Jermain waited. ‘What happened?’

  Conway shrugged. ‘He ran up the road and threw himself across the tracks of the tank. He was carrying our last grenades. Just before they blew the tracks off the tank he was smashed to pulp. Ground down like a beetle!’ He shook his head. ‘I’ll never forget him. Never.’

  ‘He must have been a brave fellow.’ Jermain was reluctant to speak. To break die spell.

  Conway snorted. ‘Maybe. But it was a damn stupid waste! When the war was over I was full up to here! I wanted to try and put things right. To make sure it couldn’t happen again! I pushed my way into politics. You have to push in our party Of course, my old mates despised me for it. Thought I was “ratting” on them. But I pressed on. And I made it.’ He peered at Jermain’s grave features. ‘The country can’t afford hundreds of useless bases just for the personal importance of a few brasshats! So what we have must be good. It must be better than anyone else’s!’ He smiled awkwardly. ‘Like your submarine. It’s probably worth more than all the other ships in the Far East Fleet at this moment!’

  He continued in his thick voice, ‘But we must not think of the Far East merely in terms of power and conflict. That’s where we come in, we’re not too involved as yet. The Americans and the Chinese are involved, and both are resigned to confrontation at the best, and at worst,’ he shrugged, ‘World War Three, is my guess.’

  Jermain said slowly, ‘And you read my report?’

  ‘I did. It worried me. It still does.’ He leaned back in his chair and plucked his shirt away from his ribs. ‘I get all my reports direct from Whitehall. I like it that way. I don’t have to crawl to Sir John for scraps of information which will probably be useless anyway! I like to cut through the red tape.’ He winked. ‘Or is it blue tape in the Navy?’

  Jermain smiled. ‘I know what you mean.’

  Conway wagged his pipe. ‘ ’Course, they’re not all like that. A contact of mine, a Vice-Admiral Vane, he’s a sharp one if you like!’

  Jermain pictured the little admiral standing in his cabin aboard Temeraire with the Gareloch swilling against the moored hull. It seemed so long ago. So remote.

  ‘Vane has seen your report. He thinks as I do. That the Chinese are up to something.’ He laughed shortly. ‘If your guess is wrong, then we’re none the worse off, as I see it.’

  ‘And if I’m right?’ Jermain found he was leaning forward.

  ‘One of my jobs out here is to put out feelers. Not a direct peace offensive, but a kind of neutralising probe, as the newspapers would say.’

  Jermain could feel the excitement rising within him. ‘Let me guess. You’re talking about Korea?’

  ‘Right first time. If we could find some way to bring the North and South together after all this time it would be a major step towards peace out here. It would be like uniting Berlin, or clearing up the mess in Viet Nam.’ His eyes gleamed, ‘That’s why our Defence Commission has to show first that we are willing to pare down military strength to basic require ments.’ He grinned widely. ‘This is all top secret, of course!’

  Jermain returned his smile. ‘So is the Temeraire!’

  ‘Just so. That was why I wanted to see you. You’ll be getting fresh orders soon, as you know. You’ll be going up north for a bit to work with the Americans again.’

  ‘You know more than I do.’ Jermain stared at him.

  ‘Have to, in my job. I can tell you too that I’ll be up there myself. I’II be contacting a few people from the other side. All very cloak-and-dagger!’

  ‘A bit risky, isn’t it?’

  ‘I don’t think so. I’d not be taking my daughter otherwise, would I?’

  Jermain persisted, ‘You think that the Chinese would try something to break up any sort of interchange?’

  ‘Wouldn’t you, for God’s sake? They’re bound to suspect our motives. But we’ll take it step at a time. Nice an’ easy!’

  ‘Where do I come in?’ Jermain watched the other man’s mind at work behind his dreamy eyes.

  ‘Maybe nowhere. But you might be our only real link. You’ll get more orders and counter-orders I expect. The Americans will be told about your sonar contact. They might take it as a hint to clear their Polaris submarines out of any area where they might be detected. If the Chinese could provoke an incident on Korea’s doorstep during our peace feelers, it would be a disaster.’ He tapped out his pipe. ‘They’ve been moving troops into North Korea for weeks. It’s not just for the hell of it!’

  A car screeched to a halt outside the house and Conway grinned. ‘Jill’s back. The date can’t have been up to much!’ He eyed Jermain thoughtfully. ‘Not much like her dad, is she? I’ve done my best for her, but she’s earned, all that she’s got.’ He cocked his head on one side. ‘When I was driving a truck I never thought my kid would go to university and get an honours degree and all the rest of it. It was just a pipe dream then.’

  ‘Does she help you a good deal?’ Jermain heard a telephone ringing and the girl’s voice answering it.

  Conway frowned. ‘She does a hell of a lot. She tackles the welfare side of the job. You know, all the clutter about rehousing and re-employing local families who lose their jobs when we close down a base here and there.’

  The door opened and the girl stood framed in the entrance. She spoke to her father, but her eyes were on Jermain. ‘That was the Temeraire on the phone. They want Commander Jermain back aboard right away.’ Jermain was halfway to his feet as she continued, ‘Something about an argument.’ She raised her eyebrows. ‘Is that serious?’

  Conway led the way to the door. ‘Depends who is doing the arguing, my girl!’

  He turned to Jermain. ‘Sorry about this. I was enjoying our talk. I’ll send for the car.’

  The girl was already down the steps. ‘I’ll drive him, Dad. It’ll be quicker.’ She looked at Jermain. ‘The fresh air will help to clear your mind for the fray!’

  *  *  *

  Jermain sat with his fingers interlaced on his desk blotter and stared steadily at Wolfe. The first lieutenant was standing directly in front of him, his cap under his arm, his eyes fixed on some point above Jermain’s right shoulder.

  It was morning and beyond the closed door Jermain could hear the muffled sounds of normality and purpose. The squeak of a hoist, the casual mutter of conversation from the men at work. Up on deck, their bodies bared to the early sunshine, more men would be busy with paint-brushes restoring the fat hull to its old dull lustre and removing the telltale scars of shell splinters. But down in the cabin it was still and quiet, with only the fans and their own breathing to break the spell.

  Jermain said evenly, ‘I’ve just seen young Colquhoun and beard all that he had to say. Now what is your story?’

  ‘I’m not a bit surprised at his attitude.’ Wolfe seemed very calm. ‘I’ve been riding him pretty hard since I joined the boat because of his general slackness. As you know, he thinks the Navy owes him a living!’

  ‘I’m afraid I don’t know.’ Jermain felt tired. He had driven back from Conway’s house in almost complete silence. Wrapped in his own thoughts, yet all the time conscious of the girl beside him. Only when the car had jolted to a halt on the jetty had she interrupted his ruminations.

  ‘You know, Commander, you really care about your men, don’t you?’

  Jermain had dragged his eyes from the depot ship’s pale side where the quartermaster watched them in silence. ‘Does that iurprise you?’

  She smiled. ‘With most of the men I’ve met, it’s just show. Only for the record!’

  He had seen her eyes shining in the reflected headlamps, had wanted to stay and be alone with her. He had replied slowly, ‘I’m sorry to drag you out here like this. I had hoped we might talk some more.’ He had felt foolish under the calm scrutiny. ‘But then I expect you’re pretty hard to pin down?’

  She had switched on the engine, her face in deep thought, as if weighing his words. ‘Perhaps I’ll see you around, Commander. It’s a small town, for all its noise!’

  Jermain had watched her drive back towards the gates and had climbed up the steep brow to the depot ship.

  An apprehensive group had been waiting for him in the Temeraire’s wardroom. Colquhoun, flushed but defiant. Griffin, the doctor, still dressed in mess kit and smelling of someone’s perfume, and Oxley, who seemed to have taken charge of the situation.

  Jermain had listened to each and all of them, his first fears giving way to disappointment and then anger. He had made no judgement at that moment. Tempers were too frayed, opinions too vague for real assessment. But alone for a moment with Griffin he had asked sharply, ‘Well, was he drunk?’

  Surgeon Lieutenant Toby Griffin often appeared offhand and easy-going, but when it came to his own trade he was very exact. ‘I examined Number One as soon as I came aboard, sir. In my opinion he had not had very much to drink.’

  Jermain’s mind had moved quickly to the next point. ‘So all this about the O.O.D. putting him under arrest might have been to covet up something else?’ It was an unfair question, but to avoid this matter getting beyond the Temeraire’s hull speed and clarity were essential.

  Griffin had repeated, ‘He was not, in my opinion, too drunk to know what he was doing. But I do think he was suffering a form of intoxication.’ He had hurried on as Jermain’s face had become grimmer. ‘Maybe he had been taking drugs, for a headache perhaps? Anything like that added to a few normal drinks could produce the same result. I know for a fact he had eaten nothing all day. He seemed to be worried about something’

  Now, in the calm of the morning it was hard to imagine anything abnormal had ever occurred. If anything, Wolfe seemed more amused than angry.

  Jermain started again. ‘Tell me in your own words what happened.’

  Wolfe shrugged. ‘I went ashore. When I returned aboard the boat was a shambles. No trot sentry, and the duty petty officer out of the rig-of-the-day lounging about the mess decks. Then I found Colquhoun in his cabin.’ He breathed out hard. ‘Drinking, if you please, with a junior rating!’ He shifted his glance momentarily to Jermain’s face. ‘Now, if that’s normal, just say so!’

  Jermain said, ‘Colquhoun states that you were insulting and made certain allegations. In other words, you were drunk.’

  Wolfe sighed. ‘He must be off his head. I was angry right enough, and with good reason. He just lost his head, that’s all.’

  ‘I see.’ He tapped his desk. ‘Well, I’ve told Colquhoun what I think about it.’ Jermain watched for some sign of uncertainty, but Wolfe’s gaze was steady. ‘He was upset, over-anxious, and in his position it seemed quite reasonable. The rating, Light-foot, had had some bad news from home. Colquhoun thought he was doing the right thing.’

  Wolfe said stiffly, ‘So you’re taking his side?’ He shrugged. ‘I spoke my mind to him, and he took the easy way out, or so he thought.’

  Jermain eyed him coldly. ‘Don’t be such a bloody fool! You know it’s not as simple as that. I know he acted hastily, but he hasn’t your experience. This is a new crew, untried, and unsettled by all trouble we’ve been having. I expect you to set them an example and not add to their problems!’

  Wolfe nodded. ‘I know it’s hard for you. I’m sorry. It can’t be easy to have to back an incompetent officer just because his father is your admiral.’ He sounded quite reasonable.

  Jermain stood up, his eyes blazing. ‘You know damn well there’s nothing like that about it!’

  ‘I’m sorry, sir. I must have misunderstood.’ Wolfe studied him flatly.

  ‘If this thing goes any further it might mean a court martial. I intend to see that it does not!’ Jermain made himself sit down again. ‘For one thing, I have already spoken sharply to Colquhoun and explained in no uncertain terms that there are required ways of behaving. That it is not his lot to entertain ratings in his cabin, no matter how deserving it might appear to be.’ He added harshly, ‘And I am not convinced that your attitude was blameless either!’

  Wolfe drew himself up very stiffly. ‘Then there is to be an enquiry, sir?’

  ‘No.’ Jermain got a brief picture of Colquhoun’s pale face, his mouth set in a stubborn line as he had listened to his words that morning. He continued, ‘To behave as you did in front of two ratings is far more damaging. And at this stage of events I would have expected you to act differently.’

  ‘So I suppose it’s all over the boat now.’ Wolfe gave a small sigh. ‘Well, I suppose I might have guessed that would happen. I underestimated Colquhoun, it seems.’

  Jermain ignored him. ‘Mason, the duty P.O., is slow, but one hundred percent reliable. It won’t go beyond him. As for Lightfoot. We shall just have to hope that he has too much on his mind to complicate matters.’

  ‘And you’re doing this for me? Because of our friendship?’

  Jermain leaned back in his chair. ‘Partly, perhaps. I want you to get over your Old troubles, and I need you to help me run this boat. In the next few weeks, maybe even days, we shall be required to act as a combat-ready submarine, and all that it entails. If I lost interest it would mean a court martial, and that would do more than damage reputations, it would injure the efficiency of the Temeraire.’ His tone hardened. ‘And that I will not tolerate, do you understand?’

  ‘Perfectly, sir.’

  ‘In any case, if there was an enquiry outside this boat it might wreck your chances of a command at any time.’

  ‘You are implying that they might doubt my sanity, sir?’ Wolfe’s eyes were very bright. ‘I consider that I acted as any responsible officer would under the same circumstances. I may have made a joke to Colquhoun, but if he implied that I said more, then I shall deny it.’

  ‘Colquhoun has merely stated that he thought you were too drunk to know what you were doing. We’ve all been under strain, so let’s leave it at that!’ Jermain dropped his voice. ‘But I will not destroy everything we’ve worked for just because of a few petty jealousies and hatreds! I have lost an officer killed. I am not losing more officers in a legal tangle to suit you, Colquhoun or anybody else, is that understood?’

  Wolfe nodded. ‘Yes, sir.’

  ‘Very well.’ Jermain softened his voice slightly, hating the barrier between them. ‘And try not to let your domestic affairs interfere with your life now.’

  He stared hard at Wolfe’s impassive face and wondered. He wanted to ask him about the pills Griffin had said he was taking. To break through and find the man he had known so well in the past. But he could not bring himself to do it. Not here and now. Wolfe had enough on his mind for a bit.

  Colquhoun had acted hastily and without thought. In submarines discipline was often at variance with the rest of the Service, but, nevertheless, he obviously felt he had no alternative. If they could get to sea again things might be different.

  Of one thing he was certain. If Wolfe left the Temeraire under a cloud he was finished. Finally and for good. The Navy looked after its own in so many ways but was equally ruthless with those who betrayed its code and ritualistic management.

  Jermain was equally certain that if Wolfe let his emotions betray himself in the open once more, it would be the Temeraire’s captain whose sword would lie on the court-martial table. The same rules covered all men.

  He added, ‘I saw Conway last night. I gather we might be used in something big pretty soon. When it comes we must be ready.’

  Wolfe replied calmly, ‘Yes, sir. I heard that you had come back with his daughter.’ There was no emotion in his voice yet Jermain felt a sting in his brief comment.

  He said wearily, ‘Very well, Number One. You can return to your duties. I hope this incident will be forgotten, and quickly!’

  Wolfe paused with his hand on the door handle. ‘About my wife, sir. Your sister, that is.’ He watched Jermain dispassionately. ‘I realise you think she was a blameless angel. Even taking into consideration that she nearly left me on two previous occasions and that she eventually went off with her Yank, I still believe she was talked into it. But I was left out of the matter. Shut off like a damned schoolboy!’ He continued in the same flat voice, ‘So you see, I’ve had a lot to consider.’

  ‘I know. And I’m sorry.’

  Wolfe opened the door, then said dryly, ‘Good. That makes me feel a lot better.’

  When the door had closed Jermain dropped his head on to his hands. It was no good. Wolfe was sick with bitterness and self-pity. He might even be a danger to others if pressed too much.

  He found his eyes drawn towards his personal signal pad, but instantly dismissed the sudden impulse. He remembered Wolfe’s face as he had stepped aboard in Scotland. The look of need and reprieve.

  Like the Temeraire herself, he had to be given his chance.

  *  *  *

  The battered sports car wound its way through the press of traffic and somehow managed to filter into a narrow side street. Jermain sat fascinated as a yelling trishaw driver appeared beside his door, and wondered what would happen if the car actually came to a halt. He imagined that the surging mass of people and vehicles would pile up and up into an immovable tangle until the street was filled.

  His mind was still confused with the speed of events which had taken him from the busy activity of the Temeraire’s clinical atmosphere to this open car and the girl who sat seemingly relaxed behind the wheel.

  He had received a brief telephone call whilst working through a mass of reports at his desk. She had sounded casual, and her invitation to ‘take a look round’ had been matter of fact, as if she did not really care one way or the other.