Free Sails Across the Sea: A Tim Phillips Novel (War at Sea Book 8) by Richard Testrake

the long axis of the frigate facing Terrier’s broadside, he gave the order to fire. With his glass, he could see the effects of the shot. The two long eights he had forward and aft had no problem striking the frigate, while the carronades, firing at maximum range had a little more difficulty.
    To reach, his gunners were using maximum elevation and lobbing the balls high and hoping they would come down on deck or the rigging. The shots that missed short or wide were easily seem though the telescope, but it was sometimes difficult to see a hit. One hit he did see. A gust had heeled the enemy ship over a bit, and suddenly a ragged hole appeared in her foredeck. Those thirty two pound iron balls falling upon the enemy were doing enormous damage, damage Phillips hoped the frigate would not choose to continue receiving.
    His men reloaded rapidly, much faster than the enemy gun crews, and fired again. The frigate was thundering away, firing regular broadsides at the speed of the slowest gun, probably on orders of the enemy captain. Many of those shots missed, while the ones that hit caused much less damage than the balls from the smashers.
    Firing away her ammunition at a rapid rate, Phillips was wondering if it would last until the frigate was defeated, when the enemy came before the wind and sailed away. As she left, a shrewd shot from Terrier knocked her fore topmast askew, and she slowed right down while making repairs.
     
    Now would be a good time to savage the frigate. With her damage, she could no longer keep up with the brig, and Phillips knew he could get on her quarter and just pound her until she struck. He was tempted, but then an eight pounder shot from the frigate struck the brig’s lower hull forward, and simultaneously with the sound of the impact came a piercing scream from below.
    Sending Mister Roberts below to investigate, he reluctantly turned his ship away. His previous reasons for avoiding combat were still valid.
    When he came back to the quarterdeck, he reported the women were alarmed at the gunfire. An enemy ball had smashed into the hull right over the orlop where the women had been stowed, Roberts was sent below again with a message to the ladies that the gunfire would cease forthwith.
     
    It was an anti-climax when the topsails of the fleet were spotted. Terrier’s number was hung out, and the flag answered with the signal for ‘Query’.
    Answering with “Passengers Aboard’, the flag displayed Terrier’s number and flew the signal for her captain to repair on board the flagship. Anticipating Admiral Cotton’s wishes, he took Emily, Jane and their babies with him.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

CHAPTER FOURTEEN
     
     
    Phillips spent the day on the flag, being interviewed by everyone from the Admiral’s political advisor to the Physician of the Fleet. He was called in by Sir Charles himself in the afternoon. Sir Charles advised him he was sending Lady Forsythe and her maid aboard a transport that was sailing for home any day. Terrier would escort that transport and should allow nothing to hinder its safe passage. He should defend it even at the cost of his own brig, if necessary.
    Sir Charles mentioned he thought the two woman would be more comfortable on the larger ship equipped with more amenities for their gender. Phillips was directed to return to Terrier, remove the women’s belongings and send them aboard the transport ‘City of London’ immediately.
    Once back upon deck, Phillips approached the flag captain who was walking the deck with the flag lieutenant.
    “Captain”, he wondered. “I am ordered to send Lady Forsythe’s belongings over to the transport. My problem is, neither Lady Forsythe nor the other woman we freed have any belongs save what they wore when we freed them. Some of the hands have sewn up simple garments for them, but none of the hands are really ladies dressmakers.”
    The flag captain chuckled. “This is the very least of your problems, Captain. Better you