“Signal from the flag, sir,” said Smiley, breaking in on his concentrated thought. “‘Flag to Atropos. Come on board!’”
“Call my gig,” said Hornblower. “Mr. Jones, you will take command.”
A desperate rush to change into his better uniform, and then he hurled himself down the ship’s side to where his gig awaited him. Collingwood received him in the well-remembered cabin; the silver lamps were alight now, and in the boxes under the great stern windows were strange flowers whose names he did not know. And on Collingwood’s face was a strange expression; there was a hint of distress in it, and of sympathy, as well as something of irritation. Hornblower stopped short at the sight of him, with a sudden pounding of the heart. He could hardly remember to make his bow properly. It flashed through his mind that perhaps Ford had reported adversely on his behaviour in the recent action. He might be facing court martial and ruin.
At Collingwood’s shoulder stood a large elegant gentleman in full dress, with the ribbon and star of an order.
“My lord,” said Collingwood, “this is Captain Horatio Hornblower, I believe you have already had correspondence with His Excellency, Captain. Lord William Bentinck.”
Hornblower made his bow again, his feverish mind telling him that at least this could not be anything to do with the action with the Castilla — that would not be the Minister’s business; on the other hand, in fact, Collingwood would keep strangers out of any scandal in the service.
“How d’ye do, sir?” asked Lord William.
“Very well, thank you, my Lord.”
The two Lords went on looking at Hornblower, and Hornblower looked back at them, trying to appear calm during those endless seconds.
“There’s bad news for you, Hornblower, I fear,” said Collingwood at last, sadly.
Hornblower restrained himself from asking “What is it?” He pulled himself up stiffer than ever, and tried to meet Collingwood’s eyes without wavering.
“His Sicilian Majesty,” went on Collingwood, “needs a ship.”
“Yes, my lord?”
Hornblower was none the wiser.
“When Bonaparte conquered the mainland he laid hands on the Sicilian Navy. Negligence — desertion — you can understand. There is no ship now at the disposal of His Majesty.”
“No, my Lord.” Hornblower could guess now what was coming.
“While coming out to visit Ocean this morning His Majesty happened to notice Atropos, with her paint all fresh. You made an excellent business of your refitting, Captain, as I noticed.”
“Thank you, my Lord.”
“His Majesty does not think it right that, as an island King, he should be without a ship.”
“I see, my Lord.”
Here Bentinck broke in, speaking harshly.
“The fact of the matter, Hornblower, is that the King has asked for your ship to be transferred to his flag.”
“Yes, my Lord.”
Nothing mattered now. Nothing was of any value.
“And I have advised His Lordship,” went on Bentinck, indicating Collingwood, “that for the highest reasons of state it would be advisable to agree to the transfer.”
The imbecile monarch coveting the newly-painted toy. Hornblower could not keep back his protest.
“I find it hard to believe it necessary, my Lord,” he said.
For a moment His Excellency looked down in astonishment at the abysmal junior captain who questioned his judgment, but His Excellency kept his temper admirably all the same, and condescended to explain.
“I have six thousand British troops in the island,” he said in his harsh voice. “At least, they call them British, but half of ‘em are Corsican Rangers and Chasseurs Brittaniques — French deserters in British uniforms. I can hold the Straits against Bonaparte with them, all the same, as long as I have the goodwill of the King. Without it — if the Sicilian army turns against us — we’re lost.”
“You must have heard about the King, Captain,” interposed Collingwood, gently.
“A little, my Lord.”
“He’d ruin everything for a whim,” said Bentinck. “Now Bonaparte finds he can’t cross the Straits he’d be willing to reach an agreement with Ferdinand. He’d promise him his throne here in exchange for an alliance. Ferdinand is capable of agreeing, too. He’d as lief have French troops in occupation as British, and be a satellite — or so he thinks at present — if it would mean paying off a score against us.”
“I see, my Lord,” said Hornblower.
“When I have more troops I’ll talk to him in a different fashion,” said Bentinck. “But at present —”
“Atropos is the smallest ship I have in the Mediterranean,” said Collingwood.
“And I am the most junior captain,” said Hornblower. He could not restrain himself from the bitter comment. He even forgot to say “my Lord”.
“That is true as well,” said Collingwood.
In a disciplined service an officer was only a fool if he complained about treatment received on account of being junior. And it was clear that Collingwood disliked the present situation intensely.
“I understand, my Lord,” said Hornblower.
“Lord William has some suggestions to make which may soften the blow,” said Collingwood, and Hornblower shifted his glance.
“You can be retained in command of Atropos,” said Bentinck — what a moment of joy, just one fleeting moment! — “if you transfer to the Sicilian service. His Majesty will appoint you Commodore, and you can hoist a broad pendant. I am sure he will also confer upon you an order of high distinction as well.”
“No,” said Hornblower. That was the only thing he could possibly say.
“I thought that would be your answer,” said Collingwood. “And if a letter from me to the Admiralty carries any weight you can hope, on your return to England, to be appointed to the frigate to which your present seniority entitles you.”
“Thank you, my Lord. So I am to return to England?”
He would have a glimpse of Maria and the children then.
“I see no alternative, Captain, I am afraid, as of course you understand. But if Their Lordships see fit to send you back here with your new command, no one would be more delighted than I.”
“What sort of a man is your first lieutenant?” demanded Bentinck.
“Well, my Lord — ” Hornblower looked from Bentinck to Collingwood. It was hard to make a public condemnation even of the abject Jones. “He is a worthy enough man. The fact that he is John Jones the Ninth in the lieutenants’ list may have held him back from promotion.”
A wintry twinkle appeared in Bentinck’s eye.
“I fancy he would be John Jones the First in the Sicilian Navy List.”
“I expect so indeed, my Lord.”
“Do you think he would take service as captain under the King of the Two Sicilies?”
“I should be surprised if he did not.”
That would be Jones’s only chance of ever becoming a captain, and most likely Jones was aware of it, however he might excuse himself for it in his own thoughts.
Collingwood entered the conversation again at this point.
“Joseph Bonaparte over in Naples has just proclaimed himself King of the Two Sicilies as well,” he remarked. “That makes four Sicilies.”
Now they were all smiling together, and it was a moment before Hornblower’s unhappiness returned to him, when he remembered that he had to give up the ship he had brought to perfection and the crew he had trained so carefully, and his Mediterranean station of honour. He turned to Collingwood.
“What are your orders, my Lord?”
“You will receive them in writing, of course. But verbally you are under orders not to move until you are officially informed of the transfer of your ship to the Sicilian flag. I’ll distribute your ship’s company through the Fleet — I can use them.”