The Devil's Own

by Christopher Nicole

  Parke frowned at him. 'Waiting? For what?' 'A letter from England?'

  'A letter?' Parke glanced at him, and the frown deepened, and then he turned at the knock. 'Come.'

  Jonathan stood there. 'The mail, Your Excellency, begging pardon.'

  Parke seized the leather satchel, glanced at Kit again; his face had paled, very slightly.

  'And begging your pardon again, Your Excellency,' Jonathan said. 'There are some gentlemen waiting to see you.'

  'Gentlemen? What mean you, gentlemen?'

  'Mr Chester, suh. And Mr Harding.'

  'By God.' Parke said. 'He has come to challenge me. After all this while, by God.'

  'I am not sure ...' Kit began, but Parke was already making for the door.

  'You'll second me, Kit,' he threw over his shoulder.

  ‘The guard. Oh, fear not. I shall not waste my time arresting these dogs. I will merely have them thrown from my property.'

  'Your property?' Chester shouted. 'Why, sir, this house and this land is the property of the people of Antigua, and leased by them to the Queen's representative.'

  'Who stands before you. The guard, Kit.'

  Kit moved to the door, but hesitantly. There could be no doubt that each party considered itself to be in the right, and how much more explosive a situation could be reached he did not see.

  'Sir,' Harding said, gaining some control over his anger. 'You refuse to obey the dictates of the English government?'

  'I obey the dictates of the Queen, God bless her, and no other.'

  Kit paused in the doorway. Perhaps the crisis would pass.

  'Then, sir, we shall take our leave,' Chester said. 'We did not come here to brawl with you.'

  'Then begone,' Parke said. 'But be sure you will hear more of this matter.'

  'Indeed, sir, you may count on it.' Harding said. 'As of this moment. Colonel Parke, you have no authority to act as anything but a private person, and we demand that you leave this house and yield up the seals. Think well on this, sir. We shall return tomorrow morning for our answer, and be sure that we shall not come alone.'

  'What?' Parke roared. 'You'll have some more snivelling dogs at your heels, will you?'

  'Upon receipt of this letter,' Chester said, 'and suspecting your intransigent nature, we despatched messengers to every plantation calling for support. You will see who shall be at our backs, sir.'

  'By God,' Parke said. 'You go too far, sir. You preach revolt.'

  'On the contrary, sir,' Harding insisted. ' 'Tis you who are planning to revolt. Against the known wishes of the government of England. We shall of course make the facts known to the soldiers of the garrison.'

  'By God,' Parke said. 'Never in my life have I heard such treason openly spoken. Well, gentlemen, I give you fair warning. I am a patient man, and as I said, I desire to be generous. You gentlemen hold responsible positions in the community. I leave it to you to return the forces you claim to have raised to their proper stations. For mark my words well, gentlemen, I'll brook no revolution. Should a single armed man attempt to climb that hill out there, be sure I will cut him down.'

  'Sir,' Chester said. 'You mistake the situation. It is we who are magnanimous, and desirous of avoiding bloodshed. I have here a letter dismissing you from your position. For the good of the people of Antigua, I must insist you respond to those instructions. We shall withdraw. But only to grant you sufficient time to make your arrangements. We shall return tomorrow morning, to escort you to the ship which waits in the harbour. Good day to you, sir.' He turned to face Kit. 'It would be safer for you, and yours, Captain Hilton, to accompany the retiring Governor.'

  'By God,' Parke said, half to himself. 'They have played into my hands.'

  Kit returned from the verandah, where he had watched the planters out of sight.

  'Into your hands? I wish I could understand what is going on. What is contained in your letter from the Queen?'

  'From her privy secretary, to be sure,' Parke said. 'Oh, their evil tongues have played their part. There is concern at Whitehall, and I am summoned back to answer certain questions.'

  'But then ...'

  'But your friends still mistake the matter, Kit. I have not been relieved of my position as Governor of the Leewards. There is my strength. I should return, the letter says, with all haste, leaving a deputy to act in my absence. And should I satisfy Her Majesty, well, then, be sure that I shall be returned here in more power than I now possess.'

  'Faith,' Kit said. 'Your waywardness is a mystery to me, Dan. Why did you not let Chester see that letter, and have an end to quarrelling? Why, if they do anything rash, this could well come to bloodshed.'

  'And what else do you think I desire?'

  'You wish them to march on you?'

  'Can you name me an easier way to settle this business?

  Fate has played us well, as she invariably will do, should one but trust her. I see it all. They have their friends in the Privy Council, and the discussion was undoubtedly hot. Thus the planters' friends left the meeting in no doubt that I was about to be dismissed, and sent off their letter to Chester containing that information. But the official letter, written no doubt after due reflection, contains no suggestion of dismissal, at least unless I am convicted of misdemeanours, after my return to Great Britain. So it is that should that rabble down there decide to attempt to remove me by force, they will be guilty of mutiny. Not only will I be obliged to deal with them as I have always wished, but they will have justified my every action since coming here.'

  'By God,' Kit said. 'As I may have said before, Dan, you go about governing people in a strange way.'

  'And as I have told you, often enough, that is the only way they will understand. You'll not desert me?'

  Kit sighed. 'It seems to be the misfortune of my life to stand before lost causes, sword in hand. I'll not desert you, Dan. I think you are wrong. I think you are criminally wrong. But I'll not desert a man who has twice proved the best friend I possess.'

  'I expected nothing less. Well, let us prepare ourselves. Turn out the guard, and make sure every man is provided with sufficient powder and shot. Hunt around the servants and select such of them as can be trusted. Impress upon them that our fate is theirs. And send a horseman down to the garrison to inform Captain Smith of the situation, and tell him I expect him to bring his men to Government House at dawn tomorrow.'

  'Did not Chester say that they had already been informed?'

  'Aye,' Parke said. 'There was a threat of incitement to mutiny if you like. But it matters very little. This house will withstand an assault even from regulars, resolutely defended. We built it for that purpose, Kit. Do you remember? You built it for that purpose.'

  'Aye,' Kit said. 'Resolutely defended.' He went towards the front door, met Lilian coming down the stairs.

  'Kit? What is happening? There was so much shouting, so many angry words ...'

  'And now we are past the stage of words,' he said bitterly. 'Once again it seems that we are to be exposed to the caprice of fate. The Governor has provoked a revolution.'

  14

  The Master of Green Grove

  A sound brought Kit awake. And instantly the full possession of his faculties. No doubt he had slept with half of his mind alert.

  It was close to dawn; the darkness was already lifting, and the sea breeze was chill. His brain went back all those years, to another dawn, at Panama, when Bart Le Grand had shaken him by the shoulder, and led him to where Harry Morgan had stood. He had been afraid on that dawn, too, and once again without cause. It had only been necessary to do, against tremendous odds, to win.

  And certainly Daniel Parke was no more of a rogue than Morgan. But then, was he as much of a man?

  The Governor stood in the doorway. 'Awake?' he asked. 'I hear hooves.'

  Sure enough there was a faint drumming in the distance. And now Lilian also awoke, and lifted her head from Kit's shoulder. 'Kit? What will happen?'

  'I'd give a fortune to know that.
' He got out of bed, reached for his clothes, followed the Governor. Parke was already on the verandah, where the sentry waited, and at which Jonathan was dismounting. The Negro panted, and his eyes were bloodshot.

  'They's coming, Your Excellency. They's coming.'

  'Who?' Parke demanded. 'The garrison?'

  'Well, suh, not this minute. The captain down there does be marshalling the men, for sure, but they moving slow.'

  'Yet are they moving. I doubt Chester will oppose such a show of force.'

  'But they coming now,' Jonathan wailed. 'Them planters, suh, and a whole lot of others. Man, they got thousands.'

  'Speak the truth, man,' Kit said. 'It is important.'

  'Well, suh,' Jonathan said, wiping sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. 'They got two, three hundred. I am sure of that.'

  'Armed?'

  'Oh, yes, suh. They got sword and musket, and pike, and thing like that.'

  'By God,' Parke said. 'So it has come to blows after all.' He turned, to find the sergeant of the guard immediately behind him. 'Assemble your men, armed, and with powder and ball, and also load the cannon.'

  The sergeant hesitated. 'With grape, Your Excellency?'

  'Aye,' Parke said. 'That were the way to dissuade that scum.'

  'You cannot be serious,' Kit said. 'Surely ball were the answer, to discourage them without committing more murder than is necessary. We need only hold them pending the arrival of the garrison.'

  'By God, Kit,' Parke said. 'I wish I could roll back the years and have a buccaneer beside me instead of a besotted Quaker. Oh, very well. Load with ball, sergeant, but be sure you have a canister standing by for the second charge. And form your men on the lawn there. Kit, you'll marshal the servants. Arm them and place them upstairs as a second line of defence.' He seized his friend by the shoulder. 'You'll obey my orders, Kit. No backsliding. I'll need your best support.'

  Kit sighed. 'And you shall have it, Dan. Only, I beg of you. let the first move come from them.'

  'You'd not suppose they have made it, by marching on my house?"

  'I'd still counsel forbearance, for as long as possible.'

  'Aye,' Parke said. 'Perhaps I'll forbear from hanging them all. Now make haste, I beg of you. They cannot be far away.'

  And indeed it was possible to hear, swelling up the hill, a confused noise. Kit ran back into the bedroom for his weapons, found Lilian dressed.

  'Kit ...' her voice trembled.

  'What we have always feared has come to pass. Those people

  feel they have right on their side, and Daniel knows he has the law on his. Lock the door and sit tight. Do not move unless I come for you.'

  'Can I not stand at your side?' she asked.

  'No,' he said. 'And if you force me to it I shall bind you hand and foot to prevent it.'

  She hesitated, and then sighed. 'So be it. I should not be of much assistance, that is certain. I can only say Godspeed.'

  He kissed her on the forehead. 'Perhaps He may be able to prevent a catastrophe. Certain it is I can think of no other possibility.'

  He buckled on his sword belt, checked the priming on his pistols, returned to the great hallway, where a dozen Negroes were gathered, fingering unfamiliar muskets and chattering amongst themselves.

  He clapped his hands, and they fell silent. 'Now listen to me,' he said. 'There is a mob coming here, who mean to do your master harm. We must prevent them, which means we must stop them entering this house. We may leave the ground floor to the soldiers. You will come upstairs with me.'

  'We going do that, Captin,' Jonathan said. 'We going fight for the Governor.'

  He led them up the stairs, arranged them on the verandah, evenly spaced, each man with a musket and a supply of powder and ball, and a pike for close work. 'You'll lie down,' he told them. 'So as not to present a target, and you'll fire through the banisters. Thus there is naught to be afraid of. Remember that those people down there are in the wrong, and you have the law on your side. But wait for the command.'

  'You going be here with us, Captin?' someone asked.

  'You may count on that.' Kit stood on the verandah and looked down, at Parke and the sergeant, marshalling the guard on the lawn. There were a score of redcoats, armed with muskets and sword bayonets, and in front of them stood the cannon, which had been loaded and dragged round to face the top of the drive. Because now the noise was close, and from his vantage point he could see a mass of men starting to climb the hill, and punctuating the dark of the people was the gleam of metal; the sun was just climbing above the horizon and sending darts of brilliant light over the island.

  Parke looked up. 'Are you ready, Kit?' 'We are ready,' Kit said.

  'Very good.' He drew his sword, and walked in front of the soldiers. Slowly the noise swelled, and a few moments later the crowd appeared at the head of the drive. There were a considerable number of them; Kit realized with a pounding heart that perhaps Jonathan had not after all been exaggerating; he would have said there were at least two hundred. They carried an odd assortment of weapons, in the main pikes and muskets, but there were several drawn swords to be seen, and these belonged to the planters. He recognized both Chester and Harding, and frowned as he began to pick out the overseers. Haley of Goodwood was there. And so was Hodge of Green Grove.

  Hodge? Then the plantation was not as cut off from events as he had supposed. Because there were other Green Grove men present as well.

  But there were also others he recognized. The sweepings of St John's, and already flushed with drink, early as it was. Or perhaps they had spent the night building up their courage.

  But whatever force was driving them on, he suddenly realized this affair was not a foregone conclusion. He went into the study, found the Queen's letter lying on the desk, folded it and stowed it in his pocket. Then he returned on to the verandah.

  Daniel Parke had not moved. He remained in front of his small army. And now the mob itself checked, to stare at him, at the redcoats and the house, still shouting and laughing amongst themselves. If only the men of the garrison would come, Kit thought, then there would be no risk of bloodshed.

  'This is revolution, Mr Chester,' Parke called out, his voice very loud and clear.

  'We are a citizens' committee, Mr Parke,' Chester replied. 'We have come to demand your resignation, and your departure from Antigua.'

  'And I, sir, demand your dispersal on the instant,' Parke said. 'Or I shall fire into you.'

  The planters hesitated, glancing at each other, reluctant to carry events further even now.

  'Ten seconds, Mr Chester,' Parke called. 'That is all I will allow you.'

  'Sir, you exceed your prerogative,' Chester called, and stepped forward.

  'Give fire,' Parke shouted, and the match was applied to the touch-hole. The cannon roared and a cloud of black smoke billowed up to shroud the verandah. There were screams and howls from the mob, and as the smoke began to clear Kit saw that the ball had hurtled through the very centre, decapitating two men and leaving a swathe of scattered arms and legs.

  'Oh, Christ,' he muttered. There could be no more talk now.

  'Charge them,' Chester bellowed, waving his sword. 'Fire your pieces,' Parke yelled, returning to the line of redcoats.

  The muskets rippled, and the mob, emerging on to the lawn, paused; several men fell.

  'Retire,' Parke bawled. 'Retire to the house, and there reload. You'll give fire, Captain Hilton.'

  'Take aim,' Kit said. 'Do not waste your shot. Fire as you will. Steady, now, lads, steady.'

  The Negroes fired, and raised their heads to see what damage they had done, and chattered excitedly amongst themselves as they reloaded. Certainly they had shed their fear, and it occurred to Kit that well led they might make a formidable force. Supposing there were a few dozen of them.

  The mob was now advancing at a run, churning up the fresh green of the new-laid lawn. Beneath him the soldiers clattered on to the downstairs verandah, and there turned to face the onslaug
ht, but already he could hear cries of alarm; these people were their friends in more sober moments.

  'Stand to,' Parke shouted. 'Stand to.'

  'Seize him,' Chester yelled, running at the steps.

  'By God, sir, I'll have you at the least,' Parke said, and stepped forward, his pistol levelled.

  But someone else fired first; Kit would never be sure who it was. The Governor gave a gasp and fell to his knees, and with a scream of terror the soldiers threw away their muskets and fled through the house, their boots clattering on the polished floors.

  Kit stood up in his horror. It was Green Grove all over again. He watched the mob surge up to Parke, who was still kneeling, his left hand pressed to the wound in his body, his right still trying to level his pistol, and seized him as a pack of dogs might seize a bone. And at last Kit came to life.

  'Follow me,' he yelled, and ran for the stairs, drawing his sword as he did so. He reached the foot in three bounds and checked to regain his balance, then discovered he was alone. Yet it did not occur to him to hesitate. The mob was baying like wolves now, most howling anger and derision, only one or two voices, amongst them John Harding's, calling for order. Kit burst upon them like another cannonball, swinging his sword from left to right. A cutlass came up to meet him, and was swept aside, its owner tumbling down the steps. For a moment Harding himself faced him, and then sprang to one side, while another man fell with a thrust through the chest. Then they fell back and he stood astride his friend.

  They panted. 'Shoot him down,' Chester called. 'Hang him high. He is no less our enemy.'

  But Kit was looking at Parke. The Governor's clothes were torn and slashed, and to the bullet wound in his ribs there had been added a dozen knife cuts. Even hands had done their worst; there were scratches on his face and one of his eyes appeared to be gouged.