William Brand

I think I could fancy plain, gold bricks. Beautiful unadorned bricks of pure gold.

Catch and Release. You ol' softy.

As compared to...?

If the woman should prove just as plain in the dark, then I recommend an understudy and a quiet retreat.

First and foremost I recommend blowing out the lamp.

Bad turn of luck down the street?

I'll see about that bed.

Crumpets...?

Aye. We also have cream.

Plain boiled leaves... Tell me. What plain woman did you choose at the brothel?

Thank you. One lump or two?

Oh...of course... I'll fetch that tea.

One that be not empty...? Are you looking for the brothel?

August 3, 1704 At three bells of the First Watch, Dorian's letter to Master Pew arrived aboard the Lucy, where it was received and passed aft to the officer of the deck. Also at three bells of the same watch, Lieutenant Roldán De la Cruz and Tudor Smith departed La cuisine de St. Martha, bound for the St. Louis docks while another Lieutenant, Monsieur Raul Turcotte, arrived at the La Montre De Nuit in the company of his thorough man, Quirion Charron. William and Dorian had waited at the small establishment long enough to question whether or not the Lieutenant would even arrive, but Turcotte had been busy since the delivery of the message, having already employed his excessive drive to achieve on the task of learning again what William had already described. Still, the driven Lieutenant had managed to discover the name of a second Frenchman who had arrived with the first by coach to collect Captain den Oven. In his enthusiasm, Turcotte had already dispatched soldiers to find the man and his carriage. He had also used the intervening time to send word to his superiors and beyond, noting that the Particular Governor of Martinique and acting Governor General of the Islands and the Firm Ground of the Americas, Nicolas de Gabaret, would have word of the escape. William and Dorian exchanged a look. For himself, William had hoped to keep the matter small, even private. His own men had been named and he and he alone had hoped to discover whether or not they had been involved. Much needed to be learned before drawing the power of France into the hunt for den Oven. Turcotte seemed to recognize this and he smiled a smile which William liked not at all. It was the smile of the empowered youth, given charge over his elders. It was the catbird grin. The smile of the fox in the henhouse. William smiled just enough in return to be cordial. He had planned to use the Lieutenant of course, but with limitations. Now, the young officer, this imagined terrier, was a league before him on the path of den Oven. It was not as he had planned. Still, William smiled outwardly even as he shrugged away his demolished expectations inwardly. Turcotte, propelled by the momentum of discovery and his efforts to shine before his superiors, plowed into William and Dorian with many questions. These came in quick succession. Sometimes he was content with a simple answer, but other times he pressed them for details, especially when touching on the subject of the three missing men. More than once he asked after them, implying many things in his tone as he did so. It was clear after a time that he thought that one or all of them had conspired to free den Oven. It was also made plain by his inquiries that he somehow imagined himself to be above William and Dorian. His air of superiority, previously diminished aboard the Lucy and the Watch Dog, had returned in long strides. 'I've sparked a dry field' William thought and wondered to himself if Dorian's patience for the young upstart was also being undermined by his persistent onslaught of words. Only the friendly presence of Turcotte's Sergeant had kept William himself from becoming terse. Sergeant Charron had smiled pleasantly and interjected his own tactful commentary throughout the conversation, but even Charron's genuine calm seemed to dwindle as the Lieutenant reached the end of his prolonged inquiry to announce that they would all accompany him while he fetched Donatien Durand. At this, Quirion Charron blanched.

Fetch me a fiddler and a comfortable chair. I want to put up my feet and doze a bit to music.

I know it's an hour early here, but somewhere it's Valentine's Day, so a very happy holiday to all.

Welcome aboard, Sah. There are always more pirates about then you can imagine. Enjoy your stay.

My friend Jeremy and I were talking about various subjects a few months back, when he happens to mention this guy named Greg Raymer. "Who's that?" I ask. He proceeds to tell me that there is this professional poker player named Greg Raymer who wears my glasses. He doesn't just wear them now and then, he wears them all of the time. See Wikipedia article here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Raymer You see I made these lizard hologram glasses when I worked at Krystal Holographics back in 1995. You know the kind I'm talking about. Silly, novelty, hologram glasses. Don't get me wrong, I thought they turned out well for what they were back then, but I thought Jeremy was pulling my leg. I mean, novelty, lizard, hologram glasses...? But sure enough, I did a google image search on a whim tonight and there they are, plain as day. I also searched for Greg Raymer, and sure enough, there they are again...but it gets better. It seems that they've become enough of an icon that some companies have created Greg Raymer knock-off Lizard Hologram glasses. I kid you not. My stupid lizard glasses are being cranked out by knock-off companies in the UK and elsewhere. It's freaky. I need to call Greg Raymer and offer to sell him the original casting for the hologram model. Oh yes. Greg Raymer Lizard glases Knock-offs

Thank goodness, would like some privacy. ...but you camp with Billy and Maddogge.

August 3, 1704 - La Montre De Nuit Dorian's question was answered almost immediately as William stepped towards a nearby drinking house called La Montre De Nuit. He held the door open and gestured for Dorian, who proved tall enough that he had to remove his hat to duck through the low doorway. They found themselves in a room that was evenly as deep as it was wide. William had the distinct impression that the place had not begun as an alehouse, but he couldn't reason out why. It may have been the strange way in which the bar sat, almost central to the room. There was something clumsy about the placement of it, but as the alehouse was close to the fort, this mattered little, for La Montre De Nuit enjoyed its share of soldiers. "Perfect." William said smiling as a woman gestured them to the only open table. Both men dropped their hats onto the wide sill of the neighboring window and William called for pen, paper and a proper lamp. "Oui." she said smartly, and she fixed Dorian with a smile so forward, that William paused to raise an eyebrow as he was removing his baldric. "Sending word to Preston?" Dorian asked, watching the woman pass into the throng. "No, actually." William said, "Though perhaps we should. No, I mean to send a different correspondence. I have an idea which may turn past misfortunes...or rather suspicions, into fortunes." "Eh?" "It was something in what you said about den Oven. How did you put it? He's gone to ground...?" "Aye." "Have you ever hunted rabbit or foxes with dogs?" William asked, then amended. "Or perhaps more appropriately...hunted rats?" "Aye." Dorian conceded as the woman returned with a small box with paper and quills. "Do you mean t' use our dogs?" "Perhaps, but we have not the resources to chase den Oven on our own. What we need is a Terrier." William explained as he drew out a quill. "Albiet a French one." "Not Durand." "Yes and no." William returned. "I'm thinking of Turcotte." Dorian raised both eyebrows a little. "Lieutenant Turcotte has a terrier spirit and reason enough to pursue the matter. He has already demonstrated his persistent and stubborn willingness to use man like Durand. Or misuse." "True." Dorian agreed, but there was no mistaking the 'but' in his voice. "We can lay the shooting on the Cul du Sac Royal at the feet of den Oven." William said, smiling wickedly. "And...remove one pursuit for another." Dorian agreed, nodding.

August 3, 1704 - The Fort Royal Prison William drained the glass at a go and said, "Wait here." He went out and down into the midnight cells once more and was gone but a few minutes. The guards did not follow him there and they did not block his way when he returned to the world again. He made his way back into the room. "Van Zandt never once saw Klaas. He but heard the name from the Frenchman when he fetched out den Oven." "Then your man is absolved of the matter." Dufour attempted cheerfully. William gave him a look. "The men who came had the presence of mind to use his name. How do you imagine that they knew the name of Scymmelpenninck and that he was not aboard the Watch Dog when they besmirched him?" Dufour shut his mouth again. William went out into the night air to clear his head and to be free of the company of the attache. Dorian joined him there and they mused aloud about the possibilities. "He has whole a day on our discovery." "And any point of th' compass." Dorian added. "Aye." William agreed, gravely. "How many ship left the Cul du Sac Royal in that time, do you think?" "Two at least that I took notice of...." Dorian returned. "...t' say nothing of St. Pierre." "And the Eastern ports." William added, removing his hat and running one hand through his hair in a slow, tired gesture. "We must fear the worst now for the missing men." He looked up suddenly. "Eric and Jean may have reached Aube Sucré by now. Damn." "Den Oven..." Dorian spat. "He'll have gone t' ground by now." "Aye." William agreed, but he was at a loss as what to do about it, so not knowing what to do, and with no obvious action before them, they took to questioning the guards who had been on duty the night before. They managed a few details, but much of what they gleaned was forgettable or vague. Then William had a thought. It was something Dorian had said about the man 'going to ground'. "I have an idea, " William said at once and they left the prison bound for other apartments.

Very nice, Mister Greene.

August 3, 1704 - At La cuisine de St. Martha Roldán accepted this with a nod and nothing more. His eyes betrayed no other emotions. He made no effort to press the point. Instead, he refreshed her glass, and openly proclaimed, "If Brand should be accused of little else, it can be said off him that he breeds loyalty in a gathering of amazing fellows." Then he quickly ammended. "And amazing women." He said this last part with a genuine and guileless tone, and the compliment, while it took in Tudor as well, was honestly meant for all of the women aboard the Watch Dog and Lucy. Still, he made a point of complimenting Tudor herself. "I'm glad of the errand tonight."

August 3, 1704 - At La cuisine de St. Martha Roldán smiled and raised his glass again. It was a fair answer, plain and straight forward, and for a time he was content to eat and listen to the music played by a solitary flute which seemed to come from another room. To add to this, the church bell rang the nine bells of the hour, though not overloud. Over time Roldán watched Tudor less like a Lieutenant and more like a person across a dinner table. Several questions appeared subtly on his face, but were not asked, and the course came and went with few words spoken until the arrival of a flaming dessert. It had the ominous, though unintentional appearance of a ship on fire. "If I may make an observation..." Roldán began and Tudor nodded. "Some of these tales of Captain Brand seem new and unknown to you, Miss Smith. You are his Steward, but one would think that you do not know him well. Many of the stories I have mentioned tonight are fiercely repeated as gospels in the book of your Brand." Larboard Watches on Duty

August 3, 1704 - At La cuisine de St. Martha "Perhaps we should speak plainly. The Navarra requires an escort for the ship and her goods to Trinidad. It is rumored that the Watch Dog means to travel there, and the...excuse me, Lucy...?" "Aye, the Lucy." "Thank you. The Lucy means to travel with her. My Captain will pay for the escort and protection of two such vessels. Can you say with a certainty that such an arrangement would not prove ill for us? Do you know your Captain well enough to speak for him?"