The shadow of the eagle

Marlowe's conduct which was attributable to his problems; so too was his attitude. Frey's original assessment of him not being such a bad fellow had been accurate. All the damage to his character had been self-inflicted.

'Mr Marlowe, I have no wish to increase your burden, but I think I divine the roots of your misfortunes. Forgive me, but your frankness does you credit and I am aware you are affianced to Ashton's sister.'

'Yes. That is unfortunate.'

'How so? Do you not wish to marry the young lady?'

'Most decidedly, sir, but the ceremony will be delayed by our absence.'

'And the lady is expecting...'

'You know!'

'I had heard ...'

'Damn Ashton!'

'It is unfortunate you do not like your intended brother-in-law ...'

'Damn it, sir,' Marlowe leant forward, his eyes intense, alive again after the emotional moments of self- revelation, 'the man has designs on my fortune. He seeks to gain an ascendancy over me partly through what he knows of me and also through his sister. That would be bad enough, but this delay ...' The first lieutenant rose to his feet and ran a hand wildly through his hair.

'Sit down, Frederic, for God's sake,' snapped Drinkwater.

Marlowe turned and stared at Drinkwater, his eyes desperate. 'Sir, I...'

'Sit down, there's a good fellow. You are no good to me in this state. We have an important duty to attend to. You are perhaps the last officer in this war to be offered an opportunity'

'Sir, I am not certain that I am capable ...'

'Of course you are capable, Frederic! And what is more we shall have you home to marry your Sarah in no time at all.'

'Two months would be too long to avoid a scandal, sir.'

'Well, we shall have to ensure it don't take that long,' said Drinkwater.

'Is that possible?'

'I believe so.'

Drinkwater saw Marlowe relax with relief. 'I hope so, sir, but you just mentioned learning to like burgoo.'

Drinkwater shrugged. 'True. I can't be certain, of course, but I don't believe we shall be kept long on station.' Drinkwater smiled and was rewarded with a reciprocating grin.

'I apologize, sir ... for my conduct the other night.'

'Let us put the matter behind us; do you just deal with our problems on a day-to-day basis.'

Marlowe rose. 'I shall go and have a look in the hold, sir,' he said, 'and thank you.'

'Tis nothing.'

Marlowe nodded over Drinkwater's shoulder and out through the stern windows. 'There's more blue sky showing now, sir.'

'Yes, it may yet prove a fine day'

Marlowe stood uncertainly, for a moment he strove to speak, then gave up the attempt and made to leave. Drinkwater called him back. 'Mr Marlowe, would you be so kind as to show the midshipmen the method of determining longitude by the chronometer?'

'Yes, of course, sir.'

'And just ignore Ashton.'

Marlowe nodded. 'Yes. Yes, I will.' He paused again, then blurted out, 'what made you come below and see me last night, sir?'

'I'm not sure,' Drinkwater replied. 'Concern for you, concern for the ship, concern for myself.' He paused and smiled. 'Anyway, why did you come on deck this morning?'

'Because you came to see me last night, sir.'

CHAPTER 9 A Sea Change

April-May 1814

Drinkwater's forecast proved accurate. By noon the wind had again swung into the north-north-west, dropped to a fresh breeze and swept aside the cloud cover, leaving only the benign white fluffs of fair-weather cumulus. The depression moved away to the north and east, following its predecessor into the chops of the Channel. The sea now reflected this change in the atmosphere, losing the forbidding grey of the true Western Ocean, and wearing the kindly blue mantle of more temperate latitudes. And, indeed, when Birkbeck, emerging from the hold, found Captain Drinkwater ready to observe the culmination of the sun on the ship's meridian, their southing was substantial.

Things were less optimistic below decks. The working party in the hold had failed to locate the source of the ingress of water, though some credence was given to Marlowe's hypothesis by evidence of water entering the well from the starboard side. In the wardroom Lieutenant Ashton sulked, much to the annoyance of Hyde, who, when distracted from his amusements sufficiently to notice, began to conclude that Ashton was far from being the amiable fellow he had first assumed. Indeed Hyde inclined towards Mr Frey who, it began to emerge, was an officer of some talent with a paintbrush.

Having endured a degree of persecution from brother officers in the past, Frey was inclined to conceal his love of drawing and water-colour painting, but Hyde caught sight of a small picture he was working on, which showed the Royal Sovereign flying the Bourbon standard, accompanied by Andromeda, Impregnable, Jason, Polonais, Gremyashchi and the Trinity Yacht. Artistic achievement impressed Hyde, and he was driven to confess that he regretted his inability to play an instrument or, indeed, even to sing, let alone draw or рaint.

This polite exchange with Frey was overhead by Ashton who was driven to make some mean sarcasm about Hyde's success at playing being assured, provided he tried to play no more than the fool. Hyde, who had been oblivious to Ashton's presence until that moment, spun round.

'What's that you say?' he demanded.

'That should you decide upon playing anything, my dear Hyde, confine it to being a fool.'

For a moment Frey, fascinated by this encounter, thought Hyde would take the remark lying down, but it seemed the marine officer's indolence extended even to govern the timing of his outbursts of temper. In fact, his momentary silence appeared to discomfit Ashton, judging by the expression on the sea-officer's face as he regarded Hyde.

'The fool, sir?' asked Hyde. 'Did you suggest I might be a suitable candidate to play the fool?' There was a note of controlled menace in Hyde's voice that Frey found quite unnerving, despite the fact that it was not directed at himself.

Ashton's face paled. 'A joke, Hyde, a joke.'

And then Hyde had closed the distance between the flimsy door to Frey's cabin and the third lieutenant with a single stride and thrust his face into Ashton's. 'A joke, d'you say, sir? Well, well, a joke ... A joke to make a fellow laugh, eh? Ain't that what a joke's for, eh Josiah? Well ain't it? Say yay or nay. You crack 'em: you should know all about 'em.'

'A joke, yes.' Ashton was cornered, wary. He shot an embarrassed glance at Frey.

'To make us laugh, eh? Eh?' Hyde was relentless; he began to move forward, forcing Ashton backwards.

'Yes.' Ashton appealed mutely to Frey who remained silent.

'Good,' persisted Hyde. 'Since we're agreed on the purpose of a joke, perhaps you'd like to share one with me, Josiah. Listen; if there is a fool hereabouts, it is you. What you hope to achieve by your attitude towards poor Marlowe is your own affair, but whatever it is, or was, you were unwise to make it so public. The man has suffered