Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure (5 page)

***

             
The
Captain
'
s
dining
table
was
set
out
for
a
feast.
One
advantage
to
their
being
at
anchor
in
Spithead
was
the
fact
the
ship
had
access
to
fresh
beef,
fresh
poultry
and
other
food.
After
the
usual
fare
of
the
gunroom
the
Midshipmen
made
the
most
of
this
opportunity
to
feast
and
spent
a
very
pleasant
meal
listening
to
their
seniors
as
they
discussed
the
politics
of
the
Peace,
the
future
of
the
fleet
and
their
own
ambitions.

             
Captain
Blackwood
studied
them
from
his
place
next
to
Captain
Cooke
and,
when
the
port
began
to
circulate,
addressed
Harry.
"
Mister
Heron,
I
believe
I
know
your
family.
You
are
a
relative
of
Mister
John
Heron
of
Comber
are
you
not?
"

             
"
Aye,
sir,
he
is
our
cousin,
"
replied
Harry.

             
"
Indeed,
and
your
father
is
Major
James
Nelson-Heron
I
think,
late
of
the
Royal
Fusiliers?
"

             
"
That
is
true,
sir.
Though
now
he
is
managing
our
farm
at
Scrabo.
"

             
"
So
I
am
informed.
I
believe
I
have
the
pleasure
of
his
acquaintance.
We
met
in
Gibraltar
as
I
recall.
"
He
smiled
at
the
memory.
"
He
is
well?
"

             
"
That
he
is,
sir,
I
have
a
letter
from
him
and
from
my
mother
this
very
day.
"

             
"
You
have
a
house
on
Scrabo
you
say?
Was
that
not
where
the
United
Irishmen
made
their
attempt
on
the
garrison
at
Newtownards?
Did
they
strike
at
your
house
and
farm?
"

             
"
No,
sir;
although
it
was
a
very
tense
and
unsettling
night
for
those
there.
My
father
sent
my
sister
and
me
with
our
mother
and
the
other
women
of
the
house
to
Downpatrick
while
they
were
camped
on
the
Dundonald
side
of
the
hill.
We
lost
a
few
sheep
and
a
horse,
but
nothing
of
any
consequence.
"
Harry
smiled.
"
They
almost
ended
the
fight
themselves
when
they
divided
their
force
and
marched
on
the
town
–
only
to
have
each
division
mistake
the
other
for
the
garrison.
"
He
laughed.
"
My
father
still
tells
the
tale
and
loves
to
point
out
that
the
troops
were
withdrawn
to
Bangor
to
avoid
a
battle
in
an
undefended
town.
It
was
all
over
within
a
short
time
as
they
were
themselves
withdrawn,
rather
piecemeal;
I
think
to
support
other
groups.
"

             
"
So
I
am
led
to
believe,
I
fear
though,
that
the
outcome
was
not
a
happy
one
for
any
of
us.
There
will
be
bloodshed
in
the
years
to
come
arising
from
this
folly.
"
He
frowned
slightly,
and
then
said,
"
I
have
accepted
the
transfer
of
another
two
midshipmen
from
the
sixty-four
Glatton
.
One
of
them
you
may
know,
though
he
is
somewhat
older
than
yourself.
Eamon
Barclay
of
Raholp.
"

             
"
I
know
the
family
of
course,
sir,
"
replied
Harry
carefully.

             
Captain
Blackwood
studied
him
quizzically
for
a
moment.
"
Yes,
I
expect
you
do.
There
is
still
an
unsettled
dispute
between
you
is
there
not?
"

             
"
I
think
my
family
regard
it
as
settled,
sir.
I
cannot
answer
for
the
Barclays,
"
Harry
responded,
not
wishing
to
open
this
topic
in
public
debate.

             
"
Quite
so,
but,
if
memory
serves
it
was
over
a
claim
involving
tenants
of
your
family
dispossessed
by
a
grant
of
land
made
under
the
Commonwealth,
is
that
not
so?
"

             
"
The
O
'
Connors.
That
is
so,
sir,
but
it
was
settled
by
the
High
Court
in
Dublin
over
a
hundred
years
ago.
The
court
cleared
my
great
grandfather
and
censured
the
Barclay
of
the
time.
I
believe
that
matter
is
closed
as
far
as
my
family
are
concerned,
"
replied
Harry
steadily.
He
did
not
explain
that
the
property
at
Raholp
was
a
part
of
his
family
'
s
holding,
seized
by
Cromwell
after
charges
were
brought
by
the
Barclay
'
s
against
his
great-grandfather
'
s
sire.