A King's Commander (26 page)

“To be perfectly charitable and humane, sirs,” Nelson glowered sternly, “one might expect us to turn a blind eye to the Genoese trying to relieve the sufferings of their own subjects, who have been invaded and trampled under the conqueror's heel, through no fault of their own. Genoa cannot rescue them, free them of the tyrant's yoke. And, we may be certain, with their coastal trade cut off, and the French Army foraging from their larders, they shall certainly go hungry, until such time as General de Vins may liberate them. Short-commons may be the least of the suffering the French bring to them. You understand the callous and rapacious nature of triumphant soldiery . . . Yet, every morsel of pasta, every swig of wine or cup of flour that might charitably nourish a Genoese, may just as easily end in the gullet of a French Republican soldier. So, hard though it may be for me, and I am certain for you gentlemen, to contemplate . . . yet must we interdict that trade, completely. Mister Drake, our minister to the Tuscans and the Genoese Republic, and his agents . . . assure me that such a trade already flourishes.”

“Excuse me, sir,” Lewrie simply had to say, which drew another reproving sniff from Captain Cockburn, seated close to Nelson's desk and alternately frowning in humane concern, or beaming in rapture at his words. “We're to base here, just off the Genoa Mole, and in Vado Bay. Might we not make the Genoese so angry with us that they order us out? And ally themselves with the Frogs?”

“A point well taken, Commander Lewrie,” Nelson allowed without a trace of rancor. “Indeed, there is that risk. Mister Drake and I have wrestled with that
contretemps
many an anxious hour. But I believe it a sea officer's duty to not only have the moral, physical courage that our calling demands, but political courage as well. If it is political courage that the Genoese lack, then there is also the possibility that they will accede, temporarily, in the face of the greater good; that is to say, the preservation of their well-professed love of independence.”

“But are you not, sir . . . that is to say,
we
would be, uhmm . . .” Captain Cockburn fretted softly. “Acting against orders? I mind . . .”

“Aye, Captain Cockburn,” Nelson confessed. “There are extant instructions from home, which state that ‘our warships are to avoid giving just cause of offense to any foreign power in amity with His Majesty's Government.' I am, in fact, acting without not only direct and specific orders and instructions from Admiral Hotham, but I am in some measure acting directly contrary to them.”

And good on
you,
Lewrie thought with rising expectations, feeling his face crease in a wolfish, rebellious grin. Anything that goes contrary to Hotham's edicts is probably the best course of all. Damn' fool!

“Genoa may qualify . . . loosely . . . as a foreign power in amity,” Nelson all but smirked, “but they have proven too irresolute in defense of their neutrality, and their amity with us is but grudging. We
will
stop up the trade along the coast entirely. No matter which flag is presented. Horrible as it may be to make innocent civilians pay for a war, as against the honorable and Christian usage of a military campaign this may be, I am sure that I have the support of His Majesty's ministers both at Turin and Genoa . . . and a consciousness that I am doing the right and proper service of our King and Country.”

“Well, sir . . . !” Captain Cockburn grinned bashfully, sounding as if he had been turned around to a new way of thinking, and was enthusiastic.

“Aye, we are acting contrary to whatever orders
might
have come from our senior admiral,” Nelson further confessed.

Means he didn't think to issue any, that
might've,
Alan thought. “Aye, we face the risk of litigation over illegal seizures, of political, diplomatic wrangles.” Nelson went on. “No one knows more than I . . . and Commander Lewrie, I recall? . . . of how fraught with possible cost to career and purse such lawsuits that might be brought in Admiralty Court against us. Lewrie and I had a rough old time of it in the West Indies, 'tween the wars, did we not, sir? But we persevered, and succeeded in suppressing illegal foreign trade, in upholding lawful Navigation Acts. And in hanging a few pirates, in the end. Of bringing the biggest rogues to book. So, this is what we shall do, sirs . . .

“The harbor at Vado Bay will become our main anchorage, and where we will fetch all seizures, no matter how small. Mister Drake, here in the capital, is arranging agents to inspect and condemn our prizes, to pay the freight, release the vessels, sell their cargoes, and hold the monies for us until a real Admiralty Court may adjudicate them. Neutrals may be released, once emptied, should their papers prove legitimate and proper, But,
without
cargoes, or profit, thus hopefully deterring them from a second attempt. Vessels of belligerent nations to be kept as Droits of the Admiralty, subject to prize money. As will any ship, neutral or belligerent, found to be carrying warlike stores. Now, here are my specific orders, which you will also receive written . . .

“You will stop and inspect
all
ships bound for France, or any port now occupied by France, no matter how inconsequential such ships may be,” Nelson ticked off on his fingers. “You will be careful not to give too great an offense, but stop them you will. You will prevent any embezzlement of their cargoes, taking inventory as best you are able against the manifests, should they still be aboard after seizure. The masters will be kept aboard, so they have no certifiable complaints to level against us at some future Court. You may take out of them such people as may be deemed by you improper to remain aboard, either of the crew or the passengers. Most especially those you deem suspect, or who cannot provide proper
bona fides.
Should they offer any resistance to you, then on their heads be it. As long as your responding force is commensurate and requisite to the situation, I assure you I will uphold you to the utmost of my power, as long as you feel you did your duty honorably, and as best you saw it.”

That cheered them up considerably. What Horatio Nelson proposed
was
fraught with risks; professional ruin, a court-martial, financial disaster, and years of litigation so expensive, with possible judgment against error so steep, they'd die in debtor's prison, without even a penny for beer on Sundays!

“I know it is not the usual thing,” Nelson said with a smile on his face, a bit shy, “that a senior officer explain himself so elaborately. But I have found, gentlemen, that hastily issued, unexplained or mystifyingly purposeless orders are never half so diligently pursued as those that are made clear, concise, and the sense, the reason for them, fully shared. I promise you all that I will endeavor to share with you all pertinent information, as soon as I come to know it, which pertains to our situation. So that you may feel free to act with more certainty, knowing that you are in full obedience, and full agreement with me, as well. So that we may diligently, enthusiastically, and cooperatively, function more as a like-minded band of supportive men toward the greater good, instead of at half-guessed loggerheads.”

That, too, drew a “good on
you!
”
from Lewrie's thoughts. He'd been clueless too often in the Navy, too compartmented and menial, to suspect why most admirals issued orders, while holding the reasons as close to their waistcoats as whist players with a good hand.

“Well then, gentlemen, a final glass to success in our new endeavor, and we'll be about it,” Nelson suggested, summoning his stewards once more. “Written orders that illuminate the points I raised will be given you. The port of Genoa is—at present, mind— cooperative toward port visits and victualing rights. Which ships require supply before putting to sea?”

Half the captains' hands went up, Lewrie's included; victims of capricious, mystifying, and conflicting orders to join the squadron at San Fiorenzo before victualing, before they'd tangled with the French this last time, and San Fiorenzo already short of supplies.

Nelson gave them a wry expression, perhaps verging upon shammed horror; no captain would usually put to sea without every water butt or bread-bag bungful, his stored rations, especially livestock and fresh meat or flour, crammed into any odd nook or cranny available. And well Nelson knew that fear of running short, or of being deprived. He might have urged them to sail with what they had, but seemed to shrug off the “greed” for oversufficiency philosophically.

“In that case, then, uhm . . . Captain Cockburn?”

The young man perked up, his phyz turned all noble and enterprising, and conscious of being singled out.

“Since your
Meleager
is better stored than others, you are most ready to put to sea,” Nelson told him. “You will cruise off Vado Bay, in company with, uhm . . . the
Tarleton
brig, and the
Resolution
cutter. And in temporary charge. Mister Drake informs me that there is rumor of a Genoese convoy. Keep your eyes peeled for it. Some talk of monies, plate, and jewels, to be transported east from Marseilles in Genoese bottoms, the interception and seizure of which, I am certain, would be most discomfiting to the French cause. Along with the grain.”

“I would be honored, sir,” Cockburn preened.

Could a man swagger, still seated . . . ! Lewrie thought sourly; regretting his own selfish desire to cram
Jester
with last-minute supplies. Lucky bastard! Still . . . even though
Jester
barely drew more than two fathoms, this duty would involve inshore work, cutting out a merchantman in shoal water, from under the very noses of forts, almost in musket range of the cliffs or beaches.
Jester
had but two boats on her tiers to use for this, and they were both too small to hold a crew of raiders
and
oarsmen. He reckoned he might use the delay in harbor to chivvy up something larger, something Mediterranean-looking, shabby but stout, to serve as
Jester
's
tender.

Something so commonplace that her arrival in an occupied port would go unnoticed, until . . . Damme if I'll cheat myself out of a shot at plate, gold, and jewels! Something just big enough to bear the weight and recoil of swivels, or one of the “Smashers”? he mused.

The other captains seemed regretful of their avidity, too, bereft that they'd ceded a chance for untold riches in prize money for the lack of a ha'porth of tar, or a stoupful of water.

“I
could . . . !
”
Ariadne
's
captain grudgingly offered, now he saw the fortune he had missed.

“No no, sir,” Nelson countered amicably. “Do fulfill your every need first, so your
Ariadne
may keep the seas without stinting your men and thus reducing your effectiveness once there.”

You damn' clever hound, Lewrie realized, gaining a sudden appreciation for Nelson's nacky wits; you want us like-minded and all that—but you want us hungry for loot, too! No better way to light a fire in 'em, than dangle baubles in their faces. Were it just orders, or grain, we'd be keen enough, but now . . . ! He's more than the dashing, heedless bugger I thought him. Hmm . . .

“Lucky dog, sir,” Fremantle crowed at Cockburn's luck, once they were on deck once more, queuing up to depart in reverse order of seniority, and their gigs aligning themselves in a like circle.

“But for firewood and water, sir . . .” Cockburn simpered, seeming modest; but more than a little certain of how high in Nelson's regard he really was, compared to the others. Stiff, stuffy, aye, like Lieutenant Andrews said, Lewrie thought; but more prissy than prim. Like a woman with a new ball gown. I don't think I'm going to like him very much. All
my
good fortune and patronage aside, being in the right place at the right time—bein'
damn'
successful, too!—and he made “post” in a little more'n a Dog Watch, got a
frigate . . .
doin' less than
half
of what I . . . !

Right, add Jealous, to Weak and Venal! he scowled. And had to snicker at his own pretensions. Oh, well.

“Good fortune, sir,” Lewrie offered Cockburn, “and good huntin'.” Extending a hand to be Christian about it, jealous or no.

“Thankee, Commander,” Cockburn replied stiffly. “One may hope, hey? I'll try and leave something for you.”

“That'd be
damn'
good of you, sir,” Alan forced himself to say with a smile. You vauntin' turd! Damn' limp hand and wrist, cold an' weak as some . . . !

“Well, urhm . . .” Cockburn said, retrieving his hand, seeming as if he felt a sudden urge to wash it. “Before we sail, sir. Allow me to give you the name of a rather decent Genoese tailor.” He cocked a brow and gave Lewrie another of those searching, top-to-bottom looks. “Perhaps your delay in port will give you time to obtain the requisite epaulet and lace, Commander Lewrie? One must be properly attired, d'ye see . . . else our so-called ‘neutral' traffickers might not take you as seriously as they ought.”