useful example of what can be achieved with the will behind it. This ship performed well, although I cannot judge if her exact position at the time was the most suitable.' He looked up calmly. 'For I was not there.' Then he smiled. 'That was an observation, not necessarily a criticism,' and repeated, 'I was not there.'
Adam heard the shoes returning and said, 'I was obeying orders.'
Herrick glanced at the silver tray and the two goblets. 'From the very beginning we are told, orders will be carried out at all times without question. Obey. Do your duty.' He took the proferred goblet of cognac and studied it gravely. 'But as we move up the ladder, we discover that there is more to it than obeying orders. There is the responsibility, the conscience, if you like. You will know that better than many, I suspect.' He swallowed some of the spirit and closed his eyes. 'This takes me back.' He changed tack again, as if he had momentarily lost control of his thoughts. 'My aide will give you all the relevant details, or as much as you and I are intended to know, but I want this to remain between us.'
'You have my word on it, sir.'
'You see, I have always done my duty, or tried to. I never allowed myself to question the minds of those who dictated the orders. You make friends and you make enemies. A friend is everything, but he can break your heart.' He did not explain. He did not need to.
'I never wanted to quit the sea, the navy, even after this…' He looked down at the empty sleeve with more than a suggestion of hatred. 'In the end I was offered an appointment with the revenue service at Plymouth. Someone blocked the way-I'll not mention his name, but his word was accepted, and I was given this role of Crown Agent. At best a dead end, at worst a scapegoat.' He shrugged. 'I accept that. I have no choice. Not anymore.
Adam looked quickly at his own goblet, surprised that it was empty; he remembered nothing of it. Herrick was speaking of Valentine Keen. It explained so much. A missing link.
Herrick continued, 'So personal matters can intrude, even with the wary and the righteous.' Ile waited until Napier had refilled the goblets and the pantry door was closed.
He said quietly, 'Commodore Turnbull made full use of his time after Paradox was disabled-er, wrecked. He is a lucky man.'
Adam waited, but there was no hint of suspicion, whatever he might voice in his private report to the Admiralty and the Foreign Office.
Herrick shifted his position and reached for his drink.
'I am all but finished here. I have seen and made enough reports to carpet Portsmouth Point. Some will be acted upon, others will be `considered.' The fleet was cut down to a dangerous level when the last French flag was lowered. As Our Nel, and-' he hesitated '-Sir Richard proclaimed many times to deaf ears, the main need will always be for frigates. There have never been enough. Nothing has changed.'
Adam watched his hand smoothing the goblet as if to seek a reason for breaking his own severe code of loyalty.
Then Herrick did look at him, his eyes very direct, calm. As if he had come to a decision, any previous doubts dispelled.
'There is to be another offensive in the Mediterranean. Very shortly. Frigates are few enough, experienced captains hard to find. You will know what I am saying, where the last offensive failed.' He almost smiled. 'You were there.'
'Lord Rhodes?'
Herrick shook his head. 'You may discount that.' He leaned forward on the bench, the sun across his shoulders and epaulettes. 'Unrivalled will be leaving for England in a day or so, after Captain Tyacke returns here.' He gazed at him impassively. 'You were asked for by name. More, I cannot say.'
Adam stared around the cabin, scarcely able to believe what he had heard. England, the Mediterranean again, and there could be no doubt in his mind that Algiers was the destination. It was like turning back the calendar to last year, when men in this ship had paid dearly for Rhodes ' arrogance and stupidity.
Herrick said quietly, 'Slavery does not begin or end here. I fear you will be ordered back to Freetown when you are available for duty. Small, fast vessels, and their lordships will have to provide them.' He smiled again. 'Eventually. I shall be leaving too, in the courier, for Spithead. We shall say our farewells today.' tic doubled his hand into a fist and added, 'Take heed. Lord Rhodes is still powerful, and he makes a had enemy.' He dragged out his watch and opened the guard with some difficulty; his wrist seemed to be troubling him after his near accident at the entry port.
Adam waited, and imagined the aide loitering and bobbing beyond the screen door. He was leaving Freetown, and returning to something familiar, which he had trained himself to accept. But he had known Thomas Herrick long enough to be sure he had not come out to the ship merely to wish him well. Perhaps Unrivalled was the only venue where he felt safe. At liberty to speak.
Herrick said, 'You're like him in many ways, you know. Headstrong, reckless… he was often like that.' He stood up and looked for his hat.
Then he turned and stood beneath the scaled skylight, his face suddenly determined.
'In your report you wrote of the barque Osiris. We lost her this time, but in the end we shall meet up with her again. And there'll be others like her, while the pickings get richer.' He looked slowly around the cabin, like someone who did not expect to see it again.
'I wronged Lady Somervell. I have tried to make good my ignorance, but I wronged her nonetheless. She was very dear to your uncle, and now I can understand why.' He added with sudden bitterness, 'Now that it's too late!'
Adam faced him by the desk. 'Tell me.'
'Osiris is a slaver, and she wears Spanish colours.' He glanced at the screen door where a marine he had once known stood at yet another post. 'But she plies her trade for a company in the City of London. Baron Sillitoe is the force behind it.' He clenched his fist again. 'His father built his empire on slaves, did you know that?'
There were shouts from on deck; another boat was coming alongside.
Adam could hardly believe what he had heard. Sillitoe, feared, respected, influential, a confidante of the Prince Regent, and his Inspector-General until recently. And Catherine had nobody else to protect her when she most needed it.
He said, 'Thank you for telling me, sir. I will never forget.'
Herrick examined his hat, as if he was glad he had unburdened himself.
'I wanted to tell you when we first met in this damnable hole!' He smiled, and it made him look incredibly sad. 'Duty, remember?'
They left the cabin together, Napier wearing an expression of surprise, Herrick's lieutenant of relief.
As they passed the wardroom Herrick stopped, and saw Yovell stepping aside to lose himself in shadows.
He did not offer his hand, but said, 'So you could not leave it either, eh? I wish you well.'
Yovell watched them walk forward, towards the sunshine beyond the poop. The grey-haired rearadmiral, with one shoulder stooped against the constant pain, and Unrivalled's captain, like a young colt, Richard Bolitho had often said. So unlike one another, but the bond was there.
'God mind you,' he said quietly. 'But keep up your bright swords. ' He shook his head. The coxswain was right, he was getting past it.
Herrick stood by the entry port as the governor's gilded barge was manoeuvred alongside. He saw Partridge with some of his seamen trying to conceal a boatswain's chair, in case he was unable to make the descent unaided.
He shook his head. 'But thank you.' He turned and looked up once more at the listless flag at the mizzen, then at the waiting officers and midshipmen, the scarlet-coated marines. No detail escaped him.
He held out his hand and said, 'Short and sweet, how every flag officer's visit should be. Take good care, Adam. I shall think of you. And heed what I said. There are many enemies in our work. Not least is envy!'
He doffed his hat abruptly to the quarterdeck and walked to the entry port, where Jago was standing, vigilant but apparently unconcerned.
Galbraith watched the barge pulling away from Unrivalled's shadow and into the relentless glare.
Adam said, 'Fall out guard and side party, Mr Galbraith.' Their eyes met and he smiled. 'Leigh.'
Galbraith glanced again at the slow-moving barge. Herrick did not look back. Perhaps he dared not.
Adam said, 'Come aft presently. We are to receive orders today.'
