‘Then bring him back.’
‘They are at our villa at Caserta. It is twenty miles away, in the hills. However, they are due to return here on the morrow. If I may suggest that you delay your discussion until--’
‘Nay, I cannot.’ Over him. ‘Send a messenger at once if you please.’
‘Very well, if that is what you wish.’
‘It is. I cannot afford to waste time.’
‘Hm. You know, in course, that I cannot raise all of the money until tomorrow ?’
‘Money?’
‘The five thousand guineas.’
‘I know nothing of this.’
‘Oh ? I should have thought Captain Rennie--’
‘Captain Rennie does not know I am here. A matter I was about to come to. The fellow had the temerity to put me in irons aboard his ship.’
‘And now he has released you has he not ?’
‘Nay, he has not. I have escaped, and now I want him restrained and confined to his ship, with his associate Hayter.’
‘Good heaven ’
‘I intend to proceed independent, find and bring Milson to the ship, and set sail for England. Only then will Captain Rennie be of further use to me.’
‘Hm. When you say restrained and confined to his ship , Mr. Symonds, what had you in mind, exact?’ Politely.
‘Ain’t it quite plain? He and all persons aboard must be prevented from coming ashore, Sir William. The ship is to be a prison to them.’
‘But I cannot prevent it, I fear.’ Again politely. ‘The Kingdom is England’s ally, and visits by the Royal Navy are always welcomed by the King and Queen. Nelson made a most favourable impression. I have no authority to prevent sea officers coming ashore here even if I wished to do so.’
‘You know Captain Rennie’s offence, Sir William, and you have seen my credentials. They give you the authority, sir.’
‘Forgive me but they do not.’ Sir William was now formally polite.
‘God damn me, sir! Will you aid me in this vital enterprise or no?’
‘Hm.’ A tight little smile. ‘I will aid you, Mr. Symonds, where and as well as I am able. I cannot imprison a Royal Naval officer at your behest. Nor can I request the King to do so it would be the grossest breech of etiquette. Another glass of wine?’
Mr. Symonds had not drunk his first. He rose. Stiffly:
‘Very well, you will not aid me. So be it. Perhaps you will accommodate me. I should like to stay here at the residence. A single room will suffice. And I will like to interview Beckford immediately upon his return.’
‘Certainly, Mr. Symonds, certainly.’ Rising, and bowing. ‘Your servant, sir.’
‘Servant.’ A minimal bow.
‘Rosa will show you to your room.’ Raising a hand for the maidservant.
Mr. Symonds followed her out. At the door he turned, and:
‘The five thousand guineas you mentioned, Sir William will no longer be required. I will manage very adequate without it.’
CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE
As Mr. Symonds was being shown to his room by the elderly maidservant, Rennie and James arrived at the Palazzo Sessa for the second time that day. Another servant showed them into the large mirrored room, and Sir William rose from his sofa to greet them not in surprise, because he had been expecting them but without keen anticipation or pleasure.
‘Ah, gentlemen, no doubt you have returned so soon--’
‘Forgive me, Sir William,’ Rennie, over him, and removing his hat. ‘Has Mr. Symonds been here?’
Sir William looked from one to the other, and:
‘Indeed, he has.’
‘Is he here now? In this house?’
‘Captain Rennie, you put me in a devilish awkward position. Mr. Symonds carries credentials with him that give him greater seniority and standing than your own, sir. He has made certain requests I will not call them demands that I must make my best efforts to answer and satisfy. They bear directly on the matter you have already outlined to me.’
A breath, and he pursed his lips.
‘Unless you and Sir James are willing and able to act in concert with Mr. Symonds in this, and under his direction rather than in vexatious opposition then I fear I can assist you no further.’
There was a brief altercation outside the door, the voice of the servant raised, then the door was thrust open and Mr. Symonds came in.
‘I thought so! I thought I heard your voice, Rennie! And here you are too, Hayter! Your damned temerity and arrogance in coming here, after everything you have put me through, is intolerable! Intolerable!’
‘Mr. Symonds,’ began Sir William, holding up a hand but Mr. Symonds cut him off.
‘They do not represent His Majesty’s government in this! I do, sir! I do!’ Again turning on Rennie and James. ‘You will both of you absent yourselves from this official residence at once, or by God know the consequence!’
‘Mr. Symonds,’ Sir William began again, and when that gentleman again attempted to run over him, Sir William raised his voice just enough to give it a sharp edge, and:
‘Kindly behave yourself, sir, and lower your voice. This is not only an official residence, it is my home. And while you are here as my guest it is my wish that you will behave gentlemanlike.’
He paused for effect, then turned again to Rennie and James.
‘I note that both of you gentlemen have yet to remove your swords. Good manners dictate that you should do so if you please.’
Both Rennie and James obediently unbuckled their sword belts, and hung them on the back of a chair that stood against the wall. They looked at each other, then removed from under their coats the brace of pistols each had brought, and laid them on the seat of the chair.
Sir William looked askance at this accumulation of weapons on his chair, but he made no further reference to them.
Mr. Symonds could not restrain himself. He pointed at the chair, and:
‘There, you see what I have had to contend with, sir? Damned villainous violence and malevolence. These men are inimical to my purpose, and they must be re-strained. They must be restrained, and escorted back to their ship, and held there to await their orders from me. Nothing else will--’
‘Mr. Symonds!’ Sir William.
Mr. Symonds was shocked into silence.
Sir William took a breath, and went on: ‘I have not yet had time to send a messenger to the country recalling James Beckford to Naples, and I think that was I to do so now it would make little difference. He will return tomorrow in any case, when my wife returns. Until then I can see no profit in further unseemly dispute.’
He turned for a moment to look at the view, then faced them, and:
‘I will like all three of you gentlemen to dine with me here this evening, and to spend the night under my roof. Then on the morrow, when Beckford is here among us, we will reach an accord and find a way to proceed that best serves not your own interests, gentlemen, nor mine, but those of our sovereign. In the meanwhile, I hope that I may rely on your good sense, and your good manners, as my guests at Palazzo Sessa.’
He bowed.
The elderly maidservant showed Rennie and James to their rooms upstairs. Neither had brought with him a razor or nightshirt, not having expected to stay at the residence overnight. They found to their surprise that these items had been provided; in each room a nightshirt lay folded on the bed, and a razor, a towel, and a small flask of cologne had been placed on the washstand with the ewer and basin. Their visit had evidently been anticipated. The rooms were not cramped, and the ceilings were tall, but in contrast to the richness of the dec-oration downstairs the appointments here were sparse: a bed, a chair, a wash-stand, and shutters at the windows nothing more.
James went to his window and saw that it overlooked a small courtyard. He had hoped for a wider and more lifting view. He laid his hat on the chair, and went to Rennie’s room. He knocked and went in.
Rennie’s room had a glimpsing view, from a corner window, of the broad bay beyond. H
e was at the window looking out as James came in. He turned and:
‘I should like to see something more of the town if we should have the time.’
‘William, we cannot proceed at all in this venture as we are. I think we must find a rapprochement with Symonds, without delay.’
‘Yes, I had come to much the same conclusion myself, James. The question is will he see it in the same light?’
‘Surely when so much is at stake as he has always said it was then he will see the futility of this absurd private dispute between us. It cannot continue.’
‘He has not so far.’
‘Then we must persuade him.’
‘I doubt that he will listen to me. I put him in irons. It must come from you, James.’ A sniff, then: ‘What d’y’suppose he will give us to eat?’
‘Eh?’
‘Sir William. Our dinner. I look forward to an excellent meal. My steward does his best, you know, to augment the cook’s stodge from day to day with little touches and flourishes of his own salt, and spices, and he does highly imaginative things with cheese but I confess that have not ate my food with great enthusiasm this commission.’
‘Yes, well, whatever will be the fare at table I think we cannot wait until then to make our approach. I had better tackle him before. Straightway, in fact.’
‘Symonds? Yes yes, I should do so, if I was you.’ A nod. ‘I hope we will dine early.
I am hungry.’
James looked at him with a puzzled frown, his head on one side, and when Rennie realized he was being closely observed, he raised his eyebrows and:
‘You had something more to tell me, James?’
‘Nay, nay ’ A breath, then: ‘Well I am wondering if you I am wondering if your heart is still in this venture, William?’
‘My heart?’
‘Forgive me, but you give the distinct impression that it ain’t.’
Rennie made a face, turned toward the window, then back again, and:
‘Hm I confess to feeling at odds with myself, James. I have changed my mind about this place. When we sailed into the bay, and anchored, I could see well enough that it was an attractive scene, and so forth, but I was in large part indifferent to it, because of the difficulty of the task we faced. Now, however, I think: here I am in this wonderful city Naples it is all around me, and I see it, but I see nothing of it, I know nothing of it. I am in a land of great historical renown, of great beauty and rich romantic tradition, far outside my common experience, my paltry daily endeavour and I see and know nothing of it. I cannot immerse myself, I cannot delve into all its wonders and delights, because I am caught up in yet another squalid damned scheme, governed by men like Symonds.’ He said the name with contempt, then shrugged and sighed.
‘I find myself weary, James, and discommoded. You ask after my heart. Is my heart in this venture, still? Well well I must tell you frankly, it ain’t.’ Before James could speak he shook his head, held up a hand, and:
‘Nay, do not disturb y’self. I have not lost my senses. I will do my part. I will honour my warrant of commission, and do my sworn duty. If Milson’s infernal machine is of such great value and importance to England, in course I will do my utmost to bring it home.’ He lifted his head and looked directly at James.
‘But no, James. My heart ain’t in it. Only my hand.’
CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX
James left Rennie’s room and returned to his own, waited half an hour, then went to Mr. Symonds’ room and knocked on the door.
No answer.
He knocked again, and a voice blurred with sleep answered:
‘Yes ? Who is it ?’
‘James Hayter. May I come in?’
‘You’d better go away. I have nothing to say to you.’
‘Mr. Symonds. Hav. I have come to make peace.’
An indistinct grumbling, shuffling footfalls, then the door was opened. Mr. Symonds had removed his coat, his shirt was rumpled, and a lock of graying hair had come loose from his cue.
‘May I come in, Hav?’
‘Oh, well if you must. I have nothing to say to you.’
Mr. Symonds moved away from the door and sat down heavily on the bed. James came in and closed the door. A flask and a wine glass stood on the chair beside the bed. Mr. Symonds’ coat lay folded double over the back of the chair. He tipped the flask and poured a generous measure of brandy into the glass, and sucked down half of it. He did not offer brandy to James. A heavy sniff, and:
‘I’m ‘fraid there’s nowhere for you to sit.’ He swallowed the rest of the brandy.
‘No matter, I will stand.’ James, politely. ‘Hav, I think it will be far better, you know, if we make our best endeavours to--’
‘Has Rennie sent you, hm? Sent you to grovel, and beg my pardon because he hasn’t the courage to face me himself?’ Raising his voice and directing the last three words toward the door.
‘He has not sent me. I am here at my own initiative. We all of us serve His Majesty, and have the same design. Surely it is better nay, vital that we work together to achieve it?’
‘Y’think that do ye?’ Another heavy sniff, and he rubbed his nose with the back of his hand, and poured more brandy.
‘And what does Captain Rennie think? Hm?’
‘I am certain he is of the same view, exact.’
‘Then why don’t he say so? Why don’t he present himself, and say so?’
James saw that he was making no progress, and would not, unless and until Mr. Symonds stopped slugging down brandy and sobered up.
‘Forgive me, I have interrupted your rest. I will leave you now. Perhaps we can talk further .at a later time.’
He turned to leave and was nearly at the door when to his surprise he heard:
‘Nay, wait a moment do not go ’
There came the sound of the glass tipping over on the chair, then smashing as it fell on the floor. James turned round in time to see Mr. Symonds lean down off the bed in an effort to retrieve the glass. He lost his balance, fell heavily off the bed on the floor, then gasped and clutched his right hand.
James stepped quickly to the bedside, lifted Mr. Symonds back on the bed, snatched out his pocket kerchief and wound it tightly round the injured hand. Mr. Symonds set on the edge of the bed, breathing heavily and groaning. His cue had come wholly undone. James tied off the kerchief. Mr. Symonds looked at him blearily.
‘Thankee, thankee .b’lieve I have cut myself .thankee.’
‘You’d better lie down, Hav.’
‘Yes .perhaps you are right .I have cut myself.’ He tried to focus his gaze. ‘The glass broke, d’y’see, and ’ He looked down at his bandaged hand, his head lolled, and he fell forward in a faint. James caught him, lifted him again, and laid him back awkwardly against the pillows.
‘So much for reaching a rapprochement before our dinner ’ James, to himself.
He leaned over the bed and loosened Mr. Symonds’ shirt, which had caught underneath him and had drawn tight across his throat. He peered at Mr. Symonds to make certain he was breathing freely, then straightened up.
‘What is it about this wretched commission? There is a curse on it, I swear. Pray God Beckford can give us clear intelligence tomorrow, and bring us back on course.’
He returned to his room, threw off his coat and sat down on his bed. Presently he
lay back against the pillows. ‘I will rest a little, and then it will be time to go down to dine.’
He fell asleep almost at once, and did not wake until half past seven o’clock. Sir William and Rennie were already waiting to go in as he hurried down to join them, tying his stock and shrugging into his coat, his face freshened by a quick splash of water.
Dinner was served in the long and high ceilinged dining room, at a handsome long mahogany table from an earlier period. The room was decorated in the neoclassical style possibly the influence of the second Lady Hamilton, James thought as they came in. There were carved and gilded mirrors smaller than those in the drawing room s
ymmetrically placed between fine paintings. There were vases of Greek, Etruscan and Roman origin on side tables and the mantel-shelf. Beautifully carved shield back chairs, upholstered in patterned blue silk, lined the table on both sides, and there were grander chairs at either end. The room was lit by girandoles, and by large candles in silver sticks on the table. Silverware and wineglasses several glasses at each place setting gleamed soft with reflected light.
Sir William said James to himself as they sat down liked to dine in style. There were three of them only, and they sat at one end, Rennie and James on either side of Sir William at the head. Their host made no mention of Mr. Symonds’ absence at first.
Captain Rennie got his wish; the dinner was indeed excellent. It began with a delicate, delicious broth, then came an extraordinary variety of seafood including mussels, octopus, and crab then fowl, then roasted pork, followed by syllabub, fruit, and cheeses. Each remove was served with a different and splendid wine or Sir William’s guests could choose to drink sillery throughout. Madeira was offered with the cheese. Rennie ate hearty, as did James.
Sir William ate and drank sparingly, and confined his conversation largely to his lifelong love of Naples, its people, culture and climate, adding snippets of local colour.
‘Did you know that Naples too suffered the plague a century ago, just as London did? There is a tall monument to the end of the suffering, just as there is the Monument in London, remembering the Great Fire that ended the plague. You must see the monument, if you have time, and if you are interested in beautiful churches, Naples is rich indeed.’
He made reference to his high regard for the King and Queen, to his love of painting, and his collection of vases, and a passing reference to his interest in volcanoes.
‘I have published some few papers and a modest book or two on the subject. You have not read them, I expect ?’ he asked James.
‘My father had your Campi Phlegraei in his library, sir. And Observations on Mount Vesusius. I read them both with keen attention.’
‘Ah.’ A pleased little nod. ‘Yes, I fancy they piqued the discerning public interest, even if the volcano is not a salient feature of English life. Here, in course, it is
The Following Wind Page 25
