Read Online The Little Ships (Alexis Carew Book 3) by J.A. Sutherland - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: J.A. Sutherland
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I’ll stop coming down here.”
“No, you needn’t stop completely. There’s nothing wrong with wanting a bit of time to yourself — Lord knows it’s hard to find a moment’s quiet to think aboard ship, but do try to spend some time with your berthmates. They’re not bad lads at all.”
“I will, sir, thank you.”
Alexis shoved a pile of crisp wrappers to the side. “But when you are here, I’ll have no more this, do you understand? I plan to start inspecting this space and if I find it anything but as tidy as your berth it’ll go poorly for you.”
“Aye sir.”
Chapter 10
“ D amn him . Damn him to hell.”
“Sir?”
“Roger Corbel, Carew. Captain Roger Corbel of Feversham. He’s the one sent me Artley, you see.” Euell rose and began pacing. “Never would have believed he’d be in a business so vile as you’ve just described, though. Damn the man. And damn me.”
“You, sir?”
“For not paying enough attention when the lad came aboard.” Euell sat again, his nostrils flaring in anger. “Corbel told me that Artley was a distant relation in need of a berth — it’s not uncommon. A captain might not want a relative aboard his own ship for any number of reasons and so he asks a fellow captain to take the boy. And Shrewsbury’d just been through the bloody Purge, so I had need of more midshipmen.”
“The Purge, sir?” Alexis asked, frowning.
Euell glanced at her. “That’s what we of Core Fleet call the pointless reshuffling of crew we go through when we have to sail for the Fringe. Fully half of Shrewsbury’s crew was replaced before we were allowed to sail, so as not to offend the delicate sensibilities of whichever Fringe Worlds we were likely to be stopping at. It’s a bloody nuisance at the best of times and with the war on … well, not enough replacements for them all.” He grimaced in distaste. “It’s why you were such a surprise when you came aboard.”
Alexis flushed. From Euell’s tone she hadn’t been a pleasant surprise either.
“Not your fault, Carew. It’s just that I left two fine lieutenants and a midshipman behind in the Core for no better reason than their gender might offend some Fringe worthy’s thoughts on how the world should be. Half my crew shuffled off to other ships with destinations where they’d not be found offensive for one reason or another. One man’s religion, another’s preferences.” He paused while his steward returned with the wine and took a long drink. “I’ll tell you, Carew, there’s no few in Core Fleet who are tired of the whole mess and think it’s past time Her Majesty told the entire Fringe to by God suck it up and accept the men and women of the Fleet as they are. With a war on, you’d think they wouldn’t be so bloody particular about who stands between them and the Hanoverese, would you?”
“No, sir,” Alexis said, face fixed and hoping to show no reaction. She wasn’t sure what shocked her more, the thought of fleet captains discussing so blatantly what they thought Her Majesty should do or the image of the Queen telling anyone in any way to ‘suck it up’. She did know that when faced with a captain of such strong opinions, the best course of action a lieutenant had was to react as little as possible, whether she agreed with him or not.
Which she found she did, come to that.
Euell regarded her for a moment, then laughed. “Drink up, Carew. One of the prerogatives of command, you’ll someday find, is the privilege to go on a right good rant while junior officers sit there wondering whether it’s best to agree or simply behave like they’re part of the chair.” He drained his glass and gestured for more. “It’s grand fun.”
“I’m sure it is, sir.”
Euell sighed. “But enough of that — this business with Artley merely brought it to mind again and it’s irksome still. Does he suspect the full nature of why he was sent away?”
“I don’t think so, sir. It doesn’t seem he’s
“No, you needn’t stop completely. There’s nothing wrong with wanting a bit of time to yourself — Lord knows it’s hard to find a moment’s quiet to think aboard ship, but do try to spend some time with your berthmates. They’re not bad lads at all.”
“I will, sir, thank you.”
Alexis shoved a pile of crisp wrappers to the side. “But when you are here, I’ll have no more this, do you understand? I plan to start inspecting this space and if I find it anything but as tidy as your berth it’ll go poorly for you.”
“Aye sir.”
Chapter 10
“ D amn him . Damn him to hell.”
“Sir?”
“Roger Corbel, Carew. Captain Roger Corbel of Feversham. He’s the one sent me Artley, you see.” Euell rose and began pacing. “Never would have believed he’d be in a business so vile as you’ve just described, though. Damn the man. And damn me.”
“You, sir?”
“For not paying enough attention when the lad came aboard.” Euell sat again, his nostrils flaring in anger. “Corbel told me that Artley was a distant relation in need of a berth — it’s not uncommon. A captain might not want a relative aboard his own ship for any number of reasons and so he asks a fellow captain to take the boy. And Shrewsbury’d just been through the bloody Purge, so I had need of more midshipmen.”
“The Purge, sir?” Alexis asked, frowning.
Euell glanced at her. “That’s what we of Core Fleet call the pointless reshuffling of crew we go through when we have to sail for the Fringe. Fully half of Shrewsbury’s crew was replaced before we were allowed to sail, so as not to offend the delicate sensibilities of whichever Fringe Worlds we were likely to be stopping at. It’s a bloody nuisance at the best of times and with the war on … well, not enough replacements for them all.” He grimaced in distaste. “It’s why you were such a surprise when you came aboard.”
Alexis flushed. From Euell’s tone she hadn’t been a pleasant surprise either.
“Not your fault, Carew. It’s just that I left two fine lieutenants and a midshipman behind in the Core for no better reason than their gender might offend some Fringe worthy’s thoughts on how the world should be. Half my crew shuffled off to other ships with destinations where they’d not be found offensive for one reason or another. One man’s religion, another’s preferences.” He paused while his steward returned with the wine and took a long drink. “I’ll tell you, Carew, there’s no few in Core Fleet who are tired of the whole mess and think it’s past time Her Majesty told the entire Fringe to by God suck it up and accept the men and women of the Fleet as they are. With a war on, you’d think they wouldn’t be so bloody particular about who stands between them and the Hanoverese, would you?”
“No, sir,” Alexis said, face fixed and hoping to show no reaction. She wasn’t sure what shocked her more, the thought of fleet captains discussing so blatantly what they thought Her Majesty should do or the image of the Queen telling anyone in any way to ‘suck it up’. She did know that when faced with a captain of such strong opinions, the best course of action a lieutenant had was to react as little as possible, whether she agreed with him or not.
Which she found she did, come to that.
Euell regarded her for a moment, then laughed. “Drink up, Carew. One of the prerogatives of command, you’ll someday find, is the privilege to go on a right good rant while junior officers sit there wondering whether it’s best to agree or simply behave like they’re part of the chair.” He drained his glass and gestured for more. “It’s grand fun.”
“I’m sure it is, sir.”
Euell sighed. “But enough of that — this business with Artley merely brought it to mind again and it’s irksome still. Does he suspect the full nature of why he was sent away?”
“I don’t think so, sir. It doesn’t seem he’s
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