Outside the voices of passing seamen at their work came to them. ‘I bin t’ Monty-wi’-dayo, cuffin. Rare time there, be good t’ see them Spanish biddies again.’
Renzi froze.
‘Aye, but we’s having t’ fight afore we gets t’ see ’em this time.’
The voices faded.
Renzi turned on Kydd: ‘You’re making that attempt at South America! And it needs a common sailor to tell me!’
‘Well, I was going to brief the officers later,’ he said weakly, ‘but Jack Tar already seems to have it from somewhere.’
Renzi sat down slowly. ‘Do you mean that at this very moment there’s an expedition afoot to raid the Spanish Americas?’
‘To make a landing in the River Plate, yes.’
‘And am I right in thinking that the projector is Commodore Popham?’
‘As being the only one of spirit and dash who puts attacking the enemy before all else.’
Renzi bit his lip. ‘What does Baird think of this?’ His voice was steel-edged.
‘In course he’s persuaded that the conditions are right for the assault and is providing troops and supplies for the expedition.’
‘Good God,’ Renzi said slowly. ‘He’s going to do it!’
Kydd frowned. ‘Nicholas. I don’t want to say it, but this is really none of your business. You go back to your writing – I’m sanguine we’ll be sailing within a week. There’s nothing more to discuss.’
‘Yes, there is,’ Renzi said intensely. ‘Depend upon it!’
‘This is a military expedition, my friend, and in case you’ve overlooked it, you have no part in it and therefore have no cause to fret,’ Kydd said irritably.
‘You can’t see it, but the man’s a popinjay, a slippery toad and a damned cunning fellow.’
‘Hold your tongue, sir!’ Kydd barked. ‘This is our commander you’re referring to. Anyone else, they’d be in bilboes this instant for those words.’
‘They are not only my words,’ Renzi came back. ‘I could add others, but I will not.’
‘You’ll keep your opinions to yourself or I’ll swear I’ll have you removed from this vessel.’
‘As is your prerogative, but I’ll not keep silent at this mountebank’s contumacious-’
‘Sentry!’ Kydd roared.
The marine posted at his outer door entered quickly. ‘Sir?’
Renzi, his face pale and set, looked at Kydd. ‘I think it better for us both should you allow me a little time to explain myself,’ he said quietly.
‘Wait outside,’ Kydd snapped at the sentry.
He turned to Renzi. ‘Ten minutes, and damme, you’d better find good reasons, or . . .’
‘For reasons not unconnected to the duty of politesse in a gentleman -’
‘Belay that catblash! I want an explanation o’ your conduct, sir.’
‘- until now I’ve refrained from mentioning certain facts, not necessarily to the credit of your commodore.’
‘Which are?’
‘Understand that I tell you with the utmost reluctance, it not being the act of a gentleman to delate upon another, still less in an atmosphere of blind loyalty.’
‘This had better be good,’ Kydd said dangerously.
‘Then this is the substance. While you were closely engaged with him on the American’s submarine boat I had occasion to visit Count Rumford in London. Both he and Fulton being American, both being fellows of the Royal Society, I pressed the count as to Popham’s character and he laid before me this: that in fashionable society he presents as a money-getter, a restless man of insinuating manners and too sharp by half – an excess of cleverality, as I remember the term.’
‘This is worthless! Society gossip and jabberknowl! You’ll need to do better than this, sir.’
‘I did not accept this alone. I determined to investigate for myself. And confirmed that unhappily there were good reasons for this view. A hydrographer of the first rank, inventor of the first telegraphic signal code and other matters – how do you believe he’d be received at the Admiralty?’
‘Honoured for it, o’ course.’
‘I found the first lord, St Vincent, in utter loathing of the man. The same with his secretary. Why? It seems that by personal manipulations he went from being a lieutenant on half pay through to commander and then to full post-captain – without once commanding a naval vessel, let alone a ship-of-the-line in battle.’
‘Be damned to it, that’s because he was too busy with his inventions and things. I heard he was the only man who could persuade the Russians to come in with us in Flanders – knew Tsar Paul himself. No mystery there. And manipulations? How can he-’
‘He has himself elected to a rotten borough in the Tory cause so he has the ear of the highest, Pitt himself. This he’s used on many occasions – the most favourable description I’ve heard of him is “incurably plausible” in his schemes. Are you aware that he’s deep in litigation with the Admiralty Court in respect of a personal venture, a ship whose master was none other than himself, trading under the Tuscan flag illegally with Bengal? He was caught by a British frigate trying to land smuggled goods in Ostend and his Etrusco seized as a prize of war.’
‘Any naval officer on half pay may with Admiralty permission trade to his own account,’ Kydd said hotly.
Renzi smiled thinly. ‘His first and only command before his present, Romney, was caught in a monsoon and needed repairs. Instead of consigning this to the naval dockyard at Calcutta he mysteriously had it completed at a minor commercial yard in Bombay.’
‘So?’
‘On his return a committee of inquiry in Chatham found that he’d overstated the real costs by many thousands. Proceedings against him are even now under way. And you’ll find there’s every kind of pamphlet in public circulation that accuses him of other defalcations and defects of moral character that would make you stare.’
‘Jealousy! And I’ve never heard any o’ this before – why should I believe it now?’
Renzi went on, ‘You might this hour determine the truth of it all, merely by interrogating Curzon closely. His family is tolerably well placed to know the matter.’
‘He’s not-’
‘I’ve spoken to him sharply in private that this is not a matter for public debate in the gunroom, which he’s honoured since.’
Kydd glowered but said nothing.
‘Dear fellow,’ Renzi said, ‘why do you think I should risk our friendship by this talk?’
‘You tell me, Nicholas – why?’
‘For the sake of your future. The man is in debt to his eyebrows, no prize money for him, of course, and no prospects of it on this remote station. He sees the immense fortunes won by captains who’ve seized the Spanish treasure ships and has a cunning idea. Why not make a descent on the source of the wealth itself – in effect, to sack the River Plate and carry off the silver?’
‘You’re out of your mind!’
‘I don’t think so. Why the haste to move on the Spaniards unless it’s to preserve a position of commanding authority that will ensure his direction of events and ultimately the greater share in the plunder? Any proper expedition from England will, of course, displace him as commander and no doubt change its object entirely.’
‘And you tell me all this for my sake?’ Kydd snorted. ‘Guesswork and envy! Why should I-’
‘I cannot stand by and watch you destroy your career when the world believes that you’ve put yourself in league with such a one. Can’t you see? The expedition will end in disaster and a vengeful government will want to find villains to put to the stake and you’ll be up there with him. He’s quitting station without leave – that’s a certain court-martial for a start, let alone-’
Kydd cut him short: ‘Yes, yes. I hear what you’re saying, for God’s sake.’
‘It’s – it’s only my regard for you, brother, that makes me speak in this way.’
‘So I’m to be beholden to you for your concern?’
Renzi remained silent as familiar shipboard sounds slowly asserted a degree of calm on the charged atmosphere.
Kydd finally spoke again: ‘I’ve much to think on, I believe.’ He stared blankly out of the stern windows. Then his expression softened. ‘I spoke hastily and out of order to my friend, and I’m truly sorry for it, Nicholas.’