Free A Divided Command by David Donachie Page A

advised?’
    ‘Yes, I did.’
    ‘Then you have cleared your conscience, Toby, and no man, or even God, can ask more of you.’
    ‘How I pray that you are right, Dick, and I know that should matters take a turn to the bad I can rely on you to support me.’
    ‘Make yourself presentable, Toby.’
    In that reply Farmiloe succeeded in keeping out of his voice his true feelings: he had no desire to get involved in the troubles of his one-time fellow midshipman. Toby Burns seemed to have latched on to him as a bosom friend, which was far from being the case; Farmiloe found the younger man an awkward companion at the best of times and a bit of a nuisance at the worst. If there was sympathy for hisplight it came from the kind of fellow feeling that could be extended to anyone with whom he had once shared a berth and not come to actively dislike.
    Added to that, Farmiloe knew Burns was not the hero he had been acclaimed; knew the truth of what had happened on the coast of Brittany and who it was responsible for the actions that underpinned that false reputation. In being honest about his lying at his uncle’s court martial, Toby had not seen fit to be open about the previous misrepresentations that were the bedrock of his reputation as a brave and resourceful young fellow who had been hailed as an example to follow.
    ‘Put all that out of your mind for now, Toby,’ Farmiloe said finally, ‘and get yourself decent. Then I will take you aboard
Agamemnon
where you can dine as my guest in the wardroom.’

    The cheering, which resounded around the whole fleet, finally brought Sam Hood onto the quarterdeck of
HMS Victory
, a raucous cacophony that assailed the ears of Admiral Hotham as he barged back to his own flagship. Not every captain had seen fit to man his yards, but none, even those who saw Hood as a bar to their own personal prosperity, had sought to stop their men from letting their commanding officer know how heartily he was regarded and how the success at Calvi added lustre to his reputation.
    Aware that on every vessel, every telescope would be employed for a sight of him, Hood, several times, raised his hat and it was a demonstration of the clear-sightedness of those he commanded – young men in their prime mostly – that such an act raised the hurrahs to a crescendo.
    ‘Damn me, I will miss this, Parker.’
    ‘I too, milord, since I will be returning with you.’
    ‘Aye, Hotham will want his own captain of the fleet, but I am sure he will give you a ship and command of the rear squadron if you ask him.’
    ‘Let us just say, milord, that after so long at sea, I too could use some respite.’
    Hat in the air, Hood replied, ‘Best get Pearce away quickly, Parker, I don’t want Hotham to get any inkling that his position is anything other than temporary.’
    ‘With respect, you are not the only one who receives letters from home.’
    ‘True, no doubt the likes of Portland will be keen to tell Hotham he has nothing to fear from my return. But I have made it plain that I intend to cause trouble, Parker, and that is also something I will make just as plain to Billy Pitt. Politics is the game that has led to my present position and it will be politics that will reverse it.’
    ‘A very different kind of battle, milord.’
    ‘Yes, Parker, but once home I will be a participant, which will make all the difference. Get Pearce away to Leghorn.’
    ‘He cannot stay there for ever, milord.’
    ‘We need not issue any order for his return and, who knows, perhaps Hotham will forget about
HMS Larcher
, for I cannot think either the vessel or the person who commands it are of much import to him.’
    Hood replaced his hat and looked at the somewhat pinched face of his executive officer, his face breaking into a wide grin. ‘No need to look like that, Parker; if anyone knows me for a devious sod it is you.’
    ‘There, milord, I cannot but agree.’
    The grin settled into a frown. ‘No need to be so hearty in that, is