Newsletter seventy
Dec. 7th, 2012 12:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
charlie_cochraneIt’s the most wonderful time of the year... Well, I like it. Tonight it’s late night shopping in Romsey (will Father Christmas land on the top of the bank, again, and have to be rescued by firemen?) Carol concert at the golf club on Sunday and nativity plays next week. *happy sighs*
News:
Didn’t get to be a Deadly Dame as I had the lurgy. Sounds like it went well, though. Better luck at Bognor, next spring?
Angel in the Window will be out on December 21st .
Alexander Porterfield may be one of the rising stars of Nelson's navy, but his relationship with his first lieutenant, Tom Anderson, makes him vulnerable. To blackmail, to the exposure of their relationship—and to losing Tom, either in battle or to another ship. When sudden danger strikes—from the English rather than the French—where should a man turn?
Excerpt:
January twenty fifth, three bells in first dog watch, wind westerly, variable
Tom sipped from his glass of claret. “I often wonder whether you keep your own private log, Mr. Porterfield and what the Admiralty would make of it were the thing ever to be submitted. You can imagine the entries. Engaged enemy frigate at noon; took her as prize. None killed, four wounded. Engaged Mr. Anderson in his cabin at eight o’clock; he took me as prize; none killed, only wounds to my—”
“I cannot believe that ever a captain was so plagued with a first lieutenant as I am with you.” Both officers grinned and Alexander refilled their glasses.
Spithead was two days behind and the Mediterranean—business to be done at Gibraltar and reporting for duty at Malta—an unpredictable number of days ahead. The great cabin was dark despite the early hour and they sat in their usual places, companionably sharing some of the finest vintage the Anderson estate could provide.
“Did you know that our Mr. Fowler sailed with Cochrane, when he took the Gamo with his little sloop?” Tom asked.
“I do. For once I knew something before you.”
“And how did you manage that? I thought you’ve spent all your time since we weighed anchor dealing with this bloody storm?” It had been a fierce blow, taking down one of the yards, and they’d feared for the foremast.
“Do you think I’d take any man as one of my officers? Even in a crisis?” Alexander smiled. Crisis it had been, their previous master being struck down with gout, two days before they’d sailed. Fowler had come as a Godsend. “I found an old friend who sung his praises.”
“You kept that quiet.” Tom narrowed his eyes. Unlike Alexander not to tell all.
“Unless...unless this old friend was the cause of that awful headache you had the day before you sailed. The one you said came from being struck by a loose end of rope.”
“Ah. I may have been less than candid.” Alexander smiled, leaning back and holding up his glass to catch the light. “This is truly excellent.”
“Don’t change the subject. You’d imbibed too much,” Tom said, grinning.
Inspiration:
Not the actual stained glass window which inspired me to write this story, but another one, and very suitable for a rugby weekend.
News:
Didn’t get to be a Deadly Dame as I had the lurgy. Sounds like it went well, though. Better luck at Bognor, next spring?
Angel in the Window will be out on December 21st .
Alexander Porterfield may be one of the rising stars of Nelson's navy, but his relationship with his first lieutenant, Tom Anderson, makes him vulnerable. To blackmail, to the exposure of their relationship—and to losing Tom, either in battle or to another ship. When sudden danger strikes—from the English rather than the French—where should a man turn?
Excerpt:
January twenty fifth, three bells in first dog watch, wind westerly, variable
Tom sipped from his glass of claret. “I often wonder whether you keep your own private log, Mr. Porterfield and what the Admiralty would make of it were the thing ever to be submitted. You can imagine the entries. Engaged enemy frigate at noon; took her as prize. None killed, four wounded. Engaged Mr. Anderson in his cabin at eight o’clock; he took me as prize; none killed, only wounds to my—”
“I cannot believe that ever a captain was so plagued with a first lieutenant as I am with you.” Both officers grinned and Alexander refilled their glasses.
Spithead was two days behind and the Mediterranean—business to be done at Gibraltar and reporting for duty at Malta—an unpredictable number of days ahead. The great cabin was dark despite the early hour and they sat in their usual places, companionably sharing some of the finest vintage the Anderson estate could provide.
“Did you know that our Mr. Fowler sailed with Cochrane, when he took the Gamo with his little sloop?” Tom asked.
“I do. For once I knew something before you.”
“And how did you manage that? I thought you’ve spent all your time since we weighed anchor dealing with this bloody storm?” It had been a fierce blow, taking down one of the yards, and they’d feared for the foremast.
“Do you think I’d take any man as one of my officers? Even in a crisis?” Alexander smiled. Crisis it had been, their previous master being struck down with gout, two days before they’d sailed. Fowler had come as a Godsend. “I found an old friend who sung his praises.”
“You kept that quiet.” Tom narrowed his eyes. Unlike Alexander not to tell all.
“Unless...unless this old friend was the cause of that awful headache you had the day before you sailed. The one you said came from being struck by a loose end of rope.”
“Ah. I may have been less than candid.” Alexander smiled, leaning back and holding up his glass to catch the light. “This is truly excellent.”
“Don’t change the subject. You’d imbibed too much,” Tom said, grinning.
Inspiration:
Not the actual stained glass window which inspired me to write this story, but another one, and very suitable for a rugby weekend.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2012-12-08 05:11 pm (UTC)Hopefully it works? When the sun comes through those three windows the tiny space becomes a truly magical place.
(no subject)
Date: 2012-12-08 05:12 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-12-08 08:19 pm (UTC)Wow - those three windows are stunning. Love that blue light.
You can find my inspirational angel here: http://www.hampshirechurchwindows.co.uk/showchurch2.php?id=215
(no subject)
Date: 2012-12-08 09:50 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-12-09 12:34 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-12-09 01:24 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-12-09 02:50 am (UTC)I like this time of year as well, despite the busyness.
Warming up and drying out in the Antipodes - must seem so strange to you lot.
Lurv the windows.
(no subject)
Date: 2012-12-09 12:33 pm (UTC)The windows are wondrous. They should be tacky but they aren't.
(no subject)
Date: 2012-12-09 07:03 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-12-10 11:13 am (UTC)