ElizabethSoph and Jillyfan33, thank you so much for your reviews of the last chapter, which kept me going. A long awaited reunion finally happens at the end of this chapter, but first a villain must be dispatched. Enjoy.
40.
In the morning Captain Wentworth felt better if not exactly well rested. His love was coming, would be there soon, likely was only experiencing a bit of a delay from the same storm that had also struck his ship. He lingered in his bed for a few more minutes, thinking with pleasure about the fact that soon he might have with a bedfellow, or rather a "bedwife" if there was such a word. He decided the first order of business after speaking with the night watch, would be to conduct some vital interviews: with the man who had charge of the poultry, the ship's surgeon, Mr. Dash, and then, perhaps, the loblolly boys. Frederick felt he certainly had a duty to know if any of his officers were abusing the trust and responsibilities of their posts. His timing was arranged as he knew Mr. Dash would be preoccupied with the sick call at the main mast, and then seeing to whomever had need for his services, and would not have time for his captain until later.
The past couple of days, Lieutenant Benwick had been asking, "Have you made a decision as to when the women will be allowed aboard again? The men are becoming restless."
Frederick had been non-committal, but now he had an answer. Thinking that his new wife might reach Antigua at almost anytime, Frederick issued a new order that would certainly be unpopular but one that he thought was necessary. "No visitors shall be allowed on this ship from anyone without my specific permission, no comfort women shall be permitted aboard. We shall not take on any supplies, without my specific leave and supervision unless I delegate it." This made permanent his temporary ban of the visits from the prostitutes which he had forbidden in response to the turmoil caused in Dowdy's treatment of Mr. Daniels. The limitation on supplies was because Frederick was wise to the fact that bringing cargo could also bring women. Frederick's reasoning was simple, although he did not share it with anyone; he could not have any of that taking place while his new wife was aboard. Benwick confirmed that he would see to its enforcement, and though there were questions in his eyes, he did not ask a one.
Frederick had to consult with his ship's roster to find the man who tended the chickens and other livestock (they kept some goats for milk and meat, and occasionally some larger livestock), and determined it was the unfortunately named Mr. Theo Codswallower, a man whom Frederick had no recollection of at all. But he did know what time the man was to be at work as that was noted in the duty roster.
Frederick had too good a nose to enter the lowest deck with equanimity, and the stench was especially bad by the animal pens, which explained why he had never ventured in that area before although the floor looked in fairly good order. Frederick noted that a hammock was suspended from the ceiling, he supposed so that Mr. Codswallower could ensure the livestock's safety when he was off duty.
Mr. Codswallower was diligently pouring feed into the chicken coop, when Frederick approached.
"Pardon me, Mr. Codswallower" Frederick called when the man took no notice of him. Still, the man did not respond at all. Finally, when Frederick tugged upon the sleeve of his dirty linen shirt, the man startled and turned round.
Mr. Codswallower was a spare man who lacked most of his hair and was crunched up on himself, with a bent back, inward turned shoulders and a prominent Adam's apple which convulsed repeatedly when being alerted to his captain's presence.
"How do, how do, Cap'an?" Mr. Codswallower asked loudly, bobbing his head with each phrase, his actions and words reminding Frederick of a bird.
"Well indeed." Frederick replied politely.
"Beggin' y'r pard'n, Cap'an, but ye must speak up. I do'na 'ear well. And what can I be doin' for ye? Have a hank'rin' for some fresh chicknen this evenin' or some fresh eggies now? Ye coulda sen' a serv'nt."
Mr. Codswallower was hard for Frederick to understand. He did not have a conventional accent, but seemed to swallow some portion of his words and mispronounce others. While waiting for Frederick's response, Mr. Codswallower shifted from foot to foot, in what Frederick attributed to nerves in having the personal attention of his captain; such mannerisms were not unexpected but always vexed him.
Although he knew nothing of the man, good or bad (but he surely would have heard something if Mr. Codswallower had been shirking his duties, and his table never lacked for eggs and he had a chicken or some goat now and again), he resolve to set him at ease. Shouting, Frederick responded, "I know you are diligent at your duties, and am sure you are an asset to the ship."
"Thank ye, thank ye kindly." Mr. Codswallower inclined his head. "But you dinna come 'ear to say it. What can I be doin' for ye? Ye too 'portan' be here giv'n da smell."
Frederick resolved to address the matter straight away. He shouted (hoping no one would overhear) "Do you know Lieutenant Dowdy? I have some reports questioning his behavior and it was suggested that I might ask you about it."
"Oh Cap'an, he be an off'cer an' I let 'im do as 'e want but, beggin' y'r pard'n, but when 'e does it, it puts de hennies off der layin'. De no like bein' grab a such, no hav' a man ruttin' at um. De be sqwak'n an' peck'n an' he gettin' mad if de hur'im. But I tells m'self, better de hennies than de men o de boys. An' I alway' clean de eggies good."
The chickens were eagerly pecking at their food, but one by one they lifted their heads up and allowed Mr. Codswallower to scratch at their necks and heads with the fingers he could get through the openings in their coop. "Ders my girrrls, hennie, hennie, hennie." He crooned as he scratched.
Frederick had heard quite enough and understood all too well what Lieutenant Dowdy had been doing to the hens. It was common for men assigned to the duty that Mr. Codswallower was, to be known by a crude name that suggested they did likewise, but it was evident that Mr. Codswallower had a genuine affection for the creatures he tended, and they him, and his offense at Dowdy's actions revealed he would do nothing of the sort.
"How often does Lieutenant Dowdy visit?" Frederick inquired.
Mr. Codswallower turned away from the chickens, scratched at his head with some very dirty fingernails, fingernails that Frederick imagined were stained from the feces of the livestock, and replied "I guess ma'b one o two times a week er so."
"Is he the only one that does such on this ship?"
"Ye mean git at de hennies? Yes. Oth's ha' try bu I scare'm off w'me fork." Mr. Codswallowed retrieved the hay fork which Frederick imagined was used to arrange the bedding for the goats. "Ab' seamen no scare me."
"Only officers," Frederick confirmed and Mr. Codswallower nodded.
"Well from here on out, there'll be no more of that on my ship. I will see to Lieutenant Dowdy and if this happens again, by anyone, it does not matter how highly they are ranked, you report it to me right away. Of course if you scare them away and they do not try again, I do not need to hear of it."
"Yes Cap'an." Mr. Codswallower smiled, showing his captain his teeth, or the teeth that he had. Several were missing and others were blackened, jagged lumps. As Frederick left, he considered whether it was Mr. Codswallower's dental issues or hearing problems that made him so difficult to understand. He supposed it didn't matter for the man seemed to be diligent, to know his duties, and to be satisfied with his lot. That was all Frederick could ask of any of his men.
Next, Frederick went to see Mr. Dash, talking to him in his nook of an office. First he shared his happier news, since it would affect the man directly if Anne were to help with his patients. "I would have you know that I have word from the future Mrs. Wentworth and I imagine she shall reach Antigua any day now on Admiral Croft's ship. So it might do to prepare your mates and loblolly boys about how they are to act if in company with the captain's wife.
John Dash nodded his head thoughtfully. He had agreed to consider her skill, and had done his best in the intervening time of learning about the captain's future bride to put away any envy he might have, that Captain Wentworth could sail with his love, while his wife, Jane, and children, Tommy and Ronny, were buried far from him.
Frederick's next words caught him by surprise. "My bride has been asking if I might consent to have her friend, a widow who has accompanied her on the long journey to reach me, stay aboard also. Do you think such a thing can, should be done? I understand Anne's desire for female company, but I worry about a single woman being aboard ship, even if we were to block off a portion of our cabin to give her a bit of room with us."
John did not want to commit to giving an opinion just then, "Let me think the matter over."
Frederick inclined his head. Unable to put off the primary reason for their meeting any longer, he said "What can you tell me about what you think of Lieutenant Dowdy? I have heard some troubling reports that he may have treated your loblolly boys ill and I have just learned from Mr. Codswallower that he's been at his chickens."
John furrowed his brow. It was easy enough to know what Captain Wentworth was telling him, and the matter sickened him. He had been aboard ships long enough to know that it was not all that unusual for two men to share unnatural congress. He was at heart a very practical man and turned a blind eye to it; as long as it did not affect the workings of the ship or their health, he believed it was no business of his. He even knew that sometimes these amorous relations might involve men of vastly different ages, but anyone messing with his boys, mere lads who had no whiskers yet, that was another matter entirely.
"I cannot say if he has treated them poorly for I have not heard anything from them about the matter. I do not know Lieutenant Dowdy well, for the man is seldom ill, and if he had any ill inclinations toward them, it would not be tolerated here, for I will brook no tomfoolery in sick bay and all my mates know it. If he has treated them poorly while they be at leisure, well I would not know anything about that unless they told me of it, but I also do not doubt that they understand that in the ranking of those aboard, even a ship's surgeon is somewhat less important than a lieutenant, unless of course that lieutenant is sick or otherwise needs his skills. Should you like me to talk to them about him and see what I can find out? I can talk to my mates, too."
"Yes," Frederick replied. "I rather think they would feel better about talking to you, than to me or Lieutenant Benwick."
"Too true. You are an admired figure to be sure, but no one whose primary job is to serve loblolly to the ill men, change the clothes of the ill, and clean up their sick, would likely feel up to talking to him or you."
After Captain Wentworth had left to seek out Lieutenant Benwick, Mr. Dash took a moment to close his eyes and clear his mind. It would be a long day. Unbidden, a woman's indistinct outline came to his mind. It was no one he knew, her form was vague and uncertain, but the idle thought still seemed important. He formed a hasty resolution, opened his eyes and opened the door to his sanctuary. He called for Benny, the loblolly boy he thought most likely to talk to him, especially if he handled the matter properly.
Mr. Dash closed the door behind them, bid Benny to sit and before Benny could worry overly much about being in trouble, began "Benny, you have served me well these last four years. How do you think you might like a promotion, to train with me to be one of my mates?"
Benny, a slight lad with a blond cowlick who looked younger than his fourteen years, grinned. "Oh yes, Mr. Dash, I should like that immensely!"
"Well, you have earned it, son." Mr. Dash clapped Benny on the shoulder, a rare show of physical affection. "But you may not be the only one to undergo training. Now mind, you must keep this in the strictest of confidence." He waited for Benny to nod. "The captain is to take a bride and she has been training in the arts known to apothecaries. Mind you, I have no notion at all right now of her skills and deficits, but if she be able, I should think she shall at least need to know how we do things about here and how better to learn than with someone with her who has been observing all we do for many a year?"
"Oh, Mr. Dash, I shall be pleased to be of service to the new Mrs. Wentworth, but shall she truly wish to help us here? I never had her tell of a woman doing so before."
"Well then Benny, you do not know as much as you ought. There are certainly skilled woman herbalists, although they are typically the wives and daughters of apothecaries, and of course women serve as midwives to help women birth children, and anyone who must tend to children may learn a thing or two and in the household women are usually tasked with all the affairs of the sickroom. While I know nothing of any women serving as surgeons, this is more about societal expectations than a lack of intelligence. I do expect, however, that a woman may be more squeamish when it comes to resolving matters that involve blood, guts, and the unmentionable parts. Why her head might explode if she ever heard someone discuss a problem with his hairsplitter."
Benny's solemn mien upon Mr. Dash's correction, turned to a smile and then a chuckle upon his final pronouncement. As he had intended, it amused Benny and perhaps softened him up for what would come soon.
"Therefore," Mr. Dash explained, "if she should come to train with you, we will keep our language gentile. We should also never forget that she shall have the captain's ear."
Benny nodded again, earnestly, his blond hair flopping.
"Now there is something else I need to talk to you about. Whatever your answer, I wish you to be reassured. Your promotion shall not be in jeopardy. Everyone who serves in sickbay is under my supervision and ought to come to me if anyone does not treat them right. I know the other loblolly boys look up to you and I expect you might know of any problem they might be having. The Captain himself wishes to know if Lieutenant Dowdy has done them any harm."
Mr. Dash noted that at the mention of the man's name, Benny narrowed his eyes and tightened his lips. Yet, Mr. Dash waited for several long moments to no avail for Benny to reply.
Benny knew Lieutenant Dowdy far too well in fact, but felt a deep shame at what the man had made him do. He had never told a soul about it, until he caught Jimmy crying. Jimmy was only ten years old at the time, the youngest and the most inexperienced of the loblolly boys, on his first sea voyage. Jimmy, after much encouragement, haltingly told Benny what he had suffered. At the time, Benny suggested that they both tell Mr. Dash about it. He felt stronger somehow in knowing he was not the only one. But Jimmy had been adamant that no one else must know.
Mr. Dash then asked directly. "I must know, Benny. Captain Wentworth will see to it that he gets his due. Indeed, I should have been told of it if he was giving you any trouble, right away."
"I want to tell you," Benny finally responded, "but it is larger than just me."
Mr. Dash stood up and then Benny did likewise. "Go ahead and talk to the other loblolly boys then. I shall send them in here. You are soon to be a mate, so use my chair."
There were four other loblolly boys, which was two more boys than Mr. Dash needed, but he always liked to have extra help when a crisis hit and to be able to promote where he could or if a lad's talents lay elsewhere to be able to lend the boy to other departments, to perhaps earn a deserved spot there. He liked to give boys opportunities, give them an escape from land and the fresh start that some desperately needed. He felt heartsick that someone might have been hurting his lads. Once the truth came out (or even if it did not), he intended to examine Lieutenant Dowdy to see if he had any symptoms of venereal disease and check his lads most thoroughly also.
At that moment, Captain Wentworth and Lieutenant Benwick were in an earnest conference. "I shall of course have to hear from Mr. Dash," Frederick was saying, "but if Dowdy has been at loblolly boys, should we not see if he has done likewise with the cabin boys?"
"Yes," Benwick agreed. "I shall talk to them if you wish it." Frederick nodded.
Benwick was fond of the three cabin boys they currently had. Their primary role was to send messages between the officers and the promising ones went on to become midshipmen. He had started off as a cabin boy himself, had been treated well in such a role, but certainly such lads could be vulnerable from imposition from the officers if they had a mind to do it. He had heard to things happening on other ships, but had never dreamed that something like that might happen on this ship, under the leadership of Captain Wentworth.
The reprehensible nature of Dowdy's actions aboard the Laconia need not be fully explored. Suffice it to say, Benny convinced two of the other lads who had fallen prey to Dowdy to tell Mr. Dash what Dowdy had done to them, and two cabin boys also confessed to Lieutenant Benwick what they had suffered at Dowdy's hands. There were other lads serving aboard the ship as well, who might have been victimized, but as Captain Wentworth hardly needed more testimony he did not prevail on their superiors to interview them.
A few hours later, at about three in the afternoon, Dowdy was being brought forth in manacles by the soldiers on board. Captain Wentworth had not publicly announced the charges, but the crew had heard that they were bad enough that he was being brought to the naval authorities on Antigua. Dowdy meekly let himself be led to the top deck, but then somehow managed to break free, scramble to the nearest side and fling himself over the side of the ship, oceanside. Whatever his swimming skills might have been (and most sailors had never learned to swim), the manacles made it worse. Half the crew flew to the side to observe his struggles and quick submergence, and even Captain Wentworth was among them.
While Captain Wentworth would have preferred that Dowdy be tried and executed, he concluded that perhaps for the sake of the boys it was just as well that no detailed accounts would need to be made in the naval records, and no testimony given. Additionally, Frederick thought with pleasure that he was almost certain that he could convince his crew to lessen the account of Daniel's misbehavior to omit any striking of his superior officers. Then the corrective action to be taken was within his discretion and he could keep a valuable crew member with him.
Benwick was already ordering the men to return to their duties when Captain Wentworth lifted up his eyes from the spot in the water where Dowdy had drowned and saw in the distance two, three, four ships. He hurried to retrieve his spyglass. When he lifted it to his eye and trained it upon the grandest ship's top mast, he made out the flags at the top and saw that the British ship was carrying an admiral. His hope, which had risen upon spotting the approaching ships, soared. That must be Admiral Croft's ship, he concluded, with Anne and my sister aboard.
Frederick would have liked to do nothing more than await their arrival, but he had much to do and arrange. He quickly assembled his officers and the officer in charge of the soldiers, told them of what he had learned had prompted Daniels's actions and told them his plan for Daniels. They all agreed with nary a bit of trouble. More than one man confided in another afterwards that it was reassuring to know that their captain would be sensible when there were extenuating circumstances. While none of them hoped to need such largess, still it was nice to know that it might be a possibility.
Frederick sent Benwick to announce his decision to Daniels and carry it out. Benwick told Daniels that he was to be publicly lashed while tied to the mainsail and his ongoing punishment would be that the discipline of the crew was assigned to another man until Captain Wentworth felt Daniels was capable of the responsibility of again. Daniels was extremely grateful for this reduced punishment and even cried a few tears of gratitude at hearing it.
He told Benwick, "I know I am deserving of death for what I have done. In those first few hours I might have welcomed such a death, too. But now I am determined to serve my time aboard, save up my money and then do what I can for my remaining children."
Daniels took his punishment like a man, not crying out at all while being lashed, and was then conveyed to Mr. Dash who tended his wounds with such care that he hardly scarred at all when he healed.
Frederick was able to return not long after the other ships had reached the port. He sent a messenger on the ship's jolly boat toward the flag ship, inquiring as to whether it belonged to Admiral Croft and extending an invitation to visit his. But sooner than his messenger could have arrived, he returned back with another ship's boat, which was far larger. At first Captain Wentworth feared that this meant some sort of disaster, but soon heard from the man on the other boat, "Captain Wentworth, Admiral Croft sent me straight away to invite you aboard the Hibernia. He and Mrs. Croft and their guests await you onboard. I am to convey you on the Admiral's barge, should you wish it."
Captain Wentworth did wish it. He sent a cabin boy to inform Lieutenant Benwick that he would be off ship until the evening, aboard the newly arrived Hibernia as a guest of Admiral Croft, and left the ship via a lowered rope ladder.
Normally Captain Wentworth felt oddly diminished when removed from his role as captain to be merely a passenger aboard a boat that held no more than a dozen men, with him just sitting in the middle of the boat (mere cargo) while the other men rowed. However, he had too much excitement to take note of any such thoughts or feelings this time. The knowledge that she was here and he would be in her presence in just a few minutes left room for no other contemplations. Nothing could have been more important.
Once aboard, Captain Wentworth's eyes swept the large deck of the well-appointed ship, searching for Anne. He soon spotted his brother-in-law and sister, but of Anne he saw no sign. In his belly, worry gathered and the gentle nervous flutterings he had been feeling before turned to tossing waves and he began to feel ill. He wondered, Could something have happened to Anne? He hurried toward them, and they toward him.
"Well met Captain Wentworth and welcome aboard," said Admiral Croft. "The other ladies await us in the wardroom. Miss Elliot is too solicitous to leave Mrs. Holmes during her time of grief, and Mrs. Holmes does not consider herself fit to be seen, but wishes to meet you before retiring to her cabin."
"Anne," Frederick breathed out. "So she is here."
"Yes," Mrs. Croft nodded, moved beside him and took up his arm. Leaning toward him she confided "Anne is most desirous of your company. She is a brave woman and has dealt with the various travails we have experienced on our journey with equanimity."
They descended a deck and soon reached their destination. The wardroom was well lit with oil lamps, and so Frederick had no trouble making out the dear features of his beloved Anne after he gained entry after the Crofts. They flew toward each other, their thoughts of the other occupants of the room far from the tops of their minds, but not completely vanished. Frederick would have liked to embrace and kiss Anne, but he settled for clasping her hands in his and looking at her, drinking in every detail. He observed that her face was perhaps thinner and more worn, but her joy in seeing him, and the heartfelt delight in her eyes made her the loveliest woman imaginable to him, lovelier still because she was his and her joy was from seeing him.
"Oh, Anne," he croaked out.
"Frederick," said she, squeezing his large, warm hands tightly in her own.
No other words seemed necessary. Anne for her part felt overwhelmed with so much happiness she felt as if she would float up into the heavens, or explode like fireworks. Frederick was as she had remembered him, perhaps a little older, but so very manly, the pinnacle of masculinity, and even taller than she had recalled. And from the expression of delight on his face, he was just as happy to see her as she was to see him. This was all she had wanted for five long years (beside their actual uniting in marriage) and she could scarcely believed that the day of their reunification had finally come.
A/N: There will be much more feels with this reunion, but they will have to wait for the next chapter. Crazily enough, as it has taken me longer to get Captain Wentworth and Anne Elliot reunited in terms of my writing schedule (I started posting in 2018), than the five years they have been separated in this variation. Never fear, I'm not ending the story for a few more chapters, so we will get to experience their joy and their early adjustment to married life, and I will work things out for Mrs. Holmes and her son. What do you want to read about in the last remaining chapters of this story? I am open to suggestions. Remember, reviewing love helps me to write quicker, so forward progress is partially in your hands.