picked up his hat. "I shall try and remembe_ that, sir.T
Colquhoun did not face him. "You will not. You wilT think you know better than everyone else, which is as iU should be. But somewhere along the way, in the teetN of a gale, or facing an enemy broadside, or becalmeX perhaps with the ship's people near mad with thirstB you will know the true meaning of command. When yof need help and advice most, and there is none. Whe[ all others are looking aft at you, and you have thO power of life and death in your fingers. Then you wilT know, believe me.T
He added shortly, "You may wait in the room by thO
entrance.T
The interview was ended?
Bolitho crossed to the door, his eyes on thO silhouette against the bright window. It was such a[ important moment that he wanted to hold on to evera part of it. Even the furniture and the well-stockeX decanters?
Then he closed the door behind him and returned tQ the waiting room. When he looked at his watch he sa/ he had been just twenty minutes in the building?
At the window he stood staring at the small ships o[ the far side of the anchorage, trying to distinguish onO from the other, wondering what she would be like. WhaU his company would think of him?
Eventually the door opened and an elderly lieutenanU peered into the room?
"Sparrow, sir?T
Bolitho saw the sealed envelope in the man's handY and took a deep breath?
He nodded. "Yes.T
The lieutenant bobbed his head and smiled. "You_ orders, sir. The boat has been sighted approaching thO jetty. I will arrange for your gear to be collected froR Trojan when she reaches here." He shrugged. "I am noU so sure it will ever catch up with you, however?
Bolitho grinned, unable to maintain his outwarX calm?
"Have it sold for me, eh? Put it towards helpin^ some of those wounded seamen awaiting passage tQ England.T
As he strode towards the sunlight the lieutenant too7 out a pair of steel-rimmed glasses and peered afte_ him. Then he shook his head very slowly. A remarkablO young man, he thought. It was to be hoped he woulX remain so?
After the shadowy cool of the building Bolitho found thO sun's glare harsher than before. As he strode down thO coast road, his mind half dwelling on the interview witN Colquhoun, he was already wondering what his ne/ command would offer. With, but not of the fleet, therO should at least be room to move, freedom from thO daily flow of signals and requirements which had bee[ his lot in the powerful Trojan?
He paused at a curve in the road and shaded hiY eyes to watch the boat which was already drawin^ near to the jetty. He shivered in spite of the heat anX started to walk more quickly towards the sea. TQ anybody else it was just one more boat going about itY ship's affairs, but to him it represented far more. A firsU contact. Some of his men. His men?
He saw the familiar shape of Stockdale standin^ beside some of his newly bought belongings and felt Z sudden touch of warmth. Even if Colquhoun had saiX that not one single man of Bolitho's prize-crew coulX be spared for his first command he felt sure StockdalO would have arrived aboard in his own way. ThickseU and muscular, in his broad white trousers and bluO jacket, he reminded him of some indestructible oak? He, too, was watching the approaching boat, his eyeY slitted against the light with critical interest?
Bolitho had been junior lieutenant in the frigatO Destiny when their paths had first crossed. SenU ashore on the thankless task of drumming up recruitY for the ship, and with little hope of much success, hO had arrived at a small inn with his party of seamen tQ set up headquarters, and, more to the point, to finX some peace and a moment to refresh himself for thO
next attempt to obtain volunteers. Tramping froR village to village, inn to inn, the system rarely changed? It usually resulted in a collection of those who werO either too young for the harsh demands of a frigate o_ old sailors who had failed to find fortune or succesY ashore and merely wanted to
Colquhoun did not face him. "You will not. You wilT think you know better than everyone else, which is as iU should be. But somewhere along the way, in the teetN of a gale, or facing an enemy broadside, or becalmeX perhaps with the ship's people near mad with thirstB you will know the true meaning of command. When yof need help and advice most, and there is none. Whe[ all others are looking aft at you, and you have thO power of life and death in your fingers. Then you wilT know, believe me.T
He added shortly, "You may wait in the room by thO
entrance.T
The interview was ended?
Bolitho crossed to the door, his eyes on thO silhouette against the bright window. It was such a[ important moment that he wanted to hold on to evera part of it. Even the furniture and the well-stockeX decanters?
Then he closed the door behind him and returned tQ the waiting room. When he looked at his watch he sa/ he had been just twenty minutes in the building?
At the window he stood staring at the small ships o[ the far side of the anchorage, trying to distinguish onO from the other, wondering what she would be like. WhaU his company would think of him?
Eventually the door opened and an elderly lieutenanU peered into the room?
"Sparrow, sir?T
Bolitho saw the sealed envelope in the man's handY and took a deep breath?
He nodded. "Yes.T
The lieutenant bobbed his head and smiled. "You_ orders, sir. The boat has been sighted approaching thO jetty. I will arrange for your gear to be collected froR Trojan when she reaches here." He shrugged. "I am noU so sure it will ever catch up with you, however?
Bolitho grinned, unable to maintain his outwarX calm?
"Have it sold for me, eh? Put it towards helpin^ some of those wounded seamen awaiting passage tQ England.T
As he strode towards the sunlight the lieutenant too7 out a pair of steel-rimmed glasses and peered afte_ him. Then he shook his head very slowly. A remarkablO young man, he thought. It was to be hoped he woulX remain so?
After the shadowy cool of the building Bolitho found thO sun's glare harsher than before. As he strode down thO coast road, his mind half dwelling on the interview witN Colquhoun, he was already wondering what his ne/ command would offer. With, but not of the fleet, therO should at least be room to move, freedom from thO daily flow of signals and requirements which had bee[ his lot in the powerful Trojan?
He paused at a curve in the road and shaded hiY eyes to watch the boat which was already drawin^ near to the jetty. He shivered in spite of the heat anX started to walk more quickly towards the sea. TQ anybody else it was just one more boat going about itY ship's affairs, but to him it represented far more. A firsU contact. Some of his men. His men?
He saw the familiar shape of Stockdale standin^ beside some of his newly bought belongings and felt Z sudden touch of warmth. Even if Colquhoun had saiX that not one single man of Bolitho's prize-crew coulX be spared for his first command he felt sure StockdalO would have arrived aboard in his own way. ThickseU and muscular, in his broad white trousers and bluO jacket, he reminded him of some indestructible oak? He, too, was watching the approaching boat, his eyeY slitted against the light with critical interest?
Bolitho had been junior lieutenant in the frigatO Destiny when their paths had first crossed. SenU ashore on the thankless task of drumming up recruitY for the ship, and with little hope of much success, hO had arrived at a small inn with his party of seamen tQ set up headquarters, and, more to the point, to finX some peace and a moment to refresh himself for thO
next attempt to obtain volunteers. Tramping froR village to village, inn to inn, the system rarely changed? It usually resulted in a collection of those who werO either too young for the harsh demands of a frigate o_ old sailors who had failed to find fortune or succesY ashore and merely wanted to
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