For the Good of the Service by Clonesgirl
Warning: A bit of HH3 fic conceived after watching Duty. Written with tongue planted firmly in cheek and not to be taken seriously under any circumstances. If you happen to be fond of Maria and/or her gin-swilling mother I strongly suggest that you hit your Back button right now!
"Why, sir, this is an honour. Please do come in, come in!"
As Hornblower admitted Admiral Pellew to his humble home he had to admit that he had no idea why his commanding officer should be there on that rainy morning in Portsmouth.
"I heard that your good lady wife was ill and thought I should pay my respects and see if I can't cheer her up a bit."
"Why that's very kind of you, sir."
Mrs Mason, eyelashes fluttering like a girl, came to greet the distinguished admiral.
"Dear oh me, and here's me in me apron. What must you think!"
"Not at all, madam. Not at all."
"Would you care for some coffee, sir?" Hornblower offered. "It is a cold and wet morning."
"Can't stay long but, yes, some coffee would be nice."
As Mrs Mason bustled off to make the coffee the two men made themselves comfortable in the parlour.
"Now, Hornblower, what seems to be the trouble with your good lady?"
"I... don't know, sir, but I fear she is not happy. She seems to have developed a fever in the last four days and is sometimes rather incoherent. Says she has bad dreams. The doctor doesn't seem to know what to make of it."
"Well we'll see if I can't cheer her up a bit, hm?"
"Thank you, sir. That's very kind of you."
"Not at all, not at all. It's the least I could do for my favourite captain, hm?"
Hornblower smiled, blushing a little.
Shortly Mrs Mason arrived with the coffee and the two men repaired upstairs.
Maria seemed to be tossing and turning as Hornblower sat on the bed to try and rouse her.
"Maria! Maria! Look who's here to see you," he coaxed. "You have a distinguished visitor."
Her eyes opened to focus on her husband of less than a month.
"Oh, Horrie, I just had the most terrible dream. I dreamt that you and the admiral were..." She focussed on Admiral Pellew standing right beside her husband and her eyes widened in shock.
"Admiral Pellew!" she squeaked. "Heavens! Why I only..." She gulped. "Well this is a surprise."
"A good one I trust, madam," Pellew greeted. "I heard you were feeling poorly and came to pay my respects."
"Oh, thank you, sir, but I'm so ashamed you should see me like this. Really, Horrie, I could have come downstairs to greet the admiral."
"Now, now, my dear, the doctor says you are to rest. You were awake and feverish most of the night."
"Oh, I do feel tired."
"Then you should sleep, my dear."
"And I shall bid you good day, Mrs Hornblower, for I must shortly be on my way."
"Oh, thank you so much for coming, Admiral Pellew. I'm sure I'll be much better soon."
As her eyes closed and she began to drift off once more Hornblower turned to the window, as he so frequently did these days, to gaze out on his ship in the harbour. Pellew joined him in admiring the view of 'Hotspur'.
"It will not be long before you're at sea again," he whispered.
"I hope so, sir. I feel... useless away from my ship."
"But you are never useless to me, my dear," Pellew whispered into his ear.
Hornblower glanced at Maria who appeared to be in a restless sleep.
"Oh, sir, I fear I made a great mistake in marrying. I feel so... so..."
"As I assured you, my dear, nothing need change between us."
Hornblower's luscious pink lips pouted slightly. "Are you sure, sir?"
Pellew returned the smile. "Quite sure, sir." He reached out to fondle his lover's arse, gratified by his sigh of pleasure.
"She cannot give me what you give me, sir," Hornblower whispered, kissing his lover's cheek.
"Understandable since she's a lady," Pellew whispered back.
Pellew glanced at Maria who appeared to be tossing even more on the bed. Turning back to his lover once more, he reached up to gently caress his cheeks as their gazes met. As though drawn together by a force of nature their lips joined in sheer bliss, loving and exploring in a kiss that left both near whimpering with pleasure and urgent need.
However, at that moment a scream came from the direction of the bed causing the lovers to break apart.
"It's true, it's true!" Maria cried. "I saw you! I saw you both just like in my dream. How could you? How could you, Horrie? You and the admiral. It's sick, that's what it is. Sick!"
Both men immediately tried to placate her.
"Maria, Maria, you're dreaming, my dear," Hornblower soothed.
"No, Horrie." She was shaking her head. "I saw you! You and him, the admiral. You were... You were... kissing!" she accused. "It was disgusting! Oh, Horrie, how could you!"
"My dear, you were dreaming. That's all it was, a bad dream. Now go back to sleep, my dear, and I shall send for the doctor."
"I'll tell him! I'll tell him, I will. Doctor James will believe me."
"My dear, you were having a nightmare. It was only a bad dream."
Pellew attempted to pacify her. "Your husband is right, madam. Dreams can be frightening. Why your husband and I were discussing ship's business."
"Ship's business?" she screamed. "I saw your hand on Horrie's backside. How dare you, sir. How dare you stand there and kiss my husband and touch him like you own him." She burst into tears. "Oh, Horrie! Oh, Horrie, how could you let him?" she sobbed. "How could you let him touch you like that? It's sick, that's what it is. Sick! And there are laws against that kind of thing," she continued. "Wait till I tell Mother! She'll throw you out, that's what she'll do."
However, at that moment they heard footsteps at the bottom of the stairs and Doctor Hepplewhite, now of 'Tonnant', entered the room.
"Ah, Dr Hepplewhite, so good of you to come. Hornblower, I took the liberty of asking the good doctor to stop by as I do not always trust civilian doctors."
Hornblower greeted Hepplewhite whom he had not seen since their days on 'Indefatigable'.
"Doctor, I wonder if you'd mind taking a look at Mrs Hornblower. She seems to be in a peculiarly feverish condition and complains of nightmares."
"Nightmares? Oh, Horrie! You know it's true what I saw. You tell the doctor. You tell him the truth."
"Doctor, as you can see my wife is in a very emotional state. As Admiral Pellew says, she has been having nightmares, only now she seems to be confusing dreams with reality, and I am really at my wits end."
"Horrie! How can you say that!" she sobbed. "I saw you! I saw you both, and you were kissing! It was sickening. Just disgusting is what it was. You tell them, doctor! You tell them they shouldn't ought to do it. And the admiral too! I respected him, but there he was..."
"Enough, Maria!" Hornblower reproached. "Dr Hepplewhite is here to help you, not to listen to your lunatic accusations."
"But it's true, Horrie, and you know it. You and the admiral, and him old enough to be your father. Oh, Horrie, it's horrible!"
"Doctor, a word if you please."
Pellew and Hepplewhite stepped out to the landing and Hornblower could hear their voices talking softly as he once more tried to placate his wife.
"Maria, you must stop this. You were having a dream, my dear. You cannot go accusing the admiral of behaviour that is against the Articles. 'Twould cause a scandal, and you wouldn't want that, now would you. Why he has always been kind to me over the years and is most fond of you."
"Oh, Horrie, is that why he just promoted you? Because you let him...?"
"Maria, you are having nightmares. All of this is a bad dream, you'll see. Do you think for one minute that I, your own husband, would be indulging in... in such behaviour? And with a distinguished admiral who has proved his courage in battle time and again? Why the very idea is outrageous and you must apologise both to Admiral Pellew and myself forthwith."
"Oh, Horrie!" she cried. "Horrie, why are you lying to me? I'm your wife, Horrie."
Just then Pellew stuck his head in the door beckoning Hornblower into the next room.
"Hornblower," Pellew began, "Doctor Hepplewhite is of the opinion that your wife is quite delusional."
"Aye, sir," Hepplewhite continued. "And her accusations against Admiral Pellew and yourself are of a most serious nature."
"A most unfortunate situation, would you not agree, sir?" Pellew addressed Hornblower.
"Yes, sir. However, as we well know she is merely having nightmares and has been now for several days as Doctor James will testify to."
"Hornblower, in the circumstances Doctor James cannot be allowed near her again. Don't worry, Hepplewhite will speak to him."
"Very well, sir. If I may ask, what are your intentions?"
"Dr Hepplewhite is of the opinion that your wife is not only a danger to herself but a danger to the service. He knows of a place where she would be well taken care of."
Hornblower's eyes widened. "Sir, you mean that... that I should commit my wife?"
"Precisely. Since she cannot be convinced that what she thought she saw was mere delusion we have no choice, do we gentlemen?" Pellew glanced from Hepplewhite to Hornblower.
"But what about Mrs Mason, sir?"
"Ah, yes, I see what you mean. No doubt the lady would not take kindly to her daughter being removed from the house. What would you suggest, Doctor?" Pellew queried.
"The lady could accompany her daughter if she wishes."
"What do you think, Hornblower?"
"I... I'm not sure, sir. I... Maria means no harm, sir."
"But her accusations could cause very great harm - and you and I both know that, don't we, sir?" Pellew's dark eyes bored into Hornblower.
"Yes, sir." Hornblower took a deep breath, his chin squared as he appeared to come to a decision. "You're right of course, sir."
Pellew's eyes seemed to smile on him. "For the good of the service, Mr Hornblower."
Hornblower nodded. "Yes, sir. For the good of the service."
Hepplewhite departed to get the necessary papers drawn up, both men thanking him for his assistance.
Left to themselves, the two men gazed at each other.
"I should never have married, sir."
"Come, come, sir, we all make mistakes, turn left when we should have turned right. You'll know better in future."
"Yes, sir."
Pellew held out his hands to him, smiling at him.
"It's not the end of the world, my dear."
Hornblower took his commanding officer's hands, comforted by their warmth, their bodies almost touching.
"You know, sir, she told me she was expecting, but Doctor James said she's definitely not."
"Poor deluded creature."
"So 'twould seem, sir."
They drew even closer, their lips a mere hair's breadth apart until, finally, they touched, the younger man absorbing the comfort and pleasure offered by his lover as he was held securely in the strong arms he loved, Pellew's tongue entering his mouth for him to suck and adore.
However, at that moment the door opened.
"Oh, Horrie, how could you?" Maria sobbed. "How could you?"
She collapsed to the floor in a dead faint.
Mrs Mason, who had accompanied her daughter into the room, screamed before passing out.
The two naval officers, still embracing, turned to gaze on the sight of the two women lying side by side on the floor.
"I'll see that Hepplewhite draws up two sets of papers."
"Aye, sir."
"For the good of the service, my dear, not to mention our reputations." Pellew smiled warmly at his lover.
His chin lifted, Hornblower smiled back. "For the good of the service, sir!"
They kissed.
*** * ***
