We'll rant and we'll roar like true British sailors...with a soldier

[simplestgift]

Who: Norrington (abidinglaw ), Hornblower (captainhornblower ), Sharpe (greenjacketed ), Bush (wouldntbetonit ), Kennedy (simplestgift ), and Wellard (bravelad ).
What: Officers' dinner.
When: The 23rd at four o'clock
Where: The captain's cabin of the Britannia
Summary: Archie's feeling like recapturing some of the magic officer dinners used to have when Aubrey and Maturin were here.
Rating: A is for Awkward, B is for Bonaparte, C is for Cinnamon, D is for.../shuts up

So Archie isn't Aubrey, but he's tried to make things warm and have lots of good food.  He's done pretty well, but his attempts to replace the captain of which he was so fond aren't perfect.  The beef is, perhaps, just a tad drier, the pudding a teensy bit too moist, and other such nitpicks, but hey.  One of you try it.

Comments

[abidinglaw]

"Oh no. I should think there were a fair few more than that, wouldn't you?"

[greenjacketed]

He shook his head.

"Not in my experience. No, sir."

[abidinglaw]

Not a man to be easily cowed then - but not disrespectful, either. An unexpected combination. So. He tried again.

"Both have their strictures, their hierarchies, would you not say? Both navy and army value obedience and reward competence. Both operate in the service of King and country -- but do correct me if I am mistaken in any of these points."

[greenjacketed]

There were many things Sharpe could say. That the stink of an army camp, for example, was nothing in comparison to that of a navy ship. Or that both entities had radically different definitions of competence, in his experience.

But he was speaking with an Admiral and so he picked his bone of contention rather judiciously: "Naval battles," Sharpe didn't duck his head this time, "take too damned long."

[simplestgift]

From the other side of the table, Archie gives an appreciative snort.

[abidinglaw]

There would have been a time at which, regardless of what Sharpe had chosen to say, hearing that noise erupt from Kennedy's direction would have provoked a flare of anger in the admiral. His recent progress with the young lieutenant, however, transformed what might have been an intimidating glower into an appreciative smile.

And with respect to Sharpe, well, Norrington was well aware of what effect his self-superior attacks should have been having. A lesser man would have raised his hackles and tried for a personal jab at the admiral, said something foul or snide, anything to take him down peg. This man replied with dignity. He did not even target Norrington himself, but chose a general remark about the state of naval warfare. Too damn long, was it? Even Norrington could not argue with him on that point. He smiled, therefore, and offered to top up Sharpe's glass.

[greenjacketed]

To top up his glass...? Sharpe hesitated. But should Norington graciously condescend to do so, well -- it would not be the first time Richard Sharpe had been served by an Admiral. However, his feelings of fondness for Lord Nelson were not translated onto this man. There was something wholly uninviting about this man and Sharpe would remain wary.

But for now, he nodded. Accepted the drink.

[abidinglaw]

Sharpe had had the opportunity to humiliate him in front of the entire table, and chose instead to defuse the tension that Norrington had been gathering around them away from either himself or the admiral. This tells Norrington as much about the man as he cares to know right now, but he feels he owes him something for the manipulation. It was for that reason that he deigned to fill his glass -- an acknowledgement of his own foul play -- and it is for that reason that he does not turn away and engage someone else, or absorb himself in his meal.

"If our battles seem slow to you, sir, you would be utterly bored by the gaps in between."

[greenjacketed]

"Aye, sir. I was."

Sharpe lied with only a quirk of a smile. The scar on his cheek tended to turn his expression sour until a smile temporarily erased it. This one, however, did not erase it for long. But Sharpe had to lie because the truth was a difficult thing indeed -- he could not simply come out and tell a whole table of men that the gaps in between had been filled by a lovely woman. A lovely, sad woman.

And even if he could tell them, he probably still wouldn't. Our Dick Sharpe doesn't kiss and tell, lads.