ElizabethSoph, this chapter is dedicated to you. Your review has inspired me to write more, but it will take a few more chapters to get to any reunion between Frederick and Anne.

I have made minor changes to the previous chapter for consistency with this one but nothing that requires re-reading.

This chapter mentions events in Chapter 6 (Anne trying to seek Frederick out after she broke off their engagement but only encountering his brother Edward) and Chapter 8 (Edward's letter telling Frederick of the encounter). I going to revise Chapter 25 later to fix the ranks of the lieutenants to be consistent with this chapter.

35.

The immediate effect Anne's missive had on the otherwise unflappable and commanding Captain Frederick Wentworth is a matter which he would not want observed or disclosed to anyone. Fortunately, he was safely ensconced in his own cabin with the door bolted and, thus, had no need to hold back his reaction out of a sense of decorum or propriety, or even his sense of the masculine ideal.

Frederick was half out of his head, his thoughts a joyful jumble even as regret for what could have been, all the wasted and lonely years, all the unhappiness of them both, weighed down upon him at the same time. He mumbled to himself single words and phrases without really hearing or comprehending them, except for one that he repeated more than once: "Coward."

They could have had this happiness years ago, in year six, had he not been such a coward. Although Anne had absolved him of any cowardice, he did not truly believe her words. She had spun a clever lie to protect his ego, to care for him even from afar by not being too candid. Yet, still, she cared for him, loved him. While it was true that she might have been the authoress of their initial unhappiness, as a woman hemmed in by society's social rules and her confined life, she had no way to call him back. No, all the power was with him and he had failed her.

He recalled how his brother Edward had devoted a full paragraph in his first letter to him after Frederick left to find a new posting to give an account of Anne trying to find him the very morning that he left, her declining to pass a message on through him, and Edward's offer to pass any message Frederick might have back to her. But Frederick had never deigned to even reply to that portion of the letter, had only known true regret in not doing so when Edward had already departed for a new post in Monkford.

At one time Frederick was certain that if Anne had changed her mind that she would have given his brother a message for him. The fact that she did not (even though giving such a message would be a gross abuse of all proprieties and even a violation of his trust to bring his own brother into a matter that was just between them) confirmed to him at that point that she had no regrets. But from having read her letter it was evident that this was far from true. She had plenty of regrets, but the day after breaking their engagement she still must have felt what she did was right, but perhaps just wished to tell him to return to her after he made his fortune, as she said in the letter she had told the wind.

Although Frederick was still mightily bitter about her actions (perhaps always would be), some small part of him acknowledged that perhaps, perhaps she had been right, for it was certainly possible that his current status and success was due to his confident recklessness, his need to prove himself. He had not had the caution that a married or even engaged man would feel was required to someone in his position. Even taking command of the Asp would not have happened had he not left to seek out a ship when he did.

Frederick understood that an engagement of uncertain duration, with no certainty that fortune would ever allow them to marry was an evil. He could not imagine any of the fathers he served with of wanting such a situation for their daughters. While Captain Harville was fond of Benwick, wanted him as a son, he had lamented more than once that "mere lieutenants should put off falling in love until they have the money to marry." How much did Benwick suffer in being away from Miss Harville and how much did she suffer, not knowing when he might have sufficient fortune to marry her and there was certainly a risk that he would perish rather than return to her?

Frederick resolved then and there that he would do what he could for the two of them. He would sponsor and promote him, would suggest him for command even though it would deprive his ship of his most able help. Frederick also resolved that if the opportunity arose to earn them some prize money that he would pursue it for Benwick's sake. He owed God, fate or luck, which was now bringing him together with his love, to help to favor others.

Frederick returned to Anne's letter once more and lingered over her turns of phrase, the words that he most wished to imagine issuing from her lips. He delighted in tracing the path her pen took with his finger on the words that moved him the most. He sniffed the page, seeking some trace of her, but there was nothing. Any scent from her had long ago been lost to time. And he read her letter again and again until he was halfway to memorizing the whole of it.

Frederick might have lingered in such a state the rest of the day, committing a grave dereliction in not returning to command the ship as scheduled, had a sharp rap half a dozen times or more not roused him from his stupor and a half-formed fantasy that Anne was in the room but just out of sight. This occurred perhaps a half-an-hour after breaking the seal on her letter when he was still at leisure.

"Yes?" he called gruffly as he walked to open the door. It was Benwick, who had a long bloody mark across the side of his face. Frederick would have asked its cause, had Benwick given him a chance, but Benwick spoke as soon as he was admitted. "I am sorry to bother you, Captain, but the boatswain has gone mad, shouting about a lost love and betrayal and canning everyone and for no known reason besides wishing to inflict his own misery on all and sundry. Each of the senior officers that dared to approach him received strikes for their efforts. Finally, Jeffries and I were able to subdue him with help from some of the others (of course Dowding was no help at all), but it would not do to keep Mr. Daniels in leg irons for long and you are the only one to whom he will listen.

The was grave news indeed and regardless of his inclinations, Frederick had no choice but to go immediately. Usually, it was the boatswain (or his mates) who enforced all minor discipline, and Mr. Daniels was judicious in his actions and took this responsibility upon himself. Frederick liked Mr. Daniels, a grizzled, bald man with a decided stoop who was nearing sixty. Mr. Daniels had risen through the ranks based on his diligence and attention to detail. He maintained the rigging and cordage in top condition. He never allowed a damaged flag to be hoisted and kept all the signaling flags in perfect arrangement. The smaller boats which they used to go to shore were always kept at the ready by him.

Frederick would not have a boatswain with a free hand, thought that a resentful crew did not work nearly so well as one in which most minor offenses were overlooked so long as they did not affect operations. For more serious offenses, Frederick as captain was judge and jury, and recorded all punishments in his logbook. Of course, the most serious offenses which required or could result in execution required a court martial.

How this usually restrained and prudent man could have come to randomly canning sailors and officers, risking the punishment of the loss of his own life, was a matter quite perplexing to Frederick and he imagined its resolution would be problematic.

They found Mr. Daniels on the upper deck, retrained, gagged, and sporting a series of small cuts. Men nearby were shouting insults at him and Dowdy was apparently holding court over the whole of the proceedings. The crowd parted for their captain and lieutenant, but Dowdy did not notice them as he was facing away from them, his attention directed at two boys who were holding a bucket of seawater. "Do it now," Dowdy commanded them, gesturing at them with a small knife he held in his hand.

The boys poured a bucket of seawater upon Mr. Daniel's head and a cheer erupted from those assembled as the captive man jerked at the pain of the seawater hitting his small wounds. This casual cruelty alarmed Frederick greatly. As Mr. Daniels was subdued, the officers and seamen ought to be attending to their duties, rather than enjoying the spectacle of him being tortured. Frederick was incensed; this would not do at all. He could have understood if some of the lads (say the powder monkeys) or ordinary able seamen had jeered at or spat upon the captive, but the first lieutenant's actions were completely unacceptable.

"Dowdy!" Frederick roared. The man spun about and paled in seeing his captain. "To me."

Dowdy, sheathed his knife, walked to Frederick and stood quietly at his side.

Frederick pivoted. "Lieutenant Benwick?"

"Yes, Captain?"

"I am putting you in charge while I have a talk with Mr. Dowdy. I trust you will keep order and get the men to resume their duties." His eyes swept the men at hand, and he commanded them directly, "Given what I have just observed, it is most clear to me that this crew who would cheer the torture of man, none of you deserve the comfort of women. For the time being, they are banned from my ship. Return to your posts at once." All the prudent men hurried to obey, save for the ship marines who were nominally guarding Mr. Daniels but had let Dowdy do as he wished. Their captain, Galpin, was not about and Frederick recalled he was not aboard for he had leave. Frederick was quite certain Galpin would not have permitted such behavior.

Without waiting for an agreement or acknowledgement, Frederick turned to Lieutenant Dowdy and said "Dowdy, you will accompany me to the wardroom now." The lack of any acknowledgment of First Lieutenant Dowdy's rank at all, not even calling him "Mr.", clearly communicated his displeasure with him as Frederick was always observant of the proper forms as he believed it reinforced the command structure to the men.

Frederick strode away, leaving it for Dowdy to scramble after him. The two off duty officers who were in the wardroom when they entered took one look at Captain Wentworth's expression and left immediately. Their captain had rarely looked so cross.

Frederick was masking his distress (for he was already castigating himself for the time he had taken away from command to attend to Anne's letter, thinking that perhaps if he had been about that Mr. Daniels would have thought the better of his actions and certainly Dowdy would have not dared to do what he did with his captain near at hand) with anger. Dowdy had long been a thorn in his side, and not someone whom Frederick would have put in such a post. Even now he worried that whatever decision he might have to make about Mr. Daniels would be undermined by Dowdy's criticisms and gossip about how the matter should have been handled.

"Well, what do you have to say for yourself, Dowdy?" Frederick asked.

"We were just having a spot of fun. Just about everyone's sporting wounds from that crazy man, who will soon enough be run up the yardarm for striking superior officers. What does it matter anyway what we do to him? He shall soon be dead."

It was as Frederick had feared, Dowdy and the rest would be expecting Mr. Daniels to be executed according to the Articles of War, based on violation of the 22nd Article. Between the two ships who had accompanied the Laconia and three other ships at the Naval Yard who when refitted and supplied were to leave the West Indies (these were the very ships that they were replacing), there were enough captains for a court martial.

Frederick crossed his arms and frowned. "Such fun as you call it is 'scandalous, infamous,' and 'cruel' behavior 'unbecoming the character of an officer,'" Frederick countered, quoting the 33rd article. If Dowdy wanted everyone's conduct enforced by the letter of the law, he could have his punishment, too, dismissal from His Majesty's service.

"You did not see it." Dowdy threw up his arms and gestured wildly in imitation of Mr. Daniels. "He was mad, mad. He could best those confined to a madhouse." Dowdy, seeing that his captain did not appear moved by this appeal, swallowed hard and tried again. "Are not men to reap what they sow? He hurt others, so he should hurt, too."

"Mr. Daniels will get his just desserts," Frederick replied, "but I wonder at your actions. You are not mad. You are a senior officer, second only to me. His actions cannot justify your behavior and you, too, will have to reap what you sow."

Dowdy hung his head and said nothing.

"To your quarters now, so that I can decide what to do with you."

Upon Dowdy's departure, Frederick took a moment to take a deep breath and straighten his shoulders before he went to further investigate the events of the day. While he dearly hoped he could rid himself of Lieutenant Dowdy and also arrange to spare Mr. Daniel's life, he feared that outcome was impossible.

A/N: What do you think should happen next? What should I write and post first: (1) More about Captain Wentworth and the resolution of the Daniels-Dowdy situation (and possibly read other letters which were written to Frederick); or (2) return to Anne and her friends and see what occurs regarding her widowed friend and Purser Perry?

I know Persuasion stories don't get read nearly as much as Pride & Prejudice stories (it looks like 40 people read the previous chapter, compared to the 245 people who read the latest chapter of VMC III), so I treasure each and every review I get. The average these days seems to be about one per chapter. Reviews keep me going, so some review love can help you get the rest of the story that much sooner. Follow the story if you want to get updates of when each new chapter is posted.