What is it, my friend?"

"It's Miss Carlisle. I would like it if you were to make sure she had a clean room to stay until the liberation of Oxbay, when she can return to her home." Colin took a sip of his tea and looked at the governor expectantly.

What he saw alarmed him. Sybarite had turned his greedy eyes on Verity, and Colin had the distinct impression that in his eyes she was something on par with a tasty macaroon. Colin hastily added, "What I meant was, I'll pay for her to take a room at the tavern, if you can assure me that she gets back to Oxbay unperturbed." He locked eyes with the governor.

Verity narrowed her eyes. She wanted to say, How dare you! I'm not some piece of luggage to be tossed around! She wanted to shout, I want to go with you, and someone has to keep an eye on you. But all she could do was keep staring at Colin, who was staring steadily at the governor, his steely gaze unflinching. She folded her arms and looked at her shoes, determined not to make a scene. She would go quietly. But somewhere in the back of her mind, Verity had thought that they had become friends on their short journey. Apparently, she thought as she counted the stitches in her cuff, I was mistaken.

"Ah," said the governor sulkily. "Yes, well, I will make certain that she gets home safe and unmolested. So, young lady," he said, turning to Verity. "Carlisle…you're related to the Hartley line?"

"Yes, sir. My brother, James Hartley, is commander of the fort at Oxbay. Or, he was," she said, her eyes going strangely blank as the thought occurred to her that James could be dead, or worse. She shook her head clear and said, "His father was my mother's first husband."

"Yes, of course. I do try to keep an active interest in the citizens of the islands I govern." He offered her a tight smile. "Now, I have a business proposition for Captain Black, here. I'll have my page show you to the tavern."

"Oh. Thank you," Verity returned politely, turning to Colin. He raised his eyebrows at her.

"I'll stop in at the tavern before I leave to make sure you've got everything you need."

"I'm sure that won't be necessary," Verity said coldly.

"Even so," he said, looking back to the governor, effectively dismissing the young woman from his attention.

The page, who had been standing at the door, beckoned to Verity. She followed him out of the room and down the hall. Colin watched after her until she disappeared into the shadows in the hall.

"All right, Governor Sybarite, let's hear that proposition of yours," Colin said with a tight smile.