Chapter 1: Second Mate
The small two-masted schooner Anne Mary was set on a westward course, crossing the Caribbean Sea and heading towards the Spanish Main. She was a British merchantman out of Kingston, Jamaica. Flying over her national colours, she was also showing a White Flag, as she was sailing under a flag of truce. Her captain had been hired by the British Commander in Chief in Kingston, Admiral Sir Richard Lambert, to pick up his wife and children in Porto Bello. A Spanish privateer had captured the post packet carrying Lady Lambert and her children on its way from England to Jamaica and had brought her into Porto Bello. The Spanish, ever the gentlemen, had sent word to the British Admiral to have his family picked up. Of course, they figured that any British navy vessel, sailing for Porto Bello, was out of action for a few weeks insofar as the war between England and Spain was concerned. Rather than weakening his forces, Sir Robert Lambert had rather hired a trading vessel to perform the task. Captain John Carter had been happy to oblige. In this year 1796, the big European war between revolutionary France with its allies and England had already severely affected the trade between the Caribbean islands, and freight was hard to find for the master-owner of the Anne Mary.
Captain Carter watched his son, Anthony, who was supervising the setting of a stay sail. Appointing his son to second mate of the Anne Mary had been a smart move. The lad, barely 18 years of age, was a fine navigator already and a born and bred sailor. Also, Captain Carter was cutting costs this way, an added boon in these hard times.
"Land ho!", came a cry from the masthead. Instantly, Anthony Carter jumped into the rigging and climbed up, carrying a large brass telescope. Steadying himself, he directed the telescope towards the horizon where a minute speck of something had appeared. It was the Spanish Main, all right, he thought; the coast line matched their expectations. They had hit Porto Bello in the first attempt, a nice feat of navigation, he thought smugly. His father would be happy. The sooner they arrived at Porto Bello, the faster they could get out to sea again. It was not a landfall Anthony was looking forward to. Porto Bello, in spite of its name, was a hellhole. Epidemics of yellow fever, el vomito negro, were frequent and decimated the population. Moreover, entering a Spanish port in a British ship and not being Catholic was a risk in itself, even in peace times, due to the still virulent Spanish Inquisition. He climbed down and faced his father.
"If the wind holds, we can reach the port before sunset, father", he said. "That is, if the Dons let us enter."
"They know me, I've been here before", his father replied. "Always got along with them."
And so, in the last light of the day, the Anne Mary crept into her anchorage. Captain Carter hurried into his little quarter boat and was rowed across the harbour to the residence of the harbour captain. There, he stated his business, while the crew of the Anne Mary settled down for the night. Captain Carter returned only after several hours, chuckling to himself.
"The Dons are pissed royally that the Admiral's family is not picked up by a regular man o'war," he told his son. "But the good governor doesn't fancy at all having a family of heretics in his house for another month. He agreed to have them ferried out to us by six bells. We can get the morning tide to leave this stinking swamp. We'll have to clear my cabin for our guests, though. See to it, Anthony!"
With this, Captain Carter turned in and left Tony with yet another task.
Six bells sounded, and Anthony jumped from his cot. He had turned in after having the first watch, and had slept for three undisturbed hours, a rare pleasure. He quickly washed his face with salt water and dragged a comb through his bleached, blonde hair, tying it in a neat queue.
He wanted to make a good impression on their passengers when they came aboard, so be bent over his sea chest and dragged out a fresh pair of trousers and a clean shirt. Having made himself respectable, he climbed on deck and joined his father and Joseph Fournier, the first mate, as they were gazing toward the town.
A longboat had just left the quay and was heading towards the Anne Mary. There were red uniforms in it, laced with gold tresses which blinked in the sun. Spanish Officers, escorting their "guests".
The boat came alongside, and the next problem arose. The Anne Mary did not ship a boatswain's chair to hoist passengers on deck. However, neither Lady Lambert nor her children had ever climbed up a Jacob's ladder to board a ship. They did not dare to jump for the ladder to climb up the side, and the Spanish officers were landlubbers and at a loss themselves. It was a funny sort of a stand off. In the end, Anthony climbed down into the boat to assist the ladies.
When he looked at them, his mouth fell agape. He was accustomed to the dark beauties of the West Indian islands. As the son of a lowly merchant captain, the fair haired daughters of the planters and the senior officers had always been beyond his reach, even his dreams. Thus, the sight of Lady Lambert and her daughter was like a revelation to young Tony.
The mother was a rather tall, slender woman with straw blonde hair. Her fair complexion contrasted with the dark dress she was wearing. Her even features, and her slender but womanly form made a strong impression on the young second mate.
But the daughter! Anthony could not help but stare at her. She was perhaps sixteen years of age, and she was close in height to her mother and as slender. Her hair was of an incredible strawberry blond colouring, and her emerald green eyes contrasted with a milk white skin covered with freckles. He did not notice the son, blond like his mother, who was standing beside the ladies. It was the lad, however, who spoke to him first.
"How do we get on board your ship? My mother and sister are not accustomed to a Jacob's ladder."
Anthony tried to get his wits together.
"I shall assist you, Ladies," he started. "I am Anthony Carter, second mate, at your service."
The two women hardly acknowledged him at first, but Anthony managed to coax both of them up the ladder. The young lad climbed up without help or difficulties, and Anthony followed them. While the Spanish boat crew handed the luggage to the Anne Mary's crew, a Spanish officer climbed after Anthony and, with great pomp, bid his farewell to the ladies. After he had left the ship, Captain Carter stepped forward, greeted his passengers and led them to their accommodations in the main cabin. While Lady Lambert and her son, after a short despairing look around, settled into their new surroundings without lament, the girl was indignant.
"Are we supposed to sleep in this rat hole? Why did we have to leave London, Mother? I hate it here. No man of any consequence is to be found here, either. And this climate, it will ruin my skin!" She almost stomped with fury. Obviously, she did not travel out of free will to meet her father.
"Be quiet, Harriet!" her mother returned sternly. "This is an English ship, and it will bring us to your father. And to say that there is no man of consequence in West India. What nonsense! Don't you know how rich those sugar barons are? And there are many of England's finest serving in the Navy. If you won't find a husband here, it will be because of your temper, young lady."
With the skylight of the cabin open, every word could be heard on deck, where the crew was preparing to weigh anchor. Captain Carter screwed his eyes upwards and shrugged his shoulders as if to comment on the exchange going on in the cabin.
The voice of the boy could be heard: "I like this. Sailing in this small ship will be more interesting. She has fore and aft rigging, and I never sailed in a schooner before."
The girls voice cut in: "Cannot you stop this sailor's talk for one minute, Andrew? I have no interest in it, really."
"May I go on deck, Mother?" the boy asked in a resigned voice.
"Yes, of course, dear. But ask the Captain first and keep out the men's way."
The boy came on deck and walked aft. He even touched his hat before he addressed Captain Carter and asked him whether he might stay on deck. The Captain chuckled and nodded towards Anthony, indicating that the second mate should look after the boy.
"Stand over here at the taffrail, young man. You can see everything and nobody will run you over." The lad gladly took the position at the taffrail and looked around curiously.
When the Anne Mary took sail and headed out of the harbour, the boy asked Tony questions about everything. Obviously, the boy worshipped his admiral father and aspired nothing more than to become a naval officer himself. Tony did not mind the boy's questions. It was nice to be in the teaching position for once and, in contrast to his sister, the boy was pleasant.
After a week of uneventful sailing, the Anne Mary was still on an eastbound course, but the progress they made did not satisfy her captain. The wind was dying down and it was incredibly hot for this early morning. At the same time, the waves were growing higher and with wider troughs. Captain Carter consulted with the barometer, and his worries increased.
"Barometer's dropping even more, and look at those waves! Odds are, we're in for a big storm, a hurricane," he informed his two mates. "We had better clear the ship for heavy weather. Change course for south-east. Mayhap, we can escape its path to the south, although with that pittance of a breeze, we shan't make much way."
"What about our passengers, father?" Tony Carter asked. "We'll have to secure everything in the main cabin, and they have to be prepared."
"Good thinking, my son. You go down and see to it."
So, a few moments later, Tony Carter knocked on the door of the main cabin. There was a mumble of voices before Lady Lambert's voice was heard "Yes?"
When Tony entered the cabin, it was evident that the ladies had thrown on their clothes in a big hurry. The girl was only wearing a light cape over what Tony thought was her underwear. He even saw her lower legs and her bare feet and it required some willpower to take his look away from them. When his look went higher, it met the indignant glare of the girl. But Tony, young as he was, had had his share of furious looks from women and it did not trouble him all too much. It was her own fault if she showed him her goods, and he returned her stare with a conspiratorial twinkle of his eye.
The Honourable Harriet was livid now. The outrage! He was but a lowly sea dog and dared to stare at her legs and twinkle at her. Yet, his twinkle also affected her in another region of her body. Harriet felt a tingle in her tummy and through some backdoor of her brain, unholy thoughts crept into her mind.
The young second mate was tall, over six feet, and with wide shoulders. His blond hair was clean and his sunburnt features were even. He was a good looking lad. It might be fun toying with the young man, she thought. She tried to erase that thought, but her conflicting thoughts must have been evident on her face, because the young man grinned openly at her. For a second, she wanted to kill him there and then, but then she could not help but giggle at her own stupidity. Her mother's voice stopped the interlude.
"What is it that you wanted to tell us, Mr. Porter?"
Tony answered. "It's Carter, your ladyship. And I came to warn you that we expect heavy weather. The glass has been dropping for nigh on twelve hours, and it won't stop. We are clearing the ship for a heavy storm now, and we need to secure the cabin, too."
"Is a hurricane approaching?" the boy asked with gleaming eyes. He had heard so much of those murderous cyclones.
"Let's hope not," Tony replied. "Not if we want to talk about it afterwards. If it gets really bad, I will have to take you up on deck and secure you to the main mast. Please make sure that you wear no encumbering clothes. Wear sturdy dresses, or the wind will tear them to shreds. My men will be here in ten minutes, to secure the cabin. Please be ready by then."
With a last encouraging smile to the young people, he left the cabin to join the efforts readying the tiny Anne Mary for the horrors of a hurricane. Her movements were sickening, for in the increasing rollers she was tossed about almost without steerage.
Even after the wind began to pick up, they had to wait for another five nerve racking hours, before the first bolt of lightning flashed from a now dark grey sky, and hell broke loose around them. The small vessel had problems climbing up the huge rollers. Racing down their backsides was even more dangerous, as there was the constant worry that they might undercut with their bow in the trough between the waves.
Old Joseph Fournier, the first mate, was the first victim of the raging sea. He was trying to fight his way back to the steering wheel, when a huge wave swept over the main deck and washed him away. His shipmates, if they saw it, could only watch in helpless horror. Then Captain Carter was caught by a wave, too. He had secured himself to the sturdy taffrail, but when he fell, he was knocked unconscious.
Tony saw it but he could not help his father. The ship was rolling madly on the seas, and what little canvas was exposed to the wind, had already been torn to shreds. In consequence, the ship was not approaching the waves head on but was tumbling sideways, constantly in peril of capsizing. The situation was extremely dangerous, and Tony realised he had to do something.
Grabbing an axe and making sure he still had his knife, he made his way forward, using the intervals between the crashing waves. He reached the weather shrouds of the foremast and began hacking away at the tough, tarred, cordage until the shrouds gave way and the foremast broke off, eight feet above the deck. Trailing by the starboard shrouds, the foremast now served as a sea anchor to keep the little ship's bow to the waves, marginally increasing their slim chances of survival.
Tony made his way back, and he realised that the movements of the ship were heavy. They had already sprung a leak, he realised. Damn it, the passengers were still in the main cabin! Carefully choosing a moment when the deck was not completely flooded, he opened the cockpit and make his way to the little cabin. The cabin was in surprisingly good order, but the passengers were close to panic, having been thrown about in the dark for more than two hours.
"I have to bring you out on the deck", he shouted over the howling of the storm. "There's no way to tell how long the ship can take this. Follow me!"
He managed to bring all three of them on deck. With ropes, he secured them to the sturdy stump of the mainmast. It, too, had succumbed to the power of the hurricane, but there were twenty feet left of it.
The little ship was low in the water now, and the waves washed constantly over its deck. It was clear that she was sinking. Tony made his way over to his father, but one glance told him that the old man was dead. His head had been crushed when a wave smashed him against the taffrail. He would go down with the Anne Mary as befitted her captain.
Tony had little time to spare for his grief. His own survival and that of his charges depended on cool headed decisions. He mustered what little was left of the crew: two sailors and a boy. Luckily, the storm was already weakening. The waves were still going high, but their force was abating. There was a small chance of survival.
Empty kegs were fastened underneath the thwarts of their remaining longboat. Water kegs hopefully not spoiled by sea water were also brought to the boat, as well as some ship's biscuit in a tin-lined box. Two bottles of brandy from the captain's stores and a net of coconuts completed what little provisions they could assemble in their hurry.
When they were finished with their preparations, they climbed into the boat and soon, a larger wave swept them off the sinking ship. Fortunately, it was a sturdy longboat that easily accommodated three grown men, two boys and two women. They used the oars sparingly to steer the boat against the high rollers and watched silently as the Anne Mary sank before their eyes. The sailors had tears in their eyes and sympathised with the eighteen-year-old second mate who had just lost everything.
After a few moments, however, Tony snapped from his despair and began to organise his charge. He ordered the two women to stay in the stern sheets. Then, the men prepared a sea anchor, using two oars tied together at a right angle. This served to keep the longboat with its bow against the still enormous rollers. Next, Tony set two watches with an able seaman and one of the boys each; the sailor to keep watch, and the boy to keg out what water accumulated in the bilge of the longboat. The rest of the crew and the women huddled together in the stern sheets under a tarpaulin that protected them partly from the spray that still drenched the boat constantly.
Andrew Lambert had the first watch, and he diligently saw to it that the water in the bilge did not rise over the floor boards while one of the sailors watched out for signs of land or of other ships that might still be afloat after the hurricane.
Meanwhile, Harriet Lambert was half sitting at her mother's side, her head resting on the older woman's shoulder and trying to minimise the physical contact with the men who, like her, were squatting under the tarpaulin. It was difficult, though, because the jerking movements of the little boat tossed her from side to side. On one side was her mother, on the other side was the disconcerting presence of Tony Carter. He was only partly covered by the tarpaulin because he kept vigil, but Harriet found her buttocks pressed against his thigh whenever the boat was tilted to the starboard side. Tony, too, felt the presence of the young woman close to his own body, but his mind was in too much of a turmoil to take more than fleeting notice.
The people in the boat drifted into a half-slumber, but Harriet did not even have this comfort. Her body was cramped with the constant effort to keep her body away from the young man to her right. At long last she relented and relaxed, letting her body swing with the motions of the boat.
After a while, she too, dozed off, only to be awakened by low murmuring and shuffling when the watch changed. Andrew dropped into the stern sheets to the left of his mother. Lady Lambert turned left, to comfort her younger child who was chilled to the bone after a long watch.
Harriet shifted to find a new position and quickly dozed off again. She slept better now, more relaxed, and when she awoke, she felt refreshed. Then she gave a start and almost jumped up. She must have moved in her sleep because she found herself cuddled against the chest of Tony Carter. Tony had been dozing, too, and her sudden movement awoke him.
"I am most sorry," she stammered trying to regain her dignity. "I must have fallen asleep."
"Don't worry, Miss Lambert, I shan't tell anyone," came the reply from the dark shadow to her right.
"There isn't anything, really, to talk about, is there?" she answered snippily.
"Of course not, Miss. Believe me, I have other thoughts on my mind."
She flushed with embarrassment. She had completely forgotten what the young second mate had suffered. "Please excuse my temper," she asked nicely, "and please accept my sympathies for your loss. This must be very hard for you."
"Yes, it is. I mean, for my father, this was the way he would have wanted to go. But for me, it's just awfully hard. Not just his death, but also the responsibility for you and your family."
"What will you do when we reach a harbour?"
"I will have to look for a berth on another ship as a mate" replied Tony. "With the war and all, a lot of mates now serve in the Royal Navy, as master's mates. I should not find it hard to find employment."
"My mother will speak for you with my father, I am sure. He may be able to help, seeing that he is commander in chief."
"If I do not get you and your mother and brother to Port of Spain safely, he will lay open my backbone," Tony said in a faint attempt at humour.
"Shall we make it to Port of Spain?" the girl asked, suddenly acutely aware of the danger they were in.
"I cannot make a promise," Tony replied sombrely. "The wind's moderated and we can set sail with the first light. With a fair wind, we should reach Jamaica in two days. We may also be found by another ship before that. Why don't you try to find some more sleep, Miss Lambert; you will need your strength."
They both settled into as comfortable a position as they could devise in the longboat. Although Harriet again found herself resting against Tony Carter, she decided she could not help it and resigned herself to the fact.
They had dozed for another hour when a faint light was visible in the eastern sky. The sailor on watch alerted the second mate, and soon the small crew of the longboat sprang into a brief activity, raising the mast and setting the sails.
Tony Carter satisfied himself that the eastern bearing of boat compass and the rising sun were in good alignment, and then he set an eastward course. Within half an hour, the sun began to beat down upon them, and in short time, their clothes and other belongings dried.
While the longboat steadied on its eastward course, the crew inspected their provisions. Fortunately and most importantly, the two 6 gallon kegs of drinking water were undamaged. Tony allotted rations of two pints per day, allowing an extra pint for the two women and the boy. Andrew Lambert indignantly refused to draw extra rations, but the women gratefully accepted.
Tony advised everyone to drink slowly lest they would induce even more sweating and loss of water. The wind was steady, they were making good way under sail and the spirits of the survivors of the Anne Mary were rising. Later in the day, a squall of heavy rain drenched the boat, providing everyone on board with a welcome deluge of fresh water. The women ripped some of their underskirts down, to catch the rain, and wrung the fresh water from the cloth into their mouths. This improved the mood on board even more. In the evening, after doling out small rations of ship's biscuit, Tony treated everyone to a sip of brandy. After that, watches were detailed, and the men and women settled down for another night, while the boat followed its eastbound course, driven by a gentle night breeze.
Again, Harriet Lambert found herself seated between her mother and Tony Carter, who handled the steering. She felt uncomfortable as her clothes had not completely dried after the last rainfall. Pretty soon, she began to shiver in the cool night air. Noticing this, Tony Carter offered her his pea jacket, and the girl gratefully accepted the warmth of the garment.
She drifted off to sleep, and when she awoke, she felt oddly at ease and comfortable. Waking up fully, she gave a little start. She was resting against the chest of Tony Carter. He, in turn, had put one arm around her shoulder to comfort her. Her first impulse was to shake him off, but then she recalled the comfort she had just felt.
Against her will, the young second mate had impressed her during the day. The way he handled the situation with calm determination reminded her strongly of the aura of authority that surrounded her father. She had to concede that she felt good lying in his arms. She stirred a little and cuddled even more into his chest, and after a few minutes in this new position she surprised herself when she put her own hands on the hand that rested on her shoulder. She held her breath when his face touched the top of her head in response, slightly nuzzling her hair. Nothing else happened though, and young Harriet relaxed.
Sleep, however, did not come to her. Instead, she tried to sort out her emotions. There she was, a young lady, the daughter of a baronet and commander in chief, and she felt attracted to the son of an obscure ship owner. She knew that there was no future in such a foolhardy relationship. And yet, she felt sure that this young man would make his way, whichever path he decided to take. In the end, Harriet decided that she simply liked and even respected the young second mate.
Interestingly, Lady Lambert's thoughts were taking a similar course. Feigning sleep, she was well aware of the developing intimacy between her daughter and the handsome young man. She was, however, acutely aware of their precarious situation. If this little interlude served to calm down Harriet and gave her more confidence, this was fine. Besides, nothing serious could develop in an 18-foot longboat. Once they reached Kingston, Harriet would soon be out of reach for the young man.
Nevertheless, Eleanor Lambert was impressed with Anthony Carter. She had met numerous naval officers, including the famed Captain Horatio Nelson, and she had seen a few of them under pressure as well. The young man seemed to be cut from the same material. She would certainly see to it that her husband would learn about the young man's conduct. Perhaps, she could help to start a brilliant naval career. At the very least, she could repay him for his devotion towards the safety and well being of his passengers. In the meantime, however, she had to see to it that Harriet did not get carried away too much.
Anthony Carter felt a mix of strange emotions, holding the lovely girl in his arm. He knew perfectly well that he was risking a lot with his quiet advances. Yet the attraction he felt was equally strong. It was not just the physical beauty of Harriet Lambert; after all he had met many beautiful girls on the islands. But the grudging way that she let her emotions overturn her inbred prejudices, the turmoil she displayed when fighting her arrogance and temper, all this endeared her to him.
"You are beautiful", he whispered into her ear. Seeing a smile fleeting across her face in the faint light of a cloud covered moon, he planted a light kiss on her ear, and he felt her sharp intake of breath. But she did not stiffen against his touch; she rather melted against him.
Nibbling on her ear, whispering compliments, he deliberately drove her into a state of arousal that she had not experienced before. It was as if they had detached themselves from the little crowded boat and the other passengers. For the moment, they simply were in a parallel universe where everything seemed possible.
Tony held his breath when her hand pulled his own hand from her shoulder under the cover of the pea jacket and onto the soft swell of her bosom. Still nibbling on her ear, he caressed the softness of her breast and he felt her breathing becoming laboured.
Throwing all caution to the wind, he let his hand wander lower on her body, over her taut belly that rippled with excitement, down to where her legs joined. There was no way he could lift her skirt without blowing their cover. Therefore, Tony restricted himself to rubbing her mound through the garment. Harriet had opened her legs slightly to allow access to her most intimate body parts, and her suppressed moans gave evidence to her state of arousal. The outrageousness of the situation added to her pleasure, and after a few minutes, she felt a tingle flushing over her, originating in her pussy and spreading over her entire body, leaving her shaken and limp in Tony Carter's arm.
Harriet felt rather than heard the little self-satisfied chuckle he gave, but for her life, she could not get mad at him anymore. He kissed her head once more, extracted his hand from between her clutched thighs and resumed the innocent embrace of her shoulders.
Harriet felt a bliss she had never known. True, she had been playing with her fanny before and had aroused herself to heights of pleasure, but this was the first time another person had touched that chord. She screwed her head around to look at Tony's face, but she could barely make out his features in the faint light. Satisfying herself that her mother and brother were both asleep, and knowing that no one else could see her, she quickly turned and planted her lips on Tony's mouth.
Sweet madness! From the moment their lips touched, Harriet was lost in that kiss. Her lips opened and Tony's tongue snaked into her mouth. Her own tongue duelled with the invader, and when it retreated, she in turn explored the young man's mouth. After what seemed to her like a quarter hour, but what had been just a minute, they separated. Sighing contentedly, she resumed her resting position against his chest. His hand on her shoulder caressed her almost imperceptibly, and Harriet Lambert dozed off.
An hour later, the cloud cover opened, and the moon bathed the sea in its pale light. Lady Lambert woke up and looked around. The sight of her daughter, blissfully asleep against the young man's chest, his arm protectively around her shoulder, gave her a small start. But when the young man looked up and met her gaze, she just gave him a small nod and a smile. Raising a fuss now would not only destabilise the order in the boat, but would seriously imperil her daughter's reputation.
Two hours later, after the short tropical dawn, the sun rose brilliantly over the horizon and the crew of the longboat started the day with a scant breakfast of ship's biscuit and water. Harriet had extricated herself from Anthony's embrace. She still felt a wetness between her legs that reminded her of her nightly indiscretion. When Anthony handed her her bread ration, she deliberately let her hand rest on his for a moment and smiled gratefully. He acknowledged her smile with a wink of his eye.
After breakfast, Tony showed his consideration for the female passengers. He had the sail rearranged so that it provided privacy for the women, and they took the opportunity to empty their bowels and bladders over the side of the boat. The men did likewise in the front of the boat and used sea water to clean themselves. When everyone had restored their decency, the sail was set again and the longboat continued its course towards Jamaica. They were lucky that the steady gentle breeze favoured them, and the boat made good progress. It was late afternoon, therefore, when the lookout yelled "Land ho!". The crew jumped up excitedly, hugging each other. So did the passengers, and Harriet Lambert made a point of giving Anthony Carter a grateful hug as well, whispering "Thank you for everything!" in his ear.
Before darkness came, they sighted a patrolling English sloop of war. After he identified himself and his passengers, Tony, his passengers and his crew were taken on board. The lieutenant commanding the sloop sailed back straight to Kingston Harbour, and shortly after midnight, an elated Admiral Lambert embraced his wife and children at the pier.
Lady Lambert made a point presenting Anthony Carter to her husband and praised his conduct. The Admiral was eager to bring his family into the Admiralty House, but he took time to thank Anthony and invited him to tea for the next afternoon. Both Andrew and Harriet said their farewell to him, too, and Harriet had to suppress a giggle when Anthony kissed her hand ceremoniously.
The next morning Anthony set out to his father's house to claim his inheritance. Next, he visited a sombre-looking gentleman, Master Edward Rawling, attorney at law. The solicitor informed Anthony that he had been entrusted with the care of the late Captain Carter's documents.
Among other items, there was an insurance policy for the Anne Mary and her cargo. Anthony could claim the fair value of the vessel and the personal belongings that were lost in the wreck. This amounted to over three thousand pound sterling, and Mr. Rawling offered his assistance with the necessary paperwork.
There were also capital investments his father had made. Tony had never known that his father was actually quite well off. Tony was now a major share holder in a small shipping company that his father had set up with various partners. He therefore set out to meet the managing partner of that consortium to make it known that his father had perished on the sea.
Mr. Whitney, the managing partner, expressed his sympathy. He was delighted to hear that Tony would not withdraw his investment. He made it clear that a major share holder of Tony's qualification would be entitled to the command of one of their vessels as soon as an opening presented itself. Tony expressed his interest, and Mr. Whitney promised to contact him as soon as an opportunity arose.
After Tony left, he was facing the task of making himself representable for tea at the Admiralty House. He would see Harriet Lambert again, in all likelihood, and that thought worried and elated him at the same time.
Edited by Duffiedawg