Odyssey - 20. Chapter 20

July, 1797

A very tired George Granger hauled himself aboard Bacchante, ironically enough just as the sun was beginning to set. Granger was too tired to enjoy the beautiful scene, and too irritated to appreciate it. He’d spent the entire day ashore with Andrews, cajoling and prodding merchants to deliver fruit, meat, and other items aboard at once. He had originally planned to sail on the morning tide, but he had since resigned himself to the inevitable, to spending one more day in port. No amount of arguing on his part would get Bacchante’s stores out before then, and Granger had to admit that at the rate the merchants had been moving today, he’d be lucky to sail the day after tomorrow.

“Welcome back, my lord,” Calvert said to him, but had a nervous expression on his face. “How was Praia?”

“Maddening. They do not seem to have any sense of urgency at all, these people,” Granger snapped, then regretted his comments immediately. His emotions were frayed, and it was at times like these that it was possible for Granger to lose his normal, vaunted self-control. That was bad enough, but to do so on deck, in front of the crew, was unthinkable. Granger felt his bad mood souring even more.

“I would request the opportunity to speak to you in your cabin, my lord,” Calvert said. Granger wondered briefly if Calvert had sensed that the only thing that would probably work him out of this mood was a good fuck, and was going to accommodate him. Just the thought of that started to cheer him up, and he began to allow his mind to wander off erotically, contemplated how incredibly wonderful that would be, to have Calvert yank down his trousers and slam his long dick up Granger’s ass. He pulled his mind back to the present before he got an erection and embarrassed himself further.

“Of course,” Granger said, and led the way below. He almost walked straight into his sleeping cabin, and only remembered to stop at the last minute.

“I will be happy to go back there with you,” Calvert said with a smile, “but I have an issue to brief you on first.” When he said that, his expression faded.

Granger led Calvert over to his chairs in the quarter gallery, where they could gaze off at the setting sun. He poured them both a glass of port, and after a sip or two, the sunset began to regain some of its charm. “And what issue must I be briefed on?” Granger asked with resignation.

“There was an altercation in the Wardroom at dinner today,” Calvert said. “We were all dining quite happily when Mr. Conway began to accuse Dr. Jackson of frequenting molly houses. Dr. Jackson gamely tried to explain the situation, and attempted to make a joke out of it, but Mr. Conway became positively nasty about it. Insults were traded, and before anyone knew it, or could intervene, the situation escalated until Mr. Conway insulted Dr. Jackson by questioning his honor. Dr. Jackson then felt it necessary to challenge Mr. Conway to a duel.”

“The doctor challenged Conway to a duel?” Granger asked, stunned. His shock changed to extreme irritation. This is not how he had planned to spend his evening. He had planned to listen to Calvert talk about some less-than-urgent matter, have Calvert fuck him senseless, and then enjoy a nice supper, a plan which would have transformed his bad mood. Instead, he had to deal with two of his officers who were seemingly determined to kill each other. “I should have them both stripped of their ranks so I can flog them!”

Calvert ignored his outburst. “They are scheduled to duel at sunrise, with pistols. Dr. Jackson, as the challenger, had the choice of weapons, and he chose pistols at ten paces.”

Calvert’s calm manner, and his factual presentation of the incident, made it seem as if he did not really think this was a big deal. “And you are fine with this?” Granger demanded.

“I’m not fine with this at all, but I felt it premature on my part to take any action before talking to you, once the gauntlet had been laid down,” Calvert said, letting some of his own irritation show. He paused to let both he and Granger calm down, and to give Granger time to realize that Calvert had acted exactly as he was supposed to. “The conversation escalated so rapidly, there was no chance to intervene.” Granger took a drink of his wine, took a deep breath, and managed to get himself back to a calm center.

“Do you think Conway attacked the good doctor with the intent to force him into a challenge?” Granger asked.

Calvert nodded. “I do. It was too choreographed, and too well played out for it to have been spontaneous.”

“So Conway is going to get rid of Jackson for Maidstone, and he’s going to do it with a duel,” Granger mused.

“The doctor could just as easily shoot Conway,” Calvert noted.

“I suspect that Mr. Conway has dueled a few times in the past, and the fact that he is here speaks to his probable skill with a pistol or a sword,” Granger deduced. “The doctor has no such experience, so as you say, while he has a chance, it is not a good one.”

“So you are going to allow them to duel?” Calvert asked.

“No, I am not,” Granger said. “Dr. Jackson is too valuable to me to lose in a contrived affair of honor.”

“Especially as we are to spend much of our voyage in dangerous tropical climes,” Calvert agreed.

“Pass the word for Dr. Jackson,” Granger shouted, even as he stood up and walked back into the Great Cabin and sat at his table. Calvert sat with him as they waited in silence for the doctor to arrive.

Jackson walked into the cabin nervously. “You sent for me, my lord?”

“What is this madness about you fighting a duel?” Granger asked, and not nicely.

“My lord, Mr. Conway insulted my honor. I really had no choice, but I must go through with it.”

“You will do no such thing,” Granger snapped. He paused to regain his composure. This situation with Conway was beginning to sorely test his normally calm demeanor. “Mr. Conway is in the employ of Sir Tobias Maidstone. This is a created incident to give him cause to put you to death.”

“I could win, my lord,” Jackson objected feebly. Granger just stared at him, challenging his chances of that with only his eyes, until the doctor relented to the reality of the situation. “What would you have me do?”

“Who is your second?” Granger asked.

“My second is Mr. Andrews, my lord, while Mr. Conway’s second is Mr. Broom.”

Broom was the senior master’s mate, and it would normally come as no surprise that he would back Conway up, only Conway tended to terrorize his mates, and they didn’t seem to like him all that much. “I am surprised that he volunteered to do it.”

“I think that Mr. Broom did it because someone had to, and there were no willing volunteers of an appropriate rank,” Calvert explained. In other words, everyone hated Conway, and wouldn’t stand up for him. “I believe he felt it was an obligation.”

“I see,” Granger said. “I am postponing your duel until two in the afternoon.”

“My lord?” Jackson asked, confused.

“I said that I have postponed your duel until two in the afternoon,” Granger repeated. “You are dismissed. Please pass the word for Mr. Andrews and Mr. Broom.” He stared at Jackson, who was so confused it took him a few seconds to get his wits about himself.

“Aye aye, my lord,” he said, and left the cabin. A few minutes later, a knock at the door heralded the arrival of Broom and Andrews.

“I understand that you are the seconds for this damnable affair, this duel that is to be fought?”

“We are, my lord,” Andrews answered.

“I have postponed it until two in the afternoon, tomorrow,” Granger said.

“I should make sure my principal is alright with that, my lord,” Broom said nervously.

“Mr. Broom, it was not a request, it was an order. The boats in this ship, and the crew, are needed to complete our stores. I will not have them going off on fools errands just to enable an idiotic duel. I will have all four of you put in chains if I do not procure your pledge that my timetable will be observed. Is that clear?”

“Aye aye, my lord,” they said.

“Mr. Andrews, I would like a word with you. Mr. Broom, you may go and convey my directive to Mr. Conway. If he has a problem with it, please alert me.” He would have no objection, not after Broom told Conway how Granger had reacted.

“Aye aye, my lord,” he said, then left.

“Mr. Andrews,” Granger said, getting his attention now that Broom was gone.

“My lord?”

“I am going to go see the governor in the morning and I am going to inform him that I am leaving Mr. Conway behind. I am going to ask that he put him on the first ship back to Lisbon, or England.” Andrews just looked at him, since that statement had nothing to do with him or this duel. “I will arrive at the dueling location instead of Dr. Jackson and give Mr. Conway his orders to leave the ship. That means that you and I must travel together.”

“It will be my pleasure, my lord.”

“You will tell no one of this, not even Dr. Jackson. He must think he is going until the point he does not board the boat.” Granger turned to Calvert. “You will see that he does not leave this ship.”

“I will say nothing, my lord,” Andrews said sincerely. Calvert nodded, all that was required since Granger knew he would do as he asked anyway.

“Thank you, Mr. Andrews.” Granger turned back to Calvert. “We’ll have Conway leave the ship first. After he is gone, you will have someone pack up his possessions into his sea chest, and have them sent ashore with me and Mr. Andrews.”

“Aye aye, my lord,” Calvert said. Granger dismissed Andrews, and got the hard fuck that he wanted from Calvert, but that still didn’t fully eradicate his bad mood.

Granger approached the Governor’s residence with dread, knowing that the governor would relish this opportunity to gloat at the conflict aboard Bacchante. But there was nothing else to be done about it. It was worth more to Granger to be humbled and to be rid of Conway than to maintain his pride and be stuck with the contentious man.

Major Hernandez ushered Granger into the dining room, where he found the governor eating his breakfast. The governor rose and greeted Granger, then asked him to sit and join him. Granger found the food so good that he indulged himself with an additional breakfast. “I must thank Your Excellency for your hospitality, both here at breakfast, and while we have been in port.”

“Your charming company is reward enough, my lord,” the governor said. Now that the initial tension had been allayed during their first interview, the governor had reverted to typical Continental mannerisms, complete with flowery language.

“Your Excellency is too kind,” Granger said, adopting the same style. “Yet I have come to impose upon Your Excellency once again.”

“And what will you have me do?” the governor asked, the flowery language fading behind his suspicion.

“One of my officers, the master of my ship, has proven to be incompetent, and is suspected of plotting mutiny along with those men who deserted my ship when we first arrived in port.”

“You seem to have problems with your crew, my lord,” the governor said, clearly relishing this opportunity to lord it over Granger.

“Among these four men, that is most certainly true, Your Excellency,” Granger agreed. His acquiescence served to blunt the governor’s gloating, and since he didn’t detect Granger seething beneath his smooth veneer, he accepted what must have seemed like Granger’s acknowledgement that he was having trouble commanding his ship.

“What would you have me do?”

“Your Excellency, it is my intention to leave this man, Mr. Conway, here in Praia, to seek passage on the next ship that sails to Lisbon or England.”

“That could be a while, and it could be an expensive proposition, to support a man for months on end,” the governor said. He clearly wanted Granger to give him money to subsidize Conway’s care, and passage home.

“Mr. Conway is a man of some means, so he can support himself.”

“A man of means, my lord?”

“He is,” Granger concerned. “I suspect he will end up leaving a goodly amount of gold here.”

“You understand that I would have no problem having him stay here, I am just concerned that he will become a burden upon my people,” the governor said.

“I think it is truly a sign of your loyalty to your sovereign and your people that you would consider their needs first and foremost,” Granger said effusively. He handed the governor a purse with some gold coins in it, enough to support Conway for six months if needed. “I would certainly not want my burden to become yours. I was hoping that I could give you this money for Mr. Conway’s support, in the event his own funds become exhausted.”

“And if they do not, what am I to do with your money, my lord?” the governor asked.

“I would hope that you would use it to aid your people, Your Excellency. I am sure there are many good uses you could put it to.”

“I suspect I could,” the governor said smoothly. It would be unlikely that the money Granger had given him would ever leave his own pockets. “Of course we will accommodate Your Lordship. Major Hernandez will find him lodgings, and we will let him fend for himself after that.”

“I am most appreciative, Your Excellency,” Granger said. He finished his breakfast and took his leave of the governor, then stopped to pressure some of the merchants who had been most dilatory in sending stores out to Bacchante. Some additional bribes served to speed them on their way, but dealing with such matters were not things Granger enjoyed, and were more correctly Andrew’s duty, but he was engrossed in the duel. Besides, Granger was learning that with the Portuguese, his presence was about the only thing that motivated them. Having the captain of the ship, and a Viscount at that, all but beg them to do what they’d already agreed to do, seemed to be a tonic to them, and seemed to spur them into action, as much as that was possible. Once again, Granger returned to Bacchante in a bad mood.

“Welcome back, my lord,” Calvert said. He was normally cheerful when Granger returned, but this time he seemed almost somber, as he sensed Granger’s mood. The thought that he had become so temperamental that Calvert was managing him simply irritated Granger even more. “Mr. Conway left about thirty minutes ago, and we have just completed packing up his chest.” Granger looked at his watch and just then realized that he was running behind schedule.

“Very well. Have it sent over to Major Hernandez in the launch. It can bring back the last of our stores.”

“Aye aye, my lord,” Calvert said.

“Then let us be off,” Granger said to Andrews. He found Somers standing by the entry port, waiting as well, and when he looked into his gig, he saw a squad of marines properly turned out, seated on the thwarts.

“I presumed to join you, my lord, along with a few of my men,” Somers said. Somehow having Somers’ presence here, and that of his men, made Granger more comfortable and began to modify his bad mood.

“Your presence is usually welcome, and this case is no exception,” Granger said amiably. He followed Andrews and Somers into the boat, and then Phillips cast off and they made for the shore.

“The duel is scheduled to be fought on a plateau outside the city, my lord,” Andrews told him. It was a good distance away.

“I spoke with those merchants on the way back to the ship, and I do believe that our stores may arrive by the time we return,” Granger said, changing the topic.

“That’s very good, my lord,” Andrews said.

“The governor was none too keen about having an indigent officer stranded in his port, demanding charity, but I told him that Conway was a man of some means, and that placated him,” Granger told Somers.

“I suspect that would do it. No governor wants to shell out money to support some foreigner, and to shell out money on a foreigner as cantankerous as Conway would be galling, my lord,” Somers joked.

“I left some money with him just in case Conway ends up destitute,” Granger noted.

“In that case, it is my guess that the governor will retain your money, and Mr. Conway will remain destitute, my lord,” Somers joked.

Granger actually chuckled. “That was my read on it as well, but at least the governor cannot complain that I burdened him unduly.”

It was a good distance to the selected spot, and took them the better part of an hour to get there. They arrived at a small beach and disembarked. Somers nodded to his sergeant, who formed up the marines and marched ahead of them. They got to the plateau to find Conway and Broom waiting for them, just the two of them.

Conway surveyed the situation and seemed surprised to find Somers and the marines there, but even more surprised to find Granger present and more surprised still to find that Jackson wasn’t with them. “I am awaiting Doctor Jackson, my lord, to give him satisfaction,” Conway said stiffly.

“Doctor Jackson will not be coming, Mr. Conway. He has been forbidden to leave the ship.”

“He is the one who claimed offense, my lord,” Conway said soothingly, as if he were an innocent victim. “If he tenders an apology for his challenge, I am willing to overlook the matter.”

“Doctor Jackson is not, to my knowledge, planning to offer you any sort of apology,” Granger said coldy.

“It will be difficult to have two men on the ship who are bound, by convention, to have no contact with each other until honor is satisfied, my lord,” Conway said.

“I agree, Mr. Conway. That would be difficult, but I have made arrangements to ensure that it will not be a problem either.”

“I don’t understand, my lord.”

“You will not be aboard the ship, Mr. Conway. You are staying here in Praia.”

“In Praia, my lord?” Conway asked, shocked.

“In Praia, Mr. Conway. The governor has promised to put you on the next ship bound either to Lisbon or to England, and there you will have to stand trial for your machinations aboard my ship.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, my lord,” Conway objected. His demeanor was full of righteous indignation.

“I think that you do,” Granger said. “Captain Somers was able to acquire full confessions from Samuels and Todd, explaining how you paid them to create conflict and problems on board.”

“That’s hearsay, my lord, since both of those men deserted.”

“Along with Ford, another one of your stooges,” Granger said. “It only makes their guilt, and your involvement, that much more convincing. Their statements were witnessed by several people. I think you will find, Mr. Conway, that when the threat of a noose was explained to them, they were quite willing to sell you down the river.”

“Lies. It’s all lies, my lord,” Conway said.

“It is your word against theirs, and while you are an officer, you have not shown me that you are any more honorable than the common seaman. I have explained that to their lordships, and have requested that you be given the maximum penalty for trying to start a mutiny.”

“I wasn’t trying to start a mutiny, my lord,” Conway objected.

“Just what were you trying to start, Mr. Conway?” Granger asked.

Conway seemed to realize that he was on the verge of exposing his whole scheme. “I wasn’t trying to start anything, my lord; I was merely doing my duty.”

“Well, anyone who does his duty as poorly as you did is not welcome on board my vessel. Nor will you be welcome aboard any other ship in His Majesty’s Navy.” Conway said nothing, he just glared at him. “Your chest has been sent ashore and is in the possession of Major Hernandez. He will find lodgings for you, and you will be on your own.”

“How will I pay for my subsistence?” Conway demanded.

“If you have guineas to bribe men to create problems, you have guineas to support yourself, Mr. Conway. Enjoy your time here. It will undoubtedly be healthier for you than your time in England.” Granger turned to the others. “We will return to the ship.”

“Where am I to go?” Conway asked.

Granger stood on the deck of his ship and compared his sightings to those of his other officers. The entire ship seemed to have shed its tension and anxiety since they’d left Conway and his cronies behind in Praia, and the last few weeks of their voyage had been remarkably pleasant. “It would appear, gentlemen, that we will cross the equator tomorrow.”

“Yes, my lord,” Calvert agreed.

“Pass the word for the bosun,” Granger ordered. He waited but a few seconds for the bosun, a hulking Frenchman named Hercule who had been with Granger since the siege of Toulon.

“You wanted to see me, my lord?” Hercule asked.

“We are to cross the equator tomorrow. I am putting you in charge of the arrangements to receive His Majesty,” Granger said pompously.

“I will see that His Majesty is received with all due courtesy, my lord,” Hercule said, and affected what he believed to be a courtly bow, which Granger returned much more gracefully.

“His Majesty, sir?” Kingsdale asked.

“Hercule, I think the young gentlemen will participate in the festivities as well,” Granger called out.

“Aye aye, my lord,” Hercule said with a small grin.

“My lord?” Scropes asked as well.

“When a ship crosses the equator, King Neptune rises up from the watery depths and seizes control of the ship,” Granger said to them seriously. Gatling and Eastwyck tried not to laugh at their younger colleagues, who were wide-eyed with fear and anticipation.

“Will you surrender the ship to him, my lord?” Scropes asked.

“I will, or he will take me below and put me in Davy Jones’ locker,” Granger said. “Tonight, all of the Wogs who have never crossed the equator will take control below decks, and the Shellbacks, those who have made the crossing, will be beholden to them. When King Neptune arrives tomorrow, that order reverses itself.”

“So it’s our turn as Wogs to prank the Shellbacks,” Scropes said to Kingsdale with a grin.

Granger smiled. “That is so, Mr. Scropes, but you would be wise to remember that they will have the control the following day. It has been my experience that one is wise not to provoke the Shellbacks too much.”

“That is most likely good advice, sir,” Kingsdale said sagely.

They made a festive time of it, with a hornpipe competition to launch the “takeover” by the Wogs. Andrews had conjured up a special meal for the men, and Granger took that opportunity to entertain his officers at dinner. He sat at the head of his large table and looked at these men who had already travelled so far together, but still had so much farther to go.

“I think that our stop in Praia was most fortuitous,” Granger said, being the good host. “This fruit concoction is truly wondrous.”

“I am continuously amazed at what your chef can come up with, my lord,” Somers said.

“Do not tell him that,” Granger joked. “It will go to his head.”

“I think it is too late for that, my lord,” Robey joked. Lefavre was known for his irascible personality, but his cooking was so wonderful, he was able to get away with it.

“I have not been to Brazil, my lord,” Jackson said. He’d been more quiet than normal after the incident with Conway. “I am wondering if we will be in port for long.”

“I think much of that depends on our reception, and on how fast our passage is,” Granger noted. “I expect we’ll spend more time in Rio de Janeiro than Recife, but that plan may be altered.”

“I have heard that Rio is a marvelous city, my lord,” Calvert added.

“As have I. I think that when we reach there, it will give us a good opportunity to fully reprovision and prepare ourselves for our trip around Cape Horn. It will be our last stop at a friendly port until we reach Amboyna. It would also be nice to give the men some shore leave, if that is amenable to the authorities.”

“I am sure they would appreciate that, my lord,” Weston said with his characteristic grin.

“I will try to arrange for you to spend some time ashore as well, Mr. Weston. It will probably be nice for you to be able to walk into a room without worrying about bumping your head.”

Weston laughed. “I fear, my lord, that I have become so used to stooping down that I look somewhat ridiculous in a normal building, where I duck at the doorway when there is clearly adequate clearance.”

“Your hosts probably just think you are bowing, and being polite,” Granger joked, getting more laughs. They had a fun time at dinner, then after dinner, Granger toured the ship and joked around with the crew.

The next day, Neptune, in the form of Hercule, rose from the sea and took control of the ship. They set up a sail on the deck and kept it filled with sea water so the men could swim in it, and Granger generously gave them an extra tot of rum. By the end of the day, it was an inebriated but happy crew that bid goodbye to King Neptune, while Bacchante continued on, under easy sail, for Brazil.