Ransome's Honor by Kaye Dacus Read Free Book Online Page B

over the top of a letter from a former commander. “Why shouldn’t I? You might as well have a seat, Ned.”
    “Just tell me!” Cochrane grabbed the back of the chair nearest him and shook it as if it were his adversary. “Are we being turned out or not?”
    The muscles in William’s cheeks ached with the effort to hold back his smile. He skimmed through a few more letters. “May I remind you, Mr. Cochrane, at this moment, I am still captain of this ship and your superior officer. You might try to remember that fact when addressing me.”
    Cochrane flopped into one of the chairs with a sigh. Within the time frame, the other officers entered, each in varying states of dress, most in their shirtsleeves, a few with trousers and uniform coats hastily pulled on.
    Once assured all were present, William dismissed Dawling and rose, clasping his hands behind his back.
    “I know every man aboard is anxious to hear what orders Admiral Witherington has for us.” He paused and looked around the room at each of his officers. “The entire crew must vacate by noon tomorrow All personal belongings left behind will become the salvage of the dockyard crew.”
    The officers shifted and murmured at the word salvage, and William had never seen a darker scowl on Cochrane’s face. William schooled his own expression before continuing. “Alexandra will be turned over to the dockmaster at noon tomorrow and—”
    “Not decommissioned!”
    “Sir! Turned over?”
    “They canna’ scrap her, sir!”
    “She’s still a sound ship, even if she is patched up, sir!”
    “Did you tell the Admiral—”
    “Silence.” William barely had to raise his voice for the assemblage to come back to order. “As I was saying, Alexandra will be given over to the dockmaster tomorrow...for a complete refitting in preparation for our next assignment.”
    A quiver of excitement ran around the room like a storm swell, but this time they waited for William to finish.
    “The crew and officers are, as of noon tomorrow, at liberty. Officers will report back to me at the Admiralty on eleventh August; crew are to report back two days later. We will have less than a fortnight to fit up and supply her before we weigh anchor twenty-sixth August.”
    Exclamations of relief and gratitude filled the room, and the atmosphere changed from tense to celebratory. Above the noise, Cochrane made himself heard. “Where will we be going, sir?”
    “Gentlemen, the war with America continues, and more ships are needed to patrol the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico for blockaderunners.” Now William let his smile show.
    The men exclaimed over their good luck of spending the winter in the balmy climate most of them had only heard about.
    “Sir, some o’ the men who came to us pressed two years ago—wha if they don’t come back from leave?” the boatswain asked.
    “Matthews, any man of the crew who decides he does not want to sign on for our new assignment may stay behind. Replacements will be easy to find. I have ten requests for positions here,” William held up the stack of letters, “from highly qualified sailors and officers desperate for a ship.”
    Every officer in the crowded dining cabin eyed the pages, smiles dimming.
    “Lieutenant Eastwick, you may return to the deck and tell the crew currently on watch. Lieutenant Cochrane, rouse the petty officers to pass the orders to them and have them wake the sailors at six o’clock. Master Ingleby, the midshipmen are yours for the telling. If there are no further questions...?”
    To a man, everyone murmured, “No sir.”
    “Dismissed. I have some packing to do.” William joined their laughter and called for Dawling.
    The burly sailor pushed his way into the cabin through the outflow of officers. “Should I wake Cook, sir? He’ll need extra help packing up his pots and pans, and the purser-well, he were here, weren’t he?”
    William really should say something to Dawling about listening at the door, but as the