Read Online The Scent of Betrayal by David Donachie - Free Book Online
Authors: David Donachie
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Orleans.’
‘What!’ Pollock snapped.
‘All, I must say, due to your glowing description of the place, which I was happy to pass on. The language is right and I think the climate will suit them.’
‘You’re proposing to take Frenchmen to New Orleans?’ asked Cabot.
Since Pollock still looked unhappy Harry spoke to him. ‘Thirty new colonists won’t make any difference, Oliver.’
‘They will to me, Harry. And let’s get back to this good fortune you seem so keen to avoid talking about. Just how much of that particular commodity have they enjoyed?’
Harry waved a hand airily. ‘A few thousand of your American dollars. I’m not certain of the exact amount, but it’s no more than that, I’m sure. Enough to ensure that they’re no burden to anyone when they land.’
James had to turn away at that point, so Pollock wouldn’t see his smile. He’d seen this trait in Harry before. Sometimes it angered him. At other times, like now, it was a cause of much amusement. Harry had been quite vocal about his liking for this particular American. Yet even with people he purported to trust and admire he was inclined to dissimulate, never telling them a truth they didn’t absolutely need to hear.
‘I rather fear that after what I’d already said they were goingthere anyway once their ship was repaired. Now that they are in my care, I don’t see that I have much choice.’
‘You do, Harry,’ said Pollock, coldly.
‘We can hardly take them back home with us,’ said James.
‘I don’t think you understand, sir,’ Pollock replied. ‘The Spanish are the most nervous race on God’s earth. They have as much love for French colonists as I have. And I might add that the sight of an armed British ship at a time like this in the Mississippi delta won’t help cheer them either.’
‘But we’re not their enemies,’ James added. ‘They’re neutral.’
‘Can any English ship be truly neutral to the Dons?’ said Cabot.
‘That is a truth that is particularly relevant in this part of the world,’ added Pollock. ‘They still scare their children with tales of El Draco! ’
‘Drake and Hawkins are long dead,’ said Harry, with a pleading look in his eye. ‘And if that’s where they want to go, either I take them there or I hire someone to do so.’
‘You were going to ask me?’ said the American quickly.
‘It had occurred to me, yes.’
The sarcasm was very thinly veiled as Pollock replied. ‘Much as I’d like to oblige you, my business precludes it.’
‘But you live in New Orleans, Oliver. You must be going there. And the sight of your ship must be familiar to the Dons. They won’t even ask who you’ve got aboard.’
‘The Daredevil doesn’t hail from New Orleans,’ said Cabot. That remark earned him a sharp look from Pollock that made the Captain flush with embarrassment.
‘They still know you, Oliver.’
Harry saw the same look as Pollock turned to face him. But it disappeared swiftly, to be replaced by a blank expression. ‘True. But I don’t know when I’ll return. Captain Cabot and I are heading for Chesapeake Bay. I have places to go and people to see.’
‘Pity.’
‘Harry,’ said Pollock, leaning forward eagerly, a friendly smile on his face, ‘do me a favour. Take them somewhere else.’
‘I’ll see what I can do, Oliver.’
‘Thank you,’ the American replied, his smile turning grim. He must have been aware from Harry’s tone that his efforts to deflect the Frenchmen to another destination would be limited. Did he understand that it wasn’t entirely his choice now?
‘So, who are you off to see, Oliver?’
Pollock’s eyes narrowed slightly, and the smile on his face became still harder. ‘Tell me, Harry Ludlow. How would you like it if someone started quizzing you about your business?’
Harry’s face reddened just a touch. ‘Forgive me. I had no intention of prying.’
Having put Harry firmly in his place, Pollock’s voice softened. ‘Truth is, I
‘What!’ Pollock snapped.
‘All, I must say, due to your glowing description of the place, which I was happy to pass on. The language is right and I think the climate will suit them.’
‘You’re proposing to take Frenchmen to New Orleans?’ asked Cabot.
Since Pollock still looked unhappy Harry spoke to him. ‘Thirty new colonists won’t make any difference, Oliver.’
‘They will to me, Harry. And let’s get back to this good fortune you seem so keen to avoid talking about. Just how much of that particular commodity have they enjoyed?’
Harry waved a hand airily. ‘A few thousand of your American dollars. I’m not certain of the exact amount, but it’s no more than that, I’m sure. Enough to ensure that they’re no burden to anyone when they land.’
James had to turn away at that point, so Pollock wouldn’t see his smile. He’d seen this trait in Harry before. Sometimes it angered him. At other times, like now, it was a cause of much amusement. Harry had been quite vocal about his liking for this particular American. Yet even with people he purported to trust and admire he was inclined to dissimulate, never telling them a truth they didn’t absolutely need to hear.
‘I rather fear that after what I’d already said they were goingthere anyway once their ship was repaired. Now that they are in my care, I don’t see that I have much choice.’
‘You do, Harry,’ said Pollock, coldly.
‘We can hardly take them back home with us,’ said James.
‘I don’t think you understand, sir,’ Pollock replied. ‘The Spanish are the most nervous race on God’s earth. They have as much love for French colonists as I have. And I might add that the sight of an armed British ship at a time like this in the Mississippi delta won’t help cheer them either.’
‘But we’re not their enemies,’ James added. ‘They’re neutral.’
‘Can any English ship be truly neutral to the Dons?’ said Cabot.
‘That is a truth that is particularly relevant in this part of the world,’ added Pollock. ‘They still scare their children with tales of El Draco! ’
‘Drake and Hawkins are long dead,’ said Harry, with a pleading look in his eye. ‘And if that’s where they want to go, either I take them there or I hire someone to do so.’
‘You were going to ask me?’ said the American quickly.
‘It had occurred to me, yes.’
The sarcasm was very thinly veiled as Pollock replied. ‘Much as I’d like to oblige you, my business precludes it.’
‘But you live in New Orleans, Oliver. You must be going there. And the sight of your ship must be familiar to the Dons. They won’t even ask who you’ve got aboard.’
‘The Daredevil doesn’t hail from New Orleans,’ said Cabot. That remark earned him a sharp look from Pollock that made the Captain flush with embarrassment.
‘They still know you, Oliver.’
Harry saw the same look as Pollock turned to face him. But it disappeared swiftly, to be replaced by a blank expression. ‘True. But I don’t know when I’ll return. Captain Cabot and I are heading for Chesapeake Bay. I have places to go and people to see.’
‘Pity.’
‘Harry,’ said Pollock, leaning forward eagerly, a friendly smile on his face, ‘do me a favour. Take them somewhere else.’
‘I’ll see what I can do, Oliver.’
‘Thank you,’ the American replied, his smile turning grim. He must have been aware from Harry’s tone that his efforts to deflect the Frenchmen to another destination would be limited. Did he understand that it wasn’t entirely his choice now?
‘So, who are you off to see, Oliver?’
Pollock’s eyes narrowed slightly, and the smile on his face became still harder. ‘Tell me, Harry Ludlow. How would you like it if someone started quizzing you about your business?’
Harry’s face reddened just a touch. ‘Forgive me. I had no intention of prying.’
Having put Harry firmly in his place, Pollock’s voice softened. ‘Truth is, I
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