A Divided Command by David Donachie

Author:David Donachie [Donachie, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Literature & Fiction, Contemporary, Genre Fiction, Action & Adventure, Historical, Sea Adventures, War, Mystery; Thriller & Suspense, Crime, Thriller, War & Military, Contemporary Fiction, Historical Fiction
ISBN: 9780749014254
Google: KKRnnQEACAAJ
Amazon: B00G8OBME0
Barnesnoble: B00G8OBME0
Goodreads: 19199681
Publisher: ALLISON & BUSBY
Published: 2013-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

If he had hoped for sympathy from Emily he got none; instead she made no attempt to hide her fury at being duped, which left Pearce stuttering justifications that fell on deaf ears, this as she stitched his cut, making no attempt at gentility, and these were assertions, as well as the hissed reactions to the needle, that had Michael O’Hagan chortling from the other side of the door.

His friend’s final excuse to escape this physical and verbal drubbing was to say he needed to see to matters aboard ship, and that he would stay aboard overnight, which subsequently allowed the Irishman to relay to his shipmates all that had occurred, a blow-by-blow account that all agreed should have seen a corpse, though it ended in much laughter when they heard how their captain’s lady had reduced to jelly a man who was not the kind to shy away from trouble.

When he went ashore again the next day, it was with an agreement that he would meet up with his leave-taking Pelicans later in the day. They were making ready and prettying themselves up to follow, their rendezvous to take place in a tavern well away from what could be called the fleshpots of Leghorn. These bagnios, much frequented by privateers as well as navy hands allowed ashore on leave, were too raucous and too full of prostitution for the kind of quiet talk Pearce had in mind.

Crossing the harbour he saw that HMS Leander was in the process of weighing, no doubt to return to San Fiorenzo and the fleet, which produced mixed feelings; he had clouted the premier and the repercussions of that were an unknown for the swine was well above him in rank, merely by service time, and it was strictly forbidden, for obvious reasons, to strike a senior officer.

Then there was Henry Digby, to whom he owed a great deal and if he had been effusive in his thanks he knew that the affair had left his second in a parlous position vis-à-vis Taberly. There was nothing he could do, given comings and goings were the very stuff of naval life. He could only hope that Digby would not suffer too much from the man’s malice.

He found Emily, if not in tears, with clear evidence that she had been crying. Naturally assuming it to be because of his duel he did not enquire too much, only doing so when, having suggested that they go for a promenade and perhaps to seek out the tavern where he could meet his friends, she flatly refused to leave the lodging house. When he pressed for an explanation that was when tears flowed again and the tale of what had occurred was dragged out of her.

‘Who insulted you and what did they say?’

‘Best you do not know, John.’

‘It is vital that I do, Emily.’

‘Why, so you can risk your life again?’

‘Tell me.’

‘No.’

It took time and much persistence, plus pleading and many a reassuring hug, but eventually the story came out, in fits and starts and only on the condition he would not react to it.

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