Eyes to See by Clonesgirl
"Sean Patrick Kelly, just what are you saying!" his wife declared in no uncertain terms.
"But, Moira, it's not right. He's only a boy," her husband argued.
"He's a young man who's wise beyond his years. The master told me how Mr Hornblower's commanded his own ship and been a prisoner of the Spanish too. And of course he's had his share of battles. He said Mr Hornblower was an exceptionally brave young man who would go far. Would you ruin his career, not to mention blacken Sir Edward's good name?"
"But there are laws against that kind of thing. And what if the master's leading him into sin?"
"Those laws were made to protect women and children and stop evil men from violating them. The master's an honourable man, as you well know, and Mr Hornblower's no child, as you also know."
"Oh, I do indeed. Haven't I bathed him."
"I'd love to bathe him."
"Moira Kelly, you should be ashamed of yourself!"
"Oh, but look how pretty he is! Lord, but he's the prettiest thing I've ever seen. No wonder the master loves him."
"Moira, you shouldn't be saying things like that!"
"And why not! It's true isn't it? You've only to see them together. Lord, but they can't take their eyes off of each other. And have you ever seen the master so happy? Or have you forgotten what it used to be like when he was married?"
"I remember. And none of us shed a tear when we found her body either."
"Best thing that could have happened to the master the day that woman drowned."
"Moira!"
"Don't you 'Moira' me, Sean Kelly. I speak the plain truth and you know it."
"Ah, I suppose you're right," her husband reluctantly admitted. "But this young lad...."
"Oh, you're not still on about that, are you!" his wife retorted. "Doesn't the master deserve some happiness after all the miserable years spent with the mistress?"
"Yes, but they're both men, and the bible says...."
"And since when did God, or the bible, say that two people can't love each other?"
"Love each other? Is that what you call it?"
"Well what would you call it?"
"All right, answer me this: How many times a week is Jean having to change the master's sheets?"
"Well I suppose it makes up for all the years he was married and she didn't."
Her husband laughed in spite of himself. "Moira Kelly, you're a wicked woman!"
"Of course. That's why you love me!" Her husband kissed her on the cheek.
"But seriously, Moira, we both know the lad never seems to sleep in the guest room, though Jean says he tries to make the bed look rumpled."
"Don't know what that girl's complaining about. I'll have to speak to her. Anyway, have you forgotten how it was with us in the beginning? Lord, but we were never out of bed!"
"True."
"Young love's grand, isn't it. And look at the master - he's acting as young the lad! Did you see them take the boat out yesterday? All those cushions, a quilt and a big basket of food just to do a bit of fishing. They were gone hours. Just hours."
"Well, I...."
"Well what?"
"I... saw them later."
"And?"
"Well I was looking for John who was supposed to be collecting firewood but he'd been gone hours. Anyway, I spotted the boat, didn't I."
"And?"
"And they were in it. You should have seen them - naked as the day they were born!"
"Good heavens!" his wife giggled. "So what were they doing?"
"Moira!"
"What were they doing?"
"Just.... well.... you know."
"No, I don't know or I wouldn't be asking, would I!" his wife replied sharply.
"Well, you know... they were lying there... on the cushions...."
"And?"
"Kind of... well... like we are now."
"You mean cuddling. Go on."
"Well... that's what was strange about it. I couldn't put my finger on it at the time but, now that I think about it, that's what it was."
"What for heaven's sake?"
"The master, he had his head on Mr Hornblower's breast, not the other way around, if you get what I mean."
"You mean you think the master should have been holding the boy."
"Suppose so. But there they were, the master with his head on the young man, and he had.... Well, he had this look on his face...."
"What sort of look?"
"Like.... Like he was happy. No, more than that. Like he was... serene. Yes, that's the word - serene."
"And the lad?"
"The same. I remember he had the same look on his face."
"Oh, but love's grand!" his wife sighed.
"I got a shock I can tell you seeing them like that."
"Well I'm sure they didn't mean for you to see them like that."
"True. The boat had just drifted close to shore."
"And them officers in His Majesty's navy! You'd they'd have tied up or dropped anchor or something."
"You'd think."
"So what did you do? Did you walk away and leave them to their privacy like you should have done?"
He shook his head. "Well, no, I'm ashamed to say. I wish I could've, but I... I just kept looking at them."
"But why? Did they move or anything?"
"Well just a little. The lad was stroking the master's hair. I could see them clearly through a gap in the rushes. The master, he had that smile on his face... and he started to kiss the lad's throat... and then..."
"Well don't stop there!"
"Well they started to kiss and... and... I couldn't watch any more."
"You shouldn't have been watching at all! Don't they deserve some privacy? Oh, but isn't that lovely!"
"Moira Kelly, I think you're in love with the lad yourself!" her husband accused.
"Oh, go 'way with you! I'm old enough to be his grandmother!"
"Only just! Anyway, did they catch any fish?"
"Course not! Didn't they forget the rods!"
They both laughed.
After a while her husband remarked, "Yesterday John said he saw them coming out of the hayloft."
"Well what's so odd about that?"
"Only that he said they were covered with hay and brushing it off each other and laughing."
Moira giggled. "Wish I'd seen that." Suddenly she sobered. "What did John think?"
"I... I don't know. I guess he didn't seem bothered by it."
"Good. We have to make sure that nobody's bothered by anything they might see."
"But I'm bothered."
"Oh, go on with you! You know what a fine man the master is. And you know that we're damn lucky to work for such a man who looks after us and pays decent wages too. Remember when young James had that bad toothache last year and the master made us take him to London to be looked after by his very own dentist? And remember when young Sarah wanted to get married and he insisted on paying for it all and their honeymoon too? Remember when old Tom was sick and Dr Walls could do nothing for him and the master found that surgeon who fixed him up in the blink of an eye?"
"All right, all right, you don't have to convince me what a kind and generous master we have."
"Well, doesn't he deserve some happiness? God knows, he had none with her!"
"True enough, but..."
"But what? Sean Kelly, by all that's holy, would you destroy their happiness, their careers, maybe even their very lives just because they're in love? The master would be brokenhearted to lose the lovely lad and we might lose the best master we're ever likely to have!"
"Well, no, of course I wouldn't want that to happen."
"That's good because it's not going to."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that tomorrow morning at breakfast you're going to speak to everybody, and you're going to warn them of the dangers of idle gossip and remind them of what a good and decent master we have."
"I am?"
"You are! And I'll be there to see that you do!" his wife threatened.
Her husband sighed, knowing full well that his wife's threat was no idle one. "I suppose you're right."
"Course I am."
"But the law..."
"The law be damned. Sean, I'll not have you lie there and quote the law to me."
"But, Moira..."
"Don't you 'but Moira' me! The law is about acts of violence. Is there any violence going on here?"
"Not that I've seen."
"Of course not! And is there any violating going on?"
"Well now that I don't know, but judging by all those extra sheets Jean's having to wash..."
"Oh, but look how happy they are together. Does it look to you as if one of them would be violating the other and hurting him? Do you think the master would be violating that young lad every day?"
"No. The boy is brave and strong enough. He'd not allow it. And besides..."
"Besides what?"
"Like I said, it was the master resting his head on the boy's breast."
"Like you sometimes rest your head on mine."
"Well it's hardly the same thing."
"Certainly sounds the same. Anyway, you don't think it's the boy violating the master, do you?"
"Moira! Now you're being silly!"
"Of course, you fool! As if the master would be allowing that!"
"That's more like it!"
"Well if the master's not violating the boy, and the boy is certainly not violating the master, where's the harm? What harm are they doing each other?"
"Well...."
"And would they both look as happy as you've described?"
"Well... no, I don't suppose so."
"Of course not! And we should be the ones protecting them."
"How do you mean?"
"I mean what if unexpected visitors turn up and they're out in the boat like they were yesterday?"
"Aye, I see what you mean."
"We must protect them at all costs, Sean. I'll not have the master harmed now that he's found happiness at last, not after waiting so many years for it."
"And the pretty lad?"
"Oh, so you admit he's pretty now, do you? Don't tell me you fancy the lad yourself!"
"Hard not to notice him."
"You do fancy the lad!"
"Of course not!"
"You just said you're hard."
"That's not what I meant, Moira Kelly, and you know it!"
"You got hard watching them in the boat, didn't you!" she accused.
"Moira, that's no way for a god-fearing woman to talk!"
"You did! How long did you watch them for?"
"Not long I swear. The boat drifted behind the rushes again."
"And what else were they doing while they were just lying there?"
"Moira!"
"Tell!"
"Kissing."
"Go on."
"Touching."
"Go on."
"That's all really. They were just lying there on the cushions, stark naked..."
"And looking happy."
"Looking happy."
"And that's why we have to protect them. So tomorrow morning as well as emphasising the evils of idle gossip, you will emphasise the necessity of protecting the master's privacy, as well as that of his guest."
Her husband nodded to himself. "You're right, Moira. We have to protect them at all costs. After all, we don't want to lose our positions."
"I hope that's not the only reason you're going to do it."
Her husband shook his head. "No," he admitted. "No, I believe you're right about them."
"Right how?"
"I think they love each other."
"'Think'?"
"All right, they do love each other."
"That they do."
"And I don't think the law really is about them."
"Amen to that." She smiled. "And?"
"You were right."
She grinned. "Aren't I always right? Anyway..."
"Anyway?"
"I've... I've a confession to make."
"Well come on, woman, don't keep me in suspense!"
"You remember last Saturday night when the admiral and all those captains were here for dinner?"
"Of course. What about it?"
"Well you remember after they'd all left and the master told us how we'd done enough for one night and we could leave the cleaning up till morning?"
"Yes, it was most generous of him. So?"
"Well it was late and I thought they'd already gone to bed. The drawing room door was open a bit so I went in to turn out the lamps but... there they were."
"Doing what?"
"They were standing in front of the fireplace toasting each other."
"Did they see you?"
She shook her head. "I don't think so. They only had eyes for each other."
"What did you do?"
"I turned around and walked out the door. And then I heard the master say, 'Mr Hornblower, sir, I believe your honour could be in serious jeopardy tonight.' And the lad said...." She grinned.
"Well?"
"He said, 'Honour be damned, sir.'"
"Well I'll be damned! Are you sure that's what he said?"
"Quite sure. I heard him clearly."
"So what happened then?"
"As I closed over the door I glanced at them and the lad was stroking the master's cheeks and then he... he just kind of leaned forward and kissed him."
"Good Lord! And the master - he didn't object?"
"Heavens no! As if he'd object to anything the lovely lad did! Kissed him right back, he did! The next thing I know the master's saying, 'Damned if I'm going to take you on the floor, boy, when we've a comfortable bed upstairs.'"
"He really said that?"
"That he did."
"Then what?"
"Oh, I hid under the stairs as they came out of the room, so they never saw me. But I swear I'll never forget the sight of them kissing in front of the fireplace. Fair lightheaded I was!"
"Heavens above! So you saw them kissing in the drawing room, and I saw them naked and kissing in the boat, and John saw them coming out of the hayloft. Do you suppose they were kissing in there as well?"
"No doubt they were enjoying each other's company."
"Kissing."
"No doubt. Oh, and don't forget Jimmy!" she added.
"Jimmy? What about him?"
"Didn't he tell you?"
"Tell me what?"
"Well he told me."
"Told you what?"
"Well now let's see. Must have been... Thursday. Yes, I think it was last Thursday when he saw them out riding in the east woods."
"And?"
"Well according to Jimmy they started to kiss. Then the master changed horses and got on behind the lad."
"And?"
"That's all. He went on his way, which is more than I can say for you."
"Or you!"
She giggled.
"You know, all this talk of kissing's making me think I could do with some kissing round about now."
"Go on with you! It's past time we were asleep."
"Then give us a kiss."
"All this talk of kissing's gone to your head."
"It's not my head that's hot and bothered, woman!"
"Sean Kelly, we're getting too old for this."
"Show me how they were kissing in the drawing room," he coaxed.
"Oh, all right - if you show me how they were kissing in the boat!"
"Done!"
