'Another whim to act upon, is it? My ship is getting short of water, of everything. All we do is waste time! '
Avery knew that the men on watch could hear every word, just as he understood what would happen if he drew Trevenen's attention to the fact.
Trevenen strode past the first lieutenant and barked, 'Keep an eye on these idlers, Mr. Urquhart! There'll be extra work for every laggard if I catch them! '
As they passed Avery saw the other lieutenant's mouth form a silent curse. Their eyes met and Avery smiled. Urquhart was human after all.
In the cabin again Trevenen's head seemed to brush the deck head as he strode to the table.
He sounded incredulous, as if it had been an insult even to ask him. 'What? This place?'
Bolitho watched him, his face like a mask. What was the matter with Trevenen, the real reason for his foul temper?
'This place, Captain. It is called San Antonio.'
Trevenen seemed vaguely relieved. 'It's nothing, sir. A wretched pile of rock in the middle of the ocean! ' He sounded contemptuous, or as close to it as he dared.
'You met Commander James Tyacke, I believe?'
'I've seen him.'
Bolitho nodded slowly. 'You are quite correct. One does not necessarily mean the other. And to know that fine officer is something even rarer and more valued because of it.'
Bolitho looked at the chart again if only to hide his anger.
'James Tyacke is a very experienced navigator and knows these waters well. He once mentioned San Antonio to me. A bleak place, uninhabited except for a small monastery and occasionally a fishing community, when the season is right. A rare order of monks, I understand, with a code of poverty and devotion. What better place to observe our shipping movements? Hardly nothing, I'd have thought! '
He looked at Allday's homely face, the sudden pain in his eyes as he remembered that day at San Felipe. Another island, another ocean; and they had been ordered to hand back the place to the French because of the Peace of Amiens.
He saw ASlday nod very slowly. There had been a mission there too, and Allday had all but paid with his life.
He swung aft towards Yovell and said, 'Prepare to copy out some orders.' He put his hand to his eye as the endless panorama of glittering mirrors mocked him.
'I want you to signal Lame to close on us. Light a flare if need be, but I think James Tyacke will understand.'
'That is more than I do, sir.' Trevenen stared at him. 'If you value my word, I must tell you I am against wasting more time.'
'It is my responsibility, Captain. I should not need to remind you.'
He heard Trevenen's heavy feet crossing the quarterdeck, and the sudden activity as Larne's number was bent on to the halliards.
In his mind's eye Bolitho saw his little command: Larne leading the invisible line with Jenour's Orcadia well up to windward, her topsails visible to the masthead lookout.
Far, far astern was the other frigate Laertes, the prize that had once been Baratte's own flagship.
He thought of Adam when they had last met at Cape Town, the rebellion in his eyes when he had been ordered to remain with Keen's convoy and escort. He was the vital link between them and their flag officer in Valkyrie.
Adam had argued that his place was in the van, not with the slow-moving transports. Not with Valentine Keen, he had really meant.
Bolitho had been as honest as was possible.
He had said, 'You are arguably one of the best young frigate captains in the fleet. You have more than proved it on this station. The recapture of your prizes and Thruster's loss must not deflect your aim. Your true worth will be at my right hand when I call for it.' He had watched Adam's resistance soften as he had added, 'If I keep you with me all the while, which I am sorely tempted to do, it will reek of favouritism to the others, will it not?'
But it had proved that Catherine's worst fear about Adam and Zenoria must be justified.
He looked at Yovell's fat hand holding his pen, Avery making a few notes from the chart.
Whatever it was, it would have to wait. He saw Allday give his lazy grin as he said, 'Thought I'd forgotten, did you, Sir Richard? When we was together in Old Katie?' Even the affectionate nickname for Bolitho's little two- decker Achates brought it all back. 'Strange to see how things slide along. Commodore was the captain, an' young Cap'n Adam was your flag lieutenant.' He smiled almost shyly. 'An' then there was me.'
Bolitho touched his thick arm as he walked back to the table. 'I thought I'd lost you that day, old friend.' He spoke with such emotion that Avery and Yovell stopped to listen. Bolitho did not notice.
A midshipman tapped at the door and he saw the marine sentry's scarlet arm out-thrust, as if the boy was not important enough to be admitted.
'Beg pardon, Sir Richard. The captain's respects, and Lame has acknowledged.'
Bolitho smiled at him. 'Quite a mouthful, Mr. Rees. Thank you.'
Allday murmured, That'll go through the young gentlemen's berth, an' that's no error.'
Yovell said, 'I'm ready, Sir Richard.'
Bolitho touched Avery's shoulder. 'I am going to put a landing party ashore. I want you to go with it.'
Avery replied calmly, 'For the experience, sir?'
Bolitho smiled. 'Don't take offence at everything I say! ' He shook his head. 'Mr. Urquhart is a good officer.' He almost added, if he is allowed to be. 'But beneath his lieutenant's coat there is still only a boy.' He glanced at Allday, but not before he had seen the surprise on Avery's face. 'I would take it a favour if you would accompany my flag lieutenant, Allday.'
He turned, but Bolitho was already standing behind Yovell's round shoulder, his face unusually stern with concentration.
To all captains and officers-in-charge of such vessels under my command…
He thought suddenly of the last courier schooner that had run down on them. He could not recall when it had been. One day was much like all the rest.
There had been no more letters from Catherine. He felt another touch of anxiety and concern. He could still hear her voice nonetheless. Don't leave me…
But all Avery saw was the vice-admiral.
It took another full day, even under all the sail Valkyrie could carry, before the small island of San Antonio was sighted by the masthead. Without the other ships in company it had been strangely lonely, and many times Bolitho had seen seamen pause in their work to stare at the sea as if they expected to sight another friendly vessel.
The island seemed to rise from the ocean itself as the Valkyrie tilted to the unwavering south-westerly. It was, as Tyacke had described, a bleak place. It could have been the remaining half of an extinct
volcano, on the side of which Bolitho saw the crude monastery like an extension of the terrain it was built on.
With the coming of dawn every available glass was trained on it while the sailing master and his mates studied the chart, which they had mounted near the wheel itself.
Avery joined Bolitho by the quarterdeck rail, his jaw still moving discreetly on a piece of salt pork which was too tough to swallow.
'How long, sir?'
Bolitho rested his hands on the rail, feeling the rising heat that would soon engulf the whole ship.
Two hours. More or less.' He rubbed his eye and trained the telescope once again. There was some smoke rising from a saddle in the land which he had taken earlier for haze. There was life here. He had heard that the monastery had had many changes of occupant during the course of its long life. Disease had taken a toll, and once, Tyacke had told him, all the monks had died of starvation simply because the sea had been too rough to launch any of their boats. What sort of men would give up the real world for such a demanding life, and, some would say, pointless sacrifice?
He heard Trevenen snapping out orders to his lieutenants. He was very much on edge, for the safety of his command, perhaps?
