those two years â the notion took me that perhaps the pardon might not be out of reach after all. I thought that if the law will let bygones be bygones, well, I might pick up where I left off.â He gave a deprecatory shrug. âProvided sheâs of the same mind as she was two years gone. When she learns how it fell out, I think she will be.â
Woodes Rogers studied him with interest. âShe must have considerable attractions,â he mused. âWho is she?â
âHer name is Sampson,â said Rackham. âKate Sampson. Her father has plantations ââ he broke off at the sudden clatter as Master Tobiasâs pounce-box fell from his table, dislodged by the little lawyerâs uncontrollable start. And in turning in the direction of the interruption, Rackham did not see the colour drain abruptly from Rogersâ face at the mention of that name. When he looked back again the Governor had one elbow on the table and his face was shaded by his hand.
âYouâll know him,â Rackham concluded. âAn honest little man.â
Woodes Rogers did not reply, but he rose abruptly and walked over towards Dickeyâs desk. There he stopped, asthough undecided, his back to Rackham, looking over Dickeyâs head towards the windows. The lawyer, glancing at his face from the corner of his eye, saw it strained and ugly, and when the Governor spoke again, his voice was unusally hard.
âThat explains your own reason. What of your followers?â
âWe put it to a vote; the majority were for coming in. The others had the choice of coming or not, as they pleased, but they fell in with the rest of us.â
âWhy?â snapped Rogers. âSurely some must have preferred to find employment with another pirate captain?â
âWith twenty thousand poundsâ worth of silver in the
Kingston
to share when they get shore with a Royal pardon under their belts?â Rackham was amused. âNot they.â
Rogers wheeled on him like lightning. This time he made no attempt to conceal his stupefaction. âWhat did you say?â His voice was strained with disbelief.
âTwenty thousand pounds of silver,â Rackham repeated. âTaken from the Spaniards in the Gulf of Florida. There was more, but itâs gone now. Still, they look to whatâs left to see them snugly provided for ashore.â
Rogers for once was at a loss to preserve his calm. âAre you mad?â he burst out. âDâye suppose for a moment theyâll be permitted to keep it? Godâs light!â He wheeled on Dickey. âWas there ever such effrontery? Theyâll have the pardon, will they, and keep their plunder too?â
âSpanish silver,â corrected Rackham. âPlunder if you will, but the British Crown has no right to it.â
Rogers bridled like an angry cat. âWill you talk to me of right?â He strode forward, glaring at Rackham. âListen, listen but a moment, Master Pirate.â It was all he could do to speak coherently, so great was his rage. âThat silver, or any otherloot you may have, is forfeit to the King. That you will understand now. By God, I marvel at you! I do, as I live! Do you know where you stand, or must I inform you? Iâll see you and your crew of mangy robbers sunk and damned before youâll have one penny of that silver, aye, and I am Woodes Rogers that say it! You seek the pardon, you say. Then, by heaven, youâll sail your brig into this port, silver and all, and surrender every ounce, or youâll not only see no pardon, Iâll have every man-jack of you sun-dried in chains.â
Any normal manâs composure would have been shattered by that tirade, but Rackham simply shook his head. âTheyâll never agree,â he protested. âI feared ye might bilk at letting them keep all, but a portion â¦â
âNot a penny.â Rogersâ voice was suddenly dreadfully
BWWM Club, Shifter Club, Lionel Law