Duquesne continued, "In that case then, we depart on the morning tide. Lord Baltimore, your ships will sail for New Amsterdam, in company with Villiers and Besancon. Once they have helped you complete your mission at New Amsterdam, they will continue on and land a garrison at Plymouth. From there, they will return directly to France."
The two frigate captains were beaming at the news they would return home before the hurricane season. The Calverts seemed satisfied and didn't raise any objections.
There was a knock on the door that interrupted the discussion. The admiral's steward had brought refreshments. While he served the wine, the admiral gave the two frigate captains detailed instructions on how they were to conduct their operations. When Duquesne began to cover what was to be done with the Dutch if they didn't leave peacefully, Champlain objected.
"Admiral, will it really be necessary to level the town? There are women and children there. Surely some accommodation can be made for those that want to stay?"
"Monsieur Champlain, you must remember that we are at war with the Dutch. If New France is to prosper, it cannot harbor enemies in its midst. We will offer transportation back to Holland on the frigates and the Ark and Dove, or they can go to the islands in the Indies. But they will go! If they choose to fight, then the consequences are on their heads. Cardinal Richelieu was very emphatic on that point. This is the one area I have no leeway in. You have a job to do in the Virginias. The last word we had there was that the settlers there were grudgingly accepting the transfer to France. I need your skills there to make the transition as peaceful as possible. Don't you agree?"
The admiral had backed Champlain into a corner that he could not graciously back out from. Grudgingly, he accepted the admiral's decision. It was hard for Michel to refrain from smiling. Everything had gone as he hoped. The admiral proceeded to agree to send a frigate and corvette with Champlain and his ship of Catholic settlers. The frigate would return south to the fleet after disembarking the company of soldiers it was transporting. The corvette would remain stationed there for protection against pirates and any possible rebellions by the current settlers.
Duquesne then turned to Michel. "That will leave you with two frigates and two ships with Huguenots and three ships with transportees. I will remain with your group until they are settled and then take one frigate back to France. Two will remain for protection against any Spanish attacks, unless you have another idea?"
This was the opening he had hoped for. Michel casually replied, "Would it be possible for Monsieur Champlain's ships to travel with us to our destination? With the added manpower, I would be more confident that we could get proper fortifications erected to aid in repelling any Spanish incursions. I'm sure the delay would be no more than two or three weeks before he could continue on his way, but Louisville would be much safer for the delay."
Duquesne looked toward Champlain, who sat there contemplating the proposal. "I see no harm in that," he replied.
Looking around the cabin for any other comment, Duquesne finally agreed, "Very well. Monsieur Champlain will remain with the fleet until the fortifications are settled for Louisville. Lord Baltimore will proceed directly to New Amsterdam. That's all, gentlemen. We'll sail on the tide."
Michel Mousnier graciously thanked Samuel Champlain for his assistance. Little did Samuel realize that he had just turned over the south of New France to Michel's control.
****
Second Chance Bird, Episode Four
Chapter Eighteen: Birdwatching
SouthCoast of Mauritius
The days passed by slowly on their stranded shore, becoming weeks, and now nearly two months. Pam Miller, her companions Dore and Gerbald and the survivors of Redbird's crewbusied themselves with various projects to increase their comfort and safety. The sailors used the tools recovered from the shipwreck to improve their shelters, Dore and Pam gathered the fruits and nuts they were sure were safe to eat, while Gerbald searched for game-birds (with Pam's rare blessing for such activities) and fished the bay along with the sailors. They were all alive and in reasonable physical health; staying busy was what they did to remain sane. Despite these various distractions they all felt the world was leaving them farther and farther behind with each passing day.
Old Fritjof had taken it upon himself to be Pam's caretaker. He had cut all the underbrush out from under her stilted hut and made sure that there were no creepy-crawlies lurking there. He cleared a sandy trail from her door down to the beach and swept it clear of leaves and debris every morning before she woke up, but not before leaving a coconut bowl full of cool water from the spring on her porch. Pam was embarrassed by the attention and told him he didn't have to go to all that trouble over her but the white-haired gentleman just shyly nodded and continued to look after her anyway.
"It is no trouble for me, Frau Pam. It is good for a man to have work to do and even better when it is in the service of a fine and important person such as yourself. Don't fret now. You have the princess' work to do. Just call on Fritjof if you need anything. I will be there for you."
Pam was touched by his eagerness to please and thanked him profusely, asking if there were anything she could do for him. Fritjof smiled with his few remaining teeth, his blue eyes still bright and sparkling in his long lived and wind wrinkled face.
"No, no, I am a simple fellow and have few needs. But, if it were no trouble to you, one day when you meet again with Princess Kristina I would be greatly honored if you would pass my humble respects to her. That would be a true kindness to a faithful servant of the Vasa such as myself."
Pam promised to do so, and didn't say it aloud but intended to make sure that on that future day Fritjof would be right there with her to give his respects himself. That would be a real treat for the old guy. I'm going to make that happen. He can get that precious photo autographed in person! The thought gave her a very warm and pleasant feeling. She realized that she had grown very fond of these stouthearted men of the north and that it was a blessing to be caught in such trying circumstances with such trustworthy people around her. Some day I might even look back on this castaway life and miss it . . . but not too much.
One overcast morning Pam and Gerbald, finding they were stocked up with enough food to last several days and utterly bored with life at camp, decided to follow the river into the interior. They had been too busy to explore further since the triumphant discovery of coffee a few weeks prior and Pam was absolutely itching to get back to her search for the elusive dodo.
The going was fairly easy. They passed through a corridor of grassy meadows between the river and the forest's edge. The sun burned the clouds off around eleven, at which point it became hot enough to chase them into the shade of the woods. The forest floor was clear of thick underbrush, a mossy parkway through ancient tree trunks. Pam kept her eyes open for new birds along the way, occasionally stopping to observe and sketch one of the myriad species that inhabited the island. She had decided that her best bet on finding any dodos was to simply stop looking for them, contenting herself with the many other amazing birds that inhabited these isolated forests. She wondered how she would ever manage to catalog them all. It would take ages to do it right . . . but then again she might have that kind of time if they couldn't find a way off this mysterious island. If she could find natural substitutes to replenish her diminishing paper and pencil supplies.