The Happy Return

He led the way unceremoniously into the lofty Admiral’s cabin. There was a long table with a snowy cloth, glittering with crystal and silver, and by the table there stood chatting a little group of men and women, beautifully dressed. The Admiral made hurried introductions—His Excellency the Governor, and Her Excellency; the Earl and Countess of Ma

Lady Ma

“Captain Hornblower has brought Lady Barbara Wellesley with him from Darien,” said Sir James, and plunged into rapid explanation. Lady Ma

“And you have left her there? On that little ship?” she said. “The poor lamb! She must not stay there another moment! I shall go and bring her away this very instant! Sir James, you must excuse me. I will not have a moment’s peace until she is comfortably in the cabin next to mine on board the Hanbury Castle. Sir James, would you be so good as to order a boat for me?”

She left in a whirl of apologies and explanations, a fluttering of petticoats and a perfect torrent of objurgations, mainly directed at Hornblower.

“When women take charge,” said Sir James philosophically, after she had departed, “it is best for the men to stand from under. Will you sit here, Captain?”

Curiously, Hornblower could eat almost nothing of that delicious breakfast. There were heavenly mutton cutlets. There was coffee with fresh milk. There was new wheaten bread. There was butter, there were fruits, there were vegetables, all the things Hornblower had dreamed about when his thoughts had not been occupied with Lady Barbara, and now he could only eat a mouthful here and there. Fortunately his lack of appetite went u

“Her brother is doing great things in Spain,” said Sir James. “Not the eldest one, the Marquis, but Arthur—the one who won the battle of Assaye. He came well out of that court of inquiry after Vimiero. Now he has bundled Soult out of Portugal, and when I left Lisbon he was in full march on Madrid. Since Moore was killed he is the most promising soldier in the army.”

“Humph,” said Lady Wheeler. The name of Wellesley was still anathema to a certain section of Anglo-Indians. “This Lady Barbara is a good deal younger than he is, I fancy? I remember her as quite a child in Madras.”

Eyes were turned towards Hornblower, but Lord Ma

“She’s no child,” he said, bluffly. “She’s a very talented young woman. Declined a dozen good offers in India, too, and God knows how many since then.”

“Humph,” said Lady Wheeler again.

The breakfast began to seem interminable to Hornblower, and he was glad when the party showed signs of breaking up. The Governor seized the opportunity to discuss with him the matter of the stores for which the Lydia would have to indent—naval routine still claimed him for her own. There was urgent need for him to return to his ship; he made his excuses to Sir James and said good-bye to the rest of the company.

The Admiral’s barge was still hooked on to the Lydia’s chains when he returned to her; her crew were dressed in crimson coats with gold-laced hats. Hornblower had known frigate captains who dressed their gig’s crews in fancy costumes in this fashion, too, but they were wealthy men who had been fortunate in the matter of prize money, not pe

Apparently Lady Barbara had taken the opportunity, when her baggage had been brought up from the storeroom, to unpack some new clothes. She was wearing a new gown which Hornblower had not seen before, and a new turban and veil. She was very obviously the great lady now. To Hornblower’s startled mind she seemed as she stood up to be six inches taller than when he saw her last. And clearly Hornblower’s arrival, breaking the thread of their conversation, constituted for them a signal for their departure.

“Lady Barbara has been telling me all about your voyage,” said Lady Ma

The kind-hearted old lady was one of those people who can never think evil. She looked round the tiny ugly cabin.

“Nevertheless,” she went on, “I think that it is high time that she enjoyed a little more comfort than you can offer her here.”

Hornblower managed to gulp out a few words regarding the superior arrangements for passengers on board a luxurious Indiaman.

“I don’t mean to imply that it is your fault, Captain,” protested Lady Ma

Hornblower bowed and allowed her to pass before him. Lady Barbara followed.

“Good-bye,” she said. Hornblower bowed again as she went down in a curtsy. He was looking straight at her, but somehow he could see no detail of her face—only a white blur.

“Thank you for all your kindness,” said Lady Barbara.

The barge left the ship’s side, and rowed steadily away. She was all blurred, too, a vague patch of red and gold. Hornblower found Bush beside him.

“The victualling officer’s signalling, sir,” he said.

Hornblower’s duties were clamouring for his attention. As he turned away from the ship’s side to plunge into them he found himself, idiotically, remembering that in two months’ time or so he would be seeing Maria again. He felt vaguely glad about that before it passed out of his mind again. He felt he would be happy with Maria. Overhead the sun was shining brightly, and before him rose the steep green slopes of St. Helena.