Ramage read out the total figures.

Alexis, who knew that the two frigates concerned were the prizes the Calypso had captured at Devil's Island, gave a contemptuous sniff. "That doesn't seem a very good price for two splendid frigates!"

"Please excuse my sister," Yorke said jocularly.

"But no," Alexis protested, "there's not a ship in our fleet whose hull is not insured for more than three times one of those frigates."

"They carry more than three times the cargo!" Yorke said.

"I'm talking of the hull insurance only. Anyway .they're not so dangerous to capture," Alexis protested, to be calmed by a smiling Southwick.

"If we captured such a French merchant ship laden with cargo. ma'am, we'd probably get three times the prize money."

Ramage nodded in agreement and opened the next packet. His orders for the convoy. "Seventy-two ships," he commented to no one in particular. "All the ships rendezvous here, thank goodness.'

"Why is that a good thing?" Alexis asked, collecting a frown from her brother. "Oh, pardon me: these are not matters concerning women!"

"They concern the Emerald, so they concern you," Ramage said idly, his eyes skimming down the copperplate handwriting of Tewtin's clerk. "The advantage of sailing from here is that all seventy-two ships must assemble here by the set date, and then we all sail together. But if we started with, say, twenty-five from here, and then went on to pick up ten from St Vincent, and another fifteen from St Lucia, and the rest from Tortola, we'd be delayed a month . . . at St Vincent there'd be three ships still waiting for the last of their cargo, and they'd have a sorry story that if I did not wait they'd have to sail in the next convoy and they'd be ruined . . . and so it would go on. Here, if there are only sixty-five ships ready when the convoy is due to sail, Admiral Tewtin will send us on our way . . ."

"I love Barbados," Alexis said. "Can Sidney and I persuade you to come to the races with us tomorrow afternoon - after a meal on board the Emerald?"

Ramage looked at Yorke for confirmation but he grinned. "You'll get used to it," he said cheerfully. "I own the shares in the company but she runs.it."

"You don't own all of them," she protested.

"Not all," he said mockingly, "but enough that I don't have to listen to you."

"But you do, though."

"Just out of politeness," he said, and Ramage saw the affection in his glance.

As the captain's coxswain, Jackson always commanded the boat carrying Ramage to and from another ship; while he steered the Calypso's cutter towards the flagship he reflected on the years he had served with Mr Ramage, and how often they had been in action together, frequently side by side.

From there it was an easy daydream trying to remember how often each had saved the other's life. Jackson eventually gave up trying to reach a total because how did one count a shouted warning which saved death from a slashing sword or a well aimed pistol, compared with actually warding off the sword, or shooting down the man aiming the pistol?

It was a pointless exercise anyway because, as far as he could see, the two of them were running about equal, and if they were to stay alive and die of old age, they were going to have to carry on as before until this war ended - if it ever did.

Apart from the recent year and a half following the Treaty of Amiens, which did not really count, Jackson found he could not remember what peace was like: the war had been going on for - well, it must be eight or nine years now.

Ramage, sitting in the sternsheets and trying to get some shade from the brim of his hat, although as many rays reflected up from the waves as came directly from the sun, suddenly had a shock. He had been thinking of Sarah, and how many more tedious weeks of worry must pass before he had any definite news, when he found that he could not recall her face.

Every time he called on his memory, he saw only a blur. Yes, her voice came, and a few of her mannerisms: he could hear some of her little jokes and many of the whispered endearments. But her face, like an elusive word or name, refused to appear.

In her place he saw Alexis, and guiltily he dismissed her immediately, telling himself that as he had been talking to her only a few hours ago it was hardly surprising she came to mind so readily.

And here was the Queen: already her lookouts had hailed, already Jackson had shouted back the answer: "Calypso!", warning the flagship that the approaching boat carried the captain of the named ship, and ensuring that sideboys would be ready, holding out the sideropes.

Ramage grasped the canvas pouch which had been resting on.his lap. Rear-Admiral Tewtin would want to talk about the convoy: what route Ramage intended to take back to England (and the answer to that would be that it depended on wind direction), and no doubt a few ships would be mentioned as being of special concern - meaning the owners were friends of the admiral, or friends were shipping cargoes in those ships.

In fact. Ramage found the admiral in good humour. Or, to be more exact, once he found that Ramage accepted the valuations of the two frigates, he stayed in the good humour with which he had obviously greeted the dawn.

"You read the papers about the convoy?"

"Yes, sir, and the sailing date. No delays if ships haven't arrived?"

"Indeed not. The merchants throughout the islands have had the date for weeks. But can you be ready?"

"Yes, sir: we've started provisioning, and wooding and watering shouldn't take too long. But you didn't mention what other ships I'd have."

"Why, bless my soul!" Tewtin said, "the two prizes, of course!"

"But sir, they've neither ships' companies nor sufficient provisions. And L'Espoir is only armed en flûte."Ramage had a sudden picture of Tewtin expecting him to sail the ships to England with the original prize crews - two thirds of the Calypso's ship's company, in other words, leaving him with three virtually defenceless frigates to defend both themselves and the convoy.

Tewtin apparently correctly interpreted the reasons for the dismay showing on Ramage's face. "I'm making two of my lieutenants post, to command; two other promising young lieutenants will become first lieutenants, and four young lieutenants who should never have gone to sea will be getting their last chance ... All thanks to you bringing in a couple of prize frigates. Ramage. Now I've been frank with you. I've put in good captains and good first lieutenants ..."

"And the ship's company, sir? Aren't you short of seamen?"

The admiral looked slightly embarrassed. "Well, yes, I wish I could give you more men in both frigates, but you know how it is out here in the West Indies. I've lost a thousand men from yellow fever in the last year."

"So what's being done to make up the shortages in those two ships, sir?" Ramage asked, although, since he knew, the answer would be a formality.

"Take what you need from the best-manned ships in the convoy," Tewtin said nonchalantly. "Tell any masters who complain that the men will be more useful protecting the merchantmen by serving a gun in a frigate than cowering behind a few casks of molasses."

That was one thing about Tewtin, Ramage admitted: he did not beat about the bush. He had just found a way of sending the June convoy to England without having to use even one of his own frigates; he had been able to use two of the prizes to make post two of his favourite lieutenants and give two more of them hefty promotions (and at the same time get rid of some duds).

The hint that the Count of Rennes was a friend of the Prince of Wales and that it might be unwise to delay his return to England had made little impression: Tewtin might only be a rear-admiral but obviously he knew (or guessed) enough about Court life to know that Prinny's attention could be held at most for only a couple of minutes, unless the subject concerned women or the latest fashion in men's clothing.