by Dudley Pope
Luce realized that he had gone too far: in a very few seconds he weighed his own ideas of the respect due to his position and its powers against the buccaneers’ ships – more than thirty, he recalled – that this wretched fellow Yorke led.
“Very well, I apologize, and if you’ll sit down I’ll draft the apology now. William! Ink, paper and quill. Hurry!”
Five minutes later, having read it carefully, Ned folded the apology, tucked it into the capacious pocket in the sleeve of his jerkin, and then consulted his watch. “Three minutes, Sir Harold.”
The Governor looked puzzled. “Three minutes? What about them?”
“You have three minutes left of the ten,” Ned explained patiently. “You wanted to see me, urgently.”
“My dear fellow, I can’t tell you all about it in three minutes!”
“A pity,” Ned said, and stood up, followed an instant later by Thomas. “You see, we don’t set traps and fire on people that trust us: we say exactly what we can do or can’t do, and that’s it. We said ten minutes, and they have almost passed.”
His face now red with indignation, his wig beginning to slip and revealing what Ned had expected, that the man’s hair still had not grown out after having been cut back to the fashionable “Roundhead” style under the Commonwealth (and which was the main reason for the wig’s popularity at the Restoration), Sir Harold whined: “You have the impertinence to give me three minutes! Damnation, I am the Governor of Jamaica: don’t you understand? The Governor!”
Ned turned to Thomas and nodded towards the door. “Good day, Your Excellency,” he said ironically, “I’m afraid we have urgent business on board our ships.” He thought a moment and then added, much as a fisherman threw out bait before casting his line: “We have to provision and water before sailing again tomorrow afternoon.”
“Sailing? So soon?”
Far from looking like a trapped ferret, Sir Harold, wig awry, eyes flickering like guttering candle flame, looked more like a ferret dying painfully after being bitten by a viper. “Oh please, Mr Yorke, and Sir Thomas, hear what I have to say. It is urgent! It concerns the very safety of Jamaica! The island has never faced such a crisis! We’ve no Army, no defences except a few bastions – you are my last hope, Mr Yorke!”
“Poor you,” Ned said unsympathetically. “If things are as bad as that there’s nothing we can do to help. Just four ships and perhaps two hundred and fifty men – all the rest are at Tortuga or along the Main. Why, if you cleared the bars and brothels of Port Royal you’d find more men – most of your disbanded Army, probably. Fill ’em up with rumbullion and point them in the right direction and shout ‘Charge!’ – that’s only a suggestion, but the best I can do at the moment.”
“Please…” Luce pleaded, and Ned suddenly realized that the man was almost in tears. Yet Ned was sure that Luce was not to be trusted: he was the kind of man who interpreted someone’s kindly act as a sign of weakness. Luce and his type had moral standards somewhere between those of a cutpurse and a highwayman stranded with a lame horse and a pregnant and shrill doxy.
Ned sat down again. “Very well, but please hurry, Sir Harold. You must realize we do not like leaving our ships in an anchorage where batteries open fire on us without warning…”
“Yes, well, it’s the Spaniards, you see!”
“The Spaniards?” Ned exclaimed incredulously. “What about them?”
“They’re preparing to attack the island – and (as instructed by the Privy Council in London, I assure you) I have just paid off the Army who are, as you commented, dispersed like chaff on the wind. With all their back pay in their pockets there isn’t a hope of re-forming them.”
“They’re still wearing their uniforms,” Thomas said. “Those in the bars, anyway. Might be a different story in the brothels.”
“So what am I going to do?” Sir Harold asked desperately.
“These Spaniards,” Ned said. “Who are they? What ships are they coming in? Who sighted them and reported to you? When did you hear about it?”
By now Sir Harold was so distraught that he answered Ned’s last question, that being the only one he could remember. “The day before yesterday – the day before you came back. I’ve tried to keep it secret for the moment, to stop any panic. Just the bastions were warned to fire on ships.”
“Panic,” Ned said musingly. “With all the bars and bordellos full of your former Army, you couldn’t start a panic on the island even if you set fire to all the savanna and arranged a week of earthquakes. But who told you?”
“Oh, the master of a trading sloop from Santo Domingo. A smuggler, but well educated and well informed. I questioned him myself.”
“And what urgent information did he give you?”
“That the Spaniards have a powerful squadron at sea.” He paused a moment, like a small boy savouring the spasm of fear he had just experienced when picturing the ghost his imagination had summoned up. “Yes, a powerful squadron at sea. They have already captured one island and set fire to all the ships. It looks as though they are capturing the Windward Islands one by one and then the islands to leeward: they’ve always forbidden other countries to be here in the Caribbee. ‘No Peace Beyond the Line’, you know.”
“Yes,” Ned said. “I’ve heard the expression somewhere – in Portobelo, I seem to recall.”
“But Portobelo is Spanish?”
“Yes,” Ned said dreamily. “Full of mosquitoes, too. Never seen so many as there.”
Thomas coughed and said, as though apologetically: “Please excuse my friend’s nostalgia. The currency of Jamaica is the piece of eight – as a result of his raid on Portobelo…”
“Indeed,” Luce said absent-mindedly. “Well, I am sure we’re all grateful.”
“That ‘powerful squadron’,” Ned asked. “How many ships and how many troops?”
“Eight ships, my informant said, which I estimate would carry two thousand men – at least two thousand, probably more.”
Ned nodded in agreement. “Yes, if they started at the southern end and worked their way north, that could be the end of the English, French and Dutch in the Caribbee. Curaçao, Bonaire and Aruba – probably started there (all the Dutch trade is based on Curaçao). Then Barbados, La Grenade (if the French own it, but I think it’s usually called Grenada), then St Vincent, St Lucia, Martinique, Dominica…dear me, I needn’t recite all the names because you must know them all. Bit of luck,” he commented, “that Jamaica’s the last in the line.”
“But that’s the point!” Sir Harold said excitedly. “They’ve taken the islands up to Porto Rico. Now there are just Spanish islands – Porto Rico, Hispaniola and Cuba! Surrounding us they are, and the Spanish squadron bearing down on us. Why, didn’t you see any sign of it while you were at sea?”
Ned shook his head and turned to Thomas. “Did you see any sign of the Dons? Ships, smoking islands, boats full of refugees making for safety?”
“Not a thing,” Thomas said innocently. “Mind you, we weren’t looking for anything like that. After all, we’re only buccaneers and my men were just drinking and wenching. That reminds me, Ned, what shall we do with all those wenches? Can’t get any work out of my men while those wenches are on board.”
“I’d put ’em on shore,” Ned said judiciously. “This island is very short of wenches and–”
“Gentlemen, gentlemen,” Sir Harold pleaded, “only this island stands against Spanish domination of the New World.”
“Probably not even this island by now,” Ned said sadly. “After all, the last we heard from England was that the King had agreed to give it back to the Spaniards as a sort of ‘thank you’ present for looking after him during part of his exile.”
“Yes, I’d forgotten that,” Thomas said, turning to Luce. “Looks as though you’ve lost your job and will soon lose your home. Still, I’m sure
that as soon as you tell the Privy Council what’s happened they’ll find you somewhere else to stay. Unless you like England, of course. I find it rather cold, myself, but perhaps you wrap up and don’t mind it.”
Ned saw that Luce was about to burst into tears, fear fighting frustration for possession of his face. Was now the time?
“Your informant – did he mention any actual places attacked or taken by the Spanish?”
“Oh yes, he had all the details of one island and the ships. The Spanish put everything to the torch: the man said it will be years before the town can be rebuilt.”
“Where was it?”
“One of the northern islands. St Martin. Do you know it?”
“Yes,” Ned said gently. “Let me tell you about St Martin.”
Series order & Synopses
Dates given are for first publication and (for Ramge series) year in which novel is set.
Ned Yorke Series
These Titles can be read as a series, or randomly as standalone novels
1. Buccaneer 1981
2. Admiral 1982
3. Galleon 1986
4. Corsair 1987
5. Convoy 1979
6. Decoy 1983
Ramage Series
These Titles can be read as a series, or randomly as standalone novels
1. Ramage 1796 1965
2. Ramage & the Drumbeat 1797 1968
3. Ramage & the Freebooters 1797 1969
4. Governor Ramage RN 1797 1973
5. Ramage's Prize 1798 1974
6. Ramage's Mutiny 1799 1977
7. Ramage & the Rebels 1800 1978
8. The Ramage Touch 1800 1979
9. Ramage's Signal 1800 1980
10. Ramage & the Guillotine 1801 1975
11. Ramage & the Renegades 1802 1981
12. Ramage's Devil 1803 1982
13. Ramage's Trial 1803 1984
14. Ramage's Challenge 1803 1985
15. Ramage's Diamond 1804 1976
16. Ramage at Trafalgar 1805 1986
17. Ramage & the Saracens 1806 1988
18. Ramage & the Dido 1806 1989
Synopses (Fiction & non-fiction)
Published by House of Stratus
A. Ned Yorke Series
Buccaneer
It is the 1650's and Spain considers the Caribbean to be its own private sea. But England, Holland and France conspire to battle for freedom on the oceans set in days littered with the plunder of piracy. Ned Yorke, a loyal Royalist living in Barbados has a small vessel and devoted crew and together they sail, hunted by Roundheads and Spaniards, determined to pay whatever the price for freedom from tyranny. What transpires is a colourful, dramatic retelling of historical events surrounding the capture of Jamaica and the infamous raid on Santiago.
Admiral
Charles II returns from exile bringing with him unease to the Spanish Main. In this vivid description of seventeenth-century buccaneers, Ned Yorke, the leader and hero of the swashbuckling band are depended upon for the defence of Jamaica, fighting with captured Spanish guns. Daring raids on the Spanish seem inevitable, as Yorke sets out on the high seas to distant adventures on behalf of the King and his own honour.
Galleon
As England falls under a blanket of peace with the restoration of Charles II, in distant Jamaica all is not well. Though there is peace with Spain, there is No Peace Beyond the Line. It seems that the West Indies have become the private estate of the King of Spain. But Ned Yorke, Admiral of the Brethren, leader of the Buccaneers will not kowtow to the new Governor in Jamaica who is bent on weakening the Island’s defences and destroying its currency. Ned Yorke and his Buccaneers must not remain idle. The third in a series set in the Caribbean, Dudley Pope reveals a masterful plot of subtle, seafaring lore wound around the tense excitement of adventure on the high seas.
Corsair
In the 1660's Jamaica was an uneasy island, occupied by Spain but settled by the English and French. When Admiral of the Brethren, Ned Yorke, a brave, loyal Buccaneer, learns that Spain is mounting a Caribbean fleet perhaps to protect the treasures of Spanish ships, or carry an army to Jamaica, he vows to find out the truth. Yorke’s audacious attacks on Spanish camps reveal all and the Buccaneers must fight a bloody, desperate battle to try and hinder them.
Convoy
A deadly game of cat and mouse unravels its way out of this spine tingling war story as Lieutenant Yorke must find an answer to one vital question: how are German U-Boats sinking merchant ships from inside the convoys? In this gripping saga of heroism and intrigue, Yorke discovers the fate of one entire convoy. Only his wit and daring can lead to its survival and that of himself.
Decoy
It is February 1942 and the war in the Atlantic looks grim for the Allied convoys. The ‘Great Blackout’ has started, leaving the spy centre of Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire at a loss as to what the Nazis are planning. U-boat Command has changed the Hydra cipher. The Enigma cannot be broken. Cipher experts can no longer eavesdrop on Nazi command, which leaves convoys open for attack by packs of marauding Nazi submarines. Winning the Battle of the Atlantic will surely give Hitler a final victory. And who can stop him?
B. Ramage Series
Ramage
1796 – sea battles raging and an attack from the French has left third-lieutenant Ramage the sole officer in charge of his frigate. With orders from Nelson to be obeyed and a daring mission to be completed, young Nicholas Ramage must rise to the challenge. Despite the grave adversity of his situation, Ramage embarks upon an intrepid rescue with quite unforeseen consequences. This thrilling adventure is the first in Dudley Pope’s popular and much-loved series.
Ramage & the Drumbeat
Ramage and the Drumbeat takes the brave Lord Ramage to the new world where he becomes embroiled in a series of electrifying sea battles and hazardous political shenanigans. He must once again prove his mettle as he undergoes the merciless enemy attacks. Fighting alongside Lord Nelson, this is Ramage at his best.
Ramage & the Freebooters
Lieutenant Lord Ramage is given command of the Triton brig and ordered to deliver three sealed dispatches to admirals in the Caribbean. Unfortunately, he is also given command of a mutinous crew that he must overcome if he is to deliver the dispatches and prevent himself from being made a convenient scapegoat…
Governor Ramage RN
Lieutenant Lord Ramage, expert seafarer and adventurer, undertakes to escort a convoy across the Caribbean. This seemingly routine task leads him into a series of dramatic and terrifying encounters. Lord Ramage is quick to learn that the enemy attacks from all angles and he must keep his wits about him in order to survive. Fast and thrilling, this is another highly-charged adventure from the masterly Dudley Pope.
Ramage's Prize
Lord Ramage returns for another highly-charged and thrilling adventure at sea. Instructed with the task of discovering why His Majesty’s dispatches keep unaccountably disappearing, Ramage finds himself involved in a situation far beyond his expectations. Based on true events, Ramage’s Prize is another gripping story from Dudley Pope.
Ramage's Mutiny
Mutiny and rebellion are rife on board a British ship in the Caribbean. A young British naval officer is chosen to rescue the ship from its Spanish captors — yet this means almost certain death. Lord Ramage soon learns that for his mission to succeed — and for him to stay alive — he must resort to almost any means. Will his skill prove a match for the strength of the Spanish attack?
Ramage & the Rebels
On a routine patrol, Ramage and his ship 'Calypso' make an horrific discovery. Caught in the process of taking a British ship, a ruthless French privateer has murdered the passengers and crew. Ramage and his men decide to track him down and set out to find his whereabouts in the Spanish Main.
The Ramage Touch
Ramage Touch finds the ever-popular Lord Ramage in the Mediterranean with another daring mission to undertake. He soon makes
a shocking discovery which dramatically transforms the nature of the task at hand. With the nearest English vessel a thousand miles away, Ramage must embark upon a truly perilous and life-threatening course of action. With everything stacked against him, he has only one chance to succeed…
Ramage's Signal
With Bonaparte Napoleon at the height of his powers, the Mediterranean can be safely considered exclusive French territory. So when Captain Ramage and his crew are sent alone into Mediterranean waters, they can expect to be outnumbered. But it is the French who discover they have an enemy they had not bargained for…
Ramage & the Guillotine
As France recovers from her bloody Revolution, Napoleon is amassing his armies for the Great Invasion. News in England is sketchy and the Navy must prepare to defend the land from foreign attack. Lieutenant Ramage is chosen to travel to France and embark upon the perilous quest of spying on the great Napoleon. His mission is to determine the strength of the French troops – but his discovery will mean the guillotine!
Ramage & the Renegades
The Treaty of Amiens is signed and Nelson's navy languishes in port. Ramage is at home on half pay and suspects Napoleon will yet break the terms of the Treaty. He is then given secret Admiralty orders to survey a small island off the coast of Brazil. He sails in Calypso, but then encounters more danger than in previous exploits.
Ramage's Devil
amage is suddenly caught behind enemy lines when on honeymoon in France, as the Peace of Amien unexpectedly ends. The story chronicles his escape and dashing adventures in true Ramage style, as an enemy ship is captured and a sub-plot develops involving a pursuit to the prison colony on Devil's Island.
Ramage's Diamond
In 1804, Ramage is newly promoted to be the youngest Captain in the Royal Navy and is despatched to blockade the French in Martinique. The passage proves difficult; a slovenly crew under the command of a now incompetent drunk having to be overcome so as to realise the objective. Diamond Rock is fortified and a French convoy dealt with as this gripping adventure proceeds, emulating the real life exploits of Commodore Samuel Hood RN.