The Pursuit Page 6

  Rennie had decided on this, and it was difficult for Mr Mappin to object. In fact he would have liked to oblige both the admiral and Merriman Leigh to absent themselves. However, Admiral Hollister had not disagreed with Rennie’s assertion, and was a man of great and powerful connection. He had brought Mr Mappin to Expedient, and Mr Mappin thought that he could not insist – in least, not yet. And now the admiral:

  ‘Pray proceed, Mr Mappin.’

  ‘Thank you, Admiral. Captain Rennie – and Lieutenant Leigh – I am given authority to offer you a duty quite separate from your general duties of coastal patrol, that will I think be more fitting to your abilities than that mundane though necessary task.’

  ‘Yes?’ Rennie, politely.

  ‘Yes. You are to find and follow a particular ship.’

  ‘A chase?’ Both Rennie and Mr Leigh leaned forward a little, and the admiral cocked his head attentively.

  ‘Well, no, not in the sense that you naval men mean “chase”, exact. I do not mean “chase and engage”. I mean – follow the ship, very discreetly follow her, and find out where she goes.’

  ‘What is the ship? Who commands her? Follow her where she goes? How far?’ Rennie, with keen, rapping insistence.

  ‘We do not know who commands her, because we do not yet know the name of the vessel. As to where you will be required to follow . . . that may be very far away.’

  ‘Out of home waters, d’y’mean?’

  ‘Almost certainly.’

  ‘Well well, I must disappoint you, Mr Mappin. As I have already told you in an earlier meeting ashore, when you offered me a sum of money, Their Lordships have given me the firmest possible assurance that my duties in Expedient would keep me in home waters all the present commission. In view of what we was obliged to undertake on our last commission, I think that eminently fair and just. Therefore, with regret, I must—’

  ‘Perhaps you have not perfectly understood me.’ Mr Mappin gave Rennie a chilling half-smile.

  ‘Eh? What is this talk of money, Mr Mappin?’ Admiral Hollister put down his glass.

  ‘A sum of money was mentioned on an earlier occasion.’ Mr Mappin, turning his head politely. ‘As a consideration.’

  ‘How much?’

  ‘It was 2,000 pound, sir.’ Rennie, very matter-of-fact.

  ‘Two thousand! Good God, on whose authority?’

  ‘No transaction took place. The offer was subsequently withdrawn.’ Mr Mappin.

  ‘I asked you a question, sir.’ The admiral. ‘By whose authority was this money offered?’

  ‘So you did, Admiral. And I am obliged to reply: I cannot divulge that intelligence.’

  ‘You refuse to answer? When I have extended you every courtesy, and brought you here to Expedient in my own barge, and lent you my authority in so doing?’

  ‘Because you were asked to, sir.’

  ‘Asked?’ Admiral Hollister’s blue eyes had turned to ice. ‘I was required, sir, required. By official letter from Whitehall.’

  ‘Sir David.’ Mr Mappin had in turn grown icily correct. ‘I thank you for attending to my comfort and safety in giving me passage to Expedient. Perhaps you will allow me now to conduct my business with Captain Rennie in his ship – I think in the navy it is called an independent ship, unattached to any squadron or fleet – in private? If you please.’

  ‘No, sir. I am not pleased to do anything of the kind. Ye’ve contrived to involve me in this business, and I mean to understand it.’

  ‘Ah. Then I fear I am unable to proceed, today.’ Mr Mappin pushed back his chair and stood up.

  ‘Sit down, sir! You ain’t ashore now, where you may throw your weight about so damned presumptuous. You are in a naval ship, a ship of war, where matters are conducted according to the wishes and requirements of those in command. You will answer my questions, sir, or know the consequence.’

  Mr Mappin then did a very foolish thing. He smiled at the admiral, and shook his head, and said:

  ‘You naval men are very fond of that word. Consequence. You think that I am in any way intimidated by such empty threats as “consequence”, Sir David? Hm?’

  ‘Captain Rennie.’ The admiral did not stand up, but his manner now was one of cold fierce authority. ‘Who is your Marine officer?’

  ‘Lieutenant Harcher, sir.’

  ‘Summon him.’

  ‘Very good, sir. Sentry!’

  Lieutenant Harcher came to the great cabin.

  ‘Mr Harcher.’ The admiral did not look at him except fleetingly, and then returned his cold blue gaze to Mr Mappin.

  ‘Sir?’ His rediscovered hat clamped under his arm.

  ‘You will escort this gentleman into my boat, and require him to remain there until I am ready to go out of the ship.’

  ‘Very good, sir.’ Lieutenant Harcher moved to Mr Mappin’s side.

  ‘Admiral Hollister,’ said Mr Mappin, and again he smiled. ‘This is an empty gesture, entirely lacking in reason or purpose.’

  ‘Be quiet, sir! Else I shall have you placed under close arrest!’

  ‘This way, sir, if you please.’ Lieutenant Harcher urgently touched Mr Mappin’s elbow, and guided him from the cabin. As they went out of the door, Mr Mappin again shook his head, and:

  ‘A wholly futile gesture . . .’

  When they had gone, Admiral Hollister turned to Rennie. ‘Now then, Captain Rennie. You will make your report to me, sir. You will tell me everything that has happened in regard to that fellow and your association with him.’

  ‘D’y’mean – everything, altogether, sir?’

  ‘I do.’

  ‘I have known him before this. My last commission came under his direct influence.’

  ‘In what way?’

  ‘Well, sir . . . I fear that I am unable to acquaint you with all the circumstances.’

  ‘Unable? What d’y’mean, Captain Rennie?’

  ‘I am – I was forbidden to reveal the circumstances.’ Rennie was now very uncomfortable.

  ‘By whom was you forbidden?’

  ‘Well, among others – by the senior naval lord, sir.’

  ‘Hood?’

  ‘Yes, sir.’

  The admiral was silent a moment as he considered the implications of what he had just been told. At last:

  ‘Captain Rennie, I am aware in course that you have been independent in previous commissions, but while you are here at Portsmouth you are under my command as a ship attached to the Channel Fleet. I will not like to be thwarted in my command, sir. I will like to have answers to my questions, when I ask them.’

  Rennie felt that they were now in less troubled waters. He drew breath, and:

  ‘As to my present commission, and Mr Mappin’s presence here, I know no more than you do yourself, sir. Until today I had heard nothing of the chase – the pursuit of this mystery ship. A few days since Mr Mappin came to my hotel uninvited, and offered me 2,000 pound if I would sign a paper he had in his pocket. I refused outright. Did not even look at his paper. And he went away. I have not seen him again until he came here in your boat today, sir.’

  ‘Why should he offer you so large a sum, Captain Rennie? Tell me that.’

  ‘I do not know, sir.’

  ‘Has he paid you large sums in the past?’

  ‘He has not, sir.’

  ‘It is a riddle, then. I don’t like riddles. They ain’t the business of sea officers. Our proper work is the handling and fighting of our ships, by command of Their Lordships, in the service of the king.’

  ‘Yes sir, I . . .’

  ‘Well?’ Peering at him.

  ‘Well, I think that Mr Mappin would very likely say in his defence that he too serves the king, sir.’

  ‘You wish to defend the fellow?’ The blue stare.

  ‘Nay, I do not. His conduct is very – very vexing.’

  ‘Ay, vexing is the word, exact. I was obliged to bring him to your ship, Rennie, in compliance with an official letter from the Admiralty. Signed by a fellow calle
d Soames. Don’t know Soames, never met him. Know Stephens, in course, First Secretary, and know the Chief Clerk Wiggin. Don’t know Soames.’

  ‘He is the Third Secretary, sir.’

  ‘So his letter states, yes. He writes very elaborate, and flowery, whoever he is. Not a form of expression I favour, neither in letters, nor written instruction. However, his meaning, and the will of the Admiralty, was plain enough. I must welcome Mr Mappin into Vanquish, afford him all assistance I was able, and bring him to Expedient. Not send him in my boat, you mind me. Bring him myself. It is obvious the fellow has political connection. The whole damned thing is political, in my humble opinion.’

  Rennie thought, but did not say, that the admiral could not be described as humble in anything, least of all his opinion.

  ‘I expect I shall be obliged to beg his pardon.’

  Rennie said nothing.

  ‘I should not have threatened him with arrest. That is what y’are thinking, ain’t it, hey?’

  ‘I have no thoughts upon the matter, sir.’ Rennie, carefully neutral.

  ‘That is a slippery answer, Captain Rennie, but I cannot blame ye for giving it. We will go on deck.’ Getting up on his legs.

  Rennie motioned to Lieutenant Leigh, who had sat silent throughout, and the young officer followed his superiors out of the great cabin, and up the ladder.

  Presently Mr Mappin was readmitted to the ship, and Admiral Hollister went out of it, and away in his barge to Vanquish, his gold-trimmed cockaded hat thwartwise on his head in the stern sheets.

  ‘Mr Mappin.’ Rennie nodded to his guest, turned abruptly on his heel, and led the way aft to the tafferel. On Rennie’s instruction Mr Leigh attended them as far as the wheel, where he remained.

  At the tafferel Rennie turned and:

  ‘You have caused me great trouble this day, Mr Mappin. I don’t know what to do with you, I confess.’

  ‘Must we discuss our business on the open deck?’

  ‘There is no business to discuss, sir. I have declined your proposal. There is no mention of it in my commission papers, so there the thing ends. I should have preferred it was you to have gone away with the admiral. But he has left you here. The jollyboat has been took, else you could have gone ashore in that. I expect I must take you in my launch, when I have looked to my other duties aboard. In the meanwhile you must wait your turn, sir, out of the way aft. Further, I will like—’

  ‘Captain Rennie,’ over him, ‘you do not yet quite understand your position, I think. You cannot simply send me away. I have not come to you with a proposal, at all. I have come with an instruction.’

  ‘Well well, if you mean—’

  ‘I mean, sir, that you will prepare and store your ship for a long voyage, a voyage of pursuit. We expect the ship you will follow to depart from the Thames estuary within a week. You will depart Portsmouth on Saturday, sail to the Nore, and there anchor and wait. A description of the ship – tonnage, design, paintwork – will be sent to you there. When the ship passes on her way out to sea, you will discreetly follow.’

  ‘Hm. You have all this wrote out official, have you, Mr Mappin? Wrote and sealed official? Hm-hm, I do not think so. Nay, I don’t, sir.’ He sniffed and turned to look astern at gulls wheeling and dipping over the sea. Behind him:

  ‘Do you not? Then you are mistook.’

  Rennie turned to look at him, and Mr Mappin drew from inside his coat a folded document. With dismay Rennie glimpsed the seal attached. Mr Mappin gave him his cold half-smile, and the document.

  ‘But, good God, Saturday is the day after tomorrow . . .’

  ‘Good God, so it is.’ Mildly. ‘You have much to do, hey, Captain?’

  *

  Lieutenant Hayter had packed his few things into the small valise he had brought from Melton House to Portsmouth. He went downstairs in the Marine Hotel to pay his bill, but was told by the head porter:

  ‘The bill has been settled in full, sir.’

  ‘Eh? Settled? But I have not—’

  ‘By Captain Rennie, sir.’

  ‘Yes, I know he engaged the room in my behalf, but I never expected him to pay for it. Look here, now then, I will pay, and you may return Captain Rennie’s money to—’

  ‘Nay, he will not, you know.’ Rennie, behind James. And to the porter: ‘All right, Joseph, thankee.’ The porter touched his forehead and left them. ‘James, a word with you, if y’please.’ And they went into the small parlour.

  ‘I am embarrassed.’ James, as they sat down. ‘You will think that I ran away.’

  ‘I am at my ease, James. You came ashore. Mr Mappin has come ashore, and so have I. Coffee for you? Or chocolate?’ He rang the table bell.

  ‘Nothing, thank you. I am going to the White Hart, directly.’

  ‘Are ye? Ah. Hm. Will you allow me five minutes, to say something?’

  ‘In course I will.’

  Rennie ordered tea for himself, and when the girl had gone:

  ‘I have agreed to Mappin’s proposal. Well – proposal. I have agreed to obey my instructions. I did so on one condition. Since it was not to his advantage to refuse me, he has accepted it. I want you with me.’

  ‘Sir . . . I am again embarrassed. I am certain you have my best interests at heart, but you know very well I am not commissioned in Expedient, and that I mean to force Blewitt to sell me the brig, and that therefore—’

  ‘Blewitt will not sell you that vessel, and you know it.’ Firmly, over him. ‘Your one chance to save your career lies with me, and by God I will not allow you to fail. I have this afternoon obtained an extraordinary warrant of commission from the Port Admiral, upon Mr Mappin’s express authority, that obliges you to report for duty aboard Expedient upon the morrow. I will just drink my tea, James. Thank you, my dear . . .’ To the girl who brought the silver pot, and he gave her a coin. ‘And then we will go to Bracewell & Hyde.’

  ‘Your tailor?’

  ‘My tailor, who will provide you with everything you will need. There is no time to send for your uniforms.’

  ‘Sir, I am very well aware of all the trouble you have taken in my behalf . . .’

  ‘Do not think of it, James. I am—’

  ‘. . . ut you have not asked what I will prefer to do.’

  ‘Eh? Prefer?’ Over the rim of his cup.

  ‘Yes, prefer. With great respect, you do not govern my life, sir. I am my own man, you know, and—’

  ‘Nay, you are not.’ Briskly, putting down his cup. ‘You are commissioned in Expedient, sir, and you are the navy’s man, and mine.’

  ‘And if I refuse?’

  ‘Then you will be in breach of the Articles of War, by God.’ Nodding, and getting up on his legs. ‘Article 34 in specific. I think I can quote it accurate: “Every person being in actual service and full pay who shall be guilty of mutiny, desertion, or disobedience to any lawful command, shall be liable to be tried by court martial, and suffer the like punishment for such offence . . .”’

  ‘You do not seriously say that you could apply the Articles of War to me, do you, sir? When I have not yet decided to accept this commission?’

  ‘My dear James . . .’Rennie put on his hat. ‘. . . What alternative to this commission lies before you?’ And before James could reply: ‘Only the beach.’ The twitch of a smile. ‘That ain’t for you, hey?’ And he turned for the door. ‘Come on, then!’

  *

  At sea, rounding the North Foreland of Kent, Expedient beating into a brisk north easterly wind close-hauled on the starboard tack. Rennie had been particularly anxious to steer away from the Goodwin Sands, that lay just east of the Downs and had been the graveyard of so many unwary ships, and he had tacked nor’-east in the Channel off the South Foreland, to within clear sight of France, before turning again toward the coast of Kent. Throughout the afternoon watch he had kept the deck with the officer of the watch, his third lieutenant Mr Trembath – who had been a middy with him in an earlier commission, had recently passed his Board of Examinatio
n and had his name attached to the Lieutenants’ List; Rennie had seen his name, and asked for him. The quarterdeck had become nearly overcrowded, so anxious had Rennie been for his ship in these narrow, turbulent waters. His sailing master Mr Loftus; the quartermaster Patrick Clift; two helmsmen; the duty mids; a busy, heaving and hauling after-guard; and a scuttering ship’s boy bringing cans of hot tea for Rennie from his steward below; all milled about on the heeling deck; and the boatswain Roman Tangible was a frequent attendant. But James Hayter was not there.

  Captain Rennie had thought it impolitic to invite James on deck at all since they weighed and made sail at Spithead on the previous day. Rennie had not yet satisfactorily resolved the difficulty of having four lieutenants aboard a thirty-six-gun frigate that rated only three. James had continued to protest from the moment Rennie had revealed his new status, in the parlour of the Marine Hotel. At Bracewell & Hyde, where he was obliged to order for immediate delivery shirts, waistcoats, stockings, dress coat, undress coat, and cockaded hat – all on account – James made clear his discomfort, unease and unwillingness of compliance:

  ‘Sir, in stark practical terms, what will be my place in the ship? I am in effect a warranted supernumerary, a damned frockcoated idler.’

  ‘Nay, you are not. You are a commissioned sea officer, that will be invaluable to me at my side.’

  ‘As what, sir? Your fourth? When I have been your first many times, and have had my own command?’

  ‘We will find you a title and a role, James, do not exercise yourself unduly. – Nay, Mr Bracewell, that is a post captain’s coat.’

  Mr Bracewell helped James out of the offending coat. ‘I was merely trying to get an idea of the officer’s size, sir. Across the shoulder.’

  ‘Yes, well well, he ain’t quite a post yet, Mr B, and we must not flatter him, hey?’

  James peered at Rennie over his shoulder as Mr Bracewell busied himself with his tape measure. ‘I do not wish to be flattered, nor made the butt of jokes, thankee, sir.’ Straightening his arm for the measure, then bending it. ‘And what of this warrant of commission of mine? I have not had sight of it. Have you, sir?’

  ‘Mr Mappin has arranged it. He has great influence, the fellow. Even the Port Admiral could not gainsay him, though he did his best, I understand. Happy Hapgood ain’t a man to be complaisant in anything, but Mr Mappin made certain he wrote out the warrant in full, signed and sealed it.’