Lorenzo and the Turncoat (22 page)

Gálvez scowled at Hawthorne. “Are you prepared to hear my decision?”

Hawthorne's gaze met his. “Yes, Your Excellency.”

“For crimes against His Catholic Majesty, I order Robert Hawthorne of Baton Rouge into exile from all Spanish territory until such time as I, Governor-General of Louisiana, decide otherwise.”

It took Hawthorne a moment to find his tongue. “Thank you, Your Excellency. That is most generous.”

“It is a fitting punishment.” Gálvez glanced at Lorenzo. To judge by his scowl, he did not agree.

The next day, Lorenzo stood on the colonel's verandah with the priest from the San Gabriel Church. Lorenzo wondered how the colonel had enticed the sour-faced old man to travel to Baton Rouge to perform a wedding ceremony. He supposed it was difficult for anyone to turn down a request from the colonel. Lorenzo also supposed he should feel nervous, but he didn't. He had been waiting for this day for a long time.

Lorenzo wore his dress uniform and was flanked by Thomas Hancock and Captain Héctor Calderón. Soldiers fanned out on the lawn beyond the verandah.

While they waited, Davy Morgan entertained guests with a merry fife tune. Eugenie had told Lorenzo and the colonel about the young man's many acts of kindness toward her and Hawthorne. At Lorenzo's suggestion, Gálvez gave Davy a pardon so he could accompany Hawthorne into exile. Hawthorne's recovery from rheumatic fever would take months. He needed a nurse.

Gálvez stepped onto the porch with Eugenie on his arm. A knot formed in Lorenzo's throat. She looked beautiful in a white satin dress lent to her by one of the townswomen.

Davy's fife tune changed to a slow march.

Eugenie and the colonel slowly approached and stopped in front of Lorenzo. The three of them turned toward the priest who stood in front of a makeshift altar. He began the nuptial Mass. Due to the extraordinary circumstances
surrounding the wedding, the priest used a shortened version.

“Who gives this woman to be married to this man?” the priest asked.

“I do.” Colonel Gálvez placed Eugenie's right hand in the priest's and stepped back.

The priest in turn put her hand in Lorenzo's. “Receive the precious gift of God.” He asked the usual questions. Had they come to marry freely? Did anyone object to the wedding? Satisfied that there were no impediments, he told them to join hands.

They repeated the wedding vows after the priest.

He turned to the makeshift altar and sprinkled holy water on the wedding rings. He put one in Lorenzo's right hand.

Lorenzo took Eugenie's left hand in his left. He placed the ring on her thumb and said, “In the name of the Father.” He moved the ring to the forefinger and said, “And the Son.” He placed it on the next finger. “And the Holy Ghost.” He slid it on her ring finger. “With this ring I thee shield.”

Eugenie repeated the ring ceremony, ending with the words: “With all my heart I thee enfold.”

The priest said the nuptial blessing over them, then introduced them to the crowd as Major and Mrs. Bannister.

The crowd applauded.

To Lorenzo's surprise, Héctor now stood with seven other officers lined up at the foot of the verandah steps. He had slipped away at some point in the ceremony.

“Draw swords!” Héctor commanded.

They put blade tips together to form an arch.

“Your brother officers wish you much happiness,” Héctor said.

“Thank you, one and all,” Lorenzo said.

Arm in arm, he and Eugenie passed beneath the swords. At the end of the path, a carriage and a driver waited.

Calderón ordered, “Return swords.”

Blades hissed as the men put them back in their sheaths.

The colonel kissed Eugenie on the cheek. “Congratulations,
m'ija
.” He shook Lorenzo's hand. “I've been waiting for this wedding for a long time.”

“Me too,” Lorenzo said, smiling at his bride.

“I need to speak to your husband,” the colonel said to Eugenie. “May I borrow him, Mrs. Bannister?”

“Can I stop you?”

“Technically, no. I am his commander.”

“In that case, you have my permission.”

Lorenzo and the colonel left Eugenie by the carriage and walked a short distance away.

“I know you joined the army because it was expedient in finding Eugenie,” the colonel said. “I also know that you can resign your commission at any time and go back to medicine.”

Lorenzo eyed him warily, neither confirming nor denying.

“But you won't do that because the military is in your blood. If you remain my staff officer, I promise to take you places.”

“Are those places I want to go?”

“Have you ever been to Mobile or Pensacola?”

“No.” The question confirmed Lorenzo's suspicions. The colonel planned to attack British posts along the Gulf of Mexico.

“I will head back to New Orleans soon, but will leave a detachment here to make the transition to Spanish rule. Baton Rouge is a lovely place to honeymoon.” Gálvez fished a key from his pocket and handed it over. “A wedding gift from me and Felicité. This goes to a home I just
purchased. It has a number of bedrooms in need of children.”

Lorenzo laughed. “You are wicked, sir.”

Gálvez tugged on his jacket sleeve and tried to look offended. “I found Eugenie homeless on the streets of New Orleans and now I leave her to your care. I could not be happier.” Gálvez gave Lorenzo a Spanish-style hug. “Go back to your bride.”

Lorenzo did.

“What was that about?” Eugenie asked.

“The colonel gave us a house.”

“He could have done that in my presence.” Eugenie eyed the colonel suspiciously as he strolled away. “He's up to something. What devious plot is he hatching this time?”

“You won't believe it,” Lorenzo said. “Baton Rouge was just the beginning.”

Fort New Richmond overlooked the Baton Rouge waterfront and stood south of present-day Pentagon Barracks at the intersection of Spanish Town Road and Lafayette Street. The Indian mounds where Gálvez placed his cannon battery were located near North Boulevard.

While in Baton Rouge, Gálvez stayed in a frame building known as the Spanish Commandant's House. It was formerly at 727 Lafayette Street.

Charles Peel's fiancée, Anne, is a fictional character. Her story is based on the unfortunate death of Jane McCrea, a young woman engaged to a British soldier. She was murdered and scalped by Indians, allies of the British. Her death shocked the colonists and rallied many to the cause of the Revolution.

Lorenzo's next adventure takes place on the high seas and is tentatively titled
Lorenzo's Pirate
. Colonel Gálvez attacks Mobile in 1780 and forges on to Pensacola in 1781.