Chapter 39
THE ROMAN CONNECTION
Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam adjusted his merchant’s coat as he walked along the busy docks of Civitavecchia, playing his role as a civilian trader with practiced ease.
The morning sun cast long shadows between the warehouses, and the air filled with the familiar sounds of commerce—shouting stevedores, creaking ropes, and the splash of cargo being loaded onto waiting vessels.
He was reviewing mental notes on suspicious shipping patterns when a British naval officer strode past without acknowledging him, his attention focused on a warship, the HMS Victory, moored at the far end of the harbor.
Richard recognized the uniform’s quality and the man’s bearing.
Still, the officer’s dismissive glance confirmed what Richard had suspected—to all appearances, he was merely another merchant, beneath the notice of proper naval personnel.
Three hours later, as Richard examined manifests near the Mary Catherine's berth, the same officer approached with a purposeful stride.
“You there,” the man called out. “British subject, I presume?”
Richard looked up from his paperwork, affecting the deferential manner expected from a civilian addressing naval authority. “Yes, sir. Richard Fitzwilliam, merchant trader.”
“Captain Hiram Fink, HMS Victory.” The officer’s assessment was sharp and measured. “Tell me, Mr. Fitzwilliam, where do your loyalties lie in these troubled times?”
Richard set down his papers, recognizing a test when he heard one. “With Crown and country, Captain. Without question. Though I confess my service takes the form of trade rather than sword.”
Fink’s expression warmed. “Commerce serves the realm as surely as cannon, Mr. Fitzwilliam. Perhaps more so in these waters.” He stepped closer, lowering his voice conspiratorially. “Tell me, where is your vessel bound next?”
“Athens, sir, if winds and fortune permit.”
“Athens.” Fink rubbed his chin. “A crossroads of many cultures, many…opportunities. Mr. Fitzwilliam, would you be willing to serve your country in a small but important matter?”
“Certainly, Captain. How might I assist?”
Fink glanced around, ensuring they were not overheard.
“I have in my possession a pearl necklace, a gift from a Roman merchant’s son to his beloved in Athens.
A delicate matter of the heart, you understand.
The parents of both, who belong to different religions, forbid the match.
The son, he is as loyal to Britain as a man could be.
The regular diplomatic pouches are too visible for such private affairs. But a merchant’s cargo—”
“Would raise no suspicions at all,” Richard said, his mind racing. This was conscription, but for what purpose? “I would be honored to assist, Captain.”
“Excellent.” Fink smiled in satisfaction. “You know, the navy could use more merchants like you, Mr. Fitzwilliam. Men willing to serve in…unconventional ways. There are opportunities for those with the right disposition and discretion.”
Richard sensed a crucial moment. “I am certainly interested.”
“You have room in your hold then?”
“I regret we carry a full cargo of supplies and have no room for additional materials on this voyage.”
Fink’s enthusiasm dimmed immediately, cooling to polite disinterest. “Ah. Well, maybe another time then. The necklace matter can wait for a more…suitable arrangement.”
The abrupt change in Fink’s demeanor sent alarm bells through Richard’s mind. A legitimate request for help with a romantic token would not depend on cargo space. But an overt invitation for him to join a smuggling operation certainly would.
“Of course, Captain. Should circumstances change…”
“Good day, Mr. Fitzwilliam.” Fink turned and strode away, leaving Richard with the unsettling certainty that he had been tested for potential collaboration in something far more serious than disappointed hopes of a lovesick Italian man and his Greek lady love.
Observing the captain’s retreating figure, Richard’s mission had taken an unexpected turn. He was no longer simply hunting an unknown traitor—he had been recruited by one.
Was Captain Fink L’Ombre? The shadow? The treasonous turncoat?
The question now was how to use this contact to gather the evidence needed to expose Fink’s treachery without revealing his own identity and purpose.