Debt of Dishonour Book II: A Gothic Palace
Part IV
As the first signs of dawn began to lighten the room, the occupants of Stansford's bedchamber lay quietly replete, sharing languid touches and indolent kisses.
Captain Hardy and Admiral Nelson drifted, their eyes closed, contented smiles adorning their lips.
"My dearest Hardy, you know you kiss even better than dear Emma," Nelson whispered.
"Oh, sir!" Hardy smiled and offered up his lips to his commanding officer once more. Never one to miss an opportunity, Nelson took full advantage.
"Much better," he decided.
In the centre of the bed Stansford had an arm around Horatio and Archie as he lazily stroked their respective rears.
"Such beautiful boys," he murmured. "And such lovely, round arses. So delightful and so desirable. Lord, how I'd love to spend all day playing with you both, sweet darlings. However, I suppose I must play the considerate host and see to my other guests instead," he sighed.
Edward, who had somehow ended up on the bed's far side next to Archie, merely gazed at the ceiling. His officers were young, sensual and beautiful; all that he feared was that they would lose their hearts to their unashamedly lewd host who plainly adored them - not that he could blame the man in the least. After all, it would hardly be fair to run his host through just because the man desired his officers. Granted, it was the kind of affair of honour for which one man might challenge another. No doubt if it had been over his wife, then he would have been justified in challenging his opponent, nay expected to. However, this involved his officers who also happened to be his lovers. If they had been repelled by their host and Stansford had persisted in his attentions, then he would have been justified in telling his host in no uncertain terms to cease and desist. However, quite the opposite had occurred.
Lieutenants Hornblower and Kennedy were grown men who were more than capable of defending themselves, he reasoned. Besides, they had first cavorted with their host without his knowledge and it had been that one explicit act of daring which enabled them to be with him now; one act, committed out of love for him, had saved him from the blackest of grief and brought renewed joy into his life. Far from running his host through with his ceremonial sword, he felt only gratitude toward the man; gratitude, respect and a gentle affection and, yes, he had to admit that there was a certain amount of attraction there as well. Stansford was not only most handsome but was boyishly charming, very well educated and with an eye for beauty second to none. As well, he was totally uninhibited as so very few were, and he found it a refreshing change from the mealy-mouthed hypocrites who preached God during the day and whored at night. Besides, he could not possibly fault the man's taste in art, music or bed partners.
He glanced over at Stansford who was whispering into Horatio's ear.
Horatio grinned. "Why thank you, sir."
"Please don't thank me, dear boy. I only state the simple truth. It is quite clearly superb."
Horatio's cheeks took on a distinctly roseate hue.
"Oh, but now I've made you blush. How delightful!"
He covered Horatio's lips briefly with his own and smiled at him before turning to Archie and also whispering in his ear.
"Mr Stansford, you are a wicked man!" Archie exclaimed.
Stansford whispered in his ear again and Archie giggled. "Mr Stansford, you are too audacious!"
"Flagrantly so," Stansford murmured. "Sweet boy, can I help it if you have an arse that was meant to be caressed? An arse that would tempt the angels? An arse for which all poor sodomites are reduced to begging on their knees for a single touch of heaven."
"Mr Stansford!" Archie giggled, now also blushing.
"It's true, sweet boy! Every word!" He patted Archie's shapely rear. "The seat of the earthly paradise," he mused before turning back to Horatio. "How beautiful! Simply superb! Those eyes! Those voluptuous pink lips! Such a darling you are!" He turned back to Archie once more. "And those lovely blue eyes, how large they are! And what... " he tasted Archie's lips once more, "...sweet kisses you give." He sighed happily.
Nelson turned to Edward on the far side of the bed.
"Friendly, are they not?" he observed.
Edward merely glanced at Stansford fondling Horatio and Archie.
"Quite."
"And just what were they doing with Admiral Briggs last night?"
"At the time they were under orders from the Admiral, sir."
"You mean he ordered them to his bedchamber? I mean my bedchamber," Nelson corrected himself.
"It was blackmail," Stansford muttered.
"Blackmail, you say?"
"Involving the navy, sir," Edward explained.
"And I'm counting on you to recover my funds," Stansford added.
"Your funds!" Nelson exclaimed. "Look here, Stansford, your financial affairs are hardly my concern. We are not related - yet!"
"Huh! My dear Nelson, Lady Hamilton is carrying your child, is she not, and she is still married to my uncle. I call that very 'related'!"
"Huh!"
"Actually, it does concern you, my lord," Edward maintained. "This involves corruption at the highest level of the Admiralty and there may well be more than one person involved."
Nelson shook his head and sighed. Lying back down again, he closed his eyes and murmured, "Kiss me, Hardy."
With much enthusiasm his flag captain obliged.
*
As the first rays of sunshine struck the room's large stained glass window bathing the walls in shades of blue, red and gold, Stansford invited all to swim with him in the lake.
"In the lake? Stansford, are you serious? It's freezing!" Nelson protested.
"Never more so, my dear Nelson. I bathe in the lake every morning six months of the year."
"You know, Stansford, you're tougher than I thought," Nelson grudgingly admitted.
"Why thank you, my lord." Stansford's voice was laced with irony.
"However, I'd prefer a hot bath. Now where's the damn bellpull?" He looked around for one.
"I'm afraid you will not find one, my dear Nelson."
"What do you mean I won't find one? What kind of place are you running here, Stansford?"
Stansford smiled. "I have plenty of servants and therefore have no need of them. In fact, you won't find a single bellpull throughout the length and breadth of the Abbey."
Nelson sighed. "So how does one go about procuring some hot water around here?"
Stansford picked up a small, tinkling silver bell and jingled it. Less than half a minute later his valet, Richardson, arrived.
"Hot baths for six, my dear!" he ordered.
"I'll see to it at once, sir."
Richardson promptly departed.
Nelson and the others gazed at Stansford, considerably puzzled as to how anyone could hear the tiny bell at all. Stansford smiled.
"Richardson has ears in the back of his head," he explained. "Wonderful to have around. Only one fault: He will grant all favours but one," he sighed. "Still, he always counts for something, the devil take the blonde beast!"
"Did you see those big cow eyes he was making at Horatio?" Archie inquired.
"I shall speak to him. I will not have the servants making cow eyes at my guests," Stansford declared.
"I wouldn't worry about it. Everyone makes cow eyes at Horatio. Most people get over it, sooner or later," Edward explained.
"I never did!" Archie mumbled.
"Nor I," Edward agreed.
William Stansford leaned over and gazed into Horatio's beautiful, dark eyes, knowing that he never would either.
*
Later, while eating breakfast in the crimson breakfast parlour - minus Nelson who had fortuitously gone in search of Lady Hamilton - Lady Nelson joined them. She smiled shyly and blushed as she gazed at Archie and Horatio across the table, intimating that she had never slept so well in her life. Edward looked at his officers oddly, however, they merely smiled and continued to eat ravenously.
After breakfast many of the guests proceeded to explore the Abbey with its magnificent works of art, its myriad glittering objects of virtue, soaring arches and stained-glass windows with their luxurious drapery in crimson, gold and violet. Those game enough took their time climbing the central tower to its dizzy three hundred foot height to admire its superb views over five counties while others went riding the trails through the thickly wooded forest and still others explored the beautiful gardens and lake, or merely indulged in gambling.
After lunch, Edward, accompanied by Stansford, explored the western hall while his host explained the myriad brightly-coloured armorial bearings which decorated the vast, hammer beam roof. However, Stansford's explanations of his ancestry were interrupted by a most curious sight; down the steps into the great hall came Sir William Hamilton, who had sequestered himself whilst indulging his habit of gambling almost from the moment he had arrived. On his arm were two ladies, his wife and Lady Nelson, followed by a retinue of servants carrying their luggage.
"Dearest Uncle, ladies, surely you're not leaving!" a dismayed Stansford inquired.
"Indeed I am, young William, while I've still got the clothes on my back!" Sir William retorted. He turned to Edward. "I consider myself a damn good whist player, sir, but that young officer of yours has cleaned me out!"
"Then I... uh, regret to hear of your misfortune, sir," Edward responded with some sympathy.
"And my dearest Emma?" Stansford inquired of Lady Hamilton.
"My place is by my husband's side," she murmured demurely.
Stansford swallowed hard in an endeavour not to choke. Edward glanced away momentarily at the statue of Stansford's father in its crimson-draped niche and tried hard to compose his expression.
"And the lovely Lady Nelson?" Stansford inquired of her ladyship.
"Fanny is leaving with us," Sir William explained.
"I see. I trust that you have enjoyed your stay, ladies?"
Lady Hamilton snorted in disgust.
"My Nelson thinks more of his captain than he does of me and my poor husband's now in queer street!"
Lady Nelson, who had been gazing fondly at Sir William, turned to Stansford.
"Oh, Mr Stansford, it's been such a pleasure seeing your grand abbey! It's simply beautiful, and so romantic! Just the finest building I've ever seen," she gushed. "Thank you so much for inviting me."
"You are too kind, dearest lady, and the pleasure has been all mine, I assure you." Stansford kissed her hand.
The two men accompanied the departing guests outside. As a carriage pulled up and they got in, Nelson and Hardy came walking arm in arm from the direction of the boathouse. However, on seeing Lady Hamilton's imminent departure, Nelson became most animated, hurrying across the lawn to her.
"Emma? Emma, you're not leaving!"
"Yes, my Nelson. My dear husband and your dear wife have come to my rescue in my hour of need. The baby will be here soon and they are going to take care of me. Isn't it wonderful?"
"But, Emma!"
Sir William tapped his cane on the roof of the coach and as it began to move he called out, "I'm going to look after these lovely ladies of yours, Nelson, because God knows you don't! Farewell, nephew!"
"But, darling Emma!" Nelson protested.
She waved out of the window of the carriage and blew him a kiss. "Farewell, my Nelson!"
As the carriage headed rapidly towards the long Western Avenue, Lord Nelson, Captain Hardy, Stansford and Sir Edward Pellew stood quietly gazing after it.
"Well I never!" a clearly stunned Nelson remarked to no one in particular. "Women! Who can fathom them!" He shook his head in exasperation. "I introduced them months ago and they loathed each other on sight. Now look at them, you'd think they were sisters!" he complained. Turning on Stansford, he accused, "This is all Sir William's fault!"
"My dear Nelson, I hardly think you can blame Sir William. After all, your wife seems most fond of Lady Hamilton, an admirable sentiment I'm sure."
Nelson sighed. "I'll never understand women."
"Nor will any of us I dare say, my lord," Hardy agreed.
Nelson, who seemed almost to have forgotten Hardy's presence, now turned to him.
"Dear Hardy, thank God you're here! What would I do without you!"
"And I thank providence that I came, my lord," Hardy beamed.
Nelson took his arm and together they strolled through the great entrance, Nelson muttering, "Must be in the water!"
* * *
