Under false colours

'But why?'

'It is a market, M'sieur. With the continent closed to us by the decree of your Emperor, we must sell wherever we can. Had I not been driven by bad weather to Helgoland, I would not be suing for purchase by you ...'

'Yes, yes, we have been over that,' Thiebault said testily, his command of English impeccable, 'but Russia is also under an embargo.'

Drinkwater laughed and Littlewood beside him smiled knowingly.

'We are able to trade with Russia, M'sieur, quite easily. As you see ...' Drinkwater nodded at the three grey greatcoats and the two pairs of hobnailed boots on the table between them. 'Samples to whet their greedy appetites' Littlewood had called them when he suggested exhibiting their cargo.

'And your consignee was the Russian Government?'

'That is clear from the papers before you, sir,' said Littlewood.

'And on the papers before me it states that Captain Waters here is the master of this ship,' Thiebault said suspiciously.

'Captain Waters,' Littlewood said, brushing the matter aside, 'is new to the trade. I am acting on his behalf and as agent for the consignors.'

'And who are the consignors, Captain Littlewood?'

'You can see from the manifest, sir, Solomon and Dyer.'

Thiebault listened to something whispered in his ear by the senior Dutch officer. He nodded and consulted a second douanier on his right, a very senior French officer of the Imperial Customs Service.

'Mynheer Roos tells me this merchant house is known in Hamburg. Is that why you have chosen to offer your cargo here, despite the embargo?'

'M'sieur, Mynheer Roos knows well that a regular trade has been opened for some time between us. The Governor of Hamburg, M'sieur Bourrienne, encouraged it as a form of relief for the citizens ...'

'That is not quite the case,' said Thiebault hurriedly. Bourrienne had been recalled by the omnipotent Napoleon, to whom he had once been confidential secretary, on the grounds of corruption and disobedience.

'Perhaps not quite the case, M'sieur, but certainly the facts behind it,' Littlewood said mischievously.

'Tell me, gentlemen, as a matter of perhaps mutual interest, are Solomon and Dyer the only London house trading with Russia?'

'I shouldn't think so,' laughed Littlewood insouciantly, to Drinkwater's admiration. It was clear that Littlewood relished the cut and thrust of mercantile bargaining and had imbibed every detail of his assiduous coaching on Helgoland. He was proving his weight in gold, Drinkwater thought wryly.

Thiebault rubbed his chin in thought, his eyes never leaving the faces of the four men ranged in front of him.

'And you, Captain,' he referred to the report of Mynheer Roos. 'Gilham. Your cargo was under contract to the British Government?'

'As I've already explained, M'sieur, I've been buzz-nacking ...'

'I do not understand that word, Captain Gilham,' Thiebault said sharply. 'Confine yourself to the question.'

'Yes, I was on a Government charter.'

'And you chose a treasonable course of action ...'

'We were told in Helgoland that the operation was not now to be undertaken. We were told that the Government had written off our cargoes. Experience tells me that I will be extremely fortunate to recover my expenses.'

'What was this operation?' Thiebault asked.

'Oh, an attempt to raise the population of Hanover against the French and Prussian interference. It was common knowledge.'

'Was it?' Thiebault said archly. 'And why do you suppose your Government decided, how do you say, to call it off, eh?'

Gilham chuckled and worked himself forward on his chair. Because, M'sieur, they are embroiled in a grand fiasco off Walcheren, that much we know both from your Hamburg newspapers and from the scuttlebutt at Helgoland.'

'Scuttlebutt?'

'Gossip ... tittle-tattle ... news by word of mouth ...'

'Ah, yes.' Thiebault swivelled his eyes to the fourth of his interviewees. 'And you, Herr Reinke. You are a surveyor are you not? You have produced surveys for the Chamber of Commerce at Hamburg, yes? You speak excellent English, I hear.'

Reinke nodded gravely.

'It is not good to find you on an English ship.'

'I was making a survey off Neuwerk, M'sieur Thiebault, when I was captured by fishermen. They took me to Helgoland where they were rewarded. The English stole my survey and paid the fishermen for me.' Drinkwater heard the story delivered in Reinke's deadpan accent.

'We received no report of this incident, Herr Reinke.'

'It only happened five days ago. I am gone for many days sometimes, on my work.'

'And these gentlemen obliged you by setting you free.'

'You could say his arrival made up our minds for us, M'sieur,' Littlewood said.

Thiebault looked at Littlewood. 'You mean it was providential?' he said, and something of doubt in his tone alarmed Drinkwater.

'No, I merely meant that what we had been discussing amongst ourselves was made possible by Mr Reinke's capture.'

Drinkwater's eyes met those of Thiebault and they were like two fencers, each watching for the almost imperceptible facial movement that communicated more than words, but spoke of truth and resolution.

'And how, Captain, er, Waters, do you know you can trust us? Suppose we promise you payment, then take your cargoes and throw you into gaol?'

'Because you are a man of honour and will give us a laissez-passer,' Drinkwater leaned forward, 'and because there are three other ships waiting at Helgoland under orders to return to England which, if they receive favourable reports from Hamburg by means which you know to exist, will also deliver up their cargoes, cargoes of ball, cartridge, clothing and small arms.'

'And how do you know we would not let this message go and lock all of you up?'

'Because it would put a stop to all British shipments ...'

'Not for long, your countrymen are too greedy for that.'

'Of course,' smiled Drinkwater, 'they would ship their trade to Russia in expectation of a greater profit than you can offer.'

Thiebault looked at him through narrowed eyes. All the men in the Galliwasp's cabin knew that illegal trade flourished in spite of the Emperor's proscription. Indeed it was connived at on every level of Imperial legislation and Hamburg was notorious for being the chief channel for this illegal traffic.

'If we agree to your proposition, gentlemen, and reach a satisfactory conclusion that is beneficial to us all,' Thiebault gestured round the table, hinting that all, though opposed in theory, shared a common interest, 'how will you explain your action to your owners?'

'There are six ships involved, M'sieur. The misfortunes of war might be invoked to explain their loss. They are of course insured ...'

Littlewood's explanation had been devised by Drinkwater, but not its masterly embellishment. He had not considered the loss to the insurers, but clearly the thought of this additional damage to the economy of Great Britain appealed to Thiebault. Moreover, Littlewood was about to give greater proof of his fitness for the task.

'By the way, did we mention the sugar?' he asked innocently.

'Sugar?' Thiebault and his colleagues stiffened perceptibly.

'Yes, the best, we have a small amount in addition to these,' Littlewood gestured at the boots.

'Well,' said Thiebault, recovering, 'it is a most attractive offer gentlemen, assuming, of course, that we can afford it.' He conferred again with his flanking douaniers, then rose to his feet. 'Very well, gentlemen. I must, naturally, report this affair to Hamburg. I am sure they will be interested to know that Saint Nicholas has arrived from so unexpected a quarter ...'