Alexander Kent - THE INSHORE SQUADRON

The French frigate was called Ajax, a powerful vessel of thirty-eight guns. As aboard Neale's.command, the seamen went about their daily tasks, apparently blind to their enemies and their intentions.

The carriage wheels rumbled noisily over the cobbles, and Bolitho saw many people pausing in the cold air to watch him pass. They were a nice looking race, he thought. Perhaps that was how a country became without constant wars and strife.

Browne, who had been watching the passing panorama with – rapt attention, said, 'We have arrived, sir.'

The carriage clattered beneath a low archway and into a neat private square. The buildings around it looked in some way official, and Bolitho saw two footmen hurrying down some steps to greet him.

It felt colder, and Neale's sailing master had warned of snow. Fog, then snow, it was like listening to Grubb.

Inskip was waiting by a blazing fire. He was wearing a wig, but it made him look older than the opposite effect,_ which was suprising.

He said, 'Good of you to be so prompt. I have been making further inquiries about the Frenchman. They say she is here to carry out storm repairs. Denmark has no wish to provoke France by refusing the Ajax permission. My guess is that she was waiting for the letter, or some other relevant instructions concerning Malta. Your sudden arrival will have put the cat amongst the pigeons!' His eyes twinkled.

Bolitho said, 'When Ajax leaves, Captain Neale will be eager to bring her to battle.'

Inskip shook his head firmly. ` Ajax arrived first, and in peace. She will be allowed a day's grace before you may follow.'

Browne coughed discreetly. 'It is an unwritten law, sir.'

'I see.', Bolitho looked at the fire. 'Then there is nothing for me to do but wait, kick my heels, while the Frenchman calls the tune? Another courier may come here any day, any time. Could you not send a fast messenger overland to make contact with my squadron? With another frigate to seaward I could soon put a stop to the French captain's plan of action.'

Inskip smiled. 'You are indeed a man of action. But I am afraid the Danes would probably take even less kindly to that misuse of their, er, hospitality, and seize your ship for good measure!'

Bolitho remembered Browne's remark on board the Benbow. I see you as a fighting sailor, not as a diplomat. In his inability to sit still and wait for some unknown factor to play its part, he had more than proved Browne to be right.

'They could try!'

'Make no mistake, they could and would. I have heard through my own sources that there are plans to blockade the harbour and remove all buoys and leading 'marks if need be. The Danes have assembled a considerable fleet, as you have seen. Believe me, they can give good account of themselves.' He pounded one fist into his palm. 'If only the French had not given up Malta or, more to the point, our own Navy had for once been less successful.'

Browne said quietly, 'I suggest they would have found other fuel for their fires, sir. Appeasement buys a little time, but not very much.'

Inskip raised his eyebrows. 'Your aide is shrewd, Bolitho. A pity he wears the King's coat. I could find a place for him in' Whitehall!'

Bolitho sighed. 'What do you suggest, sir?'

Inskip replied instantly, 'Wait. I will see the Danish minister tomorrow and try to discover his feelings. I may need you with me, so I suggest you remain ashore in this house tonight. It will save time and be less conspicuous. If the French captain decides to sail, he will probably meet up with your squadron after he has rounded Skaw Point. If he steers west into the Baltic he may intend to make contact with the Swedes, or even the Russian fleet if the ice is not too dangerous.'

A bewigged footman glided through a pair of ornate doors. 'I beg your pardon, sir, but there are two, er, persons below

demanding to be brought to the rear-admiral's presence.' Inskip asked mildly, `Who are they?'

In the same lordly tone the footman replied, 'Seafaring fellows, I believe, sir. One says he is a coxswain, the other is some sort of servant.'

Bolitho grinned. Allday and Ozzard.

'I am glad you did not attempt to send my coxswain away. The outcome might have been worse than facing the Frenchman!'

Inskip instructed the footman to show Allday and his companion to a room with a fire.

Then he said, `Well, at least it brought a smile to your face, Bolitho. That's more like it, eh?'…

Bolitho turned to Browne. `Return to the ship and explain matters to Captain Neale. Tell him to keep note of any craft which go alongside the Ajax or unusual preparations.'

It was unlikely that Neale would need telling.

When Bolitho was alone with Inskip he asked, 'Just suppose the Tsar discovers the fate of Malta before you can gain a firm declaration of neutrality from the Danes, what then?'

Inskip eyed him gravely. `The Tsar may be able to revive his idea for an Armed Neutrality of the North. He has made threats before that he would seize all British ships in his ports. It would be an act of war, and Denmark would find herself in the forefront of the battle.'

Bolitho nodded. `Thank you for explaining it to me without frills. These are facts I can recognize. I have no doubt Bonaparte will have ensured that several messages were despatched to the Tsar. That we have been lucky enough to capture one will not be known yet.'

Inskip regarded him thoughtfully. 'I suppose you may be right. But that is your concern, not mine, thank heaven.'

Three hours later Browne returned from the ship. The Ajax was still at anchor and doing nothing to excite suspicion. Her captain had been seen to go ashore, probably to pay his respects to the port admiral before leaving. Equally, he might have gone to seek information about Bolitho.

That night, as Bolitho tried to accustom himself to the vastness and stillness of a large bed, he considered what Inskip had said. So much could depend on the weather as far as the Russian ships were concerned. He listened to the wind moaning around the roof-tops, and played with the idea of leaving the house without telling anyone. He would find one of the noisy taverns he had seen, lose himself in the crowd, just for a precious hour or so.

He must have fallen asleep, for the next thing he knew was that Inskip, looking like a goblin in a long sleeping cap, was shaking his arm, while lanterns and candles bobbed into the room from what appeared to be a crowded passageway.

`What is it?'

He saw Allday, grim-faced and watchful, as if expecting a surprise attack, and Ozzard dragging the chest across the floor like a wrecker with a prize.

Inskip snapped, 'I have just had word. The Frenchman has weighed, though God knows how well he will do. It is snowing like the devil!'

Bolitho was on his feet, groping for a shirt, as Inskip added soberly, 'A schooner brought worse news. Several' British ships have been taken by the Russians. Now, whatever the Danes want, they will be forced into a war.'

Browne pushed through the footmen and servants. Surpris=ingly,

he was fully dressed.

Bolitho shouted, `Fetch a carriage!'

Browne replied calmly, `I heard the news, sir. I've already got one. It's waiting below.'

Inskip stood between Bolitho and the frantic Ozzard.

`You know the rules. You must not sail until a day has passed.'

Bolitho looked at him gravely. `Where will the British merchantmen be held, sir?'

Inskip was taken off guard. `The island of Gotland, I'm told.'

Bolitho sat on the bed and jammed his feet into his shoes.

`I'm going. after them, sir, not back to my squadron. And as for the rules, well, I've often found them to be like orders.' He touched Inskip's arm impetuously. 'They have to be moulded to the requirements of the moment!'

As they bundled into the carriage and the wheels moved soundlessly over a thickening carpet of snow, Browne said, `I'll lay odds that the Frenchman knows about the British ships, too, sir. He'll cut them out without anyone raising a finger to stop him.'