“I didn’t know you played, Mrs. Bush,” said Daphne. “I didn’t realize that you had a piano- forte at the Dower Cottage.”
“I am afraid that I do not,” Mrs. Bush replied. “I had to leave my instrument in Harwich, since it was part of the vicarage furniture. Captain Bush has ordered one for me, through the good offices of Mr. Edwards, but it is not likely to arrive for some time.”
“Then you must come and use this one whenever you like. I am away much of the day on one task or another and it just sits idle most of the time.”
“But wouldn’t it disturb Mr. Moorhouse?”
“Not in the least,” replied the object of the inquiry. “I should be delighted to have you come. Do your daughters also play?”
“Yes, after a fashion.”
“Then they must feel free to come also,” said Mr. Moorhouse. “I know of no occupation which can give so much satisfaction both to the performer and the audience.”
Giles was yet again fading. When Daphne noticed it, she immediately, but unobtrusively, arranged for the party to break up, with Giles and his mother returning to Dipton Hall in the Countess’s carriage, while Mr. Moorhouse prevailed on the Bushes to accept the use of his own vehicle.
The next day was in some ways a continuation of the preceding one. In the morning, Daphne again appeared early at Dipton Hall, ostensibly about matters concerning the garden. She and Giles happily wandered about the garden and if their conversation veered away from the plants and planting, and even from important subjects such as proper drainage, neither seemed averse to the widening of their discussions.
Captain Bush accompanied his mother and sisters to Dipton Manor where he and Mr. Moorhouse were soon happily ensconced in armchairs discussing the merits and weaknesses of the Greek and Persian generals. Bush did divert the conversation to practical matters for he had realized that his family would need a carriage. Mr. Moorhouse had many helpful suggestions on the type of vehicle to get, where the best carriage makers were, and how to find horses that could be relied on. He might also be able to put Bush in touch with a good coachman.
Daphne accepted an invitation to luncheon, where she proceeded to draw out both Lady Marianne and her two daughters on their interests. It emerged that both the young ladies enjoyed music and playing the piano-forte, but there was no instrument at Dipton Hall as yet. Daphne immediately suggested that they would be welcome to visit Dipton Manor to use her one.
Daphne urged Giles to lie down for an hour after luncheon, and to his surprise he complied with her suggestion, even though he was feeling much better than he had in the recent past. When he had rested for a short time, he went to Dipton Manor with his violin and music case. After a couple of false starts, he and Daphne played the first movement of the Mozart sonata with gusto, and then worked on the dynamics of the piece and on the best shading and blending of the two instruments in various segments of the work. Before they could get to the second movement, it was time for tea where they were joined by Mr. Moorhouse. As Giles was leaving, Daphne said to him,
“I think you should get a piano-forte for Dipton Hall. Your sister and your nieces need one.”
“Did Mr. Edwards not get one when he was furnishing the house?”
“No.”
“Then I must tell him to purchase one. I hope he can count on your assistance in choosing it.”
“He can. But he should also consult with Lady Marianne, who will be playing the instrument.”
“I suppose he should. But I very much hope that you will be using it as well.”
The next morning brought a courier from the Admiralty. Captain Sir Richard Giles was to present himself at ten o’clock to meet with the Second Secretary two days hence. If possible, he should be accompanied by Captain Tobias Bush.
Giles’s first reaction was deep annoyance. He had just started to get settled into life in Dipton Hall and now he was called away again. And he felt he had no choice but to comply. He did wonder why Bush was summoned as well as himself and whether Bush would feel up to accepting a command.
Giles immediately walked over to the Dower Cottage to confirm that Bush had received similar orders and to arrange their journey to London. Next he decided to walk to Dipton Manor instead of returning home. All the way, he was debating with himself:
It was ridiculous to even think of marrying a young lady whom he hardly knew. One could count the number of times he had talked with her on the fingers of his two hands, and have some fingers left over; but most marriages were contracted with the partners having spent less time with each other and usually only in vapid conversation.
She couldn’t marry – she had to look after her father; but she would still be living in Dipton and she could continue to look after him; and Mr. Moorhouse seemed perfectly able to take care of himself.
She had shown no interest in getting married, quite the contrary; but that could be because she had no prospect of finding a husband who would be worthy of her; anyway, that was her decision to make, not his.
He came from a more elevated tier of society than she did, and he was now a member of the aristocracy in his own right; she might find the social manners required of his wife to be foreign to her and be embarrassed when she made a faux pas; but he knew no one more ready to make necessary accommodations and anyway, he didn’t give a fig for the social proprieties and she had the ability to charm anyone: look how she had won over his mother, whom he was sure had come partly to forestall any possibility of marriage and how she had bridged the gap between herself and his half-sister. And he really didn’t care about rank and protocol, so why should it matter to him if Miss Moorhouse was not conversant with the details of precedence and deference? Her lack of concern was a breath of fresh air.
She, alone of the company at dinner, had been alarmed and disturbed, indeed horrified, when Captain Bush had detailed what it was like to be aboard a ship in battle; but any sensible person should be horrified; it was only justified because it was necessary for the purpose of the nation; having a proper understanding of the risks he would run was necessary; anyway, it was a decision that was hers to make whether she would want him when going into battle was part of his life, not his place to make it for her.
Round and round the arguments went in Giles’s head, even though he knew, deep down, why he was going to Dipton Manor and what he would do when he arrived there.
When he reached Mr. Moorhouse’s abode, Tisdale opened the door and said, “Captain Giles. Miss Moorhouse is in the large parlor. Let me announce you.”
“Thank you, Tisdale, but I am here to see Mr. Moorhouse, if it is convenient to him.”
“I’m sure it is, sir; just let me tell him that you wish to see him.”
In moments, Tisdale returned to say that Mr. Moorhouse would see Captain Giles in the library.
“Captain Giles,” said Mr. Moorhouse as Giles was ushered into his lair by Tisdale, “it is very good to see you. Tisdale mentioned that you wanted to see me about something.”
“Yes, sir. I want to ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage.”
“Have you asked her?”
“Not yet, sir. I believe that I will need your consent first.”
“Oh, you are interested in her dowry, are you? I am surprised.”
“No, sir. My own wealth is quite sufficient to meet all her needs. I, of course, own Dipton Hall and its estate, free and clear. I also have seventy thousand pounds in the funds and I have a good deal more prize money coming to me. I wish to marry Miss Moorhouse, and for that desire her dowry is irrelevant.”
“Then why ask me first?”
“Because, sir, I understand that Miss Moorhouse believes that she needs to take care of you and look after your wants. I am sure that I would stand no chance unless you can release her from that obligation. We shall, of course, be living in Dipton Hall, so Miss Moorhouse can continue to oversee the provision of your wants.”
Mr. Moorhouse burst out laughing. “Oh, dear, Captain Giles. Here we are, Dap
hne and me, hoist by our own petard as the Bard would say. Daphne’s need to look after her decrepit father is a fiction we decided to spread around. Daphne was attracting too much unwanted attention from empty-headed ninnies who were more interested in her dowry than in herself: I am not a poor man, Captain Giles, though I do have simple tastes. I had become the target of any number of widows in whom I had no interest. So we adopted the fiction that I required her to look after me. That deterred unwanted suitors for her and the prospect of having Daphne as a step-daughter in the same house damped the ardor of most of the widows. But I never dreamed that it would be taken seriously by a suitor like you. Of course you may ask her. I cannot speak for her, but for my part I wish you success in your suit. Go and ask her. We can deal with the dowry if you can win her.
Giles found Tisdale loitering outside the library door. Before the butler could tell Giles that Miss Moorhouse wished to see him, Giles had asked to see Miss Moorhouse. Daphne had, in fact, been wondering about Giles’s mysterious visit to her father. She would have been listening at the door of the library if Tisdale had not already been stationed there with his ear to the keyhole.
Daphne rose from her chair as Tisdale entered to announce Giles who was right on his heels. She hardly had time to curtsey in response to his bow when he strode across the room and sank to one knee.
“Miss Moorhouse… ugh…Daphne... may I call you Daphne?”
“Of course, Captain Giles I know it is against protocol, but I would like it. And may I call you Richard?”
“Of course! Daphne, I have come to ask for your hand in marriage.”
Daphne had to suppress a nervous giggle at Giles’s position and the formal way he asked. She had day-dreamed of his asking her to marry him, but had always rejected the notion as being beyond the bounds of possibility. She had trouble believing that she had found a man who was not intimidated by her outspoken manner and direct approach to problems. She also realized that here was a man whom she would be glad to obey as the marriage vows required – provided, of course, that his orders were reasonable.
“You will have to ask my father,” she temporized. “I cannot leave him without his permission.”
“I was just talking with him, and he gave me permission to ask you. I do know that my proposal may seem rather sudden, but I know in my own mind that I want to marry you. I have to go away again tomorrow, to the Admiralty, so I would like to give you some time to think about my proposal before I return.”
“Oh, dear. I do not need any time to know my answer, Captain Giles… Richard. It is ‘Yes’! Yes! Yes! Yes, I will marry you!”
At that point Mr. Moorhouse entered the room. He had been eavesdropping and had had no trouble hearing Daphne’s enthusiastic and positive response. He coughed loudly to warn of his presence, causing Giles to rise to his feet immediately.
“Father, Captain Giles has asked me to marry him, even though he is going away again tomorrow.”
“Yes, and what did you reply?”
“I told him ‘Yes’. He said you had given permission. You did, didn’t you?”
“Yes, my dear. And I am sure that you will be very happy.”
“Oh, we will be! I am so happy! Captain Giles, it is so wonderful! Thank you! But you must tell your mother. I hope she will not be too disappointed. I believe she expected you to marry someone much grander than me. I’ll just have to try to get her to really like me so she won’t be too disappointed. Oh, Father, thank you for giving Captain Giles permission.”
“You are welcome, my dear. It is exactly what I hoped for.”
“Captain Giles, you must tell your mother, and your half-sister. Oh, I want to shout the news from the rooftops. I am so happy!
“Captain Giles, please go and tell your mother. Then you can come back here and we can plan and play music and talk and talk and talk. Father, let’s have everyone to dinner tonight to celebrate. Lady Camshire, and Lady Marianne and her daughters and Lord David and, of course, Captain Bush and his mother and sisters. Oh, when they were here last night, I never dreamt that I could be so happy.
“Go now, please, Captain Giles, so I can see you all the sooner.”
As Giles left the room to carry out Daphne’s instruction, Mr. Moorhouse accompanied him.
“I am very, very pleased. But I think those requests of Daphne’s are a fair indication what you will be in for.”
“I hope it is. I have never liked women who are always very deferential to their men.”
The reception of Giles’s news was quite different when he returned to Dipton Hall. His mother was very disappointed.
“How could you?” said Lady Camshire. “With your new wealth and fame you could have had your choice of fine young ladies from the very best families. Miss Moorhouse’s background is insignificant. Why she hasn’t even been presented at court! Richard, you didn’t think of your family obligations at all. Miss Moorhouse is all very well, in her way, but she is no match for a well-off knight of the realm and the son of an Earl!”
“Mother, she most certainly is entirely suitable. And you are singing a different tune than when I was a poor naval captain with nothing but a courtesy title to catch a rich heiress. Now, Mother, if you want to keep seeing me, you’ll take Miss Moorhouse to your heart. After all, she is your only likely prospect of having grandchildren.”
“Well, she certainly is different from the ladies I have considered for you. And I have to confess a great deal more interesting, even though she hardly seems to know how to curb her tongue. And I do wish she wouldn’t take such an enthusiastic interest in the gardening and farming.”
“That’s part of who she is. You will just have to learn to like her interests and enthusiasm.”
Lady Marianne was no more enthusiastic than Lady Camshire. She really did not want Giles to marry at all, for she did not want to have to share Dipton Hall with another woman, and certainly not one who would clearly and forcefully be in charge of all domestic arrangements. She felt that she was right back to where she had been when Giles’s mother had become the Countess of Camshire and caused Lady Marianne to make her unfortunate elopement. Only now, she no longer had the bloom of youth and she did have two daughters whose only hope of a dowry lay with Captain Giles. She had already discovered that being surly to Miss Moorhouse was an ineffective strategy, so she decided that she would have to appear to be enthusiastic about the wedding; nothing she could say would prevent its occurring.
Giles left Dipton Hall glad to have the duty completed and that the reactions had not been nastier. He was sure that Miss Moorhouse could win over the hostile members of his family when he and she were married, and quite likely before that. That reflection made him remember that his next step should be to see his brother. He was not sure of who was supposed to arrange for the marriage banns to be announced, but he wanted to marry Miss Moorhouse as soon as possible, and making sure before he left that the banns were read would mean that whatever the Admiralty wanted would not delay their marriage by having to wait on his return. His brother, as vicar of the parish, should know how to get the banns announced. Lord David did, in fact, know the procedure and he was certain the Mr. Moorhouse would agree to making the announcement as soon as possible.
Giles returned to Dipton Manor and he and Daphne spent the afternoon together, talking, even playing some music. The celebratory dinner was a great success and when the ladies withdrew, the gentlemen discussed with foreboding the progress of the war, while the ladies spoke of the multitude of arrangements needed for a satisfactory marriage service.
Chapter XIII
Captains Giles and Bush woke to the hub-bub of Westminster on a busy morning. Neither was used to the city’s roar. Bush had never before slept in town, his previous visits having only been to pass through on the way to or from Harwich to some naval port without sleeping in the city; Giles in the past had always stayed at his Father’s town-house. They enjoyed a hearty breakfast in the inn near Charing Cross where they were staying. Their conversa
tion at breakfast was idle speculation about what the Admiralty might have in store for them and what might be happening in Dipton.
They presented themselves to the Admiralty shortly before ten o’clock and were immediately ushered into the Second Secretary’s room.
“Captain Giles,” the Second Secretary greeted him, “Congratulations on such a very successful cruise. Captain Bush, you are looking well. I trust you are completely recovered.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Excellent. For we have a command for you. Ah, here is the First Lord.”
“Captain Giles, your last cruise in Patroclus was invaluable,” that officer started immediately. “We now have another task for you which will complete the good work. And Captain Bush, this duty will involve you also.
“We need to recover those three frigates and the merchant ships whose location you established. I doubt that it can be accomplished by just one vessel, even one led by a Captain such as yourself, Captain Giles. So we will be sending two frigates. That is where you come in, Captain Bush. I want you to take command of the thirty-two gun frigate, Perseus, to accompany Captain Giles. She is lying at Spithead right now, and has a full crew and officers. Her captain suffered a seizure and has had to give up his position. You will take command of her, Captain Bush. That is, if you feel healthy enough to take up the commission.”
“Aye, sir, I do.”
“Splendid! Captain Giles’s report stated that he had learned that the ships’ crews were imprisoned either at the dock or in some sort of facilities nearby. Those men need to be rescued! And the frigates and the other ships must be retaken. That is what I am ordering you to accomplish. The presence of those ships in France is a disgrace, a disgrace, I say! Newsome here has your orders. I’m not sending captains to command the frigates which you recover. Lieutenants will do just to bring them back. And you said that the French pirates shipped all the petty-officers with the officers, so we’ll provide you with enough petty officers so that the ships can sail. They are more important than the officers in getting a ship safely to sea. You can rely on the captured crews for the seamen. Now, I must be off. Newsome can fill you in on the details.”
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