Portsmouth, 1805
Honor (n): 7. Source of respect
When Horatio came down the gangplank after docking in Portsmouth, the first thing he saw was Maria, smiling at him. He managed a smile back, pushing down the feelings of guilt trying to arise. But all thoughts of Maria were driven out of his head when he saw a thin man walk towards him, fury contorting his face. Even from a distance, Horatio could see the man had dark purple eyes. He steadied himself.
"You are Captain Horatio Hornblower?" the man demanded. Horatio nodded. "I'm Thomas Nottingam. My daughter is believed to have joined a ship, disguised as a man. Did you find any women on board your vessel?"
Horatio looked directly into the man's eyes, seeing both himself and Samantha reflected in them. "I did." he answered at last.
"Thank God." the man sighed, "Where is she? I need to know! She owes three pounds to...someone. I did not wish for her to leave a debt unpaid."
Horatio held up one hand. "Sir," he said, taking a breath, "Your daughter died two months ago, as a result of an infected injury received when she assisted in our battle for the Natividad. It was only then that we discovered her."
Nottingam looked horrified. "I'm sorry for your loss, Sir."
"Don't be." Nottingam spat. "God-damn bitch! Never listened to her father, Mr. Hornblower. I told her, 'Don't go out to sea, you'll get yourself killed!' But she went out anyway. I tried to calm her lust for the seas by making her a servant of some Captains, but she wanted to be part of it, and now look where it's got her!" He turned on his heel and stalked away.
Horatio breathed with relief. The man had believed him. Perhaps now Samantha would rest easier. He made his way to Maria and embraced her. "I have a gift for you, dear." he said, slipping the necklace around her neck. The gold pendant winked in the sun.
"Oh, it's lovely, Horry." Maria gushed, "Where'd you get it?"
"A friend." Horatio said, slipping his arm around her shoulders.
In his dreams that night, Horatio saw Samantha standing before him, smiling. "Thank you, Horatio." she whispered, her voice distorted by something, "For once, I feel as though I am safe. My mother and I are reunited again, and that is enough for me. But I wanted to see you one last time." She seemed to come closer to him, close enough for him to see those eyes of hers. "I wanted to tell you that it was an honor to know you, Horatio."
When Horatio awoke, he felt, for the first time in years, a tear run down his face.
When Horatio came down the gangplank after docking in Portsmouth, the first thing he saw was Maria, smiling at him. He managed a smile back, pushing down the feelings of guilt trying to arise. But all thoughts of Maria were driven out of his head when he saw a thin man walk towards him, fury contorting his face. Even from a distance, Horatio could see the man had dark purple eyes. He steadied himself.
"You are Captain Horatio Hornblower?" the man demanded. Horatio nodded. "I'm Thomas Nottingam. My daughter is believed to have joined a ship, disguised as a man. Did you find any women on board your vessel?"
Horatio looked directly into the man's eyes, seeing both himself and Samantha reflected in them. "I did." he answered at last.
"Thank God." the man sighed, "Where is she? I need to know! She owes three pounds to...someone. I did not wish for her to leave a debt unpaid."
Horatio held up one hand. "Sir," he said, taking a breath, "Your daughter died two months ago, as a result of an infected injury received when she assisted in our battle for the Natividad. It was only then that we discovered her."
Nottingam looked horrified. "I'm sorry for your loss, Sir."
"Don't be." Nottingam spat. "God-damn bitch! Never listened to her father, Mr. Hornblower. I told her, 'Don't go out to sea, you'll get yourself killed!' But she went out anyway. I tried to calm her lust for the seas by making her a servant of some Captains, but she wanted to be part of it, and now look where it's got her!" He turned on his heel and stalked away.
Horatio breathed with relief. The man had believed him. Perhaps now Samantha would rest easier. He made his way to Maria and embraced her. "I have a gift for you, dear." he said, slipping the necklace around her neck. The gold pendant winked in the sun.
"Oh, it's lovely, Horry." Maria gushed, "Where'd you get it?"
"A friend." Horatio said, slipping his arm around her shoulders.
In his dreams that night, Horatio saw Samantha standing before him, smiling. "Thank you, Horatio." she whispered, her voice distorted by something, "For once, I feel as though I am safe. My mother and I are reunited again, and that is enough for me. But I wanted to see you one last time." She seemed to come closer to him, close enough for him to see those eyes of hers. "I wanted to tell you that it was an honor to know you, Horatio."
When Horatio awoke, he felt, for the first time in years, a tear run down his face.