Sir Phillip Stephens was the person to whom he had despatched an enquiry regarding Lieutenant Raynesford, prompted by the appearance of the name in the social column of the Hampshire Chronicle as having recently arrived at the King’s Head in Lymington. First he would acknowledge that his curiosity about serving naval officers was an indication of his deep interest in his profession (to others he was a nosy old soak). Then he would show appreciation for the man’s acuity, as well as the quite proper discretion he exercised in failing to include him in what was a covert undertaking. He would then tell Sir Phillip of how he had, by pure accident, come across and aided the secret scheme being undertaken by the aforesaid Lieutenant Raynesford, indeed he would make the point that, thanks to his timely input he could modestly suggest that matters were on course for an improved conclusion. This would back up what would inevitably follow, for he was much given to pestering Sir Phillip and the Board, a repeated request that, given he had proved his worth as a gallant and intelligent officer he be given his due in terms of employment at sea, or if that was not available, a shore command that went with his rank and abilities. If the Comte de Puisaye had been troubled by the sheer lack of anything of prominence in the appearance of Buckler’s Hard, the same notion occurred to Jahleel Tolland when he actually got round to examining how he was going to accost John Pearce.
