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"And what if the little swab is merely stupid?"
"Then he deserves to be thrown out of the Service and
sent to ply his wares ashore. Otherwise he'll get some other
poor fool hanged someday, just to satisfy his own appetites."
Will shrugged. "There's nothing he can be tried for at this
point, you know. He's guilty of nothing more than unclean
behavior, but even if we were only on convoy escort duty, we
don't need a midshipman aboard who's prone to such
disgraceful behavior."
60
Winds of Change
by Lee Rowan
David had a sinking feeling that his lover was right. He had
known, in an abstract way, that they might someday be put
in this position. The reality was worse than he'd feared, more
difficult still because he actively disliked the importunate
Gannon and could not even claim to have the good of the
service at heart. "Will, everyone has desires, appetites "
His lover cut him off, dark eyes stern and unyielding.
"Don't even say it. There's a difference, Davy. You know
there's a difference, a matter of self-control and self-
discipline. We have it, he does not. And that difference his
weakness, if he himself is not our mole is going to end with
someone dead. I don't want it to be you."
"I suppose you're right."
"I don't mean to sound pompous, but in this case I know I
am. This is a serious investigation, espionage or even
treason. Mr. Gannon is a suspect. It is our duty to inform the
Captain immediately."
David had the feeling that if he did not acquiesce, Will's
next step would be to give him an order. And that was Will's
right, and his duty, and David was unwilling to put such a
strain on the bond between them. "All right," he said, and
found himself giddy with relief at the weight lifted from his
shoulders. "All right, I'll tell the Captain."
Will let out a breath, and his shoulders relaxed. "Thank
you, sir," he said formally.
"No, Will, you're right. We must. But I do pity the poor
little bastard."
David was able to save his pity, at least for awhile. Captain
Smith considered the matter briefly and decided to discuss it
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Winds of Change
by Lee Rowan
with Mr. Humberstone. Their decision was to do nothing for
the moment to keep Gannon under close observation. His
own behavior would prove his guilt or innocence as far as
their more serious suspicions were concerned. As to his
slipshod adherence toward Article XXIX ... if he did appear to
be working with a French agent, they now had something
with which to bargain. Given the choice between being tried
for treason or simply dismissed for moral turpitude, he would
most probably give up his superior rather than hang. His
ineptitude convinced them that if he was involved in the plot
at all, it would be as a subordinate; he was not intelligent
enough to have managed it on his own.
* * * *
As though echoing David's mood, the weather turned foul
the next day not quite a hurricane, it was past the usual
season, but strong, fast-moving winds driving sodden dark
clouds before them. The Valiant and the Terrier were
prepared as well as they could be; Sir Paul had the topmasts
brought down and stowed on deck, and all hatches were
battened. The merchant ships in convoy were taking
precautions, too they were regular travelers of this route,
and probably knew better than the Valiant what to expect.
But no one could ever know exactly what to expect in
weather this dirty. It was all hands on deck, six men on the
wheel to hold it steady enough for the Captain's piloting,
hours of fighting the wind just to walk across the deck even
with safety lines strung. The sun set, but it hardly mattered;
the seawater thrown up by the constantly shifting wind made
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Winds of Change
by Lee Rowan
the air so wet it was hard to even see what was going on in
the rigging. The night was long, and it was wet, and it was
cold, bitter cold, with the wind blowing so hard against them
from all directions. Much of David's time was spent simply
relaying orders even Captain Smith's powerful voice could
not rise above the wind's howl. The hours stretched out
immeasurably, with the only meal a cold biscuit and a
warming swallow of grog the stove could not be lit in such a
treacherous sea.
Eventually the storm blew itself out, the screaming wind
died away, the clouds thinned, and far above the stars
returned. David saw the white curve of the late crescent
moon a few degrees above the eastern horizon, and realized
with surprise that it was nearly dawn.
Captain Smith issued a few orders and went below for a
cup of coffee and dry clothing he had been on deck all
night and the Valiant began returning to normal. The cook
and his mates went below to fire up the stove, the idlers
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