The King`s Commission

shot to speed their descent into the nether-depths if Shrike were accosted by a foe.

'Despatches for Kingston,' Lilycrop told Lewrie after he had stowed them away in a locker in his transom settee. 'Hood and Rodney'll be on their way west after us, just in case the Dons and what Frogs escaped still have plans for Jamaica. We'll crack on all the sail she can fly, and I'll be wantin' to warn you again 'bout how Shrike can get away from you in a stiff blow to loo'rd.'

'Aye, sir,' Alan replied. 'Sail on the next tide?'

'Yes. Are we ready to put to sea?'

'Aye, sir,' Alan said, proud that he had the ship ready in all respects, in between the riotous celebrations ashore.

'By the way, the flag-captain informs me a terrible mistake was made two month ago, Mister Lewrie,' Lilycrop went on, tossing off his heavy coat, kicking off his tight shoes, and picking up a cat to stroke. 'Seems a midshipman assistin' a flag-lieutenant-which is like a blind man helpin' a cripple cross a busy road-sent a Lieutenant Lyles, a man of no little experience, into the Amphion frigate, and sent you here as my first. Upset their little wardroom order with no end of shit.'

'I see, sir. So I am to exchange with this Lieutenant Lyles?'

'Not a bit of it. Told 'em I preferred you, now we were used to each other's ways,' Lilycrop growled, busying himself with a bottle of wine. 'If they got their books wrong, it's no fault of mine, I told 'em. If Lyles got the wet end of the stick, it's their problem.'

'Thank you, sir.' Alan beamed, puffing up at the compliment.

'Didn't think an ambitious young fella like yourself would care to be third officer in a thirty-six, when you could be first, even in a little brig like Shrike.'

'I do prefer it, sir,' Alan replied, realizing it was true, even if being third officer in a 5th Rate would be easier on his constitution.

'Thought you'd say that.' Lilycrop smiled, his eyes gleaming.

'Gooch, come open this damned bottle! I'm dry as dust! That's why I said you wished to stay in Shrike. I don't misrepresent you, do I, sir?'

'No, sir.' Alan grinned back.

'Good. Now go stir up the warrants an' tell 'em we're gettin' underway at slack water tonight. And Mister Lewrie, do try an' not be as amusin' when we sail this time, eh?'

'Aye, sir.'

'Oh, got the extra barrel o' sand for the kitties?'

'Clean sand from low tide, sir, nothing from further up the beach.'

'Good, no reason to bring sand-fleas aboard. That's all, you can go. Think I'll sport a nip for you? Drink your own damned claret.'

'Aye, sir,' Alan replied, then broke off his exit. 'Um, excuse me, sir, but did the flag say how long we would be at Jamaica?'

'Got calls to make there, Mister Lewrie?'

'A few, sir.' Alan grinned.

'Well, you keep it to yourself, but we're bein' transferred to the Jamaica Squadron.' Lilycrop sighed, as Gooch got the offending bottle open and poured him a liberal measure. 'And no tales out of school for you, either, Gooch, damn yer eyes.'

'Aye, sir,' Gooch replied a bit insulted, as Lilycrop treated the whole affair as a joke. Most cabin servants from the wardroom or captain's quarters could trade information on the sly for favor with their shipmates; no matter how secret a matter was, it was uncanny how quickly everyone on the mess decks could hear all about it within seconds of the officers.

'Pity about Mistress Fenton,' Lilycrop said. 'Well, off with you, Mister Lewrie. I'm sure you have duties? And go ashore if you think it best.'

Alan took himself out on deck, exulting in this stroke of good luck. He would be allowed a shore visit at Kingston, surely, to see Lucy Beauman, the perfectly lovely, and perfectly rich Lucy Beauman. Finally, he could pay court to her whenever the ship put back into Kingston, every eight weeks or so if their last cruise was anything to go by. It was all very well to have made lieutenant, have a decent rate of pay, and the annuity from his grandmother, but Alan knew his tastes and how expensive they could be; a gentleman with any pretensions to the good life back home needed three hundred pounds a year or he couldn't begin to exist. Lucy's parents were rich as Croesus, and were not adverse to a match, now that he'd made something of himself; they could not deny their beautiful little girl anything she wanted, and from the tone of her last letters, Lucy Beauman most especially desired one Lt. Alan Lewrie. She would bring a settlement, back home in England most likely, of enough land to set themselves up as property owners, ones who rented land to others, instead of the other way around. There would be a house in London, too, fashionably close to St. James's, Whitehall or the Strand, and in between smashing bed furniture in exuberant lovemaking, they could attend drums, routs, levees, and suppers, go to the theaters and the amusements of the world's greatest city, with the money to live the heady life among the titled and the elite.

'By God, but don't life just surprise the hell out of me sometimes,' Alan breathed in anticipation. 'Four parts of it beshit, and then Fortune drops a whole slew of guineas in your lap! Oh, shit!'

There was Dolly. Trusting, adoring Dolly. God, how could he bear to part from her! Yet it had to be. He wouldn't be coming back to Antigua anytime in the near future, and, wonderful as she was, she was (he had discovered) twenty-seven, older than he was. That was fine for the ego, fine for the libido, but not for a long-term relationship. Lucy was only eighteen. While Lucy would not even hit her full beauty for several years, Dolly could look forward to only a few more years of superb loveliness before she began to fade and lose her freshest bloom. And, unfortunately, she wasn't all that wealthy.

'But she's the sort that stays lovely for years and years,' he argued. 'We could… no, best we break it off now, damnit all. Best for her, really. Best she goes back to England and finds a man closer to her own age, someone who'll want to marry and make her happy, a man of substance to add to her husband's commission money.'

Shit, he thought. Listen to me worrying about what a woman feels. Who'd o' thought a rogue like me'd ever worry about that? Oh, this is going to be devilish hard. I really am fond of the silly little mort. Yes, I really am. Fuck it, let's get it over with quick.

'Bosun, bring a boat round for me!' he shouted.

Chapter 3

Shrike thumped away bravely as she fired her salute to Adml. Sir Joshua Rowley's flag, ran down her Red Ensign, and trotted out the White, rounded up under tops'ls and spanker, and let the anchor go in as polished a performance as any ship of the line three years in active commission, which brought a grunt of satisfaction from Lieutenant Lilycrop and a large whoosh of relief from Lt. Alan Lewrie. Almost before the hook was on the bottom inside the Palisades of Kingston Harbor, the gig was alongside the entry port, the coxswain and his oarsmen turned out in the best uniforms they possessed (or could borrow from the purser's stores), and Lilycrop was safely into his boat and on his way to the flagship.

'Harbor gaskets on the yards, Mister Fukes,' Alan ordered.

'Aye, sir,' Fukes rumbled. ''N, could I be a'borryin' a boat ta row about n'see to squarin' away the yards, sir, while we set kedges?'

'My pleasure, Mister Fukes.'

It would be a long row to get ashore, Alan noted, but Lilycrop had insisted that they anchor far out from the main anchorage, far off shore so the night miasmas that brought fever could not reach them, so they could still have a sea-breeze at night to keep the number of insects down. It would also reduce the thoughts of desertion among the hands, none of whom were strong enough swimmers to reach that tantalizing shore.

'Rig the awnings now,' Alan said. 'It'll get a lot hotter this afternoon.'

There was still work to do, rowing out kedge anchors to hold the ship without swinging all about the compass on her bower rode and fouling another ship, tidying up aloft, coiling the miles of sheets and halyards, clews and buntlines down into neatly flaked piles or hung on the bitts and pin-rails. Then boats would have to go ashore for