Alexander Kent - THE INSHORE SQUADRON Страница 8

Bolitho sat down and unbuckled the sword. 'No. But I would take it kindly if you would stay.' He looked up, his eyes pleading. 'Will it never end? I've acted foolishly, done things to shame my friends, hoping perhaps to find peace again!'

Allday crossed to the table and almost tore a goblet from Ozzard's hand.

'Here, drink this, sir, and damnation to the war, and all who fan its fires!'

Bolitho swallowed the brandy, almost choking on its fire.

He could see her framed in the church door, her hand on her brother's arm, just as Herrick's own bride had been led up to the altar.

Almost to himself he said, `Maybe it is as well we did not meet. Perhaps he blames me for Cheney's death. She was alone when she needed me. I was at sea. Sailors should never marry, Allday. It is a cruelty to those they leave behind.'

Allday jerked his head at Ozzard, who backed from the cabin as if mesmerized.

'To some, mebbe, sir. But not the special ones.'

Bolitho stood up and replaced the sword at his hip. 'And she was special.' He looked at Allday and gave a brief nod. 'Thank you. I am ready now.'

Allday watched him square his shoulders, then duck automatically beneath the deckhead beams as he strode towards the quarterdeck.

That was a bad one, Allday thought. Worse than for a long while. It was always there, hiding like a wild animal, ready to break cover and destroy.

He followed Bolitho into the keen air, watched with the same fascination as he shook hands with the two Danish officers before seeing them over the side into their boat. A smile to Neale, another handshake with the Danish water pilot who was to assist the master with the last part of the journey.

Pascoe passed him with a handful of seamen to prepare the frigate's boats for swaying out when required.

Again, Allday saw their quick exchange, like brothers, no words spoken or needed.

But for once Allday would have gladly done without the privilege of knowing and sharing this close relationship. He knew Bolitho too well to be deceived by his outward calm. It was not an easy secret to hold.

Being ashore in a beautiful city like Copenhagen was a strange experience for Bolitho. He would have liked to explore its squares, dominated by high green spires and impressive buildings which looked as if they had been there forever. And there were inviting little lanes which he saw from the window of a carriage sent by Inskip to collect him from the harbour.

Inskip, like the Danish authorities, wanted to know where a visiting British admiral was at all times of the day, and Bolitho wondered what the coachman would do if he suggested a different route.

As he had prepared to leave the ship for hiss first visit to Inskip's headquarters he had seen Neale and his officers studying the harbour, not least the French frigate which was anchored as far away as was prudently possible. The anchorage was crowded with Danish men-of-war, but in spite of their impressive size and numbers, the attention on the waterfront or the many small craft which plied back and forth was fixed on the two frigates. Separated by a stretch of water and a wary guardboat, they represented the war and all that went with it. The war, which if Russia had any say would engulf the Danes also.

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.'

Bolitho settled back against the seat and composed his thoughts. `Except us, Mr Browne. Except the Styx.'

5. Trust

Bolitho gripped the quarterdeck rail and peered along the frigate's upper deck, his eyes slitted against the snow and bitter air.

It was a weird, unnatural scene, with the rigging and guns glistening in snow, while seamen slithered and blundered from one task to another like cripples.

He tried to plan clearly, to compress his thoughts on what might lie ahead. But from the moment they had weighed anchor and the first excitement of slipping out of harbour in a snow squall, the weather had defied even the power of thought.

They had been at sea for twelve hours, and by rights it should be daylight.' But as they had fought their way south-east, battered and harried by a strong wind from the coast of Sweden, their movements had become jerky, their actions taking longer and longer with each change of watch.

And all the while the blizzard had swept down through shrouds and running rigging, until time and distance had shrunk to the width and length of their ship.

It was all Bolitho could do to prevent his teeth from chattering uncontrollably, and despite his thick boat-cloak he was chilled to the marrow. He had watched the wretched lookouts being relieved from the masthead after less than an hour's duty, and even then they had barely been able to clamber down to safety.

And suppose it was all wasted? The thought grew stronger with each reeling mile, and Bolitho supposed every man aboard was cursing his name as the day dragged on. Or suppose the Frenchman had gone elsewhere? He might even now be running under Herrick's guns, or heading somewhere else entirely.

Captain Neale staggered across the quarterdeck, his chubby features glowing with cold.

He said, 'May I suggest you go below, sir? The people know you are aboard. They'll also know you're with them whatever happens.'

Bolitho shuddered and watched the spray surging over the beakhead to freeze like jewels on the nettings. Neale had ordered the lee gunports to be opened. Water trapped long enough to freeze in the scuppers had been known to build up so rapidly" it could capsize a vessel far larger than a frigate.

He asked, `Where are we now?'

`The master assures me that the island of Bornholm is on the lee bow, some five miles distant.' Neale wiped his streaming face with his fingers. 'I have to take his word, sir, for we could be anywhere, as far as I am concerned!'

Neale turned as his first lieutenant hurried towards him, and Bolitho called, 'Don't worry about me, Captain Neale. If nothing else, this wind is keeping my head clear!'

He thought of the swift departure from Copenhagen, and wondered if anyone had seen them weigh. He doubted it. But when daylight arrived there would be a few awkward questions for Mr Inskip to answer.

Browne had been as blunt as he had dared. 'I think you are wrong to chase the Frenchman, sir. You are sending Styx, that is enough. Captain Neale knows the risks, and you might be able to save his name if things go wrong. But if you are with him, who will save you?'

Sometime later, as Styx had tacked violently clear of the Swedish mainland, Bolitho had heard Pascoe speaking to the flag lieutenant in an angry whisper.

'You don't understand! The admiral has been in far worse situations! He's always managed to fight out of a trap!'

Browne had replied sadly, 'He was a captain then. Responsibility is an axe. It can cut either way.' There had been the sound of his hand on Pascoe's shoulder. `But I admire you for your loyalty, believe me.'

Pascoe was up forward at this moment, working with some hands to clear the foretopmast blocks. If they froze, or the cordage, already swollen with snow, followed suit, the Styx.would be helpless. Like a phantom she would sail on, deeper and deeper into the Baltic.

Allday crossed the deck, his shoes slipping on the slush.

'Ozzard's got some soup, sir.' He glared at the white-crusted sails and added, 'I'd rather be becalmed than in this!'

Bolitho watched the next party of seamen clambering down from aloft. It was to be hoped they would find something hot below, too. Knowing Neale, he decided he would manage something for his men.