Praise for Julian Stockwin’s $24.00 Kydd series Q In the course of four short years, Thomas “Stockwin’s richly detailed . . . portrait of life u Kydd, former wig maker from Guildford, on ship and shore in Britain’s oceanic empire is Aa QQuuaarrtteerrddeecckk has gone from pressed man to master’s engrossing. He writes evocatively of shipboard K mate—but can he make the near-impossible routine, the panic and confusion of combat, yr step to lieutenant on the quarterdeck? d and the terrifying approach of a storm at sea, dt and he knows how to stage enthralling action S A Kydd Sea Adventure In this fi fth adventure in Julian Stockwin’s ee scenes.” a popular series, Kydd must pass a tough r —Publishers Weekly A examination to confi rm the lieutenancy d vd awarded him at the bloody battle of Camper- e “Likable Tom and his shipmates make a snug n down. But aboard the 64-gun Tenacious he e t fit in that page-turning Forester and O’Brian u faces a more daunting challenge—matching c r tradition—thanks to retired Royal Navy author e up to the high-born offi cers, who have spent Julian Stockwin was sent at the age of four- Stockwin.” k a lifetime learning to be gentlemen. With teen to TS Indefatigable, a tough sea-training —Kirkus Reviews the help of his enigmatic friend Renzi, Kydd school. He joined the British Navy at fi fteen, struggles to conform to his new world but “The vantage point of the common sailor gives transferred to the Australian Navy when his J soon discovers it’s easier to swing a cutlass the nautical novel a fresh twist. In Stockwin’s family emigrated there, and saw active service u in close quarters than negotiate the brutal hands . . . the sea story will continue to in Vietnam. He became a teacher and an edu- l minefi elds of upper-class society. Relief entrance readers across the world.” cational psychologist. Later he was commis- i comes his way when Tenacious reaches the sioned into the Royal Naval Reserve and was —The Guardian a colonies and he is unwittingly caught up in awarded the MBE. Retired from the RNR with n the danger and intrigue surrounding the “I was soon turning over the pages almost the rank of Lieutenant Commander, he now birth of the American Navy. There, in un- indecently fast . . . Roll on, the promised S lives in Devon, England. Visit him on the web charted waters, Kydd fi nds that quick wits adventures of Kydd and Renzi.” t at www.julianstockwin.com. and superior seamanship once again make —Independent o the difference between life and death. c “The appeal of the story is in the telling, which With a sure hand, Stockwin brings his usual k is atmospheric, authentic and disclosed from meticulous research and historical accuracy the unusual perspective of the ordinary sailor w to this latest Kydd adventure. Kydd, Renzi working his way up the ranks . . . the author i and the men of Tenacious struggle to do had a long career in the Royal Navy, which n their duty as King’s men, but as Kydd fi nds McBooks Press, Inc. adds to his prose that extra dash of salty ISBN-13: 978-1-59013-115-2 JJuulliiaann SSttoocckkwwiinn out, life in the colonies brings a freedom few Ithaca, New York 52400 realism.” M in English society have ever known. —Publishing News Pc www.mcbooks.com rB eo so 9 781590131152 sks Praise for Julian Stockwin’s $24.00 Kydd series Q In the course of four short years, Thomas “Stockwin’s richly detailed . . . portrait of life u Kydd, former wig maker from Guildford, on ship and shore in Britain’s oceanic empire is Aa QQuuaarrtteerrddeecckk has gone from pressed man to master’s engrossing. He writes evocatively of shipboard K mate—but can he make the near-impossible routine, the panic and confusion of combat, yr step to lieutenant on the quarterdeck? d and the terrifying approach of a storm at sea, dt and he knows how to stage enthralling action S A Kydd Sea Adventure In this fi fth adventure in Julian Stockwin’s ee scenes.” a popular series, Kydd must pass a tough r —Publishers Weekly A examination to confi rm the lieutenancy d vd awarded him at the bloody battle of Camper- e “Likable Tom and his shipmates make a snug n down. But aboard the 64-gun Tenacious he e t fit in that page-turning Forester and O’Brian u faces a more daunting challenge—matching c r tradition—thanks to retired Royal Navy author e up to the high-born offi cers, who have spent Julian Stockwin was sent at the age of four- Stockwin.” k a lifetime learning to be gentlemen. With teen to TS Indefatigable, a tough sea-training —Kirkus Reviews the help of his enigmatic friend Renzi, Kydd school. He joined the British Navy at fi fteen, struggles to conform to his new world but “The vantage point of the common sailor gives transferred to the Australian Navy when his J soon discovers it’s easier to swing a cutlass the nautical novel a fresh twist. In Stockwin’s family emigrated there, and saw active service u in close quarters than negotiate the brutal hands . . . the sea story will continue to in Vietnam. He became a teacher and an edu- l minefi elds of upper-class society. Relief entrance readers across the world.” cational psychologist. Later he was commis- i comes his way when Tenacious reaches the sioned into the Royal Naval Reserve and was —The Guardian a colonies and he is unwittingly caught up in awarded the MBE. Retired from the RNR with n the danger and intrigue surrounding the “I was soon turning over the pages almost the rank of Lieutenant Commander, he now birth of the American Navy. There, in un- indecently fast . . . Roll on, the promised S lives in Devon, England. Visit him on the web charted waters, Kydd fi nds that quick wits adventures of Kydd and Renzi.” t at www.julianstockwin.com. and superior seamanship once again make —Independent o the difference between life and death. c “The appeal of the story is in the telling, which With a sure hand, Stockwin brings his usual k is atmospheric, authentic and disclosed from meticulous research and historical accuracy the unusual perspective of the ordinary sailor w to this latest Kydd adventure. Kydd, Renzi working his way up the ranks . . . the author i and the men of Tenacious struggle to do had a long career in the Royal Navy, which n their duty as King’s men, but as Kydd fi nds McBooks Press, Inc. adds to his prose that extra dash of salty ISBN-13: 978-1-59013-115-2 JJuulliiaann SSttoocckkwwiinn out, life in the colonies brings a freedom few Ithaca, New York 52400 realism.” M in English society have ever known. —Publishing News Pc www.mcbooks.com rB eo so 9 781590131152 sks Q uarterdeck A Kydd Sea Adventure The Kydd Sea Adventures, by Julian Stockwin Kydd Artemis Seaflower Mutiny Quarterdeck Tenacious Command The Admiral’s Daughter Julian Stockwin Q uarterdeck A Kydd Sea Adventure McBooks Press, Inc. Ithaca, New York Published by McBooks Press 2005 Copyright © 2004 by Julian Stockwin First published in Great Britain in 2004 by Hodder and Stoughton A division of Hodder Headline All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without the written per- mission of the publisher. Requests for such permissions should be addressed to McBooks Press, Inc., ID Booth Building, 520 North Meadow St., Ithaca, NY 14850. Cover painting by Geoff Hunt Cover and interior designed by Panda Musgrove Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Stockwin, Julian. Quarterdeck : a Kydd sea adventure / by Julian Stockwin. p. cm. ISBN 1-59013-115-0 (hc. : alk. paper) 978-1-59013-128-2, 1-59013-128-2 (trade pbk : alk. paper) 1. Kydd, Thomas (Fictitious character)—Fiction. 2. Great Britain—History, Naval—18th century—Fiction. 3. Seafaring life—Fiction. 4. Sailors—Fiction. I. Title. PR6119.T66Q37 2005 823’.92—dc22 2005010741 Visit the McBooks Press website at www.mcbooks.com. Printed in the United States of America 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 In recent memory of Lieutenant Chris Walklett, RN A true heart of oak Prologue A clock ticked loudly in the silence. The three commis- sioners, experienced sea captains all, stared implacably at the candidate, waiting for his answer. Acting Lieutenant Thomas Kydd had every reason to feel the terror that froze his bowels: failure at this examination would see him stripped of his temporary rank and returned ingloriously to his old shipmates. “Er, well, I would—” “Come, come, sir! An easy enough question—your certifi cate of service claims sea-time in Artemis, a crack frigate as ever I’ve seen. You must have seen a fl ying moor above a dozen times.” It was unfair: here in this august Navy Offi ce board-room he was being asked to describe one of the most risky manoeu- vres, dropping anchor at speed and sailing on to the full scope of the cable, then letting go another before falling back on the two anchors. Black Jack Powlett of the Artemis would never have chanced his vessel so, Kydd thought indignantly, then took a deep breath. “Coming boldly up t’ the anchorage, I, er, would range both cables out on the gun-deck—veering parties double- banked, o’ course—an’ at m’ furthest on, let go th’ best bower. Then—” 8 Julian Stockwin “You do not feel it prudent to double bitt your cable fi rst, sir?” the fi rst commissioner interjected. Then the second came in: “And we have heard nothing of set- ting this bower a-cockbill in readiness.” “That is, if your ship has not yet a trick stopper or similar,” the fi rst added smugly. Kydd forced his mind to an icy resolve. “Aye, sir—I may have omitted t’ say that in getting the anchor off the bows it is fi rst necessary . . .” It seemed to satisfy. He dared a glance at the third member of the board, who sat hard-faced and silent, Captain Essington, the captain of Triumph in which he had served at the bloody battle of Camperdown. “Passing to navigation,” the fi rst commissioner said fl atly. Kydd’s anxieties returned: he had learned his skills at the hands of a merchant-service sailing master who had taught him a plain yet solid understanding of his craft, but Kydd knew that the Navy liked arcane descriptions and defi nitions. “We’ll begin with basic understanding, Mr Kydd. What is your conceiving of a great circle?” “Er, the plane o’ the equator when projected fr’m the centre on to a tangent plane becomes a straight line—” “Thank you. The workings of an azimuth altitude will be fa- miliar enough to you, no doubt—then clarify for me the correc- tion of the right ascension of the mean sun, if you please.” Kydd struggled, but could see frowns settling, glances ex- changed. Failure was now more than a possibility and a cold dread stole over him. If only they would ask— “Mr Kydd, you are aboard a two-decker.” It was Essington, leaning forward. Kydd shifted position to face him directly. There was no trace of compassion in the man’s eyes. “Shall we say in the Caribbean? You are scudding before a regular-going hurri- cane and you sight land—dead to loo’ard. You throw out both