Rapscallion (41 page)

Hawkwood
flicked a glance at the faces around the table. Everyone was looking equally
stunned.

Finally,
after several seconds' consideration, Souville enquired tentatively, "How
much gold?"

Morgan
placed his palms on the table and leant forward.
"Five
hundred thousand pounds' worth."

Beaudouin,
his eyes as wide as saucers, was the first to break the silence. "What's
that in francs?"

"About
twelve million," Rousseau said, sitting back in his seat and polishing his
spectacles with the hem of his shirt.

"God
Almighty!"
Leberte
breathed.

Morgan
surveyed the room. "I take it your interest has been piqued,
gentlemen?"

You could say that,
Hawkwood
thought, his brain spinning.

"This
gold," Lasseur said cautiously, "where is it?"

"At
the moment, that's not important; it's where it's going to be in four days'
time."

"And
where's that?"

"Deal."

"Deal?"
Lasseur stared
at Morgan in disbelief.

"They've
been using the place as a transit point for bullion for years." Morgan
smiled wryly. "You've got to admit, it does have a certain irony."

"Where
in Deal?"
Le Jeune's tone
was instantly suspicious.

"There's
a castle," Lasseur said, looking at Morgan for confirmation.

"There
is indeed, but that's not where they're storing it.
Captain.
That's the beauty."

Lasseur's
features took on a dubious frown.
"Where then?"

"The
Port Admiral's residency."

"Why
in the name of God would they be storing it there?"

"Because
that's where they put all the bullion that goes through the town. Before the
government bought the house, it belonged to a banker. It still has a strong
room. All specie and bullion passing through Deal is kept there. It's either
landed from a
ship to be forwarded by escorted
wagon to London or it's transported from the London banks to Deal for shipment
abroad, usually to Spain to pay the army."

"And
how do you plan to remove this gold? Knock on the front door and ask them to
hand it over?" Lasseur looked sceptical.

"I
was thinking of something a little more persuasive."

Hawkwood
realized that no one had asked the pertinent question. It looked as if it was
up to him.

"Why
us?
What about your own crew? You told me if there was one thing
you weren't short of, it was men."

Morgan
nodded. "That I did, Captain, and it's no word of a lie. But there's no
harm in recruiting extra bodies, especially men who've proved they're not
afraid of a challenge and who are willing to take risks to achieve their
objective. In my book, you all fit the bill. You've endured hell on the prison
ships and yet you've not been cowed by capture. You've escaped using ingenuity
and lived to tell the tale. That proves to me you have the character. You're
all experienced seamen and soldiers. That tells me you're used to discipline
and can work as a unit. More importantly, you've no allegiance to King George,
so I doubt you'll consider betraying our intention to the authorities. In
short,
gentlemen
, my proposition is this: I'm offering
you a chance to get your own back on the country that's treated you worse than
rats in a cage. They say revenge is sweet. What do you say? Do you fancy a
taste?"

Morgan's
eyes flashed. "Think of the glory. Instead of returning home with your
tails between your legs as prisoners captured on the field, you'll be going
back as free men, laden with treasure. By God,
gentlemen
,
you'll be given a heroes' welcome! When your Emperor sees what you've done for
him, there's nothing you will want for!"

"And
you're doing this because your boats have been confiscated?" Lasseur
said, staring hard at Morgan.

"I'm
doing it for two reasons, Captain. The first is payback for what they've stolen
from me and from the men of Deal. As
for the second;
the way I see it, twelve million francs will buy me a lot of favours with your
Emperor. He'll keep his ports open and I can carry on trading; hopefully build
more galleys. The last thing I need is a breakdown in supply. I don't want to
give the edge to my competitors."

"I
didn't think you had any competitors," Hawkwood said.

Morgan
gave Hawkwood a sharp look. "There's always someone who thinks they should
be top dog. Right now, that's me. I intend to keep it that way. Look upon this
as a special delivery.
A gesture of good faith on my
part."

"You
mentioned an escort," Hawkwood said.

"Nothing
we can't handle," Morgan said confidently.

"Perhaps
you should let us be the judge of that," Lasseur said drily.

Morgan
looked towards Pepper.

Pepper
came out of his state of repose.
"A small detachment of
marines."

"Is
that all?" Lasseur said. "You had me worried for a moment. I thought
it was going to be difficult."

"How
small?"
Hawkwood asked.

"Shouldn't
be more than thirty men.
They won't be a
problem, though."

"Why
not?"

"Because
they won't be watching the gold all the time."

"How
so?"

It
was Morgan who replied: "Because Admiralty House doesn't have the
facilities to accommodate troops. It's too small and, in any case, it's a
residence. While the gold is in the strong room, the guards will be quartered
in the castle."

"I
thought Deal had a barracks," Lasseur said.

"There
are troops stationed in the town as well?" Le Jeunc said quickly.

"A
token force.
There used to be two companies of
volunteers, but they were disbanded. Plans to raise a militia never came to
anything because the townsfolk raised a stink. The barracks are mostly used as
a way station for transients. In any event, they're almost closer to Walmer
than they are to Deal.

There's
a company of Bombardiers at the castle to
man
the
guns. Other than -"

"Guns?"
Hawkwood interjected. "You mean cannon?"

"Nine
36-pounders, but they're all facing seawards. They're not expecting an attack
from the land."

"So
no more troops?"

"Other
than the ones in the castle, the nearest are a couple of miles to the north.
There's a shore battery on the Sandwich Road, but they won't be a threat.
They'll be kept occupied."

"What
about those castle troops?" Le Jeune asked.

"They
and the marines will be occupied. I've a diversion planned to keep them bottled
up."

"How
do you expect to get away?" Hawkwood asked.

"There'll
be a ship lying off the beach, ready to transport us across the Channel."

"Right
in front of those Bombardiers with their 36-pounders," Hawkwood pointed
out.

Morgan
shook his head. "They'll be too busy watching their backs, and even if
they aren't, they won't see us."

"Why
not?"

"We'll
be carrying out the raid at night. The darkness will give us the cover we need.
It will be easier to spread confusion, and we'll be able to take advantage of
the tide."

"What
about the weight?" Lasseur asked.

"Four
tons,
give or take. A couple of stout wagons,
specially strengthened, will be sufficient."

"Still
a devil to move, though."
Lasseur pursed
his lips as he considered the implications.

"We
won't be moving it far. It's less than four hundred yards from the front door
of the residency to the shore. It's a straight run with no obstacles. Even if
we only manage to shift half the damned stuff, we'll still be in profit."

"How
do you plan to get into the strong room?" Hawkwood asked.

"That
won't be a problem."

Morgan
did not expand on his statement. Evidently, he wasn't inclined to give away too
much information at this stage.

He's baited the hook well,
Hawkwood thought. He looked around at the flushed faces. Flattery had helped.

Rousseau
took off his spectacles. There was a mischievous glint in his eyes. "And
our commission; what did you have in mind for that?" He held Morgan's
gaze. "Because you won't be
giving
the Emperor the gold, will you? Even though you haven't actually
paid
for it, you'll
be selling it to him, the same as with the other deliveries you've made."

All
heads turned towards the head of the table.

Morgan
smiled. "I wondered how long it would take you."

Backs
straightened as the significance of Morgan's response permeated the minds of
the men gathered around the table.

Rousseau
breathed on his lenses, polished them with his sleeve and slipped the
spectacles back over his nose.

"What's
the usual profit on a guinea run?" Masson asked, trying to appear
nonchalant but failing comprehensively.

Morgan
glanced towards Pepper, but his lieutenant's countenance remained as inscrutable
as ever. Morgan turned back: "Ten per cent."

"In
that case," Rousseau said, "let's not be greedy. Why don't we make it
fifteen per cent of the final profit?"

"It's
going to be all profit," Masson said. "Remember?"

"Sounds
fair," Le Jeune said, fixing Morgan with a speculative expression.

Hawkwood
tried to calculate the amounts in his head. Fifteen per cent of twelve million
francs - nearer fourteen, if Morgan realized his usual advantageous exchange
rate - was a fortune, whether in francs or sterling.

Morgan
stared at Pepper. Again Pepper said nothing, but this time a look passed
between them.

Morgan
nodded slowly. "Very well; fifteen it is."

A
sequence of widening grins ran around the table.

"So,
gentlemen, that's settled. Now, are you with me?"

Hawkwood
looked round the room. There wasn't a man present who didn't look like the cat
about to swallow the cream, except Pepper, of course. Did anything disturb that
grey-bearded countenance?

Le
Jeune was the first to voice his response. He nodded and laughed. "I'm up
for it, by God!"

"Me,
too!"
Bonnefoux said eagerly. "If
it means I can get my own back on those bastards!"

Morgan's
eyes swept the room. "What about the rest of you?"

"Damned
right, we're with you!" Masson clapped Souville on the shoulder. "Wouldn't
miss it, would we, lads?"

Hawkwood
wondered why Morgan bothered to ask the
question,
for
the light of greed in their faces should have been enough to persuade him he
already had them in the palm of his hand. Any lingering resentment caused by the
delay in returning home had been eclipsed the moment the gold coins had hit the
table top. Hawkwood caught Lasseur's eye. The privateer lifted an eyebrow in
silent enquiry.

"Captain
Lasseur," Morgan said amiably. "We've not heard from you."

Lasseur
broke eye contact with Hawkwood and turned. "You put your case very well,
my friend. I'm almost persuaded." The privateer smiled. It was the first
time he'd shown any spark of humour since leaving the widow's. "But for a
twenty per cent share I could be convinced beyond all doubt."