The Pursuit Page 4

  ‘James, James.’ Rennie, hastily getting up on his legs. ‘Don’t take it ill, what I just said, I beg you. I meant well, I swear to God. I meant well, and if I expressed myself clumsy then I beg your pardon. Sit down and drink your wine, and forget everything I said about your brig and your brave new venture. Will you?’

  Seeing Rennie’s obvious sincerity in wishing to make amends, James: ‘If you wish it, then in course I will sit down, sir.’ To Sylvia Rennie: ‘I must ask your pardon again, madam, for my intemperate outburst.’

  ‘Do not trouble yourself, my dear Lieutenant Hayter. I am used to naval men.’ She smiled at him.

  James bowed to her, and sat down. Rennie sniffed, drank off the last mouthful of his wine, and:

  ‘Will you permit me to say one final word, James? I promise to say nothing untoward about your brig.’

  James inclined his head politely and kept his expression neutral. He wished to hear nothing more at all as to his circumstances, but felt he could not now – having just apologised – demand that his host be silent at his own supper table. Rennie nodded, and continued:

  ‘I will say only this, James. I assume ye’ve had no communication with Their Lordships for some little time, and do not know therefore what might or might not have been offered you in the way of a commission. Now then, should anything go wrong about your present venture, should anything go ill with you, then I will make it my particular business to intercede with Their Lordships and ask for you in Expedient.’

  ‘Ask for me . . . ?’ James frowned, then raised his eyebrows.

  ‘I don’t say that anything will go wrong – and let us hope nothing will. However, should ill luck befall you in Firebird, then—’

  ‘Firefly, sir.’

  ‘Just so, Firefly. If it did, then you would be very welcome by my side.’

  ‘Nothing will go wrong, I think.’ Politely, but firmly. ‘The deposit is paid, the other part of the money arranged, and I am to take possession of her on Saturday next, at noon.’

  ‘In course, in course, just so. I am merely speculating, you know, on a question of if. If something should happen, if it should, you are welcome in Expedient.’

  Again James raised his eyebrows. Politely: ‘In what capacity, sir? Surely I could not hold a commission in a frigate that has already been assigned her full complement of officers?’

  ‘Well well, we should have to decide about that. Yes. But it could be managed, and would be managed . . . if.’ He refilled his glass. ‘There, I have finished.’

  James stared down at the table a moment, and again politely: ‘Forgive me, sir, but I do not see quite how it could be . . . managed.’ Lifting his gaze.

  ‘I assure you, my dear James, that—’

  ‘You will recall, I am in no doubt, sir, that when during your last commission I had occasion to make just such a request – could you put me on your books as your first – you felt yourself obliged to turn me down flat?’

  ‘Yes, well well, the circumstances was entirely different, James. When you—’

  ‘Different? Again forgive me, but how, exact? I was at a loose end, and wished to find employment as a sea officer, and I came to you. You said, quite candid and blunt, that since Their Lordships had given you your full number of officers by commission, you could find no place for me.’

  ‘Yes, so I did. But at that time, if you will recollect—’

  ‘Then how I wonder could you find such a place for me now, when all of your officers have been assigned to you, exactly similar?’ James, over him, with an edge on his voice. ‘I do not follow.’

  And now Sylvia Rennie intervened, seeing that such an exchange could not end well unless it ended at once. Smiling at each in turn:

  ‘William. Lieutenant Hayter. I am used to naval manners, certainly, but I am used also to other things – diverting things – and I demand that you entertain me, else I shall languish and grow fatigued and disconsolate. Do you see, against the far wall, the pianoforte?’ Pointing at the instrument half-hidden by a screen in the corner.

  ‘What? Pianoforte?’ Rennie peered across the room.

  ‘Do not you see it there?’

  ‘Yes, my dear, I do see it.’ A nod, a forced brief half-smile.

  ‘And you, Mr Hayter?’

  ‘I see it, madam.’ Clearing his wind.

  ‘I am glad. I have a proposal to make. If one of you plays, will the other one of you sing?’

  ‘Eh? Play the pianoforte?’

  ‘Sing?’

  ‘Yes. Sing. And play. Will you play, Lieutenant?’

  ‘Oh, well, madam. Mrs Rennie. In truth, you know, I cannot play a single note.’

  ‘Have you no sisters, sir?’ A smile.

  ‘Nay, I haven’t. I have cousins, though.’

  ‘And did they not ask you to play by their side at the pianoforte, when you were children?’

  ‘I have seen them play, and heard them, but I was never – I never did attempt to emulate them, madam.’

  ‘Ah, a pity.’ A little sigh, then: ‘Then you shall sing for me, both of you.’

  ‘Oh, no, my dear, really I cannot.’ Rennie shook his head, discomfited.

  ‘Nor I.’ James.

  ‘But do not sea officers often sometimes sing after dinner in the gunroom, or the great cabin? My late first husband said so, and I am certain he was telling the truth.’ Turning to Rennie. ‘Have you never sung, my love, after dinner at sea?’

  ‘Hm. Well well, very rarely. I have never cared for it, at any rate. Most sea officers cannot carry a tune.’

  ‘No, that is true.’ James, in agreement. ‘That is very true, they cannot. I cannot.’

  ‘Oh . . . ! Oh, gentlemen, I am so disappointed. I had thought to be entertained.’

  ‘Mrs Rennie, may I be permitted to make a suggestion?’ James rose.

  ‘Mr Hayter?’

  ‘If you yourself will consent to entertain two unworthy sea officers at the pianoforte, I will like humbly to offer my services as turn-page.’

  ‘Very prettily said, sir. I bow to your request, and accept your offer.’

  And he escorted her, that handsome, clever woman in her low-cut gown, gallantly into the corner, and moved aside the screen, gratefully aware that she had averted a rupturing of the most important friendship in the life of either man.

  On the morrow, at ten o’clock in the forenoon, the two sea officers went into Captain Rennie’s launch at the Hard, and were rowed across double-banked to the Haslar wharf. At half past ten, Dr Stroud took them up the stone stair to Thomas Wing’s room.

  Wing was deeply asleep, a pale diminutive figure in his cot by the window, and Dr Stroud advised:

  ‘Gentlemen, I think we should not wake him. His condition is still very feeble, and the more restful natural sleep he can get the better things will go for him. I am sorry you have had a fruitless journey, Captain Rennie, you and the lieutenant both, and I hope that you will return another day. I know it lifts the patient to see familiar faces.’

  ‘Very good, Doctor.’ Rennie, as they followed Dr Stroud back along the passage. ‘I will endeavour to do as you suggest, and so no doubt will Mr Hayter.’ Glancing at James as they reached the top of the stair.

  ‘Yes, indeed, so I shall.’ James, as they went down.

  Outside the gate Rennie sniffed the air, and:

  ‘We’ll step our mast and bend sail, and beat across to Bucklers Hard. What say you?’

  ‘Do not you wish to take divisions aboard your ship, sir?’

  ‘My ship? She is our ship, James. I will always like to think so, anyway. And she will manage very well without me a further hour or two. I should very much appreciate sight of the brig, if you will permit it?’

  ‘In course I shall be delighted to show her to you, by all means.’ Noting that Rennie had not said ‘your brig’, whereas he had said ‘our ship’ of Expedient.

  They returned to the launch. Rennie’s new coxswain, a sturdy young man called Clinton Huff, quickly complied with
Rennie’s orders; mallets were produced, the mast stepped forrard, and clamped. The boat was pushed clear.

  The duty midshipman, in his cracking pubescent voice, called: ‘Give way together, lads. Let us row dry.’

  And soon, as the boat pulled into open water off the fort and came round the point into a freshening westerly breeze, he called to the men handling the sails: ‘Make sail! Starboard tack, full and by! Trim sheets, and keep your luff, there! Cheerly, now!’

  Presently, as the two officers settled in the stern sheets, ducking their heads in the wind and spray, Rennie:

  ‘He looked so damned reduced in that room.’

  ‘Thomas? Ay, it is a cheerless, bare, bleak sort of place, that seems to diminish the human spirit.’

  ‘I had forgot quite how small in stature he was.’

  ‘But he is not in any other way a small man.’

  Rennie looked at him, and: ‘Nay, you are right. As strong and brave and loyal a man as I have ever met. I hope with all my heart that he may come back to us.’

  ‘To Expedient?’

  ‘To Expedient. Just as I hope that you will come back, Mr Hayter.’

  James said nothing, but he was now very displeased with Rennie, and felt that he had been hoodwinked into this trip to Mr Blewitt’s yard. Rennie had said he wished to have sight of Firefly, but what he wished in truth was to find fault with her, to cast doubt on her seaworthiness and design, weaken James’s resolve, and attempt once more to persuade him to give up his new venture, and return to the king’s service.

  ‘Damn his impertinence, and his importuning, bullying pride!’ raged James, but not aloud. ‘Why will he not see that I am my own man, and not his nor the navy’s, neither!’

  ‘Has the swell made you queasy?’ Rennie, peering into his face.

  ‘No no, I am quite all right.’

  ‘It always takes a day or two for a sea officer to reacquaint himself with his chosen element. There is no shame in it.’

  ‘I tell you, I am quite all right, sir.’

  ‘Very good, Mr Hayter, very good. There is no need to bite off my head.’

  ‘God damn the meddling fellow!’ James, furiously, in his head.

  The wind now steady, and presently they set a course west across the Solent for Bucklers Hard.

  When they arrived Mr Blewitt took James aside, looking very solemn, and:

  ‘She is took off the market. She is withdrawn.’

  ‘What!’

  ‘In course I will return your deposit in full, there is no question, but the—’

  ‘Took off the market! Withdrawn! But how can that possibly be, Mr Blewitt, when you owned the vessel, and have sold her to me!’

  ‘Ah, no, well, you see . . . never did own her outright, sir. No, I never did. She was put in my hands to sell. I was to bring her up to a certain condition of repair, and offer her for sale – but I never had my name on her papers, no. And now, she ain’t for sale no more. There it is, Mr Hayter, there it is. I am very sorry for all your trouble, and as I have told you, I wish to return your deposit in gold. Return it in full.’ He reached inside his coat, and withdrew the small bag of coins.

  ‘This is infamous, Mr Blewitt. It is wretched and underhand and wrong. I demand to know the name of the true owner. Give it to me.’

  ‘Alas, sir, I cannot do that. I am not permitted to give out his name. Not to anyone at all.’

  ‘Hell and fire, Mr Blewitt! I am not just “anyone at all”, sir. I am the purchaser of this vessel. I do not want my deposit returned, I do not want the gold. I want my ship. I want Firefly.’ Pointing up the slip to where Firefly lay shored, individual new sheets of coppering shining amid the dull mass of the old along the curve of her hull.

  ‘What is the difficulty, James?’ Rennie, anxiously, coming to James’s side.

  ‘Nothing that you can remedy, sir.’ James, curtly. ‘Kindly do not interfere.’

  ‘I had no wish to interfere. I simply saw your distress . . . Good day, Mr Blewitt.’ Nodding to the shipwright, who stood nervously fiddling with the money bag. ‘You remember me?’

  ‘I do, Captain Rennie.’ A grimacing uncomfortable smile, touching his hat.

  ‘That is the vessel?’ Pointing at her.

  ‘Ay, it is. As I was just now explaining to Mr Hayter—’

  ‘That will do, Mr Blewitt, thankee.’ James took Mr Blewitt’s arm and led him abruptly away toward the yard sheds, several low timber buildings beyond the slip. Rennie saw that he could not easily go with them, and remained where he was. When they reached the sheds, James still had hold of Mr Blewitt’s arm, and:

  ‘Now then, Mr Blewitt. Now that we are private again, I will like you to understand me. I have no intention of allowing you, nor the secret owner of Firefly, to hoodwink and cheat me. The vessel is mine, legally and fairly purchased.’

  Mr Blewitt shifted the sack of coins from one hand to the other. With evident discomfort and apprehension:

  ‘Well, sir, well . . . I am obliged to ask: where is your wrote-out proof?’

  ‘My what? What did y’say?’

  ‘You say you bought her . . . but there is no contract in writing, sir, no bill of sale. Is there?’

  ‘But good heaven, I gave you that money! I gave you ninety pound in gold!’

  ‘You did, sir, yes, and now I—’

  ‘Yes, indeed, you know very well I did. So how can you talk of “proof”, and so forth, when you accepted the money, and even now hold it in your hand?’

  Mr Blewitt held out the bag of coins, almost in supplication. ‘And I am now returning it in full, look. Take it, sir, take it, if you please.’

  ‘This is nonsense, Blewitt.’ With steely menace, ignoring the proffered money. ‘And by God you know it, too.’

  ‘I know only that I – I am now returning this money, that was held in l’oo of a transaction that has not took place, subsequent.’ Holding out the sack again. ‘A transaction that never occurred. Here, take it. I do not want it. It ain’t mine.’

  ‘You knew very well what “occurred”. A payment was made in consideration, that constituted the purchase of that vessel.’ Pushing aside the money. ‘We made a bargain, Blewitt, and by God you are going to stand by it.’

  ‘There is no call to grow violent, if y’please. There is no need for threats.’

  ‘Threats! I will show you what a real threat is, you miserable bloody wretch!’ Putting a hand on the hilt of his sword.

  ‘Reuben! Will! Noble! Come here to me! I need you! I am being assaulted!’

  Three muscular men in leather aprons emerged from the sheds, carrying adzes. They advanced toward James and Mr Blewitt. Rennie now moved rapidly forward, leaping over the slip, and stood by James’s side. Quietly to him:

  ‘We must get away out of this. No good can come of swordplay, here.’

  ‘But the damned bloody bugger has cheated me! I am not afraid of his ruffians, neither! I will run them all through, then spill his guts in the bargain!’ Making to draw his sword. Rennie’s firm hand closed over his and prevented it. In James’s ear:

  ‘Step away down to the launch with me, now. They will not follow us to the boat, with so many of our people waiting there.’

  And gently, carefully, he drew a reluctant and furious James away from the low, shabby buildings, the leather-aproned men with their adzes, and Mr Blewitt, who still held the sack of coins in his hand as the two sea officers reached their waiting boat.

  In mid-afternoon they sat down to a very late dinner in Expedient’s great cabin. James was still tremulous with rage, and his hand shook as he took up his glass. He sucked down wine, scarcely tasting it.

  ‘More wine, sir?’ Rennie’s obsequious steward Colley Cutton, with the wide-bottomed decanter.

  ‘Stop fussing, Cutton, and go away.’ Rennie, not harshly. ‘I will call you when I want you.’

  ‘Just as you like, sir.’ Cutton left the decanter and sidled out, his slicked-down hair clinging to his head. Rennie waited until he had clo
sed the door, then:

  ‘How much did you pay Blewitt, James? I hesitated to ask in the boat.’

  ‘Hm? Oh, ninety pound in gold.’

  ‘Well well, even though you refused it today, I expect you will wish to have it back some time – but not at the point of a sword. Perhaps you will allow me to intercede in your behalf?’

  ‘Intercede how?’ Moodily. ‘You heard what the blackguard said. He wished to return the gold – which I don’t want – because we had not made a contract of sale, when we most certainly had.’

  ‘He was discommoded at having been caused to withdraw the vessel from sale. Often a man that feels himself put in the wrong will resort to bluster.’

  ‘You cannot mean that you think he was telling the truth?’

  ‘About the abortive sale? Very like.’ A nod.

  ‘You cannot believe in this third party, surely? This fictitious hidden owner? Good heaven.’

  ‘I cannot see why Blewitt himself would wish to cheat you, James. You have had dealings with him in the past, have not you?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘He behaved honourably?’

  ‘Yes. Then, he did.’

  ‘It ain’t his doing the real owner don’t want to let Firefly go so cheap. If you will permit me, I shall make certain of the return of your money, another day. Will not that satisfy you?’

  ‘No, it will not.’

  ‘But surely, my dear James—’

  ‘Thank you, sir, for your kind offer.’ James, over him. ‘You are very good. I fear I cannot accept. I wish to pursue the matter. I am absolutely settled on the purchase of Firefly. I do not want my ninety pound returned. I shall force the sale. I shall prevail.’

  ‘Well well, you was ever a determined fellow, James, in usual an admirable thing in a sea officer. But I must tell you that in this instance you are wrong. By attempting to—’

  ‘Sir. Please. I beg you, do not continue.’ Staring down at the table intently.