Walking Wounded
Page 20
To Marshall, the Navy is his one chance to move beyond his humble beginnings. While others spend shore leave carousing, he curls up with a navigation text. When they and their captain are abducted, Archer and Marshall become pawns in a renegade’s sadistic game. To protect the man he loves, David Archer chooses to face his own demons of past abuse returned in a different form. When Marshall learns of Archer’s sacrifice, he discovers what he feels for Davy runs stronger and deeper than friendship. He’s in love, for the first time in his life, and he wants to know all about this new emotion.
But first they must escape. Only then will they find out if they can preserve their love without losing their lives.
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Plymouth, England, June 1796
TWO MEN in midshipmen’s uniform—the elder burly and red-faced, the younger slim and deathly pale—stood back-to-back in a sunny glade not far from Plymouth harbor. Each held a pistol in his right hand. The warm breeze and sylvan loveliness around them were lost on both the combatants and the three onlookers.
One of those three raised his voice. “Mr. Correy, Mr. Marshall…. Gentlemen, you are certain you cannot be reconciled?”
“Oh, I could be, easily,” said the larger man. “Mr. Marshall knows well that I would be happy to make our acquaintance a closer one.”
“No,” said Marshall. He bit his lip and pushed a stray lock of black hair behind his ear. “Impossible.”
“Very well,” said the referee, who was also surgeon of the ship Titan, on which they all served. “Take ten paces.”
They did.
“On the count of three, turn and fire. One. Two. Three.”
Both turned quickly; the shots sounded as one. After a moment, the larger man toppled slowly to one side. By the time the surgeon reached him, he had breathed his last.
“Best clear out before someone comes,” said Correy’s second, who was purser of their ship. The others agreed, then carried the dead man to the carriage in which he had arrived. The surgeon and purser climbed aboard.
“What—what happens now?” Marshall asked. For all his earlier resolve, he was now clearly anxious about the possible consequences of his victory.
The surgeon shook his head. “Lad,” he said, rather kindly, “you’ve not been aboard Titan long, have you?”
“Only since last week.”
“Then my guess is Captain Cooper will be pleased to log that Mr. Correy died in a duel with an unknown landsman. And if Correy’s family is wise, they’ll let it go at that. Every man aboard knew his habits, but he was too clever to leave evidence.”
“You’ve done the ship a service,” the purser said. “Begone, now. And clean your pistol.” He took up the reins and clucked to the horse. In a moment the carriage disappeared from view.
“Mr. Archer,” Marshall said to the young man beside him. “Is he serious?”
“Yes, completely. Come, sir, he was right, we must be off.” They climbed into the light trap they’d hired in town, and Archer skillfully guided the horse back onto the roadway.
Marshall was silent for a long time. “I… have never killed in cold blood before,” he said at last. “Nor ever killed an Englishman.” He turned and met Archer’s eyes, looking for an instant like the eighteen-year-old boy he was rather than the correct officer and gentleman he had been while facing death. “Tell me, Mr. Archer—what else could I have done?”
“Nothing,” Archer said. He had liked Marshall from the moment the new midshipman came aboard the Titan, even though Marshall’s time in the service gave him seniority over Archer himself. That immediate affinity was part of the reason he had agreed to act as Marshall’s second in this affair; his new shipmate was all alone, but that hadn’t stopped him from standing up to a bully. “The man was a menace, Mr. Marshall. He made life hell for any boy above the age of consent. Younger than fourteen, a boy could charge rape, so he let the children alone. Older, the victim dared not speak—he could be hanged himself, for participating.”
“In the first place….” Marshall still seemed to be trying to convince someone, most likely himself, that he’d been in the right. “In the first place, the Articles of War specifically forbid sodomy between men, on penalty of death.”
“Indeed.”
“I’ve never—I have served three years in His Majesty’s Navy, Mr. Archer. On a sloop, to be sure, and under a strict Captain. I know all men have human weaknesses, but I have never seen such a blatant disregard for common decency!”
“I believe Captain Cooper has been in an awkward position,” Archer said. “He knew Correy was untrustworthy, but the man was clever and deceitful. He bribed the men under his command to act as his spies and lookouts, and Correy’s family has influence enough to lose Cooper his command if he had acted without ironclad evidence. The Captain did the best he could to keep Correy from power—he never made him Acting Lieutenant, nor recommended him for the Lieutenant’s examination.”
“His family must have been influential indeed, for him to flout the Articles,” Marshall replied. “How could he make such a proposition, bald-faced, and even threaten me? To claim he’d had a boy flogged for refusing him—!”
“He did, more or less,” Archer said. “Correy made his wishes known, the boy refused, so he brought the boy before the Captain and charged that the youngster had made the proposition. The boy was so flustered he must have appeared guilty of something. The Captain had him caned, not flogged, for ‘unclean behavior.’”
“What!”
“He had to do something. Correy swore on the Bible, and all the boy could do was deny he’d done anything. At least there’s no death penalty for it. And refusing didn’t even help the lad. Correy had his way with him eventually, poor little bastard.”
“My God.” Marshall let out a long breath. “Thank you for telling me that, Mr. Archer. I will not speak of this to anyone, but you have eased my conscience.”
Archer smiled. “You have made the Titan a safer place for our youngsters, sir. It is I who should thank you.”
They drove on again in silence. Marshall seemed at ease, but Archer’s spirit was now in turmoil. His gratitude was far deeper than that of a concerned officer. Marshall had freed him from a demon who had made his existence a living hell.
He had not told Marshall that the boy he spoke of had been himself.
And Archer had not, and never could, tell Marshall that he just had fallen in love with a brave and beautiful gentleman who would likely shoot him dead if he ever gave voice to his feelings.
Winds of Change & Eye of the Storm
Royal Navy: Book Two
By Lee Rowan
Winds of Change
Lieutenants William Marshall and David Archer, of His Majesty’s frigate Calypso, have been lovers for more than a year. Because the penalty for discovery is the hangman’s noose, they limit themselves to the occasional night of passion ashore.
But in the Navy, nothing lasts forever. A transfer to a new ship brings with it a bizarre turn of events: their captain orders them to behave as though they are involved in an illicit relationship in order to smoke out a suspected traitor. When their masquerade proves dangerously effective, it threatens to cost Davy his life.
Eye of the Storm
The long war between England and France enters a fragile and temporary truce in the winter of 1802, but the lives of Commander William Marshall and Lieutenant David Archer are more complicated than ever. After almost losing Davy in battle, Will faces the responsibility of command and questions whether he can give orders that will put his love in harm’s way once more.
Doubts torment David Archer. Will walked away once, trying to end their relationship for Davy’s own safety. His physical wounds have healed, but the loss of trust remains. Now, his biggest challenge is persuading Will their love is worth the risk of loss.
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Home is the Sailor
Royal Navy: Book Three
By Lee Ro
wan
The Royal Navy meets the Stately English Manor Murder Mystery, and if it were only a matter of Colonel Mustard in the library, things would be so much easier.
After an ambush by the French while on a routine surveillance mission, Will Marshall and David Archer are advised to retreat to the English countryside to avoid Bonaparte’s animosity for a time. Upon their arrival, they discover that David’s eldest brother has died after a mysterious accident and this puts his other, very unsuitable brother in line for the title. David’s suspicions—that the new heir had a hand in his brother’s death—seem so unreasonable that even Will finds it difficult to believe his fears are valid. If Davy thought his lover was hard to convince, his autocratic father, who still sees him as the inept youngest son, won’t even listen to him. Davy and Will are thrust into the role of sleuths, trying to determine the truth behind the mystery.
All the while Will has concerns of his own: his fear of losing Davy is still stronger than his desire to keep Davy beside him on the quarterdeck… but he knows no other life than the Navy.
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Sail Away
Royal Navy: Book Four
By Lee Rowan
Sail away again with Will Marshall and Davy Archer in this collection of missing moments from their saga. Meet some of the background players as they take center stage in tales of their own. Enjoy a journey through the family album of the Royal Navy series in the following stories:
Captain’s Courtship is the tale of Cynthia Lancaster and newly promoted Commander Paul Smith, who won’t let revolution stand in the way of their love.
David Archer’s cousin Christopher St. John and his fiancée wind up on the HMS Calypso in See Paris and Live.
When a storm leaves Will and David Castaway on a deserted island, their fantasy is within reach… if they dare to take the chance.
After the harrowing events in Ransom, Will Marshall realizes the vast difference between their social standing in their Voyage to London, and he wonders whether there will be room in Davy’s life for him after all.
Finally, enjoy six short Royal Navy stories that show a glimpse of Will and Davy at the holidays—Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s day, shore leave… and a special nit-picking vignette from Charlie Cochrane.
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About the Author
LEE ROWAN has been writing since childhood, but professionally only since spring of 2006, with the publication of her Eppie-winning novel, Ransom. She is a lady of a certain age, old enough to know better but still young enough to do it anyway. A confirmed bookaholic with a wife of many years, she is kept in line by a cadre of cats and two dogs who get her away from the computer and out of the house at least once a day.
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