Julian Stockwin - The Admiral's Daughter

Job settled himself. "You will believe that my course is finished, Commander, but I should like to say to you here that there is a service I can yet do for my fellow man, which it would render me much satisfaction to perform."

Kydd kept a noncommittal silence.

"And it has to be admitted, its doing must stand me in good stead for anything that must follow for me."

"Y'r service?"

"Yes. You will no doubt have heard of that vile privateersman, Bloody Jacques."

The hairs on Kydd's neck pricked. "I have. What can y' tell me of the villain?"

"I want you to remove this evil creature from the high seas, sir."

"Your jest is in bad taste, Mr Job," Kydd said.

"Let me explain," Job said evenly. "You may have noticed that his knowledge of these coasts is exemplary. This is no coincidence. I can tell you now that I know him well, but as Michael Haws, resident as was of Looe—a species of turn-coat, as it were, in his own interest.

"In the past I have had occasion to employ him and his lugger in—in trading ventures, but since the resumption of war he has taken the character of a French privateer in order to prey more profitably on our richer trade. In short, a pirate, owing allegiance to none."

It was incredible—if true.

"He wears a dark beard, adopts a rough manner, all this is to hide his identity, of course—and the selecting of victims on the deck of captures to run them through as an example to the rest, why, this is nothing more than disposing of those he knows, and fears might later bear witness against him."

"This is fine information, Mr Job, but I—"

"I will lead you to him. The rest I leave to you."

"Well, gentlemen," Kydd said, with relish, unfolding the chart of St Austell Bay on the table. "Thanks t' our guest Mr Job we're at last one jump ahead o' Mr Bloody Jacques. We have th' same information that he has—there's t' be a landing at Pentewan Sands this next night." He let the news sink in and went on, "The villain's goin' t' be waitin' to take th' smuggler, an' when he makes his move we want t' be there to make ours on him. And mark this, if y' please, I'm not goin' t' spare this poxy villain. He's not y' usual privateersman, he's a mad dog an' must be put down."

Standish looked grave, the others remained impassive.

"He's not about t' give up without he takes it out of us. I don't need t' say it, but he'll not be offerin' quarter an' therefore I do see it as a fight t' the finish. I'm sorry t' see Teazer's company put t' hazard in this way, but I know you'll see th' need.

"Now. I don't want t' lose this chance so I've given it a lot o' thought. I'd like y'r comments afterwards." He glanced at Renzi, sitting at a small table and taking a record, but he realised there would be no discourse in the old way with his friend.

However Kydd was satisfied he was thinking as Bloody Jacques was. The smuggler would be running fast and direct across the Channel, for with every sail hostile there would be no point in prolonging exposure. Therefore his course would be generally from the south-east, given the easy westerlies that had prevailed these last few days.

But it would be in the last few miles only that the smuggler's position would be guaranteed. Where could a privateer lurk unseen? In the almost north-south trend of St Austell Bay to the Dodman, with Pentewan in the middle, one place stood out above all others: Black Head, to the north. This looming mass of granite standing well out could comfortably conceal a dozen vessels within a mile or so of the sands. Not passed from the south-east and with all attention in the smuggling craft on the dangers of the landing, the privateer could close in from behind with deadly ease.

"So it's t' be Black Head. Are we agreed?" A murmur about the table he took to be consensus and went on, "Then I want t' be in position close in to Charlestown harbour at dusk t' be ready to drop down on 'em at th' right time."

From seaward, Kydd hoped that HMS Teazer at anchor looked for all the world like a merchant brig waiting out the tide to enter Charlestown, but aboard her, preparations for the night went on apace.

It was going to be that hardest of battlefields, the sea at night, with all that it meant for the accuracy of gunfire and distinguishing friend from foe in combat on a strange deck in the pitch dark.

With most certainly a larger crew in the privateer, the odds were shortening fast.

But their duty was plain and there could be no hanging back; there would be many sailors along the Cornish coast who would bless their names before the night was out—or not, should they miss this chance.

"Sunset, sir," Standish said, in a low voice.

"Very well," Kydd said briskly. "Hands t' quarters and prove th' lookouts." It was not impossible that Bloody Jacques could arrive at Black Head from the north. It was now just a waiting game.

The run ashore was timed for after dark and before the moon rose. The land in shadows lost its character and faded into gloom. Lights began to wink on ashore. Kydd lost sight of the tip of Black Head; it was time to get under way.

It seemed so at odds with the lovely scene, it should have been a time of serenity, perhaps a promenade in the warmth of the evening, hand in hand—he thrust away the thoughts.

Tysoe brought his treasured fighting sword. He acknowledged curtly and fastened it on. "Man th' capstan—quietly now."

The anchor broke ground and they ghosted out into the blackness. The tension began to work on Kydd, but at the back of them was the thought that he so much needed this success, for Rosalynd's sake. The pirate-privateer captured as well as the smuggling chief: it would secure his standing, no matter what Lockwood could contrive.

"Still! Absolute silence in th' ship!" Somewhere out there was the bloodiest foe on the coast—or not. If this was nothing but a wild-goose chase he would have Job back in irons instantly.

"Sir!" Andrews whispered urgently.

The midshipman's more acute hearing had picked up something. Kydd strained—then heard a regular series of tiny wooden squeals, precisely as if the yard on a lugger was being hoisted up the mast. And the sound came from closer in to the land: if this was the privateer he must have superlative knowledge of the coast. They rippled on through the calm water trying hard to catch a betraying clue, knowing Bloody Jacques would be keeping his own silence. But if that was indeed yards being swayed up, the pirate was hoisting sail to make his lunge.

A sudden thickening in the gloom to starboard was Black Head—the lugger was not there. Damn the blackness to hell!

From about a mile ahead Kydd heard a sudden cry of alarm. Then a ragged chorus of shouts carried over the water, followed by a pistol flash or two. Kydd's heart leapt as he willed Teazer on in an agony of impatience.

He heard more shots and the clamour of edged weapons rising, then falling away. It wasn't until long minutes later that they could see dark shapes on the water: two, close together. Kydd's strategy had been simple: he would close on the privateer, fire, and board in the smoke and surprise. The one thing he was relying on in this risky attempt was that half of the enemy would be away subduing the smugglers.

On Teazer 's deck the boarders were ready with bared steel. Standing next to the wheel Kydd tried to make out the situation— then he saw movement, separation. The larger vessel was detaching from the smaller. There was a cry—they had been seen! A swivel gun banged uselessly at them into the night, then a larger carriage gun was fired.

The vessel's angular lugsails were sheeting round urgently to the light westerly, but at this point of sailing a lugger's ability to sail closer to the wind was of no advantage since it was boxed in to the land, and Teazer was no mean sailer on a wind. As they drew nearer, the shape foreshortened as it bore away south for the open sea. The smaller was endeavouring to make sail as well but the smuggler could be dealt with later, if it was still there—after they had put paid to Bloody Jacques.