Chapter Thirty-Four

"All right, off with you. Mr. Matthews, let me have a look at that leg." Emma sent Horatio off with a quick kiss. Pellew had instructed her to pick out midshipmen who were well enough to accompany Jack and Horatio on the mission to capture the French ship. Twenty men were well enough, having only superficial wounds that seemed to be healing quickly. If Emma had her way she'd lock Horatio in here but Captain Pellew had already chosen him to command one of the boats. Lovely. She'd never get away with objecting without Pellew accusing her of favoratism. Emma was glad that at least Archie's hand was damaged enough to keep him on the Indy.

"Do what you can for it. I can shoot with my good hand." Archie assured her as she examined the injured hand. Emma stopped in the midst of cleaning out the cut that had nearly severed his thumb. She stared at him blankly.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean to go with Horatio." Archie told her. Emma's blue eyes widened then she shook her head and bent back down to her task.

"Don't be silly, Archie. You're in no condition-"

"Bind it up tight and I'll be fine." He insisted. "I'm going."

"Not without my approval you're not." Emma reminded him smugly.

"Emma-" He warned, eyes narrowing at her.

"Archie." She countered. "Why would you even want to go?" She whispered leaning in close. He didn't answer but stared back at her with a look that made her stomach clench nervously. There was a determination there that reminded her of...Clayton. The knot in her stomach gave a sharp twist. She wanted to bean the man over the head. Did he learn nothing from Clayton's death? She could say nothing with the other men in the room so Emma settled for her most cross expression and narrowing her eyes at him. Archie seemed to find this highly amusing. She wiped the smirk off his face by pulling the bandage tighter around his hand.

"Ow! Christ, woman!" Archie protested.

"Your wounds are still quite painfully I see." Emma pointed out. Now his scowl matched her own.

The little bastard had gone behind her back! Archie had told Pellew that she had given him the all clear and that he was well enough to accompany Horatio. By the time Emma had learned what the little sneak had done, the two boats had already set sail. She simmered angrily with a mixture of fear and annoyance. Archie was going to try and complete what Clayton had not. It was madness. Pure insanity! Emma wailed inwardly. Even if Archie succeeded, Captain Pellew would surely discover what the man had done and her friend would hang for it. Emma bit back a cry of renewed helpless fury while she tended to Style's stitches.

Was it worth his own life to rid them of Jack Simpson? All three men had seemed to think so and that made Emma very uneasy. Yes, Jack Simpson was an evil bully but did he really deserve murder? During the chaos of the French attack, she had been tempted, sorely. But she had been pushed beyond her normal limits. Her nerves stretched taut. Now, thinking clearly, could Emma really condone his murder?

She ordered Oldroyd up on her table to change the dressing around his arm. Before Jack Simpson, Emma had never wished ill of anyone. Yet another reason to despise the man, if she needed one. The man had hurt her husband and a friend she was coming to care for deeply. And poor, brave Clayton. But if one was being objective about Clayton's death, well the two men had shot at each other. Someone was bound to be hit. There was an undercurrent of something more, Emma knew. Jack Simpson was a bloody mean man. But did he deserve death for being a bully? While she checked one last time on Matthews, Emma decided to prod the older man for answers.

"How long has Mr. Simpson been on the Indy, Matthews?" She wiped at his wound with a damp cloth damp with alcohol. He bit back a hiss before answering.

"Oh, 'bout five years I'd say, Mrs. H." He replied.

"Does he get on with man of the men?" Emma asked. Finch, who was sitting up in the next bed, bit back a snort.

"Mr. Simpson doesn't go out of his way to be friendly. Prefers to go his own way, ya understand?" Matthews replied.

Emma nodded. "So he was already here when Horatio and Archie joined the ship?" Matthews paused, sent Finch a warning glance that caught Emma's attention and cleared his throat before answering.

"Aye, he was."

"Has Archie always suffered from his fits?" Emma asked. Again, another glance.

"From what I understand 'e 'as." Matthews nodded. "But beggin' yer pardon, Mrs. H. The doctor knew more about Mr. Kennedy's fits than any of us." Emma turned to look at the chest of drawers that held the deceased doctor's journals. Matthews followed her gaze and then gave her a short nod. A shiver of apprehension shot down her back.

"Thank you, Matthews." Emma said.

Four more of the more seriously wounded men died. Emma felt like a useless failure even though Lieutenant Bracegirdle kindly assured her that they'd been too badly hurt to save. Still, Emma had hoped that the skills she had possessed, newly acquired as they were, should have been enough. Overhearing the men at dinner only re-enforced her low self-esteem.

"Mark my words. Lady Doc'll be gone come mornin'." She heard Styles say a few tables over.

"One would only hope. We don't need no uppity female who don't know 'er place." Oldroyd insisted.

Emma sat ram rod straight at her lonely table. No one would sit with her now that Horatio and Archie weren't around to keep them civil. She buried her face in one of the doctor's journals and tried to ignore their cutting words.

"'em's dead at 'er hands is piling up already. Anything worse than a scratch is too much for 'at baby to 'andle." Another one spoke. Emma felt her cheeks burn. That was just what she felt like at the moment. A mere babe dressing up and play acting in one of the play's Archie seemed to love so much.

"Captain knows it too. Just you wait. 'e'll give her the boot."

Emma felt tears spring to her eyes. Before they could see, Emma grabbed the journals and left the mess hall, laughter trailing behind her. She walked outside onto the lower deck. The chilly night air biting at her cheeks and drying the tears that had started to fall there. Damn them all. Damn them and their bloody prejudices! Damn them and their true words. She had no business being here. Emma gripped one of the ropes and lowered her head, her shoulders shaking more from her fragile grip on her composure then from the cold. No one wanted her here and she was simply using what little medical knowledge she has as a way to stay with Horatio. Men were dying because of it. Because of her selfishness. That ox Styles was right. The captain was surely going to dismiss her come morning and really it was no more than she deserved.

She was a married woman now. It was time to stop acting childishly and be responsible. Hundreds of women had men in the service of the king and lived for years with only snatches of time together. Emma was being a babe, stubbornly refusing to give up a toy. Her husband deserved better than that. Horatio deserved a strong woman, worthy of him. Not a clinging weakling. Emma sniffled and rubbed her damp eyes. Starting right now, she would be that woman, Emma vowed. She would accept whatever Captain Pellew decreed.

A.N

Sweet A.K: Emma could really use you in her corner right now. (laughs) And Archie certainly has some nice 'pinch-able' cheeks. (winks) And yep, poor Archie is gonna be presumed dead as in the films but don't worry, he'll be most definitely back in the next book! Though we're certainly not gonna forget about him for the rest of this one. As for Emma staying on the ship, she's suffering a crisis of confidence right now and her husband is no where in sight to comfort her, so we'll see how poor Emma handles herself.

Camreyn: Hope you enjoy this chapter. Technically it was Horatio who initiated the duel and it resulted in poor Clayton dying so I can see the captain's point. The captain is now in on what happened and part of him does think it was Emma's fault.

And poor Horatio really needs to fulfilling his husbandly duties, doesn't he? (laughs) The war is gonna hurt Emma's chances but don't count her out just yet.

Styles and the others probably think that the fact she stuck her nose in men's business and got Clayton killed would outweigh the fact that she saved her husbands so she isn't gonna get much support there. The poor woman really is up the creek without a paddle here. (laughs)

NarfOnABiscuit: It does seem like longer because so much has happened. Sort of like '24' at sea. It seems to be in real time. (laughs)

Thanks to everybody for your great feedback always. You guys make my day. We're in the homestretch with this one. It's winding down but never fear as there will be more episodes to follow and I PROMISE before this one is done, we'll get our love scene. (laughs)