Read Online The Shadow of the Eagle by Richard Woodman - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Richard Woodman
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all impossible, sir, and I share Captain Drinkwater’s apprehensions in the strongest manner. An extension of the war in North America under such circumstances with every disaffected Bonapartist taking passage to join the reconstituted eagles on the St Lawrence will cause us no end of havoc. To be candid, sir, we could not withstand a determined onslaught and might lose the whole of the North Americas. I doubt your Royal Father would greet that news with much joy, sir.’
Blackwood’s reference to King George III, languishing in Windsor, mentally affected by the ravages of porphyria, was masterly and had the prince nodding agreement.
‘There are other factors, sir,’ Drinkwater added. ‘It is not only the Canadian French in Quebec that should concern us, but the old Acadian families who now live in Nova Scotia would happily revert to a French state, even a Bonapartist one. Moreover, if you consider the matter a stage further, can you not see that it would be no wild conjecture for King Louis to reunite his divided country and wipe out the past five and twenty years by reaching an accommodation with Bonaparte across the Atlantic …’
‘My God, Drinkwater,’ Blackwood muttered, ‘that is an appalling prospect…’
‘I wish it were all; regrettably my information is that Tsar Alexander is not against this scheme and that can mean only that having accepted our gold to keep his armies in the field, he would discomfit us and assume the leadership of Europe.’
‘But is all this possible, what?’ The prince’s pop-eyed face bore the impact of the political possibilities. Drinkwater was reminded of Blackwood’s charitable judgement of the previous night and in that moment he could see the prince as a simple and good, if misguided, man. He was clearly having trouble grasping the complexities of the conspiracy.
‘The matter can brook no delay, sir,’ he said. ‘I am asking only for the despatch of my single frigate, and I fear, sir, the future peace of Europe thus rests entirely with you.’
‘Me?’ Astonishment had transfigured the prince’s face a second time. ‘Surely the board, Sir Joseph, Melville, Barrow and all the rest of the pack of political jacks…’
‘Come, sir, with respect, there is no time! These men, these Bonapartists are already at sea and they are desperate. They will wish to spring their Emperor before we have mewed him up too well. I am under your orders and cannot, would not, act without them, but…’
‘But, thank God, you hold the highest rank, sir!’ Blackwood broke in, enthusiastically leaning forward, ‘No one would question your probity in instructing Captain Drinkwater here to pursue these two ships in order that we might nip this matter in the bud!’
‘D’you think so, gentlemen?’
Blackwood grasped his wine glass and raised it in a half-toast, half-pledge, hissing ‘Remember Nelson, sir, remember Nelson!’
The prince looked from one to another, his eyes suddenly alight with enthusiasm. ‘Damn-and-hell-blast-it, you are right, what! Drinkwater! Blackwood!’ Their names were punctuated by the chink of glass on glass. ‘Should we not take the squadron, eh, what?’ asked the prince, visibly warming to the idea. ‘Why, with the Impregnable and Jason under my command …’
‘I think not, sir,’ put in Blackwood smoothly, ‘we must maintain station to soothe the Russians’ suspicions. D’you see?’
‘Soothe the Russians? Eh? Oh … Quite! Quite!’ His royal Highness erupted in explosions of acquiescence, as though seeing the point a little uncertainly, through powder smoke.
‘It would, moreover sir, add some additional glory to Andromeda ,’ Blackwood added.
‘Why, damn me yes, it would, wouldn’t it, eh?’ Prince William Henry beamed pleasantly, thinking of reflected glory. ‘To our enterprise then,’ he said, raising his glass.
Relieved on more than one count, Drinkwater drained his almost at a gulp.
‘Come Drinkwater,’ the prince
Blackwood’s reference to King George III, languishing in Windsor, mentally affected by the ravages of porphyria, was masterly and had the prince nodding agreement.
‘There are other factors, sir,’ Drinkwater added. ‘It is not only the Canadian French in Quebec that should concern us, but the old Acadian families who now live in Nova Scotia would happily revert to a French state, even a Bonapartist one. Moreover, if you consider the matter a stage further, can you not see that it would be no wild conjecture for King Louis to reunite his divided country and wipe out the past five and twenty years by reaching an accommodation with Bonaparte across the Atlantic …’
‘My God, Drinkwater,’ Blackwood muttered, ‘that is an appalling prospect…’
‘I wish it were all; regrettably my information is that Tsar Alexander is not against this scheme and that can mean only that having accepted our gold to keep his armies in the field, he would discomfit us and assume the leadership of Europe.’
‘But is all this possible, what?’ The prince’s pop-eyed face bore the impact of the political possibilities. Drinkwater was reminded of Blackwood’s charitable judgement of the previous night and in that moment he could see the prince as a simple and good, if misguided, man. He was clearly having trouble grasping the complexities of the conspiracy.
‘The matter can brook no delay, sir,’ he said. ‘I am asking only for the despatch of my single frigate, and I fear, sir, the future peace of Europe thus rests entirely with you.’
‘Me?’ Astonishment had transfigured the prince’s face a second time. ‘Surely the board, Sir Joseph, Melville, Barrow and all the rest of the pack of political jacks…’
‘Come, sir, with respect, there is no time! These men, these Bonapartists are already at sea and they are desperate. They will wish to spring their Emperor before we have mewed him up too well. I am under your orders and cannot, would not, act without them, but…’
‘But, thank God, you hold the highest rank, sir!’ Blackwood broke in, enthusiastically leaning forward, ‘No one would question your probity in instructing Captain Drinkwater here to pursue these two ships in order that we might nip this matter in the bud!’
‘D’you think so, gentlemen?’
Blackwood grasped his wine glass and raised it in a half-toast, half-pledge, hissing ‘Remember Nelson, sir, remember Nelson!’
The prince looked from one to another, his eyes suddenly alight with enthusiasm. ‘Damn-and-hell-blast-it, you are right, what! Drinkwater! Blackwood!’ Their names were punctuated by the chink of glass on glass. ‘Should we not take the squadron, eh, what?’ asked the prince, visibly warming to the idea. ‘Why, with the Impregnable and Jason under my command …’
‘I think not, sir,’ put in Blackwood smoothly, ‘we must maintain station to soothe the Russians’ suspicions. D’you see?’
‘Soothe the Russians? Eh? Oh … Quite! Quite!’ His royal Highness erupted in explosions of acquiescence, as though seeing the point a little uncertainly, through powder smoke.
‘It would, moreover sir, add some additional glory to Andromeda ,’ Blackwood added.
‘Why, damn me yes, it would, wouldn’t it, eh?’ Prince William Henry beamed pleasantly, thinking of reflected glory. ‘To our enterprise then,’ he said, raising his glass.
Relieved on more than one count, Drinkwater drained his almost at a gulp.
‘Come Drinkwater,’ the prince