“What are our orders, er, Stephen?”

Rhodes relaxed. “Nobody really knows except the lord and master. A long haul to the south’rd is all I do know. The Caribbean, maybe further still.” He shivered and glared at the nearest gunport. “God I’ll be glad to see the back of this wet misery here!” He took a quick swallow. “We’ve a good company for the most part, but with the usual seasoning of gallows-birds. The sailing master, Mr Gulliver, is newly promoted from master’s mate, but he’s a fine navigator, even if he is a bit awkward amongst his betters. By tonight we shall have a full complement of midshipmen, two of whom are twelve and thirteen respectively.” He grinned. “But don’t be slack with ’em, Richard, just because you were one yourself a dog-watch ago. Your head will be on the block, not theirs!”

Rhodes tugged a watch from his breeches. “First lieutenant will be coming off shortly. I had better chase up the hands. He likes a smart display when he steps aboard.”

He pointed to a small screened cabin. “That one is yours, Richard. Tell Poad what you need and he will get the other servants to deal with it.” Impulsively he thrust out his hand. “Good to have you with us. Welcome aboard.”

Bolitho sat in the empty wardroom listening to the clatter of blocks and rigging, the unending slap of feet above his head. Hoarse voices, the occasional trill of a boatswain’s call as a piece of gear was piped up from a boat alongside, to be stored and checked into its own special place in the hull.

Soon Bolitho would know their faces, their strengths and weaknesses. And in this low-beamed wardroom he would share his hopes and daily life with his fellows. The two other lieutenants, the marine officer, the newly appointed sailing master, the surgeon and the purser. The select few in a company which was listed as being 200 souls.

He had wanted to ask the second lieutenant about the lord and master, as he had described him. Bolitho was very young for his rank, but not so much that he did not know it would have been wrong. To share a confidence and to give a personal opinion of Destiny’s captain would be little short of madness from Rhodes ’ point of view when he had only just met the new arrival.