steadily and he could see the flags whipping out from the moored craft. But they were in shelter. Achates was not.
He said, 'I shall return to my ship.' He did not hide his contempt. 'Unless you wish to detain me also?'
'No agreement, Bolitho?'
'Do not try to deceive me, Sir Humphrey. You knew I would not condone treason.'
Rivers smiled. 'Not like some in your family, eh?'
Bolitho took his hat from a footman. He did it slowly to give himself time to control his anger. It was just as well Adam was elsewhere. Such a crude slur on his father would have brought out his sword, and Rivers' guards would have ended it here and now.
He said, That was cheap, but not totally unexpected.'
Rivers sat down and mopped his face again. He could not hide his excitement, the pleasure which his victory was giving him.
Bolitho walked to the door and saw Midshipman Evans standing alone beside an open window.
Rivers said, 'I have taken the liberty of detaining the young lieutenant until my boat and men are returned.'
Bolitho nodded gravely. 'As you wish.'
Rivers seemed disappointed. 'There is still time for you to reconsider.'
Bolitho gestured to Evans and replied, 'You said yourself, Sir Humphrey, that these waters abound with pirates. I think I have just been speaking to one of them.'
He turned abruptly on his heel and strode through the door, half expecting a shot or a sudden challenge.
Evans almost had to run to keep up with him.
Bolitho snapped, 'Signal the barge.'
He felt the hot wind on his cheek, saw the air of menace in the sky. It would have to be smartly done, he thought. There was no choice. Not for him anyway.
Allday watched gratefully as Bolitho and the midshipman climbed into the boat and murmured, 'That's that then, sir.'
Bolitho watched the oar blades dig into the water and said, 'An easy stroke, if you please.' His mind was reeling with the urgency of what must be done, but under no circumstances must Rivers suspect his intentions.
Once in the great cabin Bolitho tossed his gold-laced coat to Ozzard and watched Keen, Quantock and the two Royal Marine officers as they were ushered in by Yovell.
'I intend to attack, Captain Keen.' Bolitho was surprised that the glass of wine which Ozzard had just given him did not splinter in his grasp.
Keen said, 'Mr Knocker has doubts about our safety here, sir. The wind – '
'Is it steady?'
Quantock said in his hard voice, 'Rising by the hour, sir.' 'That is not what I asked. Is it steady?' Keen looked anxious. 'Aye, sir.'
'Very well. So make ready for sea.' He saw Keen's sudden relief vanish as he added, 'Then Rivers' lookouts will imagine we are leaving.'
'With respect, sir, no sane man would believe otherwise. We will surely drag our anchor if we remain.'
Bolitho smiled at him. 'Remember Copenhagen, Val?'
Keen nodded, his face pale. 'I do, sir. So you intend to attack in the dark?' He sounded incredulous.
'I do. I know how the battery is laid on the entrance and the main anchorage. Rivers was good enough to show me, although I think he had different reasons.'
What was happening to him? It could and would probably end in complete disaster. Remember Copenhagen? he had asked Keen. This was nothing like it. There they had had a whole fleet, and they had had Nelson.
There was a world of difference here. If he lost the ship there was nothing, a costly failure which if he survived would end in a court martial, and would break Belinda's heart.
Yet, in spite of the terrible risks he was actually elated, a madness coursing through him like ice-water.
Keen cleared his throat and glanced at the other officers.
'Right then, sir.'
Bolitho looked away. Keen had accepted. Right or wrong he would follow his orders to hell.
Bolitho made himself smile but his lips felt stiff and unreal.
'At dusk we shall send Masters and his yawl into harbour to exchange with Mr Trevenen.'
Keen shook his head. 'I had forgotten all about him’
Bolitho looked at the two marines. 'And that will be when you come into things.'
It was a matter of perfect timing, and Lady Luck, as Herrick had always proclaimed. Keen thought it was an act of madness, or vanity to cover his defeat by Sir Humphrey Rivers.
That was their only chance. That Rivers would imagine himself to be safe with such odds.
He was probably on the fortress wall at this very moment. Picturing the argument and despair he had flung in their midst.
He briefly outlined his plan of action and saw their varying expressions, their doubts and their uncertainty. But there was the same excitement too. Even Quantock, who said very little, seemed fascinated.
Bolitho said quietly, 'It is hard to fight a war, gentlemen, as you all know. But it seems a great deal easier to start one.'
They filed out to speak with their subordinates and Bolitho sat at his table, a pen poised above some paper.
There might be no time later on, and he wanted her to know his thoughts, just as she had tried to send him her best wishes.
Feet thudded overhead and tackles creaked as his barge was hoisted on to the tier.
Suppose he was mistaken? That Rivers was right about the island being impregnable.
He tried to force the new uncertainty from his mind and wrote, My dearest Belinda…
Then he deliberately folded the paper and put it in a drawer. If he was killed she would soon know. There was no point in reopening the wound with a letter which might reach her months later.
Allday entered the cabin and stood watching him, his body angled to the screen door as the ship swayed restlessly in the wind.
Allday said bluntly, 'Attack, sir.'
Bolitho nodded. 'Yes. Did you do as I asked?'
Allday had to grin despite the gravity of the moment.
'Aye, sir, we trailed a boat'd lead an' line all the way to those mooring buoys. It only touched bottom once, and there's room a-plenty for Old Katie, once she's snug inside.' He shook his head with admiration. 'With all those other things to bother you, I don't know how you thought of it, and that's no error!'
Bolitho said, 'Pour us each a glass of brandy, Allday.'
He watched the man's powerful fist as he filled two goblets and waited for the deck to settle.
Allday added as an afterthought, 'Mebbee that's how you becomes an admiral, knowing them things, sir?'
The officer of the watch paused in his prowling on the poop deck as their laughter came through the skylight.
It would be his first action as a lieutenant. He had felt the iron fingers of fear dig into his stomach as Quantock had explained what must be done.
But hearing their vice-admiral laugh like that with his coxswain gave him new strength and he continued with his pacing.
8. Faith
Bolitho took a last glance through the stern windows before Ozzard fastened them tightly and closed the protective shutters. Achates was pitching heavily at her cable, and Bolitho guessed that Keen had doubled the anchor watch for a first sign of its dragging.
It should still have been daylight, but low, angry clouds and drifting spume had closed around the ship like an
