Conquest

Captain Kydd and his crew have just finished escorting the body of Nelson back to England, and are immediately sent to Madeira for for further action.  Where will the frigate L’ Aurore go now?  Kydd soon finds out that the plan is to now expand the empire.  A naval squadron is to transport two or three thousand soldiers and all their accoutrements to the Cape of Good Hope.  The plan is to take it from the Dutch.

It will not be an easy task; just getting there will be fraught with peril.  Choosing a landing place would also be important.  Fortunately a sandy beach was found near Cape Town and a successful landing concluded.  Now it was up to the army to hold off the Dutch and their allies, and if successful, advance.  Surprisingly after one short battle, Cape Town capitulates.  But, will the rest of the colony follow suit?

The new governor is in need of a temporary secretary, so Kydd suggests his good friend Nicholas Renzi.  Renzi was now earning more than his friend.  How would it affect their friendship?  Now, the governor must get the people onside.  And how safe are they from the French trying to take the cape from them?

Author Julian Stockwin’s latest novel doesn’t present many sea battles, but there is a rollicking land battle near the end of it.  A very good read for fans on historical novels.