Black August

by Dennis Wheatley

  ‘Thanks,’ Gregory tapped his pocket. ‘When we’re clear of the lock I’ll come up again and we’ll open these orders.’ Then he went below.

  The orders when opened caused Fanshawe considerable surprise. They were not destined for London after all but ordered to proceed to a point some miles east of the Goodwins, and there to lie-to until nine o’clock the following morning, at which hour a second set of sealed orders, enclosed in the first, were to be opened.

  The naval man thought it devilish strange—so apparently did Gregory, but he suggested that possibly they had been detailed to act as escort to some personage of importance who was leaving the country in a yacht, and who intended to rendezvous with them there.

  However, the orders were definite, so His Majesty’s destroyer Shark proceeded down the Medway, and making her pendants to the signal station at Garrison Point put out—under these somewhat strange conditions—to sea.

  It was now obvious that the troops would have to spend at least one night on board, so arrangements were made by which that portion of the crew quartered on the lower mess deck handed it over to the soldiers, and mucked in temporarily with their shipmates on the upper. Ann and Veronica were allowed to occupy the absent Captain’s cabin, and Gregory that of the Engineer Officer; Kenyon and Silas Harker shared that of the Gunner.

  The weather clearing they were able to spend most of the afternoon on deck, and the Tommies seemed already on the friendliest terms with the men of the sister Service.

  Fanshawe excused himself from dining that evening by saying that he had an urgent matter to attend to on deck, and Broughton was again officer of the watch, so Mr. Cousens—a tall, freckle-faced lieutenant with a pleasant smile, played host in the ward-room.

  They discussed the many rumours and catastrophic events until, the port having gone round the table, Cousens stood up and bowed to the girls. ‘I hope you’ll forgive me, but I go on at midnight, so I must snatch an hour or two’s sleep.’ He smiled round on the others; ‘Please ask the steward for anything you want.’

  When he had left them Gregory signed to Rudd, who had been helping to wait on them, to shut the wardroom trap hatch which communicated with the pantry, then he lay back in his chair at the bottom of the table.

  ‘Filthy port, isn’t it?’ he remarked casually, ‘still, that’s no fault of the Navy; just hard luck on the poor devils that they can’t take vintage wine to sea, the constant rocking breaks the crust and turns it into mud.’

  Kenyon shrugged. ‘It’s not too bad, I like a wood port for a change; but I was wondering where we shall be this time tomorrow.’

  ‘This time tomorrow!’ the General echoed. ‘Well, I can give you a very good idea. If the weather is reasonably favourable we shall be heading westward—a hundred miles or more south of the Isle of Wight.’

  ‘My hat!’ exclaimed Veronica, ‘we’re not going out into the Atlantic in this cockleshell, are we?’

  ‘We are, my dear; so you’d better make up your mind to it.’

  ‘Ye Gods! But I shall die.’

  ‘I trust not.’

  ‘Tell us, General,’ Harker leaned forward across the narrow table, ‘just how do you happen to know what’s in that second set of secret orders?’

  ‘I ought to,’ Sallust replenished his glass with a second ration of the despised port, ‘since I was responsible for planning this expedition.’

  They all regarded him with quickened interest as he went on slowly: ‘I realised that these Naval birds would never swallow the whole draught at one gulp, that’s why I allowed for a twenty-four hour interval before opening the second lot. Fortunately, as it turns out now, that gives me a chance to put you wise concerning my intentions.’

  ‘Your intentions?’ inquired Kenyon with peculiar emphasis.

  ‘Yes, my intentions; which are—with due respect to oil consumption and the hazard of picking up fresh supplies—to run this hooker down to the West Indies just as soon as ever I can.’

  ‘The West Indies!’ Kenyon frowned. ‘The War Office must be crazy to send troops out of the country at a time like this.’

  ‘Oh, the War Office had nothing to do with it,’ said Gregory mildly. ‘I’m acting entirely on my own initiative.’

  ‘What! You had no orders about proceeding somewhere in this ship!’

  ‘No—none at all.’

  ‘But—damn it, man, you boarded her and ordered the ship to sea; do you mean you had no authority to do that?’

  ‘None, my dear boy. None whatever, I assure you.’

  ‘Good God, Sallust! You can’t be serious!’

  ‘I was never more serious in my life.’

  The eyes of the whole party were riveted on Gregory’s face in amazement, anger and alarm, then Kenyon suddenly burst out: ‘But you can’t do this sort of thing, you simply can’t. Using your own initiative is one thing, but this is nothing less than running away. You’re a soldier, and if you’ve no right here you ought to be on duty somewhere else.’

  The General sipped his port, then the furrows round his mouth deepened a little as he smiled: ‘Dear me, no. When I got out of the Army last time I determined that nothing should ever induce me to enter it again. This outfit—’ he patted his buttoned tunic—‘and Rudd’s were supplied by my old friend the theatrical costumier—Willie Clarkson.’

  12

  Piracy

  For a moment there was absolute silence while they all stared a little stupidly at Gregory, dumbfounded by this staggering revelation, and endeavouring to assess what effect his criminal proceedings might have upon themselves.

  Kenyon was the first to recover. ‘This is piracy,’ he announced abruptly, getting to his feet.

  ‘Is it? Yes, I suppose it is.’ Gregory calmly lit another cigarette.

  ‘And you can be hanged for it; do you realise that?’

  ‘Perhaps; but they’ve got to catch me first.’

  ‘That won’t take long directly Fanshawe learns the truth.’

  ‘Oh! You seem to have forgotten the presence of my troops.’

  ‘Yes, I’ve been wondering about that,’ said Ann softly. ‘How did you get hold of them, Gregory?’

  ‘Would it amuse you to hear?’ Sallust grinned openly with a certain pride in his achievement.

  ‘I think it’s more important that we should get this situation cleared up without delay,’ Kenyon spoke sharply.

  ‘Why worry?’ the American cut in lazily. ‘The ship’s only cruising round—has been for hours, so we’re not going further away, and this sounds like a great story to me. ‘Let’s have it—er General.’

  ‘All right.’

  Kenyon sat down again reluctantly.

  ‘Well, if Fane can bottle up his desire to have me hanged for five minutes, I’ll tell you.’ Gregory puffed at his cigarette and smiled round at them. ‘You see I made up my mind years ago that in the event of a real break up, the only road to safety lay in assuming the outward trappings of authority. Of course there was the sporting chance that the mob might single me out for an immediate hanging—but if I could once get going the world was mine—or at all events everything which happened to be left of it.’

  Harker grinned appreciatively, as Sallust went on: ‘Having planned the whole show so far in advance it wasn’t difficult really. Rudd and I knew of a small garage in Elvaston Place that housed several lorries. We knew too that the owner lived down at Brighton, and he couldn’t get up to London. We snaffled three of them in the afternoon and made a few alterations with a couple of pots of paint. Some of you saw one of them I think loaded up outside Gloucester Road. After that we changed into our uniforms, took one of the empties up to some barracks that I had in mind and parked it a little way down the street. We had to wait there for nearly three hours, but at last some troops marched out—a company, as luck would have it, although I only needed a platoon. I tackled the Captain. Told him I had to have a certain number of his men immediately. Naturally he was a bit doubtful what to do at first, just like our fr
iend who is taking his exercise up on the bridge, but you know what it was like in London last night—everybody a bit excited and pulling too quick a stroke. I utilised the name of his own Colonel which I had made it my business to find out and of course he imagined that I was a full blown Brigadier, so after a very short discussion he gave way and I went off with the boys crammed like sardines in the lorry. At Elvaston Place we distributed them among the other two vans, then we proceeded in accordance with plan to advance on Chatham.’

  ‘Good God!’ Kenyon sat back suddenly. ‘But wasn’t there an officer with the platoon? What happened to him?’

  ‘Oh, certainly.’ Gregory gave a chuckle of enjoyment. ‘I kept him with me for half an hour, and then packed him off with an urgent message to the War Office—he’s still there, for all I know.’

  Silas nodded. ‘It was a great performance, but I wonder at you being able to pull the same bluff twice.’

  ‘What, Chatham you mean? Yes, that was the crucial point of the whole campaign, but as a journalist I got myself taken round the Dockyard some time ago, and the visit gave me a knowledge of the regulations which are observed before a ship is allowed to put to sea, so I had half a dozen different lines of bluff ready to meet the most probable emergencies. I banked very largely upon their being in a state of chaotic muddle, the appearance of troops giving weight to my request which it could never have had from a single man—and the staff at Admiralty House being dead-tired after such a night. That’s one reason why I delayed my arrival until this morning.’

  ‘I wonder we haven’t been recalled by wireless by this time though,’ Kenyon remarked.

  Gregory laughed suddenly. ‘No, it’s not working. That was a really masterly touch. I managed to remove some of the essential parts within ten minutes of coming on board.’

  ‘Fanshawe must have thought that pretty strange when it was reported.’

  ‘He did, but I persuaded him that it must have been one of the mutineers last night, or a sympathiser early this morning.’

  Two bright spots of colour had appeared in Veronica’s usually pale cheeks. After a moment’s silence she said suddenly: ‘And you have the face to sit there and tell us quite calmly that you have taken all these men away from their duty when the country’s on the verge of revolution?’

  ‘I have, dear lady. These troops and this destroyer are at the present time engaged solely upon the very important duty of securing the safety of Brigadier-General Gregory Sallust and—’ he paused for a moment with his chin stuck out as he looked challengingly round the table ‘—that of those friends whom he delights to honour.’

  ‘My hat, what a party!’ Veronica flung her hands above her head and did an excellent imitation of a faint.

  ‘I wish to God you’d told me this before,’ said Kenyon seriously.

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Well, naturally I should never have dreamt of lending myself to such a scheme. It’s not only criminal—it’s treason. Nothing less than stabbing the Government in the back when they need every man they’ve got to keep order.’

  ‘Stop talking hot air and be honest with yourself, Fane. The Government has ceased to exist already. How could they hope to survive with the machinery of supply and control cracking up in every direction? Surely you don’t suggest that a few thousand troops could keep a population of fifty million starving people permanently in subjection, do you? And as a matter of fact, the troops themselves are starting to give trouble. There was a mutiny at Aldershot yesterday. That was the last piece of authentic news I had from old Jolliat, the editor, before I left the office of my paper. Actually this particular platoon should thank their stars that I’ve got them out of it along with myself.’

  ‘Perhaps—but even if you’re right there is such a thing as principle.’

  ‘I see, and so, my noble squire of dames, you think I should have taken my chances of starvation or death with the rest of the fools, and have left these poor devils of soldiers to turn into a gang of bandits—roaming the countryside and adding to the general misery, eh? I wonder where you would be now if I had.’

  ‘Dead,’ Kenyon admitted, ‘I haven’t a doubt about that, but all the same I don’t see how we can go on wrongfully detaining Government troops and a ship.’

  ‘Well, what do you propose to do about it?’

  Kenyon looked wretchedly uncomfortable. ‘I don’t know,’ he confessed. ‘I hate ingratitude and since you saved us all it would be a pretty bad show to get you put under arrest, especially in view of what’s likely to happen to you; but unless you are prepared to order the ship back to port I feel that it is up to me to let Fanshawe know where he stands.’

  Gregory smiled amiably. ‘Before you actually send the balloon up I think it would be interesting to hear a few other views. What does Lady Veronica feel about it?’

  She looked at him steadily and then she said: ‘I agree with Kenyon that apart from the question of our personal gratitude you ought to be shot for what you’ve done, but there is a sort of half truth in your specious excuses about the troops being useless where they were with the whole country in chaos; the great point is, that right or wrong you’ve done it now, and I for one have no desire to be dumped back on the quay at Chatham. Last night was quite enough slumming for this child. I shall probably die of seasickness, but I’d rather chance that and take a trip to the West Indies with you.’

  Sallust nodded. ‘A most sensible summing up of the situation. What about you, Ann?’

  ‘I agree with Veronica. What you’ve done may be frightfully wrong theoretically, Gregory, but fifty soldiers and one destroyer aren’t going to save England from anarchy, and since you’ve saved us once already I think we can’t do better than trust in you again.’

  ‘A delightful vote of confidence, my dear.’ He grinned and turned to Silas. ‘Do you want to beat your little drum, Harker, and see me clapped in irons?’

  The American’s large humorous face had grown very grave as he replied: ‘I think I’d like to have a word with Fane alone before I give any answer to that.’

  ‘All right, go ahead; you’d better use the lobby, but wait—’ Gregory held up his hand as they both rose from the table. ‘I’d be glad if you will remember that I personally have not the least intention of returning to England, and that I only brought you along as a kindness. Moreover, I have the best part of sixty men under my command; they, at least, would never believe your story, and are prepared to carry out my orders to the letter. If through your interference Fanshawe cuts up rough there’s going to be blue hell on this ship—get that?’

  ‘Do you really mean that you would go to the length of ordering your troops to fire on Fanshawe’s sailors?’ asked Kenyon horrified.

  ‘That’s it; and Fanshawe wouldn’t stand a chance against me even if he had twice the numbers, but in the meantime the ship would become a shambles, and after, unless I could persuade sufficient sailors to come over to my side, we should probably be wrecked. Worst of all I just might be killed myself. I say worst of all, not out of any personal conceit, but because as long as I remain alive there is a reasonable prospect of discipline being maintained. Without me—well, you’ve got a half-mutinous crew already, and I’m not altogether satisfied about one or two of my own men. Now—out you go, and just consider the sort of thing that might happen to your sister and Ann here in such circumstances, then come back and tell me if you still think it’s up to you to go putting a match to the powder barrel.’

  The conference in the lobby was brief. ‘He’s got us,’ said Kenyon shortly. ‘At least he’s got me. Principles or no principles I can’t run the risk of exposing the girls to any horrors like that.’

  The American loomed immense and lofty even over Kenyon’s height. ‘He means it too,’ he said seriously. ‘He’ll loose hell on this ship if he meets with any opposition, and he’s right about the possibility of mutiny. I’d been counting that in myself.’

  ‘Yes. He seems to be one of those exceptional egoists who really h
ave the courage to throw all established ideas overboard and carry their theories into practice regardless of the cost.’

  Harker’s blue eyes twinkled. ‘He’s a proper blackguard, but I like the man; this sort of thing needs guts.’

  ‘It does. He’s just the sort of chap I’d follow anywhere if only his authority were legitimate.’

  ‘What’s the odds?’ Silas’s full-lipped mouth crumpled into a smile. ‘We’re either for him or against him, and if it’s “for” we’d best back him for all we know, and put our scruples right behind us.’

  ‘Yes. If we go to Fanshawe now things will blow up for certain, and if we don’t we’ll be liable anyhow to the same penalties as Sallust if his plans break down; so the sensible thing seems to do our damndest to help him pull this mad venture through.’

  ‘Sure, I’m glad you see it as I do. Let’s get back, shall we?’

  Kenyon nodded. ‘Righto! I only hope we don’t have trouble with the sailors after all.’

  ‘Don’t worry.’ Silas ducked his head quickly as he stepped through the wardroom door. ‘If we stick together we’ll see this party through.’

  ‘Well?’ Gregory raised his left eyebrow with cynical inquiry.

  ‘Having registered our protests we are going to forget it,’ said Kenyon, ‘and accept your leadership without further question.’

  Silas squeezed himself back into his chair. ‘That’s so, General, and for the duration, as you call it, you can count on us.

  One of those rare smiles lit up Sallust’s face. ‘I’m glad,’ he said slowly. ‘It makes a world of difference to have your voluntary support, although I don’t mind telling you now you would never have got as far as Fanshawe. The sentries in the passage outside the lobby had their instructions before we sat down to dinner.’

  Kenyon smiled. ‘I see; that’s why you had them posted, eh? Although Fanshawe seemed to think it a mad idea to put sentries outside a mess.’

  ‘A General Officer is entitled to his guard, my friend,’ Sallust replied lightly. ‘But now we’re all agreed, what about some more port? A toast to a happy and successful voyage.’