Thank you for all my kind recent reviewers for Chapters 36 and 37: ElizabethSoph, DimmDimms, Katarinahayat, Jilyfan33, and ronaleem. Unfortunately, this chapter is another downer, but good things are awaiting just past the horizon.

38.

Frederick's mind was full of the probable fate of Daniels. He did not want to submit him to court martial unless it was entirely necessary, but it seemed probable that Lieutenant Dowdy would force his hand, if Frederick did not strike some deal with him to avoid his own discipline, and yet Frederick feared that if he retained Dowdy, he would be a snake in the grass, always undermining him. But Frederick was committed to firmly studying the situation from all angles before he reached any final decision, and for this he would need to interview the witnesses. The next few hours were occupied with speaking first with his officers (excepting Lieutenant Dowdy), and once he had spoken with Lieutenant Benwick and received his full account, he set that man to interviewing the other witnesses of lower rank and determining who the captain should interview directly.

The picture that emerged from all the interviews was that Daniels had become incensed upon reading a letter and had struck out violently in a sort of insanity generated by whatever he had learned within. Lieutenant Benwick was able to locate such a missive, which an able seaman who had the ability to read had retrieved with the goal of amusing his compatriots with whatever secrets lay within. Clearly such letter was key to the whole thing.

When Frederick read the letter for himself, he well understood how a rage could fall upon a man who usually exercised abundant self-control.

March 10, 1811

Dear Cousin Sam,

I hesitate to write with you and communicate such grave news, but those who ought to have the writing of it who are your closer relations will not do their duty, and others who might write of such as your friends from your youth, say it is better to let you sail with an untroubled mind. I felt likewise until recently but given what has just occurred my pen cannot be stayed, and I suppose I am the only one left who will tell you the truth.

Your wife Mrs. Daniels is not acting as she ought, but much might be excused given how it has been three years since you have last been home for a visit and if she had been doing her duty to your children, I would not think her so very bad. But that is just the rub, she has given up all semblance of respectability and has run off with your no-account brother and left the children behind, all but the one she bore to him a few months ago.

I might think she had some chance at redemption were it not for the manner of her leaving. For she could have brought the children to me and placed them under my care. I should not have liked to take in your three for our home is rather small and it is enough trouble to have bedspace for the current children and to have enough food for them. Since you have been gone as you may recall from my letter Christmas past (if indeed it ever reached you, I know that the mail can be most uncertain to reach you via packet boat) I have borne twins, bringing my total natural born children up to nine, with my husband's two daughters from his first wife not yet at their majority and with no probable suitors on the horizon. Still, I would have eventually taken them because I know what is due family.

Perhaps wishing to avoid unpleasantness with me, or perhaps seeing a way to profit and fund her dissipate ways, she made arrangements for a depraved man, Mr. Coffer, to take Grace under his protection, although she is just barely thirteen, set Sammy to work as an indentured servant for Farmer Brown, and placed Jane as a personal servant for the elder Mrs. Whitely. I did not know of any of it for more than a fortnight after Mrs. Daniels had departed, and they had already assumed such roles.

Although my husband is often most indulgent and seeks to please me where he may, despite my best efforts he would not be moved to remove Grace from her present state for the shame it would bring on our own household and we had not the funds to pay to redeem Sammy. Although Mrs. Whitely is senile, prone to vicious moods, and can be difficult with her demands, her bark is worse than her bite and she is too frail to do much harm and Jane seemed to have found some measure of contentment serving her; I do not fear for her nearly as much as the others.

I hope to see all of them in the next se'night so I can give you more immediate word of how they all fare.

The cursive worsened with another entry crowded onto the page and Frederick's heart sunk. As bad as the previous intelligence was, he feared it would only get worse.

May 27, 1811

Sammy and Jane are doing as well as could be expected, and I have seen them at least once a month. As for Grace, it took me more than two months to get to see her, as Mr. Coffer would not let anyone admit me, and she seemed entirely bound to the house. I was finally able to arrange a meeting with the help of one of the women servants. As bad as I felt Grace's likely state to be, for she was always a good and virtuous girl who I am sure had no notion of giving herself to another outside of the bonds of holy marriage, I am sorry to say that her protector has proven himself to be vicious and it is already probable that she carries his child. She is morose and I fear greatly for her health. If you were here, I am sure you would be able to do something for her, but as it is no one else can or will act for her. All I can do is pray. I hope with all my heart that I might soon have word that you are homeward bound for I am sure nothing could raise her spirits but to have hope that the future shall prove better than the present.

There was a sudden shift in the cursive upon the next line, with the writing almost illegible from the frantic nature in which the words were written. It took Frederick some moments to make the words out. Then he read something worse than what had come before.

June 6, 1811

I had delayed sending this letter in the hopes that I might give you some sort of hopeful news, but there is nothing of the sort to impart. There is no need for you to hurry home now, for no one shall ever harm Grace again. She lost the babe, likely as a result of a most vicious beating she received, and in losing the child she sickened. As she worsened and her fate seemed more certain, that man threw her from the house to leave her to her fate with nary a care. By the time I had any word of her condition, on June 4th, nothing could be done to turn the tide, and she lost her life in the early morning hours of June 5th.You may take comfort that she was not alone at the end, and I gave her all the attention I should have given one of my own daughters in her final hours, but it was not enough.

I am so sorry to have to tell you such dreadful news. Wishing you better fortune there.

Charlotte

Frederick was much grieved even though he had not even so much as known that Daniels had a wife and family. He could not imagine the man's distress in finding out about six months after the fact, that his beloved daughter had died and in such a manner. Not being a father, Frederick could only imagine what he might feel if something should happen to his brother or sister, or Anne. He felt more than ever, what a fool he was to not return for her. Life was often cruel and far too short. It was not inconceivable that her father would have tried to force her into marriage with some other eligible man no soon than he had returned to the sea. Even now, with Anne on her way to join him, there was no certainty she would reach Antigua. the sea could sink even the mightiest ship, should it encounter a vicious storm, an enemy ship, or simply suffer bad luck.

Frederick wished he knew when and how Anne would make such a journey, longed to know if she had yet set sail toward him. Frederick recalled that today was November 22nd; perhaps she was still on England's shore and would not make the crossing of the Atlantic until the Spring, or perhaps she was not too far from Antigua now.

It occurred to Frederick then, that he had not perused the rest of his mail. Amid the stack, there might just be further word from Anne, Sophia, or her husband John. As much as his fingers itched to search it now, he knew his duties came first. It was now time to talk with Daniels and try to resolve his fate.

Daniels had settled down from the man who had tried to cane any men near him. Frederick's first glimpse of him since having him removed from Dowdy's "care" showed him a broken man who seemed to be suffering abject misery. When he saw Frederick, he tried to straighten, but he was bound to a chair and wearing leg irons, so could do little to show the required respect, but for murmuring, "G'day Captain."

Frederick approached, and seeing that Daniels appeared sane, told the soldiers guarding him to get themselves some food, and brought a chair near so that he might speak with Daniels face to face. Once they were alone, he asked, "How do you fare now, Daniels? I see that you have gotten some doctoring, but those wounds must still smart."

"Aye they do, Captain, but I deserve that and more. I have shamed this ship and my post by abusing the office I have been set at, for I know I am only to meet out the punishment that is due and no other. I have violated the Articles and struck my superior officers. I well know that my life is forfeit."

"The navy excuses nothing based on the provocation of ill tidings, but having read the letter you received, you certainly had cause to be upset."

Daniels sighed. "I wish none had seen those words, not even me. How much better was it when I could imagine my wife at home, thinking of me, my children arrayed before the fire, little Grace with a cat curled up upon her lap, Sammy reading a book, Jane darning a sock.

"My Grace was the kindest girl, always helping others, like a second mother to some of our near neighbors. The last time I saw her, she was waving her handkerchief as I left via the mail coach, and I could see the promise of what she would be like when she gained her majority. She was a treasure, better than me or Mrs. Daniels, would have been worthy to marry an officer.

"I had imagined that when I was too old to live aboard that I might one day dandle her little ones on my knee, but that should have been more than a decade from now. She was too young for all the befell her, too young to be with child, and now, now she's worm food in the ground. I have lived too long, and she has not lived long enough. And I am just a used up old man with a strumpet for a wife and a brother who has tupped her for his own amusement. I would not be at all surprised if he has already left her. What is the meaning of all of this? What is the use of going on? You ought to carry out my sentence without a court martial. I well know how it will turn out in the end."

Daniels bent his head down awkwardly, for his arms were bound behind him. Whatever energy he had found at Frederick's appearance seemed to have fled from him.

"Is that what you truly want?" Frederick asked.

Daniels shrugged and slumped as well as he could, given how he was bound. He was silent for several long moments, but then finally replied while not looking up. "I am sorry for what I have done, please tell Lieutenant Benwick and the rest, I hope I did not hurt them much, and I never intended to do it, but I freely admit it was I that did it. The only one who perhaps deserved it was that Dowdy, for that man is vicious and more than one of those Loblolly boys and those laying hens, too, are scared of him for good reason, but those are not hanging offenses. Given what I did, with so many witnesses, too, I cannot imagine there is any other fate for me. Perhaps it is best, though, for when only a nightmare remains, the cool bed of eternal rest may be an improvement."

Frederick left Daniels in a thoughtful mood. With his candor and genuine remorse, and willingness to pay the price, Daniels struck him as a far better man than Dowdy. He resolved to find out more about who might have complaints about Dowdy. If he had to lose Daniels, perhaps he could also rid himself of Dowdy.

A/N: Yes, the last couple of chapters have been downers, but I have good plans for Frederick, Anne, and all the rest. The next chapter will have some good romance and perhaps even a long-desired reunion. Stay tuned.