Read Online The Shadow of the Eagle by Richard Woodman - Free Book Online
Authors: Richard Woodman
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they took coffee.
It was clear to Blackwood that Drinkwater had much on his mind and found the wait intolerable; he therefore attempted to calm his visitor, remarking that, ‘although the Prince is not himself insistent upon any great ceremony, the damned boot-lickers in attendance upon the Royal Personage are confoundedly touchy upon the point. Of course,’ Blackwood added, ‘in the ordinary circumstances of a ceremonial task of this nature, none of it is of any great moment. Our present prevailing urgency however, is a different matter. But we will carry the day if we do not upset the tranquillity of the Royal Mind.’ Blackwood dabbed his mouth with a napkin, as though to purge the sarcasm.
‘On last night’s showing,’ Drinkwater responded, ‘I was not aware there was much of the Royal Mind to disturb.’
‘La, sir,’ Blackwood said, grinning, ‘all the more reason for treating it with respect.’
Drinkwater harrumphed and Blackwood forbore to make further small-talk. They were in fact not left kicking their heels for more than an hour. Lieutenant Colville, resplendent in full dress even at the early hour, commanded their presence in the Impregnable ‘s great cabin.
Both officers bowed as the prince stepped from his night cabin, his red cheeks still shining from the ministrations of the razor and his shoulders shaking the heavy bullion epaulettes upon his shoulders.
‘So sorry to keep you gentlemen,’ the prince greeted them. ‘Pray join me to break your fasts,’ he added, waving to a table laid with splendidly fresh white linen and a selection of hot dishes. ‘The kedgeree is devilish good …’
Drinkwater caught Blackwood’s eye as he swept his coat-tails aside and sat down. Lieutenant Colville sat next to Drinkwater, a small scribbling tablet and pencil neatly laid beside him.
‘Now sir,’ the Prince boomed across the table as he spooned the kedgeree onto his plate, ‘what’s all this urgent nonsense about, eh?’ He fixed his popping eyes on Drinkwater and began to shovel the fish and rice into his mouth with a mechanical regularity. ‘Surely we all did our duty yesterday, eh what?’
‘Your Royal Highness, this is a matter of some delicacy …’ Drinkwater turned and looked pointedly at Lieutenant Colville. ‘The matter I have to discuss with you is confidential.’
The Royal Brow contracted and, with a small explosion of rice grains, His Royal Highness enquired bluntly, ‘What’s the matter with Lieutenant Colville?’
‘Well, nothing, Your Royal Highness,’ Drinkwater replied, smiling coldly at the flag-lieutenant whose expression was as outraged as he dared in the presence of two senior captains and an admiral who was also the king’s son. ‘Except that he is only Lieutenant Colville, sir, and therefore cannot, I beg your pardon sir, but must not be a party to what I have to say’
There was a moment’s stunned silence. The prince bent forward, fork and spoon poised over the partly ravaged though still substantial pile of food, and looked uncertainly from Drinkwater to Blackwood. Drinkwater noticed again the deference he paid to Blackwood, as though the captain’s good opinion mattered.
‘If I might say, sir,’ Blackwood chipped in quickly, ‘Captain Drinkwater’s news is properly for the ears of Government …’ The word was encapitalized in a significant emphasis by the flag-captain and Drinkwater stifled a grin.
‘Oh… Oh, quite! Quite!’ Further rice grains were ejaculated from the Royal Mouth. ‘Well Colville, off you go! Off you go! Go and take breakfast in the wardroom!’
There was pointed resentment in the scraping of Colville’s chair and he bestowed a look of pure contempt upon Captain Drinkwater as he stooped beneath the deck-beams and left the cabin.
‘Well Drinkwater, what’s all this nonsense about… ? Oh damn-and-hell-blast-it, Blackwood, be a good fellow and pass a bottle …’
As Colville had risen so had Blackwood, crossing the
It was clear to Blackwood that Drinkwater had much on his mind and found the wait intolerable; he therefore attempted to calm his visitor, remarking that, ‘although the Prince is not himself insistent upon any great ceremony, the damned boot-lickers in attendance upon the Royal Personage are confoundedly touchy upon the point. Of course,’ Blackwood added, ‘in the ordinary circumstances of a ceremonial task of this nature, none of it is of any great moment. Our present prevailing urgency however, is a different matter. But we will carry the day if we do not upset the tranquillity of the Royal Mind.’ Blackwood dabbed his mouth with a napkin, as though to purge the sarcasm.
‘On last night’s showing,’ Drinkwater responded, ‘I was not aware there was much of the Royal Mind to disturb.’
‘La, sir,’ Blackwood said, grinning, ‘all the more reason for treating it with respect.’
Drinkwater harrumphed and Blackwood forbore to make further small-talk. They were in fact not left kicking their heels for more than an hour. Lieutenant Colville, resplendent in full dress even at the early hour, commanded their presence in the Impregnable ‘s great cabin.
Both officers bowed as the prince stepped from his night cabin, his red cheeks still shining from the ministrations of the razor and his shoulders shaking the heavy bullion epaulettes upon his shoulders.
‘So sorry to keep you gentlemen,’ the prince greeted them. ‘Pray join me to break your fasts,’ he added, waving to a table laid with splendidly fresh white linen and a selection of hot dishes. ‘The kedgeree is devilish good …’
Drinkwater caught Blackwood’s eye as he swept his coat-tails aside and sat down. Lieutenant Colville sat next to Drinkwater, a small scribbling tablet and pencil neatly laid beside him.
‘Now sir,’ the Prince boomed across the table as he spooned the kedgeree onto his plate, ‘what’s all this urgent nonsense about, eh?’ He fixed his popping eyes on Drinkwater and began to shovel the fish and rice into his mouth with a mechanical regularity. ‘Surely we all did our duty yesterday, eh what?’
‘Your Royal Highness, this is a matter of some delicacy …’ Drinkwater turned and looked pointedly at Lieutenant Colville. ‘The matter I have to discuss with you is confidential.’
The Royal Brow contracted and, with a small explosion of rice grains, His Royal Highness enquired bluntly, ‘What’s the matter with Lieutenant Colville?’
‘Well, nothing, Your Royal Highness,’ Drinkwater replied, smiling coldly at the flag-lieutenant whose expression was as outraged as he dared in the presence of two senior captains and an admiral who was also the king’s son. ‘Except that he is only Lieutenant Colville, sir, and therefore cannot, I beg your pardon sir, but must not be a party to what I have to say’
There was a moment’s stunned silence. The prince bent forward, fork and spoon poised over the partly ravaged though still substantial pile of food, and looked uncertainly from Drinkwater to Blackwood. Drinkwater noticed again the deference he paid to Blackwood, as though the captain’s good opinion mattered.
‘If I might say, sir,’ Blackwood chipped in quickly, ‘Captain Drinkwater’s news is properly for the ears of Government …’ The word was encapitalized in a significant emphasis by the flag-captain and Drinkwater stifled a grin.
‘Oh… Oh, quite! Quite!’ Further rice grains were ejaculated from the Royal Mouth. ‘Well Colville, off you go! Off you go! Go and take breakfast in the wardroom!’
There was pointed resentment in the scraping of Colville’s chair and he bestowed a look of pure contempt upon Captain Drinkwater as he stooped beneath the deck-beams and left the cabin.
‘Well Drinkwater, what’s all this nonsense about… ? Oh damn-and-hell-blast-it, Blackwood, be a good fellow and pass a bottle …’
As Colville had risen so had Blackwood, crossing the
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