Part 8 (1/2)

He stood up and walked to the stern windows. There was a slow, hot wind across Ma.s.sachusetts Bay and the sky was slashed by thin, pink clouds. How inviting the sea looked.

Fane was saying, 'It might take a few months to settle, but what of that? The French will not insist on immediate occupation of the island. It will give all of us time.'

Bolitho suddenly saw a naval brig turning into the wind, her anchor splas.h.i.+ng down even as her sails were smartly furled at their yards. The ensign which licked out from her gaff was the same as the one at Achates' Achates' taffrail. taffrail.

He replied, 'His Majesty's Government has entrusted me with the task of handing over the island, sir. None of us wants an uprising, especially now that the West Indies are recovering from the war.'

A boat had been dropped from the brig and was already speeding across the water towards the flags.h.i.+p.

Bolitho felt a nerve jump in his throat. What was it? News from home already, could it be . . . ?'

He forced himself to face the others, his eyes almost blind in the cabin's shady interior.

'I shall send a letter to your President. I appreciate very much what he is trying to do - ' He broke off and turned sharply as Ozzard murmured, 'It's the captain, sir.'

Keen stood in the doorway, his hat jammed beneath his arm.

'Please forgive this interruption, sir.' He glanced at the others. 'The commander of the brig Electra Electra is come aboard. He has news for you, sir.” His eyes were pleading. 'Very serious news.' is come aboard. He has news for you, sir.” His eyes were pleading. 'Very serious news.'

Bolitho nodded. 'I'll not be long, gentlemen.'

He followed Keen from the cabin and saw a young officer waiting by the chart room.

Keen said tightly, 'This is Commander Napier, sir.'

Bolitho looked at him impa.s.sively. 'Tell me.”

Napier swallowed hard. Electra Electra was his first command, and he had never spoken with a vice-admiral before. was his first command, and he had never spoken with a vice-admiral before.

'I was on pa.s.sage to the south'rd when I sighted an American brig. She signalled for a.s.sistance, and when I boarded her I found her to be carrying British seamen.' He flinched under Bolitho's gaze. 'They were survivors.'

Bolitho saw Keen's face, he looked pale in spite of the sun.

The commander added quietly, 'From Sparrowhawk, Sparrowhawk, sir.' sir.'

Bolitho clenched his hands together behind him to control his sense of shock. In his heart he had nursed a dread that something had happened to the little frigate. A storm, a reef, or one of a dozen disasters which can befall a s.h.i.+p sailing alone.

Napier continued, 'She was attacked, sir. A two-decker to all accounts, although - Bolitho could see it as if he had been there himself. Just as their attacker had fired on Achates. Achates. Without warning, except that this time her victim had been hopelessly outgunned even if Duncan had been expecting trouble. Without warning, except that this time her victim had been hopelessly outgunned even if Duncan had been expecting trouble.

'How many?'

Again the young commander could barely speak above a murmur.

'Twenty-five, sir, and some of those are in a poor way.'

Bolitho felt his skin go cold. Twenty-five, out of a company which had numbered two hundred souls.

'Any officers?' He barely recognized his own voice.

'None, sir. Just a mids.h.i.+pman. First commission too.'

Bolitho eyed him bitterly. Duncan had perished with his s.h.i.+p. He could picture him without effort. Duncan had even been to his wedding at Falmouth. A good man, strong and reliable.

It was impossible. A nightmare.

The commander took his silence for displeasure and hurried on, 'The mids.h.i.+pman said that the third lieutenant was in another boat but was badly wounded in the face and neck by splinters. During the night the boats drifted apart, and then the sharks came.' He looked at the deck.

'Bring the mids.h.i.+pman to me.' He saw his hesitation. 'Is he wounded?'

'No, sir.'

Keen said shortly, 'See to it.'

As the commander hurried away Bolitho said, 'Send word to my flag-lieutenant. He must return at once. Fast horse, anything.'

Keen stared at him. 'It was was the same s.h.i.+p, wasn't it, sir?' the same s.h.i.+p, wasn't it, sir?'

'I'm certain of it.' He eyed him steadily. 'Ask the surgeon to help with the wounded. The rest of Sparrowhawk Sparrowhawk's people can be signed on to your books. I want them to be with us when we run that butcher to earth!'

Bolitho strode aft to the cabin. He knew he must look different in some way. Chase had a gla.s.s poised in the air, Ozzard was frozen in the act of refilling it. Fane's eyes followed him to the stern windows before he asked, 'Bad news, Admiral?”

Bolitho looked at him and tried to fight the sudden all-consuming anger which coursed through him like fire.

'I am leaving harbour as soon as all my people are aboard.'

Chase s.h.i.+fted in his chair as if to see him better.

'Not waiting for your frigate after all?'

Bolitho shook his head.

'I'm heartily sick of waiting.'

He saw the brig's boat going alongside again. It was cruel to send for the young mids.h.i.+pman after what he had endured. But he had to know everything the boy could tell him.

He said quietly, 'Sparrowhawk 'Sparrowhawk's been sunk.'

He heard Chase's quick intake of breath.

Bolitho added, 'So you see, gentlemen, there may be thunder before we can settle things to everyone's to everyone's satisfaction.' satisfaction.'

6.

No Easy Way.

Captain Valentine Keen sat with legs crossed on one of Bolitho's chairs and watched his superior as he read through a despatch for the Admiralty. It would be put aboard the brig Electra Electra and eventually be transferred to a fleet-courier so that it would be completely out-of-date by the time Admiral Sheaffe was able to examine it. and eventually be transferred to a fleet-courier so that it would be completely out-of-date by the time Admiral Sheaffe was able to examine it.