Disclaimer: Well, yeah, actually, it all belongs to me at the moment-
Aubrey and Steven will appear later!
*Prologue*
It had been her dream, ever since she was old enough to dream, and had seen a platoon of men- the press gang- pass, and heard the stories from her brothers. They went to fight the Corsican tyrant, Bonaparte, and returned home with plenty of gold and glory- men had left England poor as tinkers and returned home rich and respected as kings; or not at all. She had played with her dolls, making them into officers of His Majesty's Navy. She dreamed of having sailors under her command, and fighting against large French Ships of the Line, and the cheers when they won and took their prizes back to England and received their honor and reward money as the Navy bought the prize ships for His Britannic Majesty's service.
And now here was her chance. By good fortune, she had been able to buy a commission as Secretary to a Captain James Wendon. In the Captain's list, she had discovered he was quite a senior captain- he had been serving in the Navy for ten years, and his was a career full of early glory. Men, even those who had been forced into service by the press gang, did not mind if they were to serve under the dashing young Captain who was, rumor said, cleverer and luckier than Bonaparte himself. Of course, she admitted to herself, the royal navy believed that one Jack Westenra, a traveler with his father since a young age, had applied. But she could speak French, Spanish, Russian and swordfight like any gentleman, and was no coward, in her opinion. She wrote excellently in all four languages she knew, and was not afraid of hard work. She was going to do excellently, she was sure, although three years was a long time, and she was sure her family would only believe the notes and red herrings at the most for a year, and then would be frantic with worry.
Here she was. In her neatly brushed coat and trousers, she looked up at H.M.S. Dominion from the boat that carried her and her trunk from the docks to the ship she was to spend a great deal of her next years on. It looked enormous. She suddenly realized that had no idea how to get onto the ship! She was at least four metres below deck level... Politely, she motioned that her dark haired fellow passenger should go first, hoping he'd show her. He was a lieutenant, she had overheard. Lieutenant Byrne, and had to quickly suppress the girlish thoughts that told her how attractive he was. He nodded. "Thank you, Westenra." He braced himself and leapt into the ropy netting that came down the side of the ship, clung to it and began to climb. She took a deep breath, and leapt, thanking God that she had kept very active in the last years, and was muscled enough to hang on easily and climb. She heard the Lieutenant report to someone, and then she was able to stand on deck herself.
"Captain's Secretary, Mr. Westenra?" Byrne had vanished and an older, gristly man was addressing her. This would be the test. "Yes, reporting for duty." She hoped that was the correct reply. "I'm first lieutenant Grange, Mr. Westenra. Your trunk is being taken to your cabin. Is this your first time aboard ship?" She nodded, quickly thinking of a good reply. "Yes Lieutenant Grange, but I have read the naval gazette since I was able to read, so I know a little apart from my job. I am interested to learn, however." He smiled slightly at her enthusiasm. "There'll be time for learning, at the moment you'd best report to the captain. He'll be pleased you're here. We're waiting for one more load of supplies then up anchor on the flood tide."
R&R please! Luv Es xx
*Prologue*
It had been her dream, ever since she was old enough to dream, and had seen a platoon of men- the press gang- pass, and heard the stories from her brothers. They went to fight the Corsican tyrant, Bonaparte, and returned home with plenty of gold and glory- men had left England poor as tinkers and returned home rich and respected as kings; or not at all. She had played with her dolls, making them into officers of His Majesty's Navy. She dreamed of having sailors under her command, and fighting against large French Ships of the Line, and the cheers when they won and took their prizes back to England and received their honor and reward money as the Navy bought the prize ships for His Britannic Majesty's service.
And now here was her chance. By good fortune, she had been able to buy a commission as Secretary to a Captain James Wendon. In the Captain's list, she had discovered he was quite a senior captain- he had been serving in the Navy for ten years, and his was a career full of early glory. Men, even those who had been forced into service by the press gang, did not mind if they were to serve under the dashing young Captain who was, rumor said, cleverer and luckier than Bonaparte himself. Of course, she admitted to herself, the royal navy believed that one Jack Westenra, a traveler with his father since a young age, had applied. But she could speak French, Spanish, Russian and swordfight like any gentleman, and was no coward, in her opinion. She wrote excellently in all four languages she knew, and was not afraid of hard work. She was going to do excellently, she was sure, although three years was a long time, and she was sure her family would only believe the notes and red herrings at the most for a year, and then would be frantic with worry.
Here she was. In her neatly brushed coat and trousers, she looked up at H.M.S. Dominion from the boat that carried her and her trunk from the docks to the ship she was to spend a great deal of her next years on. It looked enormous. She suddenly realized that had no idea how to get onto the ship! She was at least four metres below deck level... Politely, she motioned that her dark haired fellow passenger should go first, hoping he'd show her. He was a lieutenant, she had overheard. Lieutenant Byrne, and had to quickly suppress the girlish thoughts that told her how attractive he was. He nodded. "Thank you, Westenra." He braced himself and leapt into the ropy netting that came down the side of the ship, clung to it and began to climb. She took a deep breath, and leapt, thanking God that she had kept very active in the last years, and was muscled enough to hang on easily and climb. She heard the Lieutenant report to someone, and then she was able to stand on deck herself.
"Captain's Secretary, Mr. Westenra?" Byrne had vanished and an older, gristly man was addressing her. This would be the test. "Yes, reporting for duty." She hoped that was the correct reply. "I'm first lieutenant Grange, Mr. Westenra. Your trunk is being taken to your cabin. Is this your first time aboard ship?" She nodded, quickly thinking of a good reply. "Yes Lieutenant Grange, but I have read the naval gazette since I was able to read, so I know a little apart from my job. I am interested to learn, however." He smiled slightly at her enthusiasm. "There'll be time for learning, at the moment you'd best report to the captain. He'll be pleased you're here. We're waiting for one more load of supplies then up anchor on the flood tide."
R&R please! Luv Es xx
