Invasion

'From Kronstadt to Sitka Island? It certainly is an enterprise to remark, but as to our vessels, you may rest easy—both the Nadezhda and the Neva are recently purchased from the Royal Navy, Mr. Kydd. For your further questions, I believe you shall speak now with the commander of the expedition.'

Kydd bowed in acceptance and was taken to a knot of officers in haughty discussion. 'Kapitan, this is Commander Kydd,' Rezanov snapped at a young but intense-featured officer in the centre. 'Mr. Kydd, Kapitan- pervogo Ivan Krusenstern.' He bowed smartly, with a crisp click of the heels, and was gone.

'My best wishes for your success, sir,' Kydd said to the officer, as graciously as he could. 'Mr. Kru—er, I understand you're sailing in one of our ships,' he said slowly, hoping the man had sufficient English for polite converse.

'O' course, Commander. Ye'll recall Leander o' the Nile as was?' It was passing strange to hear the robust idiom of an English fo'c'sle coming from an exotically dressed Russian. 'She's now th' good ship Nadezhda an' I'm t' see her where y'r Captain Vancouver once led.' He saw Kydd's surprise and added dismissively, 'Oh, I've done a mort o' service wi' the King's Navy afore now.'

'Why, er, to be sure,' Kydd said, taken aback. 'I do recall Leander, Mr. Krusenstern, as I was at the Nile myself. A fine ship and gallant!'

Krusenstern beamed as his eyes flicked to Kydd's medals. He leaned across to shake Kydd's hand. 'So ye were, b'God! An' 'twas a thumpin' fine mauling ye gave 'em that night, cully!'

The circle of officers about them fell back at the sudden comradely friendliness and Kydd grinned. 'A thunderin' hard enough mill f'r all hands, as I c'n tell ye! An' for y'self, a world cruise, why, ye'll have yarns enough t' tell at every dogwatch f'r years t' come.'

'Aye, well, it's aught but a tradin' matter,' Krusenstern said guardedly, taking Kydd aside. 'An' th' mutinous dogs o' Tlingit tribesmen on Kodiak needin' our attention.'

They started walking alone together. 'But belay th' tough yarns, we've a tight barky or two, and our pel- compass an' y'r Taunton's artificial magnet as'll see us through all a-taunto. A right rousin' voyage it'll be . . .'

The two seamen disappeared happily into the throng.

In the morning it seemed that Boyd had got together his appraisal of the situation, but before they began he told Kydd that it was noted he had conducted himself in a most satisfactory manner. 'To cut out Krusenstern from under the eyes of the ambassador by talking sea-cant was a most ingenious stratagem. You should look to more of the same in the future, I dare to say.'

'Er, the Kapitan Krusenstern, he claims service in the Royal Navy?' Kydd asked.

'He has, and others too. Since Tsarina Catherine's day they've had many of their best men serve with us for a spell. First-class training, they believe.'

'Any . . . active service?'

'If by that you mean a whiff of powder-smoke, then most definitely. Odd thing, though, this Ivan seems to prefer the company of the foremast hands to the officers when ashore. A hard-drinking cove, you see, your Russian.'

As they mounted the stairs to the upper floor of the Admiralty Office Kydd tried to reconcile his excitement at the pomp and glitter of a diplomatic occasion with the nervous, febrile atmosphere of a London trying to make light of the dreadful threat of imminent invasion. The frightful images of the prints, and Renzi's revelations, had stayed with him. 'Should we take fear o' those fantastical invasion machines, do you think?' he asked hesitantly.

At first Boyd did not reply. Then he said thoughtfully, 'It's as well never to underestimate the Corsican, Kydd. He knows how to sow fear and panic by lie and invention. To believe every word of the Moniteur would be to credit the tyrant with ten times more victories than he has, but we must accept that there are those to which we are compelled to accede.'

They reached a discreet door and Boyd found his keys. As he selected the right one he added soberly, 'I suppose it is possible that many of these horrors are rumour and deceit, but the French are a logical and inventive people and there may well be substance in them. I really can't say.'

The key rattled and the door opened on a darkened room. Boyd crossed to a single shuttered window and threw it open. Daylight through the bars revealed a single bare table and chairs. What resembled a ship's chart locker, with its array of flat drawers, stood along one wall.

Kydd was motioned to the table while Boyd closed and locked the door, then sat opposite. 'Mr. Kydd,' he said, with chilling gravity, 'what I have to tell you this morning is privy information whose disclosure would cause panic and riot if known by the general public, yet it is necessary for you to learn of it should the worst happen. Do you understand?'

'I do, sir.'

'Very well. Let me begin by admitting to you that never in the history of this realm has England lain under greater menace of invasion and consequent extinction as a nation. Our country cherishes the liberty of individuals and as such we're ill-placed to maintain great armies. Most of our land continues its daily round much as its forefathers did, with little to tell that a war rages on the continent.

'King and Parliament are amicable but the people will not stand for oppression. On the contrary side, France now is subject to the resolve of one man who is able to focus the entire resources of his nation to one end. An invasion. And he is so pledged to invade this country I do not well see how he can avoid it. Therefore we must stretch every sinew in our defence. There are volunteers, the militia and our army, all of which combined are greatly outnumbered by Napoleon's battle-seasoned legions.' Kydd stirred restlessly. 'Sir! You discount the Navy as our—' 'If,' said Boyd, heavily, 'by any means, the French get ashore there are plans.' He opened a drawer, extracted a large map and spread it out. 'Our best intelligence now is that Bonaparte intends to descend on the closest part of England to the coast of France.' His finger stabbed down at the shoreline of the Downs. 'In fact, just to the south. Dover Castle is an ancient but still formidable fortification, which must be subdued, but see here . . .' Kydd recognised the flat and barely inhabited Romney Marsh a few miles on to the south. 'It's wide open to a massed assault on a broad front and I fear it will prove a forlorn hope to expect our militia and volunteers to move up quickly enough to meet a sudden descent.'

Kydd frowned. What possible chance did those inexperienced amateurs have against the hardened troops that had stormed over Europe to victory after victory?

Boyd continued remorselessly. 'Thus it would seem not impossible to conceive that a landing would be met with a rapid success . . .' Kydd went cold. 'Did the—will the King—' 'His Majesty is under no doubt of his duty.