as he tried to control himself.
'No one but a fool would stay voiceless after being made to watch that torture.'
The Spanish captain, true to his promise, was back within an hour. He seated himself on one corner of a brass-bound chest and said calmly, 'One of your men was very willing to speak with me.' He smiled sadly. 'Do not look so troubled, Teniente. Mine would sell my very soul if they were in the same position.' He became formal. 'Your ships have been in these waters for over a week, yes? You are sailing to spy upon the French, our ally. Such matters are not my concern. My orders are to command over these dogs until the bay is properly defended.' He tapped his chin with the rim of a wine goblet. 'I did discover one piece of news which may be of use to those better placed to use it. Your ships took a Spanish vessel.' His mouth twisted with sudden fury. "Those fools who brought you here were so drunk with their victory they allowed a ship to be stolen from under their noses!'
Allday thought of the knotted cord and could almost feel pity for the senior horseman with the whip.
As if to confirm his thoughts, San Martin snapped, 'It will not happen again ! '
He calmed himself with an effort. 'No matter. Your war is over. I will have you transported to more er, secure quarters where you can be held in accordance with your station.' He eyed them dully. 'I will send for some food.'
He was obviously disinterested in matters relating to any ship, friend or foe, now that he had attended to his prisoners.
Two armed soldiers escorted them to a nearby tent, and a short time later the same orderly brought a basket of bread and fruit and a large earthenware jug of coarse wine.
Pascoe said bitterly, 'Then it's over, Allday. We'll not see England for a long while.' He looked away. 'If ever.'
Allday stood by the tent flap, careful not to show himself to the sentry outside.
He replied, 'Nothing's over yet.' He added grimly, 'Be thankful for one thing. That gibbering seaman who spoke with the Don was one of Cap'n Javal's men. They all were in our party.'
Pascoe looked up at him. 'What difference does it make ?'
Allday walked from the flap and poured a mug of wine.
'Any Lysander would have known you to be the commodore's nephew.' He saw the shot go home. 'Think what the Don would have made of that, eh ? They'd have used you as something to bargain with maybe.'
Pascoe stared at him. 'I am sorry. I did not think.'
'Not that our Dick'd -' He broke off and grinned. 'Beg pardon, I was forgetting my place.'
'Go on. Please.'
Allday shrugged. 'I've sailed with your uncle for a long time.' His voice was far away. 'We've seen and done a lot together. I've watched him ache for the brave lads who've fallen at his bidding. Seen him walk about a deck as if in a dream, while the planks have spouted splinters from sharpshooters trying to mark him down.' He shook himself, ashamed at betraying a deeply guarded confidence. 'He would not risk his people even for you.'
Pascoe scrambled to his feet and crossed to his side. 'For us, you mean.'
Allday smiled. 'Ah well, it's good of you to put it like that. But cox'ns are easier to get than blood relations!' Pascoe sighed. ‘I wish I could do something for him.'
A shouted challenge made Allday peer through the flap again.
'There's a rider dashing into the camp as if the goblins of Exmoor were at his tail!' Pascoe said, 'Let me look.'
Together they watched San Martin as he stood outside his tent, his dark head lowered as he squinted at a mounted trooper who was gasping for breath and shouting his message from the track below the tents.
Allday muttered, 'Something's afoot.'
Pascoe gripped his arm. 'I understand a little Spanish.'
Something in his tone made Allday forget the scene by the tents.
Pascoe added quietly, 'A fisherman has sighted a ship, a big ship.'
They stared at each other for several seconds.
Then Allday said thickly, 'If it's one ship on her own, we know which one she'll be,
'No one but a fool would stay voiceless after being made to watch that torture.'
The Spanish captain, true to his promise, was back within an hour. He seated himself on one corner of a brass-bound chest and said calmly, 'One of your men was very willing to speak with me.' He smiled sadly. 'Do not look so troubled, Teniente. Mine would sell my very soul if they were in the same position.' He became formal. 'Your ships have been in these waters for over a week, yes? You are sailing to spy upon the French, our ally. Such matters are not my concern. My orders are to command over these dogs until the bay is properly defended.' He tapped his chin with the rim of a wine goblet. 'I did discover one piece of news which may be of use to those better placed to use it. Your ships took a Spanish vessel.' His mouth twisted with sudden fury. "Those fools who brought you here were so drunk with their victory they allowed a ship to be stolen from under their noses!'
Allday thought of the knotted cord and could almost feel pity for the senior horseman with the whip.
As if to confirm his thoughts, San Martin snapped, 'It will not happen again ! '
He calmed himself with an effort. 'No matter. Your war is over. I will have you transported to more er, secure quarters where you can be held in accordance with your station.' He eyed them dully. 'I will send for some food.'
He was obviously disinterested in matters relating to any ship, friend or foe, now that he had attended to his prisoners.
Two armed soldiers escorted them to a nearby tent, and a short time later the same orderly brought a basket of bread and fruit and a large earthenware jug of coarse wine.
Pascoe said bitterly, 'Then it's over, Allday. We'll not see England for a long while.' He looked away. 'If ever.'
Allday stood by the tent flap, careful not to show himself to the sentry outside.
He replied, 'Nothing's over yet.' He added grimly, 'Be thankful for one thing. That gibbering seaman who spoke with the Don was one of Cap'n Javal's men. They all were in our party.'
Pascoe looked up at him. 'What difference does it make ?'
Allday walked from the flap and poured a mug of wine.
'Any Lysander would have known you to be the commodore's nephew.' He saw the shot go home. 'Think what the Don would have made of that, eh ? They'd have used you as something to bargain with maybe.'
Pascoe stared at him. 'I am sorry. I did not think.'
'Not that our Dick'd -' He broke off and grinned. 'Beg pardon, I was forgetting my place.'
'Go on. Please.'
Allday shrugged. 'I've sailed with your uncle for a long time.' His voice was far away. 'We've seen and done a lot together. I've watched him ache for the brave lads who've fallen at his bidding. Seen him walk about a deck as if in a dream, while the planks have spouted splinters from sharpshooters trying to mark him down.' He shook himself, ashamed at betraying a deeply guarded confidence. 'He would not risk his people even for you.'
Pascoe scrambled to his feet and crossed to his side. 'For us, you mean.'
Allday smiled. 'Ah well, it's good of you to put it like that. But cox'ns are easier to get than blood relations!' Pascoe sighed. ‘I wish I could do something for him.'
A shouted challenge made Allday peer through the flap again.
'There's a rider dashing into the camp as if the goblins of Exmoor were at his tail!' Pascoe said, 'Let me look.'
Together they watched San Martin as he stood outside his tent, his dark head lowered as he squinted at a mounted trooper who was gasping for breath and shouting his message from the track below the tents.
Allday muttered, 'Something's afoot.'
Pascoe gripped his arm. 'I understand a little Spanish.'
Something in his tone made Allday forget the scene by the tents.
Pascoe added quietly, 'A fisherman has sighted a ship, a big ship.'
They stared at each other for several seconds.
Then Allday said thickly, 'If it's one ship on her own, we know which one she'll be,
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