Read Online Richard Testrake - (Sea Command 2) by Richard Testrake - Free Book Online

out of sight. Raynor, of course, wearing his midshipman’s garb, did not have to concern himself with the Press, but Ben and Edward were fair game.
    The other survivors separated and were not seen again. They were likely snapped up by the Press and sent to other ships. Or, they may have decided to abandon their back pay and prize money and desert. Raynor daily made the rounds of the various pubs and finally learned Captain Mullins was alive and was commanding the Valkyrie, now at anchor in the harbor.
     
    Mullin’s cox’n did not let him down. Every member of the boat’s crew was ready for an admiral’s inspection, as was the boat itself. The boat started out at first light, its crew rowing easy so they would not wet their captain’s clothing.
    On board the flagship, at first light, Captain Mullins knew he would likely not see Admiral Howe, but thought he might be called into the great cabin to meet with the port admiral. Instead, the flag captain met him at the entry port and wondered what he had been up to garner this much attention. He was then handed over to the first lieutenant to lead him to the wardroom which had been vacated by the ship’s officers and now had four strange civilians sitting around the wardroom table. A pair of ship’s Marines were posted just inside the entrance. The first lieutenant departed and the men introduced themselves as members of the Admiralty intelligence staff. No names were disclosed.
    These people apparently spent their days poring over information that had been brought across the channel at great danger and expense.
    As Mullins well knew, King George III of Britain was also Elector of Hanover, a small state of German speaking peoples. His grandfather, George I had become King of England, while remaining liege-lord of Hanover. It was well known that King George III was proud of his Hanoverian roots and acknowledged his many Hanoverian relatives.
    It had been recently discovered that one of these relatives, apparently a grand-nephew, had been sent to school in France at a young age, accompanied by his governess and a master-at-arms, who was to instruct the lad in the use of arms. When the French authorities discovered the young princeling was being influenced to travel to Britain for military or naval training, they immediately put travel restrictions on the lad and his entourage.
    Apparently, French naval authorities, embarrassed by the poor showing of the fleet against their British adversaries, hoped to re-invigorate their fleet by introducing fresh blood into the French naval service, and thought the young German prince might be a good example.
    Young Prince Adolphus was removed from his school and transferred to a manor, once the property of Louis XVI, located in a former hunting preserve inland of the Brittany coast, which had been used as a retreat by the former monarch. The former governess and the master at arms were also transferred. Great secrecy was attached to the move, and it was not thought necessary to assign a vast number of guards to the new guests. A few companies of foot soldiers were assigned from a nearby depot, who would undertake to monitor the approaches to the manor and prevent anyone without license from entering or leaving.
    In due course, the French planned to expose Prince Adolphus to the French naval service, first through using distinguished officers as tutors, then perhaps sending him to sea on a warship.
    The plan developed by the Lord Howes staff, with input from the Palace, required the Prince be informed of the opportunity to remove to England. While there was no evidence that King George III had ever met this princeling before, it was well known of his empathy toward his Hanoverian relatives. Therefore, every effort was to be made to insure the safety of Prince Adolphus and his entourage. Prince Adolphus would not be forced to remove himself from France, but he and his entourage were to be given every opportunity to leave if they so wished.
    A