Shadow of the Hangman(31)
‘First,’ said O’Gara, stepping forward so that his face was inches from that of the scrivener, ‘we need your solemn vow that you’ll never breathe a word of what we tell you to any living soul. Do we have it?’
‘Yes, yes,’ said Nason, recoiling from O’Gara’s foul breath. ‘You have it – on my honour.’
‘Then this is what we want you to write for us.’
With frequent interpolations from Dagg, O’Gara went on to give a long, rambling account of what had happened at Dartmoor and what reparation he felt was necessary. Fallon threw in the occasional comment. Nason made a series of jottings. When the narrative came to an end, he shook his head in dismay.
‘What you say may be true,’ he said, ‘but it would take me all day to write it out exactly as it was told to me. Your story is far too long and diffuse. It needs to be much shorter and in two parts.’
‘What do you mean?’ asked O’Gara.
‘Well, the first section must be a description of what actually happened during this so-called mutiny. You were witnesses. That will carry weight. As for the second section,’ Nason continued, ‘it must list your demands in order, the first being the immediate release of all American prisoners.’
‘And a pardon for me and Tom,’ said Dagg.
‘That will be included. Can you both sign your names?’
‘Yes,’ said O’Gara, ‘but I want some words underneath the signatures. It must read “Thomas O’Gara and Moses Dagg, Two of the Damned.” Is that clear?’
‘If that’s what you want,’ replied Nason, ‘that’s what you’ll get.’
‘We’d better.’
‘And when it’s done,’ said Fallon, ‘it can be sent to the Prime Minister.’
‘No, it can’t,’ advised Nason. ‘He’ll only pass it on to the Home Office.’
Dagg was suspicious. ‘How do you know?’
‘I’ve worked with lawyers all my life and had to contact departments of government on their behalf many times. The Admiralty has responsibility for prisons but a case like this would be referred to the Home Secretary. To save time, this plea should go directly to him.’
‘I told you Mr Nason knew what he was doing,’ said Fallon, appreciatively.
‘Where exactly is this Home Office?’ asked O’Gara.
‘Mr Nason will tell you.’
‘I’ll deliver the document in person,’ said Nason, ‘some time during the night. I don’t want to be arrested for acting as your accomplice. I’ll just slip it through the letterbox and you can await developments.’
‘We want to see what you’re sending first,’ said O’Gara.
‘Give me a few hours and I’ll have it ready for you and Mr Dagg to look over. It will be well ordered and legible. The thing that I can’t promise, however, is that you’ll get the desired result.’
‘We must do!’ argued O’Gara. ‘We risked our lives to escape.’
‘Tom is right,’ said Dagg, angrily. ‘Our friends are still locked up. We want them let out of that hellhole right away.’
‘Make that clear in the document, Mr Nason.’
‘Yes,’ said Fallon, ‘you’ve heard their story. They’ve been treated like wild beasts. Order the Home Secretary to do what’s right.’
‘He won’t take orders from two prisoners,’ reasoned Nason.
‘Then he’s going to be in trouble, isn’t he, Tom?’
‘He is,’ said O’Gara. ‘I don’t care how high and mighty he is. If this Home Secretary doesn’t release all prisoners and hang Captain Shortland by his scrawny neck, Moses and I will go after him. What’s his name?’
‘It’s Sidmouth,’ said Nason, guardedly, ‘Viscount Sidmouth. But you can’t threaten him. That would prejudice your claims altogether.’
‘He’ll do what we tell him to do.’
‘And the same goes for you, Mr Nason,’ said Dagg, jabbing a finger.
‘Write it all out,’ said O’Gara, ‘and we’ll come back to read it through. He’s got to know we’re in earnest. All we’re asking for is fair treatment. If we can’t get that from this man, then he needs to know his life is in grave danger.’
Peter Skillen was obliged to wait for some time before being shown into the Home Secretary’s office because the latter had been holding a meeting there. When it came to an end, Sidmouth sent his colleagues away and invited his visitor in. He could see from Peter’s demeanour that he had not brought good tidings.