The Scent of Betrayal (39 page)

‘Lieutenant, would you be so kind as to translate this for me?’

He followed Harry’s finger. ‘June 4th, latitude 25˚ 38’ N.’

‘The figures are unimportant,’ said Harry, testily, without explaining that they would merely confuse him, since a Spanish vessel would not use Greenwich as a meridian.

De Chigny continued sheepishly. ‘Rendezvoused with El Señor de Fajardo de Coburrabias off the Dry Tortugas as arranged.
Raised anchor immediately he came aboard and set course for N.O. Winds NNE light but favourable.’

‘And this one, if you please?’ said Harry pointing to an inscription further down the page.

‘June 6th, latitude…’ He paused as Harry growled, then continued, ‘Winds strengthened; still favourable. Extremely heavy swell. Many troops sea-sick. El Señor convinced he heard gunfire. No one else confirmed. Changed course due west to investigate. Boxed area as commanded for several hours. No sighting or further incidents, resumed northerly course for N. O.’

‘Thank you, Lieutenant,’ said Harry, falling back into a chair.

James came in, prepared to apologise, but de Chigny’s being present made that impossible. The youngster, at a loss to know what to do, unrolled the picture he’d grabbed so hastily. With that facility of the young to recover from all misfortune, he found himself able to laugh. Harry lifted his eyes and glared at him, noticing that the picture he held was the one with the sober-looking lady in the mantilla, the one they’d originally found in the leather case. James walked over and took it out of his hand, examining it closely.

‘What is so funny about that?’

‘You would not know the lady, Señor. But that air of piety and chastity is really quite droll. It’s just the sort of thing that El Señor de Fajardo de Coburrabias would do.’

‘What connection has this lady with him?’

‘Mademoiselle Chrétien ran the Hôtel de la Porte d’Orléans when it first opened. Of course, she has risen since then.’

‘Risen?’

‘She has been the Comandante’s mistress for years. He asked the Barón for permission to marry her. Quite rightly, that was refused. Then he petitioned Madrid, only to receive the same reply. Rumour has it that she had not entirely forsaken her old occupation.’

‘Harry…’ said James.

‘I know, brother,’ he said sadly. ‘Would you leave us alone for a moment, Lieutenant?’

HARRY
sent a boat in at first light under a flag of truce. The contents were quite terse. He intended to make his way downriver the following day, quite prepared to destroy, on his passage, the meagre fortifications that lined the route. De Carondelet would know that with only one galley immediately available he was in no position to stop
Bucephalas,
just as he would know that the fortifications at Fort St Mary and Plaquemines were too weak to hold out against him. Not even Fort Balize could withstand a determined assault. The threat was not stated, but it was implied that Harry would sit across the mouth of the delta and destroy or turn back every ship that tried to exit, something he could do with impunity until a warship of greater strength could be found to dislodge him. He had prisoners aboard that he’d rather leave in New Orleans, but failing any agreement with the Governor he would keep them aboard. All of this could be avoided by the return of his chest full of treasure, plus the services of a surgeon. Such matters, he knew, required discussion and he was prepared to receive aboard the Barón’s envoy. Past disputes debarred San Lucar de Barrameda. His position disallowed the Governor. Harry therefore suggested that El Señor de Fajardo de Coburrabias had the seniority and the experience to satisfy both parties. Provided the Barón was prepared to stand down the gunners on the remaining riverside bastion, he was prepared to come upriver and berth off New Orleans.

Harry tore at the seal, eager to read the reply. James was watching him closely, well aware that his brother was close to cracking
the thin veneer of indifference he’d adopted. He’d only agreed to the invitation to Don Cayetano on the condition that he be present throughout the talks.

‘Yes,’ cried Harry triumphantly. ‘He’s coming.’

‘You still have a chance to withdraw, Harry.’

‘I must know, James. If I don’t find out this way, I doubt I’ll be able to leave.’ His voice rang out across the deck. ‘All hands to make sail.’

The wreckage of the galley still hung from the jetty, but a party of men was aboard trying to salvage what they could. The
Navarro
was tied up alongside, the Bourbon flag flickering at the masthead. Harry had the same good eyes aloft watching the forty-two-pounder guns. They took at least ten men to operate and the lookout had instructions that if he observed more than four, he was to call out. He saw the party approach the
Navarro
and go aboard, de Coburrabias very prominent both in his clothing and bearing.

‘Pender,’ said Harry, quietly. ‘Man-of-war fashion when he comes aboard.’

‘Aye, aye, Capt’n.’

The
Navarro
cast off, oars dipping into the river to propel it out into the anchorage. She made quick progress, as though those on board wanted to impress the Captain of the ship that could so easily have destroyed them. Being a galley it could come right alongside with little difficulty, so de Coburrabias was not required to transfer to another boat. They shipped the oars with commendable precision and drifted into the fenders that Harry had put over the side. The gangplank was pushed out to form a bridge, and to the sound of pipes, the senior soldier of the Louisiana Territory, followed by the surgeon, was welcomed aboard. Harry had his fists balled so tight his nails were digging into his palms, but he forced himself to smile, and to bow. Then, having handed the doctor over to Dreaver, led the way to his cabin, which had been laid out for the conference. On his desk lay a chart of the Gulf of
Mexico, and under that were stacked the three paintings. Formal greetings were exchanged, as protocol demanded, then at last they could get down to business, taking their places at the round dining table. He knew James was watching him, afraid that he’d suddenly strike the soldier, so he smiled to reassure him. Oddly enough it was genuine. He felt utterly calm, as if he’d drifted out of his body and was watching his actions from afar.

‘I am instructed to inform you that the Barón de Carondelet cannot agree to your proposals.’

‘What, Don Cayetano, not any of them?’

‘Naturally he would like his prisoners back, especially Lieutenant de Chigny. And he is perfectly prepared to allow you to depart the Mississippi unmolested.’

‘That is decent of him. Will he be sending me the money he stole?’

‘The Barón would not accept that his actions be described as theft.’

‘Very well, Don Cayetano. You may tell His Excellency that I am prepared to depart without my money on only one condition.’

‘Which is?’

‘That he hands over to me the man who murdered Juan Baptiste Rodrigo and Hyacinthe Feraud.’

The soldier didn’t even flick an eyebrow. ‘That seems a strange request. It is made doubly so by the fact that the Barón does not know who the person is, or indeed if it is only one.’

‘No, Don Cayetano. I don’t suppose he does.’ Harry stood up quickly. ‘May I show you something?’

‘If it has a bearing on our discussions, yes.’

‘It does, I do assure you.’

Harry walked over to his desk, waited for de Coburrabias to join him, then stabbed a finger at the chart.

‘To make a landfall at Havana you have to go south to latitude 23°, to the top of the Yucatan Channel, then allow the Gulf Stream to push you up to the Florida Straits. You must do nearly
twice the distance to cover the same ground. And coming back that same tide is against you.’

‘I fail to see—’

Harry cut right across him. ‘But if you only go as far as the Dry Tortugas, you’re still in the Gulf of Mexico. James, could we have the logbook?’

Harry took it off his brother and opened it at the marked page.

‘As you can see, sir, you’re quite prominently mentioned.’

‘It is the price of my rank.’

‘Not being a sailor, perhaps it would be helpful if I explain to you, before I send word to the Governor, what this means. You have adopted an air of Olympian detachment in the matter of the loss of the
Gauchos
, quite simply because you claim to have been in Havana. Yet this log shows that you were not.’

‘A forgery.’

‘The trouble with the story you told is this: once it is questioned it tends to unravel.’

Harry lifted the chart to show the first of the paintings. It was well controlled, but he was sure he saw de Coburrabias jerk. ‘For instance, you are known to be attached to this lady, indeed you have gone to all the trouble of petitioning Madrid to be allowed to marry her. Where is she now, I wonder?’

‘This is all very interesting, but the purpose of my visit is—’

Harry interrupted him rudely. ‘The purpose of your visit, Don Cayetano, is to ensure that my money stays in Louisiana. Here it is much easier to steal. But I am in a position to trade with you. I will tell you the whereabouts of an equal sum, and one that is easier to transport.’

The gold ingot landed on the table with a thud, identifying marks uppermost. For all his rigid self-control, the soldier’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.

‘Where did you get this?’

‘Perhaps we found it on the
Gauchos
.’

‘No!’

‘That is something you can only know if you were aboard the ship. But really what happened on the
Gauchos
is no concern of mine. That chest full of money is.’ De Coburrabias was looking at James. Harry could almost see his mind working, getting ready to propose a hostage. ‘My brother sails away with me, as do my crew.’

His fingers reached out, to touch the gold, and Harry saw in his eyes that look he’d seen so often, the strange fascination that this metal exercised on men’s minds.

‘I am at liberty to discuss every matter you raised.’

‘Including our money.’

He gave a curt nod. ‘Yes.’

‘Splendid. As the Barón de Carondelet’s senior military adviser you will be able to tell him just how much havoc we can cause. And since he knows that war is imminent, he will be aware that the normal neutral rights are something I can contravene at will.’

‘Who told you war is imminent?’

‘Captain Pascal de Guerin, whose body, at this moment, lies buried just north of the Manchac Post. He told me, though not willingly, that all de Godoy is waiting for is some money. I must say I know exactly how he feels.’

‘You killed de Guerin!’

‘In rather the same manner you dealt with Rodrigo. Only I was more successful than you, Don Cayetano.’ It was Harry’s turn to finger the ingot. ‘I got something for my trouble.’

‘De Guerin had the gold?’

‘Yes. I must say General Wilkinson will be so disappointed. Not least to know that a Spanish officer, albeit reluctantly, betrayed him. But then if he’s truly friendly with Spain, he, in turn, will betray America for nothing. That is, unless you would like to pass it on to him.’

‘I would like a glass of wine.’

‘Certainly, James, would you mind?’

Silence reigned while it was poured, Harry taking a glass as well. De Coburrabias drained the first one straight off and held
his hand out for a refill. And all the time his brain was racing, trying to find the flaw in what Harry had said. His real problem was that none existed. Harry left him to stew for a bit before continuing.

‘De Carondelet, as you are aware, is not a trusting soul. And he certainly reposed no faith in you or de Barrameda. So he pretended to put the gold on the
Gauchos
when, in fact, he sent it north with Captain de Guerin. Rodrigo was telling you the truth. You tortured him for nothing. But, of course, once you’d killed him you had to dispose of the rest of the crew. A good idea to put him on the raft like that, so that everyone would suspect pirates. What a pity for the first time in his life de Barrameda did something properly. And there were suddenly no pirates around to blame. More wine?’

The contents of his glass disappeared again, and were replaced.

‘She wouldn’t have sunk if we hadn’t towed her. But we moved the plug that you placed to keep her afloat. What was the plan, Don Cayetano? After all, you diverted those two transports to look for her. Was it the notion that once the ship was brought in, de Carondelet would have to tell you the gold wasn’t on it? Or was it a desire to find out if you’d been cheated?’

‘What I’m trying to work out, Captain Ludlow, is how you found all this out.’

Harry kept his face rigid, and tried to swallow some wine to cover his feeling of triumph.

‘Well, the unfortunate de Guerin was a rich source. You must remember that I am as ruthless as you.’

‘Is that likely to threaten me?’

‘Possibly. But I would really rather get out of here with my own money. To get to the north of the Manchac Post again…’

‘Again?’

‘If you were to ask Captain Oliverta which way I came when I tried to visit you, he will tell you I came downriver. As I was explaining, the easiest way is to do, how do you say it, a “Little Manchac”. By the way, that’s a fine portrait you have on the wall
opposite your King, though I didn’t much take to the miserable cur cowering in the background.’

‘Where is de Guerin buried?’

Harry held up his hand. ‘All in good time, Don Cayetano. First we must discuss my gold and silver, before we discuss yours.’

‘I was asked my opinion on the cost of ignoring you.’

‘This would be after you were asked if you could stop me.’

‘Yes.’ He smiled, for the first time since coming aboard. ‘It will not surprise you to know that El Señor San Lucar de Barrameda offered to bring you to the Barón in chains.’

‘I’m tempted to let him try. But I’m more interested in your opinion.’

‘I told that Wallonian idiot the truth, that if he wanted you stopped he’d better get a couple of frigates here quickly.’

‘Yet you advised him not to pay us back.’

‘I said to await the outcome of our preliminary meeting.’

‘Good. I take it you will now advise him to trade.’

‘How do I know you aren’t lying?’

‘You don’t, Don Cayetano. I told you I was ruthless, didn’t I? Do you really think that I would let you stand between me and my money? Given that I know all about your recent exploits, as I think you will admit, down to the last detail, it seems unlikely.’

‘And what if I tell de Carondelet about de Guerin?’

‘That is no problem to me. I am protected by his parole and a flag of truce. But I wonder, might he not just ask you why I was so forthcoming?’

‘I will need to take this with me.’

‘Feel free to do so. After all, it will soon be yours.’

‘Time to go back, I think.’

‘Tell me, will you stay in Louisiana?’

‘Yes.’

‘Now that Mademoiselle Chrétien is dead.’

‘Rodrigo, of all people. She cuckolded me with that slug.’

‘Women!’ said Harry with a shake of the head. ‘Though I had to admit to being rather fond of Hyacinthe Feraud.’

De Coburrabias looked hard at James. ‘She would have betrayed you, Ludlow. Perhaps, in her foolishness, she did already.’

‘Then it’s as well she is dead, though I’m curious as to why.’

‘She asked questions that were inappropriate.’

‘People are usually killed for answers, not questions.’

‘One leads to the other. Best to remove the means of doing both.’

Harry nearly cracked then, the way de Coburrabias was so cold-bloodedly discussing the way he mutilated Hyacinthe. But his longer-term aims won out. As they watched him depart, Harry turned to James to thank him.

‘What did he mean when he said Hyacinthe had probably betrayed me?’

‘I think he meant mischief, brother. He didn’t say what questions she asked.’

‘You sound as if you know, James.’

‘De Chigny recognised Mademoiselle Chrétien, did he not? That portrait was in her quarters at the Hôtel de la Porte d’Orléans all the time you were away. Hyacinthe would recognise it just as quickly, and know that if that portrait was on the ship, so was the lady herself. The natural person to ask about that would be Don Cayetano. I doubt she was equipped to understand the ruthlessness, never mind the devious qualities, of someone like him.’

‘You’d come to like her too?’ asked Harry.