Winds of Folly (15 page)

He was aware that Nelson was talking, and almost as heatedly as his Flag Captain. He proposed placing the papal ports under blockade and sending a fleet of small boats up the Tiber, armed with carronades and loaded with Marines, to expose the Pope to some ‘sharp language'.

The Viceroy raised a calming hand. ‘We must not let our feelings get the better of us,' he warned. ‘I am persuaded His Holiness had little choice in the matter, with the French Army
at his borders and no significant forces of his own, from the material point of view, to resist them. However, it poses an additional difficulty for us, particularly the use of Ancona as a French naval base. But I will return to that directly. In the meantime, perhaps the Commodore will enlighten us about the current situation in Leghorn, for as we all must know, he has lately come from there.'

Nelson reported that within two or three days of his arrival,
Captain
had been joined by the frigates
Lively
and
La Minerve
, with the brig sloops
Sardine
,
L'Eclair
and
Vanneau
, and the
Fox
and
Rose
cutters, all of which maintained a strict blockade of the port. No ships of any nationality had been permitted to enter or leave.

‘I believe that faced with the ruin of their trade, the inhabitants will rise up and turn the French out,' he concluded, ‘particularly if they are encouraged to do so.'

‘And what of the situation within the port?' the Viceroy enquired.

Nelson prided himself on his intelligence reports. He had kept a string of agents in Genoa and it appeared that he had swiftly established a similar network in Leghorn, using the local fishermen as couriers. ‘I have let it be known that they may continue their trade under British licence,' he confirmed, ‘and every morning up to twenty or thirty tartans have been gathering under the stern of
Captain
to secure leave to proceed. They also bring messages and information from the town.'

By such means he had learned that the French had moved some three or four thousand troops into the port; that all Tuscan troops had been placed under French command, and that General Bonaparte had established his headquarters in the British Consul's house.

‘Old Udny's,' established Fremantle unnecessarily, with a bark of laughter. ‘Do you think he knows?'

Nelson subdued him with a glance. ‘I believe we all know Mr Udny to have been the British Consul,' he interposed coldly. ‘And I do not believe it is cause for amusement.'

Fremantle blushed scarlet and stammered an apology. ‘Only but you know what I mean. To have Udny and his … well, replaced by …' He looked around the table but there was no support to be had from his fellows, and if they knew what he meant they were not to be betrayed into revealing it in front of the Viceroy. ‘I am surprised he did not seek accommodation in one of the forts,' he attempted lamely. ‘Bonaparte, I mean.'

‘I believe it may be a symbolic gesture,' the Viceroy proposed smoothly. ‘The British are in retreat, the French in the ascendant. And to prove it the tricolour is flying above the British Consul's house. Though I believe Mr Udny himself, with his goods and chattels, is in safe hands.' He caught Nathan's eye again and Nathan, too, felt a blush suffusing his features, though it was surely not possible that the Viceroy knew of the reason for his embarrassment.

Nelson resumed his report. As a further demonstration of the new order, Governor Spannochio had been arrested and sent off to Florence with a demand that he should be punished by the Grand Duke for holding up the French advance. All British and allied property had been confiscated, and Bonaparte had ordered that anyone caught hiding it, or communicating with the British squadron off the coast, was to be shot. This had no noticeable effect on Nelson's flow of information, however, and the previous morning his fishermen had brought him the news that Bonaparte had left the port, taking most of his cavalry with him.

‘Left?' Elliot repeated sharply. ‘Left for where?'

‘For Mantua. He had information that the Austrians were marching to its relief. He has left Leghorn under the command of General Belgrand with the Seventy-fifth Demi-brigade, a
company of artillery and a squadron of Hussars. Two thousand troops in all. If Your Excellency can furnish me with the same number of British troops, I will undertake to drive the French from the port before the week is out.'

The Viceroy looked alarmed. ‘I admire your zeal in this matter, Commodore, and I do not wish to appear shy, but …' He glanced to Major Logan, who stroked his chin thoughtfully in the military manner but offered no further guidance on the subject. ‘But our situation here in Corsica is not favourable to an offensive campaign on the mainland. We have fewer than five thousand regular British troops at our disposal and it is a large island to defend. The loss of Leghorn, while serious, is not a disaster. The loss of Corsica would be. It would leave us without a single base east of Gibraltar.'

‘So we are to sit here doing nothing?'

There was a small frisson of discomfort around the table. Nelson might be overly impressed by title, but it was nothing to his opinion of his own worth, and he could be scathing in his rebuke, even of a superior, if he felt the war was not being pursued with sufficient vigour.

‘By no means. We will maintain the blockade of Leghorn and do what we can to take the war to the enemy,' replied Elliot coolly. ‘Additionally, though I do not mean to interfere in purely naval matters, I believe there is a strong case for sending a small squadron into the Adriatic.'

Nelson was clearly taken aback. ‘For what purpose?' He recalled his manners. ‘If I may …'

‘To maintain a link with the Austrians through Trieste, to counter the menace of the French corsairs in Ancona and more particularly, to advertise our continuing presence in the region to the Venetians.'

There was a silence around the table. The circling insects appeared to have multiplied. Something dropped with a loud
clatter upon the deck above and there was the sound of a half-broken voice raised in brief but violent abuse.

‘The Venetians?' Nelson repeated after a moment, but in a tone of wonderment, as if they had but lately landed from Venus.

‘Admittedly the Republic of Venice has been in decline for many years,' continued the Viceroy, ‘but her navy is still considerable. Almost as considerable as the fleet that is presently available to Sir John Jervis. It is imperative the Venetians do not enter into alliance with the French – and I believe a British naval presence in the Adriatic will remind them we are still very much in the game.'

‘How large a presence did you have in mind?' Nelson enquired faintly.

‘I leave that entirely to your discretion. It need not be a large force. But as a measure of our intent, I do assure you it will carry far more weight than the weight of guns it carries. I would have thought it was a plan after your own heart,' he added sweetly, ‘and in the meantime I will give orders to have the required troops ready to embark at Bastia the moment it is propitious to do so. And now, if we may, let us turn to other matters. I believe there is an urgent need to establish a prize court here in Corsica …'

‘I doubt I have seen Nelson more taken aback,' Fremantle affirmed complacently as he and Nathan stood apart from the other officers on the quarterdeck, waiting for their barges to fetch them back to their ships. ‘If the old boy had asked him to send a squadron to China I do not think he could have been more amazed.'

‘And yet it is only the Adriatic,' Nathan pointed out reasonably. ‘No more than a few days' sailing, would you not say, with a fair wind?'

Fremantle gave him a sharp look. ‘You are contemplating it, are you?'

‘Not at all,' Nathan replied deceitfully. ‘I only mean that it is not so very far.'

Fremantle sniffed. ‘I suppose he thinks of it as a backwater,' he said. ‘And yet the Viceroy is right about Venice. Thirteen ships of the line, you know, and as many more on the stocks in the Arsenale. And now Bonaparte is on the borders of the Veneto.'

‘What is the Veneto?' Nathan queried him. ‘Or should I say where? It is not a term I am familiar with.'

‘It is the mainland territory of Venice. What the Venetians call the
Terraferma
, Venice itself being entirely surrounded by water, as I am sure you must know from your time at Charterhouse.'

‘I did know that, but I thank you for bringing it to my attention.'

‘Indeed, it would be unfortunate to go charging off there without knowing.'

‘What makes you think it will be me?'

‘I saw how the Viceroy looked at you. He has singled you out, my lad – you are to be favoured. You are the golden boy. I cannot think why.'

‘What nonsense.'

‘You will see. He is down there now with the Commodore, banging his fist upon the table and saying, “I must have Peake. I will not be denied.”'

‘Fremantle, you talk the most imbecilic rubbish at times.'

‘I might almost envy you, but I have Betsey to think on. She would not wish me to go to Venice. It is full of whores, you know. I suppose that is why they are sending you there.'

‘They are not sending me anywhere. And if they are, it is not because of that. I have still not made up my mind to forgive
you, you know, for obliging me to take them aboard. It has caused me a great deal of embarrassment. I might have to call you out.'

Fremantle graced him with a small bow. ‘I am your servant, sir, whenever you feel disposed. But I could hardly keep them on
Inconstant
, you know, with Betsey aboard. Signora Correglia and I were once attached, did you know?'

‘Why does that not surprise me?' Nathan remarked. ‘I think because you told me of it, several times. You passed her on to Nelson, you said.'

‘Did I? Good God. I trust you would not betray a confidence, Peake,' he warned Nathan sternly.

‘Was it a confidence? I had thought it was general knowledge. Oh, do not glare so, it don't frighten me, you know. Now that you are a reformed character I will speak only of your virtues, if I can recall them. Here is your barge.'

‘Well, good luck in Venice. It is called the Most Serene Republic, you know. Or the
Serenissima
in the Venetian tongue. The Most Serene Republic of Saint Mark. Saint Mark being their patron saint. And the Doge is addressed as Your Excellency.'

‘I shall try to remember that, should I ever have the opportunity of addressing him. But you are quite wrong, you know: there is no prospect of my being sent to Venice. I am the most junior Captain in the squadron.'

But Fremantle was already gone with an indifferent wave, and now here was Tom Allen with some instruction in his own alien tongue.

‘I beg your pardon?' Nathan queried him, frowning in concentration.

‘'Is 'Onour wants to see 'ee in 'is cabin, zor,' Nathan interpreted on the second rendering. ‘If you is still 'ere.'

*

They were still seated at the table, but the lanterns had been lit and they had their heads together over a chart. An open bottle of wine and two glasses stood conveniently to hand. The atmosphere seemed convivial. Indeed, the Viceroy was laughing when Nathan entered the room.

‘Ah, Peake, I am glad you have not left us,' Nelson greeted him. ‘The Viceroy has expressed the desire that we should send you into the Adriatic and I am very willing to oblige him – if you are.'

Nathan had been quite serious in his protestations to Fremantle and this was a considerable surprise to him, but he managed to murmur some suitable reply and the Commodore instructed him to fetch up a chair so that he might join them at the chart. ‘And you will take a glass of claret with us, I trust.'

The chart was one of William Heather's showing a part of the Mediterranean from the Tyrrhenian Sea around the long dog-leg of Italy into the Adriatic: from the Ionian Islands in the south to the Lagoon of Venice in the north.

‘Here is Corfu,' Nelson indicated one of the larger and more northerly of the Ionians, just off the mainland of Albania, ‘which is where the main Venetian fleet has its base, strategically placed as you see, to cover the approaches to the Adriatic and permit sorties into the Mediterranean, though we are told this has happened but rarely in recent times. His Excellency assures me we have a very good Consul at Corfu who sends us excellent report.'

‘Spiridion Foresti,' the Viceroy contributed, ‘a native of Zante, which is one of the other islands in the group. He has proved one of our most reliable informants over the years.'

‘You will take
Unicorn
, of course,' the Commodore resumed, ‘with
Bonne Aventure
as your consort. I am afraid I can spare no other, though I am in wholehearted concurrence with the Viceroy on the importance of this mission.'

This did appear to be the case, despite his earlier reticence. It was as if he had adopted the plan as his own.

‘You will make a thorough assessment of the strength and condition of the Venetian fleet,' he instructed Nathan, ‘and take what soundings of the principal harbours and lagoons as you are able. I am assured that His Majesty's Government takes a long-term interest in the islands, which are ideally situated as a base for both the eastern Mediterranean and the Levant.' This with another glance towards the Viceroy who confirmed it with a nod. ‘You will, of course, take whatever steps may be necessary to curb the activities of the corsairs at Ancona.' He indicated the port in question, about halfway up the map, on the eastern coast of Italy. ‘Making our disapproval of the facility afforded by His Holiness apparent in whatever way appears appropriate.'

‘Within reason,' Elliot interposed hastily. ‘I would not like it to be thought that Captain Peake felt he had carte blanche to attempt a landing in the port.' His laugh was a little nervous.