A guard on lookout duty came into the office of Don Antonio. “Sir, I believe there are some smugglers approaching the city,” he said.

“If they are smugglers, they are probably British,” Don Antonio said evenly.

“Do you want me to send some ships or some troops after them?” The guard asked.

“Not for the moment,” Don Antonio said. “It would be better for you to lie in wait and see when they are distracted by trying to load up their ships and leave, and then you can catch them in the act of smuggling.”

“Yes, sir,” the guard said, turning and leaving.

Given that he thought they were smugglers, Don Antonio paid the initial report no mind. A few hours later, though, the same guard returned to him.

“Sir, it does not appear that these men were smugglers at all,” the guard exclaimed.

“What have you seen?” Don Antonio asked.

“I have seen a couple hundred or so British depart a few boats on this island and make their way towards the city, creeping privately and making sure not to be ambushed,” the guard said.

“Let us sound the alarm, but there is no need to attack, only to let the British know that we see them,” Don Antonio said.

The fortress sprang into action, as trumpets were sounded and before too long hundreds of Spanish soldiers were looking out over the fortress and city walls towards the place where the British were waiting. At first, the British were concerned that with their cover blown, there would be a fierce battle, as they were hoping to catch the Spaniards by surprise. Yet this did not happen. The British made it clear that they were ready to engage in a siege, at least for the moment, and the Spanish made no aggressive moves on the English troops, despite outnumbering them almost 3 to 1.

“Summon Mr. Woods to me,” Don Antonio said to one of his aides, who rushed off to Mr. Woods’ quarters, and before too long, brought the Englishman to him.

“Your countrymen have come,” Don Antonio said mildly.

“I gathered that something like that had happened from the sound of the trumpets,” Robert replied calmly.

“I would like you to do a favor for me,” Don Antonio asked.

“And what is that?” Robert asked.

“I want you to go to the top of this fortress, borrow a spyglass from one of the guards there, and to see if you can identify any of the British who are investing the city, to see if a message can be sent to them to communicate some of the important matters, including your own well-being,” Don Antonio replied.

“What if the guard does not believe me?” Robert asked, observantly.

“I will send one of my aides with you so that they know this is from my own command,” Don Antonio said.

“Very well then,” Robert replied. “I will go and see if I can identify anyone, then.”

Robert and an aid walked to a tower and looked out past the city walls and saw the English forces, clearly irregular from what Robert could determine, having occupied Fort Montagu, near the city. He took a looking glass and conspicuously looked out over the soldiers, seeing if he could identify any of them. There were a couple of them he was able to identify, and he brought to mind who they were before returning with the aide to the office of the governor.

“Well?” Don Antonio asked.

“I do not know any of the officers there very well personally, I must admit,” Robert began. “But I do recognize a couple of them as officers I have seen in the course of my own duties. One of the people I recognize is Daniel Wheeler, a loyalist officer I have sometimes seen, and the one in overall command of the operation is one Andrew Deveaux, who is a South Carolina loyalist I am also slightly familiar with, having seen him during my own operations.”

“I think it would be worthwhile to arrange a ceasefire and see what can be negotiated with them,” Don Antonio said.

“By all means, if you wish for this to happen, I am sure he would deal honorably with you,” Robert replied.

“I would like you to be my messenger in parleys with the English,” Don Antonio asked. “You not only speak English and would be able to deal with them, but you are also someone that they are greatly interested in.”

“I am sure you will have someone close to me whom you trust so that you can ensure that everything is going on as you would wish,” Robert said mildly.

“I will send one of my officers with you who can speak English,” Don Antonio agreed.

“Very well, then,” Robert replied, resigned to engaging in some odd and complex negotiations, though he would have preferred to have done so previously had he been given the chance. With an English-speaking officer in tow, Robert calmly walked out of the citadel and then out of the city, to convene with the English forces under a flag of truce. When he walked out, the soldiers were surprised to see an Englishman coming out to see them.

“Don Antonio Claraco Sauz, governor of the Bahamas on behalf of His Royal Majesty, the King of Spain, seeks to parlay with the troops. Who is qualified to speak on behalf of the forces here?” Robert asked politely.

“I, Andrew Deveaux, will speak for the troops, and I request to bring along Daniel Wheeler, who heads a volunteer contingent,” Andrew replied.

“Very well then,” Robert said. “Let negotiations begin.”

“Who are you?” Andrew asked.

“I am Robert Woods, esquire, an Englishman who had been left here by the previous administration, serving as an ad hoc messenger for the Spanish governor,” Robert replied calmly.,

“Ay, so it is you,” Andrew said. “You have not turned renegade on us, have you?”

“Not at all,” Robert said. “Currently I may eat the food of the Spanish king, but I do so as a guest who has not been allowed to leave Nassau.”

“I imagine you can guess what we want,” Andrew said. “We are here to retake Nassau for Great Britain.”

“Yes, I figured that was the case,” Robert said politely. “Don Antonio requests a ceasefire for the moment.”

“He does?” Andrew asked.

“Yes,” Robert replied.

“I see no reason not to agree to one for the moment,” Andrew said. “Is there any news that you have to report to us?”

“There is, in fact,” Robert said mildly.

“What news is that?” Andrew asked.

“I have heard, admittedly second hand, that the Spanish and British have agreed to preliminary agreements to swap East Florida for the Bahamas, so that this land is to return to British rule while the British are to evacuate Saint Augustine,” Robert replied.

“Is that so?” Andrew asked.

“Yes, the news is apparently very fresh. I am not sure if you have heard it yet,” Robert replied.

“I have heard nothing of it,” Andrew admitted.

“Perhaps it would be good for someone to return to Saint Augustine and make sure that the British people there are prepared to pack their belongings and return to other British colonies,” Robert suggested.

“I think that can be better done after we have secured this place,” Andrew replied. “Surely you cannot object to that.”

“I do not object to that personally. I merely speak for Don Antonio that he wants to ensure the well-being of the soldiers under his command,” Robert replied.

“Is that why he sent you out to us, to make sure that we knew you were alive, so that there was no bloodshed that might endanger your own safety?” Andrew asked.

“I believe that to be the case, yes,” Robert admitted.

“Very well then, you can communicate to Don Antonio that we will not subject his garrison to any violence so long as you suffer none yourself,” Andrew agreed.

“I will happily tell him that,” Robert said. And with a polite bow, the two of them returned from parlaying to their troops.

“Is it not irregular for a governor to send a foreign national under house arrest as an envoy to a parlay such as this?” Daniel asked Andrew.

“It is irregular, indeed,” Andrew admitted. “But Mr. Woods has always been the sort of man who could be entrusted with delicate and complicated tasks. I am glad to see that the governor has made some use of him. It would have been far less pleasant to make a deal with a self-important Spaniard.”

“You are sure that he has not abandoned our cause?” Daniel asked.

“I am sure of it. I am also sure that, for whatever reason, the Spanish seem to view him as a person of some importance, which suggests that they may know who he is. I want you to be aware that it is in our best interests to ensure that no harm comes to Mr. Woods,” Andrew commented.

“Why is that?” Daniel asked.

“That man, whom you saw as a semi-prisoner and envoy, is Viscount Lipton. His grandfather has died, and he is the heir of the titles and estates of the late Viscount,” Andrew commented. “I had dinner recently with his mother and stepfather.”

“I was unaware of this news, or that Mr. Woods was a person of importance,” Daniel said.

“He does not obviously look like an important person, but do not be deceived by appearances,” Andrew replied. “If we were to act in a rash manner and he ended up suffering as a result, it could be a fatal mistake. It is in our interests to do as the Spanish have done, and make sure he stays well, even if he is confined for the moment. When we receive this fortress at the hand of the Spaniards, he will be informed of his status and will likely be able to set off before too long to England to take up his life as a titled aristocrat.”

“Well, I’ll be,” Daniel said. “I really had no idea that this man was more important than any other Englishman.”

The ceasefire having been established, Don Antonio was able to relax for a while. The next day, though, Andrew sent notice that the ceasefire was over, and with that news, Don Antonio recalled his troops from the city walls of Nassau and confined them to the citadel. There Robert remained too in some kind of house arrest. Within two days, though, the two were able to work out the appropriate surrender documents, the Spanish scuttled what ships they could, and the British forces under Deveaux were able to take over Nassau and with it, legal control over the entire Bahamas, much of which had remained under British rule despite the Spanish control of New Providence itself. Deveaux was sure not to give any problems to the Spanish troops that had surrendered, knowing that it was in everyone’s interests that there be no humiliation or abuse of such prisoners. They were soon sent to Havana.

With much pleasure, Andrew was able to speak to Robert once again as one Englishman to another.

“It is my pleasure to announce that you are a free man,” Andrew said.

“I am glad of it. I have been a prisoner for too long,” Robert said.

“I cannot believe you were ever left behind to begin with,” Andrew said. “I hope the mistake is never repeated.”

“I hope not as well,” Robert admitted.

“I do have some news to give you,” Andrew replied.

“And what news is that?” Robert asked.

“It has been reported that you are to be the next Viscount Lipton. Your grandfather died months ago, but I imagine the news of it has yet to reach you,” Andrew said.

“I would have liked to have talked to the old man before he died,” Robert admitted. “I have not received any news from Lipton House in all my confinement.”

“That is hardly a surprise,” Andrew replied.

“No, it is no surprise at all,” Robert admitted.

“I hope you get word soon,” Andrew said.

“I do as well,” Robert replied.