Houghton stepped out briskly from his cabin. ‘You have heard, then, gentlemen,’ he said, with satisfaction. ‘I can tell you that we sail for Alexandria on completion of stores and, you may depend upon it, we shall have an encounter within the week.’
One by one the ships-of-the-line slipped past the lighthouse and small fort at the tip of the long neck of land upon which old Syracuse shimmered in the bright sun, their next landfall the even more ancient land of Egypt. The breeze held and strengthened and the fleet stretched out over the sparkling sea under all sail possible.
Bampton was not persuaded, however. ‘Still our motions are driven by conjecture – where is your evidence? They are not in the west – but who has considered that, having taken Malta, they are satisfied and have retired back to Toulon? Evidence!’
As if in answer to his words, the fleet stood on for Greece. With the Peloponnese in plain sight Nelson sent in Troubridge of Culloden to speak with the Turkish authorities. The big 74 sailed into the wide bay towards Koroni castle. When he returned, he finally brought news that the French had been positively sighted – steering south-eastward. They had been seen some weeks before but it was a mystery as to why they had gone so far to the north instead of making a straight run of it to Alexandria. It was the master who grasped the significance: ‘Cabotage, sir,’ he told Houghton. ‘They’re a lubberly crew hereabouts an’ navigate by following the coast along, point b’ point, and never a notion of workin’ a deep-sea reckoning. We sailed direct, got there before ’em.’
Culloden was followed by a humble two-master, astern. This was a French wine-brig that the same obliging governor who had given them their vital news had also graciously allowed to be carried off as prize from under the guns of the castle. Later the wine would be transhipped to the fleet as rations.
‘Please take a chair, Mr Kydd.’ Houghton’s manner as he greeted Kydd in his cabin was odd – tense, perhaps, Kydd thought. But that could be because he had only recently returned from conclave with Nelson. During their long chase the admiral had made it his practice to see his captains in twos and threes in the great cabin of Vanguard. There, together, they would share his fighting vision and intentions, playing out the possible settings for combat.
‘I’ll not mince words. We are about to be joined in battle with an enemy of great force. It will be a hard-fought contest, which is vital to our country. But I have the utmost confidence in Admiral Nelson and his battle plans, which we have discussed thoroughly. It only requires we follow where he leads and I’ve no doubt whatsoever of the outcome.’
He paused and looked at Kydd intently. ‘As I recollect, this will be your first experience of the quarterdeck in an action of significance, in the line-of-battle.’
‘Sir.’ Camperdown, his only fleet action, did not count – he had been below with the guns and at no time had really understood what was happening outside his ship. And, besides, he reminded himself, it was before he had been raised to be an officer.
‘It is the custom of the Service for the duty of signal lieutenant to be devolved on the junior. You have discharged this duty to my satisfaction so far, sir, but you will forgive my concern when you reflect that at this time of supreme crisis, when it is crucial the intentions of the commander be known – and only by signal – I am obliged to place the safety and honour of my ship in one who has had no officer-like experience of a fleet action and who is the most junior aboard.’
Kydd flushed. ‘Am I then t’ be superseded, sir?’
‘What is the signal “division designated, to harass the enemy rear”?’
‘Why, blue burgee signific an’ number twenty-nine, both at mizzen peak, sir,’ Kydd said instantly.
‘The night signal to haul to the wind, and sail with starb’d tacks on board?’
‘One light at th’ ensign staff, one in the mizzen shrouds, an’ fire one gun.’
‘And to larb’d?’
‘Two lights in the fore-shrouds – that is t’ say, one above the other – and two guns.’
Houghton nodded, and Kydd saw that behind the hard expression his captain needed reassurance before a great battle.
Houghton got up and stared out from the stern windows. ‘That is well, Mr Kydd. I can see that you have applied yourself to your profession.’ He paused, then continued softly, ‘Sir Horatio is a fine leader – a great man, I believe. There we may see a ruthless determination to achieve victory that spares neither himself nor his officers: I’ve seen it in no other man. I would not have Tenacious fail him, Mr Kydd.’