The Victory by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles

Author:Cynthia Harrod-Eagles [Harrod-Eagles, Cynthia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Aristocracy (Social Class) - England, Historical Fiction, Family, Fantasy, Great Britain - History - 19th century, General, Romance, Napoleonic Wars; 1800-1815, Sagas, Great Britain, Historical, Fiction, Domestic fiction, Morland family (Fictitious characters)
ISBN: 9780751506495
Publisher: Warner
Published: 1989-06-30T23:00:00+00:00

*

Everything had been taken care of, every detail that Nelson could think of. He had ordered all the English ships to fly the white ensign, because it was easier to distinguish from the French flag, even though Collingwood's division ought by rights to have flown his blue ensign. He had noticed that all the English ships had their mast-hoops painted yellow, except for the Belleisle, which had them painted black like the French ships. He ordered the Belleisle to repaint them, and pointed out to his fleet that this made a useful means of identification, when all but the masts were obscured by smoke.

At ten past six he ordered the ships to take up their prearranged stations, although this was only a confirmation of what was already the case, for despite the long night of manoeuvres, the fleet had remained in its correct order, all but the Africa. She had, presumably, missed the order to wear ship during the night, for she had stood on alone to northwards, and was now hurrying back with all the sail she could cram on. Haworth heard this story repeated from hand to hand through his ship, and gave a small, private smile at the indignation of many of his men that their old ship might not be in time to join the action.

‘Wouldn't have happened if we was still in her!' they grumbled. 'Suppose she misses the whole battle?’

It seemed unlikely that she would, for the winds were so light it was taking a very long time to sail into reach of the enemy. Nelson gave the change of course at a quarter to seven, turning the fleet from one line almost parallel with the enemy, into the two divisions, parallel with each other and heading for the enemy line almost at right-angles to it.

Cetus's position was fifth in line in Collingwood's division, with the flagship, and the Belleisle, the Mars and the Tonnant in front of her, and the Billy Ruffian immediately behind. The Prince, steering like a haystack, as Grindall had predicted, was already far out of line to port, and at half-past seven Nelson signalled to her, and to Dreadnought and Britannia, to take whatever station was convenient without regard to the established order of sailing.

Ten minutes later he called the captains of the frigates on board the Victory to give them their orders, which were to stay out of gunshot and render such assistance as might be required. Their usefulness would lie in rescuing men from the water, taking crippled ships in tow and receiving surrender from enemy ships already overpowered. Their frail scantlings would not withstand enemy fire: that was not what they were built for.

Weston returned to the Nemesis, and as everything necessary had been done, he occupied himself for a while with writing to Lucy, to tell her of the events leading up to this morning.

‘A few nights ago, I dreamt all night of taking despatches to London,' he wrote, 'and now I can see why.

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