Lord John Grey makes it to Havana in Besieged Section 3. As usual, Tom Byrd is well prepared.
I love that we continue to see how prepared Tom Byrd is in this chapter. When he initially came on as valet, he didn’t seem all that prepared or knowledgeable. At least, I didn’t think he seemed that much well-versed. John gave him a chance, and the man has done outstanding work.
Breaking down Besieged Section 3
We start off with John, Tom, Azeel, and Rodrigo making it to the dock. There’s an initial discussion of a slave ship. Rodrigo explains that Azeel was brought to Jamaica on a slave ship. That was the last time she saw a ship, and seeing one now is bringing back those awful memories. We’re caught up on how Azeel is no longer a slave. John made sure that she was rewarded for her help in bringing down the slave rebellion. My heart goes out to her, though. That trauma is long-lasting, and it’s understandable why.
Once they talk to Lieutenant Rimes, who will be in charge of the voyage, John learns that he is not going to Havana under any official standing. He will head there as a guest. It’s best to do it this way as the English and Spanish are at war, and Havana is under Spanish control.
This is a little daunting for John. Tom has his back, though, knowing that John would need his full dress uniform.
When there, things go pretty smoothly at the docks. John is able to get escorted to where his mother is staying. It certainly looks like he is just there to visit her.
It takes some time to find her, but when he does, he tells her that she and Olivia need to leave. It’s clear that Benedicta knew something was coming. This is a woman who is always observant of the events around her. It isn’t all that surprising to find out that she was ready to have to leave at a moment’s notice. She just didn’t expect that it would be John coming to get her.
What is clear in all of this is that Stanley downplayed a lot. John is sure going to be angry at Stanley for this, but he needs to get through the current situation first.
Could this section be used in an adaptation?
We need to see John find his mother in Havana, so that part of Besieged would need to be used in an adaptation. I would love to see Benedicta’s attitude to John being there. She is never surprised by her sons, just taking everything in her stride.
What I’m curious about is whether we’ll get the bit with Azeel at the ship. I would love to have that part included if there was ever an adaptation. We need that stark reminder of what the slave ships were like. We need to see that the trauma of what she saw as a young girl still lives with her. It’s not just what she saw then, either. That was just the start of so much bad that happened afterward, and I would love to see how that is shown on the screen. It’s important; especially in this climate.
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