The Wooden World, Part 28.
It was very difficult, waiting in the brig.
Certainly, the accomodations weren't very pleasant but he was used to hardship from his years sleeping in a hammock on the orlop deck at sea. He was wearing his oldest, most unattractive shirt and breeches, with a plain wool ship's coat overall. His dark hair had come out of its tie and some of it was loose about his face and shoulders, but it was awkward to tie it back up when one was manacled. It certainly felt odd to be so careless of appearance, but he could deal with that as well, as long as he was allowed to clean up before his courtmartial. He was at least shaved, as they would send in a servant to do that for him once a day; a captain was still a captain, after all.
No, the difficulty was in the thinking about the entire situation. He had never thought to see the inside of a brig, in much the same way as he'd never kissed the gunner's daughter and never been seized up in the shrouds; he had done everything by the book, and with in a far more scrupulous fashion than most. The dangers of politics had been explained to him by his father, and even from Admiral Norris, and he'd seen shipboard issues arise before. The only way to truly learn about it was to experience it directed at oneself personally, and it was a hard lesson.
He could only pray his parents didn't even hear about this. The very notion that he was on trial for buggery would be hard to live down, and the gossip around his family... he just didn't want to imagine it. Likely, this was what Lieutenant Elliot had in mind, because an accusation of sodomy really stuck even if one was acquitted. The entire process was a horrible muckdragging.
Then there was the Worthy. His crew and officers. What were they thinking? Did they really believe he had that kind of activity with the second Lieutenant? What would happen to their newfound morale and ability? Perhaps they just thought of it as one long shore leave and they'd enjoy staying in Port Royal.
And then, he thought about his friend Watts and his second Lieutenant, Howard. They were at risk as well, their lives, careers and reputations. He was mortified that this issue on his own ship between himself and one man might spread to affect these others. Yet, something tickled in the back of his mind; would it be possible that either one of those men, Howard or even his old friend, might have done something that cast a doubt over himself by association? He quickly pushed that thought out of his mind. If friends did not stand together, there was no hope in the world.
All he could do at this stage was hope that his efforts to lead a blameless life would save him.
Certainly, the accomodations weren't very pleasant but he was used to hardship from his years sleeping in a hammock on the orlop deck at sea. He was wearing his oldest, most unattractive shirt and breeches, with a plain wool ship's coat overall. His dark hair had come out of its tie and some of it was loose about his face and shoulders, but it was awkward to tie it back up when one was manacled. It certainly felt odd to be so careless of appearance, but he could deal with that as well, as long as he was allowed to clean up before his courtmartial. He was at least shaved, as they would send in a servant to do that for him once a day; a captain was still a captain, after all.
No, the difficulty was in the thinking about the entire situation. He had never thought to see the inside of a brig, in much the same way as he'd never kissed the gunner's daughter and never been seized up in the shrouds; he had done everything by the book, and with in a far more scrupulous fashion than most. The dangers of politics had been explained to him by his father, and even from Admiral Norris, and he'd seen shipboard issues arise before. The only way to truly learn about it was to experience it directed at oneself personally, and it was a hard lesson.
He could only pray his parents didn't even hear about this. The very notion that he was on trial for buggery would be hard to live down, and the gossip around his family... he just didn't want to imagine it. Likely, this was what Lieutenant Elliot had in mind, because an accusation of sodomy really stuck even if one was acquitted. The entire process was a horrible muckdragging.
Then there was the Worthy. His crew and officers. What were they thinking? Did they really believe he had that kind of activity with the second Lieutenant? What would happen to their newfound morale and ability? Perhaps they just thought of it as one long shore leave and they'd enjoy staying in Port Royal.
And then, he thought about his friend Watts and his second Lieutenant, Howard. They were at risk as well, their lives, careers and reputations. He was mortified that this issue on his own ship between himself and one man might spread to affect these others. Yet, something tickled in the back of his mind; would it be possible that either one of those men, Howard or even his old friend, might have done something that cast a doubt over himself by association? He quickly pushed that thought out of his mind. If friends did not stand together, there was no hope in the world.
All he could do at this stage was hope that his efforts to lead a blameless life would save him.