Until the Sea Shall Give Up Her Dead by S. Thomas Russell

Author:S. Thomas Russell
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Penguin Group US
Published: 2014-09-30T16:00:00+00:00

Twenty-two

Archer could not bring himself to move into the captain’s cabin, even though it appeared that he would be in command of the Themis at least until they returned to Barbados. Admiral Caldwell would then have the power to confirm him in his temporary position, or replace him. If there were some lieutenant aboard one of the other frigates who was pressed forward by his captain or to whose family Caldwell owed a favour, then Archer could be replaced. It would not be in any way unusual or in the least surprising. Admirals far from England’s shores promoted the officers they patronised. That was the way of the Navy.

Even if Archer was not yet prepared to hang his cot in the captain’s cabin, he immediately began doing paperwork and conducting ship’s business there. The business at hand was placating an indignant sailing master and a quietly seething surgeon.

“The entire enterprise was imprudent from the start,” Barthe complained. “And then, upon discovering that the bay was full of French ships, he displayed the judgement of an idiot child! Our captain and our shipmates are in a French gaol because Jones is a vainglorious ass! There was a very good reason that Oxford and Crawley decamped at first opportunity. They knew what lay ahead.”

“Mr Barthe, I do caution you to lower your voice,” Archer said softly. “I do not think it is wise to let your opinions on this matter circulate throughout the ship.”

“Mr Archer, the entire ship’s company is speaking of Jones in far less generous terms than I am, you may be sure.”

Archer suspected that Barthe was right.

“I am much in favour of venting our spleen in regards to Sir William Jones,” Griffiths said, with just the tiniest tremor in his voice, “but the question remains: What shall we do? If we remain in company with Jones we shall be recruited to his lunatic enterprises, and you, Mr Archer, are not even a junior post captain; you shall be obliged to do as he commands.”

Archer felt as though the planks beneath him grew somehow soft and he was sinking through them—down towards the sea beneath.

The sailing master tapped his index finger upon the table. “I, for one, believe we should—entirely without intent—become separated from Jones this very night . . . before he leads us to our utter destruction!”

“It is one thing for post captains such as Crawley and Oxford to lose sight of Sir William’s ship,” Archer protested. “They will both claim it was due to poor weather, or fog, or whatever excuse they agree upon. Caldwell would never accuse them of doing so by intent. But I am only an acting captain, whom he can replace upon a whim. He might have some other whose career he would like to advance, and he will use my separation from Jones as his excuse to replace me. And then you might well have a new acting captain who will follow Jones through the gates of Hades. I am not certain that is preferable.

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