Sword and Scimitar

‘What happened to Sir Oliver?’ Thomas blurted. ‘Where is he?’

Richard lifted his head clear of the water to reply. ‘Dead. He made his stand in the chapel.’

The three men edged across the cha

The Maltese soldier suddenly cried out, ‘Look there! The Turks are coming!’

Richard craned his head and stared across the light swell. A boat had set out from one of the small batteries ru

‘Damn,’ Richard growled. ‘They’re certain to reach us before we gain the other side.’ He turned to the Maltese man. ‘Swim for your life!’

They struck out, dragging Thomas through the sea behind them, his mind slipping in and out of lucidity. They were halfway across when there was a rolling boom from the direction of St Angelo and Richard looked up to see a cloud of smoke swirling from one of the towers. He turned his head quickly and saw a pillar of water collapse close to the nearest of the Turkish boats, less than a hundred yards away. The near miss shook the men at the oars and the drag on the blades to one side caused the boat to swing round. The soldiers crowding the bows struggled to retain their balance and one dropped his arquebus which bounced off the side and splashed into the sea. An officer drew his sword and shouted orders at the crew. They swiftly took up their oars again and the boat turned back towards the swimmers and resumed the chase.

The ca

At that moment the boat seemed to leap from the sea and lengths of wood and water exploded into the air. With cries of terror the Turks were pitched into the harbour. There was a flurry of splashing as the soldiers thrashed about and wreckage dropped into the water about them. Richard saw the officer struggling to stay afloat as his robes and armour dragged him down. His hands thrashed to the surface before he disappeared, along with the other soldiers who were encumbered by their equipment. But the second boat was still rowing hard, some distance behind.

Richard felt a painful cramp seize his right leg but forced himself to swim on. It seemed that every muscle in his body ached and felt heavy and for the first time he feared that he did not have the strength to reach the far side of the harbour, still some two hundred yards away. He could see men on the walls of St Angelo waving them on and the ca

‘Richard. . .’ Thomas spoke feebly, spluttering as seawater washed across his face. ‘Son . . . Leave me.’

‘No.’

‘I am in such pain ... I would rather die. Save yourself.’

‘No, Father, I will not leave you.’

‘I am dead already. I will not survive these wounds.’

Richard tightened his hold on his father and kicked out, using every last reserve of his failing strength to move forward.

‘Leave me.’

‘I will not. You will not die.’ Richard spat out a mouthful of seawater. ‘Think of Maria. She is there in Birgu. Waiting for you. Hold to that thought.’

‘Maria . . .’ Thomas muttered, barely conscious.

‘Sir!’ The Maltese soldier raised a hand above the water and pointed. ‘Look!’

Richard craned his neck and followed the direction of the man’s finger and saw a boat putting out from St Angelo. Sunlight glinted off armour and weapons as the craft surged across the slight swell in the morning sun. Richard took renewed hope from the sight and forced himself to continue on even as his lungs and muscles burned from the effort. As the ca

Then he heard a voice cry out to them, urging them on, and soon there were splashes close at hand and a surge of water and then the long overlapping planks of the boat filled Richard’s field of vision.

‘Get ’em aboard! Quickly does it!’

Hands grasped his arms and hauled him bodily out of the water, over the side and down. He lay on his back staring into the blue heavens, gasping for breath, his heart pounding in his chest. There was a crash as an arquebus fired, and then another. The fire was returned from the enemy and bullets cracked into the prow of the boat. More shots were exchanged and then a chorus of jeers filled Richard’s ears.

‘They’re bolting! Good shooting, lads. Now, back to St Angelo.’

As he felt the boat turn, a shadow loomed over Richard. He took a deep breath and propped himself up and saw that it was Romegas, the Order’s senior captain.

Romegas nodded grimly. ‘You’re Sir Thomas’s squire.’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘Your master is in a poor way.’

‘I know.’

‘Are you all that’s left of the garrison? Did no one else get out?’

‘I didn’t see anyone else. There may be some who also managed to hide in rocks or the caves down by the water. I don’t know, sir.’

‘I see.’ Romegas handed him a wineskin. ‘Here. Take this.’

‘Not yet.’ With great effort Richard sat upright and saw his father lying on his back, trembling. Beyond him the Maltese soldier was sitting upright, arms wrapped round his knees. Richard crawled over to his father’s side and took his hand. Thomas’s eyes flickered open and he turned his head with a wince and squinted at his son.

‘We’re safe?’

Richard nodded, averting his gaze from the terrible burns on his father’s body.

‘Safe?’ Romegas shook his head as he turned to gaze across the harbour at St Elmo, battered and ruined beneath the flags and standards of the enemy. ‘The prelude is over. Now Birgu and Senglea will face the full weight of the enemy. Unless Don Garcia comes to our aid soon, I fear the worst is yet to come.’

CHAPTER FORTY

Many days passed before Thomas became coherently aware of his surroundings. He sensed the daylight through his eyelids and heard the irregular boom of artillery and the distant crash of heavy iron shot striking home. His body felt so weak that he could barely move his fingers, and any attempt to move his head caused a sharp stabbing pain down the side of his face and neck. So he lay still and silent, breathing deeply in a steady rhythm as his mind attempted to take stock of his situation. He knew where he was well enough, but the last thing that he could recall in detail was the final assault on St Elmo. The charge of the enemy up into the breach, the deaths of Miranda and Mas, and the burst of fire as the incendiary struck him and set him alight. After that, all sense of time was lost.