King Ship And Sword

THE SIXTEENTH TALE IN DEWEY LAMBDINS CLASSIC NAVAL ADVENTURE SERIES December 1801. The Peace of Amiens end the long war with Napoleon Bonapartes France but Captain Alan Lewrie Royal Navy is appalled by its consequences. First hes been in the Navy since 1780 most unwillingly most of the time and at sea for the better part of nine years since 1793 so what is a dashing and successful frigate captain to do with himself if hes ashore on halfpay and if so for how long Second and even worse is where will Lewrie twiddle his thumbs and be bored to death until the war begins again as hes sure it will Will he idle in expensive exciting London or go home to his rented farm in Anglesgreen in Surrey and rejoin his wife and inlaws who mostly despise him like the Devil hates Holy Water where he knows as much of agriculture and animal husbandry as his two pet cats do of celestial navigation Peace and domesticity are hellishhard on the rakehells Yet by the spring of 1802 Lewrie and his Caroline have somewhat reconciled again and are off to make a go of a second honeymoon – in Paris France of all places But Lewries notion to return the swords captured from deceased French officers to their kinfolk gets turned into a formal presentation at a levee in the Tuileries and a facetoface rencontre with the First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte. Lewrie cant help spurring him into a kickfurniture rage and he and Caroline must flee for their lives with aid from the most unlikely source imaginable. When war breaks out again in May of 1803 Lewrie has fresh orders a new frigate and a chance to punish and pursue the French but its no longer for Duty or King and Country – now its personal