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Authors: Kay Marshall Strom
Tags: Trust on God
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make matters worse, Britain was again at war with France. It was well known that the newly independent United States cast a more favorable eye toward the side of the French than the side of the English. The Americans aligned themselves with France's revolution against the monarchy.This made it harder still to assemble a decent sailing crew.
Still, the American demand for British goods remained strong, which meant there was plenty of money to be made from a full ship.
The promise of spring set Captain Hallam in a foul and impatient mood, a perfect time for Sir Geoffrey Phillips to meet with him and propose that he take on a young Indian sailor willing to work in exchange for passage. Before Sir Phillips made his appearance, however, he made certain that a full leather purse was on display in the front pocket of his expensive woolen waistcoat.
In his private chambers, Lord Judge Aaron North pulled off his wig and caressed his throbbing head. At the sharp knock on his door, he growled impatiently, "Who is there at this hour?"
"Two fine ladies, m'lord," his servant replied.
Lord Judge North hesitated. But with his wig still tossed aside on the desk, he called out permission for them to enter.
"My lord," Lady Susanna cooed as she performed the most perfect full curtsy before the judge. Her pink and white frock floated around her in a sea of silk and lace as she bowed low.
Lord Judge North's eyes bulged.
"With our deepest apologies and most sincere appreciation for your indulgence, Lady Charlotte and I beg a few minutes of Your Lordship's most valuable time," Lady Susanna entreated.
Lord Judge North snatched up his wig and shoved it onto his head.
"Of course, my dear ladies," he said. "The pleasure would, indeed, be all mine."
Lord Judge Aaron North cleared his throat nervously. In his rush to his feet, he almost knocked his chair over.
"Do sit down, my ladies," he insisted. "Tell me, please, how may I be of assistance to you this fine day?"
"It is about the servant girl, Grace Winslow. She stood before you yesterday in the dock," Lady Susanna continued in her soft purr of a voice. "Lady Charlotte and I both know you to be a man of singular justice and mercy, Your Lordship, which is the only reason we are able to gather the courage to come before you now. But it is also why we feel so certain that you will desire to set a cruel injustice aright."
"I have already reconsidered Miss Winslow's case," Lord Judge North said warily. "I cannot think what more might be appropriate for me to—"
Lady Charlotte held in her hand a drawstring purse cut from the same yellow-gold silk as her gown, woven through with black figures and trimmed with hand-made lace. It was a most captivating ensemble. At this precise moment the purse slipped from her hand and clattered noisily to the floor. With a wide-eyed gasp, Lady Charlotte scooped up the purse and laid it on Lord Judge North's desk.
"Oh, I do apologize, Your Lordship!" she exclaimed. "This purse is quite simply too heavy for me, I fear."
Lord Judge North stared at the purse, but what he saw was not the matching silk of Lady Charlotte's fetching ensemble.What he saw were gold crowns visible through the loosely tied drawstring.
Throughout his entire plea for Grace Winslow's release, Sir Thomas McClellan stood before Jonathon Cartwright in Cartwright's cabin aboard the transportation ship, Albatross. Sir Thomas stood for the simple reason that Captain Cartwright never offered him a chair. When Sir Thomas finished his petition, the captain stared at him.
"And why should a gentleman such as yourself take such an interest in the predicament of a servant girl of African descent?" he asked.
"Purely to correct a grievous injustice," Sir Thomas replied."Of course, I shall make the inconvenience worth your time."
Sir Thomas retrieved a coin purse from the pocket of his waistcoat and laid it on Captain Cartwright's desk.
"You can put that purse back where you got it, sir," the captain
Still, the American demand for British goods remained strong, which meant there was plenty of money to be made from a full ship.
The promise of spring set Captain Hallam in a foul and impatient mood, a perfect time for Sir Geoffrey Phillips to meet with him and propose that he take on a young Indian sailor willing to work in exchange for passage. Before Sir Phillips made his appearance, however, he made certain that a full leather purse was on display in the front pocket of his expensive woolen waistcoat.
In his private chambers, Lord Judge Aaron North pulled off his wig and caressed his throbbing head. At the sharp knock on his door, he growled impatiently, "Who is there at this hour?"
"Two fine ladies, m'lord," his servant replied.
Lord Judge North hesitated. But with his wig still tossed aside on the desk, he called out permission for them to enter.
"My lord," Lady Susanna cooed as she performed the most perfect full curtsy before the judge. Her pink and white frock floated around her in a sea of silk and lace as she bowed low.
Lord Judge North's eyes bulged.
"With our deepest apologies and most sincere appreciation for your indulgence, Lady Charlotte and I beg a few minutes of Your Lordship's most valuable time," Lady Susanna entreated.
Lord Judge North snatched up his wig and shoved it onto his head.
"Of course, my dear ladies," he said. "The pleasure would, indeed, be all mine."
Lord Judge Aaron North cleared his throat nervously. In his rush to his feet, he almost knocked his chair over.
"Do sit down, my ladies," he insisted. "Tell me, please, how may I be of assistance to you this fine day?"
"It is about the servant girl, Grace Winslow. She stood before you yesterday in the dock," Lady Susanna continued in her soft purr of a voice. "Lady Charlotte and I both know you to be a man of singular justice and mercy, Your Lordship, which is the only reason we are able to gather the courage to come before you now. But it is also why we feel so certain that you will desire to set a cruel injustice aright."
"I have already reconsidered Miss Winslow's case," Lord Judge North said warily. "I cannot think what more might be appropriate for me to—"
Lady Charlotte held in her hand a drawstring purse cut from the same yellow-gold silk as her gown, woven through with black figures and trimmed with hand-made lace. It was a most captivating ensemble. At this precise moment the purse slipped from her hand and clattered noisily to the floor. With a wide-eyed gasp, Lady Charlotte scooped up the purse and laid it on Lord Judge North's desk.
"Oh, I do apologize, Your Lordship!" she exclaimed. "This purse is quite simply too heavy for me, I fear."
Lord Judge North stared at the purse, but what he saw was not the matching silk of Lady Charlotte's fetching ensemble.What he saw were gold crowns visible through the loosely tied drawstring.
Throughout his entire plea for Grace Winslow's release, Sir Thomas McClellan stood before Jonathon Cartwright in Cartwright's cabin aboard the transportation ship, Albatross. Sir Thomas stood for the simple reason that Captain Cartwright never offered him a chair. When Sir Thomas finished his petition, the captain stared at him.
"And why should a gentleman such as yourself take such an interest in the predicament of a servant girl of African descent?" he asked.
"Purely to correct a grievous injustice," Sir Thomas replied."Of course, I shall make the inconvenience worth your time."
Sir Thomas retrieved a coin purse from the pocket of his waistcoat and laid it on Captain Cartwright's desk.
"You can put that purse back where you got it, sir," the captain
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