An Ill Wind by David Donachie

Author:David Donachie [David Donachie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780749013141
Publisher: Allison & Busby
Published: 2013-02-10T16:00:00+00:00

Heinrich Lutyens was amused by the way Emily Barclay had repeatedly described John Pearce’s behaviour in Livorno as reprehensible; not endlessly, but somehow the subject had been alluded to more often than it should, given there was no connection between them other than social contact. Odd that all her troubles with her husband, though they had been deepened by his behaviour, had begun with her defence of the very same fellow; perhaps that was why she felt she could refer to him in such a proprietary way.

Whatever excuse Ralph Barclay had come up with to flog John Pearce it had been more to do with the familiar way the man addressed his wife than for any offence listed in the Articles of War, and Emily had made her displeasure at his actions as plain to him as had the crew of the frigate: the whole affair had hurt Barclay much more than his supposed victim. But it was really the court martial, which she had attended even though she had been forbidden to do so, which had ripped a seemingly irreparable tear in their marriage.

Cunningly it had been arranged to take place when several witnesses who would have damned Ralph Barclay were away on another duty, courtesy of Admiral Hotham, the verdict coming as a shock on Pearce’s return, especially when he discovered that none of the written depositions he and the Pelicans had dictated to one of Hotham’s clerks had been introduced as testimony.

‘You may say what you wish, Heinrich, about the lax morals of the Latins, but to me, the vision of a British officer being required to flee the bedroom of a married woman is shocking.’

‘I fear you would find the behaviour of most British naval officers shocking, my dear.’

Working as she was on her embroidery, the needle moved more speedily as an indication of her discomfort: if he had not mentioned the whorehouses of Livorno he was alluding to them. ‘Then I hope you will forbear to enlighten me.’

‘There was one tale I heard that is amusing.’ Seeing her lift both head and eyebrows, he continued. ‘Do you know the name Hervey?’

‘Is that not the name of the earls of Bristol?’

‘Indeed, coming from Somerset I thought you would know it. A family of bishops and politicians to boot, though it is one of their number who was a post captain, a certain Augustus Hervey, who generated this tale. Seemingly he was based in Leghorn during the Seven Years’ conflict and was such a Lothario, and so enamoured of those loose Latin morals you so deplore, he managed to father some fifty bastards.’

‘Why are you telling me this?’

‘Perhaps to put in some context the behaviour of John Pearce, whom you seem eager to condemn. Compared to Hervey he is a novice.’

‘Two wrongs do not make a right.’

‘Nor do fifty, my dear, and nor does your continuing refusal to share the quarters of your husband.’

That stopped the needle but she still looked at the threaded pattern. ‘I thought you, of all people, Heinrich, would not seek to chastise me for that.

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