Commodore Andrew Warren

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Thinking of Home || Cecilia & Andrew

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“You do not do yourself enough credit, and give me far too much,” she frowned. She enjoyed making him laugh. He could be so serious at times, but she thought he was giving her far too much credit. “If it were not for you and your help, I would be lost here.” Of course, if it weren’t for him, she might also still be back in Korea, and she didn’t quite know what to make of that. Being so far was hard, but she wasn’t so sure if she’d want to stay there. Things were freer here, and she knew there were rebellions building in her home country. That was a large part of why she’d been sent away.

“And what is it I should be selfish about?” The idea in itself was an odd one to her. Much of her life had been spent trying to please others or be as little trouble as possible to others. She wasn’t even sure she knew what she wanted, and how could she be selfish if she didn’t even know that simply thing? “I do not think there is much I want for,” she said truthfully as she moved out of the room and turned to wait for it as he closed the door.

“I will be happy to have whatever it is you are eating.” Even given the conversation about it being okay for her to be selfish, she didn’t want to make anyone go out of their way for her, and she certainly didn’t want to bother the cook after missing a meal without warning. “Andrew…?” She asked tentatively after a while of walking in silence. “May I ask you something? …If you should be called back to duty…what becomes of me?” Or worse, if he should fall in battle, what would happen to her? These were thoughts that had been plaguing her as well recently.

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‘Well, let’s hope I am enough of a Shepard to keep you from getting lost in the future’ He chuckled. He didn’t feel like he was all that necessary when it came to guiding Cecilia through her life in Herrington. Then again, it always helped to have some form of bedrock or anchor that was familiar to oneself to prevent one from being swept away with the tide of life.

He frowned slightly as he thought about what he had meant by being selfish.   ‘I didn’t mean being literally selfish, or at least not in terms of not sharing something. I mean looking out oneself on occasion, it’s impossible to or at least not something I would recommend being totally selfless. In the end, you need to care for yourself from time to time. Am I making sense?’ he asked ‘Perhaps it is a bit late for such conversations’ he admitted, somewhat to himself.

Andrew stopped just short of the kitchen door, unsure of how to respond. He had indeed been thinking upon the subject. For the most part, he longed to be called out upon some mission, to be under the sails for a while. The temptation was there, it would be a release and escape from the world, if only for a short while. However, Cecilia had hit upon the crux of his own doubt. The Navy had been his life, his existence had been wholly given over to his King’s service, and he had imagined that would be how he met his end, dieing with sabre and pistol in hand, valiantly defending his country with fire in his heart. Now though, now there was this kernel of hesitation in his heart, for good or evil, Cecilia had inadvertently steered his course and began him in an altogether unknown direction. For the first time, in a very long time, he wasn’t in so much of a hurry to reach his end, to be reunited with his wife and child in whatever afterlife awaited him. Now there was a reason to stay, a reason to carry on and fight for just that little bit longer. He didn’t really know how to articulate his thoughts to Cecilia, so he remained silent for the moment and opened the door, a slight shake to his head. He made his food in silence, still unable to really answer the young girl’s question. Eventually, he turned and spoke once more.

‘I do not know..... I cannot say if I am needed or if I shall ever be called upon to serve again. I do know that you will always have a place here in Herrington, in this house. If I should depart...if I should not return, then I will have provisions made for you. The staff would care for you, as they do now, until you ask them not to’ He paused ‘I do not know what more I can say, such an event may never come to pass’

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Thinking of Home || Cecilia & Andrew

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“Then I shall have to help remind you of how long you have left,” she said in a way that left no room for argument. In part she wanted to repay him for all he’d done for her, but she had to admit to herself that it was for her own selfish reasons as well. She wanted him to be around for a long time. She feared what would happen both to him and to her if he were called back to duty and some ill fate became of him. “Sometimes I do feel as though so much has happened to me for me to only be twenty years of age. I am sure that cannot compare with all you have experienced though. And you know that all I have achieved is in part due to you, thanks to your help.”

“Just because you tell me not to, does not mean that I can so easily stop worrying about you. You should be glad that someone does. I means that you are cared for.” She took his hand and allowed him to help her up before bending down to pick up the box of trinkets and put it away. Pulling the little hair pin out of her hair, she placed it safely in the box before turning back to Andrew.

Part of her concern came from the idea of ice in his heart. She wondered what he was like before his wife died. Was he freer? More open? These where questions whose answers she may never now. It was possible she could never know. What she did know was that she did not for a second believe that his heart was completely encased in ice. “If it is any consolation to you, you are one of the warmest people I have had the good fortune to meet.”

She wanted to tell him again that she was not a child. Sweet treats, though tasty would not distract her from the reality of her life, but she held her tongue. Perhaps he needed to think that right now.  Perhaps he needed to see her as someone so young that needed to be cared for and coddled. Who was she to take that away from him? She nodded and opened the door to her room. “I hope the cook will not be too upset with me for having missed dinner. What do you feel like munching on?”

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‘That’s very gracious of you’ Andrew laughed, finding the sudden mirth quite cathartic. Whilst its medicinal value was quite worthless, it ability to dispel fatigue and woe was something that he could champion. ‘The only thing that I can claim responsibility for, is that I brought you to this part of the world. All that you have achieved has been built with your resolve and strength of character, I simply lay some of the foundations on which you built upon.’

‘Well I’m flattered that I have someone such as you to care about me, for that I am very thankful. However, I do feel that you should be a little selfish, as much as that is something to be condemned, it must be practiced in a small measure.’ He replied, his smile becoming a little more affectionate. It was strange to think that he had someone looking out for him after all this time. After all, he had been alone for a long while. He held the door open to allow Cecilia to walk through before him, before closing it behind them as he left. He smiled again at her compliment, he was quite a stoic character (or at least that was how he viewed himself) so to be told he was warm was a bit of a surprise.

‘I think I will have some of the gammon that cook has left, we have some of that honey glaze that I am fond of, plus some bread left over from this morning’s delivery. I’ll probably make a sandwich out of that, maybe an apple or some other fruit too, I’ll have to wait and see what is available. How about you? Peckish for something in particular?’ He asked as they walked through the hallways that led to the kitchens.

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Thinking of Home || Cecilia & Andrew

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“You are not so old,” she argued. She did not know quite why she didn’t like the idea of him seeing her as a child, though he certainly had a way of making her feel like one sometimes. Now was one instance of that. Maybe it was that she wondered how she could possibly find her way in this new world if she was seen as one. It was a paradox of not wanting to be babied and yet not wanting to be shoved out into society all on her own at once. Of course, she knew Andrew would never dream of doing that, and she knew he did not bring up her youth as an insult. At the heart of it, perhaps the problem was that she did not know how she wished to be seen. Adult or child. Cecilia or So-Min.

“I do not wish to rush through it. Just maybe this part of it,” she mumbled as he drew some strands of her hair back. The way he said things made them sound so complicated, though she knew it was just a complicated way to say that things will happen when they happen. “But you have plenty of years left too. You seem so resigned sometimes that I think you forget it. You do so much work all the time, and I know you likely would not have attended the ball if I had not gone. You ought to live more. Have more fun.”

At the reminder of food, her stomach growled, and she realized she’d forgotten dinner. It wasn’t much of a leap after that to realize he must have left dinner to come find her. “Oh…I apologize if I interrupted your supper. I did not even realize supper had passed.” She chewed her lip a bit anxiously before returning his smile with a half smile of her own. “A snack sounds nice…I am also sorry for reminding you of such sad things.” The last sentence came softly. “I know I did it at the ball too. I just want you to know, I do not do it intentionally. I do not like seeing you sad.”

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Andrew snorted gently, a slight smile curled at the corner of his lip ‘My physical age and how old I feel sometimes are substantially different. It is hard sometimes to equate all the experiences that i have journeyed through to the amount of time I have spent on this world. I feel much older than I actually am, and sometimes I forget how long a life I could still yet have’ He paused for a second to look at Cecilia before continuing ‘I do not expect you to fully understand, however, you might have a small measure of what I mean. Being torn from one’s own life and injected into another is no mean feat to survive. The amount you have achieved in your short time on these shores fills me with immense pride in you, don’t forget that’

His smile broaden a little at the sound of her empty stomach, he knew the girl must be starving but too wrapped up in melancholy to have realised it up till then.

‘Do not worry about me’ he said, rising to his feet and offering his hand out to her as he did so ‘I have eaten some this evening, but I can not disagree on finding some more food in the kitchen with you’ He frowned a little at her apology.

‘Cecilia....we all feel low at times, but burying the feeling is toxic in the long run. It can build like ice in your heart until you can never feel warmth again. Only by letting it out can you truly be unburdened by it, I learned this a harder way, but perhaps we can prevent that from happening to you, hmmm?’ he replied, placing his hand on her shoulder gently.

‘Now, how about we dispel this melancholy and get some sustenance in you’ he said, clapping his hands together once as if to chase the sad feeling in the air away ‘It’s hard to cry when you have something sweet in your mouth’ 

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Commodore Warren & Open

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Lavina’s cousin Lydia, the eldest of her four young cousins, had been invited by a family friend to go to a local coffee house for the afternoon. As her cousin’s chaperon, she joined the group not very excited of being a place that recked of coffee. She wasn’t a huge fan of it when he father had her taste some as a girl, but knew that some people preferred it more than tea. Sure was sure he parents enjoyed having it all the time in America, however. 

The moment she walked into the building, she felt like she was being slapped in the face. The smell was strong and made her slightly sick to the stomach. Lydia was concerned for her and asked if they should leave. Knowing that this was something her cousin had looked forward to for a while, Lavinia declined and told her party to go inside without her and that she would join her. The fresh sea air was better than what that building produced. 

After a few minutes by herself, Lavinia gathered herself once more before taking a deep breath and walking inside with a smile. Now that she was prepared, dealing with the smell of coffee was easier to handle. She started to look for her table but was unable to find her group. A small sigh escaped her lips right before she heard someone address her. The man turned around and it was the Commodore.  “Commodore Warren, please excuse me.” she said. “I was merely looking for my party. I have seem to have lost them after stepping out for some air. I hope I did not disturb you in anyway.”

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‘Not at all, Miss Webb’ Andrew replied, rising from his chair to properly show the young woman due respect. ‘I can get too engrossed in my writings that I miss out on some of the outside world, so really I should be thanking you for snapping me back to the present’ He smiled warmly, it was nice to see Miss Webb again, she had been a pleasant and enjoyable presence at the ball a few nights ago, and it was perhaps a good thing that he had met her again. Cecilia was always chiding him about not socialising with the other members of is class in Herrington.

‘How have you been since the ball? It was a rather enjoyable night, much to my surprise. I am not the greatest lover of such events, I much rather prefer the more quieter, more intimate settings for social gatherings’ He motioned his hand around the coffee house, using their current local to punctuate his meaning ‘But i will admit, it can get quite stuffy in here, so i can understand your need for some air’ he finished, offering another smile.

‘Well, you are more than welcome to sit with me at my table until you manage to rejoin your party’ He offered, pausing slightly before speaking again a little sheepishly ‘Of course it is at your discretion, I hope that it was not impertinent for me to offer’  

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Commodore Warren & Open

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If there was anything her family enjoyed the taste of, it was coffee. However, Isidora preferred the taste of tea – green, black, and Chamomile. She had waited to buy some of the coffee, and managed to run into someone. “Pardon me.” she said with a small smile. “I didn’t see you there.” she was rarely a clumsy. It was a good thing she didn’t have coffee in her hands, she would have spilled. However, she could see that she caused his coffee to spill. “Forgive me.” she held out a napkin cleaning the small spill, she knew there were people to do that, but she didn’t mean to disrupt the male.

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‘No need to apologise, I was just as much at fault. I can get too caught up in my work’ He replied, taking the proffered napkin to help clear up the spilled liquid. Luckily, his notes were undamaged by the accident, and so he hadn’t lost anything save a little coffee, which in the grand scheme of things, was a very minor loss indeed.

He tidied up some of the loose sheaves of paper, all of which sere covered in his neat, yet somewhat disorganised notes. He had been sat for quite some time, longer than he realised, if the number of pages was to be taken as evidence.

He paused to regard the young woman in front of him. She was quite a beautiful lady, almost startlingly so. Her skin and the shape of her eyes suggested she wasn’t of English descent, or at lease wasn’t solely of English stock.

‘Please allow me to make up for my lack of observation by buying you something to drink’ He said, offering a slight bow to the woman ‘Commodore Warren, at your pleasure, miss?’

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Commodore Warren & Open

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Mr. Warren was easily the most interesting person Fanny had ever talked to in her life. It seemed he had lived a thousand different lives, done everything, been places she could not even fathom. Talking to him, she realized her world was much smaller than it had previously seemed. But she did not mind, she was perfectly content in Herrington. And had always harbored a small fear that if she did somehow get to travel the world, the places she dreamed of would not live up to the picture of them she had in her mind. So she was satisfied listening to the exciting tales of her new companion. 

As he described Alexandria, she felt herself close her eyes briefly to picture every detail. She could, for the slightest moment, feel the sun on her skin, the smell of spices in the air… then it was gone. She smiled at the small hint of disdain she detected in his voice at the mention of Lady Hamilton. 

“Well you had mentioned Korea earlier,” she said, smiling. “I have a lovely friend from Korea. I wonder, do you know a Miss Cecilia Park?

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Andrew couldn’t help but smile as he watched the young miss Langley imagine her way through the words he spoke. He always wondered what it was like to see things through another’s eyes, to witness things from a different point of view. It was one of the reasons he enjoyed re-telling his stories, as it gave him the chance to see how other reacted to what he said.

He gave a small, half smile at Cecilia’s mention. It hadn’t occured to him that others had not yet heard that she was a part of his household. However, the young lady that was sat opposite him might not have been in the same circles as those he belonged to.

‘I do, as a matter of fact. It just so happens that Miss Park is my ward, I am her guardian during her time in England. I met her family in Korea, whilst I was tasked by the crown to encourage trade with the Chinese empire. Since then she has been under my care’ he said, taking a brief sip from his drink before carrying on the conversation.

‘I do not believe I have had the pleasure of meeting one of her friends before now. Have you been by the house at all?’ He asked.

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Thinking of Home || Cecilia & Andrew

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Cecilia didn’t speak as he told his story. She only listened, not wanting to interrupt the memory. She knew the Gibbs’. They were kind, and they too shared a sorrow that Cecilia could only have guessed at until now. Juliana Gibbs has been especially kind and friendly towards her. Now she understood their visits. Their kindness. They mourned just as Andrew did. Maybe it was easier when they mourned together.

As his words caught in his throat, she took his hand in hers again. It was a reminder that he was there in the present, not in the past where she was sure the loss was happening right before his eyes. “You do not have to tell me until you are ready,” she said softly. “But I do think telling someone will help even if that person is not me. I just want you to know, whatever loss that is unspeakable to you, whatever haunts you so, it will not change the way I look at you.”

“You think of me as a child?” confusion contorted her face. It wasn’t taken as an insult, but it was a strange idea to her. “At home I would be married by now. Perhaps I would even have my own child on the way. I have left a home I am never to see again and entered a foreign world almost completely alone. It is strange to think I could still be a child.” Though at times she certainly felt like one. Sometime she felt like a toddler, never sure of herself and always looking for someone’s approval. “…perhaps you are not too far off,” she conceded. “Perhaps, I am trying to force adulthood too fast? It is hard to gauge sometimes,” she confessed. “Sometimes I feel like I hardly know myself anymore. When does that come?”

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He smiled sadly at Cecilia and her words. He knew there wasn’t a soul he that he had met that could share in the pain that had settled deep within him. Save for Juliana and her siblings. It had been as much a wound to them as it had been to him, to have something so precious and dear torn from them as soon as it was gifted. Perhaps it was better that the child had died so quickly, it would have been far worse had the bond been allowed to become strengthened.

‘You forget, Cecilia, I am an old man. Most youngsters look like children to me. Do not take it as a criticism, I do not say that to belittle you, but rather remind you that you still have many a year to experience yet, so there is no need to worry or fret. Time has a way of bringing things to pass, so why force them to move faster’ He stroked a couple of loose locks of hair from her face as he spoke ‘There is no mystical event or line that we pass that makes us into an adult. Imagine it as a path, long and winding, sometime it is paved, smooth as silk, other times it is work and broken like gravel. It will pass over mountains and sometimes need clearing, but it stretches ever onward. Adulthood is earned through the experiences that you encounter on this path, and only you can know when you have crossed into that territory’

He straitened a little, easing a slight knot in his back, before looking back into Cecilia’s eyes.

‘You haven’t eaten. Are you hungry? Lets go hunt out something to snack on to clear our heads of this melancholy’ He said, a half smile on his lips.

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Commodore Warren & Open

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“It’s quite alright, Commodore” Alejo returned, smiling faintly at the Commodore. He knew Warren well enough, but then again as the parish leader, he knew alot of the major figures about town. In theory anyway, he’d never actually spoke to face to face with the man…sea men were rarely indulgent to the idea of God. It was hard to believe someone was looking out for them when they faced such disasters in the rough seas. More often than not they relied more on the gods of old, those the Romans and Greeks. Poseidon and his ilk. After all if you were going to follow stories, might as well pick the more entertaining ones. 

Truly, he wouldn’t have bothered the man at all, if not for one detail. Alejo wasn’t a stickler, but he was a man of habits, and two years in Herrington had brought many. One of which was coming to the coffee house every evening and sitting in a very particular spot, that the navy man now occupied. “I was just surprised, this is normally my spot, I suppose I didn’t think that maybe someone else would like to sit here too…”

It was a secluded one, towards the back and away from most people, which is how the priest liked it. Gave him time to think. “But, I’m interrupting your work, my apologies.”

[commodore-andrew-warren-blog]

Andrew was surprised to see the form of Father Reyes standing behind him. He had not actually had a conversation with the man, not being much of a church goer himself, especially not since Theodosia had passed. It wasn’t that he had no faith, just it had become something he didn’t wish to think about. In truth, he didn’t know much about the man, save for his position as the parish leader in Herrington and that he had hailed from the Spanish held colonies in the Americas.

‘Ah, I see’ Andrew replied ‘I can see why you would choose this table to frequent. It is a good spot to either clear ones thoughts or to listen to them.’

He began to tidy his notes back into his book, to try and clear some space for the clergyman. He hesitated for the briefest moment, unsure as to whether he should get up and find another table or simply allow the man to sit with him.

‘I can find another seat, father, or perhaps you would allow me the opportunity to alleviate the guilt of taking our favourite place by purchasing you a drink?’ He asked, indicating with his free hand the spare seat opposite him.

[commodore-andrew-warren-blog]

Commodore Warren & Open

[commodore-andrew-warren-blog]

arabella-langley:

“Yes, though I confess I do not listen to her pearls of wisdom as often as I should. There’s so much to do and so little time in the day, you know,” she smiled. “Her name’s Fanny. I don’t know if you’ve run into her about town? She’s quite energetic.” She glanced over at the liquid in his glass. “I’ve never had the chance to try anything like it. I’ve never been away from Herrington really. Only to London a time or two to visit my aunt when I was younger. Just some English tea would suit me, thank you.”

“Perhaps,” she shrugged, “But we can never know what others talk about when we aren’t around. I don’t imagine you have too much going against you. You’re an honorable man,” she complimented, though she knew at one point he was married before and of what had befallen his wife. With such a close knit community, it was a sad day to hear the news. “That said, there is certainly no pressure on you to find someone. You’re lucky that way.”

“I can understand that they’d be afraid to lose their best men. It would weaken our defenses. If they need you, I’m sure they wouldn’t hesitate. They just might be waiting for the right moment.” Arabella couldn’t say she knew much if anything about war tactics, but she trusted in the people in charge to handle things to the best of their abilities.

“And how is Miss Park doing in society? I heard she came by the bakery to visit Fanny only a couple days ago.” Arabella let out a light chuckle as he glanced at her basket of breads. “As it just so happens, I do carry extras around with me just in case. Do you fancy something sweet or savory?” she asked as she pulled the basket into her lap.

‘It is sometimes tricky for elders to listen to their juniors, we always feel we have the experience and maturity that grant us a superiority. Even more so when one is as busy as yourself with Maxime’s, I can imagine’ Andrew ruminated in response ‘Yes in fact I have met your younger sibling earlier today, she was rather intrigued with my stories of far away lands and exotic peoples...’he laughed a little at the memory of earlier that day ‘...It was rather endearing it has to be said. There is something about the innocence of youth that warms the coldest hearts of men, I find’

Andrew nodded politely when Arabella requested tea, motioning over a passing servile and placing the order. A few moments later the young lad brought over a small pot of tea, along with some milk and a small heap of sugar cubes for the drink. He placed the tray down onto the table and waited patiently for Andrew to withdraw a small coin purse and pay the lad for his service.

‘It is indeed impossible to know what whispers occur around behind one’s back, but at the same time, it does not require much effort to disregard the petty thoughts of others. To seek popularity in all who surround you is to bury oneself in ignominy. Can’t remember who said that to me, but I think it is a wise thought’ He said, taking a brief sip from his glass. He bristled a little at the compliment, unused as he was to hearing them directed his way.

‘I suppose there is very little pressure for me to seek a partner, especially when compared to the trials young women like yourself are put through. I imagine that it can be quite daunting for the younger ones in particular, like your sister and Miss Park. Perhaps it is something that should be relaxed a little.’ He mused, his finger tapping the table as he did so.

‘She seemed to enjoy the ball, however, I fear that she is still a little unsure of herself’ He replied, his mind going back to the evening after the ball. The night was one of some emotion and it was clear to Andrew that Cecilia was in need of some company so it pleased him to hear that she had visited the younger Langley. The bright spirit of the girl might be just what she needed to help her. ‘It would appear she is at that stage where she needs more experience of our lives, but hasn’t experienced enough to feel comfortable doing so. Quite a difficult tipping point it would seem. Still, I have confidence in her, and she will be able to become a fitting member of our society’

He smiled appreciatively when Arabella raised her basket to the table. He was a little peckish, an afternoon of writing surprisingly inspired a bit of an appetite in him.

‘Savoury, if you would be so kind. Something to contrast the sweetness of the coffee’ He said, through his smile.

[maxine-bennett-blog]

Thinking of Home || Cecilia & Andrew

[maxine-bennett-blog]

She noticed him shift uncomfortably and moved to sit up so as to give him the space she thought he needed. Perhaps he’d never shared this with anyone before. Perhaps it was hard for him in ways that she couldn’t understand. “I am sure she loved you very much,” she said softly. She couldn’t imagine finding that kind of love. It wasn’t something she dared to hope for. Back home marriages were of a more political nature like many were here. She’d resigned herself to that, believing she’d already used up what luck was available to her. “I am sure she does not like seeing you so hurt. Even if it is over her.”

It was a presumptuous thing to say, especially considering that she’d never met this woman, but she was sure that his late wife would want him to find happiness of some sort. “What was her name? Perhaps if you tell me about her, it will help ease your sadness?”

She nodded slowly as she digested his words. “When I look at these things…” Her hand ran over the fabric of the outfit still in the box. “They make me feel as if I belong. If only for a few minutes. I do not feel so much like an outsider. I do not feel so alone. You are right. They do bring back good memories. It just makes it all the harder to let go and stop looking back.”

[commodore-andrew-warren-blog]

He sat in silence for a few moments, just allowing himself a couple of seconds to relive the happy moment when she had told him that she was expecting. He had forgotten himself, forgotten all protocol, and simply lifted his wife up, twirling them both, before bringing he back down and kissing her passionately on her lips. He had been like a young stripling, over excited and darting around exclaiming what he was going to do. She had found that incredibly amusing, watching him running about in the drawing room. She brought him back down to earth and calmed him down, as was her skill. She could always find the balance in him, regardless of how his humours were aligned, be them melancholic or choleric, she could always bring him back to himself.

‘Theodosia. Her name was Theodosia, a Gibbs by birth. Her sisters still live in the town. She just seemed to know me, much more than any person I have ever met, such a bright and humble woman, so brilliant and yet so grounded. It was just such immense happiness just to be in her presence. When she told me that she was....’ He choked for a moment, He couldn’t say the words. Despite what he had said, some memories were too deep to open up, to do so was to break a dam, and there was no guaranteeing that one could stop the flood released by such an action.

He composed himself immediately. He was in the presence of a lady, and such emotional displays were not for any company, they were for private reflection.

‘That is a part of growing up. There is a long path you must walk to become a woman, rather than a child, and you still have a distance to walk. However, each little thing that happens in your life moves you, pace by pace down that path. When you first realised that your parents have limitations, when you had your first crush and when you first experienced a heartbreak. These all took you one step closer to womanhood’ He brushed her hair gently in a soothing manner ‘Learning to look back, to experience the past but not become caught in its hooks. That is just one more step, and one that you will be able to take. You have an inner strength, probably greater than you might realise, and you’ll be able to conquer all that opposes you in this lifetime, trust me’ He finished, his voice gentle, almost lullaby like.

[commodore-andrew-warren-blog]

Commodore Warren & Open

[arabella-langley]

“And you,” she nodded her head and gave a little curtsy. “I must say, I believe this is the longest I’ve seen you stick around Herrington for a while.” She laughed merrily at the joke. “I’m sure there are some women out there who’ll agree with that on both accounts. Though I doubt he’d waste the time looking up from his work to see them. Maybe you are not so absorbed as he is.”

She glanced down at her basket for a moment in contemplation before nodding and taking a seat. “Why not? I can spare a little time, and my sister is always telling me to take a break. What are you drinking?” she set her basket on the ground under her seat. “So is that something all naval men must do? Or are you just trying to make a tidy sum by writing it all down and selling it to them?” she wondered. “I’ve never been much of a writer, but I hear Miss O’Malley dabbles in it. Perhaps if you ask her, she’ll help you with a title.

[commodore-andrew-warren-blog]

‘A wise woman, your little sister might turn into then, offering such pearls of wisdom’  He replied, clearing away some of his notes and loose pages to give her some room to sit at the table. He lifted his drink as if to study it, the small glass decanter catching the light slightly, the dark brown liquid inside glinting slightly ‘I am afraid I may have picked up a slight habit of drinking sweetened coffee from my travels abroad. The peoples from the Asian continents like a particular sweet tea that i was lucky enough to sample whilst out there a few years ago, and I haven’t quite shaken the taste of it. Still, it is a minor vice, so I need not purge my soul’ he joked ‘How about yourself, what would you like to drink?’

He tidied his loose sheets into his notebook, before setting it down to one-side. It would have been rude to continue to write with the young woman is his company.

‘I wouldn’t be able to talk on behalf of the women of this fine town, I wouldn’t claim to be a sought after man in terms of a match’ He left out that he wasn’t sure if he even wished to seek out another partner for his heart, but then he supposed he didn’t need to. Things like that were perhaps saved for private settings.

‘It has indeed been a rather long time since I was out at sea, the admiralty won’t give me a straight answer as to why. Since the loss of the great Lord Nelson, they have been reluctant to send their, ahem, more distinguished officers out to war’ He coughed slightly. He was a modest man, preferring not to espouse his accomplishments. It just wasn’t in his nature 

‘Not that I am complaining, it has given me a chance to help Miss Park integrate herself easier into our society’ He glanced at his notebook ‘Along with testing out my penmanship. I hope perhaps that while I cannot lead at this moment in time, I can still help the young boys who fight for our King’

‘Miss O’mally you say? I shall have to inquire into her services, perhaps she may be of assistance’ He glanced surreptitiously at the basket beneath the table.

‘I do not suppose you have any of your wares going spare, I have yet to try some of your baking, I am ashamed to say’ He asked, a small guilty smile on his lips.

[commodore-andrew-warren-blog]

Commodore Warren & Open

[arabella-langley]

Even the days Arabella wasn’t working in Maxime’s, she was normally busy. Today rather than baking the breads and buns, she was out delivering them to some of their clients. She was just passing through the coffee house, delivering an especially large batch of sweet buns to be sold with the coffee, when she spotted a man bent over a book with several pages in front of him.

He was Commodore Warren if she remembered correctly. Having lived in Herrington all her life, she’d seen him around whenever he was back from one of his voyages with the Navy. It sort of amused her, seeing him so focused. She’d never seen anyone but her brother Charles get so wrapped up in note taking.

“If I didn’t know better, I might have mistaken you for my brother,” she joked as she decided to approach him for some friendly chatter. “He’s often found just like that at any odd hour of the day. Though I suppose you aren’t studying for university like he is.”

[commodore-andrew-warren-blog]

Andrew glanced down at his notebook, at the tidy, sprawling notes he had been copying down from memory. He chuckled at himself, it must have been a sight, the slightly older commodore as wrapped up in his work as a young man preparing himself for his further studies.

‘Ah, miss Langley. A pleasure to see you’ He rose from his chair in respect, before laughing softly ‘Well, your brother must quite a handsome man to be easily confused with my own person’ He flashed the young woman a winning smile, before indicating the chair opposite him ‘I am not studying, rather I am compiling some of my experiences for the naval academies. A Life Under Cloth: Experiences and Recollections from a life at sea. Bit of a clunky title, but I am lacking the inspiration for a slimmer one’ 

‘Perhaps if you’re not too busy, you might like to join me for a drink?’ He asked, genuinely ‘I am always appreciative of some company’ 

[commodore-andrew-warren-blog]

Commodore Warren & Open

[fannylangley-blog]

Ever since Fanny was a child, she had loved hearing tales of battles and love and far away lands. They were fodder to the fire that was her very active imagination. But it was only within the last few years that she had realized that the best stories were true, and more often than not, biographies.

So one can imagine the delight that overtook her when Commodore Warren began to answer her questions. “Twenty-five years?” Her eyes widened with excitement. “You have had lifetimes of adventures!”  

“Alexandria sounds wonderful. My brother is always talking of the ‘Great Ancient Land’ and is still a little bitter over the burning of their library.” She said, cracking a mischievous smile. “And did you ever meet Lady Hamilton? I have always wondered whether or not she is as lovely as they say she is.”

Fanny looked at her lap bashfully. “Oh no, I am fine. But thank you for the offer.” Then a thought dawned on her. “I am not disturbing you am I, Mr. Warren? With all these questions? I confess… I am curious to a fault.”

[commodore-andrew-warren-blog]

The brightness in the young lady’s eyes and the excitement of her tone was almost intoxicating. It’s fresh vigor brought a smile onto Andrew’s face, there was a keenness there, a bubbling desire to learn more, to acquire knowledge. Or at the very least, hear stories and tales of other places. Andrew liked either prospect, he liked to speak about his experiences. Well, most of them, the darker more truthful aspects of a life at war were not for young ears. Better to preserve the innocence and keep the glamour than to sunder it with the truth.

‘It has been a few hundred years since the library was burned, however that enormous loss of ancient knowledge shouldn’t be disregarded. Perhaps your brother and I are in agreement with the sentiment’ He said, pondering briefly in what arcane and historical documents were lost to humanity all those centuries ago ‘The landscape was beautiful, the light sandstone colored buildings and the azure seas, sparkling and clear. It was treat to wake up to each morning’ He smiled, thinking back on the time he had spent in the port city.

‘Lady Hamilton? No, it is an unfortunate affair that I never got to meet the fine lady in person, much to my dismay’ He didn’t say that the admiralty completely disapproved of the relationship, and actively tried to separate the pair as much as possible. In truth, Emma Hamilton was currently living in France, penniless and on the run from her Debtors. 

‘Please, Miss Langley, you are not disturbing me in the slightest. I find myself rather enjoying talking about m experiences, rather than writing them down. And your company is very much appreciated. So is there any place you would like me to talk about?’ He asked, smiling.

[maxine-bennett-blog]

Thinking of Home || Cecilia & Andrew

[maxine-bennett-blog]

The feeling of him putting the hairpin in place drew a small smile to her face. As he moved to reach into hid chest pocket, she repositioned her head to get a better look at it. She had often seen him place his hand over that very spot and every time he did so, he seemed troubled. Sad. When she saw it held a portrait of the woman she’d seen in paintings with him in other places of the house, she would admit that she wasn’t overly surprised. She was however, honored that he was sharing this secret with her.

“She is very beautiful,” Cecilia murmured quietly as she looked at the small portrait. When she’d first arrived to the house, she’d been confused over where the lady of the house was, but it didn’t take her long to put together that she was no more, and she’d never bothered to ask how it had happened. While the other portraits had seemed so serious, this one had a certain light to it. She looked nice. “I am sorry I did not get the chance to know her. I can tell you loved her very much.”

This time it was her turn to not know quite what to say. It was obvious that this was a very deep seated sorrow that Andrew kept with him. She couldn’t imagine loosing someone she loved like that. At the very least her family was still alive even if she couldn’t see them again. Reaching out, she took his free hand and laced her fingers with him, giving him a soft, comforting squeeze of reassurance.

“Do you think opening them helps make it hurt less?” If anyone should know, she figured he would. He’d obviously been carrying around this hurt for a very long time.

[commodore-andrew-warren-blog]

He thought in silence for a few moments, simply holding the portrait in front of the pair of them. In truth, he hadn’t looked upon the image for some time, it had resided in his pockets, being transferred from outfit to outfit without seeing much of the light of day. He felt a small tear well at the corner of one eye. He shifted slightly so as to hide it from Cecilia, it was improper for a man to cry in front of a woman, or at least he felt it inappropriate.

‘She was beautiful, a bright and incredibly charming. I think she would have loved to have known you.’ He brushed his fingers along the framework of the portrait, his eyes not moving from Theodosia’s form.

‘I believe so, all these things...’ he panned his hand over the items in the box and his portrait of Theodosia ‘...they all make us feel melancholic with the loss or reminder of things passed, they also bring us the joyous memories of time past. When I see this portrait of my wife, I feel the sadness of her absence, but also the joy she brought my life, in the short time she was within it. Do you not feel the same?’

[commodore-andrew-warren-blog]

Commodore Warren & Lord Ellwood || Doctor ‘a calling

Andrew was in his study, making his way through his mid morning tea and processing the news reported in his copy of the days ‘The Times’ when Mr Grant came to find him. The news made for grim reading for Andrew; Fort Meigs had managed to repulse the British army sent to capture it, meaning that an American assault to retake Detroit would come soon, meaning the ciy would most likely fall back into American hands before the summer could begin in earnest. Andrew sighed, putting down his cup and looking up as Eli entered the room.

‘Not good news then, sir?’ The man said as he saw his masters expression. He was carrying a small platter, upon which sat a fresh pot of tea, a couple of cakes, and curiously a small folded piece of paper.

‘The American’s prove to be adept at not only raising forts, but also defending them too. Alas, it seems we may have perhaps trained them too well’ He folded the paper and placed it onto his desk, to keep it out of the way.

‘Perhaps it may have been a misstep, indeed sir, but if the French or Spanish colonies were to grow bold whilst we had our backs turned, well then we would have a much broader problem’ Eli replied as he set the tray down. The man was military born and bred, and Andrew had made sure his staff were stocked with the latest periodicals, so he was also well read in the current goings on in the world.

‘You make a good case there, Mr Grant, I cannot argue with your logic, as much as ever it is as sharp as your eyes’ He replied, a half smile on his lips. ‘What’s that letter about then?’ He asked, waving his hand in the direction of the piece of paper.

‘Well perhaps my eyes aren’t all that sharp, sir’ He chuckled, tapping his leg with his cane ‘A young urchin brought it to the door sir, scruffy little thing. Said it was important and that you should read it urgently’ He said, passing the neatly folded letter over to Andrew. ‘I sent him on his way, with a tuppence for his speed, the lad was barely able to breath at the door’ Eli chuckled again to himself, moving about the room to clear the detritus of morning.

‘Good man, Mr Grant, we all deserve something for the role we play, even if it might be minor’ He replied, opening the letter and taking another sip of his tea, before replacing the cup and frowning.

‘A troublesome letter, sir?’ Eli asked when he saw Andrews expression.

‘It’s from Annabelle Drubbins, Richard Drubbins wife. You remember him? Sailed with us aboard HMS Firedrake. He was third lieutenant, if i can recall correctly’ Andrew replied, still reading the letter.

‘Ah yes, a capable man, but with an unhealthy predilection for gambling. Why would his wife be contacting you, if you don’t mind me asking, sir?’

‘Seems he never lost his habit, not much of a surprise there, the man never knew when to quit.’ Andrew continued reading, his frown deepening. ‘By the sounds of it, he’s amassed a sizeable debt, and not to the kindest of people. Looks like the grew tired of his excuses and decided to take exception to him. Took the money the old fashioned way, via the pound of flesh.’ He grimmaced slightly at the thought, a pang of sympathy for the man’s wife bursting into life ‘The bastards didn’t even clean the wounds, left him on the wharf for the fishermen to find him. His wife has done his best, she talented with a needle it has to be said, but it doesn’t sound like it was enough’ 

Andrew sighed, rising to his feet, looking for his jacket.

‘Infection has got its hooks into him. And with no money to spare they can’t afford a physician, so it looks like the reaper will knock on their door soon. She says she is going to try someone who might help them out, but it’s doubtful. I am going to see them, if only to say my last to the man.’ 

‘Poor woman, I do feel for her’ Eli spoke up, bringing over his masters jacket and boots. ‘Do you wish me to call you a carriage, sir?’

Andrew shook his head.

‘No need, Mr Grant’ he replied, donning his jacket ‘It’s only a short walk, and i could use the air. I’ll be back later this evening, ask the kitchen to put on a fish dish for tonight's meal, if you would be so kind’

‘Of course, sir’ Eli bowed, leaving the room to head to the kitchen.

It was indeed a short walk from the house to where the Drubbin's resided, one he took briskly, wishing to arrive as quickly as he could. The man may have been a debtor, but he had been a member of Andrew’s command, and such he felt that it was only right he show respect to his family at the end.

He knocked on the door. He was surprised a few moments later when, instead of a tearful Mrs Drubbins, a rushed looking, well dressed man, one who seemed quite familiar to Andrew, answered the door.

‘Apologies, my good man, I was looking for Annabelle Drubbins and her husband Richard. Are they in?’ Andrew asked, a little wrong-footed at the unexpected male face.

[maxine-bennett-blog]

Thinking of Home || Cecilia & Andrew

[maxine-bennett-blog]

Perhaps what made this bout of homesickness worse than normal was that it wasn’t simply homesickness. She was worried for her family. She knew of the unrest at home. It was part of the reason she’d left, and with being so far from them, letters were not a common occurrence. More than that…part of her didn’t know where home was anymore. It didn’t seem possible for it to be back in the place that she’d never see again, but it was also hard to imagine it being someplace where she felt so out of place as Herrington. Maybe she didn’t know if she had a home anymore.

She was shocked when she felt his arm come around her and pull her close. She knew it wasn’t something normally considered socially acceptable, but then they weren’t in public, they were in their home, and he wasn’t just some random gentleman, Andrew had become her new family.  So she lay her head on his shoulder and took comfort from his embrace. It was okay that he didn’t say anything. She found that sometimes he was a man of action more than a man of words, and this quiet reassurance had been just was she needed.

At his suggestion, she picked up the hairpin she’d had moments ago and offered it to him before also pulling a decorative comb out of the box. “These belonged to my mother and her mother before her. They have been passed down the women of my family. They are worn for important events and parties. I received them when I came of age, but I have not had the occasion to wear them yet.” They weren’t the English fashion and they’d only mark her as different and make her stand out in what she expected to be an uncomfortable way.

[commodore-andrew-warren-blog]

Andrew listened in silence, taking in the words as he ran his fingers over the little hairpin that she had passed to him. Outwardly, it might seem worthless and insignificant, just another item of a woman’s wardrobe to dress her up with. Andrew wasn’t so dense though, he knew the weight items carried, regardless of their worth to others, they held immense value in the heart of the person who held onto them. They cast a shadow in ones heart, for good or ill, there was where their true significance resided.

He realised there was not much he could say to Cecilia to raise her spirits. It wouldn't take much to raise someone out of a dark space, but it had to be the right things said or offered at the right time, otherwise they might fail and make a dark place darker. He reached over and brushed Cecilia’s hair back a little, using the hairpin to hold the locks of hair in place.

He reached under his jacket and pulled out something. He held it in his hands for a few moments, before passing it over to Cecilia. It was the small portrait that he kept on him at all times, the one Theodosia had given to him a few days before she had announced to him she was expecting. She looked beautiful as always, her hair done in the way he liked it, held in place at the back with lace, but with a few tresses of her hair allowed to fall in front of her face, loose and curled. She wore a subtle smile, like she knew something. Had she known about the child? They did say a woman could just know when she or others were expecting, even when there were no clues as to their state.

‘I keep this with me, the last portrait of my wife she had painted before she left into the lord’s hands. I keep it here...’ He tapped his chest, directly over his heart ‘...as close to my life as possible. It’s the one thing I have that show’s her how I remember her’ He said, his voice low and quiet. He hoped sharing the memory would make Cecilia feel more kinship with Andrew, a shared level of sadness to make her feel less alienated.

‘We all carry our memories of people or places, sometimes in a box or more literally...’ he indicated his portrait and her box in turn ‘And sometimes we have to open them to fully experience them.’

[commodore-andrew-warren-blog]

Commodore Warren & Open

[fannylangley-blog]

Fanny laughed. The man was much more amiable than he had appeared at first glance. He had the look of travel about him. Of worldly experiences and daring escapades. He must be writing the most exciting novel, Fanny thought.

“Fanny Langley,” she said as she returned his bow with a small dip. “It is a pleasure to meet you,” she said, taking her seat.

She glanced once more at the little book that Mr. Warren had previously been writing in. It was exactly the type of book that she imagined explorers always carried with them on their travels.

“Well if they are worth writing down they must be rather exciting,” she said. “How long have you been in the navy for? Where were you stationed?”

[commodore-andrew-warren-blog]

Andrew was a little taken aback at the young lady’s quick fire questions, it was rather like entertaining a small child’s curiosity. Again, it didn’t annoy him in the slightest, instead it rather amused him. He always enjoyed satiating curiosity, both his and his own, there was little harm in pursuing knowledge of things unknown to oneself. In fact, when it was pertinent, he actively encouraged it.

‘I’ve been in His Majesties Navy for most of my life, ever since I was old enough to enroll at the academies’ He had a quick sip of his coffee, pausing in thought ‘It has been at least twenty-five years since i first stepped aboard my first vessel, and years well spent!’ He smiled broadly at the young Langley opposite him.

‘In that time I have had the great honor to serve men such as Lord Nelson, in places like Gibraltar, Naples and Alexandria. Most Recently as far afield as the Korean peninsula’ He laughed a little ‘When I say it like that, it does sound rather exciting doesn’t it?’

He was taking another sip from his coffee when he realised that Miss langley hadn’t got a drink. Slightly embarresed he rushed to correct his lack of social grace.

‘My sincerest apologies, Miss Langley, I haven’t offered you something to drink. Please allow me the honor of buying you something, what would you like? are you feeling hungry? I can request some light cakes, if you wish’