Home on Leave
Chapter 2
James entered the study to find his Father already seated behind his over sized mahogany desk staring at him as he entered.
"I had my doubts the Navy was the proper place for you James, thought with your… nature a parish position would suit you better. But," Edward Norrington continued as he picked up a letter off the desk in front of him, "I have a report here from Admiral Davenport stating so far you have made an above average showing of yourself."
James smiled and straightened his posture a bit. With a trace of pride in his tone he replied, "Yes Father, I have done my best to uphold the Norrington name."
Edward Norrington looked pointedly at James, "No less is expected nor would be accepted of a Norrington boy. Duty is everything to a Norrington. There are no second places for a Norrington. Your brother Thomas understands the importance of that concept and has made a fine name for himself in the Navy, advancing up the ladder of command more rapidly than has been seen before and brought honor to his family by that very accomplishment. He is already First Lieutenant on one of the finest ships in the whole of the Navy, and I would not be a bit surprised if he makes Admiral by the time he is forty. Do not let the paltry bit of praise you've received fool you into thinking you've done anything to match his accomplishments. You've a long way to go before you bring similar honor to the Norrington name. Do I make myself clear James?"
"Yes Sir." James replied, his mood gone from elation at the thought his Father was finally giving him a little piece of what he had so craved from him his whole life to one of the more normal feeling his Father conveyed, that he was not good enough to bear the Norrington name.
Edward Norrington looked back down at his desk and waved a dismissing hand at James, "Well be on about your business then boy so I can be on about mine."
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After leaving his Father's study James made his way up to his bedroom and slumped into the overstuffed chair by the window. He sat there for some time staring out the window allowing all the feelings of self-doubt and unworthiness to carry the Norrington name he felt after almost any interaction with his Father whirl in his head. He was a fool to think things would be different this time. Finally giving his head a violent shake he forced himself to shove all those thoughts away down deep in his mind somewhere and slam the door on them for the time. He walked over to his wardrobe and opened it, sorting through for a shirt and pair of breeches that would still come close to fitting him. Donning them, and pulling a book from the bookcase as he made his way out of his room, down the stairs, through the back of the house, and toward the tree covered hill a short distance away he had escaped to after similar dealings with his Father before he'd joined the Navy. He'd spent many a pleasant hour there immersed in reading about exotic far away places and then using his vivid imagination to create the marvelous adventures he would have in those places.
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He'd been so engrossed in his book he hadn't heard anyone approach till he glanced up and saw her standing there smiling down at him. Taken off guard he slammed his book shut, on his fingers, jumped up, tripping himself in the process, and barely managed to keep his balance and not go tumbling head first into the thorn bushes a short distance away. Red faced he greeted his visitor with a very evident stutter, "Uh..Miss..uh Stemp….uh Stemple…uh sorry…I uh…I uh did not hear you..uh…" realizing he was doing nothing but embarrassing himself more by his blathering he shut his mouth.
She took a few steps closer, reached out and ran her index finger lazily over the book he was holding up almost defensively in front of himself. She smiled up at him and said, "You did appear very intent on your little book here."
James, very self-conscious now under her attention and nearness. His mind and any scrap of coherency he possessed had totally been thrown into chaos by said attention and nearness. Struggling unsuccessfully to get a firm hold on himself he cleared his throat and shoved the book behind him as he babbled out, "So it would seem." Then a brief moment later he rolled his eyes and badly wanted to kick himself square in the arse for saying something so stupid.
Her smile widened as she took another step toward him, "I ran into Teddy Groves and he told me I might find you here."
As she took her step forward James took one backwards, and found he was squarely up against the tree he had but a short time ago been sitting under reading, unembarrassed, unflustered, and un-self-conscious. He assumed his expression must be rather comical, for as she stood not two feet in front of him she had begun to giggle, and he felt the rush of blood that said he had turned several shades darker red. Unfortunately that didn't keep him from babbling out, and once again a brief moment later wanting to kick himself in the arse, "Sarah tells me you and she are to attend a party next week and she is afraid you are going to buy the scarlet scarf she wants for her dress."
Victoria smiled a bit snarkily, "Your sister is always trying to compete with me…unsuccessfully I might add. As far as the scarf, you can tell her for me not to bother; Father bought it for me yesterday."
Not knowing what else to say he replied, "Oh, alright then, I shall give her the message."
She looked up at him then with an expression that James, if he were a bit more experienced with the opposite sex, would have been able to interpret as predatory said in a suggestive tone, "Now James, I'm sure you have all manner of worldly adventures you could tell me about. After all you've been gone for almost a year in the Navy now; you must have engaged yourself in quite a few… interesting situations."
Her tone and expression were lost on the mostly inexperienced and uncomprehending James. Dutifully he tried to answer the question as he innocently interpreted it, "There was a time off the coast of India that we thought there would be a skirmish with the French, but it was able to be handled without a shot being fired. Then there was the time we happened to be within eyesight of the beach of one of the Galapagos Islands, we saw the strangest creatures we'd ever seen, and for that matter I suppose you could include the time we ……"
James was interrupted as Victoria stepped up and leaned into him, placed a finger on his lips, and said, "I was hoping for stories of a more amorous nature James." Then pulled his head down and before he could react, began kissing him quite passionately.
To Be Continued
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