Balkan Glory

Sir Thomas Kydd has returned to England after sailing in the Indian Ocean.  He is spending time at his club, much to the chagrin of his wife, Persephone.  Meanwhile, his good friend and brother-in-law, Nicholas Renzi, also known as Lord Farndon is visiting the Foreign Office.   There he learns that the French have control of the Adriatic Sea. He is also asked to go to Austria and be an intermediary in negotiations for the hand of Marie Louise, daughter of the Kaiser.  He is to take his wife, Cecilia.  There is an ulterior motive to the Farndons’ trip; he is to take the measure of Count Metternich.

It doesn’t take long for Kydd and his ship, Tyger, to be sent to the Mediterranean.  They head for Palermo.  Aboard are Persephone and her cousin Emily.  They take up residence in a small villa overlooking the bay.  Just as they were getting settled in, word arrived that the French were about to launch an invasion at Messina.  Kydd is forced to sail without some of his men because they were on shore leave.

Kydd manages to stop what in reality was a French feint on Sicily.  However, Admiral Sydney Smith wants more glory for himself. He is out out when Kydd refuses to follow his suggestion of attaching his ship to the admiral’s fleet, instead intending to follow his orders from Admiral Cotton.   Not long after, Tyger is joined by the frigates, Active and Volage.

Captains Gordon and Hornby are in agreement with Kydd on his plans for sharing the spoils of war.  Soon Cerebus joins the fleet, captained by Whitby.  Whitby brings a French newspaper, which seems to know the details of Kydd’s little fleet.  He has also been titled the “Sea Devil”.  However, Bonaparte has someone who intends to put a stop to the devilry.

In Vienna, Renzi is attacked by four Russians bent on removing the British marriage suit.  Fortunately, his training at sea saves him.  Later, Cecilia tells him that Bonaparte is to propose marriage to Marie Louise.  He will set aside Josephine because she is barren.  What would such an alliance do to the allies arrayed against Bonaparte?

Once in the Adriatic with his small fleet, Kydd sets up a secret base on the island of Lissa.  He and his fleet set about wreaking havoc.  The French commander plans to wait until he has enough sail to hunt the Sea Devil down.  

What will happen to Tyger and Kydd’s little fleet when the French set sail?  And what is to become of Renzi’s mission in Vienna?

Author Julian Stockwin has based his latest navel novel on historical facts.  Napoleon did make an agreement with Austria through Metternich and the British navy did secure the Adriatic, forcing Napoleon Bonaparte to change his plans.  Stockwin couldn’t finish his novel without at least one major naval battle, which he describes in great, bloody detail.  A thoroughly enjoyable read.