Commandeering Commodore Chapter 54

Commandeering Commodore

Chapter 54

"So…James, what manner of pesky little subliminally inspired and recently liberated vexations are we talkin bout here?" Jack asked with a smile and a wave of the rum bottle.

"I do not recall agreeing to any such talk, especially with you." James said lifting an eyebrow at Jack as he spoke. "I would be hard pressed to think of a reason doing such would possibly be of any benefit to me in the least."

"I could give you some reasons." Jack replied.

James snorted and said sarcastically, "Oh I have no doubt of that, however you will forgive me for having the opinion that naught of them would come anywhere close to being pertinent to my pouring out my troubles to you."

"What say you I give 'em to ya and then ya can judge whether they're that per-ni-ten thing ya said." Jack said cheerfully. Without waiting for James to answer he continued, holding his fingers up in James' face to illustrate as he listed off each reason, "One….I'm here and ready to help ya mate, unlike the young Turners over there who appear to be most involved in the festivities of a bunch of pirates and not in the mental torment and anguish of a certain Commodore. Two……I am an excellent listener," This statement brought a rather loud snort from James and an Oh Please. Jack gave him a brief faux frown and then continued, "I am an excellent listener when I aim my considerable considerations and determinedly determinations in that very direction which in this circumstance I am prepared to do just that." Jack paused for a minute and looked around as if in deep thought and then said happily with a wide smile at James, "And three…I have rum." He waved the rum in James' face to emphasize his point.

James despite himself, gave a short but genuine laugh and a brief but genuine smile, shook his head and said, "Jack, you are impossible!"

"Ah, improbable at times James, but never impossible." Jack answered merrily, not missing the use of his proper name once again by the man.

"No Jack, I would have to say you are near impossible most of the time and perhaps a bit improbably the rest." James answered with another laugh.

Then the little bit of levity was gone from his face. James sat there in silence, taking a drink from the bottle of rum, casting a look at Jack, who gave him an encouraging smile, looking up towards the stars, and then repeating the actions over again. Jack was beginning to doubt whether the man was going to speak and had almost decided to return to the party when he heard James start to talk. He leaned over to hear clearly, as the man's voice was so soft and low it was almost as if he were speaking to himself instead of Jack. The man's eyes were closed and his head tipped back a bit, a wisp of a smile showing as if he were reliving in his mind what he was speaking of.

"My Grandfather was the 5th Earl of Bristol, a fine man whom I loved greatly and spent what time I could with. He was a lover of the sea and when I stayed with him we spent many an enjoyable and companionable day out on one of several of his sloops. He was on the ocean at every possible moment. He was a man of good humor and infinite patience for a young boy who didn't know a rat line from a belaying pin, and was more than willing to take the time to teach that boy all he knew about the sea and sailing. That boy was himself showing signs of loving the sea and soaked up all the knowledge the man was able to give, which brought great pleasure to the man, the thought of someday procuring a position in the Royal Navy for his grandson giving him much pleasure." James paused, opened his eyes a bit, took another drink, closed his eyes again, but this time there was an expression of pain on his face as he continued, "Unfortunately my Father didn't feel the same. His personality was as much opposite my Grandfather as was possible. A stern disciplinarian who required exemplary obedience to his wishes, no quarter was given for any slight no matter how small; all were met with the same harsh punishment. Discipline, devotion to duty, and respect for authority were all that mattered, and would be beaten into me, and often was regardless of how hard I tried to please him. We held a certain station in life and we would not be judged lacking in any manner. As I grew up my Father disallowed many of the visits to my Grandfather's estate, due to the unsuitable influence, in my Father's opinion, of my Grandfather over me. The consideration of a life having anything what so ever to do with the sea was squashed with great scorn, although there was the opinion it was not so much the idea that this was because it would have been such a disgrace as it was something that he was not controlling. His son would do what he had chosen for him or there would be grave consequences to be paid." James again paused to take a drink, slumped forward a little, the bottle resting haphazardly in his lap and went silent. Jack wondered after a while if James was going to continue he had been quiet for so long. He was about to give the man a nudge just to make sure he hadn't fallen asleep when James sat up a little, shook his head, and continued. "To make a long story short, my Father and Grandfather got in a terrible row when I was 14, much of it over me. What manner of threat or intimidation my Grandfather used against my Father remains unspoken to this day by those involved. However the outcome of such was that my Grandfather would be allowed to use his extensive influence to procure my suitable placement on a Royal Navy ship. My Father remained resentful and held much rancor and animosity towards both my Grandfather and me. In fact he refused to speak to either one of us after that." James slumped back against the palm, finished the last of the bottle in his hand and said shrugging sadly, "I always thought if I made something of myself in her Majesties Service, if I was the best, the most disciplined, the most devoted to duty that I could be, I could bring him about."

"Well mate, that's one of the most woeful tales I've ever heard tell I must admit. Explains a bit about where that stick up yer arse may have came from." Jack said with a wave of his hands, "Thinkin that is somethin best left buried if yer unable ta deal with it. But I'm also havin the thought that despite what's happened twixt you and yer Father you have made a fine man outa yerself Commodore, someone just about any father would be more n glad ta call son, and that's not something ta be taken lightly, even if you and yer Father didn't make it right between ya. Ain't right ta be blamin yerself for his deformity of character."

James sat there contemplating Jack's words for a few minutes, then mentally shook himself, demanding that he be done with this lowly self abuse. He raised the empty bottle up, put a slight smile on his face, although it was no where near a happy one, and looking at Jack said, "Is there more rum perchance?"

Jack stood up and said, "Aye James, always more rum, less we let the bonny young Mrs. Turner," pointing wavery fingers in her direction as he said it, "get a hold of it… which I have no intent nor intentions of letting her do……again that is, now that I'm aware what she does with it when left to her own devices around it and unchaperoned as it were. I've made it a habit ta keep a close eye on her when it happens the rum and her be in the same general vicinity." Jack said ending with a slight grimace as the memory of that particular incident came back to him.

Jack came back with a bottle for each of them, and they spent the rest of the time, until James passed out from the rum in his system and Jack went off to find better company, talking amiably of what was most dear to them both, the sea and sailing upon said sea.

To Be Continued

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