Colonel Maxwell took a deep breath and stood up abruptly. "So you failed to free Captain Windrush."
"Yes, sir," Jack said.
"Yet you were in the very house he was detained, you tell me, and there were no guards between you and him."
"Yes, sir."
Maxwell cut the end off a cheroot, lit it carefully with a candle and inhaled. "You had better tell me what happened."
"Riley and I got into the house, sir…" Jack explained the situation and William"s response. Maxwell leaned back in his chair, listening, smoking and saying nothing until Jack finished.
Only then did Maxwell nod. "Short of cracking him over the head and carrying him out, Windrush, I can"t think what else you could have done."
"Thank you, sir." Jack felt overwhelming relief.
"Of course," Maxwell said, "we can never let this out
