With an awful groan, Baob collapsed, falling on his back. Roger put his foot hard on the Negro's groin, then drew out his blade. As he did so, he said:
'Why you should have betrayed me, I cannot think. Now you have received your just deserts. Owing to your treachery, the master who was good to you has been killed. Had it not been for that, I would have driven my sword through your heart, and you would have had a quick death. As it is, you will be dead by morning, but will first writhe in agony for several hours. May your own strange gods have mercy on your black soul.'
Bending down over the prostrate, gasping giant Roger rifled through his garments until he found the twenty-five guineas he had given him. Putting the coins in his pocket, he mounted his horse and said to Lisala:
'It is as well for us that he was lying in wait here to kill me. By killing him I have eliminated another witness to this night's events. When a Court is held, it will be more mystified than ever as to how your father met his death.'
As they rode side by side down towards the harbour, Roger badgered his wits for a plausible account of what had occurred, to give Captain Jackson.
No-one, other than Lisala, had actually seen her father and Baob killed. Only the two Senhoras could testify that Roger had been in Lisala's room and that she had declared herself to be eloping with him because her father had refused to consent to their marriage. As against that, the Portuguese servants believed that Roger had come to the house to transact some secret business with their master, and that it was Baob who had broken into Lisala's room.
After furious thinking, Roger reconstructed a version of what might have taken place. He and de Pombal had been downstairs discussing business. They had heard sounds above and had gone up. Baob, alarmed by the sound of their approach, had slipped out of Lisala's room, and crept to the head of the stairs. Dona Christina had emerged from her room, failed to notice Baob behind her, and gone into Lisala's. Rendered hysterical by Baob's attempted assault, Lisala, in the semi-darkness, had believed the duenna to be the Negro renewing his assault, and so attacked her. Roger and the Marquis, the latter leading, had then come up the stairs. Baob had sprung out from the dark comer of the landing and, evidently gone berserk, stabbed de Pombal in the back. Roger, whipping out his sword had then driven it through Baob's stomach. In spite of the wound, Baob's great strength had enabled him to reach the window and get away down his ladder. Roger had not realised that the wound he had inflicted was mortal, so feared that Baob, knowing his life to be already forfeit, might induce the other slaves to mutiny. He could not have defended all three ladies from an attack by the slaves, so had decided that his first duty was to get Lisala away to safety.
Parts of this story, contradicted by the two Senhoras, might be suspect; but in the main it would be difficult to refute. Roger gave it to Lisala and made her repeat it so that she should have clearly in her mind what to say if she was questioned. During their ride she had remained silent; owing, Roger supposed, to shock and remorse at her awful deed. But now she replied to him quite calmly, so he told her that, when they went aboard the ship, she must show great distress. A quarter of an hour later they reached the shore.
Mobo, squatting on his haunches, was dozing near the fountain. Roger gave him a small packet he had prepared, containing money enough to keep him for a couple of months, then told him to take the horses back to the inn.
As soon as the slave had disappeared, Roger walked with Lisala along the shore in the direction of the Arsenal. Tied up there were scores of boats of varying sizes. Selecting a dinghy, Roger helped Lisala down into it, cast off and rowed out to the Phantom. On the way, she dipped her handkerchief into the sea, so that the wet rag would give the impression that she had been crying into it.
The terrible affray that had followed Baob's betrayal had occupied no more than a few minutes and, although it seemed difficult to believe that so much had happened in a single hour, it was only a little after one o'clock. The officer of the watch had been warned to expect them at about that time, and took them aft to Captain Jackson's state-room.
The Captain received them most politely, complimenting Roger on his lady's exceptional beauty. Roger wondered grimly what the gallant sailor would have said had he been aware that the sylph-like young creature who was dabbing her wonderful eyes as she curtsied to him had, some fifty-five minutes earlier, murdered her father. He could only thank his gods that he had been the sole witness to that awful crime.
Anticipating that his guests might be hungry after their midnight elopement, the Captain had had a cold collation prepared for them. As they were about to sit down to it, Lisala groaned and, lurching against Roger's shoulder, pretended to faint. Jackson exclaimed:
'Poor lady! It is most understandable that, having arbitrarily left her parent, she should be overcome with emotion.'
'She has far greater cause than that, Sir, to have become distraught, as I must tell you,' Roger replied quickly. 'But before I speak of it, could we not get her to a cabin?'
'Indeed, yes. One has been made ready for her.' Together, they supported Lisala out of the state-room along to a single-berth cabin. There, knowing there would be no women on board to assist her, she appeared to recover sufficiently to assure them that she could look after herself.
Only too well Roger realised that he now had to take one of the stiffest fences he had ever encountered. Unless he could persuade Jackson that he and Lisala were entirely innocent, the Captain would put them ashore, and they would have lost their chance of getting back to Europe.
When they returned to the state-room, he gave Jackson an edited version of the night's events, upon which the Captain became extremely worried.
Roger asserted firmly that, although his real reason for having been in the house had been to carry off Lisala, no-one could prove that he had not gone there on business at the invitation of the Marquis; that his arrival and Baob's attempted assault on Lisala had been only a most unfortunate coincidence, and that no charge could be brought against him other than having driven his sword through, and probably killed, a slave who had, a few minutes earlier, slain his own master.
' 'Tis a terrible business,' Jackson said glumly. 'A full inquiry is certain to be held and you will be called on to give evidence.'
'That I will do,' Roger agreed, 'but only here in this ship to a magistrate sent aboard by the Portuguese authorities. Should I go ashore to attend a Court, 'tis certain they'll detain me for further questioning. That would mean my losing this chance to return to England, and that I will not do. As a British subject against whom no serious charge can be brought, I claim the right of sanctuary in this ship.'
Jackson scowled at him. 'You can be charged with having abducted the Senhorita. I want no trouble with the Portuguese. If they insist on your appearing before a Court, I must hand you over.'
Roger banged the table with his fist. 'Sir! You will do so at your peril. I have a second identity. I am also Colonel le Chevalier de Breuc, aide-de-camp to the Emperor Napoleon. For many years Mr. Pitt accounted me his most valuable secret agent. Mr. Canning and others in the present Ministry are old friends of mine. God forbid that I should have to take such a step against one of my father's former officers; but do you abandon me to the Portuguese, I vow I'll have you broken.'
The Captain cast down his eyes, avoiding the harsh stare in Roger's blue ones; but remained silent. He had only his pay, and a family at home to support. Instinctively he had the feeling that Roger was not lying and, for him, the threat was a terrible one.