During the meal William gained much knowledge from the conversations with the other guests. The conversations sadly confirmed that his father was involved in the African trade.
Could he persuade him to give up the evil trade and return to the Mediterranean and Baltic business? The French defeat off Trafalgar meant fewer French ships to harass solitary merchantmen. His father must know that the seas were clear of the enemy and that he should cease the wicked trade before Parliament made it illegal, and turned him into a criminal.
Eventually the dinner came to an end and the ladies retired to the withdrawing room, leaving the men to their port and cigars.
‘Gentlemen, I would appreciate your comments on the port. I used to trade in it before the African trade, which is far more profitable,’ George laughed as he poured himself a generous glass. ‘But I must admit that we English should learn some of the habits of our Mediterranean friends. I like a glass of port after a meal. It helps settle the digestion. I like to smoke tobacco, or a cigar, as my Spanish supplier would call a roll of tobacco. Please help yourselves, and if you wish for snuff, it is also available.’
George’s butler passed from guest to guest, offering a box of cigars and a lighted taper. Most of the men took one of the cigars, allowing it to be lit by Alfred, and sat contentedly smoking and sipping the port wine.
‘A fine meal, George,’ commented one of his Manchester suppliers, ‘and with the return of your son, William, this will be a Christmas to remember.’
George nodded in agreement and looked fondly at his son while drawing on his own cigar. ‘You don’t smoke, William? I expected you to have picked up the habit in the Navy.’
‘No, Father, I don’t smoke. Many of my friends in the Navy have stopped smoking in protest to the African trade. The tobacco is produced by slave labour, and my fellow officers, who have seen a slave ship, could not in all conscience support the pleasure of smoking at the expense of so much suffering.’
‘Poppycock, you are tired after your journey. I know many naval officers who smoke.’
William carried on, ignoring his father’s interruption.
‘Did you know you can smell a slave ship up to ten miles away? You don’t have to see them to know when you are close. However, to be fair, I must admit some officers actually took up smoking after boarding a slaver. They took up smoking in an effort to kill the stench that permeated their nostrils and minds, after seeing the conditions in which the slaves travelled. My fellow officers hoped the taste and smell of a good cigar would hide the smell. Apparently it didn’t, or so I am informed.’
The scrape of the port decanter across the table as it was passed around was the only sound in the room. Everyone was listening to William.
‘William, I wish you to apologise to our guests. That was an inexcusable thing to say. You are implying the African trade is wrong and we are all wrong in doing business in such a way. You sound like that man, Wilberforce, the anti-slaver agitator. He doesn’t know what he is talking about, and by the sounds of things, neither do you.’
William hesitated. He didn’t wish to embarrass his father in front of his guests. But he was not willing to apologise for his beliefs about slavery. He took a deep breath and began to explain his views.
‘Mr Wilberforce is a great man, Father. I have many of his pamphlets and I have listened to a man called Thomas Clarkson, whom I had the good fortune to meet on the coach to Liverpool. I have seen a slaver, in fact I captured it, and I only hope the English navy will return the slaves who were aboard to their homes. The look of despair in their eyes is a remarkable sight and pierces your heart, however cold and unfeeling you are. I have smelled the odour of human misery. How would any of us like it if we were snatched from our bed and sold across the seas, with no hope of ever returning to Liverpool?’
‘But the African trade has been a legitimate trade for over two hundred years, my boy,’ said Donald Nicholson as he blew smoke to the ceiling. ‘This fine city of ours is rich and powerful because of the trade, and your father has built a very good and profitable business. All of us here have built businesses in the trade. Henry,’ Donald waved at his son, ‘is one of our gallant captains, and has turned a tidy profit from the trade for all of us. The trade relies on suppliers of sale goods, ship owners, and many more small businesses in Liverpool, and the surrounding area.’
William’s eyes followed Donald’s hand as he indicated his son. Seeing Henry as a slave captain, William realised that he was the man he had seen at breakfast in the Pen and Wig. Henry must have heard the conversation between himself and Thomas’s anti-slavery guests. No wonder he felt animosity from Henry. Henry had already placed William as an associate of the anti-slavery organisation.
‘It is an immoral trade and King and Son should not be involved!’
The noise from the guests rose as everyone wished to speak in defence of the trade.
‘Gentlemen, gentlemen, please,’ said William, ‘I do not wish to be rude to anyone, after all, you are my father’s guests. I just explained the reason why I do not wish to smoke a cigar.’
A few of the guests laughed to cover their embarrassment at William’s outburst.
‘Perhaps the trade frightens some people because they do not have the courage to carry it through,’ said Henry Nicholson in a low growling voice.
George King’s face turned red. ‘Are you saying my son is without courage?’
‘I am not saying any such thing, Mr King, just commenting. Some people cannot stomach an honest day’s work in the African trade. It takes real men to handle the slaves and make a profit.’
William stood at the last remark, and was about to speak when his father said, ‘I think, gentlemen, we should rejoin the ladies. Would you lead, Donald? I would like a quick word with William.’
‘My pleasure, George. Gentlemen, follow me if you please.’
As the guests filed out of the dining room, George motioned his son to sit down again. ‘A word please, William.’
William watched the room empty and the door close quietly, leaving him and his father alone. At least this time he did not feel like a schoolboy; now he was his own man. He did not wish to fight, but he would not back away from any of his principles.
‘Henry Nicholson will not insult me in this house again and get away with it,’ said William, pouring himself a fresh glass of port.
William calmed himself and said, ‘I am sorry, Father, for upsetting you in front of your guests. It was not intentional. I am very pleased to see you and to be back in Liverpool.’
George pulled at his cigar and studied his son. ‘You have experienced things I never have. Yet I, in my way, have experienced different things. Both our experiences have been life changing. Without the trade we would have collapsed as a company. After you left I was approached to charter the ships to Donald, and we eventually went into a loose kind of partnership. We traded goods for slaves, and the slaves for sugar or tobacco. Then I sell these commodities in England.’ He waved his cigar to take in all the house.
‘You see, I have been successful, and am now an influential figure in the community. When we ran the trading ships to the Baltic and the Mediterranean, our profit was small, although I was happy with the way we were. I didn’t know any different. The war changed everything, perhaps I may be the only man in England to thank Napoleon. The attacks on our ships forced me to make a change, and that change has been very profitable. I am sure you would not wish me to have closed the company and perhaps ended my days begging for handouts.’
‘If I had not seen with my own eyes the degradation of the slaves, I might have agreed with you, but now I have experienced their destitution, I cannot be part of the trade. They are human beings, the same as you and I, and we cannot be involved in this wicked traffic. You must realise Parliament will outlaw slavery in the near future.’
‘Rubbish. Parliament will never outlaw the African trade. How can you say such a thing? You must know how many times slavery bills have been p
ut to Parliament, and all of them defeated. The capital invested in the West Indies in land, slaves and buildings is huge, and it would cause an economic disaster for England if slavery were outlawed. What of shipbuilding, ships’ crews and the industries making the trade goods? What you propose is that these enterprises will have their markets closed down. Can you imagine how many men will be out of work? I doubt I will see this trade changed in my lifetime. You will know what I mean when you re-join the company and help me expand into other areas.’
‘I’m sorry, Father, but I cannot join you if you remain in the African trade. I will not be a party to the long, drawn-out suffering of people taken from their homes and made prisoners in a foreign land.’
‘You have made prisoners of French men, so what is the difference? We make those prisoners work.’
‘The difference is we are at war with France and the taking of prisoners is a legitimate part of being at war. We don’t make French prisoners work in the tobacco plantations.’
‘You have just contradicted yourself, you have just told me the taking of prisoners is legal, which is the same as the legal trade in which King and Son conduct business.’
‘Father, I do not wish us to argue, nor do I wish us to part under the same cloud we did the last time. I can see now that every stone in every building in Liverpool, including this house, has been cemented together with the blood of an African. I will not be a party to furthering the African trade.’
‘What do you intend to do? Return to the Navy to fight for the black man?’
‘No, I am not sure what I will do. This I am sure of, I will not be involved in the trade.’
‘Do I take down the ‘and Son’ from the company?’
‘It is your decision, Father.’
‘I will think on our talk. I think we should join the others or else they will think the worst.’
George pushed back his chair and stood, remarking in a quiet voice, ‘At least we are not at each other’s throats as we were the last time.’
‘I am pleased we can talk again without shouting at each other, but I will not change my mind. The trade is immoral, inhuman and against God’s law. Henry Nicholson appears to be a fine advertisement for the worst kind of person in the trade. I am sure he enjoys seeing the suffering of his captives.’
‘How can it be against God’s law? Even in the Bible we are told to look after our slaves, so God obviously agrees we should be allowed to have slaves.’
‘I will make you a present of a book I have read called Practical Christianity. It will give you a clear understanding on what is required of us by God.’
The two men entered the withdrawing room and rejoined the other guests. The general chatter ceased as all waited for George, or William, to continue the argument.
‘Is everything to your satisfaction?’ asked George to the assembled company, breaking the silence.
‘Do you wish us to speak now George, or wait until later?’ asked Donald Nicholson, knowing that George wanted to talk to him.
‘If it is convenient, perhaps now would be a good time.’ He had a feeling that this evening was going to transform his life. He’d had an unpleasant conversation with his son and was not sure if he had lost William. Now his second conversation, but with Donald, might bring him great happiness or greater sadness than the upset with William.
Donald flicked his almost finished cigar into the fire and followed George from the room.
He closed the library door behind them, giving a friendly nod as George held up a decanter of brandy.
Settling into a large armchair by the fire, Donald looked around at the beautiful room. Two walls were covered with shelves lined with books.
‘Thank you,’ said Donald, accepting a glass of brandy.
George sat opposite his friend and business partner and raised his glass in a salute.
‘I think you know what I wish to speak about,’ said George in a slightly hesitant way.
‘Perhaps I do, George, but to be sure, I would like you to speak your mind, so we are both aware of your thoughts.’
‘To come to the point, I wish to marry Charlotte and I am asking for your blessing.’
Donald Nicholson sipped his brandy and allowed his mind to sift the various options. He knew from intuition that this was the question George wanted to ask earlier. He did not wish to offer any suggestions at the moment.
This was how Donald liked to negotiate. George had made the request, which allowed Donald to control the conversation, as well as the decision.
Would joining the two families be advantageous? The return of William might influence George to relinquish the slave trade. Would Donald be able to control William, through George? Could he still influence his daughter if she married George? He had controlled Charlotte, and George, in the past. If George married Charlotte, things should be much easier.
The positives and negatives of joining the two families through matrimony flashed across his mind. William’s return could be a bonus. If he did not make too much noise against the slave trade, he could be a real asset, especially for Donald’s future.
‘My dear fellow, I am delighted that you wish to marry my daughter. Does she know that this is your wish?’
‘No, she doesn’t, as I have not broached the subject. I am a little old-fashioned in this area, and wished to make sure you and Sarah would be happy to have me court your daughter. After all, you and I are too close to argue, and I thought if you have any objections, we should discuss them on our own.’
‘Nonsense, my dear fellow, I am delighted, and I am sure Sarah will be delighted as well, after we have informed her.’ He quickly pushed the conversation he had heard on the way to tonight’s dinner, between his wife and daughter, to the back of his mind. It was all good business, he surmised.
‘When do you wish to speak to Charlotte?’
‘I will pick the time and the place, perhaps over Christmas.’
‘What do you think William will do, having a mother younger than himself?’
‘I wasn’t sure that I would see William again, so I never considered his wishes. I assumed he made his choice when he joined the Navy. I was not even sure he was still alive.’
‘Will he join you in the company?’
‘I am not sure. He can be very strong-minded.’
‘Takes after his father,’ flattered Donald Nicholson, and was pleased to see a slight blush appear on George’s cheeks.
‘I only wish he did, and joined me in the company. Perhaps I could make him captain of one of our vessels.’
‘Do not let him blackmail you, George, just because he is family. Perhaps this is what he wants, and all this talk of getting out of the African trade is to make sure he has a command.’
‘I really don’t think he would do that. I believe he genuinely thinks the slave trade is wrong, and while he holds that belief he will not join King and Son.’
‘Soon to be King and Wife, George,’ laughed Donald.
‘Yes,’ George said in little more than a whisper, and stared into the flames of the fire.
‘Come, George, your guests await, and we have been away a long time. People will talk.’
Chapter Ten
Miss Charlotte
Charlotte brushed her hair one hundred times. One hundred times and it will shine, and will never fall out, or so her nanny told her as a child. Sometimes brushing became very tiresome, but on other occasions, such as tonight, it allowed her to think. The evening had been a success. She smiled at her image in the mirror as she thought of George. He was a gentleman. Her hand stopped in mid-stroke as those thoughts faded and William’s face filled her mind.
William was a very handsome man, with clear, tanned features after months in the tropics. The scar down the left side of his face added to rather than detracted from his appeal when he smiled. He had an aura of excitement and danger. Each time he spoke, his voice sent shivers down Charlotte’s back. She’d heard the raised voices of the men, after the ladies had retire
d. They had become quite heated and only returned to normal after the men joined the ladies in the withdrawing room.
She resumed brushing her hair.
When George and his son finally did arrive, George whispered something to father, and they had both left the party. William sat next to Charlotte and began a conversation.
Just thinking about William’s voice caused her to blush.
She brushed her hair harder in an effort to distract her thoughts from William. It was to no avail. Her mind wouldn’t leave him alone. She remembered how white his teeth were against his dark, sunburned skin. He had asked her if she played a musical instrument. When she mentioned that she played the pianoforte a little, he stood and held out his hand to her.
‘There is one in the corner; you must play for us.’
‘Oh, I cannot play in public. My skill is not good enough.’
‘I will help you,’ said William, gently guiding her to the pianoforte.
‘How so?’
‘I will turn the music for you.’
‘How will that help? I thought you would play.’
‘It is a long time since I sat at the pianoforte. I did have a nanny who insisted I learn. I remember her telling me “to play the pianoforte is sign of a cultured upbringing, and the skill will assist you to gain the hand of a fair maiden”.’
‘Where is this lady now?’ laughed Charlotte.
‘She left. I don’t think she agreed with the way Father wanted me to be raised. She was very good at playing a number of instruments. She even tried to teach me the harp. All a waste of time. If you sit at the keyboard, I will stand here. People will hear you but they will not be able to see you. Please play, Charlotte.’
‘I will try, but you must not allow me to be embarrassed.’
‘Upon my honour I will protect you!’ laughed William, opening some sheet music.
‘Perhaps this one?’ asked Charlotte, pointing to some sheets already on the stand.
‘That may be a little risqué,’ commented William, after reading the title.
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