Birds of Prey - Smith Wilbur (полная версия книги .TXT) 📗

"Well, now, if he did I was not aware of it." The Buzzard grinned openly at Sir Francis.

"Would you have expected to be aware of it, if the letter had, in fact, existed?"

"Sir Francis and I were very close. No secrets between US. Yes, he would have told me."

"He never discussed the letter with you?" Schreuder looked annoyed, like a pedagogue whose pupil has forgotten his lines. "Never?"

"Oh, yes. Now I do recall one occasion. I asked him if he had a royal commission."

"And what was his reply?"

"He said, "It ain't nothing but a bit of paper anyway. don't trouble me self with rubbish like that!" "So you knew he had no letter and yet you sailed in his company?"

Cumbrae shrugged. "It was wartime, and it was none of my business."

"So you were off Cape Agulhas with the prisoner after the peace had been signed, and you were still raiding Dutch shipping. Can you explain that to us?"

"It was simple, Colonel. We did not know about peace, that is until I fell in with a Portuguese caravel outward bound from Lisbon for Goa. I hailed her and her captain told me that peace had been signed."

"What was the name of this Portuguese ship?" "She was the El Dragdo."

"Was the prisoner Courtney present at this meeting with her?"

"No, this patrol station was north of mine. He was over the horizon and out of sight at the time."

Schreuder nodded. "Where is this ship now?"

"I have here a copy of a news-sheet from London, only three months old. It arrived three days ago on the Company ship lying in the bay at this moment." The Buzzard produced. the sheet from his sleeve with a magician's flourish. "El Dragib was lost with all hands in a storm in the Bay of Biscay while on her homeward voyage."

"So, it would seem, then, that we will never have any way of disproving your meeting with her off Agulhas?" "You'll just have to take my word for it, Colonel."

Cumbrae stroked his great red beard.

"What did you do when you heard of the peace between England and Holland?"

"As an honest man, there was only one thing I could do. I broke off my patrol, and went in search of the Lady Edwina."

"To warn her that the war was over?" Schreuder suggested.

"Of course, and to tell Franky that my Letter of Marque was no longer valid and that I was going home."

"Did you find Courtney? Did you give him that message?"

"I found him within a few hours" sailing. He was due north of my position, about twenty leagues distant."

"What did he say when you told him the war was over?" "He said, "It may be over for you, but it ain't over for me. Rain or shine, wind or calm, war or peace, I am going to catch myself a fat cheese-head." There was a ferocious clanking of chains and Big Daniel sprang to his feet, dragging the diminutive figure of Ned Tyler off the bench with him. "There ain't a word of truth in it, you lying Scots bastard! "he thundered.

Van de Velde jumped up and wagged his finger at Daniel. "Sit down, you English animal, or I'll have you thrashed, and not just with the light cane."

Sit Francis turned and reached back to grab Daniel's arm. "Calm yourself, Master Daniel," he said quietly. "Don't give the Buzzard the pleasure of watching us ache." Big Daniel sank down, muttering furiously to himself, but he would not disobey his captain.

"I am sure Governor van de Velde will take notice of the unruly and desperate nature of these villains," Schreuder said, then turned his attention back to the Buzzard. "Did you ever see Courtney again before today?"

"Yes, I did. When I heard that, despite my warning, he had seized a Company galleon, I went to find him and remonstrate with him. To ask him to free the ship and its cargo, and to release the hostages he was holding to ransom."

"How did he respond to your pleas?"

"He turned his guns upon my ship, killing twelve of my seamen, and he attacked me with fireships." The Buzzard shook his head at the memory of this perfidious treatment by an old friend and shipmate. "That was when I came here to Table Bay to inform Governor Kleinhans of the galleon's whereabouts and to offer to lead an expedition to recapture the ship and her cargo from the pirates."

"As a soldier myself, I can only commend you, my lord, on your exemplary conduct. I have no further questions, your excellency." Schreuder bowed at van de Velde.

"Hop, do you have any questions?" van de Velde demanded.

Hop looked confused, and glanced in appeal at Sir Francis.

"Your excellency," he stuttered, "might I speak to Sir Francis alone, if only for a minute?"

For a while it seemed that van de Velde might refuse the request, but he clasped his brow wearily. "If you insist on holding up these proceedings all the time, Hop, we will be here all week. Very well, man, you may talk to the prisoner, but do try to be quick."

Hop hurried across to Sir Francis and leaned close. He asked a question, and listened to the reply with an expression of dawning horror on his pale face. He nodded and kept nodding as Sir Francis whispered in his ear, then went back to his table.