Authors: Alexander Kent
The gratings were unrigged, the man named Adams was carried below grunting with pain to be revived with a wash-down of salt water and a liberal dose of rum. The spots of blood were swabbed away, and to all intents everything was as before.
Bolitho had relieved Rhodes in charge of the watch, and heard Dumaresq say to the master's mate, “Discipline is upheld. For all our sakes.” He fixed Slade with his compelling stare. “For your own safety, I would suggest you stay out of my way!”
Bolitho turned aside so that Slade should not see him watching. But he had seen Slade's face. Like that of a man who had been expecting a reprieve only to feel his arms being pinioned by the hangman.
All that night Bolitho thought about the girl named Aurora. It was impossible to get near her. She had been given half of the stern cabin, while Egmont made the best of a cot in the dining space. Dumaresq slept in the chartroom nearby, and there was always the servant and the marine sentry to prevent any casual caller from entering.
As he lay in his cot, his naked body sweating in the unmoving air, Bolitho pictured himself entering her cabin and holding her in his arms. He groaned at the torment, and tried to ignore the thirst which had left his mouth like a kiln. The water was foul and in short supply, and to keep drinking wine as a substitute was inviting disaster.
He heard uncertain footsteps in the wardroom and then a gentle tap on his screen door.
Bolitho rolled out of the cot, groping for his shirt as he asked, “Who is it?”
It was Spillane, the captain's new clerk. Despite the hour he was neat and tidy, and his shirt looked as if it had just been washed, although how he had managed it was a mystery.
Spillane said politely, “I have a message for you, sir.” He was looking at Bolitho's tousled hair and casual nakedness as he continued, “From the lady.”
Bolitho darted a quick glance around the wardroom. Only the regular creaks and groans of the ship's timbers and the occasional murmur of canvas from above broke the silence.
He found he was whispering. “Where is it, then?”
Spillane replied, “By word of mouth, sir. She'd not put pen to paper.”
Bolitho stared. Now Spillane was a conspirator whether he wanted to be or not.
“Go on.”
Spillane lowered his voice further still. “You take over the morning-watch at four o'clock, sir.” His precise, landsman's expression made him seem even more out of place here.
“Aye.”
“The lady will endeavour to come on deck. For a breath of air, if someone is bold enough to question her.”
“Is that all?”
“It is, sir.” Spillane was watching him closely in the faint light from a shuttered lantern. “Did you expect more?”
Bolitho glanced at him guardedly. Was that last remark a show of familiarity, a testing insolence because of their shared conspiracy? Maybe Spillane was nervous, eager to get it over with.
He said, “No. Thank you for telling me.”
Bolitho stood for a long moment, his body swaying to the motion, as he went over everything Spillane had said.
Later, he was still in the wardroom, sitting in a chair, the same shirt dangling from his fingers as he stared into the shadows.
A boatswain's mate found him and whispered, “I see you don't need a call, sir. The watch is musterin' now. Fair breeze up top, but another blazin' day is my guess.”
He stood back as Bolitho pulled on his breeches and fumbled around for a clean shirt. The lieutenant was obviously half asleep still, he decided. It was a cruel waste to don any clean garment for the morning-watch. It would be a wet rag by six bells.
Bolitho followed the man on deck and relieved Midshipman Henderson with the briefest possible delay. Henderson was next in line for lieutenant's examination and Palliser had allowed him to stand the middle-watch on his own.
The midshipman almost fled from the deck, and Bolitho could well imagine his thoughts as he tumbled into his hammock on the orlop. His first watch alone. Reliving it. What had nearly gone wrong, when he had nearly decided to rouse Palliser or the master. The feeling of triumph as Bolitho had appeared, knowing the watch was ended without mishap.
Bolitho's men settled down in the shadows, and after checking the compass and the set of the topsails he walked towards the companionway.
Midshipman Jury crossed to the weather side and wondered when he would get his chance to stand a watch unaided. He turned and saw Bolitho moving aft by the mizzen-mast, and then blinked as another pale figure glided to meet him.
He heard the helmsmen whispering together and noticed that the boatswain's mate of the watch had moved discreetly to the weather gangway.
“Watch your helm there!” Jury saw the seamen stiffen at the great double-wheel. Beyond them the two pale figures seemed to have merged into one.
Jury walked to the quarterdeck rail and gripped it with both hands.
To all intents he
was
standing his first watch unaided, he thought happily.
10
A
CLOSE THING
UNDER topsails, forecourse and jib only, the
Destiny
headed slowly towards the green humpbacked island. So gentle was the breeze that her progress was a snail's pace, an impression which grew as she approached the small ridge of land.
The masthead had sighted it the previous day, just before dusk, and throughout the night-watches until the break of dawn there had been a buzz of speculation from wardroom to messdeck.
Now, in the harsh forenoon sunlight it lay across their bows and shimmered in a low haze, as if it might vanish at any second like a mirage.
It was higher towards its centre, where thick clusters of palms and other foliage were bunched together, to leave the slopes and the tiny, crescent-shaped beaches totally devoid of cover.
“Deep six!”
The hollow chant from a leadsman in the chains reminded Bolitho of the shallows nearby, the hint of a reef lying to starboard. A few sea-birds dotted the water, and others cruised watchfully around the topgallant mastheads.
Bolitho heard Dumaresq conferring with Palliser and the master. The island was marked on the chart but apparently unclaimed. The known survey was poor, and Dumaresq was probably regretting his impulse to touch land in search for water.
But the ship was down to her last barricoes of water, and the contents were so vile that Bulkley and the purser had joined forces in another plea to the captain for him to seek a new supply. Enough at least to take them to their destination.
“By th' mark seven!”
Gulliver tried to relax his stance as the keel glided into deeper water. The ship was still standing two cables clear of the nearest beach. If the wind rose or changed direction,
Destiny
might be in trouble, with no depth at all to beat free of the land and out-thrust reef.
Every man but the cook and the sick ones in Bulkley's care was on deck or clinging to the shrouds and ratlines, strangely silent as they peered towards the little island. It was one of hundreds in the Caribbean, but the hint of fresh, drinkable water made it appear special and priceless.
“By th' mark five!”
Dumaresq grimaced at Palliser. “Hands wear ship. Stand by to anchor, if you please.”
With her sails barely flapping in the intense heat, the frigate turned wearily on the blue water until the order to let go was yelled along the deck. The anchor splashed down, pushing great circles away from the bows and churning up pale sand from the bottom.
Once anchored the heat seemed to force into the ship still more, and as Bolitho made his way to the quarterdeck he saw Egmont and his wife standing right aft by the taffrail, sheltering beneath a canvas awning which George Durham, the sailmaker, had rigged for them.
Dumaresq was studying the island slowly and methodically with the signal midshipman's big telescope.
He remarked, “No smoke, or signs of life. Can't see any marks on the beach either, so there aren't any boats on this side.” He handed the glass to Palliser. “That ridge looks promising, eh?”
Gulliver said cautiously, “Could be water there, right enough, sir.”
Dumaresq ignored him and turned instead to his two passengers. “Might be able to stretch your legs ashore before we weigh.” He chuckled.
He had addressed both of them, but Bolitho somehow knew that his words had been aimed at the woman.
He thought of that one moment when she had come on deck to see him. It had been unreal but precious. Dangerous, and all the more exciting because of it.
They had spoken very little. All through the following day Bolitho had thought about it, relived it, hung on to each moment for fear of losing something.
He had held her close to his body while the ship had ploughed into the first misty light of dawn, feeling her heart beat against his, wanting to touch her and afraid he would spoil it with his boldness. She had freed herself from his arms and had kissed him lightly on the mouth before merging with the remaining shadows to leave him alone.
And now, just to hear Dumaresq's casual familiarity towards her, his mention of stretching her legs, was like a barb, a spur of jealousy which he had never known before.
Dumaresq broke his thoughts. “You will take a landing-party, Mr Bolitho. Determine if there is a stream or any useful rock pools. I will await your signal.”
He walked aft, and Bolitho heard him speaking again with Egmont and Aurora.
Bolitho flinched. He saw Jury watching him and imagined for an instant he had again spoken her name aloud.
Palliser snapped, “Get a move on. If there is no water, we'd best know about it quickly.”
Colpoys was standing languidly by the mizzen. “I will send some of my fellows as pickets, if you wish.”
Palliser exclaimed, “Hell's teeth, we're not expecting a pitched battle!”
The cutter was hoisted outboard and lowered alongside. Stockdale, now promoted to gun-captain, was already detailing some hands for the shore-party, while the boat's coxswain supervised the loading of extra tackle for the water-barricoes should they require them.
Bolitho waited until the boat was manned and then reported to Palliser. He saw the girl watching him, the way one hand was resting on her necklace, remembering perhaps, or reminding him that his had once lain there.
Palliser said, “Take a pistol. Fire it if you find anything.” His eyes narrowed against the fierce glare. “Once the casks are filled they'll discover something else to grumble about!”
The cutter pulled away from the side, and Bolitho felt the sun burn across his neck as they left the
Destiny
's protective shadow.
“Give way all!”
Bolitho trailed his arm over the side, feeling the sensual touch of cool water, and imagined her with him, swimming and then running hand in hand up the pale beach to discover each other for the first time.
When he looked over the gunwale he saw the bottom quite clearly, dotted with white stones or shells, and isolated humps of coral, deceptively harmless in the shimmering reflections.
Stockdale said to the coxswain, “Looks like nobody's ever been 'ere, Jim.”
The man eased the tiller-bar and nodded, the movement bringing a trickle of sweat from under his tarred hat.
“Easy all! Bowman, boat yer oar!”
Bolitho watched the cutter's shadow rising to meet them as the bowman vaulted over the side to guide the stem into the sand while the others hauled their blades inboard and hung panting over the looms like old men.
And then there was total stillness. Just a far-off murmur of surf on a reef, the occasional gurgle of water around the grounded cutter. No bird lifted from the crowded hump of palms, not even an insect.
Bolitho climbed over the gunwale and waded to the beach. He was wearing an open shirt and breeches, but his body felt as if he was dressed in thick furs. The thought of tearing off his crumpled clothing and running naked into the sea mingled with his earlier fantasy, and he wondered if she was watching from the ship, using a telescope to see him.
Bolitho realized with a start that the others were waiting.
He said to the coxswain, “Remain with the boat. The crew, too. They may have to do several journeys yet.” To Stockdale he said, “We'll take the others up the slope. It's the shortest way and probably the coolest.”
He ran his eye over the small landing-party. Two of them were from the Heloise's original company, now sworn-in members of His Majesty's Navy. They still appeared dazed at their swift change of circumstances, but they were good enough seamen to avoid the harsher side of the boatswain's tongue.
Apart from Stockdale, there was none of his own division in the group, and he guessed there had been little enthusiasm for volunteering to tramp round an uninhabited island. Later, if they discovered water, it would be very different.
Stockdale said, “Follow me!”
Bolitho walked up the slope, his feet sinking in the loose sand, the pistol in his belt burning his skin like a piece of hot iron. It felt strange to walk here, he thought. A tiny, unknown place. There might be human bones nearby. Shipwrecked mariners, or men cast adrift and marooned by pirates to die horribly without hope of rescue.
How inviting the palms looked. They were moving gently, and he could hear them rustling as he drew nearer. Once he stopped to look back at the ship. She seemed far away, balanced perfectly on her own reflection. But in distance she had lost her rakish lines, and her masts and loosely furled sails seemed to be swaying and bending in the haze, as if the whole ship was melting.
The small party of seamen tramped gratefully into a patch of shade, their ragged trousers catching in some large fronds which displayed teethlike barbs around the edges. There were different smells here, too, of rotting undergrowth, and from vividly coloured blossoms.
Bolitho looked up at the sky and saw a frigate-bird circling high overhead, its scimitar-shaped wings motionless as it ghosted on the hot current. So they were not completely alone.
A man called excitedly, “Look yonder, sir!
Water!
”
They pressed forward, all tiredness momentarily forgotten.
Bolitho looked at the pool with disbelief. It was shivering slightly, so he guessed there was some sort of underground source close by. He could see the surrounding palms reflected on its surface and the images of his men as they peered down at the water.
Bolitho said, “I'll have a taste.”
He clambered along the sandy bank and dipped his hand into the water. It was a false impression, but it felt as cold as a mountain stream. Hardly daring to hope, he raised his cupped hand to his lips and after a slight hesitation swallowed deeply.
He said quietly, “It's pure.”
Bolitho watched the seamen throwing themselves down on their chests and scooping the water over their faces and shoulders, swallowing great gulps of it in their eager excitement.
Stockdale wiped his mouth with satisfaction. “Good stuff.”
Bolitho smiled. Josh Little would have called it a âwet'.
“We'll stand easy a while, then signal the ship.”
The seamen drew their cutlasses and drove them into the sand before squatting down against the palms or leaning over the shimmering water as if to make sure it was still there.
Bolitho walked away from them, and as he examined his pistol to ensure that it was free of sand and damp he thought of that moment when she had joined him on
Destiny
's quarterdeck.
It must not end, it could not be allowed to die.
“Something wrong, sir?” Stockdale lumbered up the slope.
Bolitho realized he must have been frowning in concentration. “Not wrong.”
It was uncanny how Stockdale always seemed to know, to be ready in case he was needed. Yet it was something very real between them. Bolitho found it easy to talk to the big, hoarse prize-fighter, and the reverse was true also, without any hint of subservience or as a means to gain favour.
Bolitho said, “You go and make the signal.” He watched the pistol half disappear in Stockdale's great fist. “I need to think about something.”
Stockdale watched him impassively. “You're young, an' beggin' yer pardon, sir, I think you should
stay
young for as long as you can.”
Bolitho faced him. You never really knew what Stockdale meant with his brief, halting sentences. Had he implied that he should keep away from a woman who was ten years older than he was? Bolitho refused to think about it. Their life was now, when they could find it. They could worry about differences later.
He said, “Be off with you. I wish it was that simple.”
Stockdale shrugged and strode down the slope towards the beach, his broad shoulders set in such a way that Bolitho knew he was not going to let it rest there.
With a great sigh Bolitho walked back towards the pool to warn his men that Stockdale was about to fire the pistol. Sailors cooped up in a ship-of-war often became nervous of such things when they were put ashore.
One of the seamen had been lying with his face half under the water, and as Bolitho approached he stood up dripping and grinning with pleasure.
Bolitho said, “Be ready, men . . .” He broke off as someone gave a piercing scream and the seaman who had been grinning at him pitched forward into the water.
All at once there was frantic pandemonium amounting to panic as the sailors scrabbled in the sand for their weapons and others stared with horror at the drifting corpse, the water reddening around it from a spear thrust between the shoulders.
Bolitho swung round, seeing the sunlight partially broken by running, leaping figures, the glitter of weapons and a terrifying scream of combined voices which made the hair rise on his neck.
“Stand to!”
He groped for his hanger and gasped with shock as another seaman rolled down the slope, kicking and spitting blood as he tried to tug a crude shaft from his belly.