The King`s Coat

‘I have five pounds of yours,' Lewrie told him. 'But with you laid up-’

‘Just get me a gentle one and I'll take my fences as well as anyone. What's my share?’

‘Three crown, say a pound total with tip for supper, rooms and wine. A guinea for the whore. ’

‘A guinea? For a guinea, she'd better be Salome!' would have to die before he could be taken aboard a ship already in commission. He could be temporarily derated to master's mate 'for the good of the Service' and spend years trying to get his pay straightened out after stoppages. ’Shore duty for me, then, and my Marines,' Osmonde said. 'Some garrison work would not go amiss.’

’I'd love to get a frigate,' Lewrie announced. ’Wouldn't we all?' Ellison snarled, stalking off. ’A chance to see more action, eh?' Osmonde asked Lewrie. 'Aye, sir. As long as I have to be in the Navy, what better duty is there?’

‘Amazing what a taste of powder smoke can do for a boy. ’

‘You were right, Mister Osmonde,' Lewrie said. 'I almost ran and hid, but I didn't. Or couldn't. And then I didn't have any time to think about it, I just did it. It was terrifying, and I thought I had gone mad. But never more alive.’

’And you did extremely well,' Osmonde told him. 'In fact, you may be the only one to garner any credit from our encounter. One word of advice?’

‘Aye, sir, your advice has been good.’

’Don't go dashing madly after more fame and glory. They are always bigger than you are, and will eat you right up. ’

‘The captain said much the same thing, sir. At least, I think he did,' Lewrie replied, repeating Bales' admonition. 'Hmrn, I fear Captain Bales and I do not mean the same thing at all. Of course, he is right, in a way. This service is very political. Whig, Tory, City interests, country interests. Anyone who makes a name will always be desperately envied, and there's a hundred people ready to run you through for your p0sition. You must be cautious about the people you anger on your way up, and the people you espouse. But in your actions, too much caution can get you killed, or ruined. It's a fine line to walk, like the edge of a sharp sword.’

The sideparty formed again as Captain Stuyckes took his leave of them. He was even grimmer in aspect than. when he had come aboard, and most conspicuously, was without his bundle of papers. ’Quiet, you two!' Kenyon admonished, from across the room. One at a time they were called upon as the morning wore on. First Kenyon as ranking officer, then the warrants. Ashburn went and was back in minutes. 'That was quick,' Lewrie said as a cabin steward circulated a tray of fresh coffee about the wardroom and he used it as an excuse to get close to Ashburn. 'How was it?’

‘It doesn't look too good for them,' Ashburn muttered. 'There wasn't much I could tell them, except that I was on the quarterdeck, and never heard a word about clearing for action. Urn, good coffee. First real article I've had in weeks.’

’Passing the word for Midshipman Lewrie,' a Marine called.

On his way up to the admiral's cabins to testify, Lewrie saw two faces that he had not expected to run across again. The first was his dis-rated enemy Rolston. He stood by the larboard entry port with a small chest and canvas bag at his feet, going with a draft of men to one of the ships in harbor. He was dressed as a common seaman in slop trousers, checked shirt and neckerchief, with a flat, tarred hat on his head, and his feet bare. Evidently the needs of the fleet were such that there would be no further punishment for him, and he was attained hand able to hand, reef and possibly steer. Rolston saw him and gave him such a black look that Lewrie was afraid for his life for a second. Then the irony of it sITUck him and he waved hello gaily.

The second face was their silent Lieutenant Church. He was in the company of a Marine Lieutenant, dressed in normal uniform but minus his sword. Lewrie attempted to speak to him, but Church turned away with a 'the direct cut.’

’You'd think he could speak…' Alan groused. ’Not likely,' his guide, an elegantly turned out midshipman on the admiral's staff, told him with a wry grin. 'He's due in there himself tomorrow.’

’What for?’

‘Court-martial. Cowardice under fire,' the boy took pleasure in informing him. 'Seems you lot from Ariadne have no luck at all, eh?' Lewrie was announced, led in to face the assembled court and shown to a witness chair. Captain Bales and Mr. Swift sat to one side, and he nodded to them as he was sworn in.

He was led through his name, his date of joining, his duties, and all the mundane things. Then came the day of their fight. 'My station at Quarters was on the lower gun deck. sir,' he said, in response to the first serious question, and he tensed up, not knowing what would help or hurt Bales and Swift, and if he should even bother. ’And what occurred, Mister Lewrie?’

‘We were finishing dinner, sir, when we were called to Quarters. We had been at gun drill all morning. ’

‘Did you think it was another drill?' a sharp-featured captain asked. It was hard to figure out if he was a lawyer or a member of the court. 'At first, sir. Just before one bell of the Day Watch. ’

‘What was done on the lower gun deck. Mister Lewrie?’

‘We turned to the fourteen thirty-two-pounders to starboard, sir. The larboard guns had three men each. Sand was cast, the gun tackles were cast off, tompions removed and the starboard battery loaded with eight-pound charges, and single round-shot.’

’You did not run out?’

‘No, sir.’

’I see. What else did you do to prepare for battle?’

‘That was it, sir.' Lewrie squirmed in his hard chair as he said it, unable to look at Bales or Swift. ’You did not strike the mess tables? Take chests below?’

‘Tables had been raised to the deckheads, sir. But everything else was placed on the centerline away from recoil. ’

‘Wkat was… everything else?' the officer posed. 'Seamen's chests, sir. Stools, plates, mess kits and bread barges. The gunroom was still standing and so was Marine quarters and the officer's mess.’

’You were on the lower gun deck. How could you know about the other?' another captain snapped. ’that Midshipman Lewrie and gunner's mate Cole took over at this time and did exceptional service with the lower deck guns.’

’Well, not exactly, sir. ’

‘You did not?’

‘I was blown to the deck, sir, and it was an absolute madhouse. Mister Roth did join us but he was also killed almost at once. It must have been two or three minutes before we got sorted out.’

’But you did, after that:. take charge?’

‘After I had gotten over being terrified, sir.’

’Mister Cole tells me he took orders from you. Did you find that strange, a warrant gunner obeying a midshipman?’

‘Aye, sir… but we got the job done.’

’What was the final toll from the lower deck?' another officer asked, one who had been sitting silent for most of the testimony. ’Two officers and nine seamen killed, nineteen wounded, sir. And three more have since passed on.’

’Lots of splinter wounds, I suppose.’

’Aye, sir. A lot.' Alan gulped.

They conferred among themselves for a moment:. then turned to face their court once more. 'I believe that is all for this witness,' the president announced. 'Unless you have anything, Captain Bales?’

‘I think Mister Lewrie will bear me out that we held regular gun drills, did we not?' Captain Bales said, looking sharper and more aware than in the past few days. ’Aye, sir, we did,' Alan agreed. ’And was the starboard battery of the lower deck run out and ready to fire when that Spaniard fired into us?' Bales added. ’The guns were run out… sir, aye.’

’And ready to fire!' Bales repeated, thumping his chair arm. 'Um, no, sir. After Lieutenant Harm believed our chase to be a neutral Dutchman, he… never ordered the guns primed.' Bales' exuberant defense crumpled. 'But… ah… the gunners and crews were thoroughly competent:. were they not'!’

‘I think: what this young man means is that if those quarters had been struck below, they would have come