Debt of Dishonour Book I: The Admiral's Request

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Part IV
 

Edward paced up and down the drawing room, his whisky forgotten on the mantelpiece as his officers watched him in shared disquiet.

"Edward, you have refused to speak to us since we arrived home," Horatio began. "Now you will kindly sit down and tell us what disturbs you."

"Edward, something is very wrong. Now come and tell us what it is so that we may set matters to rights," Archie added.

Edward grabbed his drink from the mantelpiece and downed what was left of it in one gulp as his two officers shared a glance of utmost apprehension.

"Damn it to hell!" he exclaimed, throwing his glass into the fireplace where it smashed into a thousand pieces with a satisfying clatter before walking out of the room and slamming the door behind him.

His two officers winced. Left alone, they shared a look of long-suffering for they well knew what would happen next. When Edward was troubled aboard ship, he would simply pace the poop deck, or sometimes the full length of the ship; when at home, he would walk the grounds, sometimes for an hour or more.

"Do you think he's gone out?" Archie asked as Horatio moved to the window to gaze outside at the darkness.

"Yes! Yes, there he is."

"Which way?"

Horatio shook his head. "He's just standing there." He continued to gaze out of the window. After a while he noted, "He's just walking up and down in front of the porch."

Archie joined him at the window and they both watched their very troubled commanding officer pace back and forth.

"Care to wager it was about us?" Archie muttered after a while.

"It must concern us," Horatio agreed. "But what could the Admiral have said that would so upset him?"

"We shall find out, Horatio. Edward will tell us - when he's ready," he added.

They sat down once more to wait.

After a quarter of an hour had passed with no sign of Edward coming inside Archie murmured, "Come, Horatio. Let us to bed. Edward will join us when he is ready."

Horatio sighed. "Yes, you're right. Let us go."

They turned out the lamps in the room and went upstairs, leaving the downstairs ones on for Edward. However, as they reached the top of the stairs Archie paused.

"Horatio? Horatio, what if Edward is really mad at *us*? What if he doesn't want us in his bed tonight?" Horatio appeared thoughtful. "I mean do you think we should sleep in my bed? Or yours?"

Horatio smiled ruefully. "Since when have we ever slept in our own beds when we're on leave?"

Archie returned the smile. "Touché," he muttered. "And I suppose if it's really us he's mad at he can always throw us out."

*

The room was very quiet as the two officers undressed for they said little, however it was not a companionable silence but a troubled one for Edward had still not come upstairs.

They got into bed and snuggled together for warmth for it was now quite late, Mrs Kelly had gone to bed and the fire had gone out.

"How long do you suppose?" Archie asked after a while.

"Last time it was a half hour, but that just concerned the ship and those bunglers at the dock. This time..." Horatio shook his head. "I can't remember when I've ever seen him so upset, can you?"

Archie shook his head. "What if he really is angry at us? He could very well be you know."

"I know," Horatio murmured. "Let us pray 'tis not so."

They lay quietly, waiting for Edward to join them, hoping that it would be soon for he would be very cold out there, and hoping that he would not still be as angry as he had been when he left the house.

Three quarters of an hour passed and they were starting to doze off when Horatio forced his eyes to open and looked at the clock on the mantle.

"Damn it, Archie, it's after eleven! I'm going to go and fetch him inside," Horatio exclaimed.

Archie, who had been dozing, jerked awake at Horatio's words.

"The fit of distemper he's in, it might need two of us. I'd better go with you."

Fortunately, at that moment they heard footsteps in the corridor, so they quickly lay back down, grinning at each other. As the door opened quietly, they feigned sleep.

Pretending to be roused by the sound of the door, Horatio opened his eyes a crack.

"Oh, there you are, Edward. We wondered what had become of you," he remarked.

Archie, too, opened an eye. "About time, Edward," he muttered.

However, Edward was not undressing. Rather he was standing at the foot of the bed, gazing down at them in fondest manner.

Horatio smiled at him. "Won't you join us, Edward? The bed is warm," he coaxed.

"Yes, Edward. Your faithful bed-warmers have warmed the bed for you. So hurry up and get in!" Archie complained, the smile on his face belying his words.

Edward returned their smiles, though a little uncertainly. "Yes, my beauties," he murmured, but made no attempt to get undressed. Instead, his gaze roamed from one to the other.

"Edward?" Horatio queried after long silent moments had passed.

He shook his head to indicate that nothing was wrong.

"My good sirs, how many men are so fortunate as to enter their bedchamber and find such generous bounty awaiting them?" he mused, finally removing his coat, followed by the rest of his clothing.

As Edward joined them in bed, his lovers made room for him in the centre where they had been lying and where it was the warmest. He was freezing, and they both flinched at the coldness of his flesh as they pulled the bedclothes up to cover him.

"Oh, Edward, you're like ice!" Archie complained as they both rubbed him vigorously to warm him, feeling his slight shivers.

"Yes, Edward, you're chilled to the bone! Are you trying to catch your death of cold?" Horatio accused, reaching down to rub his legs. "This is the second time in as many days you've been frozen stiff."

"All right, all right, you two. So I've been foolish and gone out in the cold. Doesn't a man have a right to be a fool once in a while?"

"No!" they both replied.

"Because if Horatio or I behaved like that we would be the recipients of a thorough dressing-down - and deservedly so!" Archie accused, rubbing Edward's arms and his frozen hands.

"You are both quite right," Edward agreed in an attempt to mollify them. "And I do most humbly beg your pardon." He kissed their cheeks. "Oh, but you two are so lovely and warm! Mmm..." he sighed.

Squeezed between the two delightfully warm bodies of his lovers, Edward was deliciously warm and cosy in no time. As he thanked them for their trouble, together they embraced him, holding him as though they might lose him again.

"Edward, you had us worried," Horatio gently chided. "Will you tell us now what troubles you?"

"In the morning, my loves. The morning will do well enough and I find I really am tired."

Horatio would not be placated. "At once, Edward," he insisted.

"I agree, Edward," Archie added, equally determined. "At once."

Edward gazed from one to the other, noting the determined looks on their faces. He also knew that if Horatio's sleep was troubled, which it might very well be in the circumstances, he was inclined to kick, in which case both himself and Archie were unlikely to get any sleep.

He sighed, willing to capitulate, both for the sake of a good night's sleep and making a clean breast of things. After all, his lovers were intimately concerned in the matter and had a right to know.

"Very well. Perhaps it's best to get it over with now."

"Of course it is. Now let us hold you, dearest Edward," Horatio coaxed.

In the lamplight Edward gazed into Archie's beautiful blue eyes, seeing the affection there, and also the determination. Turning to Horatio, he observed the same expression there as well as a small smile gracing the full lips. Briefly, he reflected that command and composure counted for nothing where his lovers were concerned and he may as well be commanding a barge on the Thames as one of His Majesty's fleets for all the good it did him.

He allowed Horatio to pull him closer until he rested in his arms, his head on Horatio's breast while Archie curled up beside them, his legs slung over Edward's.

"That's better," Horatio murmured. "Much better." He stroked Edward's hair. "I love to hold you, Edward. Always love to hold you." He squeezed Edward a little. "Mmm..." he sighed.

Archie watched them, watched the slow smile blossom on Edward's lips as he relaxed into Horatio's arms and allowed his young lover to soothe and comfort him. He understood that it was still sometimes difficult for Edward to allow them to comfort him when he was troubled as the older man always felt that he had to be strong for all three of them. As all of them were learning, so too was Edward, Archie realised.

With the heartbeat of his beautiful dark-eyed lover thudding softly in his ear, Edward Pellew endeavoured to relax. He was unsure what manner of man he was anymore that he would allow himself to be mollycoddled by his young officers, but he had also arrived at the stage where he had ceased to question his motives for seeking out the comfort of their arms and merely enjoyed it without shame or remorse. However, he still felt it necessary to make a pretense of reluctance. After all, it would not do to change too much.

He sighed now, realising the utter dismay his lovers would feel when he told them the bitter truth of how he had been unable to either protect or defend them.

"My loves, forgive me," he murmured.

"Not until you explain to us what it is you seem to think we must forgive you for," Horatio coaxed, continuing to stroke his soft, dark hair.

Edward closed his eyes. "For loving you both far too much for your own good."

Archie shook his head, his fair hair bobbing slightly. "We shall never forgive you for that, Edward," he reproached in most gentle manner. "Rather we shall only love you more for loving us more than we could possibly deserve." He took one of Edward's hands and brought it to his mouth to kiss the back of it.

Edward smiled sadly at him. "Sweet Archie. What I would give if only..."

"If only what, Edward?" Archie begged. "Tell us."

"If only I could have protected you," Edward gritted through clenched teeth. "If only..." he trailed off. "May God forgive me," he muttered.

"Shh..." Horatio murmured. "We are grown men now, Edward, well able to defend ourselves - and you," he added, smiling.

Edward rolled his eyes and smiled in spite of himself.

"A Captain - nay a Commodore - should be more than capable of defending the honour - and even the physical safety - of his officers. It is his duty to look out for their welfare at all times for they are the future defence of this country and, as such, are most valuable. This evening, my darlings, I failed abominably in that duty of care."

"Edward, tell us what happened," Horatio urged. "You had words with Admiral Briggs, did you not?"

Edward shook his head and sniffed loudly. "Damn the man to hell and back," he muttered, as Horatio continued to run soothing hands though his hair in an effort to calm him. "I tried everything, even tried to bribe the villain..." he shook his head, "but he refused all offers. He would not budge an inch and I... I had no choice. If I had not agreed, he would have transferred you to 'Arethusa' as she departs in the morning, and - of all the gall - had you demoted."

Archie and Horatio exchanged dismayed glances.

"Transferred us? Why, Edward? Why on earth would Admiral Briggs want to do that?" Archie demanded.

Edward went to sit up but Horatio held him back with a hand on his shoulder, now gently rubbing his temples and pressing gentle lips to his forehead.

He sighed. "My dears, it seems that Admiral Briggs has chosen to take advantage of your youth, your beauty and your... good natures..." he trailed off once more, closing his eyes briefly.

Archie, observing his pained expression, leaned close and kissed his cheek.

As Edward gazed into Archie's trusting eyes, all he could think was that he had let him down; he had let them both down. They trusted him and he had failed them. Nay, even betrayed their trust. He did not deserve their comfort and affection. Yet he could not quite bring himself to move. Besides, they had conveniently trapped him between them. Perhaps it would be best to make a clean breast of it. He took a deep breath.

"My beloved officers," he began, "last night I was unable to live up to your expectations in the face of tactics which were of a most scheming and underhanded nature. I must therefore inform you that your invitations from Mr Stansford were a sham."

Horatio and Archie stared at each other in disbelief.

"A sham?" Horatio queried. "But Mr Stansford said we would be most welcome and he was sure we would all enjoy the concert."

"Yes, and on Sunday he wanted to show us all around the place as well," Archie continued. "He sounded so pleased that we were coming."

"Huh!" Edward scoffed. "I fear it is a ruse. However, we shall find out soon enough."

"A ruse?" Archie queried.

"Yes, damn it! A ruse to get you there to that damned Gothic home of his so he can..."

"Edward, don't stop there! Can what?" Horatio demanded.

"Yes, Edward! Can what?" Archie reiterated.

"Take you to his bed!"

"What?" Archie squeaked. He stared at Horatio, their eyes wide.

"Indeed, not just his bed, but you are to wait on him hand and foot and do whatever he wishes. You are also to perform the same service for the Admiral."

"Admiral Briggs ordered this?" Horatio queried in disbelief.

"Yes, and I was unable to dissuade him. He was most adamant. If I did not agree you would be demoted and on 'Arethusa' in the morning." He tilted his head sideways so that he could gaze up at Horatio, then over to Archie. "Would you have preferred that, my loves?"

"No!" they answered together without hesitation.

"No, never, Edward!" Archie exclaimed, as Edward took his hand and kissed it.

Horatio was thoughtful. "Although she is a good ship and I would be pleased to be her captain."

Edward smiled at him. "You will be a captain one day, my darling - and what a fine young captain you'll be, I shall see to it." He turned to look at Archie. "Both of you."

He took a deep breath. "Yesterday you both exhorted me to agree to anything the Admiral wanted. I... prayed that it would not come to that. I have only met him once or twice and was barely acquainted with the man before tonight. Forgive me, but I knew not of his cunning and his cleverness. He has no compunctions when it comes to taking unfair advantage of junior officers and using them for his own ends."

Archie patted his shoulder and Horatio hugged him.

"But why us?" Horatio queried in puzzlement. "Of all people why us?"

"Oh, Horatio, is it not obvious?" Archie responded, his voice laced with irony. "He had what he wanted once with us; now he expects to have it again."

Edward gazed at Archie. "Tell me of Mr Stansford. Is he not the guest you thought would be gone?"

Archie nodded his head. "Yes." He glanced at Horatio. "Yes, we both thought he would be gone. He... uh, not only was instrumental in our achieving an audience with Admiral Briggs, but also in persuading him to grant our request."

"And he... took liberties with both of you?" Edward queried somewhat tentatively.

Horatio took up the tale. "The Admiral informed us that if we pleased Mr Stansford he would change our orders that very morning."

"I see," Edward muttered. "So you were forced to 'please' Mr Stansford then, not the Admiral?"

Archie appeared uncomfortable. "Uh, not exactly. Admiral Briggs saw our seeming, uh, pleasure and decided to, um, join us."

"Let me get this straight: Admiral Briggs observed the two of you and Mr Stansford cavorting on the couch..."

"It was on a bed in one of the guest rooms," Horatio supplied.

"All right. Cavorting on a bed in one of the guest rooms, and then...?"

"Decided to remove his uniform and join us," Archie supplied.

"God Almighty!" Edward muttered. "Damn the man anyway! To think that an Admiral in His Majesty's navy should take advantage of young officers and... and prey on them like... like some rutting beast beggars belief! Damn the man's arrogance, we shall put a stop to this! We must for he will always remain a threat to your welfare, nay others as well."

"But for now it seems as though Horatio and I must do as he wishes," Archie murmured, his manner subdued.

"For now," Edward concurred. "Only for now." He appeared thoughtful. "My dears, I find myself most curious about this Mr Stansford. It seems that I know his name from somewhere but I'm not sure. He mentioned that his father was twice Lord Mayor of London. Good man though had a reputation as a bit of a rogue. But his son? I've spent most of the last thirty years at sea and know little of social tittle tattle."

Archie moved over to the far side of the bed and reached into a drawer to retrieve something. It turned out to be a folded up sheet of newspaper which he unfolded and handed to Edward. 'The Fool of Brookhill Abbey' the headline boldly declared, purporting to describe how Stansford was spending his inherited fortune on a complete folly. It then went on to detail in the most lurid terms the scandal which had ruined the young man's budding career as a Member of Parliament due to a rumoured affair with the young Lord Pomeroy of Stegham Castle. 'The country squire and his kitty', as the author referred to them.

With a snort of disgust Edward threw the paper on the floor. It was more than apparent that his lovers had tried to hide this from him - and it was also painfully obvious why. He shook his head at them, deciding to say nothing for they had enough to cope with for the present.

"So that's where I remembered his name from! Damn gossip mongers, they destroyed the man's career! Given half a chance he might have turned out like his father who was a real hero of the common people. Made quite a speech in front of the His Majesty as I recall. But look at his son now. According to that viper he seldom leaves that Gothic abbey of his. Can't say that I blame him. You can never escape scandal in this country and people have long memories. And now the man demands your 'services', my dears... or does he?" he mused. "He seemed so entirely sincere that I can not but believe him. And you say his invitation to you also seemed genuine?"

They both nodded. "Most definitely," Archie agreed. "He seemed truly eager to show us the place. He seems most proud of it."

Edward smiled. "Yes, he does indeed. Inordinately proud." He rubbed his fingers over the bridge of his nose. "I wonder..." he mused. "I wonder... It is apparent that Mr Stansford is unaware that you are to be his... servants for the weekend. Briggs would seem to be taking advantage of the opportunity to curry favour with him, knowing that the man would invite you anyway and would be most gratified by your attentions. He could then later inform Mr Stansford of his own complicity in the matter of procuring your services and therefore earn the man's gratitude."

"It sort of makes sense," Archie ventured after a pause.

"But why is he so anxious to curry favour with Mr Stansford?" Horatio queried, "Unless it's to do with money," he added. "I can not imagine Admiral Briggs to have taken Mr Stansford's fancy."

"I can not imagine Admiral Briggs to have taken anyone's fancy," Archie muttered.

In spite of the seriousness of the situation Edward had to smile.

"I know not, my dears, but I fully intend to find answers. We need to know a lot more about the Admiral's business dealings. I do not trust the man at all. He was a barely competent captain who gained promotion, they say, not because of his skills, but because he married the daughter of Admiral Sommerville. The only thing he commands these days is a desk in Admiralty House. In spite of the fact that he sounds competent he has not been on a ship in years. We need information, my loves, and I intend to get it!"

Over his head, his lovers smiled at the note of absolute determination in Edward's voice, knowing that he would leave no stone unturned until he got to the bottom of the matter.

"One more thing: When Admiral Briggs persuaded you to 'entertain' Mr Stansford, the man was not in the room, was he?" They both shook their heads. "As I thought. What happened then?"

"Admiral Briggs had one of the servants show us up to a guest room and shortly after that Mr Stansford knocked on the door. He said that he had heard that we enjoyed parlour games..." Horatio trailed off.

"Go on," Edward urged.

"He began by taking our hands and kissing them and... and he told us we were beautiful lads and that if all of His Majesty's officers looked like us he would have to join the navy," Archie faltered.

Horatio took up the tale once more. "He asked us if we were familiar with how men do with men. We said yes. He... uh... asked us if we liked to kiss and if we found him attractive. We answered yes to both and he said..." Horatio's eyes widened and he stared at Archie. "Good God, Archie! Do you remember what he said?"

"Yes! Yes, Horatio, I remember! He said he would never wish to take any man against his will!"

Horatio smiled at Archie and nodded as Edward gazed from one to the other.

"Excellent, gentlemen! Excellent. As I suspected, Mr Stansford is a man of principles and moral integrity. He would no more take you against your will that I would. To him, you appeared willing and happy to do whatever he wanted, is it not so?" They both nodded. "Therefore he would have had no notion that you had been coerced into acting your parts." Again they agreed. "Excellent. My loves, I have a feeling that Mr Stansford, for all his education, his cleverness and his worldly ways, is an innocent abroad with no idea of what is going on behind his back."

"Then the Admiral wanted us to believe what we read in the newspapers that Mr Stansford is a sinister character, an infidel, even evil..." Archie trailed off.

A sudden thought occurred to him. "Wait a minute! Horatio, there's something else. You remember the first time we were there and Mr Stansford told us that he was leaving that very morning as he was most anxious to return to his home. But then tonight he told us that his return had been delayed by a day because of a problem with the axle of his carriage and it had to be specially repaired."

"Of course! Archie's right, Edward. You were not supposed to meet Mr Stansford. He should have been long gone by this evening," Horatio speculated.

"Would have been, but for the problem with his axle!" Archie agreed in excitement. "Edward, Horatio is right: You were never meant to meet him!"

"And having never met him you would think him evil for taking us against our will and because the papers portray him that way. You were never meant to think of him as an innocent abroad," Horatio concluded.

The grin on Edward's face was triumphant. "The measure of a man, my dears. One charming, educated and honest; one scheming, uneducated, nay a fraud. Never fear, my darlings. I shall be having a word or two with Mr Stansford and, between the four of us, we shall deal with Admiral Briggs."

"Four?" they queried.

"Four," Edward confirmed. "You see, my loves, if I am any judge of character - and be sure that I am - I think that Mr Stansford will turn out to be our staunchest ally. However, it doesn't appear as though the man is going to grace us with his presence tonight."

"Here you mean?" Archie queried.

"Indeed. I asked him to come and see me tonight on a matter of the utmost urgency before he returns to Wiltshire. However," he glanced at the clock, noting that it was now ten minutes after midnight, "it does not appear as though we shall see him further tonight."

Horatio, too, glanced at the clock. "Assuredly, he will not come now."

"I fear not. So, we shall undertake the journey to Wiltshire, my dears, and if the sea should turn out to be a little rough, well they have not reckoned on three of His Majesty's officers tried and true. What say you?"

"Edward, we shall acquit ourselves in the finest traditions of the service," Horatio declared.

"And we shall observe all due caution as befits officers in enemy territory," Archie agreed.

They shook hands on it.

"And now that that's settled we shall all sleep well."

Horatio leaned closer to kiss Edward's cheek, touching his lips to it more than once in deep affection as Archie kissed his other cheek. Edward in turn pressed kisses to their sweet, soft lips, treasuring them both, before settling down to spend the night in the arms of his dear ones.

As he drifted off, he reflected that, whatever price he had to pay for the privilege of loving these two beautiful young men, it was worth it.

As the three men drifted off, the wind picked up outside, blowing fallen leaves in drifts against the house as the first fat drops of rain began to fall.

* * *