Julian Stockwin - Invasion

INVASION

A KYDD SEA ADVENTURE

Also by Julian Stockwin

Kydd

Artemis

Seaflower

Mutiny

Quarterdeck

Tenacious

Command

the Admiral's Daughter

the Privateer's Revenge *

* Published in the U.K. as TREACHERY

JULIAN STOCKWIN

INVASION

A KYDD SEA ADVENTURE

McBooks Press, Inc.

www.mcbookspress.com ITHACA, NEW YORK

Published by McBooks Press 2009

Published simultaneously in Great Britain by Hodder & Stoughton,

a Hachette UK company

Copyright © 2009 by Julian Stockwin

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of the publisher. Requests for such permissions should be addressed to McBooks Press, Inc., ID Booth Building, 520 North Meadow St., Ithaca, NY 14850.

Cover illustration by Larry Rostant, www.rostant.com. Dust jacket and interior design by Panda Musgrove.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Stockwin, Julian. Invasion : a Kydd Sea adventure / by Julian Stockwin. p. cm.

ISBN 978-1-59013-237-1

1. Kydd, Thomas (Fictitious character)--Fiction. 2. Great Britain--History, Naval--18th century--Fiction. I. Title. PR6119.T66I58 2009 823'.92--dc22

2009026361

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Let us be masters of la Manche for just six hours— and England will have ceased to exist!

—Napoleon Bonaparte, Paris 1804

CHAPTER 1

MR. KYDD, HOW DARE YOU, SIR? To think to approach me in my own headquarters, demanding a hearing in such an impetuous manner." Admiral Sir James Saumarez stood upright at his desk, clearly outraged. "I'll remind you, sir, that you narrowly escaped court-martial by your contemptible actions and must be satisfied with a dismissal."

Commander Kydd held his impatience in check: at long last he had the evidence to prove false the accusation that had led to him being removed from command of his beloved Teazer and his first lieutenant, Christopher Standish, given the ship. "Sir, I beg leave to place before ye—this." He handed over a small, folded piece of paper.

Saumarez inspected it, then flung it down with contempt. "Mr. Kydd! If this is a brazen attempt to implicate me— "

"No, sir, it is not. Those are the secret orders I found within your reg'lar instructions as made me act as I did, an' which—"

"It's nothing but a crude forgery! And not in the proper form as you must well allow."

"Sir, I acted in good faith as I've never seen secret orders afore. I couldn't produce it for ye in your investigation as it was stolen from me, but now I can! If you'd be so good as to hear me out . . ." Saumarez's expression remained stony but he sat reluctantly, and as Kydd told his story, the admiral's anger was replaced first by bewilderment, then dismay.

It was a sorry tale: driven by envy and resentment at Kydd's successes, a more senior captain had arranged for false secret orders to be inserted into Kydd's main instructions that had him clandestinely retrieving a chest ashore. After a tip-off by an anonymous informer, a formal search was made of HMS Teazer on her return and the chest was found to contain smuggled goods. The upright and honourable Admiral Saumarez had seen no option other than to remove Kydd, the ship's captain, from his command.

Still standing, Kydd produced a second sheet of paper. "And this is Lieutenant Prosser's confession, sir. He agrees to testify against Commander Carthew as principal in the matter."

"Thank you, Mr. Kydd," Saumarez said heavily. "If this is true, it is a particularly sad circumstance, imputing as it does an appalling transgression against common morality on the part of an officer of my command. It were best I should bring this matter to a head without a moment's delay."

The admiral rang a bell and ordered his flag-lieutenant, "Commander Carthew, Scorpion, and Lieutenant Prosser, Teazer, to attend me here within the hour." Then he turned back to Kydd. "You'll oblige me by remaining, sir, while I establish if there is a case to answer."

Carthew entered the room, his dress uniform immaculate. When he caught sight of Kydd he recoiled.

"Sit, if you please, Mr. Carthew—there," Saumarez said, indicating the place opposite Kydd.

"Mr. Prosser, sir." The flag-lieutenant ushered in a haggard-looking officer who stared doggedly downwards. Carthew was clearly disconcerted to see him.

"Now, this should not take long, gentlemen," Saumarez began.

"Mr. Kydd has laid before me evidence of a conspiracy that resulted in the loss of his ship and his good name. We are here to—"

"Sir!" Carthew flung a murderous glance at Kydd. "Surely you're not to be swayed by anything this proven blackguard has said! He's—"

"Mr. Prosser," Saumarez said flatly, ignoring Carthew, "do you recognise this?" He handed across a paper.

"I do, sir," the man said miserably, in barely a whisper.

"Did you or did you not give Mr. Kydd to understand that it was part of his orders from this office?"

"I did."

Carthew turned pale.

"Under whose instructions?" Saumarez continued.

"Mr. Carthew's, sir," Prosser muttered.

"This you will swear in court?"

After a tense silence he replied, "I—I will."

Saumarez took a sharp breath. "You shall have your chance to rebut in due course, Mr. Carthew. I find that this matter shall go forward in law.

"You, Mr. Prosser, may consider yourself under open arrest. Mr. Carthew, your case is more serious and I can see no alternative but—"

Carthew's chair crashed to the ground as he leaped up, chest heaving, crazed eyes fixed on Kydd. "You—I'll see you in hell—" With a panicked glance at Saumarez, he pushed wildly away.

"Commander! Return at once, sir!"

At the door Carthew knocked aside the flag-lieutenant and ran down the stairs.

"Stop that officer!" Saumarez roared.

Kydd leaped to his feet and followed. Shocked faces peered out of offices at the commotion. The sound of footsteps stopped, and when Kydd reached the main entrance Carthew was nowhere in sight.

"Where did the officer go?" he demanded, of a bewildered sentry.

"Well, an' I was salutin', like," the man said. Even a hurrying officer still required the stamp and flourish of a musket salute, with eyes held rigid to the front in respect.

Two marines with ported muskets appeared. "Too late. He's gone," Kydd snapped, and returned to Saumarez. "Nowhere to be found, sir."

"Then I take it he's absconded. Flags, do alert the provost. He's to be returned here without delay." He turned to Prosser. "You, sir, will hold yourself in readiness to make deposition concerning this lamentable business. Now leave us.

"Mr. Kydd," Saumarez began gravely, "I'm faced with a dilemma. By his actions Commander Carthew stands condemned, and will answer for it at his court-martial, as will Lieutenant Prosser. I am concerned that you, Mr. Kydd, do see justice. In fine, a public disgrace—losing your ship—should at the least deserve a public restoring. Yes, that must be the right and proper thing to do."