Alexander Kent - Sloop Of War

"I was somewhat surprised to see your name affixed to the report." The admiral's eyes were fastened on the claret, as if daring the servant to spill even a drip." You say in it that Ransome died of fever." He took a glass and examined it critically." Damn good job, if you ask me. Young popinjay. Too much money and no damn integrity." Ransome disposed of he continued calmly, "] expect you're concerned about the change of plans, eh?"

Bolitho felt a chair nudge the back of his legs and realised the silent servant had somehow managed to arrange a glass of claret on a small table, fetch a chairs and all without apparently moving or uttering a sound?

The admiral scowled." Take no notice. The man's a fool." He added sharply, "Well?"

Bolitho replied, "I was expecting to…"

Rear-Admiral Christie interrupted, "Yes. I imagine you were." He paused, his head on one side like an irritable bird." The claret. Well?"

"Very good, Sir Evelyn."

"Hmm." The admiral seated himself carefully on a gilt chair." Took it off a blockade runner last month? Palatable."

Something metallic crashed across a deck beyond the bulkhead and he snapped savagely, "Go and tell the officer of the watch, with my compliments, that if] hear one more unseemly sound during this interview] will personally take him to task!"

The servant fled from the cabin and the admiral gave a slow smile?

"Keep them jumping. That's the answer. Don't give 'em too much time to think."

In the very next breath he changed the tack ye?

again?

"Fact is, Bolitho, things are not going too well. Thank God you at least are a man who knows how to abide by the letter of his orders. In your place I might have said to hell with waiting around for some damn patrol to find out what was happening. I might even have gone so far as to take those transports direct to the army?

Bolitho stiffened. It sounded genuine enough, but perhaps the admiral was merely hinting at a criticism? Maybe he thought he should have made straight for the exact rendezvous, used his initiative instead of acting as he had?

The admiral's next words changed that?

"You were not to know, of course, but the army is in the process of evacuating Philadelphia. Failing back.l He looked down at the empty glass." Sounds better than a retreat, but it amounts to the same?

Bolitho was stunned. Reverses he could accept? This war was so extended, the areas so vast and little known, that no plan of battle of the old style could be expected. But to quit Philadelphia, the vital command

garrison of the Delaware, was unthinkable. In spite ob his caution he said, "Surely that was unnecessary, sirt I thought we had destroyed all the American forts and outposts on the Delaware last year."

The admiral eyed him shrewdly." That was last years before Burgoyne surrendered at Saratoga. The whole of this area is overrun with bands of raiders and enema informers." He threw open the chart." With ma squadron I must patrol and keep watch over the whole three hundred miles of coastline, from New York down to Cape Henry on Chesapeake Bay. It is a labyrinth? Inlets and rivers, coves and hiding places where you could fail to sight a three-decker at a mile's range. And every day the sea teems with shipping. From the norths and as far south as the Spanish Main and Caribbean? Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish, and most of'em intent on slipping past my patrols with stores and guns for the enemy?

He poured two more glasses of claret?

"However, now that you have brought these despatches we are aware of the extent of our dangers? The French are out in the open at last. I have already sent word to the Commander-in-Chief and all senior officers here."

He smiled." You did well, Bolitho. No one could have expected so newly appointed a commander to act as you did."

"Thank you, sir."

Bolitho thrust away the opposite side of the picture. Ifhe had sailed with the rich transports into an enema trap, the admiral would have spoken very differently?

"Pity about Miranda. We are cruelly short ob frigates."

"About the Bonaventure, sir, I was wondering…"

"You are a man who does a lot of wondering." The admiral continued to smile." Not too bad a fault in some. I knew your father. I hope he is well?" He did not wait for or expect an answer. He hurried on, "I am drafting fresh orders for you. The military, in their hastes unfortunately allowed an headquarters company to become lost." He added dryly, "Between ourselves, Is too, have done a certain amount of wondering. About some of our military colleagues ashore. Some, or so it would appear, did not obtain the necessary brains to match their appointments."

He gave an elaborate sigh." But then, who am I to judge? We are fortunate. We carry our homes, our manner of existence, around with us like sea-turtles. It is hard to compare that with some wretched infantryman, loaded down with pack and muskets footsore and half starved. He has to contend with living off the land, fighting shadows, being shot at by American woodsmen as well as coming to grips with well-trained troops."

Bolitho watched him curiously. On the face of it the admiral was nothing out of the ordinary, no more than you would expect of one backed up by his power and authority. But his features certainly hid a razor-sharp mind, the way he could throw it around from one aspect to the next without losing sight of anything?

"What about the Bonaventure, by the way?"

"She's big and fast, sir." Bolitho readjusted his mind again." At least forty guns and well handled. I am sure she was the one which followed us, yet was well able to outsail us when the time came." He waited, but the admiral's face was a mask." A match for any frigate."

"Point taken. I will make inquiries about her pedigree." He opened his watch." I want you to sai"

today and find that missing company of foot-soldiers before they are captured."

Bolitho stared at him." But, sir, I have my orders."

"Ah, yes." He bobbed his head." Now you have mine, eh?"

Bolitho sank back in the chair, "Yes, sir."

"I neglected to mention that the soldiers are transporting gold bullion. God knows the exact amounts I find it difficult on occasions to crack the military mind into precise details. But it is a great deal. Fortunes ob war, army pay, booty, whatever it is, you may be sure it is valuable." He smiled." It has a complete general with it!"

Bolitho swallowed the claret in one gulp?

"A general, sir?"

"No less. Take care, he is well connected, and not given to much tolerance." He continued evenly, "Your arrival is a godsend. I have only one small brig available, and I was loath to send her."

Bolitho stayed silent. Lose her, was probably wha?

he really meant?

"Arrangements have been made for some arma scouts to accompany you, and a small detachment is already trying to make contact with the missing company." He paused before saying quietly, "You will be under the instruction of one Colonel Foley. He knows the area well, so you must abide by his experience."

"I understand, sir."

"Good. I will have your written orders sent to you without delay." Another glance at the watch." I will expect you to be ready to weigh before dusk."

"May I ask where I am to go, sir?"

"You may not. It will be clear in your orders. I do not want the whole of New York to learn of it yet. General Washington has many friends here, just as we have many who are waiting to change sides if things go badly for us."

He held out his hand. It was over?

"Take care, Bolitho, England will need all her sons if she is to survive, let alone win this damn war. But if yo?

succeed in this venture you will be more than able to face whatever lies ahead. You can rejoin your own squadron with much more than seniority to your credit."