@silntimes
The city of Bath was a vibrant place, certainly louder than anything Nelson had been used to previously and he thought he much preferred the bustle of a full Man of War over the gossip and hum drum of a city. It seemed he would always prefer either earth or wood under his feet rather than stone streets.
Still, it was not all so bad, it was of course a very beautiful city and his place of recovery after the loss of his arm and he found most often it was the evening that suited him best. People tended to rush into their houses as the sun set whereas the recovering admiral used the quieter hours to enjoy a long walk through the city streets in peace.
That night however, he sensed that he was not alone. He had cost Napoleon his Egyptian and Indian invasion, he knew he was a target for any who sought to make a name for themselves. So he had been sure to stick to residential streets as he occasionally glanced behind him, at last a candle from a window showed a flash of bright red hair on a young face and he was both relieved and now a different kind of concerned.
“You are out very late, young lady,” he said kindly as he turned properly to face her though did keep his respectful distance, not wanting to startle her. “Are you lost? These streets can feel like a maze if they are new to you.”
