But the
truth is that the lingering remains of the regard in which he had
held Peter Blood were choked by the desire to supplant and destroy
a rival. He had passed his word to Arabella that he would use his
powerful influence on Blood's behalf. I deplore to set it down that
not only did he forget his pledge, but secretly set himself to aid
and abet Arabella's uncle in the plans he laid for the trapping and
undoing of the buccaneer. He might reasonably have urged - had he
been taxed with it - that he conducted himself precisely as his duty
demanded. But to that he might have been answered that duty with him
was but the slave of jealousy in this.
When the Jamaica fleet put to sea some few days later, Lord Julian
sailed with Colonel Bishop in Vice-Admiral Craufurd's flagship.
Not only was there no need for either of them to go, but the
Deputy-Governor's duties actually demanded that he should remain
ashore, whilst Lord Julian, as we know, was a useless man aboard a
ship. Yet both set out to hunt Captain Blood, each making of his
duty a pretext for the satisfaction of personal aims; and that
common purpose became a link between them, binding them in a sort
of friendship that must otherwise have been impossible between men
so dissimilar in breeding and in aspirations.
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