Flag Officer-Jamaica! by Brian Withecombe

Author:Brian Withecombe [Withecombe, Brian]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Brian Withecombe
Published: 2019-03-14T04:00:00+00:00

In the meantime, Jessica, Lady Courtenay, their daughter Sophie and Jessica’s maid Eliza, were taking their ease by promenading around the deck of the merchant vessel, an Indiaman. She was a well-found ship, with a smartly dressed company, and her Captain, Hamish McNulty, who was well used to passengers of course, was the model of civility. He was even more in that way disposed to Jessica, since he was only too well aware that she was the wife of one of The Royal Navy’s well-known Admirals. He now stopped in front of the small party and doffed his hat.

“Good mornin’ to ye, your Ladyship. I do hope you and your daughter are enjoying the voyage?”

“At least the weather has been kind Captain.” Jessica replied with a smile. “When do we pick up the Trades for our voyage across the Atlantic to the Caribbean?”

He smiled. “Oh yes, I had forgotten. I am sure your husband has told you all about the best way to cross to the Caribbean!”

“Many times Captain. I feel I know the voyage and I have never done it before!”

He looked out over the starboard side where the frigate Miranda was crawling along under reefed tops’ls. He smiled briefly. “I am a mite surprised the Admiralty considered we need an escort in this part of the ocean your Ladyship. We should be perfectly safe until we get closer to the Caribbean. Lots of privateers and them damned pirates, if you will excuse my language!”

“Then you would meet an escort from Bermuda, or perhaps the Bahamas?”

“Yes. Mind you, it would not be much. We might get one frigate, or perhaps even only a brig, but very often, the sight of a King’s ship is enough to scare away any would-be attacker.” He motioned down to the main deck. “In any case your Ladyship, we have some defences of our own, as you can see!”

“And how many rounds per minute can your men fire?” asked Sophie sweetly.

Captain McNulty looked taken aback for a moment, then saw Jessica, instead of admonishing her daughter for speaking when not invited, was waiting for the answer. “Ah, well, we haven’t had to use the guns for a while, so I accept the men might be a mite rusty, but we can still get off one or two a minute.”

“Father’s ships have always fired at least three rounds every two minutes Captain.” said Sophie, smiling happily.

McNulty smiled briefly, stroked his beard, and said, “Oh well, that’s the Royal Navy for you!” Then he nodded and smiled, and strode away. Sophie and her mother looked at his back, turned to each other and smiled.

“If your father was here Sophie, he would soon have that lot jumping about!” They laughed together and resumed their promenade. Jessica looked out at where the frigate was, and thought she saw something. She turned inboard, and saw the officer of the watch looking in their direction, telescope under one arm. “Mr Molony, is it not?” she asked. The man nodded and touched his hat.

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