Birds of Prey - Smith Wilbur - Страница 20

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The Englishmen cheered, but their eyes were on Katinka, and Sir Francis obliged them by introducing her. "We are also fortunate to have with us the Governor's lovely wife-" He broke off as the crew sounded their appreciation of her beauty.

"Coarse peasant cattle," van de Velde growled and laid his hand protectively upon Katinka's shoulder. She gazed upon the men with wide violet eyes, and her beauty and innocence shamed them into an embarrassed silence.

"Mevrouw van de Velde is the only daughter of Burgher Hendrik Coetzee, the stadhouder of the City of Amsterdam, and the Chairman of the governing board of the Dutch East India Company."

The crew stared at her in awe. Few understood the importance of such an exalted personage, but the manner in which Sir Francis had recited these titles had impressed them.

"The Governor and his wife will be held on board this ship until their ransom is paid. One of the captured Dutch officers will be despatched to the Cape of Good Hope with the ransom demand to be transmitted by the next Company ship to the Council in Amsterdam."

The crew goggled at the couple as they considered this, then Big Daniel asked, "How much, Sir Francis? What is the amount of the ransom you have set?"

"I have set the Governor's ransom at two hundred thousand guilders in gold coin."

The ship's company was stunned, for such a sum surpassed their understanding.

Then Daniel bellowed again, "Let's have a cheer for the captain, lads!" And they yelled until their voices cracked.

Sir Francis walked slowly down the ranks of captured Dutch seamen. There were forty-seven, eighteen of them wounded. He examined the face of each man as he passed: they were rough stock, coarse-featured and unintelligent of expression. It was obvious that none had any ransom value. They were, rather, a liability, for they had to be fed and guarded, and there was always the danger that they might recover their courage and attempt an insurrection.

"The sooner we are rid of them the better," he murmured to himself, then addressed them aloud in their own language. "You have done your duty well. You will be set free and sent back to the fort at the Cape. You may take your ditty bags with you, and I will see to it that you are paid the wages owing you before you go." Their faces brightened. They had not expected that. That should keep them quiet and docile, he thought, as he turned away to the ladder down to his newly acquired cabin, where his more illustrious prisoners were waiting for him.

"Gentlemen!" he greeted them, as he entered and took his seat behind the mahogany desk. "Would you care for a glass of Canary wine?"

Governor van de Velde nodded greedily. His throat was dry and although he had eaten only half an hour previously his stomach growled like a hungry dog. Oliver, Sir Francis's servant, poured the yellow wine into the long-stemmed glasses and served the sugared fruits he had found in the Dutch captain's larder. The captain made a sour face as he recognized his own fare, but took a large gulp of the Canary.

Sir Francis consulted the pile of manuscript on which he had made his notes, then glanced at one of the letters he had found in the captain's desk. It was from an eminent firm of bankers in Holland. He looked up at the captain and addressed him sternly. "I wonder that an officer of your service and seniority with the VOC should indulge in trade for his own account. We both know it is strictly forbidden by the Seventeen."

The captain looked as though he might protest, but when Sir Francis tapped the letter he subsided and glanced guiltily at the Governor, who sat beside him.

"It seems that you are a rich man, Mijnheer. You will hardly miss a ransom of two hundred thousand guilders." The captain muttered and scowled darkly, but Sir Francis went on smoothly, "If you will pen a letter to your bankers, the matter can be settled as between gentlemen, just as soon as I receive that amount in gold." The captain inclined his head in acquiescence.

"Now, as to the ship's officers," Sir Francis went on, "I have examined your enlistment register." He drew the book towards him and opened it, "It seems that they are all men without high connections or financial substance." He looked up at the captain. "Is that the case?"

"That is true, Mijnheer."

"I will send them to the Cape with the common seamen. Now it remains to decide to whom we shall entrust the ransom demand to the Council of the Company for Governor van de Velde and his good lady and, of course, your letter to your bankers."

Sir Francis looked up at the Governor. Van de Velde stuffed another candied fruit into his mouth and replied around it, "Send Schreuder."

"Schreuder?" Sir Francis riffled through the papers until he found the colonel's commission. "Colonel Cornelius Schreuder, the newly appointed military commander of the fort at Good Hope?" ja, that one." Van de Velde reached for another sweetmeat. "His rank will give him more standing when he presents your demand for my ransom to my father-in-law," he pointed out.

Sir Francis studied the man's face as he chewed. He wondered why the Governor wanted to be rid of the colonel. He seemed a good man and resourceful; it would make more sense to keep him at hand. However, what van de Velde said of his status was true. And Sir Francis sensed that Colonel Schreuder might play the devil if he were kept captive aboard the galleon for any length of time. Much more trouble than he's worth, he thought, and said aloud, "Very well, I will send him."

The Governor's sugar-coated lips pouted with satisfaction. He was fully aware of his wife's interest in the dashing colonel. He had been married to her for only a few years, and yet he knew for a certainty that she had taken at least eighteen lovers in that time, some for only an hour or an evening.

Her maid, Zelda, was in the pay of van de Velde and reported to him each of her mistress's adventures, taking a deep vicarious pleasure in relating every salacious detail.

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