Three day."
Jamie studied the map. An unprotected coal barge, with tenders and crew might be a tempting bushwhack. "As the barge would be naval, and the coal for the Navy, I imagine they'll send a frigate to stand offshore."
"They's can send the whole effing fleet for all I cares." Cornishman tried to be dignified. "I's made a bonzer strike an' we's proper, by God, very proper."
"I'm glad to hear it."
"It be sixpence a ton or nuffink!"
"Fourpence."
Cornishman spat. "Sixpence, by God, I's knows worth of coal, and worth to effing fleet, an' wot you's can make off 'em.
Maybe I's deal direct."
"You could try," Jamie said gambling.
"Tell you what, fourpence first ten barges, rest sixpence."
The little man glowered at him. "Now I's knows why you's Noble bloody House." He stuck out his hand, rough and horny. "Yor word as Struan's gent." They shook. Then he said, "Oh yus, you's any mercury?"
Jamie's attention soared back. Mercury would be used in the extraction of gold. "Yes.
How much do you need?"
"Not a lot for starters. You's put it on the tab?"
"All right. You're staying at the Yokohama Arms?"
"Not effing likely--no Drunk Town for me," Cornishman said with a sneer. "I's on me way back right smartly, an' you's to keep supply secret, deal secret, no names no pack drill--I's wanting no bleeding bushwhackers jumping me claim." He started to leave.
"Wait! Where are you going? How do I contact you?"
"I's going back to me claim, mate." Again he bared his gums in his evil smile. "Me samurais and me palanquin's outside this' North Gate, I snuck in private like.
Next time I's come back, I's come back as gent, no effing Drunk Town no more. An' you's doan' contact me no more, you go's to the geezer. I's 'spektible trader now and doan' you's forget it. Put mercury on't barge."
He walked out.
For a long time Jamie stared at the walls, sifting what had been said. A reliable coal supply would be wonderful but bound to vanish when the fleet flattened Yedo. And why mercury? Has that rotten bugger hit real pay dirt? And who's the real boss? Come to think of it, who's mine?
Tess until the end of the month. How much loyalty do I owe her? All of it. Till the end of the month.
Rain battered the window. He got up and looked around the bay critically. The sea was a dirtier grey than before, the sky lowering. No doubt the storm would be bad for the cutter but not for a ship. Ah, there she is!
Their cutter was a couple of hundred yards or so off their wharf, making way carefully against the waves, shipping some water but not badly, spray from the bow wave substantial, the Struan flag at half mast--as the flag above their building had been since the death of the tai-pan. His binoculars were on the window ledge. Now he could see Hoag and Pallidar clearly in the cabin, the flag-draped coffin lashed securely to one of the benches as he had ordered. A twinge went through him seeing the entwined Lion and Dragon around Malcolm's coffin--a sight he had never expected to see. Then he remembered that it was not his friend's coffin but some unknown native, at least he hoped so.
"Vargas!"
"Yes senhor."
"Take this lot of mail, copy it and seal it--I'll deal with the rest this afternoon. I'll be back later."
"Captain Biddy wasn't in the Club but expected, senhor, I left a message."
"Thanks." Unhurried he put on his coat and hat and went out, leant against the rain-filled wind. He was almost alone on the High Street.
At the North Gate, Cornishman was nowhere to be seen. A few samurai guards huddled in the lee of their Customs House. Some traders were scuttling for the Club and a late tiffin. A few waved. One of them stopped and urinated in the gutter. South Drunk Town seemed even more squalid under the overcast. This's no place for a woman, he thought.
"Ahoy, Jamie!" Hoag called from the cutter.
"Hello Doc, hello Settry." They clambered onto the rough, tarred planks, the piling timbers sunk deep in the seabed creaking with the thrust of the waves. One look at Hoag was enough to know that the switch had been successful, however much the squat man pretended nonchalance. So we're committed, he thought. Pallidar was having a coughing fit. "Settry, you'd better get that fixed before it turns into something worse."
"It already has," Pallidar said sourly. "This so-called doctor gave me a potion that's bound to kill me. Doc," he said coughing again, "if it does, when it does, the hell with you."
Hoag laughed. "A double-strength toddy and you'll be right as rain tomorrow. Jamie, everything's all right?"
"Yes."
Pallidar said, "I'm turning responsibility of the coffin over to you, Jamie.
It goes aboard Cloud at once?"
"About half an hour. Angelique wanted to... to say good-bye. Reverend Tweet will add a few words."
"Then she's definitely not going by the clipper?"
"I don't know, Settry, not positively.
Last I heard she was going by the mail ship, but, you know how women are."
"Don't blame her. Going back aboard the clipper would give me the creeps too." Pallidar blew his nose and huddled deeper into his greatcoat. "If you want I'll get Sir William to send the coffin by mail ship then they'd arrive together."
"No," Hoag said, too quickly for Jamie, then recovered, "no, Settry old boy, I wouldn't recommend that, medically. Best leave arrangements as they are, coffin by Prancing Cloud. Angelique's all right now but a sudden shock could shove her back into a nightmare.
Better she goes by mail ship and the coffin by clipper."
"Just as you want. Jamie, I'm recommending to William we shut down Kanagawa at once, that's why I came back."
"Christ Almighty, why?"
Pallidar told him about the patrols and numerous samurai around. "Not to worry. We can blow 'em all to hell. Mind if I have the cutter take me back, it'd save me time."
"Why not go with her to Prancing Cloud, and she can take you direct after that. Are you overnighting at Kanagawa?"
"No, I've seen enough and just have to get my lads," Pallidar said to their relief. "The clerks and guards can evacuate over the next few days. See you later." He walked off, coughing.