Chapter Text
Following her father’s death, Christian Washington returned to sea. She made her stepmother swear to stay in contact. Letters were already regularly exchanged between them, but it was far more important now.
‘I know where my letters will find you, my girl.’ Lady Washington promised as they stood together on the docks in Annapolis, ‘You had hard work to do, I have taken enough of your time.’
‘We are family. Duty can wait a while.’ Christian said firmly.
Out in the harbour, the five ships of Gabriel Martin’s squadron were making ready to depart. Beyond them, a newcomer sat at anchor. Three days prior, a ship had entered the harbour, flying the British colours. HMS Challenger had come with orders for the Renommee, and they were being recalled home.
Martin was splitting the squadron, and three of the ships were going back to the West Indies while he took the Constitution to follow the Renommee back to England. Christian had explained this to the Challenger’s captain and had received no resistance.
‘Captain!’
‘Yes, Mister Collins, I heard them.’ She sighed, having heard the shout from the Renommee just a moment before.
‘Godspeed, Captain. Our prayers go with you.’ Lady Washington smiled at the expression on her face. ‘He means well.’
‘I’m not certain he knows what to make of me.’ She shrugged, turning to the water behind them. ‘For how many months we’ve been in service?’
‘You’ll find that to be a common sentiment, I’m afraid.’ Her stepmother put a hand on her shoulder, ‘You know your father is proud of you, Christian.’
‘I know.’ She removed her hat for a moment and studied the black band she had put on it. She likewise wore a black band on her sleeve. Lady Washington wore a black mourning cape, would for a year.
‘I miss him. I can’t write to him anymore.’
‘Yes, you can. You just can’t send the letters you write anymore.’
‘I have to tell them, you know.’ She took a deep breath and looked at the flags on the Renomee’s rigging. ‘They don’t know yet.’
‘They will.’ A push against her shoulder, ‘Go, Captain.’
‘Goodbye, mam.’ She turned and gave her stepmother a tight hug.
‘Goodbye, dear.’ Lady Washington pushed her back to look her over one last time and smiled sadly, ‘Oh, you look so much like him. Godspeed, my love.’
‘Thank you, mam.’ She kissed her stepmother’s hands and stepped back.
At the end of the dock, she hopped down into the waiting launch and kept her focus on the dock until they got back to the Renommee. Climbing the ladder, she took the waiting hands at the top and turned to the distant docks. The small figure in black waved, she returned the gesture.
‘Everything is ready, Captain.’ Her lieutenant said quietly, the grief still obvious in his stature and voice.
‘Thank you, Mister Aubrey.’ She sighed and took her hat off, looking around the crowded deck. ‘Well, lads, we’re going home for a while. God be with us and our journey is untroubled by weather or enemy ships.’
‘Aye, Captain.’
‘Well, let’s get on with it.’ She looked to her officers, ‘Gentlemen.’
‘Captain.’ They saluted and let her go. The Sailing Master snapped out orders to his mates, and a familiar commotion took over the Renommee.
Christian retreated to her quarters, sure to close her door but leaving it unlocked. She had learned that if her officers were determined to get in, a locked door was not going to stop them. She set aside her coat and hat on the table and loosened her collar a bit as she looked around the familiar cabin. Someday, this would belong to another captain. Sooner than later, of course, the Challenger’s orders for her were to move her commission to a new post.
Her focus was distracted by a rustling on the table, and she turned, eyeing her coat.
‘What on Earth?’ She muttered, lifting a fold of fabric to see what was making that noise. Two tiny, beady eyes peeked out at her, and she sighed.
‘Oh, for God’s sake. You again, Peter? You weren’t in my pocket all that time, were you, son?’
‘Oh, no, Captain!’ The youngster promised, crawling onto her wrist, ‘You’d have found me long ago!’
‘I don’t know about that, lad.’ She chuckled and lifted him to her shoulder, ‘You can be awfully sneaky when you feel like it.’
‘Are we really going home, ma’am?’
‘I think so, Peter. That’s what my orders say, anyway.’ She picked up that letter and read it again, ‘According to this letter, I’m being given the Victory.’
‘Oh, but that’s a first-rate, Captain! You’ll be a flag captain!’
‘I know, but I have no idea who her admiral will be. And there’s plenty of time for them to change their minds between now and then. Who knows where they’ll put us?’
‘Oh, wouldn’t that be a grand thing to be a flag captain for the Victory, ma’am? Have you seen her before?’
‘Y’know, I don’t think I have? I’ve heard she’s a beautiful piece of shipbuilding, but I’ve never seen her myself.’
‘Oh, she is, Captain! Not like the Renommee, or the Surprise, or the Constitution. She’s bigger than them.’
‘She’s a first-rate, Peter; I hope she’s bigger than our beloved little frigates!’ Christian smiled, ‘It would be a great thing to put my name on the list of captains who’ve been lucky enough to serve the Victory, wouldn’t it?’
‘Oh, yes, it would be, Captain! I hope we get her, I do.’
‘So do I, Peter.’ She rubbed the speckling of Calamy’s Chimera markings.
Christian returned to deck as they left behind the colonies, but she trusted her officers and her crew to know exactly what they were doing. She trusted Aubrey and Maturin. They had long ago proven themselves worthy, and she had counted on them in the past to manage the daily goings-on of their post. She was not what might be considered a ‘popular captain’, but her crew respected her and those who didn’t learned quickly that disrespect and rebellion were not well tolerated on her ship.
*/|\*
Three months later, the Renommee arrived in Portsmouth. It was the last time Christian Washington would see her friends on the same post, but by no means the last time she had anything to do with them. They all stayed in touch by letters or in passing when they were in the same place and could spend a few hours in the company of good friends.
~FIN~