In Dangerous Company: The Dorset Boy Book 4 Read online

  Marty squared his shoulders and went into the house. His mother and grandfather, who was still hanging on at a grand old age, were sat in the parlour. His mother’s eyes filled up when she saw him, and he bent to hug her. She kissed him on the cheeks.

  ‘Look at you!” she said looking him over. He was in his second-best lieutenant’s uniform with his hanger and knife on his belt.

  He pulled up kitchen chairs for him and Tom leaving Alf the third comfortable chair.

  “It’s been a long time since you visited last,” she cajoled him, “but you be here now, and you did write.”

  Marty laughed and said. “It’s a bit difficult to pop home from India mum.”

  “Did it really take five month to get there?” asked Alf who had only been as far as London for their wedding, and that had taken ages even with Marty paying for coaches for all of them.

  “It certainly did, and three months to get back,” Marty replied. “I brought you this Mum.” He said taking a package wrapped in brown paper from Tom and handing it to her. She opened it and inside was a beautiful Indian silk shawl. It was a vibrant blue and had a deep burgundy fringe around the edge.

  “Oh my, that be beautiful,” she exclaimed and wrapped it around her shoulders.

  “I also have to tell you that Caroline will be bringing the babes down to visit. Mountjoy will be with her so he can do a proper plan and inventory of the estate and they will be staying for a couple of months. She wants the kids to know who their family is.”

  “That will be just grand!” Annie said and got a dreamy look in her eye at the thought of more kids running around.

  They talked until Annie got tired and then went to bed. The coach was waiting for them at dawn.

  Back on The Alouette, they began then next evolution which was getting the Marines on to the boats. They thought of slinging cargo nets over the side but that proved awkward and the marines solved the problem themselves by just shinnying down the drop ropes from the davits to get down into the boats. On The Alouette they used the entry port. They would sling nets for them to re-board.

  The marines were treating the whole thing as a competition and Marty was fairly sure bets were being placed on which boats would be loaded quickest.

  ‘All incentives to get this working efficiently,’ he told himself, ‘but I must have a word with them about the noise.’

  The boats were loaded, and they set off towards the beach. The echelon formation worked well. The boats ran up on the sand and the marines jumped over the side at the bow to avoid getting their feet wet. La Pierre had them formed up on the beach in short order and skirmishers (the poachers and a couple of footpads) were already heading inland. Marty spotted a familiar brindled shape running beside them.

  ‘How the hell did he get ashore?’

  Marty called up his gig and joined them on the beach.

  “Paul, can you get the men gathered around please,” he asked and went to stand on a small dune where everyone could hear him.

  “First of all, well done everyone. You managed that without dropping anyone or your kit over the side and did it in a good time. I think there was some competition going on and I would like to officially state that the number four boat loaded fastest.” Cheers and groans from the gathered marines as some made money and others lost.

  “But as you all loaded in a good time there will be an extra rum ration for all of you.” Cheers all around at that.

  “Now in future when we do this off the enemy coast, noise will be the enemy. You will have to do this silently.”

  There was a ripple of laughter from the back of the crowd that moved forward towards him. He paused, puzzled as to what was causing it and watched as Blaez emerged from the crowd with a fat rabbit in his mouth. He walked up to Marty, dropped the rabbit at his feet then sat looking expectantly at him.

  “Joined the poachers have you boy,” he said as he ruffled his head.

  “Would appreciate it if he didn’t accompany you when you do this for real unless I am with you,” he told the assembled men with a smile.

  “We will return to the ships. I want you all back on board as fast as possible. We might need to get away quickly in future so let’s practice that now.”

  They spent the rest of the day practicing beach landings and Marty decided that another day of practice wouldn’t hurt so they overnighted again in the bay. They were starting the last practice in the afternoon when he saw a small group of people stood on the dunes. He got a telescope and took a closer look.

  It was Caroline, his children, Mountjoy, mother and his brother Alf. Caroline waved as she saw he was looking at them. He waved back and called for his gig.

  On shore he walked up the dunes, greeted Caroline with a huge hug and kiss and picked up Bethany and James in turn and kissed them. He hugged his mother and shook hands with Mountjoy and Alf.

  “Be both of those boats yourn?” his mother asked.

  “They are ships mum, and yes they are,” he relied with a smile of pride.

  “And all them men runnin’ around on the beach?”

  “Yes those too.”

  “What they doin’ thet fer?”

  “They are practicing invading France,” he exaggerated getting a kick in the ankle from Caroline.

  “Well they be a fierce looking bunch o’ ner-do-wells. That Napoleon don’t stand much of a chance do ‘e,” she said seriously.

  Marty hid a smile. At that moment he loved his mother more than he ever had.

  “Did you just arrive?” he asked Caroline.

  “We got to your mother’s house just before noon. We had lunch and then Alf mentioned you were in the bay and said it was only an hour or so by coach,” she replied

  “He never did have much of a head for distance. It’s more like two hours.” Marty laughed. “Are you all going back to the cottage or straight to Church Knowle?”

  “We are ALL going back to Church Knowle.” Caroline said with a sly look at Alf. “He bet me that I couldn’t get your mother to stay there.”

  “She cheated,” Alf chipped in. “She got Beth to do the asking and there aint a force on earth that can refuse that babe when she uses them eyes.”

  Marty laughed, he had plenty of experience of his precocious daughter using her whiles to get her own way. His mother never stood a chance.

  He was suddenly aware that the marines were manoeuvring in skirmish line right for them. His mother’s eyes went wide, and he quickly reassured her that she was quite safe. The forward scouts passed by rapidly with an “afternoon all” and a salute. Then positioned themselves on the back face of a dune twenty yards inland. The rest of the marines moved up to the ridge Marty and his family were stood on and formed two ranks. The front rank knelt and, to the shouted orders of La Pierre, raised their muskets and fired a volley. The second rank took a step forward to the front and then they knelt and loosed off a volley as well.

  To finish it off the ships fired a timed fourteen-gun salute. Annie was flushed with excitement and James and Alf were whooping at every bang. Beth was in her mother’s arms not sure if she liked it or not, Caroline was grinning. Marty laughed, as there was no such thing as a fourteen-gun salute in the Navy, so this was just for them.

  Back on board, with his family safely on their way to the manor house at Church Knowle, Marty had called his officers into his quarters. They were all grinning happily, and he thanked them for their unexpected initiative. He then dismissed them with orders to get underway and set course for their home base.

  He had dinner with Paul La Pierre, and they were tucking into the rabbit Blaez had caught when la Pierre suddenly said.

  “You must be the luckiest man alive Martin.”

  “Why’s that?” Marty asked.

  “You have one of the most beautiful women in England for your wife, two lovely children, you have more money than the King, and you get to play with ships almost on your own terms. The only question is why do you keep doing this?” he asked gesturing at the ship ar
ound them.

  “That’s easy to answer,” he said. “It’s so I can keep what I have, have the freedom to enjoy it and have my children live in a free country so they can enjoy it after me.”

  Chapter 14 A Fiery Baptism

  Marty ran his finger down the French coastline. It was time for their first operation in anger and he wanted a target that was worthwhile but not too challenging.

  Napoleon was building up his forces for what looked like an invasion of Britain and he wanted to avoid places where there were concentrations of troops. Calais, Dunkirk, Boulogne were counted out. Brest was being blockaded so that was out too. He also didn’t want to hit ports that were used by the smugglers. That would be like cutting holes in his own pocket. He needed more information.

  He went down to Deal and found Bill Clarence, the head of the smugglers that they worked with. He was in the Waggon and Horses chatting with the landlord, Frank, whose daughter Susie had married Armand a couple of years before.

  “Bill, Frank, are you well?” Marty greeted them.

  “Marty! Nice to see you again! You bin a right stranger,” Frank exclaimed.

  “He bin in fields afar,” Bill grinned pumping his hand. “Look at his colour, he be as dark as one of them Indian fellers.”

  “That’s ‘cus I was there for close on the last three years,” Marty replied extracting his hand before it was crushed. “I was sorry to miss the wedding Frank.”

  “Ay it were a bit of a do,” Frank smiled wistfully “She looked beautiful she did.”

  “Where is Armand now then?” Marty asked.

  “Over in Calais at the moment,” Bill replied. “Keepin’ an eye on the build-up of troops and the like. Took ‘im o’er meself about a fortnight ago.”

  Just them Susie came out of the backroom and seeing Marty screamed and rushed over to him. He got stood up just in time to catch her as she threw herself into his arms.

  “Look at you!” she said pushing him away so she could look at him. “Armand said you be commin’ back. “Is Caroline with you?”

  “She’s in Dorset with my family,” Marty told her. “She wants the kids to know where their dad comes from.”

  “And so they should. I just wish we could take young Jessica over to meet his people,” Susie sighed.

  “Is she around? I’d love to meet her,” Marty said.

  “She be ‘aving a nap now, but if you are still here in an hour she will be awake then,” Susie replied then said, “Well I can’t stand here yacking all day, I got to get them pies baked.”

  “See you later then,” Marty said and patted her behind as she turned away. She flicked him a glance over her shoulder as she walked away and stuck out her tongue.

  “Now,” Marty said as he sat back down. “When can you get me over to Calais?”

  The docks at Calais were largely deserted when Marty jumped ashore from the fishing boat that had brought him from Deal. The British blockade was heavily restricting trade, but the fishing fleet was being left largely unmolested. The smugglers were welcome as they were one of the only reliable sources of income for many people.

  He made his way to an address Bill had given him on the Eastern edge of town. It was a house owned by a sympathiser where Armand was supposed to be based. He knocked on the door and an elderly man answered.

  “Hello. Can I interest you in some fine woollen cloth?” Marty asked.

  “Why yes! The season is changing, and snow is on its way,” the man responded and invited him in.

  He led Marty through to an upstairs room at the back of the house which had a spectacular view out over the area that the French army were staging their troops. Armand was sat in a comfortable chair with a large telescope on a tripod in front of him, watching the troops movements and making notes.

  He looked up and saw who had come to visit.

  “Martin!” he yelped and stood up to hug him and kiss his cheeks. “What are you doing here?”

  The old man muttered something about coffee and left.

  “Why I just had to visit my old friend now he is an old married man,” he joked. “You are looking very well on it.”

  “Pphhtt, that is Susie’s cooking. She makes the most wonderful pies,” he boasted.

  They sat and chatted while the old man came in with a tray of coffee and pastries. Once he had left Marty told Armand about their new brief and capability.

  “Tshh, those two always want more,” he said referring to Hood and Wickham.

  “What do you need from me?”

  “Information. I need to know where we can have a real impact,” Marty told him.

  “Hmm well let me think. You can discount Calais and Dunkirk. There is an infantry brigade stationed near Gravelines and they have a large ammunition store away from their camp. If you blew that up, they would hear it in London.”

  “Maybe later when we have had some practice.” Marty smiled.

  “There is a boatyard at Le Touquet that is building barges for transporting soldiers. Burning that would be good.” Armand said thoughtfully. “There is an army contingent down there and an office of the ministry of marine, and where there is an office”

  “There is gold for payment,.” they finished together laughing.

  Marty briefed his team carefully. He did it in a totally different way than any other commander in the Navy. He had managed to get a map of the town of Le Touquet and the surrounding lands and had got John and the artistic marine to make a large-scale version, which he had pinned up on the wall. He had not only the officers but non-coms down to corporal in the briefing.

  “We have two targets for our raid on Le Touquet,” he began. “The first is the shipyards where they are building barges for Napoleon’s invasion fleet. They need to be burnt to the ground. The second target is the Ministry of Marine building here in the town.” He pointed to the locations with a long stick. “Lieutenant La Pierre will brief you on the teams and plan.”

  “I will lead the shipyards team with Sergeant Edney. The team will be made up thirty men in five, six-man squads each led by a corporal. These men will deploy from the drop off point here on the beach and proceed north to the estuary where the boatyards are located here.” He indicated an area just inside the estuary on its south bank. “Four squads will burn the yards and the other two will cover these two access roads and make sure we are not disturbed. That will be Corpr’l Stokes team here and Corpr’l Everett’s here.

  The second team will deploy from the same drop off point and will be led by Lieutenant Stockley and Sergeant Bright. This team will be twenty men in two squads of ten. The forward scouts, the house breakers and cat burglars will be in this team,” he added with a grin.

  “Not to mention the lock picks and pick pockets,” Marty added as he stood to take over.

  “The teams will be led by myself and the good Sergeant. Mine will be responsible for entering and searching the Ministry building. Sergeant Bright will secure the area and our line of escape. There is a contingent of French Infantry in the area so if the alarm goes up, we may have to fight our way out of town. Any questions?”

  They carried on for another half hour about timings and the signals, which would be given by rockets as the whole attack would be done by the full moon. If all went well the whole thing would be over in a couple of hours.

  It was beautiful clear night as the two ships ghosted along under minimum sail. The Milky Way was clearly visible as a huge smear of stars across the heavens and the occasional shooting star was seen to cleave Orion’s Belt.

  As they saw the outlines of the landmarks that surrounded Le Touquet come into line Marty knew they had reached the correct position and ordered the foresails backed. The backward pressure of the foresails was balanced by the thrust of the main and mizzen topsails and the ship came to a silent halt.

  The whalers were lowered to the water and the crews shinnied down the ropes to take their positions at the oars. Once they were set the marines came down the ropes and silently took position
along the centreline. The shipyard team carried un-primed, but loaded muskets, a fearsome selection of edged weapons and the necessary materials to set the boatyards ablaze. Martin’s raiding party carried the same array of weaponry but had bread sacks tucked through their belts to carry documents back with them.

  Marty waited until he got the signal from the Honfleur that they were ready and jumped down into his boat. He looked at his men. They all had dark clothes and blackened faces. The purser had bought in a stock of cork just for this purpose. Burnt cork mixed with a bit of fat made a superb face black.

  The boats formed up on Marty’s, which was number three and would be the point of the echelon with Ryan Thompson commanding it. When they were set, he gave the command to row for the beach. They went at a steady pace and the oars were muffled with cloths around the oarlocks to minimize noise.

  The boat glided up on to the sand and the marines made their way forward to jump over either side of the bow while a couple of sailors jumped over either side and steadied the boat, stopping it turning.

  The corporals got their squads together and the sergeants organised the corporals. Lieutenant La Pierre organised the Sergeants and the fire team moved out to the North. Sergeant Bright didn’t give Marty a chance to interfere with his marines and got their two squads into shape and moving leaving Marty to run and catch up.

  Marty thought he had left Blaez onboard, but a dark shape ran up beside him and settled down to pace him. How the hell? He thought but then the dog brushed against him and he suddenly had a very wet patch on his leg. He swam ashore! He realised. He was suddenly very proud of his companion.

  The fire team made their way steadily along the beach. It was harder going than running on hard ground, so they stayed close to the waterline where the sand was firmer. As they got closer to the boatyards, they picked up the smell of freshly sawn wood and tar. The scouts, who ranged ahead suddenly stopped and a hand was held up. The marines immediately stopped and dropped to a knee. La Pierre and Sergeant Edney crept forward and dropped down beside them.