Is there any questions?"
Since neither the Army provost, a Major Macpherson, nor Captain Knight had any questions, the judge continued.
"As long as order is maintained I will allow those interested into the courtroom. I will allow each of you a quarter hour then we will start. Major Macpherson, you will begin."
Lord Anthony and Gabe sat behind Knight and Midshipman Lancaster and listened as Macpherson went through the incident with the soldier who was a Corporal Johnson.
"Now Johnson," Macpherson's thick brogue resonated throughout the courtroom, "On the night in
question did you provoke the midshipman before he attempted to murder… ere before he assaulted you?"
"No suh," the corporal sounded off as if he was on parade.
"Did you slander the midshipman in any way?"
"No suh."
Unable to contain himself, Gabe whispered to Lord Anthony, "A shilling says the lout doesn't even know what the word slander means."
"We have all been made aware of your grievous injuries so we will not go into specifics, but tell me now corporal, were you intoxicated to the point you may have said or did something that was so objectionable to cause Mr. Lancaster to act so violently?"
"No suh."
"Very well," Macpherson said and turned to Knight and made a slight bow.
Knight approached the corporal and said, "Tell me, do you know what it means to tell the truth?"
"No suh," the corporal responded automatically as he'd been doing then realized what he'd said. He tried to correct himself but before he could the courtroom erupted in laughter.
"Could you define intoxicated, corporal?" Knight asked as soon as things were quieted.
"Sir," Macpherson said rising, and then looking at the judge he said, "We are not here to discuss this man's vocabulary."
Knight then turned to the corporal and said, "Do you drink?"
"Yes suh!"
"Have you ever been drunk?"
"Yes suh!"
"When you get drunk do you often pick fights?"
"No suh!"
The corporal continued to answer but started to sweat as the last few pointed questions were asked.
Seeing Johnson sweat, Knight continued, "Do you ever get drunk and desire men?"
"No suh! I ain't no sodimite suh."
"But you do like to bully young boys don't you corporal?"
"No suh!"
Looking at the pitiful man Knight figured he'd never get more out of him. "No more questions," he said.
Major Macpherson then stood, "I have nothing further. I feel it is evident the accused acted impulsively over some imagined slight or insult and should be punished for his actions."
"Indeed?" the judge replied. "Captain Knight, do you have a witness for the defense?"
"Yes sir, I do." Then making a quick decision he continued, "I have two witnesses but I feel one could add very little other than to attest to the corporal's character and I feel we are all aware of that at this point." This comment caused Macpherson to raise his eyebrows but he didn't respond. Knight then called Lum. After Lum was sworn in, Knight asked several questions to establish Lum's presence and his witnessing the event.
"Now, Lum, the defendant states he was accosted by the corporal. Is that what you saw?"
"Well suh, I don't rightly know what dat word accosted means but I see'd dat sodjer grab Mistah Lancaster's arse and try to kiss 'em. Ata' Mr. Lawrence slapped 'em a wallop, dat sodjer says he's gona make poh Mistah Lancaster squeal lak a pig. He den started biten on Mistah Lancaster's ear and bit it clean off. Then Mistah Lancaster shot 'em wid a pistol."
"Thank you, Lum," Knight said, amazed at how the black man had told his story without being prompted,
unlike the corporal. Then not to be outdone, Knight turned to Macpherson and gave an exaggerated bow.
Macpherson seemed to be thinking, then approached Lum and said in an audible whisper,
"Would you lie for the midshipman?"
"Lawd Gawd, no," Lum cried out, "Not ata' I done sworn to tells the truth. Maybe if I hadn't sworn on dat bible I mightun' stretch thangs a mite but Lum don't lie oncst he done laid his hand on God's word." The judge tried not to smile at Lum's frank honesty.
"Well," Macpherson continued, "Lum, you said you were at a table sitting by the stairs?"
"Yah suh!"
"And you said the corporal and Lancaster was standing about five feet away with Lancaster facing the bar and Johnson facing toward the fireplace?"
"Yah suh! Dats de way it was."
"And you saw Johnson bite off Lancaster 's ear?"
"Yah suh!"
"Humph! Tell me Lum," Macpherson said picking up the bible from the judge's table, "Can you see my hand through this bible?"
"No suh. I shore can't."
"Then tell me," Macpherson said sarcastically,
"How you saw through Mr. Lancaster's head to see Johnson biting off his ear? Now the truth is sir, you didn't really see Johnson biting off the ear did you?"
"Naw," Lum said with his eyes looking upwards seemingly in deep thought. "Nah suh, thinking back I don't recon I can truthfully sat I saw dat sodjer bittin' off Mr. Lancaster's eah."
Damn, thought Knight.
However after a slight pause Lum continued his testimony, "But he was looking straight at me when he spat it out."
Upon hearing Lum's statement the courtroom erupted into hysterical laughter. It was several minutes before order could be restored.
Chapter Eleven
The day had dawned clear and warm with a humid sea breeze blowing its way across the harbour and onto the land around Saint Augustine.
Sir Raymond Knight had not slept well. After the trial, which ended in complete dismissal of all charges against Lancaster, he had gone along with Gabe, Markham and Stephen Earl to have a "victory wet" at the Mermaid. That is when he saw her. Domingo Chavez had a daughter, a goddess. Knight was immediately struck by the woman's beauty.
Her hair fell in ringlets and was black as a raven's wings, her eyes as green as the emerald sea; and her lips… lips as red as a ruby. She was medium height, slender and moved with a graceful light step. She had looked into Knight's eyes and he felt as if he'd always known this lovely creature he'd just met. He knew instantly however that she was the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.
Gabe had been talking about the sudden uproar of laughter during the trial when Lum had said matter-of-factly, "but I seen him when he spat it out." Glancing Knight's way, then following his gaze to the beautiful Spanish girl it was all to clear to Gabe what held Knight's attention. He felt a pang of jealously as he thought of Faith in Savannah, not a day's sail away.
However, being the good shipmate he was, Gabe declared to all at the table, "Damme, but I do believe Sir Raymond has been struck by one of cupid's arrows." Pointing out the beauty that had captured Knight's eye, Markham and Earl had joined in on the tirade,
"Damned if he ain't." The results of which cost him a round to shut everybody up.
Now glancing at his watch, Knight found it was time to report to the flagship for a meeting. Well he'd go to the meeting and if duty allowed he'd stop by the Mermaid and maybe meet up with this dark-skinned woman who had already captured his heart.
Nancy… damned if the name wasn't lovely too.
By the time Lord Anthony's captains had gathered in his dining area the sea breeze had died but the heat and humidity remained ever present.
The attitude of Captain Buck when he entered the dining area seemed to be as oppressive as the heat and humidity. Today there would be no jokes or toasts.
Today was business.
When Lord Anthony entered with Bart at his side everyone sat anxiously awaiting… news, new orders or whatever his lordship had on his mind.
"Gentlemen," Lord Anthony started off, "we are doing little to achieve our mission with our current plan so therefore we are going to make some changes. First, we are going after information. Something we have very little of. I want every ship, island trader or bumboat you encounter on your patrols stopped, searched and questioned."