Chapter 9

Horatio rematerialized so suddenly on board the HMS Eternity, he stumbled and tripped. Right into the unsuspecting Archie and Wellard. All three tumbled to the deck somewhat ungracefully, where Wellard's head hit with a resounding 'thunk'.

Archie started laughing as Horatio struggled to untangle himself from the knot of human appendages. "Why Horatio," he managed to gasp, "I believe that you just concussed poor Mr. Wellard."

Wellard smiled sweetly up at them and said, "That's all right sir, my eyeballs will certainly stop spinning in a moment."

Horatio, his mind still trapped with visions of the hospital room, snapped without thinking, "It's alright, Mr. Wellard, you only hit your head."

Wellard stared at him in astonishment, and then began to giggle.

"I'm sorry," Horatio shook his head and smiled ruefully.

"Did you have a good trip to Earth, Horatio? Get a bit more perspective?"

He opened his mouth to reply. "Well-"

Archie interrupted, "Of course, if you'd stayed with Mr. Bush for longer, you would have heard a wonderfully exciting tale about how you and a small crew recaptured the Renown from merciless Dons. I quite enjoyed it."

"You were WATCHING?" Horatio asked, horrified.

"Oh, please, Horatio, it's not like it's anything we haven't heard before. We KNOW how much these people hold you in regard. It's just fun to listen to them gush from time to time."

Mild annoyance overrode the faint sense of horror he felt. "Nobody GUSHES about anything!"

"Begging your pardon, sir, but yes they do," Wellard replied.

Horatio sighed. "You too, Mr. Wellard?"

"Really Horatio, did you think we do nothing here but sing and walk the maindeck? We go back to Earth from time to time, watching over friends and family. In fact, we were present for that rather formidable battle against those French Corvettes."

"Really?"

Archie looked miserable, as he answered, "I'm sorry we weren't able to save you properly. Spirits have limited power over those of flesh and blood." A smile flickered through the emotion. "It was Wellard, actually, who saw the frog trying to shoot you. He probably would have gotten you square in the heart, if not for Wellard's quick thinking."

Mystified, Horatio asked, "What did he do?"

Wellard looked embarrassed as Archie continued, "Well, he dropped down next to the frog with the pistol, and he screamed a very, VERY high-pitched, shrill scream right into his ear. It caused the frog to jerk his pistol just as he fired, so he only got your shoulder."

"I owed you a great debt in life, sir, and if I might pay it in death, I will do so." Wellard's voice was solemn. Before Horatio could reply, Archie continued:

"But, we're sorry, no spirit can do anything about a fever and infection." The misery had returned to Archie's voice. "We saw you safely to Portsmouth, then returned here."

"My God, it seems I have a few guardian angels." Horatio shook his head in wonder.

Mischief flashed through Archie's eyes. "Yes, you'd probably be touched if it didn't mean you had two bickering ghosts flying above your head, like a swarm of Valkyries on a battlefield."

"Two guardian angels for Mr. Hornblower and his crew," Wellard added softly. "One who's voice has yet to fully break, and another that's needlessly sarcastic."

Horatio chuckled. "It sounds to me like I shall need more guardian angels to protect me from the ones I already have."

Archie and Wellard exchanged glances. "You might have a point there, Horatio," Archie admitted. His voice became sombre. "You have to go back now, you know."

Horatio sighed. He stared across the grey waters on which the HMS Eternity forever sailed. "I know."

"Come on," Archie tugged his jacket sleeve. "There's something you should see before you go...

...They stood on the yardarm at the top of the mainmast, the wind blowing past them. Horatio watched the two men beside him. "You are indeed," he said, "The very best friends a man could ever hope to have."

A tear trickled slowly down Archie's face as he smiled, "You see? Better already."

Wellard gasped, "Look!"

Above their heads, the endless clouds broke, allowing a stream of radiant, golden sunlight to bathe the men where they stood.

Horatio knew that he could live an entire lifetime of pain, sorrow, and anguish, as long as he had the memory of this one perfect moment. For the first time in his life, he felt complete happiness.