Read Online My Splendid Concubine by Lloyd Lofthouse - Free Book Online
Authors: Lloyd Lofthouse
Ads: Link
sent a note to Ward letting him know what we’re up to in the hope he might want to get in on the action as a first move to take Sungkiang.
“ To lure him here to help us, I offered part of the opium as a reward. It is the reason we are here. This was a major shipment, and we are not going to lose it. I want you to tell your men I will pay a bonus to all involved if we recover all the opium.”
Does that offer include me? Robert thought. After all, I don’t work for him or his company . Then Robert felt ashamed. After all, he hadn’t volunteered to join Patridge in this venture out of greed. If any of that bonus came his way, he’d have a little more to send home to his family. He wouldn’t turn it down, but he wouldn’t ask for it either.
Patridge rubbed his c hin while his eyes examined the faces in the room. Then he said, “I’ve met Ward several times. He is recruiting his army in Shanghai from the waterfront scum, deserters and Filipino cutthroats. The money to finance this army is being squeezed out of the Chinese government and the merchant associations. They want to be rid of the Taipings, because they are bad for business. My company paid too. That’s enough. Dismissed.”
On the way out , Unwyn put a hand on Robert shoulder and pulled him aside. “What were you doing in there?” he asked.
Robert felt his back stiffen, and he stood a bit straighter. “Stating my opinion.” He didn’t like the tone of Unwyn’s voice and this time he kept contact with the man’s eyes.
“ Well, next time you decide to open your mouth, keep it shut. How much combat experience do you have?”
“ Aside from a few fistfights in Belfast when I was drunk, none,” Robert replied.
Unwyn pushed his face closer to Robert. The man’s sour breath spit at him, as he said, “When we reach that prisoner stockade, Hart, you are going in alone. Unlike you, I have been in combat. I joined the Royal Navy when I was thirteen and served fifteen years before I went to work for Captain Patridge. The reason I left is that I saw too many men wanting to be heroes blown to bits.” Without saying another word, Unwyn stepped away and climbed the ladder to the deck. Robert used his sleeve to wipe the spittle from his face.
He discovered he was holding his breath, so he forced hi mself to breathe. Robert didn’t doubt what Fiske had said, but he was more afraid of looking like a coward than of dying. His greatest fear was that he’d not perform properly. He had no desire to be a hero.
The small merchant army climbed down the boarding nets and crowded into the boats. The way they were armed and dressed made them look like a band of rowdy pirates. There were just enough men le ft behind to work the cannons.
A young ship ’s boy sat crowded against Robert in the stern of the boat. He felt the boy trembling and noticed a dazed look on his face. “How old are you, son?” he asked.
“ Eleven,” the boy replied in a small, quivering voice. His frightened eyes rotated to Robert.
“ And your name?” Robert asked.
“ Brian,” he replied.
Robert nodded and slipped an arm across the boy ’s shoulders. “Brian, I’m afraid too,” he said. “Let me share something with you that will help bolster your courage. Have you ever heard of the Battle of Agincourt, which took place on October twenty-fifth in 1415?”
Brian shook his head. “But I know that October twenty-fifth is St. Crispin’s Day. My dad was a cobbler.” He paused, and then asked, “What happened at Agincourt?”
“ Well, King Henry the V, the British King, gave a speech to his troops. He only had six thousand and the French numbered twenty-five thousand. Do you want to hear what King Henry said to his army?”
The boy nodded. He swallowed and Robert watched his Adam’s apple bob up and down. Brian was thin as a tadpole.
“ Shakespeare wrote this but it’s still the King’s words. Listen close. ‘If we are marked to die, we are enow to do our country
“ To lure him here to help us, I offered part of the opium as a reward. It is the reason we are here. This was a major shipment, and we are not going to lose it. I want you to tell your men I will pay a bonus to all involved if we recover all the opium.”
Does that offer include me? Robert thought. After all, I don’t work for him or his company . Then Robert felt ashamed. After all, he hadn’t volunteered to join Patridge in this venture out of greed. If any of that bonus came his way, he’d have a little more to send home to his family. He wouldn’t turn it down, but he wouldn’t ask for it either.
Patridge rubbed his c hin while his eyes examined the faces in the room. Then he said, “I’ve met Ward several times. He is recruiting his army in Shanghai from the waterfront scum, deserters and Filipino cutthroats. The money to finance this army is being squeezed out of the Chinese government and the merchant associations. They want to be rid of the Taipings, because they are bad for business. My company paid too. That’s enough. Dismissed.”
On the way out , Unwyn put a hand on Robert shoulder and pulled him aside. “What were you doing in there?” he asked.
Robert felt his back stiffen, and he stood a bit straighter. “Stating my opinion.” He didn’t like the tone of Unwyn’s voice and this time he kept contact with the man’s eyes.
“ Well, next time you decide to open your mouth, keep it shut. How much combat experience do you have?”
“ Aside from a few fistfights in Belfast when I was drunk, none,” Robert replied.
Unwyn pushed his face closer to Robert. The man’s sour breath spit at him, as he said, “When we reach that prisoner stockade, Hart, you are going in alone. Unlike you, I have been in combat. I joined the Royal Navy when I was thirteen and served fifteen years before I went to work for Captain Patridge. The reason I left is that I saw too many men wanting to be heroes blown to bits.” Without saying another word, Unwyn stepped away and climbed the ladder to the deck. Robert used his sleeve to wipe the spittle from his face.
He discovered he was holding his breath, so he forced hi mself to breathe. Robert didn’t doubt what Fiske had said, but he was more afraid of looking like a coward than of dying. His greatest fear was that he’d not perform properly. He had no desire to be a hero.
The small merchant army climbed down the boarding nets and crowded into the boats. The way they were armed and dressed made them look like a band of rowdy pirates. There were just enough men le ft behind to work the cannons.
A young ship ’s boy sat crowded against Robert in the stern of the boat. He felt the boy trembling and noticed a dazed look on his face. “How old are you, son?” he asked.
“ Eleven,” the boy replied in a small, quivering voice. His frightened eyes rotated to Robert.
“ And your name?” Robert asked.
“ Brian,” he replied.
Robert nodded and slipped an arm across the boy ’s shoulders. “Brian, I’m afraid too,” he said. “Let me share something with you that will help bolster your courage. Have you ever heard of the Battle of Agincourt, which took place on October twenty-fifth in 1415?”
Brian shook his head. “But I know that October twenty-fifth is St. Crispin’s Day. My dad was a cobbler.” He paused, and then asked, “What happened at Agincourt?”
“ Well, King Henry the V, the British King, gave a speech to his troops. He only had six thousand and the French numbered twenty-five thousand. Do you want to hear what King Henry said to his army?”
The boy nodded. He swallowed and Robert watched his Adam’s apple bob up and down. Brian was thin as a tadpole.
“ Shakespeare wrote this but it’s still the King’s words. Listen close. ‘If we are marked to die, we are enow to do our country
Similar Books
