Perfect Duet's paid account and the Oakum Meme (II)
Some lovely person was so kind to gift perfect_duet with two months of paid time. Whoever it was, please pm me, so I can thank you properly. :D The gift makes the Oakum Meme so much easier because it brought the subject headers back.
So, once more onto the breach:
Here at this post you will find all prompts/requests we have so far received on LJ and on DW ( Read more... )
So, once more onto the breach:
Here at this post you will find all prompts/requests we have so far received on LJ and on DW ( Read more... )
The club was rather full - not only was this the beginning of the London season, but all those members who were sea-officers and free to move had hurried up to besiege the Admiralty and all their influential friends in the hope of one of the few commands available or at least of an appointment of some kind. They sat at the large round members' table, where Heneage Dundas had been waving his napkin since first they appeared.
'It is long since I had the pleasure of seeing you,' said Stephen's neighbour on the left. 'Are you in town for some time?'
'At the Academy of Ancient Music, so it was,' replied Stephen. 'No: for a few days only, I think.'
'Still, you will be here tomorrow and I trust disengaged? They are singing a great deal of Tallis.'
After supper, he and Jack parted from Heneage Dundas, and Stephen felt a certain sympathy with their friend as he watched him disappear through the doors and down the stairs into St James’ Street. Jack had murmured something about Dundas having an appointment with Lord Melville, his older brother, and about how their subject of discussion would not be one of the few, the very few commands available.
Stephen and Jack vanished into the library again, as they still had a lot of catching up to do with the news from the months they had been at sea. Stephen was interested as to whether Talleyrand had had more to say, while Jack, who had finished with the appointments and promotions in the Naval Chronicles, wanted to read some of the philosophical papers mentioned in the recent volumes. One about hydrographical readings and recordings had caught his eye before they had joined Captain Dundas at the members’ table.
Halfway through an article, Stephen remembered that agreeable conversation he had had during supper. ‘Jack?’ he said.
His friend looked over the rim of the Chronicle he was reading, his eyes clear, blue and questioning.
‘My neighbour at table mentioned a concert at the Academy of Ancient Music tomorrow evening, and I have a mind to attend. It has been some time since we heard music, other than what we scraped ourselves in the past months. He mentioned some Tallis. What say you?’
Jack smiled briefly and nodded. ‘It would give me great pleasure, to be sure. It has indeed been many a month since we last went to a concert.’ He closed the Naval Chronicle and put it aside. When their eyes met, Stephen noticed that his friend’s usually bright and friendly eyes had darkened.
‘Ancient music has ever eased my mind.’ Jack did not elaborate on his last sentence and got up instead. ‘Do excuse me, Stephen. You know that I have to send a number of letters and they unfortunately do not write themselves; I will ask Tom to find out when the concert starts tomorrow. I would not wish for us to be late.’ He nodded at Stephen and turned.
Stephen saw him speak to the porter and then head for his room. The doctor returned to the papers but his mind was no longer on French politicians and their lies. He was thinking instead how his friend had moved like an old man as he went upstairs, shoulders bowed and one hand on the banister for support.
Stephen knew that relinquishing command could not have come at a worse moment for Jack, who had been very busy the day before, presenting his accounts, hoping they would pass the eyes of the clerks at the Navy Board. He also knew that it disturbed his friend’s mind greatly not being able to do anything for those of his men who had nobody but their former captain to depend on. Some of the elder seamen did not qualify for pensions, and a couple of his midshipmen would return to their widowed mothers with nothing to show for their service.
The doctor hoped that the music of tomorrow’s concert would give his friend the inward peace he so obviously needed, with the duty to his men weighing on his mind. He did not dwell on Jack’s heavy moral burden, however, turning his mind to diverting Jack, before immersing himself again in the article at hand.
************
Reply
************
The concert over, they wandered companionably towards Black’s, not feeling the need for conversation, each thinking about the music in which they had taken deep pleasure. When they had nearly reached the turn into St James’ Street, Stephen looked up at his friend, who had been humming a tune over and over. Stephen had recognized it as one of the songs they had just heard.
‘You are in much better spirits than yesterday, I find.’ He smiled. ‘Is that not one of the tunes for the archbishop’s psalter?’
Jack smiled in return. ‘It is indeed. It truly lifted my heart when the chorus swelled at The Kings arise, the Lords devise. Much like the waves in a stormy sea, carrying us and our ship ever higher and faster towards our destination. It made me think of the time when we rounded the Horn with dear Surprise in the year ’13.’
Stephen was inwardly pleased when Jack chuckled. He hadn’t heard his friend so cheerful since the ship had been paid off.
Jack laughed. ‘I do love a good blow.’
In the light from a nearby window, Stephen saw his friend blush as soon as those words were out, and could not resist teasing. ‘I vividly remember your pleasure last night,’ he said, and when Jack turned an even darker shade of red, he asked, ‘Have you ever been told that you blush quite becomingly when you are embarrassed, my plum?’
Jack stopped and drew several deep breaths as if to calm himself. For several minutes he could not meet Stephen’s eyes. Then he looked this way and that, and only when he had checked that the street was empty did he bend closer to Stephen’s ear and whispered, ‘Hen, next door to you, is unlikely to be in. He is bound to stay with his brother, out of family reasons, at least until the weekend. It would give me joy to return your favours, should you be agreeable.’
Now it was Stephen’s turn to breathe deeply in an attempt to rid himself of the pictures that arose in his mind, images of last night when he had taken his friend in his arms to give comfort when he had been low in his spirits. Jack had grasped at his hands, but had let himself be drawn up from the chair and led to the bed.
Stephen recalled his friend biting down hard on his fist to stifle the groans that wanted to escape when Stephen had kissed a trail down Jack’s scars until he had finally reached his aim between Jack’s legs.
Alas, Stephen’s efforts to control his own wayward imagination were in vain. His blood heated, there was only one reply left to him, and he turned to the side, bringing their faces close so that he could feel Jack’s breath. ‘I should like that of all things.’
Reply
They drew apart and silently walked the remainder of the way, thankful for the night’s breeze that cooled their brows. They nodded to the night porter when he let them in. Jack had the presence of mind to ask him about Captain Dundas, only to be told confidentially - they being such good acquaintances - that the gentleman had asked that his room be kept for him for the next couple of days.
Meanwhile, Stephen had gone ahead to his own room, bolted the door and turned down the covers on his bed, feeling daring. A few moments later he heard a soft knock on the connecting door between his and Jack’s room and soon enough Jack’s arms were around his waist. He turned and lifted his face. They kissed and then Jack led him to the bed.
The next day and most of the day after they did nothing whatsoever but take their ease in the library, talk to their many acquaintances in the bar or the front morning-room, walk along Bond Street to try fiddles and bows at Hill's, or play, not very seriously, at billiards.
Notes:
Jack cites from:
Why fum'th in fight the Gentiles spite, in fury raging stout?
Why tak'th in hand the people fond, vain things to bring about?
The Kings arise, the Lords devise, in counsels met thereto,
against the Lord with false accord, against His Christ they go.
Tallis: Third tune Archbishop Parker's Psalter (1567)
This third tune was used by Vaughan Williams in his Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, if you would like to listen here
Reply
It seems Stephen is not averse to a good blow either...
;-)
Thank you for a lovely read.
Reply
Reply
Thank you for this lovely little oakum. O'Brian surely left that gap in on purpose to let his readers' minds run wild!
Reply
Thank you for reading.
Reply
Loved it.
Reply
Thankee.
Reply
Alas for who? I think everyone benefited in the end ;D
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment