Alexander Kent - Man of War

"Take care, David." He had spoken aloud. "For God's sake, be careful! "

"You called for me, sir?"

Adam clambered down to the deck and saw Stirling 's eyes move briefly to the stains on his breeches.

"They're heating shot. They must have sighted us earlier than we thought."

Stirling almost shrugged. "Or been warned, sir."

Adam swung round as a seaman shouted, "Audacity's been hit! " He was shaking his fist in the air, as if he could see every detail.

Adam raised the heavy telescope again and watched as Audacity's fore topmast tilted toward her bows, and then, as the rigging snapped, gathered speed down and over the side like a broken wing.

At best it would slow her down. At worst… In his mind he could still see the clouds of insects above the line of trees.

He said, "We must signal Audacity to withdraw, Sir Graham. They're heating shot at this moment." He saw Bethune's face and knew it was pointless.

Bethune brushed something from his heavy riding coat.

"They would know at once what we are doing. The Villa de Bilbao would have no time to come about. No chance at all! "

Troubridge said something but Adam did not hear what it was, only Bethune's sharp reply. "When I say so and not before! "

Adam shaded his eyes and watched the Audacity, shortening once more as she tacked past an out thrust shoulder of rocks. There were more shots, but no sign of another hit or near miss. But once in the wider part of the channel she would be within range of the main battery. He did not trust himself to look at Bethune. It was his decision; his word would be upheld. It was his responsibility. He looked again at the frigate, smaller now as she sailed into the span of the channel. And it was my suggestion.

Bethune said, "You may load and run out, Captain Bolitho. Make a signal to Hostile. Prepare for battle."

The halliards squeaked again and the signal broke from the yard. As planned.

Adam walked to the quarterdeck rail, his hands clenched beneath his coat.

He heard the sullen bang of a heavier weapon and saw the land slowly falling back to reveal the bay and the anchorage, still partly covered in mist. Or smoke.

He watched Audacity's shape lengthening again, her graceful line marred by the missing topmast. Men would be up forward, hacking the mast and cordage away, and the sodden canvas, too, before it acted like a sea anchor and dragged the hull round and across those guns.

Captain Munro would know and maybe blame himself.

The guns fired together. It was already too late.

Vice-Admiral Sir Graham Bethune walked to the companion ladder and shaded his eyes to stare at the land. The rugged hills were touched with a bright copper glow, like the sea. He groped for one of the guns to steady himself as the deck tilted and the helm went over. The metal was no longer cold. It might have just been fired.

The lookout's voice pealed out again.

"One ship under way, sir! "

Bethune snapped, "Find out what the fool has seen, will you?"

Adam called, "Go aloft, Mr. Evelyn, and take a glass."

It was hard to keep his tone level and unhurried.

Evelyn was the sixth lieutenant, Athena's most junior officer. But there was nothing wrong with his sharp intelligence or his eyesight.

A vessel big enough for the lookout to see at this distance could mean one thing only. The alarm had gone out. Any experienced slaver would rather risk a clash with the ships converging on the bay than meekly surrender. Once in open water there was always a chance of escape.

He forced himself to remain calm. In control. He had even remembered the lieutenant's name.

Evelyn must have chased up the ratlines like a monkey. His voice carried easily above the wind and sea.

Two ships making sail, sir! " A brief pause, probably to discuss it with the lookout. One of Stirling 's best, whatever Bethune thought.

He watched a tiny hump of land far across the starboard bow. Like a basking whale. But too dangerous to ignore.

He breathed out slowly as one of the leads men in the chains began to heave his line up and over his head, as if he were oblivious to the ship at his back and everything else.

The heavy lead soared away and splashed into the water well ahead of Athena's massive bows.

Aft came the cry: "No bottom, sir! "

Adam had taken chances in the past, and could admit it. He had seen his ship's entire shadow on the seabed once, and known he had been within a fathom of losing his command, and his life.

The leadsman was already coiling his line, his fingers automatically feeling and separating the distinguishing marks of leather, knots and bunting. An experienced leadsman could tell one from another in his sleep.

"Deck, there! " Evelyn again, his voice shrill with effort. One of the gun's crew nearby grinned at his mate.

Adam waited, thankful that sailors could still share a private joke, danger or not.

Evelyn shouted, "One small vessel, sir. The first one is a barque! "

Bethune dabbed his mouth with a handkerchief. "They'll all be scattering if we let 'em! "

The leadsman, unperturbed, yelled, "By th' mark ten! "

Adam saw the sailing master peer at his notes. Sixty feet under the keel.

Bethune said, "We must anchor if it shelves." He turned, caught off guard as two more shots echoed across the water. "We'll engage them after they try to break out! "

"An' deep sixteen! "

Eraser glanced at his master's mate and blew out his cheeks.

Adam pictured Athena's shadow as she moved slowly into deeper water. He stared along the starboard gangway and saw Lieutenant Barclay beside one of the crouching carronades. Doubtless listening to every sounding, ready to drop anchor at a few seconds' notice.

Another face fixed in his mind, when he had thought he would never become a part of this ship.

There was a chorus of groans and shouts. Audacity had been hit again; her whole foremast lay over the side. And there was smoke.

Adam climbed into the shrouds and tried to shade his eyes from the coppery glare. He saw the barque which had up-anchored, turning bat-like past some other moored craft. But he kept his eyes on the frigate, knowing she had been hit by heated shot, how badly he could not determine.

He heard Bethune call, "Where's Tolan? I want him here! "

The leadsman's voice was unimpressed. "No bottom, sir! "

"So there you are, man! " Bethune's face shone with sweat as he began to unfasten his heavy coat. He stared at Tolan's telescope. "What?"

Tolan looked past him at the nearest strip of land. There were tiny figures running along a beach, like spectators at some terrible contest.

He answered flatly, "It's the schooner, Sir Graham. Jacob's boat."

His eyes were cold as he watched the words strike home.

"Are you certain? It could be any vessel in this damned place! "

"I took your message, Sir Graham." He raised the telescope again. Poised and steady, as if he had done it all his life.

Jago stood near him, his face grim. "The errand you was on?"

Tolan nodded. "I'll lay odds she's aboard that schooner right now! "

No name was mentioned. Adam stared at the admiral. There was no need. Not the ordered routine of English Harbour, or London. It was here, a place where few of his men had ever visited. Where a ship was dying, and her people with her.

Somebody had brought the crippled Audacity under command. Her remaining canvas was coming about, filling to a wind across her quarter. But there was smoke, pale like steam as Audacity's men fought to douse the smouldering fire from one of the shots.

Bethune exclaimed, "Make a signal to Hostile…" His voice all but trailed away. "It's no use, is it?"

Adam watched the smoke. Bethune had ordered Hostile to stand away to the north, ready to run down on any slaver who managed to escape Pointer's eventual attack on the moorings.