Galleon by Dudley Pope Page A

decide what we do. If our new King gives us away to Spain, it doesn’t matter about bankers. What about us? What do you think, Aurelia?”
    “I agree with you about the house. I’ve ridden over those mountains so often and been bitten by so many mosquitoes, that I’d like to see it finished. Clearing the land for planting – when we know if we keep the land or give it to a hidalgo – can wait until later. We have time, haven’t we Ned?”
    “I think so, but whether we have time or not really depends on what the buccaneers decide. They long ago elected me their Admiral, and Governor Luce’s arrival doesn’t change that. But now he’s cancelled their commissions will they go on using Port Royal as a base? That’s what matters. If they don’t, many merchants and chandlers will be ruined.”
    “They’ll still attack the Spanish or smuggle?” Diana asked.
    “Of course they will. It’s the only life they know!”
    “How does that affect you?” Aurelia asked quietly.
    “If I remain their leader, I’ll be a pirate as far as the English are concerned, because now we’re at peace with Spain.”
    Thomas interrupted by holding up his hand. “But what about that ‘forcing a trade’ clause in the Governor’s orders?”
    “That is to follow attempts at doing it peacefully!”
    “Well, you don’t think the Spanish will agree to a peaceful trade, do you? It’s a contradiction. People either trade or they don’t trade – you can’t force ’em. The third method is the one we’ve always done – smuggle. Anyway, that sort of decision about trade would have to be made in Spain, and it’d take months to get an answer back from Madrid. Six months at least.”
    “And the buccaneers are not going to stay here idle and drinking rum and chasing the women in the bordellos, for as long as that.”
    “No,” Ned said firmly and, winking at Aurelia, added: “There’s such a poor choice of women for them, too.”
     
    Luce wasted no time in appointing his legislative council and both Ned and Thomas were notified that they had been chosen to serve. The following day they received a notice in the morning that they were required to attend a meeting that evening at “the Governor’s residence” in Port Royal. This, a postscript added, was the house previously occupied by the acting Governor.
    “He’s got to be trained,” Ned grumbled. “Evening meetings mean we have to fight our way through swarms of mosquitoes. Why not morning meetings? Or even afternoons?”
    When they arrived for the meeting, Ned and Thomas found five large candles burning on what had been Heffer’s desk, which was surrounded by chairs on three sides, the fourth side having only one chair on which the new Governor was to sit. Heffer emerged from the small crowd when Ned and Thomas came into the room and, keeping them to one side, said quietly: “The Governor has asked me to introduce you to any councillor you might not know…”
    “Don’t know any of ’em,” Thomas said bluntly. He looked at the men, still standing round talking. “That doesn’t surprise me. Sorry-looking lot, aren’t they?”
    “Er…well, they’re tradesmen, of course, and not used to this sort of thing. You gentlemen are going to have to be patient and teach them.”
    “Teach them!” Thomas exclaimed. “What do we know about councils? Ned gives the orders to the Brethren and they obey; on board my ship I give the orders and the men obey. No discussing and debating!”
    He was thankful Diana could not hear him and as he caught Ned’s eye he saw the same thoughts were crossing his mind about Aurelia. The sisterhood of the Coast, the identities known only to the two men, had more influence than all the Brethren!
    “No, quite,” Heffer agreed. “But now we have a Governor and a legislative council, so you gentlemen must keep to the agenda! Your turn will come last.”
    Ned stared at Heffer: it was the first time he had heard the man say anything which sounded