The Privateer's Revenge

apart from the lazy creaking of a ship at anchor there was utter stillness.

'This I'll say to ye. I took aboard all that was said, an' have considered it well. An' my conclusion is, if there's anything that stands athwart 'Teazer's bows in bein' the finest fightin' ship in the Navy then, s' help me, I won't rest until I've done something about it. I'll not see m' men discontented, an' I won't, y' have m' word on't.'

In the flickering light of 'tween decks it was difficult to make out expressions but the silence told its own story. 'I give ye this promise: at th' end o' the month, any man wants t' ship out o' Teazer c'n shift his berth to another. An' that same day, needs o' the Service permittin'. Thank 'ee—an' good night.'

He made his exit. Behind him the silence dissolved into a chaos of talk. About to mount the companionway he hesitated, then turned to a tiny cabin and knocked. Renzi appeared and regarded him. In a low voice Kydd said, 'I'd be obliged, Nicholas, should ye sup wi' me tonight. There's some things I need t' get off m' chest.'

It wasn't until well into the second bottle of wine that Renzi allowed himself to thaw and listen courteously to Kydd's earnest explanations. 'Nicholas, all I could see then was that if'n I wanted t' keep from hurtin' all I needed was t' lay hold on duty an' be damned t' all else!'

'Duty taken at its widest interpretation, I'd hazard,' Renzi said drily. 'To include a zeal touching on engagement with the King's enemies that's a caution to us all.' He looked across at Kydd. 'Tell me, my friend—for it's a matter much discussed below—was it an unholy passion to prevail or the baser impulse to suicide that had you throw Teazer across the harbour mouth? Do tell. If I might remind you, it did not seem you were of a mind to communicate your motives at the time.'

'Why, nothing as can't be explained wi' a bit o' logic,' said Kydd, smugly. 'It was a fine piece o' reasonin' by their captain, t' take the gunboats out as they did, an' place 'em out o' reach—so I had t' find a way t' call him off. An' I thought o' you, Nicholas. You always say as how I'm overborne by logic, so I set th' French wi' a puzzle.

'Th' duty o' the gunboats was to defend th' port an' its craft. They see Cerberus an' think t' take her. All I did was remind 'em of their duty. I made a sally at th' harbour as made them tremble f'r its safety. They then have t' make up their mind which is th' higher call on their duty, and . . .'

'Bravo! A cool and reasoned decision worthy of Nelson!' There had clearly been no impairment of Kydd's judgement in his time of madness, and there was every reason to hope for a full restoring of the man that lay beneath.

'On quite another matter, brother,' Renzi began lightly, 'do I see a brightening of spirit, as it were, a routing of melancholia, perhaps?'

'Aye, Nicholas, y' do. It's been . . . hard.' He dropped his eyes.

Renzi noticed the tightly clenched fists; the madness was over but the hurt would remain for some time and he longed to reach out. 'Ah, you will probably not be interested at this time, but that sainted ethical hedonist Jeremy Bentham did once devise an algorithm for the computing of happiness, the felicific calculus, which I have oft-times made use of in the approaching of vexed decisions in life. And I'm bound to admit this day, to my eternal shame, that by its calculations it would seem you were right in placing aside the admiral's daughter in favour of . . . of the other . . .'

He trailed off uncertainly but Kydd raised his head with a smile. 'Aye, m' friend, but I had not th' time t' perform the calculations and had t' set a course by my stars as I saw 'em—and I dare t' say I would do it again.'

Renzi's eyes pricked: it had been a hard time for them both but now was the time to move forward. 'Er, your opinion. What do you consider the captain of this fair barque would pass in judgement over that iniquitous young mariner, Jacko, now in durance vile?' he said languorously, stretching for another mutton cutlet.

'Why, I believe if th' rascal should make his apologies to his lawful commander, I don't think he will suffer for it.' Kydd grinned and raised his glass to his friend.

It was evident that there would be no immediate breakout from Granville so HMS Teazer shaped course to Guernsey, raising Sark in the morning. The flagship was back at her mooring in the Great Road and, like her lesser consorts, dressed overall in bunting, but what caught the attention of every man aboard Teazer, when the smoke of the gun salute had cleared, was the distant squeal of pipes aboard Cerberus, followed by a long, rolling thunder of drums.

'B' glory, mannin' th' yards an' it's all fer us!' came a cry from forward. From below-decks of the flagship her ship's company came racing up, leaping into the shrouds and mounting the rigging of all three masts at once. As they reached the fighting tops they spread out each side along the yards, hundreds of men in urgent motion upwards and outwards. When they were in position the drums stopped and in the sudden silence, atop the mainmast truck at the very highest point of the ship, a lone seaman snatched off his hat, and as he whirled it round disciplined cheers broke out.

Granville was not going to be a great fleet action celebrated by the nation but in Navy fashion these men were recognising their own Teazer 's gallantry in a very public way. The figure of Saumarez was unmistakable on Cerberus's quarterdeck and Kydd made an elaborate bow, which was returned at once.

'Pray allow me to shake the hand of a very fine officer!' the admiral said, when Kydd went aboard to report. 'That was the finest stroke this age, I must declare.' Looking intently at Kydd he added, 'And I do believe that our successful engaging with the enemy has gone some way into laying your own troubles—am I right?'

'Aye, sir.'

'Then it will be Lady Saumarez's pleasure to renew your acquaintance in the near future. There will be a dinner given at Saumarez Park on Saturday in grateful token of our victory at which I dare to say you will be guest of honour, Mr Kydd.'

In Teazer, Standish was receiving the official visitors and was conspicuously enjoying the task, quantities of young ladies, it seemed, requiring a personal sighting of the ship that had recently fought so bravely. Renzi, however, went below, taking advantage of the quiet in the great cabin to prepare the ship's papers for her return to port.

The wail of a pipe on the upper deck pealed out: this would be Kydd returning from the admiral. A few minutes later he entered the cabin, but his face was bleak, his gaze unseeing. Renzi understood instantly: this was the first triumph he would have been able to lay before Rosalynd.

Then Kydd noticed him and his eyes softened. 'Nicholas, m' dear friend, do let's step ashore. I've a yen f'r different faces, if y' understands.'

'Why, to be sure. But here are my papers—should our stern captain learn of their neglect in wanton disporting