"No, sir, I am not," he said thickly. "I'm tryin' t' say—"
"Later, sir. I find I must now establish a further point. Commander Carthew, did Teazer arrive at the rendezvous in a timely and proper manner?"
Carthew looked uncomfortable, furtive almost. "Sir. Er . . ."
"Come now, Mr Carthew, we can easily determine the answer from your people if necessary."
"Well, sir . . . then not exactly."
"Sir—your attempt to shield a brother officer does you credit, but we will have the facts, Commander."
"I'm truly sorry to have to say, sir, we were hove-to off Bréhat in wait for some . . . twenty hours after the appointed time."
"Thank you, Mr Carthew," said Saumarez, looking squarely at Kydd. Dropping his eyes, he paused, then seemed to make up his mind. "Bring in "Teazer's sailing-master."
"Mr Dowse, sir." The weatherbeaten mariner shuffled his feet but gazed resolutely ahead. He carried his own master's log.
"Information has been passed to me that Teazer was sighted two leagues off Cap de Flamanville and again close in under the Nez de Jobourg at the time her orders specifically required her to rendezvous off Bréhat. I note to my surprise that there is no entry in the ship's log to this effect. Can you explain this?"
"Yes, sir."
Saumarez leaned back in expectation.
"Mr Kydd, he said as how it were a secret mission, like, an' not t' trouble enterin' it in th' log." "Do you have the true workings for those days?"
"Aye." Dowse steadfastly avoided Kydd's eye.
"And?"
"As y' said, sir. We closed wi' the coast after dark at L'Anse Pivette an' took aboard a—a object."
"Then?" prompted Saumarez.
"Then we made all sail f'r the rendezvous."
"I see. You may stand down now, Mr Dowse," Saumarez said tightly. "Is Mr Standish outside?"
"He is, sir."
"Send him in."
Standish entered carefully, his eyes darting about the room. "Sir?"
"Just one question, Mr Standish. What occurred at L'Anse Pivette?"
Teazer's first lieutenant glanced beseechingly at Kydd, then murmured, "Er, we anchored in the lee of the Race and, um, the captain took away a boat and two men an' landed on the coast o' France."
"You mean the captain went ashore alone but for two hands at the oars?"
Standish looked stricken. "Yes, sir."
"Did he give any reason?"
"N-none that I can recall, sir."
"Was he ashore long?"
"He was away for only half an hour or so, sir."
"And when he returned?"
"In the dark it was difficult to see, if you understand, sir."
"I will make my meaning plainer. Did he return with any object?"
"It was covered with a boat-cloak, sir."
"And as officer-of-the-deck you didn't even glimpse it as it was swayed aboard?" Saumarez said irritably.
"It was the chest," Standish admitted.
"Good God!" Kydd exploded. "This has gone on long enough! Will no one hear me out?"
With a pained expression the admiral replied, "I would be obliged if you would refrain from so using the Lord's name in vain. Yet in all fairness you shall be heard. What is it that you want to say, sir?"
Kydd held his temper fiercely in check: things were bad enough as they were without a confrontation. "Sir. This is y'r chest as ye gave orders f'r me to find an' bring back. I can't understand—"
"Mr Kydd. This is the second time you have made this public accusation and I am finding it difficult to restrain my anger. I gave you no such orders, as well you know, and to be certain of this I have sent for your ship's clerk under escort to bring me "Teazer's orders as received that I might verify their contents myself."
He glared at Kydd, then called, "Is—What is his name?"
"Renzi, sir."
"Is this man in attendance yet?"
"Sir."
"Tell him to step in—lively, now."
Renzi entered; his features were grave.
"You are ship's clerk of HMS Teazer?"
"I am, sir."
"Have you the original orders for the voyage just concluded? Quickly, man!"
Renzi unlaced the folder and handed them across. Kydd craned to see but Saumarez snatched them and scanned them. "What's this? I see here no reference whatsoever to any secret dalliance, Mr Kydd," he said sarcastically. "Pray tell by what means you are able to place such a wild construction on these perfectly straightforward instructions?"
"Sir," Kydd gulped, "there were sealed orders as well, an' they—" "I have heard from my flag-lieutenant that your master's mate Prosser duly signed out on these orders. You, Renzi, were you not responsible for their registering into the ship?"
"Sir."
"You signed them in directly from Mr Prosser, did you not?"
"I did, sir."
"And did you see them contain any sealed orders?"
The room echoed its silence.
"Did they? Answer me, sir."
If Renzi admitted to seeing them it would be to betray Kydd as having allowed him, a mere ship's clerk, access to the highest level of confidentiality. And if he did not, Kydd would have not a single witness to testify to their existence.
"Sir, I signed for the packet but immediately locked it into the captain's confidential stowage," Renzi said quietly, his face pale.
"Sir—"
"Mr Kydd?"
"Sir. I find it monstrous that I'm being treated in this way. I did m' duty t' th' best o' my—"
Saumarez bowed his head and held up his hand. "Clear the room," he said. "I've heard enough. You will remain, Mr Kydd."
When they had left Saumarez looked at Kydd for a long moment before he spoke. "You! Of all the men of promise in my command—to stoop to venal acts as shabby as any."
Kydd tried to say something but it came out as a mumble.
"And you think to obfuscate and temporise with wild tales that do you no credit whatsoever. I have to tell you, sir, I'm both shocked and greatly saddened by what has passed." He sighed deeply and rose slowly from his chair. "And now I have to decide what to do with you." He paced to the end of the room, then turned. "In view of your recent valour and service to my squadron I will not proceed in law, Mr Kydd."
"Th-thank you, sir." There seemed nothing else to say.
"However, I see no other course than to relieve you of your command as of this hour, Mr Kydd. You are not to return to your ship. Your effects will be sent ashore at your convenience. I will not have you as an example to my fleet. Good day to you, sir."
CHAPTER 8
KYDD WAS VERY QUIET, unheeding of the hubbub that eddied around the inn's taproom. The candle guttered, throwing the lines on his face into deep relief. Renzi felt uneasy. Would this sudden catapult into shame and an unknown future tip him back into unreality?
"Ye didn't have t' do it, Nicholas," he said eventually, his beer still untouched in the pewter tankard.
"With Teazer in an uproar and all ahoo? Not as this would assist in a scholard's ruminations."
Kydd raised his head. "Who is . . . ?"
Renzi saw there was no point in prolonging it. "Kit Standish is made captain and Prosser an acting lieutenant." The light died in his friend's eyes and his head dropped. Renzi's heart was wrung with pity. That a man could suffer two such blows in succession was grievous. That neither was of Kydd's doing was so much the worse.
"Did they land y'r books in good shape?" Kydd asked unexpectedly, breaking into Renzi's thoughts. He had found an old sail-loft near the boatbuilders in Havelet Bay as a temporary store for their possessions, the familiar objects of a score of voyages on a dozen seas now hidden under drab canvas, waiting for . . . who knew what?
"They did, bless them. Stirk made the boat's crew bear them the full way, then insisted in making a seamanlike stow of them." He hesitated, then added softly, "And wishes I might make known to you the true feelings of the ship's company on your cruel and unjust treatment."