A Troubled Course by David Donachie

Author:David Donachie
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781493070664
Publisher: McBooks Press
Published: 2022-07-22T00:00:00+00:00

In the great cabin of HMS Victory, Sir John Jervis was penning a personal letter, which would be copied to people he held to share similar opinions to himself. The superscription would say it was from him, while on the inside it would tell the recipient the subject was a matter of the gravest concern. Many were senior naval officers, but there were also politicians and even some members of the royal court. In it he outlined what he saw as cogent reasons why a way should be found to stop John Pearce from benefiting, in any way, from the capture of the Santa Leocadia.

‘I’d rather see the sod in hell than in comfort’ were the words he mouthed before calling to his senior clerk to make copies to which he would add the superscription. ‘And be discreet, no gossiping.’

‘Me, sir?’

‘Take that look of innocence off your face at once. You’d sell your mother for a guinea.’

‘If you wish, sir.’

The next composition, which would go in the same batch, was private and addressed to the Minster for War, and this required more careful consideration. If Pearce was his man, damning the sod would hardly serve, so he merely asked for permission to hang on to his services rather than send him home, while he hoped such an act found favour. In a sense, it was to cover himself.

Having no idea of the depth of the association or what plans Dundas had for his emissary, it was best to be cautious with a man who had garnered so much power. It was also necessary to make a fair copy and mark it as sent, with the date of despatch attended by the use of a special seal. That way, Dundas could not deny receipt: after all he and Pearce were both damned Scotsmen and no doubt joined at the hip, with corruption as the bone marrow.

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