"No," Goddard said in a half whisper. The man seemed to be shrivelling; the usual haughty stance had given way to hunched shoulders; the broad chest and jutting belly had merged into a sagging paunch. His eyes were bloodshot and sunken. He looked like a guilty man on trial for his life, and maybe he was. Perhaps Goddard knew he had gambled with high stakes, and lost the gamble.
"Please call your next witness, then."
"I ... the prosecution has no more witnesses to call."
"Very well, the defence will present its case."
Normally Ramage should have read out his defence against the charges, while Syme copied it down, then called his witnesses to prove the points of his defence. Instead he stood up.
"If it pleases the court, I wish to waive my right to state a defence ... I'm prepared to rest my case on the evidence the court has already heard and what it will hear from the remaining witnesses."
"Very well," Napier said. "Note that in your minutes, Syme."
After Syme finished writing, Napier told Ramage: "You may call your first witness." Officially he was still on trial for his life and the minutes of the trial would be read in the Admiralty by men who knew none of the background.
"Call Edward Southwick."
The Master was sworn and Ramage questioned him so that the Peacock's curious behaviour the night before the attack on the Topaz was described in detail and he was able to show why the written report on the episode was made to the Admiral and delivered on board the Lion.
Then, answering questions, Southwick described, simply but graphically, how the Peacock had been sighted in the darkness coming up the line of merchantmen, and how the Triton had been manoeuvred to save the Topaz.
Southwick's description of Ramage's handling of the Triton during and after the attack left no doubt in anyone's mind of his admiration for his captain.
Ramage's questions had touched only lightly on their stay on Snake Island, but the capture of La Perla and the voyage to Jamaica rounded off the evidence, except for a few last questions which Ramage could not resist, since it would make Southwick's name famous in the Navy.
"When La Perla left Snake Island, did she have a defect in her sailing qualities?"
"Yes, she was down by the head and griped a lot."
"Tell the court what orders you received concerning this."
"I was told to shift some cargo aft."
"How much did you shift, and what was it?"
"About two tons of gold and silver coins."
"I have no more questions to ask of this witness," Ramage said.
Napier turned to Goddard.
"Your witness."/
"I have no questions."/
Syme read the evidence aloud, and after Southwick signed it he was told to stand down.
"Your next witness?" Syme asked, as if at last deciding to take a more active part in the proceedings.
"Call the Duke of Brittany."
The Duke walked in and bowed deeply. Napier, uncertain what to do, stood up and bowed back.
"Your Grace," he said hesitantly, "I - er, is your Grace familiar with the English language?"
"Perfectly, thank you."
Napier went red. "You understand that I am duty bound to ask the question."
"Of course," the Duke said. "But I have no need of an interpreter."
"The oath," Napier said, motioning to Syme.
The Duke took the oath, using the Crucifix, and Napier said apologetically, "The deputy judge advocate has first to write down the question, and then your answer, so..."
"I understand perfectly," the Duke said.
"You travelled to Jamaica in a ship called the Topaz?”Ramage asked, hoping the Duke would realize the significance of the question.
"I travelled part of the way in the Topaz" he said, and before anyone could stop him, added, "I and my suite transferred to her from the Lion because of the behaviour of Admiral Goddard."
In the silence that followed Ramage heard his own heart thumping. Would Napier rule the answer out of order? Would Goddard protest? Quickly he asked the next question.
"What happened on the night of thex eighteenth of July last?"
"The Topaz was attacked by a French privateer."
"Was the attack successful?"
"No, it was foiled completely because of the foresight and daring of the Triton brig."
"Did you make any complaints to the Admiral following the attack?"
"Yes, because he had been criminally negligent in allowing this privateer to sail in the convoy for several days."
Still no one challenged the legality of the reply and, hardly believing his good luck, Ramage plunged on, rubbing the scar on his forehead.
"Evidence has been given in this court that you sent the captain of the Topaz on board the Lion to accuse myself of cowardice in not coming to the defence of the Topaz. On what grounds did you make that accusation?"
"I made no such accusation," the Duke said quietly. "It is not for me to speculate about the motives of any man who makes such a claim."
Napier interrupted: "The court desires to know if the captain of the Topaz carried any message from you to the Admiral, and if so, the nature of the message."
"Mr Yorke certainly did carry a message. It was in writing. It praised Mr Ramage and said I was writing to His Britannic Majesty drawing his attention to Mr Ramage's bravery in ensuring my safety and allowing me to carry out the mission with which His Majesty had entrusted me."
"Thank you," Napier said.
"Have you any complaint of your treatment at my hands while on Snake Island, or on board La Perla?" Ramage asked.
"Yes," the Duke said gravely, his eyes hard, his face set and his lips squeezed tightly together. Goddard sat up and the members of the court leaned forward expectantly. Ramage looked dumbfounded.
"Would you please tell the court the nature of that complaint?" said Napier.
The Duke's face dissolved into a smile.
"Mr Ramage refused my request to sign on as one of his crew."
The members of the court bellowed with laughter and the noise they made drowned Ramage's own laugh, which had begun to sound slightly hysterical.
"Thank you, your Grace. I have no more questions to ask this witness."
Syme read back the evidence, and once again Napier turned to the Admiral.
"Have you any questions to ask this witness?"
Goddard shook his head, and Ramage said: "That was my last witness."
Napier picked up his watch. Ramage's sword was still lying across the table in front of him.
"The court will adjourn until eight-thirty tomorrow morning, when it will announce its verdict. The prisoner will, of course, remain in custody."
Chapter Twenty-One
Next morning, as Ramage stepped from the Arrogant into La Perla's dingy boat, with its peeling paint and heavy balanced oars, he was conscious only of smiling, welcoming faces. At the tiller stood Jackson, smartly dressed, freshly shaven, hair tied in a neat queue. In the stern sheets was Southwick, flowing white hair sticking out from under his hat, holding the scabbard of his sword close to his side. Next to him was Yorke, his grin no longer sardonic but exuberant, as though he had just won heavily while playing faro for high stakes. Beyond him was the Duke, whose face had the contented look of a man welcoming home a prodigal son.
Southwick reached out a hand.
"I'll take your sword, sir."
In this, his moment of triumph, shared by the friends who had helped bring it about, Ramage was close to tears. That one gesture by Southwick summed it up.