"Mr Southwick!" Ramage said reprovingly.
"Apologies, sir," the Master said hurriedly, realizing that Ramage wanted him to apologize because seamen nearby could have overheard his criticism of Admiral Goddard. "I'm sorry, that was a stupid remark."
An hour later, though, Southwick was more than ever convinced that the Admiral and his Flag Captain would make sure that none of the blame rested on their shoulders. He clattered down the companionway, acknowledged the Marine sentry's salute, and obeyed Ramage's invitation to come into the cabin.
"Flagship's just signalled, sir. You're wanted on board. The Captain of the Greyhound has just left the Lion."
Ramage patted the packet on the table. "I'm glad I stayed up late writing this. Have some coffee - there's some in that pot."
When Southwick shook his head, he added: "You ought to make the best of it while we are in the Caribbean: not often we get the real stuff!"
"Afraid I prefer my tea, sir; seems Frenchified, coffee."
Ramage looked up at him with pretended disapproval. "That sort of attitude won't make these planters rich - " he waved towards the chain of islands. "They depend on coffee, sugar and rum."
"The Navy's Board's a good customer for rum, anyway."
"It's just as well they are: I doubt the planters will ever lure the English away from their gin."
"The Admiral..." Southwick reminded him.
"Ah yes," Ramage said, with a flippancy he did not feel, "obviously a social invitation. He breakfasts later than I do."
He picked up the packet and reached for his hat and sword. "Well, Mr Southwick, if you'll heave-to the ship to windward of the flagship, I'll climb into my carriage and Jackson can drive me over to see the Admiral."
Rear-Admiral Goddard had been badly frightened and now he was furious. By contrast Croucher's thin face gave nothing away. Both men were trying to hide from Ramage that the attack on the Topaz was their main concern.
"Tell me again, Ramage: how did this begin?" Goddard said, tapping his knee with Ramage's report, which he had not yet opened.
"The ship's company had stood down from general quarters, sir," Ramage said. "I was on deck and looking casually round at the convoy with my night glass. I happened to glance at the Peacock just as she let fall her fore course."
"A great pity you hadn't seen her main course let fall," Goddard snapped.
"I did, sir; that was the movement that first attracted my attention. They were still bracing the yard round and sheeting home when I saw them set the fore course."
"We have only your word for that."
"Of course, sir," Ramage said, but couldn't resist adding quietly, "It's a pity we have no corroboration from the Greyhound ..."
Croucher glanced at him quickly and Goddard looked away, saying, "Then what did you do?"
"Sent a man aloft with a glass. He reported she was hauling her wind. She then came onto a course parallel with the convoy's and about fifty yards to windward."
"But you didn't see fit to inform me," Goddard said.
"No, sir," Ramage said flatly.
"Note that, Mr Croucher. The Admiral's not important enough, eh Ramage?"
"I didn't mean that, sir. If you were informed every time a ship of the convoy was out of position, you'd receive a hundred signals a day."
"But this was an unusual circumstance."
"It didn't seem so unusual at the time: no one knew she was anything but an ordinary merchantman."
"If there was nothing unusual, why did you send a lookout aloft?"
A good question, Ramage thought to himself.
"I did say 'so unusual' sir. I sent a man aloft because I saw she'd set her courses, but -"
"Why had she set her courses?" Croucher interrupted.
"To attack the Topaz, sir," Ramage said evenly. "I know that now, but I could hardly be expected to know that at the time."
"Why not? She was the obvious target!"
"Indeed?" Ramage pretended surprise and could not resist adding: "I had no idea, sir, and as far as I knew the Peacock was an ordinary merchantman the Admiral had allowed to join the convoy."
Goddard waved a hand at Croucher, as if telling him to be quiet.
"You couldn't know," he said. "It wouldn't have mattered if the Peacock's next ahead" - he broke off, realizing that was a bad example - "or any other ship for that matter - had been the target: you should have warned me."
Ramage could see the way that Goddard was shaping his defence. He would tell the Admiralty that Lieutenant Ramage had known all about the attack but had not told him. Very well, he thought, you have a fight on your hands, and here goes the first broadside: "I had already warned you, sir: I'd told you all I knew."
"You did what?" Goddard exclaimed.
"I warned you, sir."
"D'you hear that, Croucher?" he asked sarcastically. "Lieutenant Ramage had already warned me!"
Croucher knew what Ramage meant, and tried to tell the Admiral - "I think I underst -"
"But he says he warned me, my dear Croucher: have you ever heard such impudence?"
"The letter, sir," Croucher said lamely
"The letter?"
Ramage said, "My written report, sir: the one I delivered yesterday morning."
"Oh that," Goddard said, dismissing it with a shrug. "You could hardly expect me to pay any attention to that, could you?"
"Yes, sir," Ramage said, his voice toneless, but rubbing the scar over his brow. "That's why I made it in writing and had it delivered on board..."
"Rubbish, pure rubbish; I don't even know where it is, now." 1 have a copy on board, sir," Ramage said unambiguously.
“You're not telling me your report said the Peacock would attack the Topaz, are you?"
Goddard bellowed with laughter, but Croucher's expression was wooden. Ramage had the feeling Croucher did not like the way the interview was going.
"No, sir, I merely reported all I knew. That was all anyone could know until the Peacock went alongside the Topaz."
"Balderdash, my boy; sheer balderdash. What the devil did you think the Peacock was going to do when she hauled her wind?"
"Possibly leave the convoy, sir. After all, she was supposed to be a runner from England to Barbados. She might have got impatient at the slow speed; she might have started to worry over this increasing swell and wanted to get into Jamaica quickly for fear of a hurricane."
"But she came right down the column."
"Yes, sir, and as soon as I couldn't find a reasonable explanation for her conduct, and when we sighted the second ship also coming up the inside of the column, we went into action."
"Much, much too late to do any good."
"Hardly, sir," Ramage reminded him politely. "We saved the Topaz."
"You were lucky, Ramage, and don't you damn well forget it."
"If you think-"
A knock on the door saved Ramage from an angry and insolent reply. Croucher called and a lieutenant came in to report to him.
"The Topaz left her position, and now she's close to windward, sir. She's not flying any signals but they're getting ready to hoist out a boat. I think..."
"Very well," Croucher said. "I'll be on deck in a minute or two."
As soon as the lieutenant had left Croucher looked at the Admiral questioningly, and he and Goddard walked out of the cabin, leaving Ramage standing by the desk.