26th May afternoon - admiral's flagship Defiance

Bolitho glanced over the side and saw Evans seated in the boat. Well at least that ended the argument, at any rate.

"Hmm, well I certainly hope so."

Shamed into silence by his own overspilling of pride, Chase clambered down into the boat and took his usual place in the bow.

By now, Bush had come over to the side and was shouting for the sideparty to assemble, watching as the crewmen moved to obey.

After being piped over the side, Bolitho got into the boat. He was quite glad that the rather pointless argument had ended and the boat crew was finally ready to row him across to the admiral's flagship. Now he just needed to prepare himself to face Croker and his foolishness...

"Give way, smartly," Mister Evans called and the oars stirred into motion. Chase set the boathook down on the bottomboards and quickly took up his own oar. At least it was somebody competent at the tiller...

Lieutenant Deverel was there to greet the captain when was piped aboard with all due ceremony on the Defiance. He saluted amiably. "Captain Bolitho."

Bolitho came up the side of the flagship--only to be greeted by the sight of Lieutenant Deverel.

"Mr. Deverel." He was already not pleased with having to see the admiral. Deverel's presence only served to to further his annoyance.

"The admiral is waiting to see you, sir, if you would care to come with me," Deverel said, leading him aft to Croker's cabin. He knocked on the door and was summoned from within. "Sir, Captain Bolitho is come aboard."

"So he is, so he is," the admiral said. "Bring him in, man!"

Bolitho followed Deverel into the cabin, none too pleased at the sight of Croker.

"Good afternoon sir," he said, making sure his tone of voice did not reflect the annoyance he was feeling, "You summoned me?"

Deverel nodded to them both and turned to leave.

Croker grunted by way of acknowledging Bolitho's greeting. "You may stay, Deverel. This will concern you as well." He cleared his throat, shuffled some papers, and regathered his thoughts.

"Yes. There are new orders for you, Captain," he went, having already forgotten the man's name. "That unknown French ship - was it a frigate? Yes, yes it was - wants searching out and dealing with. I expect you to see to it."

The admiral's secretary was scribbling furiously away and doing his best to keep from sighing in exasperation at Croker's usual abrasiveness.

Somehow Bolitho had thought those were the orders Croker was going to give him. Though knowing the admiral, he probably expected the task to be done in a day. Which of course would be impossible. But Bolitho kept himself calm and nodded politely.

"Understood sir."

Deverel hovered quietly, wondering why he had to stay and listen. He hoped it wasn't about that bust-up with the provosts yesterday. He had sworn that little snot-nose Docker to secrecy.

"Good, good." No questions. That pleased the admiral. He glanced pointedly at his secretary, who was just finishing copying the orders. Croker scratched his signature and left the papers for the secretary to fold and seal.

"Now. There was something else..." he realised Deverel was still present and had a moment's private confusion as to why the lieutenant had remained. Then he remembered. "Ah. Yes. Deverel. In light of recent events, I do think you may be better suited returning to Terpsichore. Partiality and all that. You will take Midshipman... Decken... no, Dawson... you know the one, he was ashore with you the other day."

His secretary let out a very quiet breath of relief that Croker had at least gotten the name of Bolitho's ship correct.

Deverel gaped. For a moment he was utterly speechless. "Sir?"

Oh dear Lord. Bolitho could not believe it. Of all the foolish things that Croker could possibly have ordered, this had to be the worst. He had been expecting bad news, but he had not expected to learn that Deverel would be back among his crew.

"Sir, are you certain that is necessary?" Bolitho said, daring to question the admiral's orders. Trying to cover up his insubordination, he quickly added, "I would not wish for you to deprive your ship of one of your officers."

Deverel continued gaping. The admiral was not going to listen to him anyway, so he may as well be silent. But perhaps the man would listen to Bolitho.

Croker lifted an overgrown eyebrow. "Mister Deverel's loyalty lies pointedly elsewhere, as I am told. I have little use for officers who cannot keep separate from the affairs of other ships. You may have him back, sir. And that midshipman as well." The admiral glanced again at his secretary, who offered the newly-sealed orders to him.

"This are your orders, Captain. I am certain you will carry them out with all the rakehell dash characteristic of frigate captains." He might have almost sounded envious, but for the slight flicker of boredom that went across his face. "That shall be all, gentlemen."

Well that was that, obviously. Croker was dismissing them both. Bolitho said nothing further; he was too irritated and what would have been the point anyway? The admiral had clearly made his mind up. Instead he merely nodded and accepted the proffered orders.

"But sir," Deverel said, finally speaking for himself. "I must protest. My loyalty is to you and the Defiance! My loyalty - my duty that I showed yesterday toward the men and captain of the Terpsichore" with a nod to Bolitho "was only the natural loyalty of the navy, in general. Fellow servants of the crown." He had no idea what he was saying or if any of it was making sense.

Eh? Croker turned back, surprised that the two other officers were still in the cabin.

"Indeed. This includes stirring up trouble with the army as well, hmm?" The admiral twitched his shoulders in a shrug. "You have your orders, sir. Pray do not be such an annoyance to your new captain." Whatever his name was.

Deverel knew that dismissive manner. Croker had already moved on to other things and there was no going back on his ridiculous decision. Deverel slumped slightly, and his voice lost a half tone of respect. "Yes sir, thank you sir," he said with a salute.

"Look there," Preddie said, looking up toward the entry-port. "S'that the cap'n comin' back?"

Chase shaded his eyes and shook his head. "No, just their bos'un. What's... they got dunnage for us? What the devil's that all about?"

"Steady in the boat!" Defiance's boatswain called down. "Handin' some dunnage down."

"Aye aye," Mister Evans called back and detailed Preddie and Bell to receive the sea-chests.

Back on board Terspy Leat had the quarterdeck of the flagship in his glass, having self-appointed himself as lookout for the captain's return, but equally eager to see if he could determine the nature of the business by how long Bolitho was in the Admiral's cabin - and what happened when he re-emerged.

Bolitho was out of the quarterdeck within ten minutes. So short an interview, Leat thought, must mean something in the nature of orders; he couldn't think of anything else that would take so short a time. But the captain did not make immediately for the side, and instead stood exchanging words casually with the Flag Captain whilst Deverel - that sot - hovered miserably nearby. What was going on?

He received his answer soon enough as he saw what looked like an officer's dunnage being brought up from below and to the side where their boat had hooked on. He felt the bottom of his stomach drop away.

"Oh hell!" he groaned, loud enough for those standing nearby to hear him and wonder what had upset the second lieutenant so.