Sword and Scimitar

‘Why not?’ asked Stokely. ‘Surely it is better that they add to our strength here than be taken prisoner by the enemy.’

‘No. If the Grand Master allows them to quit the fort it will set a precedent. It can only encourage those in Birgu and Senglea who lack the resolve to see the siege through. Better that they stay in St Elmo and buy the rest of us as much time as possible. It is a hard truth, I know. But we have no choice. They must remain at their posts.’

La Valette nodded thoughtfully. ‘But there is a risk that it may spur them to mutiny. And that might be worse than allowing them to quit St Elmo.’

‘If they can be persuaded to stay and fight to the end of their own free will,’ Thomas intervened, ‘they will provide an inspiration to the rest of us defending the island.’

‘And how do you propose that we persuade them, exactly?’ asked Colonel Mas. ‘They appear to have already made up their minds, and every enemy gun that fires on the fort will only add weight to their decision.’

‘These men are knights of the Order of St John, the last of the great military orders pledged to fight Islam and recover the Holy Land. There is no higher honour in Christendom than membership of this Order. So what could be more wounding to the hearts of the men defending St Elmo than a sense of shame?’

La Valette stared at him. ‘What do you suggest, Sir Thomas?’

‘I suggest that you appeal to their sense of honour, remind them of the tradition of which they are a part. Remind them of the oath they took to fight the enemies of Christendom to the last drop of blood. That is one part of the strategy I suggest. The other is to issue a call for volunteers here in Birgu to replace those who no longer have the heart to defend St Elmo. My guess is that those here who know little of the condition in the fort will readily volunteer. If the men of Miranda’s garrison try to force the issue of evacuation then you assent, and let them know that for every man who wishes to quit St Elmo, there are three or four in Birgu willing to take his place. Once they know that, they will fear shame and dishonour far more than they fear death. I would wager my life on it.’

‘It may come to that.’ La Valette smiled, then turned to Colonel Mas. ‘What do you think?’

‘I think that the devious reputation of the English is well- deserved.’ Mas reflected a moment. ‘It is the best way to proceed, sir. Despite what I said earlier. In normal circumstances I would insist on, and enforce, discipline. However, our situation is desperate and sometimes men need more than an order to compel them to fight.’

‘Very well.’ La Valette nodded. ‘We shall appeal to their honour. Meanwhile, I shall issue a proclamation asking for volunteers to reinforce St Elmo. And I pray you are right that there will be men with enough heart to answer the call, Sir Thomas.’

Thomas was aware that the other members of the council were all looking at him and there was a fleeting moment of fear before he cleared his throat and spoke as calmly as he could. ‘Sir, I request your permission to be the first man to volunteer.’

C H APT E R T HIRTY-T WO

A day later, every place in the small force to be sent to St Elmo had been filled, and many more men had been turned away. The friar, Robert of Eboli, had insisted on accompanying the men to offer his spiritual support to their fight. The Grand Master concluded his evening meeting and asked for Colonel Mas and Thomas to remain behind. ‘Are you certain about your decision?’ La Valette asked. ‘I am loath to lose two of my best advisers.’ Colonel Mas nodded. ‘It is, as Sir Thomas argued, the only way. It is vital that no one doubts that we all share the same risks, and the same fate, without exception. Save you, sir. You are indispensable. The men of St Elmo are close to breaking point and are beyond the normal codes of obedience and appeals to duty. All they have left is their sense of honour. If Sir Thomas and I return to the fort with fifty volunteers and tell them that you have a thousand more willing to take their place, they will stay the fight to the end. I am sure of it.’

‘When will you leave?’

‘Tomorrow night, sir. Tonight I will sleep deeply. When I rise early on the morrow I will need time to select my men and to put my affairs in order. There are letters I must write.’

The Grand Master stroked his beard, deep in thought. He turned his gaze to Thomas. ‘And you? It is not too late to change your mind.’

‘I will go with the colonel, sir.’

‘Why?’

Thomas did not reply immediately. There was no one simple reason. Or rather there was, and all other reasons led to it. Maria was now the wife of another man, Sir Oliver Stokely, and must have been for many years. She was lost to him, unless he broke every last code of moral behaviour that was left in him. Even then, the situation was hopeless, for she would never agree to be with him. And there was also the matter of his loss of faith, Thomas reflected. It had been a long, painful road to the belief that there was nothing more than this earthly life. To discover that Maria still lived and might feel for him as he did for her had filled the void and given new purpose and meaning to his life. Now that was gone, and if his life held little meaning, perhaps his death could at least serve a noble purpose.

He cleared his throat and met La Valette’s enquiring gaze. ‘Because I choose to.’

‘And what if I choose to order you to remain here? It is a hard thing to sacrifice Colonel Mas alone. Must I lose you too? I need the advice of men I can trust.’

‘At the moment your greater need is men who can set an example, sir,’ Thomas replied. ‘There are other good men in the Order whose advice you can rely on. In the past they may have been rivals, but there is no past now. Every man here has come to accept that we have one common purpose. Our places at your side will be filled by others.’

La Valette smiled sadly. ‘It is true ... I only wish that it had not taken this turn of events for our comrades to realise it. A pity that imminent extinction is the only thing that brings us wholly together in common cause.’

‘Even then . . .’ Colonel Mas cocked an eyebrow. ‘I am sorry, I have been a soldier too long. It tends to harden a man’s cynicism.’ La Valette stared at him and then smiled, and broke into a laugh. Thomas joined him, and even the scarred and battle-hardened Mas gri

The boom of the Turkish ca

‘I thank you, Colonel. You are a good soldier. A good man. I am sorry that I recruited you to our cause. You deserve a better end than this.’

‘There is no need to apologise. I am a mercenary, sir. I go where the fighting is, and in truth, my end is long overdue. Besides, not many of us find such an honourable exit. It’s usually sickness or syphilis that does for us in the end. This is better.’ He narrowed his eyes. ‘Just be sure my contract is paid. I have a wife and children in Barcelona.’

‘I will see to it. You have my word.’

‘Thank you, sir.’ Mas stood to attention, bowed his head in a final salute, and turned and strode from the room, leaving Thomas alone with the Grand Master. There was a moment of awkward silence as the older man regarded the English knight. A pained fondness filled his eyes.

‘I count it a great pity to have lost your services for so many years, Thomas. I knew you had potential from the very first day you joined my galley. I had plans for you even then. I have given my life to the Order. I have denied myself a wife, a family.’ His gaze dropped and his voice faltered. ‘When you left, it felt as if I had lost a son . . . When you returned, it warmed my heart, for the first time in a long while. And now?’ He looked at Thomas again. ‘It is not too late to change your mind. I said that I need men like you at my side. I meant it.’