HMS Valiant - 45. Chapter 45

Thanks for all the reviews.  Sorry for the lack of responses. 
I know this is a cliffhanger.  I'll post the next chapter quickly.

April 3, 1800

Portland Place

“Cavendish will not be able to join us,” Caroline told Granger and Daventry, to explain the presence of only four chairs at the dining room table.

“That is unfortunate,” Granger said sincerely, and led the three of them into his library.

“It is,” Caroline agreed, although there was some discomfort in her voice, probably because she remembered her liaison with Cavendish and how that had so soured her marriage.

A scratch at the door heralded the arrival of Cheevers. “This message was just delivered, my lord,” he said, proffering the sealed item to Granger on a silver platter.

“Thank you,” Granger said. As soon as Granger took the note, Cheevers left as unobtrusively as he’d arrived. Granger opened the envelope and turned to face Daventry and Caroline with a smile. “It would appear that His Majesty is doing better this evening.”

“That is good news,” Caroline said. Daventry looked at them curiously, wondering what they were talking about, but he had no time to ask questions.

Cheevers reentered the room, and it would have been possible for those who knew him well to discern a small amount of nervousness hidden beneath his façade. “My lord, Mr. Pitt is arriving.”

“Excellent,” Granger said, and strode immediately past Cheevers through the large hallway and foyer. As he approached the front door, perfectly turned out footmen promptly opened it for him. He walked out of his house and down the steps, arriving just as Pitt’s carriage had come to a secure stop. Only then did the Prime Minister disembark from the vehicle. Pitt had never seemed like the most robust of fellows, and seeing him step gingerly out of his carriage, looking thin as a bag of bones, made him seem frailer than Granger remembered. “Welcome, Your Excellency,” Granger said with a courtly bow, one that Pitt returned.

“It is a pleasure to see Your Lordship,” Pitt responded, even as he walked up to the house with Granger. “I must thank you for your hospitality, for offering to host this dinner.”

“It was my pleasure, Your Excellency,” Granger said, hitting Pitt with his fully charged smile. He ushered Pitt into the parlor, where he undoubtedly expected a somewhat large crowd. Instead, he found only Caroline and Daventry. It was fascinating to watch his expression as he digested this surprise, and pleasant to see the smile that would seem to indicate he was glad of the small group.

“Lady Granger, what a pleasure to see you again,” Pitt said, pouring on charm that seemed slightly contrived.

“The pleasure is most certainly mine, Your Excellency,” Caroline said, curtseying in a coquettish way. Granger marveled that the same attitude a few days ago would have annoyed him, but he was warming up to his wife, so now he found it charming.

“And Lord Daventry,” Pitt said, addressing him. “I suppose one must always invite a rogue to dinner.”

“I would assume that Your Excellency usually fills that role,” Daventry said.

“Undoubtedly,” Pitt said with a chuckle.

“Perhaps you would like to continue our conversation over dinner,” Granger suggested, and led them into the spacious dining room.

“I am amazed at how beautifully you have transformed this home,” Pitt said. “I was here a few times when General Lambeth was living here. It was certainly not this nice.”

“That is all due to my wife’s industrious work and good taste,” Granger said, lifting his glass to toast Caroline, who beamed at the positive attention.

“I merely sought out good advice, and then followed it,” she replied.

“That would seem to be a good maxim for all of us to follow,” Pitt noted.

“I hope Your Excellency is not dismayed at the smaller party for dinner tonight,” Caroline said. “George allowed me to make the arrangements, and I thought that, under the somewhat unique circumstances, it would make it easier for us to converse.”

“I am certainly not dismayed by the size of the party, since those in the group are larger than life,” Pitt joked. “I think it was a good decision, and will make for a refreshing change of pace.”

Granger refilled Pitt’s glass and made a mental note to keep an eye on it. Pitt was notorious for drinking a lot, especially in the evening. “Sometimes change can be a good thing,” Granger observed.

“Sometimes,” Pitt agreed cautiously. The staff brought in the first course, and Granger paused to familiarize his guests with the dishes Lefavre had prepared.

“Granger, for all of the luck that has fallen your way, I am convinced that finding your chef in Toulon was the masterstroke,” Daventry said.

“I happen to agree with you,” Granger said with a grin, “although being French, he is prone to being cranky and moody.”

“I suspect those characteristics would explain the periodic riots in Paris,” Daventry joked back.

“I think those will be less prevalent now,” Granger noted cautiously.

“Indeed?” Pitt asked curiously.

“With this new government, and with General Bonaparte as First Consul, I can see little tolerance for public dissent,” Granger noted. Pitt stared at him, non-verbally asking him to continue. “Bonaparte is a driven man, a man of action, and a man with a mission. I sense that he will brook no opposition. He dispersed crowds in Paris with some rounds of grapeshot when he was not running the government. I would expect him to be even less merciful now that he is.”

“You have met him?” Pitt asked.

“I have,” Granger said. “It was in Toulon, when I went to meet with the French under a flag of truce. The thing that struck me the most about him was his intensity.”

“And perhaps some impetuosity,” Pitt nodded ruefully, referring to Napoleon’s strange foray into Egypt. “Monsieur Talleyrand is his foreign minister, so we can hope he will provide a calm, guiding hand.”

Granger almost cringed at that, knowing how difficult it would be for Talleyrand to truly rein in Bonaparte. “I think that is unlikely. Monsieur Talleyrand is indeed a skilled diplomat and politician, especially when his endeavors are likely to line his pockets.”

“So I have heard,” Pitt said, and they all chuckled at Talleyrand’s greed. Granger enhanced the story by relating his bargain with Talleyrand to pay for his stay when he’d been a captive in Paris, and that brought more laughter.

“I think Monsieur Talleyrand will have limited influence over Bonaparte,” Granger concluded. All three of them looked at Granger curiously, as that had defied their earlier theory about listening to good advice. “Monsieur Talleyrand is a master at managing things from behind the scenes, at launching schemes, and at manipulating events. I do not think that someone such as Bonaparte will be easy for him to work with.”

“Bonaparte is smarter than Talleyrand?” Daventry asked.

Granger shook his head. “I do not know General Bonaparte well enough to speak with authority, I only know of him by reputation, and by listening to stories from those who know him well. On the other hand, I do know Monsieur Talleyrand. I think he will find that Bonaparte is much more difficult to control and manage than he anticipated. Talleyrand will work best with someone who seeks input, and my supposition is that General Bonaparte is a person who is sure he has the right answer without seeking such counsel.”

“That does not bode well for hopes of peace,” Pitt remarked.

“It does not,” Granger confirmed. “From what I have seen and heard, I would have to assert that Bonaparte is truly a warrior, and that he is most comfortable in that milieu.” Granger explained to them what he had learned about the latest French revolution while he had been aboard Le Généreux, a conversation that Pitt punctuated with frequent questions.

The staff brought out the second course, and Pitt seemingly used that as an excuse to change the topic of conversation. “I am not sure if you are familiar with my strategy for executing this war,” he observed.

“I would prefer that you enlighten me, lest I have drawn my conclusions from the opposition’s leaflets,” Daventry said with a smile, making them chuckle.

“If you read them, you will think I have no strategy at all,” Pitt said dourly, and then obliged Daventry. “Our nation is dominant at sea, but we are not strong enough to battle France on land without allies.” That was no surprise to any of them, as that had been a well-established principle over the past three major wars. The fact that France had roughly three times the population of Britain would seem to emphasize that. France had the manpower to field a much larger army than Britain could dream of assembling.

“We will do our best to keep them cooped up on the Continent,” Granger joked.

“Of that, I have no doubt,” Pitt said, which was a flattering endorsement of the Royal Navy. “For there to be peace in Europe, there has to be a balance of power. When France is strong, then there must be a coalition of states to match her strength, and keep her contained. The same is true of other powers, such as Russia and Austria.”

“Yet France has managed to defeat all of her Continental opponents,” Daventry observed.

“Defeat, but not vanquish,” Pitt noted. “I do not think France is strong enough to completely dominate the other countries en masse, so we must hope that after they are done licking their wounds, they will be able to rise up like the Phoenix and fight with more effect.” Based on the failures they’d had up to this point, Granger was more skeptical about the military abilities of Russia and Austria, but he realized that England could not single-handedly defeat France, so those powers must inevitably get involved again for her to prevail. In essence, they had little choice.

“That would seem to leave us somewhat at the mercy of the other continental powers if we are to have peace,” Daventry opined.

“Perhaps,” Pitt said mysteriously, and then addressed Granger directly. “The world of commerce is similar in many ways.”

“Your Excellency?” Granger asked in confusion.

“If you were able to go back in time and converse with my father, and discuss The Honorable East India Company, he would undoubtedly manage to convey both his disdain and respect for that entity.” Pitt paused and dabbed his mouth with his napkin, while Granger refilled his wine glass yet again. “In those days, John Company was such a dominant force that in some ways, it was they who dominated His Majesty’s government, and not the other way around.”

“That does not sound like a very attractive alternative,” Daventry said.

“It was not. So just as we must have a balance of power in Europe to have meaningful peace, we must also have a balance of commerce to keep our merchants under control.”

“I don’t understand,” Granger admitted honestly.

“John Company was too powerful, and that was dangerous. Others sought to curb their power, to set up a counterweight. In that respect, the Guild has been most useful.”

“So you would suggest that it is as if John Company is France, and the Guild is a conglomeration of other nations, such as Prussia and Sweden, arrayed against her?” Granger asked for clarification.

“That is an apt analogy,” Pitt noted. “I have supported the Guild because I want them to provide a balanced opposing force to John Company. And since John Company was all powerful, that meant that we have had to be most zealous in supporting the Guild.”

“Too zealous, perhaps,” Caroline noted.

“The balance is the trick,” Pitt said with a smile. “If one coalition or group becomes too powerful, then it will dominate the others. What this latest scheme of theirs has exposed is that the pendulum has swung too far the other way.”

“In an effort to balance the power of John Company, the Guild has been over-assisted, and now they are the monster to be slain,” Granger concluded, almost to himself.

“That is a bit dramatic, but probably accurate,” Pitt said with a smile. “Mr. Dundas has largely handled that aspect of government for me, and I credit him with doing a good job of it. And I must say that in his defense, it would be difficult to evaluate the relative strength of the forces at any given point in time.”

“You are suggesting that he was surprised and shocked by this latest scheme as well?” Caroline asked, more of a challenge.

“I am willing to assert, not suggest, that is the case,” Pitt said. “So to that end, we will make some changes, but they will not be as extreme as you have suggested.”

“And how will things change?” Caroline asked cautiously.

Pitt pivoted to directly address Granger. “I have the utmost respect for your father, and would be honored to have him as a member of my cabinet, but I cannot appoint him to replace Mr. Dundas.”

“Why not?” Granger asked, as seemed to be expected of him.

“Because I fear that he would be too much of a partisan on behalf of John Company, and the pendulum may sway back too far the other way,” Pitt said candidly. “In addition, you must understand that shuffling the Cabinet is not an easy task. There will be some who would resign if I removed Dundas, and some who would resign if I invited your father to join the government.”

“That is surprising, since my father is a devoted Tory, and yours is a conservative government,” Granger noted.

“Our government is a coalition, so to add an additional Tory to the mix would seriously annoy the more conservative Whigs who have coalesced with us,” Pitt said.

Granger understood that, and a glance around the table told him that the others had probably grasped that long before he did. To appoint his father to head the Board of Control would signify a sharp move toward the high Tories by the government, something the more moderate Whigs would never be able to stomach. Granger suspected that those who he considered to be his closer political allies, people like Spencer, Windham, Fitzwilliam, and Portland, would feel compelled to abandon a government of such changed character. “I can see how that would be the case,” Granger allowed. “So how would you opt to modify our arrangement?”

“A better solution is to leave Mr. Dundas in his post, and to appoint your father and one of his cohorts to replace the more objectionable members of the Board,” Pitt asserted.

Granger studied the group, gauging their reactions, even as Caroline posed a question. “You think that Mr. Dundas has had his eyes opened enough that he can control the movement of the pendulum between John Company and the Guild?”

“I do,” Pitt said confidently. “In an effort to diminish the power of John Company, the Board was clearly stacked with their detractors. Reconstituting the board to be more balanced will have, in my opinion, that effect on the overall competition between those two entities. Specifically, it will balance their powers more fairly. I have the ultimate confidence in Mr. Dundas’ ability to achieve that.”

Granger looked at Daventry and got the slightest of nods, indicating his agreement to Pitt’s proposal. When he focused on Caroline, they conversed completely with their eyes, so in tune were they with each other on this issue. And in that non-verbal way they could communicate, she also gave Granger her consent. “I think that your proposal is logical, and as long as it is acceptable to those at this table, it is acceptable to me.”

Daventry and Caroline voiced their agreement, while Pitt smiled, happy to have won this battle. “Thank you.”

“I am happy to accommodate Your Excellency where possible,” Granger said, sensing there was more that Pitt wanted.

“The other issue is more delicate,” Pitt said. “We are negotiating a series of loans, most of which will come from the Guild.”

“What is the size of the loan package?” Daventry asked.

“One million pounds,” Pitt answered. “It is a great deal of money, but this war is expensive, and we will need those funds to make up the shortfall in revenues.”

“The income tax was not sufficient?” Granger asked.

“It was not,” Pitt said, and it was possible to hear the sadness in his voice. “The Guild has indicated that they will commit those funds if the gems are returned to them.”

“Our appraisal suggests that the gems are worth some 250,000 pounds,” Daventry stated. “You would be giving them 250,000 pounds, so they will turn around and loan you one million?”

“Without the return of the gems, they claim they will not have the resources to advance those funds,” Pitt said.

“I think this is merely a ploy for the Guild to minimize its losses on their whole fiasco in Crete,” Granger said.

“We would not want to overly weaken the Guild,” Pitt said.

“I think that in this case, they are showing they are not weak enough,” Granger said, barely controlling his anger at this situation, where the Prime Minister was reduced to bargaining on behalf of the Guild for the return of gems the Guild planned to use to fund enemies of the Crown. “That you are making their case for them illustrates that fact.”

“I am unwilling to surrender any amount of treasure we acquired in order to placate the Guild,” Daventry stated firmly, backing up Granger’s point.

“That is unfortunate,” Pitt said ruefully.

“I would suggest that if Lord Mornington were to become aware of such a gesture on our part, you may lose another extended member of your government,” Daventry added, reminding Pitt that Mornington would be incensed by the Guild’s plans to interfere in India and thus start a revolt he would have to fight, and Mornington would certainly motivate his not inconsiderable faction to make things difficult for the government.

“I am wondering if you gentlemen would allow me to suggest an alternative,” Caroline said. Granger paused to admire how respectfully and demurely she inserted herself into the conversation, and how readily the three of them agreed to hear her out. “It seems that if the recovered gold was loaned to the Treasury, perhaps through investment in consols, that would provide 250,000 pounds of cash to fund expenditures.”

“It will not be enough,” Pitt objected.

“I think that if we invest that money, and perhaps encourage others to do so, we will be able to show the Guild that they do not have the ability to blackmail us with their wealth,” Caroline opined.

“How will that be allocated to our men?” Granger asked, mindful that the money Caroline was pledging belonged to his officers and men as well.

“I would suggest that we establish a trust and give each man shares in the trust equal to his percentage of the earnings,” Daventry suggested.

“It is not unusual for a sailor to dissipate his prize money shortly after he receives it,” Granger noted ruefully. “In this way, we would be forcing them to save it.” He had made most of his men rich through prize money, but Granger was aware that currently many of them did not have two pence to rub together, so quickly had they squandered their wealth or been swindled out of it.

“I would also suggest that perhaps The Honorable East India Company would find it advantageous to contribute their funds to the loans required,” Caroline said. That made sense, since John Company had the most to gain by a Guild that had its wings clipped a bit.

“It is most unorthodox, but I think it is worth a try,” Pitt said. And so with that, they had worked out an amenable compromise to their situation. Conversation became more casual after that, and the dinner became one that involved less eating and more drinking.

April 4, 1800

Portland Place

Granger knew this would be a busy day, but as he descended the stairs to break his fast, he resolved to take whatever time was required to try and work things out with Caroline. He had listened to Daventry’s words and knew his fellow peer was correct, and he’d watched Caroline manage their dinner last night with such skill that she’d only enhanced his respect of her. He had just taken his seat when Caroline came into the room, causing him to automatically rise again to greet her. The table was smaller even than it had been last night, as if to create an intimate environment. Granger wondered if that was intentional, and if even his staff was doing things like that to help them mend their fences. He put that out of his mind lest it irritate him too much and derail his plans. “Good morning my dear,” he said warmly.

“Good morning,” she replied, just as warmly. As soon as they were seated, she summoned Cheevers. Granger just watched her curiously.

Cheevers appeared almost immediately. “How may I assist you, my lady?”

“Please beat to quarters,” she said to him. He looked surprised, while Granger was clearly confused at the use of this naval term in his own household.

“I will attend to that immediately,” Cheevers said, and left them.

“When I order Valiant to beat to quarters, it is usually the presage to a battle,” Granger said in a jovial way. He had no desire to spark a new conflict with his wife. “I am somewhat concerned as to what is to befall me since you have all but set my household on a war footing.”

“We are indeed setting our household on a war footing, but you will soon see it is a different enemy we are fighting,” she said. It was not lost on either of them that she had referred to it as ‘our’ household.

“Then it seems I would be well advised to ask what my station is when the house is at quarters,” Granger said playfully.

“Your station, as things are arranged, is to sit here and enjoy the wonderful breakfast Lefavre has created for you, lest you face a much more implacable enemy,” she responded, making him chuckle. With that, he poured them both some watered down wine, and they were silent for a moment while they both took a drink.

“I would like to thank you again for the way you planned our dinner last night, and for the way you conducted yourself,” Granger said to his wife. “For perhaps the first time, I was able to see the master politician in action.”

“Mr. Pitt was quite astute,” Caroline acknowledged, missing his point.

“He was, but that is not whom I was referring to,” Granger said.

“You are not giving credit to the right person,” she said. “You handled that situation masterfully.”

Granger smiled uncomfortably, as he usually did when confronted by blatant praise. “I will thank you for that compliment by acknowledging that the mastery of which you speak is held in your hands, not mine.”

“We make a good team,” she answered candidly. “I thought we would when I married you, and I was right.”

“Indeed, you were,” Granger said, smiling at her. Their conversation was interrupted when the staff brought in food, and it was further delayed as they applied themselves to eating, but after a reasonable interval, Caroline raised the issue they needed to talk about.

“George, as much credit as you give me for handling that situation diplomatically and effectively, I find that I am unable to resolve another problem with similar skill. I find I am reluctant to even broach the subject.”

“If you would like to share this problem with me, I will see if I can help you,” Granger replied.

She put down her cutlery and looked at him intently, making sure that he could see the sincerity in her eyes. “I do not know how to apologize to you without explaining things, but I am worried that if I try to explain things, I will botch it up so badly you will not hear me out.”

“It would seem that the only real requirement at this point is that I remain as calm as possible and listen to you,” Granger said. “I am willing to do that.”

Caroline smiled, then frowned, then looked pensive as she gathered her words. “You are wondering what possessed me to do something so risky as to have a sexual encounter with Major Treadway and Lord Cavendish.” Granger was indeed wondering that, and it had plagued him for most of his past voyage. “Part of that will be easy for you to understand. They are both very attractive men.”

“You are correct,” Granger said with a gentle smile, to encourage her. “They are indeed attractive.”

“And you will probably also be able to understand that I was curious about what two men would do with each other,” she said. “I presume that, even if the thought of two women being together does not excite you, you would be curious as to what was going on.”

“I do not recall ever saying that the thought of two women being involved in a tryst would not excite me,” he said in a somewhat playful way, then got serious. “I can see where you would be curious. I think that what I find most surprising is that you did not approach me with this. I would have been more than happy to have shown you how that works.”

She blushed, and then smiled. “That would have been a smarter approach, and as you are much more attractive than either Treadway or Cavendish, there is that as a positive.”

“I think you overestimate my allure,” Granger replied, getting back into his playful mode.

“You are wrong,” Caroline responded in kind, but then changed the tone once again. “I am wondering how you would have felt if you had remained aboard Valiant, and they had appointed someone to command her who was senior to you.”

“I don’t know,” Granger said, only because he was flummoxed by her question.

“I would ask you to humor me by pondering that hypothetical situation,” she said, and so he did.

“I remember that when Captain Hardy was displaced by Captain Berry in command of the Foudroyant, my first recommendation to Hardy was to leave the ship at once,” Granger said. “I think that if I were in that situation, it would be maddening to have someone step in and usurp my power and authority, especially since I have done an adequate job of commanding my ship.”

“George, you are a brilliant commander,” she said. “So in the situation I outlined, there would not appear to be a real purpose for this new captain to take charge, other than it would seem to be his duty.”

Granger thought about how he would feel, and then he put those thoughts into words. “I think I would try to remove myself from that situation as quickly as I could, because it would grate on every nerve in my body to be superseded by someone even after I performed well, and because I would find myself questioning his every move and every order.”

“Then I would ask you to favor me by pondering one more thing,” she said. He nodded. “Consider that the situation I have described is much how I feel when you are home for an extended period of time.” Granger stared at her, and was so shocked he let his mouth fall open and allowed his eyes to bulge.

“You are saying that when I am home for an extended period of time, you are unhappy, and you want me to leave?” Granger asked, even as he struggled to understand what she was saying.

She leaned forward and put her hand on Granger’s arm to steady him. “That is not what I am saying. What I am saying is that it is difficult to suddenly relinquish control of our empire, such as it is, when you are here.”

“You are styling this as being similar to how I would have felt had I been superseded, and then forced to remain on board my ship,” Granger said. That was obvious to both of them, but he was merely playing out the words to make sure, and to give himself time to think about what she said.

“Do you think I have done a good job of managing our affairs?” she asked him pointedly.

“I do,” he said, since he did indeed think that, and that was really the only reasonable response.

“Do you think you can do a better job of navigating these waters than I can?” she asked, perhaps a bit more intently.

“I do not,” he said.

“I am actually going to disagree with you about that,” she said, confusing him even more. “I think that if you were here in London as I am, and this was the milieu in which you fought and lived, you would become more of a master of things than I could ever be.”

“You understate your own abilities, and overstate mine,” Granger objected.

“If you were to come back and stay, this would be much easier, because I would have to permanently adjust my attentions, and would probably end up acting in a way that is much more appropriate for a wife of a peer of the realm,” she noted.

“But as I am not here permanently, you are saying that having me breeze in and seize control is maddening, only to leave behind pieces you must pick up and fix when I depart?” he asked.

“I think you are being a bit more dramatic than I am intending,” she chided. “Let me give you but one example. When you are gone, I handle all the issues with our various tenants, and respond to their various pleas.”

“I try to relieve you of that burden when I return,” Granger objected.

“I know, and I know you mean well, but in the end, you just confuse them,” she said, then smiled at him. “You are much nicer, and a bit more generous than I am. It is no surprise that the letters increase in quantity when you return home.”

“And then you and Mr. Broadhead must turn about and be evil ogres after I have gone,” he said, annoyed at his tenants for being so mercenary.

“You have often told me, George, of the importance of the chain of command, and how vital it is that you back up your officers,” she said. “In this way, managing our estate is not so dissimilar.”

“It is as if I were to jump in and question Mr. Weston over some punishment he had agreed to mete out,” Granger said, almost to himself, as he began to understand what Caroline was saying. Unfortunately, this was a bit disconcerting, and that revealed itself in some rare petulance. “Perhaps since I am so inept when I come home, I should endeavor to absent myself more often.”

Caroline raised her eyebrow to challenge him for being so churlish. “I fear that I must now remind you of your pledge to remain calm and hear me out.”

Granger recognized the error of his ways, and used his humor to deflect them back to their discussion. “I must apologize. I thought you had finished making your case, and now it was time to argue about it.”

She laughed at that, and he joined her, but their laughter was cut short when Cheevers reappeared. “My lady, we have beaten to quarters.”

“I think you have accomplished that in record time,” Caroline said to him.

“Your Ladyship is quite astute,” Cheevers said. “We did set a new record.”

“Well I’m sure that breaking that record is admirable, but I am most interested to see what you have accomplished,” Granger said, as the mystery became less amusing as time went on.

“Then as we have finished breaking our fast, allow me to show you to the sitting room,” Caroline said. They got up and walked to that room, the room where they would receive visitors, and the transformation that had been inflicted upon the space shocked Granger so much he just stood there, staring in, while being unable to move any further into the chamber.