15 On the Barbary Coast (Fighting Sail #15) by Alaric Bond

Author:Alaric Bond [Bond, Alaric]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 1943404402
Publisher: Old Salt Press
Published: 2021-12-31T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

“I have no idea what’s keeping the men,” Suzie declared. “They have been upstairs for an absolute age; their dinner will be stone cold b’now.”

Midshipman Williams was just as unsure and, off watch or not, felt he should also be on deck. Leaving the party would not be easy, however. Bewley had been called away to tend to the seaman with the broken arm so, apart from him, the only man present was Browning. And the marine lieutenant was presenting a problem in himself. After being the main consumer of Captain Goodman’s wine and an equally generous portion of roasted hen, he now had one elbow on the table and was unashamedly resting on his hand with sleep apparently imminent.

“We might send something up,” Aimée suggested. The difference in rank between a lieutenant’s wife and a captain’s lady was as distinct as that of their husbands’, even if there was little likelihood of her dominating Mrs Summers in any way.

“I should say not!” Suzie declared. “We spent all afternoon cooking and preparing; if they can’t come down and eat like Christians, they can go without!”

“Lions,” Browning muttered, surfacing for a moment. Suzie turned to him.

“Whatever did you say, Lieutenant?”

“Lions,” the man repeated. “Christians eat lions.” He paused to consider this. “Or is it the other way about?”

“Well, I think we should save what we can,” Aimée said. “They are sailors and will enjoy it whatever the temperature.”

There was a loud knock at the door and a curly-haired seaman entered.

“Beggin’ your pardon, Mr Williams.” The man appeared mildly aback as the cabin also contained two women in their finery along with a semi-comatose marine lieutenant. “Mr Summers says ’ed like you on deck sharpish.”

“Tell Mr Summers not to be so rude!” Suzie erupted.

“Tell him nothing of the sort, Mr Lovemore.” Aimée did not know the name of every hand, though Lovemore was almost a friend. She turned to Williams, now every inch the captain’s lady. “Simon, you had better go; thank you so much for your company.”

The midshipman’s chair fell back in his haste to stand although he had the sense to nod respectfully to both women before leaving.

“But the meal!” Suzie wailed, as Browning’s jaw slipped off its rest and he slumped face down onto his dinner plate.

* * *

“What’s the private signal for today?” Summers demanded as soon as Williams appeared on deck.

“It had better be night,” the midshipman replied after considering the light. “A single red at the maintop, sir, and two blues on the tops’l yardarms.” The prompt answer was impressive.

“Very good, set that up if you please and place a reliable hand alongside each.”

It had been a difficult decision as well as something of a compromise, and Summers was still not entirely happy with it. There was one advantage in signalling by lamps, however, messages could be read at a greater distance. On the other hand, signalling meant maintaining his current course for longer than he would have liked. Even being the faster vessel, and

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