Dewey Lambdin - THE GUN KETCH

"Hmmph!" that worthy said as he turned his head away to deliver the "cut-direct." His wife, made of sterner stuff, actually turned her gaze heavenward and out to sea, the "cut-sublime," and nudged her man in the ribs to steer them to the opposite side of the street!

"Well, shit!" Rodgers spat in bruised wonder. "Only to be expected, sir," Lewrie sighed heavily. Damme, that irks, though, he thought! "Shopping at Finney's are you, Mister Chatsworth?" Lewrie could not help calling after them. "Mixing your wine with the blood of poor murdered sailormen, are you? They've a fine special on cutlasses and pistols. Just the thing for carving your Sunday roast, madam! Or for making Mister Chatsworth walk the plank!" "Lewrie, for God's sake!" Rodgers flushed, half outraged, yet more than half amused. "Does nothing repress you; sir?"

"I'm minded of your earlier statement, sir, about this being a funny world, but no one laughs about it. Thought I'd try humour on, just to see what happens, 'cause I can't imagine things getting worse. Shall I see you to the dock and into your boat, sir?"

"Thankee, Captain Lewrie, I'd admire that. Might consider you row out with me, then over to Alacrity. Then take your own gig t'land on that beach just b'fore your house, 'stead o' takin' the road home. Never know what our fine citizens hereabouts might think up."

"Aye, sir, I'll do that very thing," Lewrie agreed. "Share a bottle o' champagne with me, 'fore you go?"

"I'd best not, sir," Lewrie decided. "Caroline'll be worried."

"Pity, 'tis a damn' good year," Rodgers chuckled. "I've twenty dozen stored in my lazarette. Ought to hold me for four months, do I ration m'self close. An' they'll be an absolute delight t'drink, for they came from Finney's stash on Walker's Cay, don't ya know." "Damned good, sir. Take joy of them!" Alan brightened. "He is a pirate, Lewrie," Rodgers spat, sobering. "And someday we'll prove it, proper. Garvey's wrong, ya know. The Crown won't make good his losses. They were unbonded, undutied goods. Just the same as smuggled! The mob may think it was knacky, but the Court'll think it just shy o' criminal. And I surely can't. And won't! Should the judgment go against me, I'd abscond to Havana 'fore he gets a single' farthin'. We hurt him where it hurts him the most, Lewrie! Thousands and thousands o' pounds o' goods, gone up in smoke! Might stretch him sore. Make him desperate. And should one o' his ships cross my hawse, why then I'll hurt him all over again!"

"Darling, I'm so very sorry things turned out as they have," Caroline attempted to console him. For a final evening before sailing, it was a horrible occasion. Betty Mustin had gotten Rodgers' note which severed their relationship and ended his financial support, so she'd run to Caroline's for comfort, and was weeping disconsolately on one of their settees, a noisy, unlooked for intruder.

"You're not the only one, my love," Alan grimaced as he packed his shore-going bags. "Damn, it's so unfair. Finney's guilty, we know it. Proving it's another matter. Now even the imps in the road are spitting at us. Got bones and horse dung flung at me before I got into a boat at the docks."

"I know, love," Caroline nodded, as near to tears as he was at this sudden separation. "I sponged your coat best I could."

He left off his packing to cross the room to her and hold her.

"Caroline love, I fear the mob's anger with me will happen to you," he told her. "Best let Wyonnie and Daniel do the shopping for a few weeks, 'til things quiet down." She nodded her agreement against his neck.

"And, from what little I saw this afternoon, there're sure to be some snubs from people we thought liked us," he confessed. "I fear your popularity in Society's to suffer. Sorry. My fault."Damn my social life, Alan!" she said fiercely. "And damn them who regard Finney above you, or me! We'll discover who are faithless and fickle, and who are our true friends. Then, no matter how high a body be, should they snub me now, then they couldn't have been worth much to begin with."

"God, how much I cherish you, Caroline," Alan muttered, lifting her off her feet to embrace her snugly. "You're so sensible, so good for me when I' m not. Which I fear is often. My treasure!"

"I won't have much need for Society, anyway, Alan," Caroline whispered in his ear. "Not for the next seven months, anyway."

"Why? Afraid of running into Finney?"

"I'd meant to tell you properly, darling," she whispered, and leaned back a little, took one of his hands and directed it down to her belly. "Now is my last chance, so…" She wore an impish smile.

"Well, surely this'll all blow over by… WHAT?"

"And you will be back in port for the birth of our first child,"; she said, and he could feel her smile against his shoulder, even if he could not see it. He let her down to her feet and stood back from her, his expression about as be-twattled as it'd ever been and saw the happy, and so-pleased-with-herself confirmation in her fond gaze. "You look shot, Alan! Does it not please you, darling?"

"Oh… my… God!" he yelped in cold confusion.

Sure, try humour on, why don't I, he thought! Try to imagine things getting worse, why don't you! Now, of all times, when I can't be here! Thankee, Jesus! Thankee very much! S'not like we haven't gone at it like stoats so much it hadn't happened earlier! Do, Jesus, a baby! Now!

"Alan?" she whispered, losing her confident smile. "You look so pale, you think you'd seen a spook! Do you not… want…"

"Oh, God, no, Caroline, don't think that, don't ever think that!" he tried to reassure her. "Christ, me a father! Who'd a thought it?"

Not like I ain't been damn' fortunate so far, he told himself; and thank God for Mother Green's best condoms all these years!

"Surprised, more like, Caroline," he babbled on. "Damme, taken ail-aback! In-irons! Lord, God, me a father! I mean, you a mother! I adore it!"

Scares me so bad I wouldn't trust mine arse with a fart!

"You truly do, you do!" she grinned.

"God, leaving you anytime is hard enough, but now, Caroline!" he sighed, pulling her to him again to hold her safe for what little time he was allowed. "That's what nigh put my lights out. Damn the Navy! I should be here with you! I love you so much, and now there is so much to worry about. Write me daily! I love you so much, and I could lose you so easy. I do love it! I do! I'm that proud of you, m'girl. But, had they physicians on Long Island… hell's teeth, just one, I'd take you there so I could keep an eye on you 'til… no, there're better physicians here in Nassau. Oh, Christ!"

"I'm healthy as a colt, Alan. My entire family is," Caroline assured him. "I'll look after myself. The Boudreaus have the finest physician in mind for me, and Betty will move in with me to share my confinement. Until August."

"That's good," he agreed. "For you, and her, consid'rin'."

"Wyonnie and her husband Daniel'll be here for my heavy chores, and I…" She planned, then broke off and began to weep. "God, I'm going to miss you so bad! I do want you here, but I know you can't. No idea when …?"

"A few months, I think. When Commodore Garvey sends for me. Exile until then. Look, m'girl, he's that angry with me. Suggested I chuck my command and commission, and…"

Damme if I'll worry her with that bastard's slanders; no!

"We could sail home to England, love," he concluded.

"We'll do no such thing, Alan," she decided firmly. "It's too late for that, and sea voyages aren't safe for pregnant women, I've been told, so I'm better off here. As for his sorry treatment of you, he'll come to regret it. Once this has settled, he'll see your merit again. Once the truth about Finney comes out, you'll be able to hold your head up high as anyone! You won't quit now, Alan. You've too much pride to slink away. Too stubborn, too, if the truth be known. Part of what I absolutely adore, darling. Part of the father of our child I cherish and respect. And wish for our children to possess."

It took everything he had not to weep with gratitude for her boundless confidence in him, or for the joy he felt, brief as it now could be, at being so unconditionally loved. This joy he was losing as the sun sank away his final hours ashore with her.

"Thank God for you, Caroline," he muttered, his eyes hot and moist, be-dewing her sweet-smelling hair. "Remember how much I love you! And God knows, as I'll remember whilst I'm gone!"

Slink away, he did, though, as Alacrity cupped the last of the twilight Trades, soft-parting slack harbour waters as she steered her way through the throng of shipping in the port at sunset.

The sun declined in almost gaudy grandeur, blood red as hothouse roses, as amber gold as dancing candle flames, with theclouds regular wavy mottles and swirls like angels' tresses. Lanterns were being lit ashore, on the docks, on the many moored vessels as twilight gathered, and Alacrity's fo'c's'le belfry, helm and taffrails glowed warm yellow as well.

"Put your helm down two points, Quartermaster," Lieutenant Ballard instructed softly. "Lay her head nor-nor'west for the main channel."

"Aye, aye, sir, nor-nor'west," Mr. Neill echoed. "Ready for the gun salute to the flag, Mister Ballard?" Lewrie asked, sunk deep in the "Blue Devils" and gazing astern to see if he could espy a light on the porch of a particular house above Potter's Cay, on the beach road. "Aye, sir."

"Wonder why yon ship is dressed all-over, sir?" Midshipman Parham said, pointing ahead to a fine three-masted lugger profuse with flags and bunting. Her decks were afire with lanterns in profligate array all down her gangways, and about her quarter-deck railings.

"Shut yer mouth, Mister Parham!" Lewrie heard Ballard whisper in a harsh tone as he recognized the house flag atop her mainmast.

"Sorry, sir," Parham grunted, blushing as he saw it, too. Lewrie came to the nettings over the waist and raised his spyglass to look her over. "She's a new 'un. Oh. One of Finney's. They seem to have something to celebrate yonder this evening." The faint sounds of a band could be heard tootling merry tunes as the many guests danced or sang with rowdy good cheer.

"Goddamme!" Lewrie shuddered as he read the name on the transom plate of the new ship. "Goddamn him!"

"What is it, sir?" Ballard asked.

"Here, see for yourself, Mister Ballard!" Alan said, shivering with dread, and strongly reconsidering an immediate resignation. "Why, the bastard!" Ballard yelped in outrage. There, in ornate, serifed letters, bright with gold leaf, was the new ship's name: Caroline!

"How dare he presume, sir!" Ballard growled, repulsed by such a boorish, flaunting deed, his prim sense of decorum scandalized! "Put your helm aweather, Mister Neill," Lewrie decided quickly. "New course due west. Steer up yon lugger's transom, but be ready to come about again to due north for the channel when I call."

"Sir?" Ballard queried, coming to his side. "Helm's aweather, sir. Comin' about t'due west, sir."

"You'll be using the larboard battery for the salute, Mister Fowles?" Lewrie called down to his master gunner in the waist below.

"Aye, sir. Ready any time you want, sir."

"Oh, sir," Lieutenant Ballard objected, but not too forcefully, as he got his quizzical, bemused look. "Surely not !" he tried to pout.

On their new course, they would ram Caroline in her very stern, or pass down her starboard side at close pistol-shot at best!

"Open your ports, Mister Fowles. Ready with the salute."

At half a cable's distance from a collision, Lewrie turned to the quartermaster. "Helm alee, Mister Neill. Nor'west."