Disclaimer: I don't own any of it.

Note on this chapter: I skipped the ret of the battle - there's only so much you can write! Just for you to know, it all went well:-) And also, gets a little steamier. Only a smidgen though.

Enjoy


Seven: Secret Tales

How had he got here again? Horatio felt furious with himself. He had accepted a party invitation to the Langdon residence, along with Bush, Pellew, Bracegirdle, Greene and Lewin. He regretted it dearly. Mr Langdon and Mr Brocklehurst were no company to enjoy – one too frivolous and one too serious. He sipped at his wine, glancing around the room to settle his eyes on Elizabeth. He had forgotten how exquisite she was. She wore a pale green dress this time, and her hair in thick ringlets. Damn her! He cursed as she laughed at a joke her friends had told. Damn the spell she had on him. He forced himself to listen to the drab conversation going on around him, and it wasn't until most of the guests had gone and those remaining were lounging in the drawing room until he could speak to her. They were talking of the attack on the French encampments – a great success – and Elizabeth's eyes seemed to flit anxiously around the room.

"You do not like war stories, Miss Brocklehurst?" He enquired, pausing all discourse. There was a hesitation before she answered with a bright but false smile.

"Quite the contrary, Mr Hornblower, I rather enjoy them."

"Ah, then you would be fascinated to hear of Mr Hornblower's exploits!" Pellew chuckled and there were titters around the room. Horatio coloured uncomfortably. Elizabeth's eyes were slightly cold as she replied:

"Riveted." This caused him to blush all the more.

"Come, come, Horatio. A woman giving you attentions and you colour like a beetroot." Mr Langdon laughed.

"Perhaps, uncle, it is not the attentions of a lady, but the attentions of men on his adventures. Perhaps Mr Hornblower is none too fond of telling his tales." Whilst saying this, Elizabeth had looked at Mr Langdon, and Horatio had been glad of both her intervention and sudden change in eye contact, but now she looked back to him. "Many of us have secret tales."

"Many, Lizzie. But, of course, ladies are too discreet to have such adventures." Mr Brocklehurst said repressively, staring hard at his daughter. She ignored the warning.

"Oh, quite the opposite, father, I am sure. We are too discreet to tell such adventures. But I am simply observing that perhaps Mr Hornblower prefers to keep his infamous exploits to himself, rather hearing them told from other mouths." Horatio wished he were back in battle – things were so much simpler there, there were no subliminal messages, no teasing. He frowned into his brandy glass.

"Not one to blow your own trumpet, eh, Hornblower?" Mr Langdon jibed. Pellew muttered something about Horatio's honour and discretion, and the subject was dropped. The captain wished he hadn't spoken to Elizabeth and gotten involved in the conversation. But it couldn't be helped… and it also told him a little more of her ambiguity. He looked at her, and found her to match his gaze unashamedly. She twitched a smile at him, and he shyly returned it. Her eyes darted to the doorway questioningly. He frowned, then it cleared, and he gave a short nod. He rose.

"If you'll excuse me, gentlemen." He left the room, waiting outside the door as he listened for Elizabeth excusing herself too. She claimed fatigue, and soon appeared, grabbing his hand without saying a word and practically dragging him into the garden. She released his hand once they had stepped out of the light of the house and she smiled at him timidly. He was surprised at her sudden shyness.

"At least here we shall have some privacy." She said, following the footpath to the fountain, whose water tinkled merrily in the night air. He agreed, though wondered why privacy was so important. If they were found, there would be a terrible scandal. "I wanted to apologise. Not only for making you uncomfortable just then, but for before, at the ball. I was rude and childish." He opened his mouth to protest, but she shushed him. "No, let me speak. I spoke in riddles and that was unfair to presume you would know what I meant." She looked directly at him. "I am not very good with direct honesty –"

"I should think you are!" Horatio insisted.

"Oh, Mr Hornblower, you would like to think so, and indeed I am very liberal in my views, but I am a lady." They had been walking for some time now and there weren't even lanterns to illuminate her face, which now seemed almost pale in the moonlight. "And a lady of high-breeding at that, and for my position I must often hold my tongue. I believed I could be freer to speak with you at the ball because you are a man of the world." They stopped and she looked at him earnestly, her blue eyes ablaze even in the shadows. "I had hoped that you would not disapprove, but I behaved inappropriately and I need to apologise." She laughed shortly. "I am afraid it is a rather lengthy apology, but I really am. I'm sorry." He chuckled a little, and she looked a little put out.

"Oh, I'm not mocking you." He quickly confirmed. "I am just flattered and a little confused at this. For, if I know you from my previous visits, you are not one to apologise so rashly. Rather, I believe you to be a little stubborn and would insist on receiving an apology." Elizabeth blushed. "I don't disapprove of you at all. In fact, I find you rather refreshing. If refreshing is the right word. I admit I'm typically more eloquent than this, but you make me all of a dither, and nothing ever seems to be right." He frowned, knowing he made little sense. "If I can put it bluntly, I enjoy your forthrightness and am a little disappointed at your haste to retract it. I may not be a liberal man that would suit you – I understand that I am sometimes too gentlemanly – but I still find that…" At this he trailed away. Dare he be honest, and tell her how she made him feel? Three encounters was hardly enough to found anything.

"Horatio." He was startled at the use of his first name, whispered so tentatively. "Perhaps I am a little too forthright now, but… would a gentleman object if… if…" She blushed. "A lady expressed her wish to have him… tell her…" She seemed to lose the ability to speak and stared at her feet, furious at herself for feeling like she was sixteen again. She was mature woman! She scolded herself, now act like one and speak what you want to say. Before she had summoned enough courage to finish her sentence, she felt a finger hook under her chin gently. Horatio tilted her head so that she looked at him again, and the breath caught in her throat. The moonlight glanced off his face, creating shadows at the corner of his nose and over one beautiful eye. She could see those eyes now, bright and intense, looking at her in a way she'd never seen before. It was so direct and so brazen that she felt a little intimidated but also a little excited by it.

"Tell her how he truly felt?" He whispered, finishing her sentence for her. She swallowed.

"Yes." Her voice was so hoarse, she was sure he didn't hear it. His eyes flicked down to her lips, and Elizabeth felt a jolt of adrenaline run up her spine and through her stomach. Her lids fell heavy on her cheeks as she closed her eyes, parting her lips and reaching upwards. Horatio bent his head slowly; not daring to shut his eyes as their mouths slowly collided is the most tentative of kisses. Her lips tasted of wine, and he could smell jasmine in her hair. He shut his eyes as he pressed deeper, her mouth shyly opening as he rolled his tongue over her lower lip, giving him entrance. Horatio felt her breath light and quick on his cheek, and her hands leaning themselves around his waist. His hands held onto her face as he lost himself in the sensation of her. The warmth of her body and movement of her skirts as she stepped closer, the tightening over her fingers on his waist as her tongue met his and he emitted small groan of pleasure, the smell of her hair and her skin, and the sweet taste of her mouth, that reached for his so innocently and eagerly. His heart pounded heavily on his ribcage, and his brain took leave of his senses, so addled by Elizabeth.

She had never been kissed before. Not like this. She could taste wine and brandy and sea salt. He smelt of soap and wood and ocean. His clothes were rough under her hands, and she could feel the calluses on his palms where he held her cheeks. Elizabeth followed his lead, delighting in the moan of desire she caused as her tongue met his. Oh, had she dreamt of this from the moment she had set eyes on Horatio Hornblower? To her befuddled mind, she couldn't remember, nor couldn't care. What mattered was the bliss she felt at that moment. It was obvious reluctance that Horatio pulled away, and Elizabeth frowned, a small moan voicing her disappointment. When she eventually managed to command her eyes open, she met a pair of mirthful, longing eyes close to hers.

"I –" He hushed her gently, placing a brief, tempting kiss on her lips. She sighed forlornly, leaning and resting her cheek on his chest. She felt him settle his chin gently on the crown of her head, and slide his hands down her back to rest on her waist. She could hear the hollow beating of his heart, and wondered at the speed of it. Had she caused it to pound so quickly? She didn't know how long they stood there, but son she felt him move and looked up. He kissed her softly.

"Come on. They'll wonder where I have gone." Of course. She had forgotten about her family and the guests. Harrumphing with discontent, she allowed him to take her back up the garden, past the fountain and into the hallway. Here though they had to part ways. After a subversive glance around, Horatio landed a chaste kiss on her lips and murmured: "Goodnight, Elizabeth."

"Goodnight Horatio." She watched him re-enter the drawing room and listened to the exclamations from inside before she trod upstairs, feeling deflated that she couldn't spend the whole night with him. At that thought, Elizabeth blushed. A whole night with a man! Well! That was certainly a tale to be kept secret from her friends, if it were ever to occur. Certainly before marriage… but then, Elizabeth concluded, she had so many secret tales, one more would be no burden… She forced herself away from such scandalous thoughts before they could interfere with her integrity. Something that Horatio Hornblower seemed to threaten – though she rather relished it.