The Flag Captain by Kent Alexander & Reeman Douglas

Author:Kent, Alexander & Reeman, Douglas [Kent, Alexander & Reeman, Douglas]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: onlib, Naval Battles - History - 18th Century, Action & Adventure, Historical, Napoleonic Wars; 1800-1815, _rt_yes, Fiction, __Fixed
ISBN: 9780099497646
Publisher: Random House UK
Published: 2006-07-03T14:30:00+00:00

11

An End to the Waiting

IT TOOK A further two days to find the squadron, and during that time Bolitho often wondered what might have occurred but for Coquette’s timely arrival. The Navarra’s chronometer was smashed, and she was without either sextant or reliable compass. Even if she had been spared the additional battering of the storm, Bolitho knew he would have been hard put to it to estimate his position, let alone shape a course to the squadron’s area of rendezvous.

Gillmor, the Coquette’s tall and gangling captain, had called it the devil’s luck, and there seemed much to suggest it was so. For had he kept to his original station, scouting and patrolling across the squadron’s wake, he would certainly never have found the battered and partly disabled Navarra. But instead he had sighted a sail and had altered course to investigate, only to lose it during the night of the storm. The next day he had found it again, to discover it was a British sloop from Gibraltar. Further, the sloop was in fact searching for him. She had arrived at the Rock within twenty-four hours of the squadron’s departure with a despatch for Broughton, and having passed it to Gillmor had made off again in great haste, no doubt very aware of her own vulnerability in such hostile waters.

Gillmor knew nothing of the contents of his sealed envelope, and could speak of little but his amazement at sighting the Navarra and then her flag flying above so much damage. His astonishment was considerably increased when he found the stained and ragged figure who greeted his arrival on board to be his own flag captain.

With so many women displayed on the ship’s decks it was no surprise to Bolitho that the Coquette’s company offered plenty of volunteers when it came to selecting men for work on the repairs. Even the frigate’s first lieutenant, well known it seemed for keeping a cold eye on his ship’s supply of spare spars and cordage, allowed a jury-mast to be sent across to replace the broken mizzen.

Several times during working hours Bolitho had heard shrill laughter and discreet giggles from between decks, and guessed that some of the Coquette’s seamen were making their presence felt.

And on the morning of the second day, while he stood by the Navarra’s weather rail, he felt something like pride as he watched the sun shining on the familiar topsails of the squadron, the speedier shape of the sloop Restless as she dashed away from her consorts to investigate the new arrivals.

Meheux said quietly, ‘They look fine, sir.’ He too seemed touched by the occasion. ‘I’ll not be sorry to quit this floating ruin.’

Then, while the Coquette made more sail and hurried ahead of her battered companion, her yards already alive with signal flags, Bolitho watched his own ship, shining brightly in the glare, her tan sails quivering in haze as she moved slowly on the starboard tack. Like the other three ships-of-the-line, she appeared motionless above her reflection, with only the smallest crust of white around her stem to indicate her steady approach.

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