The door closed, and he could almost believe he had imagined it or that the wine had been too strong.
He glanced at Stockdale and saw the look on his battered face and knew it was no lie.
“We had better get back to the ship, Stockdale.”
Stockdale followed him towards the sunlight. Not a bit too soon, he thought.
It was dusk by the time the boat from the landing-stairs made fast to the main chains. Bolitho climbed up to and through the entry port thinking of the beautiful woman in the white gown.
Rhodes was waiting with the side-party and whispered quickly, “The first lieutenant is looking for you, Dick.”
“Lay aft, Mr Bolitho!” Palliser’s brusque tones silenced Rhodes before he could say more.
Bolitho climbed to the quarterdeck and touched his hat. “Sir?”
Palliser snapped, “I have been waiting for you!”
“Yes, sir. But the captain ordered me on an errand.”
“And a fine time it has taken you!”
Bolitho controlled his sudden anger with an effort. Whatever he did or tried to do, Palliser was never satisfied.
He said quietly, “Well, sir, I am here now.”
Palliser peered at him as if to seek out some kind of insolence.
Then he said, “During your absence ashore, the master-at-arms, who was acting upon my orders, searched some of the people’s messes.” He waited for Bolitho to react. “I do not know what kind of discipline you are trying to instil into your division, but let me assure you it will take a lot more than a bribe of spirits and wine to achieve it! Mr Jury’s watch was found in the possession of one of your maintopmen, Murray, so what say you?”
Bolitho stared at him incredulously. Murray had saved Jury’s life. But for his swift action on the Heloise’s deck that night, the midshipman would be dead. And if Jury had not thrown the sword to replace Bolitho’s lost hanger, he too would be a corpse. It had been their bond, of which none of them had spoken.
He protested, “ Murray is a good hand, sir. I cannot see him as a thief.”
“I’m certain of that. But you have a lot to learn, Mr Bolitho. Men like Murray would not dream of thieving from a messmate, but an officer, even a lowly midshipman, is fair game.” He controlled his voice with an obvious effort. “But that is not the worst part. Mr Jury had the impertinence, the monstrous audacity, to tell me he had given the watch to Murray as a gift! Can you, even you, Mr Bolitho, believe it?”
“I can believe he said it to save Murray, sir. He was wrong, but I can well understand.”
“Just as I thought.” He leaned forward. “I will see that Mr Jury is put ashore for passage to England the moment we are in company with some higher authority, and what do you think of that?”
Bolitho said hotly, “I think you are acting unfairly!”
He could feel his anger giving way to despair. Palliser had tried to provoke him, but this time it had got suddenly out of hand.
He said, “If you are trying to discredit me through Mr Jury, then you are succeeding. But even to contemplate it, knowing he has no family, and that he will give his very soul to the Navy, is damnable! And if I were you, sir, I’d be sick with shame!”
Palliser stared at him as if he had been struck. “You what!”
A small figure bobbed from the shadows. It was Macmillan, the captain’s servant.
He said, “Beg pardon, gentlemen, but the cap’n would like you in ’is cabin at once.”
He shrank back as if expecting to be knocked senseless.
Dumaresq was standing in the centre of the day-cabin, legs apart, hands on hips, as he glared at his two lieutenants.
“I’ll not have you brawling on my quarterdeck like a pair of louts! What in hell’s name has got into you?”
Palliser looked shocked, even pale, as he said, “If you had heard what Mr Bolitho said, sir…”
“Heard? Heard? ” Dumaresq jabbed one fist towards the skylight. “I’d have thought the whole ship heard well enough!”
He looked at Bolitho. “How dare you show insubordination to the first lieutenant. You will obey him without question. Discipline is paramount if we are not to become a shambles. I expect, no, I demand that the ship is at all times ready to act as I dictate. To bicker over some petty matter within earshot of anyone present is a madness, and I’ll not tolerate it!” He examined Bolitho’s face and added in a calmer tone, “It must not happen again.”
Palliser tried again. “I was telling him, sir…” He fell silent as the compelling eyes turned on him like lamps.
“You are my first lieutenant, and I shall uphold what you do under my command. But I will not have you using your temper on those too junior to hit back. You are an experienced and skilled officer, whereas Mr Bolitho is new to the wardroom. As for Mr Jury, he knows nothing of the sea but that which he has learned since we left Plymouth; would you say that is a fair assessment?”
Palliser swallowed hard, his head bowed beneath the beams as if he was in prayer.
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. That is something we agree upon.”
Dumaresq walked to the stern windows and stared at the reflected lights on the water.
“Mr Palliser, you will pursue the matter of the theft. I do not wish a useful hand like Murray punished if he is innocent. On the other side of the coin, I’ll not see him evade it if he is guilty. The whole ship knows what has happened. If he walks free from this because of our inability to discover the truth, there will be no controlling the real trouble-makers and sea-lawyers amongst us.” He held out his hand to Bolitho. “You have a letter for me, I expect.” As he took it he added slowly, “Deal with Mr Jury. It is up to you to treat him fairly but severely. It will be as much a test for you as it is for him.” He nodded. “Dismissed.”
As Bolitho closed the door behind him he heard Dumaresq say, “That was a fine statement you took from Triscott. It makes up for the earlier set-back.”
Palliser mumbled something and Dumaresq replied, “One more piece and the puzzle may be solved more quickly than I thought.”
Bolitho moved away, conscious of the sentry’s eyes as they followed him into the shadows. He entered the wardroom and sat down carefully, like a man who has just fallen from a horse.
Poad said, “Somethin’ to drink, sir?”
Bolitho nodded, although he had barely heard. He saw Bulkley seated against one of the ship’s great timbers and asked, “Is the Heloise’s master dead?”
Bulkley looked up wearily and waited for his eyes to focus.
“Aye. He passed away within minutes of putting his name to the statement.” The surgeon’s voice was very slurred. “I hope it was worth it.”
Colpoys came from his cabin and threw one elegant, white-clad leg over a stool.
“I am growing sick of this place. Anchored right out here. Nothing to do…” He looked from Bolitho to Bulkley and said wryly, “I was wrong it seems. Here we have gaiety a-plenty!”
Bulkley sighed. “I heard most of it. Triscott was making the one voyage as master. It seems he was ordered to join us at Funchal and determine what we were about.” He accidentally knocked over a goblet of brandy but did not appear to notice as the spirit ran over his legs. “Having seen us on our way, he was supposed to head for the Caribbean and hand over the vessel to her new owner, the one who had paid for her to be built.” He coughed and dabbed his chin with a red handkerchief. “’Stead o’ that, he got too nosey and tried to follow us.” He peered vaguely aft as if to seek Dumaresq through the bulkhead. “Imagine that? The mouse hunting the tiger! Well, now he’s paid for it in full.”
Colpoys asked impatiently, “Well then, who is this mysterious buyer of brigantines?”
Bulkley turned towards the marine, as if it hurt him to move. “I thought you were cleverer than that. Sir Piers Garrick, o’ course! One-time privateer in the King’s name and a damned pirate in his own!”
Rhodes entered the wardroom and said, “I heard that. I suppose we should have known, as the lord and master was so careful to mention him. All those years ago. He must be over sixty now. And d’you really believe he still knows what happened to the Asturias’s bullion?”
Colpoys said wearily, “The sawbones has dozed off, Stephen.”
Poad, who had been hovering close by, said, “Fresh pork tonight, gentlemen. Sent off shore with the compliments of a Mr Egmont.” He waited for just the right moment. “The boatman said it was to mark Mr Bolitho’s
