'I'm home for Christmas.'
'For so we see, my dear,' Caroline coolly responded, both arms folded across her chest. 'Your only letter did not inform us of just
That citron-sour housekeeper came down the stairs to stand near her mistress, still scowling as fierce as a Master-At-Arms might at a defaulter due at Captain's Mast for his
'Your timing is impeccable, though,' Caroline continued, with a
Desmond and Furfy came bustling in at that awkward moment, hands full of sea-bags and carpet satchels; the waggoner followed with a sea-chest, and the dogs went silly once more.
'Uhm… this is my man, Liam Desmond, Caroline… children,' Lewrie told them, 'My Cox'n since we fought the
Sure enough, Furfy did, for right after he'd dropped his burden he whistled and clapped his hands, and the two setters trotted to him, tails a'wag, tongues lolling, and their hind-quarters squirming in joy as he cosseted them with soft words, pets, and crooning Irish phrases.
'We've a stableman already, husband, so…,' Caroline began.
'Then we've another, dear,' Lewrie baldly told her.
'Oh, very well,' Caroline resignedly replied, stiffening a bit. 'Mistress Calder, pray show Captain Lewrie's men to his chambers.'
'Yes, Missuz,' the older mort said, her mouth rat-trapping.
'We've the dray to unload, as well,' Lewrie said.
'Then pray do so through the kitchen doors, and do not let any more heat out through the front,' Caroline instructed.
'I'll pay the coachee and have the waggon shifted,' Lewrie said, hiding a sigh. 'Quite a lot of dainties… liqueurs, caviar t'stow in the pantry?' he tempted her, hoping for
'Mistress Calder will show them where to put things,' Caroline said, turning to head 'aft' for the kitchens herself.
'The waggoner'll stay over for the night,' Lewrie told her.
'I'll tell cook to lay three more places in the scullery,' she announced, then turned and departed with nary a hug, a kiss, or even a a promise of one.
An hour later and it was time for supper. Lewrie had hung his uniforms and civilian suitings in the armoire, stowed his shirts and such in a chest-of-drawers, and had made a fair start on emptying his heavy sea-chest… in a
From the stairs onwards, his children had followed him as close at his heels as Sewallis's setters, the boys goggling at the firearms and swords. Lewrie hung his French grenadier-pattern hanger above the mantel and stood his hundred-guinea presentation small-sword in a wooden rack, along with five more small-swords of varying worth and quality that he'd captured from the French.
'Ehm… are not surrendered swords handed back to the owners?' Sewallis hesitantly asked, tentatively fingering each one.
'They usually are, Sewallis,' Lewrie told him with a grin, 'but that's hard t'do if they're no longer among the living. That fancy'un there, that was
'Sir Hugo lets us, when he's down from London,' Hugh objected. 'He lets us shoot, for real!
'Then we'll give that Girandoni air-rifle a try, once the holidays are over,' Lewrie promised, taking a welcome seat in a wing chair before the blazing fire, and motioning the boys to sit on the settee. 'Mind,
Charlotte had trailed him round the house, too, though silent as a dormouse, lugging her lap dog, by name of Dolly, as if restraining the little beast from attacking him. Now she was seated in the wing chair opposite Lewrie's, legs sticking out and the dog in her lap, so it could glare and bare its teeth in comfort. Three setters-
'Uhm… how long've ye had the pup, Charlotte?' Lewrie asked.
'Last Christmas,' his nine-year-old daughter answered. 'Uncle Governour and Aunt Millicent brought her from London.'
'Takes a lot o'
'Oh yes, she likes it so!' Charlotte replied. 'Every day!'
'Know why she calls her Dolly, Papa?' Hugh said with a snigger. ''Cause she's ripped all
'Jealousy, is it?' Lewrie japed her.
'Just the
'Ehm… were you really at Copenhagen, Papa?' Sewallis asked. 'And did you see Admiral Nelson?'
'Saw him, spoke with him the night before the battle, and then after it was over, too,' Lewrie answered. 'Did I not write you about it? And how they sent us into the Baltic t'scout the enemy fleets and the ice… all by our lonesome? Hah! Wait 'til ye see
'Ahem!' Mrs. Calder said from the door to the library, looking as if she disapproved of parents speaking with children. 'Mistress Caroline says to tell you that supper is served. Come, children. Yours is laid out in the little dining room.'
'Aw! We want t'eat with papa,' Hugh griped.
'Yes, why can't we all eat together?' Sewallis complained. 'He just got home!'
'It's not-' Mrs. Calder began to instruct.
'Aye, it's high time for
'Huzzah!' Hugh exclaimed, and even Sewallis, who'd always put Lewrie in mind of a solemn 'old soul' due to take Holy Orders, beamed with glee and chimed in his own wishes.