Bryant marched up the aisle, grim-faced. Kydd yielded the lectern to him.
‘I’m L’tenant Bryant, first o’ the Tenacious,’ he began, challenging them with his tone and glowering at them individually. ‘L’tenant Kydd is my assistant.’ He flashed a dispassionate glance at Kydd. ‘Now we have a convoy to get under way afore noon tomorrow, so no more nonsense, if y’ please. Any who wants to argue with a King’s ship knows what to expect.’
He took a wad of instructions and held them up. ‘As you all know, this is how we conduct our convoy. As usual I’ll start at th’ beginning, remembering all you’ve been told about keepin’ this under lock ’n’ key.
‘Convoy assembles in Falmouth Roads, outside the harbour. Each ship t’ rig their coloured vane to fly at the fore or main, accordin’ to the instructions, not forgetting your number good and plain on each stern-quarter. Order o’ sailing and first rendezvous, you should have by you, before we leave.’
Bryant leaned forward on the lectern. ‘Now, here’s a thing. My captain’s a right Tartar, he is, a hard horse driver who’s always on our necks. He’s your senior officer now, so I advise you all t’ spread what canvas you need to keep the convoy closed up an’ all together.’ He allowed that to sink in, then went on, ‘Signal code for the convoy is in two parts, and provision is made . . .’
The presentation continued. Kydd stood awkwardly beside Bryant, resentful yet admiring of his easy competence.
Then the conference drew to a close and a line of merchant captains came forward to sign the register and take custody of their convoy instructions. They left to return to their ships; the Blue Peter would soon be at each masthead.
Kydd picked up his gear, avoiding Bryant’s eye. He was startled to hear him give a quiet laugh. ‘They falls out o’ the line of sailin’, you know what we do? Give ’em a shot in the guts! Sets ’em into a more co-operative frame of mind, it does.’
Bryant helped Kydd heap paper rubbish into the bag; this would later be burned. ‘But the biggest threat we can use is to report ’em to Lloyds,’ he continued. ‘They show stubborn, we tell Lloyds, an’ then they have to explain to their owners why their insurance premiums just doubled.’ Before Kydd could say anything, Bryant had consulted his watch and stalked off.
Chapter 4
‘God blast his eyes!’ Houghton’s fists were clenched and he shook with fury. ‘I’ll see this rogue roast in hell! Hoist his number on the lee fore halliard and give him another gun.’
The signal for ‘lie to, and await orders before proceeding’ still flew from Tenacious’s mizzen peak together with Lady Ann’s distinguishing number. It was inconceivable that the shabby timber ship could not understand the need to form up the convoy properly before their voyage began. She seemed intent on heading off into the general distance, vaguely bound for the west, despite the plain sight of so many other ships hove to with brailed-up canvas waiting for the remainder of the convoy to issue out from the inner anchorage.
Kydd marvelled at the sight in front of him: 148 ships, large and small, a vast mass of vessels filling the wide bay. Bustling between them were the two smaller escorts. The whole scene was an expression of economic strength – and vulnerability. If Britain could preserve this great stream of trade goods arriving and leaving the kingdom, her survival was assured. If not, the end of this cataclysmic war would not be far off.
At last Lady Ann slewed and hove to, but her actions had meant Tenacious had moved well out of station and had to heave round back to the assembly points. Her captain was fuming, his officers on edge, and the ship’s company thoroughly bad-tempered.
The last of the joiners came through the harbour entrance, past Black Rock and into the open sea. ‘Convoy will proceed,’ roared Houghton, glaring at his signal lieutenant as though it was all his fault.
Kydd found the place in the signal book, and hastily shouted the hoist to those at the taffrail flag-locker. Flags were bent on, soaring up the halliards as the thump of their fo’c’sle gun drew attention to them.
‘Have they acknowledged yet?’ snapped Houghton.
Kydd had his telescope up, trying to locate Trompeuse and Viper, just two sail among so many.
‘Well?’
Kydd saw the three gunboats of the port’s standing force, which had been detached to see the convoy to sea and were temporarily under Houghton’s command, but he could not spot the low, half-decked, two-masted craft.
‘Good God! Do I have to—’