Mutiny (40 page)

_{Unexpectedly, it
was Grey who spoke first. 'Har-rumph. May I take it, sir, that we must end this
farce at once? Precipitate, right? Then you've only the one choice. Close with
the buggers and finish 'em now, and be damned to the caterwauling of the
press.'}

_{'And just what is it
you propose, General?' Pitt said silkily.}

_{'Like this.' He would get a fair hearing
— his first combat was with Wolfe on the plains above Quebec nearly forty years
before. 'We act with resolution and despatch. We have infantry at Gravesend,
reinforced by artillery from Woolwich. They combine with the Tilbury artillery
across the water to cover the approaches to London. The Warwicks are at
Chelmsford, they move down to mass around the crossing at Purfleet. I can do
more, but I need m' adjutant and maps. Now, sir, how reliable is your North Sea
fleet? Hey?'}

_{'Admiral Duncan sees no
reason to doubt other than they will do their duty when called upon, sir,' said
Spencer, frostily.}

_{'Then this is what happens. You an' your
board take coach to Sheerness. Let 'em know you're coming, calm 'em down. When
you're there talkin' your North Sea ships sweep in from seaward an' take 'em,
while I get together what troops I can an' go in from the land. Hey?'}

_{Spencer wiped his
forehead. 'Are you seriously proposing that we resolve this matter in a public
battle between our own ships right outside our own capital?'}

_{'I
do! If necessary. They, of course, may well desire to capitulate on seein' our
force.'}

_{Pitt leaned forward. 'I like it. Any
objections?' He looked about the table.}

_{'Sir,
if you'll forgive—'}

_{'Mr
Windham?'}

_{"The country at large may well laud
your decisive action. But do you not feel that the more, er, clamorous of the
radicals may object?'}

_{'Pah! The saintly and ancient Tom Paine
himself is in France this minute, lecturing the Jacobins on the conduct of
their revolution, he's a broken reed. Godwin is lying low for the sake of his
wife Mary Wollstonecraft, Cobbett is safely away in America writing some damn-awful
paper called the Porcupine or some such — and Fox, well, after today he's vowed
to leave the Commons for ever, if we can believe it.}

_{'But I take your point.
Let's leave it like this. We stay our hand, offer them their pardon. If they
then accept and return to duty, well and good. If not, they suffer the full
consequence of their acts.}

_{'Very well! General,
please begin your deployments without delay. This has to end for them.'}

_{'How do I appear, my friend? Fit
for the great day, in full feather?' Parker had taken extra care with his
appearance, laying aside his cherished beaver hat in favour of a pristine
seaman's round hat, his customary boots polished and smart. 'It'll do, Dick,'
Kydd said.}

_{'My greatest day, in truth,' Parker said,
face aglow. He continued, as if to himself, 'It will be a hard struggle.}

_{The hardest will be not to lose
countenance before the person of the First Lord, and jeopardise the quality of
the negotiations.'}

_{'You won't — he it will
be who has the harder, o' course. President o' the delegates is a high enough
office.'}

_{Parker pulled a fob
watch from his waistcoat. 'I do believe that our time is come. Be so good as to
advise the delegates and muster the boat's crew.'}

_{Kydd had also taken
care with his appearance. It would definitely be the first and, very probably,
the last time that he would catch sight of the ultimate head of the navy, the
legendary First Lord of the Admiralty.}

_{'They shall have constituted their board
by now,' Parker said, in the boat. The other delegates were subdued, but
defiandy wore their red ribbons. Many more followed in boats behind, determined
to be present at the historic occasion.}

_{They stepped out on the
wharf, marched resolutely to the commissioner's residence, and assembled in the
foreyard. The vast flag of Admiralty, only flown by the Lord High Admiral of
England, floated from the central staff of the mansion.}

_{Kydd held his breath:
this was the moment for which they had put themselves in the shadow of the
noose.}

_{With every eye on him,
Parker walked up to the black door and knocked. It was immediately opened by
Admiral Buckner.}

_{'Sir,' Parker said,
with the utmost gravity, 'I understand that the First Lord is present within.'}

_{'He
is.' There was tension in Buckner's voice.}

_{'And
the board?'}

_{"They are.'
Something about Buckner's manner made Kydd uneasy.}

_{'We should like to know
if these are the same lords who have been at Portsmouth.'}

_"They
are.'

_{Parker stepped back a
pace. 'Then, sir, we respectfully request their lordships to come aboard the Sandwich
and settle the business.'}

_{There was a rustle of
anticipation in the delegates behind him: they would finally get a glimpse of
the shadowy figures with whom they had been locked in a clash of wills, but
there was not a single movement.}

_{'Sir?'
prodded Parker.}

_{Buckner stood
irresolute. He said something in a voice so low it was inaudible.}

_{'I
beg your pardon, sir?'}

_{'I
said, their lordships will not do that.'}

_{'Will
not do that? Please be clear, sir.'}

_{'Er, excuse me.'
Buckner withdrew into the house. Inaudible rumbling of speech could be heard,
then he re-emerged. 'His lordship insists he will see you only for the purpose
of declaring that you accept the King's Pardon and return to duty.'}

_{Parker drew a deep
breath. 'Then pray, sir, how will our grievances be taken under consideration,
if the First Lord will not hear them?'}

_{Again Buckner wavered.
'I — please, pardon.' He again disappeared inside.}

_{The seaman next to Kydd
shifted his position and muttered, 'Shy bastard, 'is lordship, don't want t' be
seen talkin' to our faces.'}

_{Buckner came out, visibly agitated.
'Lord Spencer reminds you that all of your grievances have been redressed. No
discussion can possibly take place with their lordships.'}

_{'Sir, you are a man of sense. This is no
way to conduct negotiations between—'}

_{'If you accept His
Majesty's most gracious pardon you will be allowed to declare it personally to
their lordships. Their lordships will then pronounce to you the pardon in the
King's name.'}

_'Then—'

_{Buckner straightened
his stoop and looked Parker directly in the eye. 'That is all.'}

_{For a long moment
Parker stared doggedly ahead, then wheeled round and pushed his way through the
crowd. 'Wh-where 're we going, Dick?' someone asked.}

_{'To
perdition, shipmate!' he replied hoarsely.}

_{Kydd
hurried to keep up. 'Th' Chequers?'}

_'Sandwich’

_{The admiral's Great Cabin filled
rapidly. Anyone not a delegate was unceremoniously ejected. 'Gangway! Clear th'
house, y' lubbers.' Blake's husky bellow wa.s unmistakable.}

_{'They won't listen,
Tom,' Parker said, in stricken tones, as they pushed their way to the front.
'They really don't want to talk to us.'}

_{Kydd was alarmed by
Parker's ashen pallor. Whatever he had seen in Buckner's face had seriously
unmanned him. 'Do take a roun' turn, Dick. Y'r people are relyin' on you,' he
said urgentiy. Took, we've just the same force now we always had. Nothing's
changed.' He tried desperately to reach him. 'An' their precious lordships, did
they come t' Sheerness jus' to tell us of the pardon? They're expectin' a fight
of it'}

_{'The
pardon? Perhaps we should, after all, accept it'}

_{'Dick!' said Kydd, in
quiet anguish. 'Don't fail us now. We have them here, they're waitin' for us.
F'r Christ's sake, stay by us!'}

_{'What's goin' on?' came
a catcall. 'Why aren't we layin' it into 'em?'}

_{'Dick!'
Kydd could say no more.}

_{Davis loudly called the
meeting to order as Parker made a visible effort to compose himself. Shortly
into the heated debate that followed Parker was summoned away. He returned
prompdy, carrying a bundle of papers. 'Here it is, brothers. This, then, is the
position their lordships hold. It was given to me by our old captain himself.'}

_{He stood behind his
chair and held up a document He broke the seal, read the contents, but did not
speak. He swayed, and when he looked up his face held a deep anguish.}

_{'Well,
what'd it say?' came a call.}

_{*Er, matters have
reached a certain — shall we say? — impasse.' Parker looked again at the
document as if needing confirmation of grave news.}

_{'Blast yer eyes, then
give us a look,' Blake said, reaching across.}

_{'No,' said Parker
oddly, holding the paper protectively to his chest}

_{'What does it say, Dick?' Kydd asked
firmly. The meeting would have to know sooner or later.}

_{'It says — it tries to
drive a wedge into our unity, to appeal—'}

_{'
What does it say, fer God's sake?}

_{Parker
sat down heavily, holding the paper close. 'It says - it says that all those
who wish to accept the King's Pardon must do so before noon tomorrow. After
that time, their lordships will strike their flag and return to London, leaving
those still in a state of mutiny to their fate.'}

_{Some sat stunned,
others looked visibly relieved, more still were angry and disbelieving. 'Those
scurvy shabs!' Hulme spat contemptuously. 'Why don't they give us the same as
they served out to 'em at Spithead? What's wrong wi' we that they won't talk
man t' man like they did before?'}

_{A rumble of agreement
turned into a roar. 'Shipmates! Brothers!' Parker tried to get their attention,
but his voice was drowned in the fury. Eventually he got a hearing. 'It's my
duty to tell you, much as it pains me — yet I must say it as I see it - it is
my unhappy conclusion that their lordships have no intention whatsoever of
negotiating with us. For whatever reason, they are turning their backs on us and
our complaints. I do not understand why,' he added heavily. 'They are obstinate
and heedless of our cries, and I fear are implacable. Therefore it is my sad
duty to recommend that we accept the pardon and - and give up our venture.'}

_{'You what?' shouted Blake. 'Give it
away! Nothin's changed. C'n I remind our president, we still hold all the
cards! We're a fleet o' near five hundred guns — no one's goin' to go up
against us. We calls their bluff, mates.'}

_{Parker rummaged around
and slapped a thick wedge of papers. 'These are printed copies of the pardon
for distribution around the fleet. What will the common sailors think? That
this is their chance, and you will deny them?'}

_{Hulme leaned over.
"They don't have ter know,' he snarled.}

_{'Yeah,' said Blake.
'We's the true elected delegates, we speak fer them, an' we decides what ter
do. What are we about, th't we do their fuckin' lordships' work for 'em? Bum
the lot, I say, an' stand steadfast!'}

_{Davis intervened:
'Y' know what this means — the noos is goin' ter get out anyway, an' that says
there's goin' to be them what are now ready t' give it in. What'll we do then,
half our strength goes?'}

_{'We p'suades 'em ter
stay,' said Blake, with a grim smile.}