Dangerous Dreams: A Novel (101 page)

Silence.

Baylye said, “Lieutenant Waters’ proposal is an excellent one and achievable with the resources at hand; and those resources include
all
of us though I must point out that our soldiers are here to
protect
us . . .
not
for colony building, as some seem to think. And ’tis only through their good graces, and Lieutenant Waters’ fine leadership, that they’ve worked with us every step of the way.”

Huzzah
s from all but the three.

“So I direct that we resume palisades construction—alternative four— as detailed by Lieutenant Waters, without further discussion.”

Willes shook his head. “A breech of protocol, Governor. We are supposed to vote on proposals like this, and I’m certain I am not the only one who thinks building palisades for a non-existent threat is a foolish waste of time and manpower.”

“I’m afraid you are quite wrong, Master Willes. The charter clearly states that the governor, with the counsel of the military commander, has sole responsibility for security decisions. Thus, as I said, this matter is closed. Now let us—”

“I care not, Baylye. That charter was written for a fully populated colony with enough manpower to build palisades. As this colony now exists, it has inadequate manpower to even gather the food we need, much less build palisades. I refuse to obey any order to—”

“If we’re all dead at the hands of the Savages, we won’t need food, Master Willes. Secure defenses must be our first priority, so do as your conscience demands, but know that I shall do as I say with regard to slackers.”

Willes stepped forward, leaned his flushed face toward Baylye. “Are you suggesting I—” Sampson and Stevens gripped his shoulders. He glanced at both, read their eyes, stepped slowly back, scowled at Baylye then Waters. “We shall see where your proclamations go, Baylye.”

Waters wondered why the trinity of conspirators had suddenly grown so openly disruptive and belligerent, why they’d not taken a more subtle, cunning approach to their sedition. The puzzle ignited his curiosity, vexed him, convinced him it was time to infiltrate the conspiracy and learn its intentions and strategy. Damn it, Waters . . . should’ve done so long ago.

Baylye continued, “As I said, the palisades will be completed as stated, with logging beginning as soon as the rain and snow slacken, and movement and placement of logs when the mud has dried. Meanwhile, we must focus, yet again, on our most pressing need after defense: our inadequate food supply.” He paused, took a deep breath. “As I look around, I see faces far more gaunt and drawn than they were two weeks ago. In addition, we’ve witnessed shorter tempers, frequent altercations, and a rise in food theft. Gentlemen, I fear we approach the threshold of starvation; and though I understand hunger prompts men to do things they would not otherwise do, we can no longer tolerate the theft and hoarding that have recently occurred.
Therefore, henceforth, ten lashes will be given to any man caught stealing or hoarding, and five to any man guilty of starting a fight. In addition—”

“And I suppose,” Sampson snorted, “you will be the judge and jury?”

Baylye stared at him with a flat expression. “Indeed I shall, with the advice and assistance of Lieutenant Waters.”

Stevens, smirked, flashed a glance at Willes and Stevens, then murmured, “Ah. King Roger and Prince William. Is that it?”

Ananias stepped forward, slowly eyed the trinity. “I know not what prompts you three to such blind, contentious opposition to every constructive thought proposed in this council; but I, for one, have seen and heard enough of it. ’Tis time for you to either help solve our challenges like responsible gentlemen or remove yourselves and leave the rest of us to do our duty.”

All but the trinity shouted assent. Stevens’ face flushed; he swallowed, shuffled his feet, flicked glances at Willes and Sampson, then looked meekly around the room like a scolded child.

Baylye nodded respectfully at Ananias then drifted his gaze from man to man. “To continue, partly due to the weather and partly to our own shortcomings, which I detailed in our last meeting, the food supply continues to lag our need. If we are to survive to plant our crops, we must take more drastic steps to remedy the situation. First, I have the names of three men, all of whom have been confirmed as slackers by at least three Assistants. They are Masters Kemme, Spendlove, and Wotton, and all three are hereby placed on half rations”—he eyed Waters—“ for one week, or longer if their productivity does not improve.”

Grumbles from the trinity.

“I must tell you that in the long term, I do not favor the forced cooperative endeavors necessitated by our present situation, and I eagerly anticipate the day when each man can be responsible for his
own
welfare and do as he pleases about providing for it. But that day is far in our future, so I cannot overstate the importance of all doing their share to ensure the colony’s survival during this difficult time.” He waited for dissent, heard none, quickly continued. “Therefore, despite the cold, the driving wind, and rough waters on the bay, we
must
increase our fishing intake. There’s simply no other
way to survive; for the deer population moves farther away each day, which will soon force us to hunt dangerous territories. If for a time we reduce the pressure on the deer by relying more on fish and shellfish, perhaps they will return.”

Willes shook his head, rolled his eyes as if upset at having to endure Baylye’s oratory. “Baylye, you miss, or choose to ignore, the obvious. The solution is to take food from the Chesapeakes, either outright or by making them hunt and fish for us, or both. They’ve vast stores of corn and other crops, as well as smoked venison and fish, which they’ve hidden from us. So we must force them to—”

“William,” Roger Prat said, “that’s profoundly absurd. The Chesapeakes don’t have enough food for
themselves
, and they, too, suffer from our overaggressive deer hunting. I know so because I hunt with them every day and have witnessed their desperation and concern. So—”

“Then we should immediately seize what they have. They’re uncivilized heathens, without value compared to we Christians. Even God himself would not care if they perished.”

Most cast incredulous glances at one another. Baylye said, “Master Willes, are you ignorant of the fate of the previous colony when they attempted to do exactly as you propose? No. I shall not lead us down that pathway under any circumstance.”

Willes said, “No, Governor Baylye, I am
not
ignorant. But you clearly are if you cannot see the merit of my proposal. ’Tis plain as day to the rest of us.” He glanced at his companions. “Yet you refuse to consider it because ’twas not your idea. Forsooth, you act more like a king than a governor, and we think you unfit to lead this colony.” He again eyed Sampson and Stevens then the other Assistants, except Waters. “And I propose we elect a new governor.”

Angry shouting erupted. Baylye’s face flushed; he folded his arms across his chest. “Master Willes, as you well know, the governor of this colony was designated in Sir Walter Raleigh’s charter; and that governor, John White, duly appointed
me
to represent him and perform his duties until his return. So there will be
no such
election, and you will either cease your disruptions or depart . . . now!”

Willes’ face twisted in anger. “By God’s teeth, I’ll not suffer this tyranny.” He placed his hand on his dagger, stepped menacingly toward Baylye.

Prat, Hewet, and Waters quickly stepped in front of him. He pushed Hewet sideways, but Hewet pushed back. Willes drew his dagger, thrust it at him; Waters seized Willes’ wrist with one hand, thumped his pistol soundly on his head with the other.

Willes dropped the dagger, staggered half a step, fell to his knees, and clutched his head as Stevens and Sampson caught him by his shoulders. Stevens leaned down, whispered, “Steady, William. Come, let us be away from here.” He and Sampson lifted him to his feet, placed his arms over their shoulders, then turned him around and started for the door.

Waters said, “When he regains his senses, inform him he’s under arrest for assault and that Sergeant Myllet will take charge of him. And if such is not to his liking, tell him to seek justice with the Powhatans.”

Baylye stoically watched the three approach the door. “Master Willes’ conduct leaves me no choice but to permanently remove him from the council of Assistants. You may inform him of
that
fact, as well . . . and due to the imminence of John White’s return, we will not replace him, for I will again become an Assistant at that time. I now warn you two gentlemen that any further disruption of the sort witnessed today will place you in the same status as Master Willes. Do you understand?”

Stevens and Sampson sneered at Baylye, nodded subtly.

“Good. Then I bid you care for your friend, and pray the knock on his head put some sense into it.”

Before moving, Sampson shot a hateful scowl at each Assistant, lingered on Baylye then Waters. “This is not the end of this.” He and Stevens then turned Willes toward the door, half-led, half-dragged him from the room.

An hour after the other Assistants had departed, Waters, Baylye, and Ananias Dare sat by the fire in Baylye’s cottage. Waters whittled on a stick, stopping now and then to toss the shavings that had missed the fire into the flames. Ananias rested his chin on his clasped hands, his elbows
on his thighs. He watched Baylye intently as he spoke over the crackling of the fire. “So we agree their strategy is to instigate the colony’s failure by first fracturing the council of Assistants, then the colony, into irreconcilable factions that refuse to cooperate, perhaps coming into physical or armed conflict with one another.” He shook his head. “But how do they expect to survive such a self-imposed catastrophe? Forsooth, if half of us starve, the other half will starve, as well; and if the Powhatans charge through the palisades, they’ll kill all in their path without regard to their loyalties. Yet they act as if God himself will rescue them before that happens.”

Waters stopped whittling, looked at Baylye. “Not God, Roger, Lord Walsingham.”

Baylye’s eyes blossomed; his jaw dropped.

“I’ve pondered this for days, and
that
is the only answer that makes sense. Walsingham must be secretly sending a ship at a pre-determined time to rescue Tayler and his confederates, while the rest of us are left here to die by starvation or massacre. And that”—he gazed at Baylye then Ananias—“ my dear acting governor and my dear son-in-law of the
appointed
governor . . . is why they’ve become so brazen in their disruptions. They must accomplish their mission
before
the rescue ship arrives, and
that
convinces me its arrival will be in the near future.”

Ananias stared numbly at the fire then at Waters. “But what about John White? Walsingham’s ship can’t cross the Atlantic any earlier than John’s can. A winter crossing is too risky, and Raleigh will surely outfit and dispatch John at the first hint of spring, so how—”

“Walsingham, Ananias. Walsingham. Forget not that he is the most powerful man in England, second only to the Queen herself. He will intercede in some manner to delay, or even prevent, John White’s sailing; and by the time John finally arrives, if he ever does, the conspirators will be gone, and we’ll be dead.”

Baylye looked as if his favorite dog had died; he shook his head, rubbed his thumbs and fingers together. “My God, William, you paint a dreadful picture . . . unfortunately, one that has an unwelcome and chilling reality to it.” He paused. “But how will the pilot of Walsingham’s ship find us?”

Ananias smiled. “He’ll go to Roanoke . . . and as you so carefully planned, he’ll see
CROATOAN
and
CRO
on the tree and post then go to Croatan Island, retrieve our people, and come here.” He snorted cynically. “And when John White arrives at Roanoke, if he ever does, he’ll do the same; except when
he
arrives at Croatan, no Englishmen will remain. And unless Manteo happens to be there to tell him where we are, he’ll never know our whereabouts. Even if a blind guess sends him here, we’ll already be dead.”

The three looked silently, reflectively at one another for nearly a minute before Waters spoke. “Gentlemen, here’s what we must do.”