‘Mr Kydd, how dare you, sir! To think to approach me in my own headquarters, demanding a hearing in such an impetuous manner.’ Admiral Sir James Saumarez stood upright at his desk, clearly outraged. ‘I’ll remind you, sir, that you narrowly escaped court-martial by your contemptible actions and must be satisfied with a dismissal!’

Commander Kydd held his impatience in check: at long last he had the evidence to prove false the accusation that had led to being removed from command of his beloved Teazer and his first lieutenant Christopher Standish given the ship. ‘Sir, I beg leave to place before ye – this.’ He handed over a small, folded piece of paper.

Saumarez inspected it – then flung the sheet down with contempt. ‘Mr Kydd! If this is a brazen attempt to implicate me—’

‘No, sir, it is not. Those are the secret orders I found within your reg’lar instructions as made me act as I did, an’ which—’

‘It’s nothing but a crude forgery! And not in the proper form as you must well allow.’

‘Sir, I acted in good faith as I’ve never seen secret orders afore. I couldn’t produce it for ye in your investigation, as it was stolen from me, but now I can! If you’d be so good as to hear me out...’

Saumarez’s expression remained stony but he sat reluctantly, and as Kydd told his story, the admiral’s anger was replaced first by bewilderment, then dismay.

It was a sorry tale: driven by envy and resentment at Kydd’s successes, a more senior captain had arranged for false secret orders to be inserted into Kydd’s main instructions that had him clandestinely retrieving a chest ashore. After a tip-off by an anonymous informer, a formal search was made of HMS Teazer on her return and the chest was found to contain smuggled goods. The upright and honourable Admiral Saumarez had seen no option other than to remove the ship’s captain from his command.

Still standing, Kydd produced a second sheet of paper. ‘And this is Lieutenant Prosser’s confession, sir – he agrees to testify against Commander Carthew as principal in the matter.’

‘Thank you, Mr Kydd,’ Saumarez said heavily. ‘If this is true, it is a particularly sad circumstance, imputing as it does an appalling transgression against common morality on the part of an officer of my command. It were best I should bring this matter to a head without a moment’s delay.’

The admiral rang a bell and ordered his flag-lieutenant, ‘Commander Carthew, Scorpion, and Lieutenant Prosser, Teazer, to attend me here within the hour.’ Then he turned back to Kydd. ‘You’ll oblige me by remaining, sir, while I establish if there is a case to answer.’

Carthew entered the room, his dress uniform immaculate. When he caught sight of Kydd he recoiled.

‘Sit, if you please, Mr Carthew – there, sir,’ Saumarez said, indicating the place opposite Kydd.

‘Mr Prosser, sir.’ The flag-lieutenant ushered in a haggard-looking officer who stared doggedly downwards. Carthew was clearly disconcerted to see him.

‘Now this should not take long, gentlemen,’ Saumarez began. 'Mr Kydd has laid before me evidence of a conspiracy that resulted in the loss of his ship and his good name. We are here to—’

‘Sir!’ Carthew said thickly with a murderous glance at Kydd. ‘Surely you’re not to be swayed by anything said by this proven blackguard! He’s—’

‘Mr Prosser,’ Saumarez said flatly, ignoring Carthew. ‘Do you recognise this?’ He handed across a paper.

‘I do, sir,’ the man said miserably, in barely a whisper.

‘Did you or did you not give Mr Kydd to understand that it was part of his orders from this office?’

‘I did.’

Carthew turned pale.

‘Under whose instructions?’ Saumarez continued.

‘Mr Carthew’s, sir,’ Prosser muttered.

‘This you will swear in court?’

After a tense silence he replied, ‘I – I will.’

Saumarez gave a sharp intake of breath. ‘You shall have your chance to rebut in due course, Mr Carthew. I find that this matter shall go forward in law.’

‘You, Mr Prosser, may as of this moment consider yourself under open arrest. Mr Carthew, your case is more serious and I can see no alternative but-’

Carthew’s chair crashed to the ground as he leapt up, chest heaving, crazed eyes fixed on Kydd. ‘You – I’ll see you in hell...’ His words choked off and with a panicked glance at Saumarez he pushed wildly away.

‘Commander! Return at once, sir!’

At the door Carthew knocked the flag-lieutenant aside savagely and ran down the stairs.

‘Stop that officer!’ Saumarez roared.

Kydd leaped to his feet and followed. Shocked faces peered out of offices at the commotion. The noise of the footsteps stopped and when Kydd reached the main entrance Carthew was nowhere in sight. ‘Where did the officer go?’ he demanded to a bewildered sentry.

‘Well, an’ I was salutin’ like,’ the man said. Even a hurrying officer still required the stamp and flourish of a musket salute with eyes held rigid to the front in respect.

Two marines with ported muskets appeared. ‘Too late – he’s gone,’ Kydd snapped and returned to Saumarez. ‘Nowhere to be found, sir.’

‘Then I take it he’s absconded. Flags – do alert the provost, he’s to be returned here without delay.’ He turned to Prosser, ‘You, sir, will hold yourself in readiness to make deposition concerning this lamentable business. Now leave us.’

‘Mr Kydd,’ Saumarez began gravely, ‘I’m faced with a dilemma. By his actions Commander Carthew stands condemned, and will answer for it at his court-martial, as will Lieutenant Prosser.

‘What I am concerned for is that you, Mr Kydd, do see justice. In fine, a public disgrace – losing your ship – should at the least deserve a public restoring. Yes, that must be the right and proper thing to do.’

Kydd’s pulse beat faster: could it be – was he to step aboard Teazer as her captain once again? He tried to appear calm.

‘Yet at the same time there is something of a moral difficulty.’

Kydd’s heart felt about to burst.

‘I can see you have already considered the grave consequences of your assuming command of Teazer at this time, and it does you the utmost credit, sir,’ he said warmly.

Fearful of betraying his feelings Kydd dropped his eyes as Saumarez went on, ‘Therefore I shall relieve you of any responsibility by saying that in my opinion the claims of natural justice outweigh those of position and advancement.’

Kydd looked up, struggling to make sense of what was being said.

Saumarez continued, ‘Conceivably the circumstances should properly be construed as the unfortunate relinquishing of command which, in the nature of the sea service, must from time to time occur.’

So he was not going to be allowed to take back Teazer!

Saumarez saw Kydd’s stricken face and hastened to console him. ‘Pray do not allow your natural human feeling to affect you so, sir! Consider – in leaving command Mr Standish must in any event revert to lieutenant; he is an acting commander only and therefore the mercy is, that by this happenstance he will be spared being sent ashore as unemployed.’

Kydd’s mind whirled: he certainly did not want the arrogant prig back as his lieutenant after the contempt he had shown for him when he had become a privateer captain. ‘I – I do see that, sir,’ he managed, ‘But I have concern that the hands might not show proper respect, he being reduced back to lieutenant an’ all.’

Saumarez pondered for a moment. ‘Oh, quite. Then you shall have a new lieutenant. I see no reason to delay matters; the sooner this sorry affair is concluded the better for all. I shall draw up your letter of appointment immediately, Mr Kydd.’

After having allowed Standish the decency of a couple of days to set his affairs in order and send his gear ashore, Kydd now stood proudly on North Pier watching Teazer’s gig stroking towards him from where she lay at anchor in the Great Road of St Peter Port. Hallum, his new lieutenant waited behind him. The boat approached and at the tiller Midshipman Calloway fought hard to keep a solemn face. ‘Oars!’ he snapped. Obediently they stilled as the gig swung toward.

‘Toss oars!’ As one, each man smacked the loom across his knee and brought it up vertically. The gig glided in to the quay and the bowman nimbly leapt ashore and secured the painter. Calloway snatched off his hat with a huge smile.

Kydd looked down into the boat; Stirk at stroke, Poulden next to him, others, all now beaming as well.

As was the custom, Hallum descended first. ‘Bear off!’ the Calloway ordered, ‘Give way t’gether!’

It had happened: at last he was on his way to reclaim his rightful place. Beside him, Hallum nodded agreeably and both took in their fill of the lovely ship until the gig was brought smartly around to the side-steps to hook on. Conscious of the men lined up on deck waiting Kydd straightened his gold-laced cocked hat for the second time, then clambered aboard.

There before him was the ship’s company of HMS Teazer. With Hallum standing respectfully behind him he drew out his commission and read himself in as captain. Instantly, his commissioning pennant broke out proudly on the main-mast truck.

‘Mr Purchet’; he acknowledged the boatswain whose smile split his face from ear to ear. Kydd went on to greet individually those he had come to know and respect in times past.

‘Mr Clegg. An’ how’s our little Sprits’l, can I ask?’

The sailmaker grinned and whispered shyly, ‘Why, he’s a berth in m’ cabin, Mr Kydd, an’ nary a rat shall ye find in th’ barky!’

‘Mr Duckitt.’

The Gunner removed his hat and shuffled his feet in pleased embarrassment. ‘Our metal’s as good as ever it was, sir!’ he muttered. Kydd’s eyes found others and the memories returned.

The rest of the Teazers were assembled forward, their faces leaving no doubts about their feelings at their old captain now restored. Kydd had Teazer back and the future was up to him.

He turned to address the men. Legs a-brace, he took off his hat and opened his mouth but a lump in his throat stopped the words. He drew out his handkerchief and spluttered into it until composure was regained then began, ‘Teazers. It’s – it’s with...’

It was no good; he wheeled on the boatswain. ‘Mr Purchet – this afternoon a make ’n mend for all hands!’ In the storm of cheering that resulted he took refuge by going below to his cabin.