For My Country's Freedom by Alexander Kent

Author:Alexander Kent [Kent, Alexander]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: C429, Kat, Extratorrents
ISBN: 9780099502296
Publisher: Random House UK
Published: 2007-02-05T13:30:00+00:00

Bolitho asked sharply, “What is it?”

Allday looked at him impassively. “Not certain, sir.”

“Deck there! Sail in sight to th’ nor’-east!”

Tyacke glanced around until he found Midshipman Blythe.

“Aloft with you, my lad, and take a glass!”

There was an edge to his voice and Bolitho saw him stare at the horizon, already glassy bright and searing.

“Prepare to make more sail, Mr Scarlett!”

Blythe had reached the mainmast crosstrees. “Sail to the nor’-east, sir!” Just the slightest hesitation. “Schooner, sir!”

Scarlett remarked, “Well, she’s not running away.”

With Indomitable and the other two frigates hove-to, and the brig Marvel making sail to block the stranger’s escape if she proved hostile, every available glass was trained despite the heavy, regular swell.

Midshipman Cleugh, Blythe’s haughty assistant, called in his squeaky voice, “She’s Reynard, sir!”

Scarlett said, “Courier. I wonder what she wants?”

Nobody answered.

Allday climbed silently up the ladder and stood at Bolitho’s shoulder.

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FOR MY COUNTRY ’S F REEDOM

“I’ve got a feeling, sir. Something’s wrong.”

It was almost an hour before the schooner was near enough to drop a boat. Her captain, a wild-eyed lieutenant named Tully, was taken down to the cabin where Bolitho was pretending to enjoy some of Ozzard’s coffee.

“Well, Mr Tully, and what have you brought me?”

He watched as Avery opened the bag and then dragged out the sealed and weighted envelope.

But the schooner’s young captain exclaimed, “It’s war, sir! The Americans are already at the Canadian frontier . . .”

Bolitho took the despatches from Avery’s hand. “Where are their ships?” One letter was from Captain Dawes in Valkyrie. He had taken his ships to sea as already arranged, and would await fresh orders as they had planned, it seemed so long ago.

He repeated, “But where are their ships?”

Dawes had written as a postscript, Commodore Beer’s squadron quit Sandy Hook during a storm.

He could almost hear the words. A total responsibility. But he felt nothing. It was what he had expected. Hoped, perhaps. To end it once and for all.

Tyacke, who had been waiting in silence, asked suddenly,

“What is the date of origin, sir?”

Avery replied, “Ten days ago, sir.”

Bolitho stood up, aware of the silence in the ship, despite the heavy movement. Ten days, and they had been at war without knowing it.

He swung round. “The next convoy from Jamaica?”

Tyacke said, “Sailed. They’d not know either.”

Bolitho stared at the chair by the stern bench. Where Adam had sat with Catherine’s letter. Where his heart had broken.

He asked, “What escort?” He saw Tyacke’s face. He, too, had known that this was coming. But how could that be?

Avery said, “Anemone, sir. If they were not expecting . . .”

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Bolitho interrupted him sharply. “Make a signal to Zest and Reaper, repeated Marvel. Close on flagship and remain in company. ”

He looked directly at Tyacke, excluding everyone else. “We shall lay a course for the Mona Passage.” He could recall it so clearly, that much-disputed channel to the west of Puerto Rico, where he and so many faces now lost had fought battles now forgotten by most people.

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