Page 104 of Inconvenient Honor
“Andrew says Will has returned with the ransom. He wants me to come. I won’t leave you.”
“Hamidou insists that you finalize the handoff, Richard!” Andrew’s voice sounded far away and muffled as if his head was turned away.
“No!” Richard said, holding her hand through yet another one.
“Go,” she whispered.
“I won’t leave you.”
“You have to get us out of here. Finish it. Go!” It took all Lily’s remaining strength to send him away. She held herself together while he searched her face. “Go,” she repeated in a whisper. “Make us safe.”
Chapter Thirty-Nine
The Boreas’s yawl and its cargo reached the cove the same time Richard did. He bolted down the hill.
“Let’s get this over with.”
Hamidou nodded, staring at the yawl. His crew helped pull the boat weighted down with the Earl of Chadbourn, a five-man crew, and a chest.
Will leapt out of the boat with a bundle wrapped in paper under his arm. He handed it to Andrew and faced Hamidou.
“Payment, Rais, as you demanded,” he said. The boat crew carried the chest to the sand. Will opened it.
“Is it all there?” the pirate barked.
Richard’s heart sank. If Hamidou decided to count it they would be there all afternoon. If he found it short, the entire deal might fail. He’d keep the money and sell them all.
“I think the tide does not favor delay,” Richard said. “If you want to get out of here, go.” He pointed across the water. The Boreas had not pulled in her guns, but she turned away from the shore and had begun to move away.
Hamidou looked up at the villagers gathered on the hill. Richard didn’t understand his short speech, but he suspected the man told them he would return with their share of the gold. Hamidou pointed at Richard.Making me responsible for their safety.
Hamidou stuffed some coins in a cloth bag and handed them to the uncle. He closed the lid of the trunk and gestured for two of his crew to carry it onto the frigate. For safekeeping.
He doesn’t trust us not to renege if he leaves it here. Doesn’t trust us any more than I trust him.
Hamidou looked at Richard then and reached into his robe. He pulled out Richard’s signet ring. “Yours, English.”
“Keep it,” Richard said rapidly before he had time to regret the impulse. “Send it to me in London when you see that the village is safe and I have kept my word. Keep yours.”
The two men locked eyes for a long moment. Hamidou looked away first. He pocketed the ring.
“We will not meet again, English.”
“I hope not,” Richard replied. “I will have to kill you next time.”
Hamidou grinned, saluted, and trotted up the gangplank.
“Is he really Rais Hamidou?” Will asked.
“Probably not,” Richard said, “But to these people, it makes no difference. He’s their savior.”
The three men stood shoulder to shoulder watching the frigate pull away. Andrew handed the bundle he held toward Richard.
Richard looked at it curiously. “What’s this?” he asked.
“Open it,” Will said.
Richard turned to leave. “Later,” he said over his shoulder. “I need to go to Lily.”
