Free The Silver Swan by Kelly Gardiner Page B

was lying on the quaystones and there was blood everywhere, but nothing seemed to hurt very much. Someone was gasping and gulping nearby. I sat up.
    Uncle Ebenezer was sprawled on his face next to me. I crawled to him.
    â€˜Uncle?’ I slowly turned him over to face me. There was a bloody mess down his left side.
    The muzzle of Papa’s pistol nudged me aside and pointed at Ebenezer’s face.
    â€˜Never threaten a Swann,’ said Papa. ‘We bite back.’
    â€˜You’ve winged him, that’s for sure,’ said Miller, shocked.
    French guards shouted down from the bastion. Again, Papa called up to them in French.
    â€˜What did you tell them?’ said Miller. He didn’t trust anyone now.
    â€˜That we’d been frightened by a rat and one of my imbecile men had shot at it.’
    â€˜That’s all?’
    â€˜They asked for the password and I made one up: Bonaparte,’ said Papa. ‘Happily, they are so predictable that it worked.’
    My uncle waved a hand to indicate that he had dropped his guns. Papa stuck his own pistols back into his belt, but drew his sword.
    â€˜Blood ties are stronger than patriotism, Ebenezer,’ said Papa. ‘You must know that.’
    â€˜I understand,’ said my uncle. ‘But my blood ties are to Malta.’
    â€˜I’m afraid it has clouded your judgement,’ said Papa.
    â€˜Stop it!’ I protested, still not quite able to believe what had happened. I stood face to face with my father. ‘Ebenezer is part of our family.’
    Papa snorted. ‘Fine family loyalty indeed, threatening to shoot you.’
    My blood seemed to be pounding up through my throat and into my head, as my anger grew. ‘What would you know about family loyalty?’
    â€˜I beg your pardon?’ Papa looked for a moment as if he might slap me, but I didn’t care.
    â€˜All those years we got along perfectly well without you, Papa. But now you’re home you think you rule the roost. Well, you’re wrong.’ I pushed him aside, and kneeled down beside my uncle.
    â€˜We’ve all had enough of your family for one night,’ said Moggia. ‘Let’s go.’
    â€˜We can’t leave him here,’ I said.
    â€˜Too right,’ said Jem. ‘He might call the guards. They’ll be alert now, after that gunshot.’
    â€˜He might die.’
    â€˜He would have killed you, sure enough,’ said Gideon.
    I gazed into Ebenezer’s pale face. ‘You wouldn’t have, Uncle, would you?’
    He smiled weakly. ‘I don’t suppose I could have.’
    â€˜See?’ I got to my feet and looked around at the boys. ‘We’ll pick him up on the way back.’
    My father laid the point of his sword gently against Ebenezer’s bare throat. ‘Do I have your word that you won’t call the guards?’
    â€˜I would not betray you, brother. I only wanted to stop you myself.’
    Papa nodded abruptly. ‘I understand. But you cannot stand in our way.’
    â€˜Clearly.’
    Uncle Ebenezer sagged back against the pebbly ground. ‘I will wait for you here, but I’m afraid you won’t get very far.’
    Papa motioned at Gideon. ‘Give me a hand. We’ll have to hide him in the shadows.’ They grabbed Ebenezer under the arms and dragged him close to the foot of the wall. His legs flopped and his feet draggled through the dust like a rag doll. Papa propped him up, sitting against the wall. His head sagged down, and the blood-red stain on his waistcoat seeped further across his chest.
    â€˜He’s not going anywhere,’ Miller murmured.
    â€˜Come on, lads,’ said Jem. ‘We’ve wasted enough time.’
    The boys trudged forward to the dark tunnel entrance with Miller in the lead, his cutlass drawn. I followed with Papa, casting one last look back at my uncle, where he lay unconscious against the stones.
    Inside the gate, Jem