Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom

praise of a superior. “My lord…may I only continue to prove worthy of
such sentiments.”
The two men talked about business for the rest of their afternoon
and evening together. Beckett realized that Penwallow was a shrewd
man, capable of adding large columns of figures in his head, and
deriving percentages without pen and paper. Unlike many other highlevel
EITC officials Beckett had met, he seemed honest in his
dealings, if not particularly insightful or creative. He was also, judging
by the way he went on and on about them, a devoted family man.
Cutler Beckett had learned long ago that personal information
about one’s associates (especially one’s superiors) often proved very
useful. So he asked many questions about Penwallow’s family. The
older man, pleased at his genuine interest (which he erroneously
perceived to be good-humored and harmless) told his subordinate all
about his beautiful estate in Surrey, and then the sugar plantation he’d
recently purchased on the island of New Avalon, just north of Cuba. He
happily produced ivory miniatures of his wife, the Lady Hortense, and
his children, Anna and Frederick—plus Anna’s children, Sally, Marvin,
and Christopher.
It was clear that Penwallow’s twenty-three-year-old son, Frederick,
was the apple of his eye. The viscount went on and on about
Frederick’s good looks and his skill at riding to hounds, and he
genially confided to Beckett that his son was considered one of the
most eligible bachelors in England.
By the time Penwallow finally ran down about his family, and how
much he missed his home, Cutler Beckett knew a great deal about
him. He knew, for example, that Penwallow was no more than a social
drinker. He’d never indulged to the point of embarrassing himself. Nor
had he pinched any of the attractive housemaids or leered at any of the
young wives he’d been introduced to. So…he wasn’t a drunk, nor a
ladies’ man.
But…it was clear that Penwallow dearly enjoyed the occasional
game of chance. Beckett resolved to organize a “gentlemen’s
gathering” in honor of His Lordship’s visit, so he’d be able to gauge
His Lordship’s skill at cards, dice, and so forth.
Beckett also realized that Lord Penwallow might well be his ticket