Honour This Day

She saw the governor in the doorway and Bolitho felt her whole body stiffen away from him.

Bolitho said, 'Remove your hat in the presence of my lady, sirl' He found no pleasure in the man's fear. 'Or by God I'll call you out here and now!'

The man shrank away, his hat almost brushing the filthy floor.

Bolitho guided her along the corridor, while some of the inmates watched through their cell doors, their hands gripping the bars like claws. But nobody cried out this rime.

'Your shoes, Kate?'

She pressed herself against his side as if the cloak would protect her from everything.

'I sold all I had for food.' She raised her head and studied him. 'I have walked barefoot before.' Her sudden courage made her look fragile. 'Are we really leaving now?'

They reached the heavy gate and she saw the carriage, with the two stamping horses.

She said, 'I will be strong. For you, dear Richard, I -' She saw the shadowy figure inside the coach and asked quickly, 'Who is that?'

Bolitho held her until she was calm again.

He said, 'Just a friend who knew when he was needed.'

13. Conspiracy

Belinda dragged the doors of the drawing room shut behind her and pressed her shoulders against them.

'Lower your voice, Richard!' She watched his shadow striding back and forth across the elegant room, her breasts moving quickly to betray something like fear. 'The servants will hear you!'

Bolitho swung round. 'God damn them, and you too for what you did!'

'What is the matter, Richard? Are you sick or drunk?'

'It is fortunate for both of us that it is not the latter! Otherwise I fear what I might do!'

He stared at her and saw her pale. Then he said in a more controlled voice, 'You knew all the time. You connived with Somervell to have her thrown into a place which is not even fit for pigs!' Once again the pictures flashed across his mind. Catherine sitting in the filthy cell, and later when he had taken her to Browne's house in Arlington Street, when she had tried to prevent him from leaving her.

'Don't go, Richard! It's not worth it! We're together, that's all that matters!'

He had turned by the waiting carriage and had replied, 'But those liars intended otherwise!'

He continued, 'She is no more a debtor than you, and you knew it when you spoke with Somervell. I pray to God that he is as ready with a blade as he is with a pistol, for when I meet with him -'

She exclaimed, 'I have never seen you like this!'

'Nor will you again!'

She said, 'I did it for us, for what we were and could be again.'

Bolitho stared at her, his heart pounding, knowing how close he had come to striking her. Catherine had told him in jerky sentences as the coach had rolled towards the other house, an unexpected rain pattering across the windows.

She had loaned Somervell most of her own money when they had married. Somervell was in fear of his life because of his many gambling debts. But he had friends at Court, even the King, and a government appointment had saved him.

He had deliberately invested some of her money in her name, then left her to face the consequences when he had caused those same investments to fail. All this Somervell had explained to Belinda. It made Bolitho's head swim to realise just how close to success the plan had been. If he had moved into this house, and then been seen at Admiral Godschale's reception, Catherine would have been told that they were reconciled. A final and brutal rejection.

Somervell had left the country; that was the only known truth. When he returned he might have expected Catherine half-mad or even dead. Like a seabird, Catherine could never be caged.

He said, 'You have killed that too. Remember what you threw in my face on more than one occasion after we were married? That because you looked like Cheney, it did not mean that you had anything in common. By God, that was the truest thing you ever said.' He stared round the room and realised for the first time that his uniform was soaked with rain.

'Keep this house, by all means, Belinda, but spare a thought sometimes for those who fight and die so that you may enjoy what they can never know.'

She moved away, her eyes on him as he wrenched open the doors. He thought he saw a shadow slip back from the stairway, something for the servants to chew on.

'You will be ruined!' She gasped as he stepped towards her as if she expected a blow.

'That is my risk.' He picked up his hat. 'Some day I shall speak with my daughter.' He looked at her for several seconds. 'Send for all you need from Falmouth. You rejected even that. So enjoy your new life with your proud friends.' He opened the front door. 'And God help you!'

He walked through the dark street, heedless of the rain which soothed his face like a familiar friend. He needed to walk, to marshal his thoughts into order, like forming a line of battle. He would make enemies, but that was nothing new. There had been those who had tried to discredit him because of Hugh, had even tried to hurt him through Adam.

He thought of Catherine, where she should stay. Not at Falmouth, not until he could take her himself. If she would come. Would she see double-meanings in his words because of what had happened? Expect another betrayal?

He dismissed the thought immediately. She was like the blade at his hip, almost unbreakable. Almost.

One thing was certain. Godschale would soon hear what had happened, although no one would speak openly about it without appearing like a conspirator.

He gave a bleak smile. It would be Gibraltar for orders very soon.

His busy mind recorded a shadow and the click of metal. The old sword was in his hand in a second and he called, 'Stand!'

Adam sounded relieved. 'I came looking, Uncle.' He watched as Bolitho sheathed his blade.

'It's done then?'

'Aye. 'Tis done.'

Adam fell into step and removed his hat to stare up into the rain. 'I heard most of it from Allday. It seems I cannot leave you alone for a moment.'

Bolitho said, 'I can still scarce believe it.'

'People change, Uncle.'

'I think not.' Bolitho glanced at two army lieutenants walking unsteadily towards St James's. 'Circumstances may, but not people.'

Adam tactfully changed the subject. 'I have discovered Captain Keen's whereabouts. He is in Cornwall. They had gone there to settle some matters relating to Miss Carwithen's late father.'

Bolitho nodded. He had been afraid that Keen would be married without his being there to witness it. How strange that such a simple thing could still be so important after all which had happened.

'I sent word by courier, Uncle. He should know.'

They fell silent and listened to their shoes on the pavement.

He probably did already. The whole fleet would by now. Offensive to many, but a welcome scandal as far as the overcrowded messdecks were concerned.

They reached the house, where they found Allday sharing a jug of ale with Mrs Robbins, the housekeeper. She was a Londoner born and bred in Bow and despite her genteel surroundings had a voice which sounded like a street trader's. Mrs Robbins got straight down to business.

'She's in bed now, Sir Richard.' She eyed him calmly. 'I give 'er a small guest room.'

Bolitho nodded. He had taken her point. There would be no scandal in this house, no matter how it might appear.

She continued, 'I stripped 'er naked as a brat and bathed 'er proper. Poor luv, she could do wiv it an' all. I