The Time Pirate (44 page)

“It would be my honor, sir. Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Lieutenant Pierre de Valois. That is my personal gig you see out there at the dock's end. I have the honor to serve aboard the
Ville de Paris
, and I am just returning to my vessel. Please, sir, follow me.”

“
Merci beaucoup
, Lieutenant de Valois,” Lafayette said, and he and Nick followed the man toward a pristine gig moored at the far end of the dock.

The handsome young lieutenant kept looking over his shoulder at the marquis as they walked. “The Admiral is not aware of your presence on the island,
mon Général.
Have you just arrived? We did not see any vessels enter the harbor today.”

“No, I've been here for some time, Lieutenant. Looking after some personal affairs. My family owns a banana plantation here.”

“
Très bien, monsieur
.”

The marquis leaned to whisper in Nick's ear. “Good for shipboard gossip. You've no idea how quickly that banana plantation fairy tale will spread on the good ship
Ville de Paris
.”

Nick smiled. “I was wondering how you planned to deal with that problem, sir. A good one.”

They reached the end of the dock and boarded the small gig bobbing in the choppy waters of the harbor. The sun was sinking lower in the colorful tropical sky, and many of the fleet had begun to light their lanterns, fore and aft, and many hung high in the rigging. Nick thought it was all very beautiful but was determined to stay focused on his mission

Four sailors with oars sat amidships in the gig, Lieutenant
de Valois was at the stern, while Nick and Lafayette sat on a thwart seat at the bow.

As soon as they pushed off and were under way, the Marquis de Lafayette put a hand on Nick's shoulder. “Nick, I must warn you now that our Admiral de Grasse may not greet us with open arms. He may, in fact, have us thrown into the brig. I have many enemies among the officers of La Royale.”

“La Royale?”

“It is what we affectionately call our navy. Our headquarters are in the rue Royale in Paris.”

“Why are you not welcome, sir? I can't imagine it.”

“I did not leave my native France under the best of circumstances. I begged the King for permission to go to America and fight for the glorious cause. But he denied me. Kings and emperors are not fond of these new notions of freedom and democracy, as you might guess. As my sovereign, our beloved monarch, Louis XVI, is so fond of saying, ‘I am a Royalist by trade.' ”

“I don't understand.”

“He's got a job like everyone else. It just so happens that his job is king, and he wishes to keep it.”

Nick smiled. “So how did you come to America? Without the King's permission, I mean.”

“I vanished. To England on business. Then I let it be known in France that I was ill and would be abed for some time. I returned in disguise to France, where I purchased a vessel for the crossing to America. Preparations were just about complete when I learned the king had put a price on my head. So I fled to Spain, finished my business, and sailed for America. And here I am.”

Moments later, the
Ville de Paris
hove into view. She was,
Nick saw, a magnificent ship of the line. Three decks towering above the water, bristling with more than one hundred cannons of every size and description. It was dusk, and the massive warship was ablaze with lights from stem to stern. He was much relieved at the sight and firepower of her, knowing full well it would be needed off Nassau. And, he thought, Yorktown.

The oarsmen pulled silently alongside a gangway on the starboard side. There was a floating dock at the foot of it, and two armed sentries snapped to attention at the sight of the brilliantly attired French General seated in the bow. Another fellow, the officer of the day, also saluted Lafayette smartly.

The pure white national ensign of France was snapping in the breeze at the stern, and both Lafayette and the young Lieutenant stood, turned to face the flag, and then saluted it. Then Valois turned and saluted the young officer of the day.

“His Excellency, Monsieur le Marquis de Lafayette and his aide request permission to come aboard, sir!”

Lafayette was a man of great renown in France, and the officer on the floating dock was somewhat taken aback at this announcement. But he managed a sharp salute and said, “Permission granted, sir!”

Nick's heart was pounding wildly in his chest as he climbed the steep gangway. He knew that in a very short while, he and his new friend, Lafayette, would either be behind bars deep in the brig of this great vessel or in Admiral de Grasse's after cabin, where this night the very future of America would be decided.

N
ick and Lafayette were escorted aft along the main deck of the great ship, while Lieutenant Valois hurried ahead to de Grasse's cabin to announce the presence of Lafayette onboard. There was frenzied activity everywhere, from the ordinary seamen of the afterguard on the quarterdeck to the gun crews of the fifteen men it took to ready each of the thirty massive 36-pounders for action. There were, too, sailors on winches, lowering the final stores into great yawning hatches, to the men working high above in the rigging, shouting instructions to one another as they worked their way along the crosstrees, tending the furled sails.

Not a few heads snapped around at the sight of the famous Marquis making his way aft to the admiral's cabin. Many saluted; some even cheered and clapped their hands. It was clear to Nick that Lafayette had enjoyed much fame in France before escaping to America and that word of his successes under Washington had spread throughout the French Imperial Navy.

“It's a hero's welcome, sir,” Nick whispered to Lafayette.

“I've sailed with many of these men. I've enjoyed cordial relations with most of them, that's all. Don't be fooled by a
smiling crew. Admiral de Grasse is very close to the king. If he shares the monarch's current dis pleasure with me, this will be a most unpleasant encounter.”

“I think the charts might well keep us out of the brig, sir. We have, after all, come to his rescue.”

“Let us hope you are right.”

The two new arrivals followed their naval escorts down a dark, narrow staircase, lit only by the flickering oil lamps mounted on either side. A private companionway led to the single cabin at the stern. A few moments later they were standing outside Admiral de Grasse's door.

One of the two escorts rapped discreetly, and the door was swung open by one of the admiral's Imperial Marine orderlies. Beyond lay the richly furnished quarters of the Comte de Grasse. He was deep in conversation with Lieutenant Valois. Upon seeing Lafayette, he rose from his desk and, much to Nick's relief, turned to the young Marquis with a broad smile.

De Grasse was a giant of a man, taller even than Washington, Nick saw, heavyset and extremely handsome. The smile still on his face, he addressed the Marquis. “Nothing in my long life has given me such pleasure as the joyous news that you were aboard the
Ville de Paris
, Monsieur le Marquis.”

Lafayette bowed deeply and whispered to Nick, “No brig for us tonight, lad.”

Lafayette replied, “Your successes and valor at sea have long brought your name to my ears, Admiral. I am honored to meet you, sir. This young fellow is my aide-de-camp, Master Nicholas McIver.”

“A great honor, Admiral,” Nick said.

“Come sit, won't you?” De Grasse said, pulling out a chair for Lafayette. There were eight chairs at the round table set with fine linen, crystal, and silver. It was set, Nick knew, for
the ship's officers who traditionally dined with their commanding officer most evenings. At least, that was the British Royal Navy way.

With a wave of the Admiral's hand, two orderlies quickly cleared the table. Lafayette took his seat, pointing at the one to his right for Nick, and then de Grasse sat in his oversized straight-backed chair. Valois took the chair next to the Admiral.

“Rum?” de Grasse asked, as a steward approached and filled his silver beaker.

“Thank you, no,” the Marquis said, “perhaps just some hot tea for Nicholas and me?”

The steward nodded and said, “
Tout de suite
, Your Excellency.”

“So, General Lafayette, to what happy fortune do I owe this great honor? I understand you have been on the island attending to some personal affairs?”

“
Mais oui
. My family maintains a banana plantation in the mountains above Cap-François. When word reached me that your flotilla had arrived in the harbor, I determined immediately to have a word with you. The timing is most propitious, sir.”

“Whatever do you mean, sir?”

“I am desperate to return to Washington's side at Yorktown, where our own French troops and the Americans have Lord Cornwallis under siege. I know that you are aware of this, as I have been made privy to your correspondence with General Washington and General de Rochambeau.”

“I know you've become indispensable to the great American. I am surprised you are not at his side even now.”

“Ah, yes. Unfortunately, sir, the swift frigate meant to return me posthaste to Virginia was lost, with all hands save one, in a storm off the coast of Saint Domingue. My aide here was the
sole survivor. Young McIver somehow managed to swim ashore. He is just arrived here in Cap-François with urgent communications from General Washington. Unless I am very much mistaken, you intend to sail for America? The Chesapeake Bay?”

“I do, indeed. On the morrow, in fact. I have twenty-eight ships of the line and four frigates, manned by fifteen thousand sailors. We raise anchor at dawn to catch the morning tide. We bring siege guns, powder, and 2.5 million livres, generously donated by the women of Havana, sympathetic to our cause. In addition, we carry two thousand troops, which shall be entirely at General Washington's disposal.”

“General Washington is deeply appreciative of your every effort and most anxiously awaiting your arrival. And my own arrival as well, I might add, as he pointed out in a dispatch that arrived with my young aide.”

“I understand Washington's anxiety. It has become a race against time, as you well know, sir. It is my intent to arrive off Virginia prior to Admiral Graves and the British Navy; Graves will soon sail down from New York to the Chesapeake. Only my timely arrival at that location first can prevent Cornwallis from escaping. If I am successful, and the wind and the heavens cooperate, I shall arrive in the Chesapeake Bay three weeks hence.”

“Have you space for two additional passengers? We eat little and drink less.”

“I would be honored to have you aboard, Your Excellency. Nothing should give me greater pleasure than time spent in the company of the great hero of our Franco-American war against King George's regulars!”

The tea arrived on a silver salver and was served with much ceremony. When the steward had retreated, Lafayette
said, “Admiral, I wonder if we might speak in private for a few moments. I have some rather urgent news to deliver.”

“Of course,” he said, and, turning to Valois, “Lieutenant, will you excuse us? See that the sentries admit no one.” Valois saluted and was gone in an instant.

Admiral de Grass sipped his rum, leaned forward, and said, “Urgent news?”

“Indeed,” Lafayette replied. “My young aide here was enlisted by Washington as one of a number of spies we have operating inside Lord Cornwallis's fortifications on the York River. As he was formerly a Continental drummer boy, he was dressed as a British drummer. Under cover of darkness, and with his very life at stake, he managed to slip in and out of Cornwallis's headquarters with some vitally important information. This is intelligence of the gravest importance. And it concerns you, Admiral de Grasse.”

“Me? How, in heaven's name?”

“Nicholas, please show the admiral the purloined charts.”

“Yes, sir,” Nick replied, and pulling the leather tube from inside one leg of his trousers, he began removing Blood's charts and secret orders, handing them to Lafayette. The Marquis held the tightly rolled documents a moment, making sure he had the Admiral's undivided attention.

Lafayette began quietly. “Admiral, thanks to young Nicholas here, we have evidence of a plot to ambush your fleet en route to the Colony of Virginia.”

“An ambush?”

“Indeed, sir.”

“It's that blasted Englishman, isn't it? Baron Rodney. Ever since Admiral George Romney was appointed British Commander-in-Chief of the Leeward Islands, he's been dogging my every move! What is the arrogant scoundrel up to
now? By heaven, I'll make him wish he'd ambushed someone else!”

This emotional outburst seemed to have taken the Admiral's breath away, and he sat back, regaining his composure.

“With respect, it is not Romney and the British Royal Navy that lies in wait, sir.”