He coughed again, and Bolitho felt a tremor of uneasiness transmit itself through the watching officers. The strain of years of planning and fighting were paring Rodney away like a knife blade. When he had sailed for England there was not an officer in his fleet who did not believe it was his last journey and that another would return to take his place. But somewhere within that tired body was a soul of steel. Rodney intended to see no replacement in the West Indies to take either the fruits of his hard and unsparing work or the shame and misery of possible defeat.

Sir Samuel Hood said evenly, “Intelligence has reached us that there is more to de Grasse’s intentions than a mere sea victory. He has been gathering seasoned French troops, as well as supplying arms and assistance to the American colonials. He is a shrewd and dedicated strategist, and I believe he intends to exploit whatever successes he has already made.” He looked suddenly across the nearest heads and fixed his heavy lidded eyes on Bolitho.

“The captain of the frigate Phalarope has added to this information in no little amount, gentlemen!”

For a few seconds every head in the cabin turned to stare at him, and caught off guard by this turn of events Bolitho felt a tinge of confusion.

In those few seconds he got a vague impression of faces and the reactions of their owners. Some nodded approvingly, and some merely eyed him with barely masked envy. Others studied his face as if to search out some deeper meaning from the admiral’s comment. A small item of praise from Hood, and therefore condoned by the great Rodney himself, could immediately mark Bolitho as a firm rival in the ladder of promotion and reward.

Hood added dryly: “Now that you all know each other, we will continue! From this day forward our vigilance must be stepped up. Our patrols must make every effort to watch each enemy port and spare no efforts to pass information back to me. When de Grasse breaks out it will be swift and final. If we cannot call his challenge and close him in battle we are done for, and make no mistake about it!”

His deep, booming voice filled the crowded cabin, so that Bolitho could almost feel the import of his words like a physical force.

The admiral went on tirelessly and methodically to outline the known whereabouts of supply ships and enemy forces. He showed neither strain nor impatience, and there was nothing at all in his manner to betray the fact that he had only recently returned to Antigua after holding St Kitts against the whole French military force and their attendant fleet.

Sir George Rodney interrupted, “I want every one of you to study and familiarise yourselves with my signal requirements.” He looked sharply around the cabin. “I will not tolerate any officer misunderstanding my signals, any more than I accept excuses for failing to execute same!”