The Hawk

by Peter Smalley

  'Indeed . . . but you do not think I would die?'

  'Not at once, in least.' Reluctantly, with a vexed little grimace.

  'Very good, thank you, Thomas. Will you ask Captain Rennie to come to me, as you go out?'

  They came to the slip at Bucklers Hard in Captain Rennie's hired ferry; he, Lieutenant Hayter and young Richard Abey. On the way there, as the ferrymen bent their backs at the oars:

  'I had to slip away, sir.' Richard Abey glanced back towards Portsmouth. 'We are all quartered at the marine barracks, and – '

  'Quartered at the barracks?' James. 'Why?'

  'I think an official from the Admiralty has arranged it, sir. All of us that was not wounded in the action. Excepting Dr Wing, in course. And you, sir.' Nodding to Rennie.

  'An official? D'y'know who?'

  'An elderly gentleman, in a rather old coat – though his linen is very fine – '

  'Soames, by God.' James and Rennie exchanged a glance.

  'I do not know his name, sir. I have only seen him once, at the gate, speaking to the guards.'

  James and Rennie exchanged another glance, and James gave a little grimace.

  And now they had come ashore below the slip, the wide estuary of the river narrowing as it wound away north into the countryside under the broad, gull-tilting sky. Hawk lay before them, mast unstepped, heeled a little, showing her smashed rail and splintered wales and ports. A sad sight. James and Rennie stepped out toward the line of low yard buildings, and Abey followed them, picking his way through mud, pools of congealed tar, and loose ends of timber. A row of cottages stood to the right, smoke curling from the chimneys on the breeze. The smells of the yard wafted on that breeze: tar, fresh adzed timber, rope, horse dung. Mr Blewitt, the proprietor, emerged from the lower shed, donning an oldfashioned tricorne hat. A big, heavy-set man, surprising light on his feet, he lit a jutting pipe, puffed blue smoke, and came forward. He had already guessed that his visitors' business was with the broken cutter, and not with the brig building higher up. He noted that none of the men approaching him was in naval dress, and:

  'So now, which of you is Mr Tickell?'

  'Eh? Tickell?' James.

  'The quarterman that I was informed was to be sent down to me from the Check. Is none of ye himself?'

  'Nay, we are not from the Clerk of the Check, sir.' Rennie. 'This is – '

  'I am Lieutenant Hayter, commander of the Hawk.' Nodding toward her.

  'Oh. Ah. And Mr Tickell ain't with you? Joseph Tickell?'

  'Nay, he ain't. I am Ca— I am Mr Birch, assisting the lieutenant.' Rennie frowned at his near mistake.

  'Mr Birch. Who is the squirt, then?' Puffing, glancing at Abey, who drew himself up, and:

  'Squirt! I am – '

  'This is Mr Abey, my second-in-command.' James, smoothly. 'And you are Mr Blewitt, I think.'

  'I am, sir.' Lifting his hat.

  James lifted his own hat, and at once came to business. 'What is her condition?'

  'Well now, that in truth ain't for me to say, is it? That is for Mr Tickell to say, when he – '

  'In plain language, if y'please.' James, over him.

  'In plain language, eh?' Removing the pipe from his mouth, and scratching his ear with the stem. 'Well then, she is broke, sir.'

  'You mean – she is to be broke up?'

  'Again, look . . . that ain't my say-so. That is for Mr Tickell, when he – '

  'Yes yes, Mr Tickell. But between you and me, Mr Blewitt. Between you and me – what is your own opinion?'

  'Well . . .' A face-creasing grimace, and an intake of breath through the teeth. 'Well . . . she could be saved, but at very considerable cost . . .'

  'How costly?'

  Another grimace. 'I fear we are looking at five hundred pound, cutter, large repair.'

  'Very well.'

  'Eh?' Mr Blewitt nearly dropped his pipe.

  'Eh?' said Rennie, at the same moment. They both stared at the lieutenant. Richard Abey gaped in silence.

  'Naturally I will like to see lists, and all items annotated clear, down to the last shilling.'

  'May I ask – may I ask, sir, whether or no you are engaging me, Redway Blewitt, to undertake this large repair yourself?'

  'I am.'

  'What? James, you cannot mean it!' Rennie, aghast.

  'I mean to repair my ship, sir, and take her to sea.' His jaw set.

  'You have gone mad.'

  'Not at all. If I am to be dismissed the service, I will undertake the full repair, lease the Hawk under private colours, and put to sea. That bloody blackguard that battered me, and her, will encounter us again, by God. And then we shall discover who is master.'

  Lieutenant Hayter, Captain Rennie and Mr Midshipman Abey returned to Portsmouth in their hired boat with a storm threatening in the west, and as they came ashore rain began to fall. Rennie paid the ferrymen, and followed his two companions across the Hard. Lightning flashed. Thunder sounded almost at once, thudding and rumbling over the harbour and its ships, and the roofs and spires of the town.

  The rain grew heavier, billowing on the wind, and obscured the three figures as they ran clutching their hats. Soon they were lost to view.

  'It is most kind in you, Admiral, to receive me. I had meant to call at your office before this.' Mr Soames waited until Admiral Hapgood had sat down, and then sat down himself, laying aside his hat and cane. 'I was – delayed.'

  'Happy to oblige the Admiralty,' said the admiral, with no evident pleasure.

  'I am most grateful, indeed.' Tucking his loose kerchief into his sleeve.

  'You mentioned there was matters you wished to convey to me, when you came in.'

  'I did, Admiral. They concern a – a delicate question.'

  'Yes?'

  'Yes. I wonder if I might trouble you for a glass of water. My mouth is rather dry, and my throat.'

  'Yes, forgive me.' Stung to action by the implied rebuke. 'I am remiss in not having offered you refreshment.' He rang the bell, and presently, as the servant came in:

  'Pell, there you are. My guest will like a . . . Mr Soames, perhaps ye'd prefer a glass of something more fortifying? Wine, or brandy?'

  'Most kind in you, sir. I should like a glass of sherry, if you have it.'

  'Sherry, Pell.' And when the servant had gone: 'And now . . . ?'

  'It concerns, the question concerns a vessel, the Hawk. Commanded by Lieutenant Hayter.'

  'I've heard of that vessel. Cutter, ain't she?'

  'A cutter, indeed. There has been an accident at sea involving that cutter, as I understand it.'

  'Accident?'

  'You have not heard of it? You were not informed?'

  'I have not. I was not. What accident? When?' The beetling brows formed into a black frown.

  'Ah. Ah.' Mr Soames brought his lace kerchief to his nose briefly, then returned it to his sleeve. 'The Hawk cutter is engaged upon duties which have required her putting to sea independent of the fleet. I thought that you – '

  'I know nothing of these duties, sir. I know nothing of the Hawk. I recollect now that Lieutenant Hayter came to see me, to ask what his duties were. I could not enlighten him. Subsequent to that, his commission, his command, has remained a mystery to me. You should I think ask Admiral Hollister, as to that.'

  'Yes. Yes, indeed, perhaps that will be a better course.'

  The servant returned with the sherry. When Mr Soames had taken his filled glass, and a sip or two, he nodded in appreciation.

  'Excellent sherry.'

  'Very good. – Well?'

  'Well, Admiral?' Politely raising his eyebrows.

  'Do not you wish to tell me anything more?'

  'More? – D'y'mean more as to Hawk, or Lieutenant Hayter?'

  'One or t'other. Nay, both.' The Admiral was not drinking sherry, had not poured himself any from the decanter. 'That is to say, if you please.'

  'Yes. Well. Hm.' Returning his glass to the tray. 'I will not intrude longer upon your time, sir. I
must proceed with my own pressing duties.' Making to rise.

  'Mr Soames! I beg your pardon, I did not intend to discommode you, sir, by shouting at you. However, I will like to hear something more of your duties, your purpose in coming to Portsmouth. Why have you come to me?'

  'Admiral, you have been most hospitable, and I have no wish to offend . . . but if you do not know anything of Lieutenant Hayter's duties in Hawk, then I fear we cannot assist each other.' Rising from his chair and taking up his cane.

  'But why did ye suppose I did have such knowledge? Y'must have had a reason to believe it!'

  'You were not acquainted with Captain Marles?'

  'Eh? Marles? I know that he had his throat cut.'

  'He did.' A sigh. 'An unfortunate end.' Mr Soames took up his hat.

  'What the devil d'y'mean by that, sir?'

  'I meant nothing, Admiral.' Mildly, a little shake of the head, and he put on his hat. 'Nothing beyond a remark in passing. Has the culprit been apprehended?'

  'Don't know, sir. Don't know anything about it. Some officer of marines has took it upon himself to investigate. Don't know him, neither.'

  'Ah. Thank you again, Admiral, and good day to you.' He turned towards the door, and paused. 'Oh, yes. I wonder, Admiral, d'y'happen to know – is Sir Robert Greer at home, at Kingshill?'

  The admiral did not know, and said so. When Mr Soames had gone, the admiral:

  'Pell! Pell! – Yes yes, come in, man, do not cower in the doorway. Go at once to Kingshill House, and discover whether or no Sir Robert Greer is at home. Return immediate to me with the answer.'

  'Yes, sir. It is raining, at present. May I wait until – '

  'Do not wait! Go at once! Jump, man!' And when Pell had gone out: 'I will be advised, I will be informed, I will know what is being done in Portsmouth, by God, by all persons with RN attached to their names.' Turning to the rainspeckled window, and glaring at the world.

  Lieutenant Hayter knew that he was expected to return to the Haslar when he had had his little excursion – but he did not return there. Instead he accompanied Captain Rennie to the Mary Rose Inn, where Rennie – perhaps against his better judgement – was able to engage for him a small room at the rear, near to his own. Richard Abey returned to the Marine Barracks. James and Rennie repaired to the latter's room to drink a reviving glass, and James:

  'I had meant to ask you, sir, on several occasions during today – how came the Hawk to Bucklers Hard? Who brought her there?'

  'I am not entirely certain, James. According to young Abey a dockyard crew arrived soon after we had limped in and moored off the Great Basin under cover of darkness. All hands that could walk went ashore, and the wounded was carried. When daylight came Hawk evidently had vanished. As you know I came here, and kept myself out of view. Dr Wing attended to the wounded, and had them brought to the Haslar, and the other people was advised to go to the marine barracks.'

  'Mr Soames gave that advice, that instruction?'

  'I know only what Mr Abey has told us, James. His reported sighting of Soames was the first inkling I had had of his presence here.'

  'Very good. I will try to discover more on the morrow.' A sudden dizziness caused James to lean forward, his head in his hands, and his glass fell to the floor.

  'Are you going to faint, James?' Anxiously.

  'Nay, I am . . . I am quite all right.' Recovering his balance, and sitting upright.

  'You are still very weak. You must rest.'

  'I am quite well . . .'

  'Should not you consider returning to the Haslar, after all?'

  'No. No.' Holding up a hand. 'There is much needing my attention. I am determined on my course.'

  Rennie saw that he could not persuade his friend to return to the hospital, and tried another tack:

  'Will you in least go to bed now, and sleep? You cannot follow any course when you are in a weakened condition, you know.'

  'Yes yes, very well, I will go to my cot. Where is my room, exact? I have forgot.'

  Rennie guided him there, and when James was safe in his bed, his erstwhile commander sent an urgent letter to Dorset:

  My dear Catherine,

  James is ill, here at Portsmouth. He believes himself recovered, but he is not. I think that your presence – if you will come, without delay – will greatly aid him . . . &c., &c.

  He said nothing in the letter of his grave doubts as to the wisdom and efficacy of James's plan privately to repair and lease the Hawk. He said nothing of the scheme at all. He sent the letter by express post. The letter came to Catherine at Melton House, where she was staying a week or two with her infant son, and as soon as she had received and read it she came to Portsmouth.

  During the intervening time of two days, James lay in his bed at the Mary Rose, and Rennie endeavoured to discover the likely outcome of the quarterman's survey of Hawk at Bucklers Hard. He was unable to gain that intelligence, since the survey had been further delayed.

  Mr Soames kept a close eye on the crew of the Hawk at the marine barracks, and made a brief foray to Kingshill, where he called at Kingshill House. He found Sir Robert Greer at home. That gentleman greeted him in his library, before a crackling fire.

  'Ain't the day rather warm for a fire, Sir Robert?'

  'A gentleman always has a fire in his library, Soames, no matter the season.'

  Mr Soames glanced about him at the shelves of embossed books, the wheel barometer, the busts and paintings, the view from the long end window over the sloping lawns and ornamental lake, and as always when he came to Kingshill was approvingly impressed by the quiet grandeur of his surroundings. He came to his point.

  'Sir Robert, I wonder if you know of the existence of a vessel, the Hawk?'

  'Hawk? Nay, I think not. Naval vessel, is it? Why d'y'ask?'

  'The Hawk is indeed a naval vessel, Sir Robert, a cutter. She is commanded by Lieutenant Hayter.'

  'Lieutenant James Hayter, formerly of Expedient?' The voice more alert.

  An inclination of the head. 'Exactly so.'

  'Yes, well. I am prevented from noticing the activity of Mr Hayter . . . official.'

  'Yes, sir? Ah.' Soames pressed his lace kerchief to his forehead, and neck, and snuffed the sharp cologne with which it was scented, in an attempt to relieve the oppressive heat of the fire.

  'Well?' Sir Robert peered at him blackly, acutely.

  'You have a continuing interest, I think, in Captain Rennie, have not you?'

  'Well?' Again the black glance.

  'I think it may be possible that Captain Rennie is here, at Portsmouth.'

  'Here! You are certain?'

  'Nay, I am not. However, I do know that the Hawk has been damaged at sea, that she presently lies at Bucklers Hard, and that two gentlemen and a youth went to view her very recent. One of those gentlemen was Lieutenant Hayter, that should have been lying at the Haslar Hospital, gravely injured, and has since disappeared. Another was a midshipman called Richard Abey, that serves with the lieutenant in Hawk, and is presently quartered at the marine barracks. The third man has been identified as Mr Birch.'

  'Birch? I do not know the name.'

  'Nor do I, Sir Robert. I believe it to be an assumed name.'

  'What? You think that Mr Birch . . . is Captain Rennie?'

  'I think it very possible, even probable.'

  'This young midshipman – does he know Captain Rennie?'

  'He has served under him in Expedient.'

  'And you have spoke to him, at the barracks? Asked him whether or no the man is Rennie?'

  'I have made an attempt to converse with him, but the youth is – how shall I say? – he is not inclined to be forthcoming.'

  'You mean he defied you, hey?'

  'No, Sir Robert, I would not say that he defied me. I made the attempt to introduce into the conversation the business of Hawk's extensive damage, how it happened, and so forth, and who was with Lieutenant Hayter aboard her. The boy could not remember anything, he said.'

 
'Eh?' Sharply.

  'He said that he had been knocked unconscious by a falling block, at sea, and could remember nothing of the incident.'

  'And you did not believe him?'

  'Candidly – I did not.'

  'Wise in you, Soames.' A moment, his black eyes fixed on the flames of the fire, then: 'What is the Admiralty's interest in this vessel?'

  'It is . . . a confidential matter, Sir Robert, of which I know little.' Not quite the truth.

  'Confidential? You dare to say that to me, when I have supported you throughout your career? Why have you come to me at all, if you do not trust my discretion? Tell me that!'

  'In truth, Sir Robert . . .' employing the scented kerchief again '. . . I think perhaps we may be of service to each other in this. Until now, I have merely facilitated certain documents, and overseen a generality of instruction. I think that perhaps Lieutenant Hayter – and with him Captain Rennie – may have exceeded the instructions. I cannot conceive how the Hawk came to be so badly damaged, unless it was by an action at sea. No recent storm of wind, no other aberration of weather, can have caused such damage, since there has been no storm. I will like to find out the truth. You will like to find Captain Rennie. In concert perhaps we may achieve our several aims . . . ?'

  Sir Robert stared dark at the Third Secretary, then turned his gaze to the fire once more, and presently:

  'It don't matter to me what task the Hawk has been given. The purpose of those two officers – Hayter and Rennie both – is to use the Hawk for their own ends. They will use it to take the gold, and escape.'

  'You think so, Sir Robert?'

  'I do. When they returned from Rabhet the gold was in Expedient, and they brought it ashore, the entire, vast fortune, and concealed it. Their aim was to wait. Wait until they had cleared their names of any wrongdoing or neglect of duty, and afterward load the gold into another ship, and quietly, secretly, traitorously, make good their escape. The whole plan has been very careful laid, Soames. Lieutenant Hayter's father intervened in his behalf, to obtain this commission for him. Was you aware of that?'

  'I was, sir. However, I do not quite – '

  'Rennie was to lie low, and as soon as the new ship was ready, join Hayter and set sail.'

  'Sail to what place, Sir Robert? To what country?'