Julian Stockwin - 19 The Baltic Prize (Thomas Kydd #19)

small line strung across the shrouds to form a ladder for climbing into the tops

rencontre

an encounter with lethal intent

rosin

a form of varnish to preserve a ship’s side and appear attractive

seigneury

the lordship of an estate granted in fee-simple

shrouds

the ropes each side of a mast in support of it

skerry

semi-submerged rocks off a coast

sough

the soft sound of wind in the rigging

stave

of a cask, the constituent side components; in gunnery, the staff bearing the rammer

stock-jobbing

activity of the middleman in a purchase of securities

supercargo

one charged with the commercial affairs of a merchant ship

tarry breeked

trousers that are smeared with tar betraying the owner as a sailor

tomp

to tamp, to compress from loose

volunteer first class

a child placed aboard ship to gain sea-time before becoming a midshipman

worm

a double corkscrew iron implement on a stave for withdrawing an unfired charge

Unputdownable naval action from master of the sea-story

Julian Stockwin

Persephone

Thomas Kydd 18

November 1807.Captain Sir Thomas Kydd must sail to Lisbon to aid the Portuguese Royal Family’s evacuation in the face of Napoleon’s ruthless advance through Iberia. In the chaos of the threatened city an old passion is reawakened when he meets Persephone Lockwood, a beautiful and determined admiral’s daughter from his past.

But the Royal Family’s destination is Brazil, Perspehone’s England, and it seems Kydd’s chance has gone again. Only later he discovers Persephone has another suitor – and that, if he wants to win her hand, he must enter the highest echelons of London society.

Mixing with aristocracy and royalty brings other responsibilities. The Prince of Wales asks him to take temporary command of the Royal Yacht. Sailing to Yarmouth, Kydd realises they are being stalked by French privateers. The terrible threat of a prince of the blood being captured sees Kydd call on daring seamanship of the highest order.

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