Dudley Pope: Ramage At Trafalgar

Treffry Hall for when the children were young: that was certain, and certainly for Sarah if she was widowed. But St Kew went with the earldom, and the Ramage family had roots in the St Kew countryside going back many generations. Centuries, in fact, and one did not cast them away lightly. For fifty miles around St Kew, the Earl of Blazey represented everything to the people: the man they went to for help when they had money troubles; the man they appealed to for justice; the man who could (if it was at all possible) get things done in far-off London. This was where noblesse oblige gave a hefty tug: yes, the Ramage family owned a vast estate, but living in the village on that estate were scores of people who considered the earl (whatever century it was) to be their guardian: a sort of father who saw they were protected against everything from highwaymen to unjust eviction, and who made sure the rent collector called with extra food and a bottle of wine when there was illness in the house, and put a special tick against their names in the "Paid" column of the rent book and far from taking a penny made sure on the earl's behalf that there was enough money in the house.

Treffry Hall or St Kew . . . what a choice to have to make!

"Do I have to choose now?" he asked his father.

"You don't have to choose at all," the admiral said. "It's not a case of one or the other, although I'd like to know something about the St Kew land. But don't forget the marquis . . . It's all right while you are alive and living in England, but supposing I've gone and something happens to you and then the marquis passes on. Sarah will inherit from you and from him. She's the only child - and God knows how many square miles he owns! Three estates, Rockley, St Kew and Treffry Hall. Going it a bit strong, even if you're still alive, retired from the Navy and rumbling away in the Lords demanding new laws against poachers! Especially if this fellow Pitt brings in any more of his fancy taxes."

"I'd forgotten the Marquis of Rockley," Ramage admitted, "but it's difficult talking to Sarah about what happens when her father dies ..."

"And that's how lawyers grow rich and so many judges sit on the probate bench. Face up to death when you're young, my lad; it doesn't have such a frightening face as when you're my age," the admiral said. "Anyway, talk it over with Sarah, and plan for a big family, but let me know what you've decided before you leave: I really must get this new will settled: your mother is particularly fussed about all the Ramage jewellery - she wants to make sure Sarah gets it without lawyer scrapping."

"Very well," Ramage said, "but Sarah's not going to like it: the prospect of father- and mother-in-law, husband and father and mother all dying on her!"

"I'm sure none of us are in any hurry to go," the earl said, "but while you are at Lloyd's, just inquire if any underwriter will insure your life while you're serving at sea commanding one of the King's ships. You're not a good risk!"

"Let's change the subject. Who will be at this damned Lloyd's Patriotic Fund presentation?"

"You're going to be surprised. First the usual Lloyd's people - the Master and Committee, and various folk from the City. I hear the Lord Mayor is attending and that's quite an honour. You're the famous young frigate captain. You with the little ships, Nelson with the big fleets!"

"Sarah's father and mother are coming," Ramage said, adding with a laugh: "Between you, the fathers will probably bring along a quarter of the House of Lords."

"All those whose opinions matter, anyway," the earl growled contentedly. "For years your Gazette letters were the only good news they had to read. Anyway, I hear the Admiralty will be well represented."

That was a surprise: the Admiralty's attitude towards the Patriotic Fund swords of honour presented by Lloyd's was hard to understand. It acted as though jealous because it had nothing of its own to present to deserving officers, but at the same time its view was that officers were only doing their duty and therefore needed no presentation swords. However, despite this dog-in-the-manger attitude they could not afford to offend the Committee of Lloyd's which, apart from anything else, organized the sailings of all convoys.

"Who can we expect from the Admiralty? Is Mr Secretary Marsden taking a day off from attending to the Board's affairs?"

"He might be; I don't know. But I met the new First Lord, Barham, in the House yesterday and he said he'd never met you but would be there - curious, I think. Having Lord St Vincent applauding should also satisfy you: he told me he hoped to come. Probably the only sign of praise you'll ever get from him," the earl added. "And Lord Nelson's just arrived in Town and tells me he will be there - with Lady Hamilton, I fear."

"So he's back in England after that long chase . . . Well, don't be too critical of the lady," Ramage said. "If she inspired him at the Nile and then Copenhagen, I don't care if she has two heads and three legs . . . after all, but for him Sir John Jervis would have had a miserable defeat at Cape St Vincent, not a victory, so he wouldn't have received an earldom and a name to go with it . . ."

"I know, I know," the earl said, "and St Vincent knows it, too. He's tried to pay off that debt by pushing Nelson: command for the Nile, then Copenhagen . . ."

"Copenhagen?" Ramage said sarcastically, an eyebrow raised. "Surely My Lord St Vincent guarded himself by putting that nincompoop Hyde Parker in command - and Parker's nervousness and limp hand nearly lost the day!"

"Be fair, be fair," the earl chided. "I know you have no very high opinion of Lord St Vincent after the battle which gained him the earldom, but at Copenhagen he knew Nelson as second-in-command would twist Hyde Parker round his little finger, if necessary - as indeed he did, and won a fantastic victory."

"Then why not have the courage to put Nelson in complete command from the start? Hyde Parker wasted days fiddling about off Elsinore when he should have been down to the south at Copenhagen. After all those luxurious years of West Indian sun and blue seas, the dark nights and cold green seas of the Cattegat frightened him."

. The old admiral laughed and started to fill his pipe. "You're not going to get me into that argument again. Anyway, now St Vincent is out and Middleton is in as First Lord, created Lord Barham for the purpose, perhaps things will be different. I've known him for most of my life as Charles Middleton, and it's difficult to remember he was recently ennobled."

"What sort of man is he?"

The earl shrugged. "About fourteenth on the list of admirals of the white, just below Duncan and just above St Vincent. In his eighties now, but a very good organizer and clear-headed: apparently he has shaken up the Admiralty Office - it needed it. Everyone's precise task is now written down; clerks have to be at their desks by ten o'clock; even sea lords arrive earlier. Barham himself is usually at work by daybreak."

"Sounds a welcome change," Ramage commented. "Those clerks for the most part are a crowd of insolent time-servers - sons of creditors, tailors' nephews, friends of cousins, and so on. "

"Ah, Lord Nelson," the earl exclaimed, "I nearly forgot. He's in Town from Merton for only three or four days, staying at Lady Hamilton's place in Clarges Street, and he asks that you call on him. Seeing him at Clarges Street will save you from going all the way down to Merton."

"Did he give you any idea what he wants to see me about?" Ramage asked cautiously. "From what the newspapers say, I should think that now he's back everyone in London wants to shake his hand and give him dinner ..."

"That's exactly why, if I were you, I'd send Raven round to Clarges Street at once to suggest a day and time."

Sarah came into the room at that moment. "Who lives in Clarges Street?" she asked. "Oh yes, that wretched man Charles James Fox, if I remember rightly. I went to his house one day with father and mother. And doesn't Lord Nelson's friend have a house at the other end?"