Disclaimers: I don't own Master and Commander( Though I wish), I don't own 1st Lt Pullings (Though I wish) All I can say is I do own Catherine Mae (Sampson) Pullings. And with out anymore delay here is my story.
A Rose Can Be Nothing But A Rose.
1st Lt. Thomas Pullings walked up to the childhood house of his wife, Catharine. She stayed with her parents while he was out at sea. They had not been married two weeks when he was called to sea. That was several months ago, he barely had anytime to write her. He wondered if she thought him dead. He knocked on the door and Catherine's handmaid, Sam, answered the door.
"Mr. Pullings! How very nice to see you. Is there something I can help you with?"
"My wife Catherine is she home and well?"
"No ones has seen her for at least three weeks. One night she just upped and left after fighting with her father. Maybe she's at your house-"
"I just came from there she's not. I thought she would be here."
"She's not, I'm sorry I can't help you any more than that. I just don't know where else she would be." Sam closed the door and Thomas headed back to the H.M.S. Surprise.
Captain Jack Aubrey was on his way to see Mrs. Molly Harte when Thomas passed him, almost in tears. It took Jack a minute to catch up to him.
"Tom, please pray tell why you are in this state."
"My wife Catherine has gone; most likely she has remarried someone else, thinking I was dead. I should have tried to write her."
"Shhh. Thomas listen to me. Go home and take a long hot bath and try not to think like she left you. You two were in love from the moment I introduced you two. she would rather be a widow then remarried"
"How do you know that?" "She told me, the night of your wedding she came up to me and said, 'Thank you Jack. I am truly happy with Tom. I'd much rather be a window than remarried anyone in this town if anything should happen to him...'."
Thomas seemed to relax a bit. "Now go I'll find her."
"Jack I ca-"
"Go." Jack resumed making his way to see his love. When he made it to the front door Molly was already there waiting for him. "Mr. Aubrey may I be one to ask why you are looking dark to day."
"Mr. Pullings wife has left."
"This may shock you but I have taken a young woman in." They were walking into the music room. "Her name is Catharine Mae, you should know the rest." Jack sat down in one of the chairs as Molly shut the doors.
"And why should I?"
"You know her father and husband!"
"And why? I know a lot of young women's fathers and husbands. Why should I know this one?"
"She's married to one of your Lieutenants!"
"Molly-"
"Sampson is her maiden name! Pullings is her married name! Do you ever take hints or does everything need to be spelled out for you?"
"Molly-"
"NO GO TELL HIM THAT SHE DID NOT LEAVE HIM!"
"Then why was she not at her parents' house?"
"Because they wanted her to marry Sgt. Samuel Braint of his majesty's Royal Army. They thought Thomas was dead because she hadn't heard from him. That's why she left." At the moment Catherine came running down the stairs.
"Mrs. Harte I'm leaving to go see-" she opened the doors to she Jack sitting there. "Mr. Aubrey." Catharine lowered her head. "Thomas has been looking for me I take it."
"Yes he has."
"You sent him home right?" She looked up at him.
"Of course I did, he was in bad shape. You must go see him."
"I was on my way." And with that Catherine left.
