OPORTO, 22nd May - Naval Landing Parties

All eyes were on him. It was plainly apparent that most of the men present were in agreement with this Marine corporal, but with wine casks as the potential prize, it was little wonder.

"Stealing wine casks, Corporal?" Cartwright asked, looking the corporal in the eye.

Lyon nodded. "Aye sir. Caught 'em in the act, we did."

A glance toward the angry Terpsies suggested that they resented that. "Thompson?" Cartwright turned toward the private. Whatever had really been going on, he wasn't sure, but he was damned sure going to find out.

"We ain't touched nothin', sir. Ain't even looked to see what's in 'em afore this lot come up an' say we was pinchin' it." He gestured towards the doorway. "Ain't any of 'em bin moved, or nothin', sir. Honest." The Marine was indignant, as he had a perfect right to be. Accused of stealing, when they hadn't laid a finger on anything in there!

"Prolly wanted t' get drunk right there, blockin' t' others from seein'." Jimmy muttered under his breath, but strangely it was loud enough that more men could hear it. Confidences nodded in agreement. "Thieves." A burly Confidence's sailor said in his baritone.

De Guarde noted a few men taking a step back, for the lieutenant of the marines was having a distinct smell himself.

"You wanna be careful of what you go callin' folks, you do," Thompson said, looking the big burly sailor up and down as though it was him and not de Guarde or Cartwright who smelt as though he'd been crawling through the privies.

Thompson's explanation made more sense, but he had to inspect the casks to be sure of it. The corporal seemed irritated to have his statement rebutted and seemed on the verge of protest. The other Tars, however, made the protests for him.

"Be silent!" Cartwright snapped, before the back-and-forth could get heated. "Stand aside, you lads," he said in a more moderated voice, turning toward the Terpsies who were blocking the door.

"No need, when it's bloody true, thieving bastards." The man spat, his eyes on Thompson. "Thought you could have it all to yourself. Hide it right proper." He muttered through gritted teeth as the lieutenant ordered silence. The action only showed that he had one missing at the side, and possibly a rotten looking view right under the lip as well.

De Guarde looked up at Thompson and stood aside, though he was least in the way anyhow. "...not worth it." He whispered, being the least proper lad for such a comment.

Thompson bristled. "Don't you go accusin' anyone else of thievin', not when you'd swing for pinchin' a couple of farthin's," he said.

"George!.. t' lieutenant!" The boy gripped at Thompson's sleeve and pulled at it sharply.

The man only smirked in turn, the poor light casting long shadows onto his face. He did spare a curious glance at the protesting boy, but shook his head as if deciding he was just hearing things, really.

Thompson glanced at de Guarde, looked at the man indicated, and gently nudged the boy into the shadows, shaking his head slightly to indicate he should stay quiet. At least he was pretty unrecognisable under all the muck, and certainly the other man wouldn't be expecting to see de Guarde in a sailor's rig.

"All of you, bite your tongues!" He had had quite enough of that senseless bickering. It annoyed him further that they had ignored him. At least the sailors from Terspy had moved out of his way so he could get into the room with the wine casks.

A moment later, he glanced back and pointed at one of the Terpsies. "Come here. And you too, Corporal."

De Guarde opened his mouth to protest or ask why the nudge had been needed. The ringing was only slowly subsiding, so that he could begin concentrating on voices as well as what they were saying. Not yet enough though.

He glanced at the lieutenant , watching him disappear into the room. The Defiances and Confidances were waiting impatiently, ready to protest that though nothing was missing, that was only so because how could the lieutenant know how much had been in there in the first place. And even if he knew, they were stopped just in time and so didn't have the opportunity yet to steal!

And then he was out and picking a Terpsy out of the group. He leaned forward to see who he'd picked and for what.

Taylor glanced uncertainly at Chase before stepping into the room as he'd been directed. Corporal Lyon was more sure in his movement forward, still arrogantly confident.

"So, Corporal," Cartwright said, after an initial glance over the stacks of casks. "You saw these men handling these casks to steal them?"

"Yes sir," Lyon replied.

"So why is it that none of these casks have been moved?" Cartwright pointed at a thin layer of dust and bits of stone on the wooden casks, residue from the series of explosions that had rocked the fort only a few minutes before.

"What's bloody keeping them?" The burly man muttered, sparing a glare at the Terpsy marine. Never liked those lobsters. Beside him, the slimmer and shorter man, Jimmy, looked at the door.

"Running t' get their officers.. tch. Ain't no courage in them." Though none dared speak against an officer, not with one so close. If there'd be only the Tars there perhaps, but with an officer it was smart to keep one's mouth shut about those things.

"What's that noise in there?" Bakewell asked, suddenly hearing French voices. The soldiers who had confronted De Guarde were still trying to find an escape route.

Lyon stared at the grey dust on the casks, his air of smug confidence slipping. He couldn't think of anything to explain away this revelation. Taylor, on the other hand, looked relieved.

"I don't care much for Marines who fabricate stories," Cartwright began, his tone hardening. "I also don't care much for Marines who deliberately lie to me with the express intent of implicating innocent men. You, Corporal, have succeeded in committing two offences that I dislike most. It would be a very good idea if you chose to be honest in your responses, or I will personally see to it that you spend the rest of this war serving as a guard aboard a prison hulk."

He did not raise his voice, but he didn't need to. Lyon trembled and went pale. No officer had ever spoken to him that way. Cartwright glanced at Taylor, as if just remembering that he was there. "Outside, sailor. No one else comes in until I say so."

Taylor scampered out, only too glad to get out of there.

"Must've made a mistake, sir," Lyon said weakly. "I can see that now. Just a mistake. Sorry, sir."

"A mistake that would have been very easily corrected at the start," Cartwright told him coldly. "You chose to compound that mistake. I don't know if that speaks more to your lack of judgement or to your complete lack of integrity. Both are traits that do not have any use to a good Marine."

Outside, Chase and the other Terpsies were still blocking the door as Taylor had said to do, except for Seward. He and Bakewell had moved couple steps toward the sound of French voices, trying to figure out if the blue-jackets were coming their way.

The men from the other ships were beginning to grumble more loudly, becoming annoyed with the delay in the decision about the wine casks.

Thompson was not going to be intimidated by the Defiances and Confidences, not now that there was an officer there to make sure things were all right - and not just any officer, but his own. Though Mister Cartwright smelt as though he'd been crawling through the privies the same as de Guarde had. And he'd lost his coat somewhere, too.

If Mister Cartwright didn't get back out here, though, things could turn ugly, and that was something Thompson didn't particularly want.

Corporal Lyon came hurrying out, looking as though he'd be happy to heave himself out the nearest window if it would get him away from that officer. He collected his men and made a hasty exit. The Confidences stared after them in bewilderment.

"I think there are plenty of things you men can be doing that does not involve standing around here," Cartwright said as he came out of the little room. He was plainly still angry and made no effort to hide it. "Your captain must be wondering what's become of you. It won't do to leave him without his full crew."

The Confidences took the hint and dispersed, some of them casting disappointed, unhappy looks at the room with the wine casks as they went.

There was no point to argue with an officer. They all knew what that would lead to. Some shared looks that might've indicated anything but satisfaction, a silent promise to the Terpsies, others thought that if they were to hurry, perhaps another source such as this would be found and there wouldn't be any bloody officers to spoil the fun. Didn't look like the Defiances were much to count on, then again, the more, the less merry for sure.

One by one, or in twos they turned, and some disappeared back from where they came from, while a smaller group of men decided to inspect the rooms up ahead a good distance from the Terpsies.

The two Frenchmen had tried to make a mass through the blocked door. They were just two though. First there were more and more of the British men in the hall. Then, they heard that they were to leave. Which must've happened when the dared approach a little.

De Guarde felt a rush of relief. Them Tars and marines of the Terpsy were free of the charges, so wrongly accused of them. He murmured quietly to the marine: "..We better go t' find more Frogs now." Some sentries would be placed on the discovery. What with two ships already knowing their wherabouts.

"Mebbe, but I reckon them Defiances're spoilin' for a fight. Best if we wasn't in the way, I think, Mathew. Why for did you want to go crawlin' around in the privy anyhow?" He leaned on his musket, though he didn't unfix the bayonet... just in case it might be needed again.

"... wos' small enough t' fit all t' way through." He stepped aside, so he was no longer standing in the gloom and having the marine shield his view of things. "..didn't want ter' first time 'round, but they ordered." He shrugged :" N' second time I was filthy enough 'aready. Wanted... wanted t' fight." He rubbed his bruised shoulder.

Up ahead the men must've discovered some of the French, for there were distant cries of it, fired shots, then running, lots of it. But it was quite at a distance now.

"You smell disgustin'," Thompson told him cheerfully. "We are goin' to make you strip naked afire you go anywhere near any of our boats. Might even make you wash afore you get in it. I'm happy you don't berth anywhere near me, I have to say." He shrugged. "You'm a plucky one, though, I'll say that for you."

"I know. Takes a brave Frog t' have me hauled or anythin'." He made more of a face at the next suggestion and thought of Cartwright following the same fate, just as all the others who might've gone to slush through lesser muck, but were no less also smelly and filthy.

"Yer goin' t' be askin' t' same fer yer lieutenant?" He glanced over his shoulder at the other sailors blocking the way and the lieutenant who didn't look at all happy. Could understand him. Was their ship directly accused of stealing. Good thing the man didn't persist or was any smarter to come up with another excuse as to why he thought the Terpsies were no good nothings.

"Dunno 'bout sayin' it to Mister Cartwright," Thompson said, though he eyed the sailors warily. They weren't going to get away with downright accusing the Terpsies of theft.