Flint and Silver: A Prequel to Treasure Island

Chapter 24

George Hastings and David Povey sat in the incredibly cool, elegant room and clutched their drinks. Remembering the long thirsty days, Hastings took a swallow. It was some sort of fruit juice, but like no fruit he'd ever tasted. He emptied the goblet and set it on a table.

Don Felipe Avilia Carreño, Governor of Trinidad, caught his eye and smiled. He spoke slowly, carefully, in Spanish, trying to make himself understood.

Instantly Hastings struggled to his feet, and Povey got up beside him, blinking and frowning.

"I'm sorry, sir," said Hastings, "it's no good — we can't speak Spanish."

"No-no-no!" said Don Felipe and rushed forward to help them back into their seats. Though much recovered, they were still very weak. But at least they were clean — their filthy clothes having been removed and laundered while they slept. Even their uniform coats had been carefully brushed and the brass buttons polished.

Don Felipe turned at the sound of quick footsteps from

the corridor outside, and doors swung open to admit a lady followed by two maids.

Once again, Hastings and Povey shot to their feet, this time entirely appropriately, for they needed no Spanish to tell them that they were in the presence of a great lady.

As Dona Alicia Maria O'Donnell de Avilia Carreno entered, doors closed smoothly behind her, maids deployed left and right to stand as statues, and her husband the governor stood forward, bowed and kissed her hand. She was a woman in her forties, statuesque and of regal bearing.

Hastings and Povey stood to the strictest attention of which they were capable, and bowed as Don Felipe presented them. She smiled.

"I came as soon as I could," she said in excellent English — easy for a girl who'd grown up in Dublin. "Mr Hastings, Mr Povey — you are heroes! You shall be returned in triumph to England, at the head of your men, and my husband shall send a letter telling of everything that you have achieved."

For thirty long days, Hastings and Povey had acted like men, and brave men at that. They'd taken command, made decisions, overcome threats and never wavered in doing their duty. They had, in addition, thoroughly absorbed the lower deck's morbid dread of Spain. After all they had endured, the kind words of this lady proved more than they could bear… for George Hastings was just fourteen years old and David Povey was twelve. They began to tremble and shake.

Dona Alicia looked at the tall but desperately thin Hastings, who'd sprouted, as some boys do, without filling out to a man's strength. And she looked at the childlike Povey. However grand she might be, she was a woman, and she was touched to the heart.

"My brave boys," she said, stepping forward to embrace them. This broke the last of their reserve and the midshipmen were reduced to tears.

Don Felipe motioned to the maids to leave the room, and quietly went out after them.

Within three months Hastings and Povey were back in London, their promotion assured, Society at their feet. Henceforward, both would be driven by a grim determination to see Joseph Flint pursued, captured and hanged.