Odyssey

[Westie]

Sorry,  I've been AWOL, and then I needed to catch up with which chapters had been posted etc

 

Really a great chapter and a day early as well, I was so excited when I saw this...

 

Could Winkler have been assigned somewhere else?  Isn't he a personal servant of Granger and wouldn't this make him immune to being placed on another shipe???  Westie help!!!!

 

The answer is yes, technically, Wrinkler could be reassigned.  However there is a few reasons why it would never happen:

 

1. Re-assigning another officer's personal servant without their being "released" would be an extremely dishonourable act.  It would attract the very worst of criticisms.... "Well, that's dash bad form..."
2. While exceptionally useful to Granger, Wrinkler is not actually very useful at all elsewhere on a ship.  As the captain's steward, he would know less about the technicalities of running a ship than a ships boy.  Of course, being around Granger and on board, he would know "conceptually" - but in terms of practicality I don't know that he would be able to man the braces or stow the yardarm etc.
3. Wrinkler is technically under admiralty orders (stemming from Granger being under such orders).  Lord St Vincent wouldn't want the hassle of the legalities of breaking admiralty orders.
4. there are 3 people you do not want to upset.  Lord Granger, Lady Granger and the Earl of Bridgemont.  Can you imagine the storm of holy hell that would rein down on you if you ever truly offended all three?7

Anyway, one more thing I wanted to mention.  The time we are seeing Paris in is utterly fascinating.  You have a nation that is struggling with its identity, and for the fact that it has just got rid of a big chunk of aristocracy - the social order is discretely reasserting itself.  Being now rarefied, exiled aristocrats returning home, and foreign lords and princes are objects of fascination.  The other thing the French loved was a scandal and gossip - I would expect Granger's star to be at its zenith in Paris.  For me, the next chapters will be more interesting than any other.

 

West

[Mark Arbour]

Sorry,  I've been AWOL, and then I needed to catch up with which chapters had been posted etc

 

 

The answer is yes, technically, Wrinkler could be reassigned.  However there is a few reasons why it would never happen:

 

1. Re-assigning another officer's personal servant without their being "released" would be an extremely dishonourable act.  It would attract the very worst of criticisms.... "Well, that's dash bad form..."
2. While exceptionally useful to Granger, Wrinkler is not actually very useful at all elsewhere on a ship.  As the captain's steward, he would know less about the technicalities of running a ship than a ships boy.  Of course, being around Granger and on board, he would know "conceptually" - but in terms of practicality I don't know that he would be able to man the braces or stow the yardarm etc.
3. Wrinkler is technically under admiralty orders (stemming from Granger being under such orders).  Lord St Vincent wouldn't want the hassle of the legalities of breaking admiralty orders.
4. there are 3 people you do not want to upset.  Lord Granger, Lady Granger and the Earl of Bridgemont.  Can you imagine the storm of holy hell that would rein down on you if you ever truly offended all three?7

Anyway, one more thing I wanted to mention.  The time we are seeing Paris in is utterly fascinating.  You have a nation that is struggling with its identity, and for the fact that it has just got rid of a big chunk of aristocracy - the social order is discretely reasserting itself.  Being now rarefied, exiled aristocrats returning home, and foreign lords and princes are objects of fascination.  The other thing the French loved was a scandal and gossip - I would expect Granger's star to be at its zenith in Paris.  For me, the next chapters will be more interesting than any other.

 

West

 

Nothing like a little pressure.  Ugh.  More research on the Directory required. 

[centexhairysub]

Yea, it has always amazed me that those that rise up and throw out the aristocrats always seem so fascinated with the same people from other countries.  Even in the United States, we have a long history of being fascinated by those with titles...

[Mark Arbour]

Yea, it has always amazed me that those that rise up and throw out the aristocrats always seem so fascinated with the same people from other countries.  Even in the United States, we have a long history of being fascinated by those with titles...

 

At first glance, I thought you meant "titties".  Insert sophomoric laugh.  :-)

[Westie]

Nothing like a little pressure.  Ugh.  More research on the Directory required. 

 

Like you hadn't taken the opportunity to do that already... any excuse to geek out...

Edited September 11, 2013 by Westie

[centexhairysub]

After all the trauma of the last few chapters of 9/11; I so innocently came to Odyssey seeking a few enjoyable moments of calm...  What a freaking mistake that was... 

 

 

We have this lovely chapter will Winkler really admitting and coming to terms with his feelings for Jacobs.  We have Jacobs realizing that he did love Winkler.  We have Winkler share the story of his past.  We have them make love, not just have sex but actually make love.  Then you drop a bombshell like that in the last line of the chapter????  Jacobs doesn't seem to be in any hurry to return to New York, he did have a chance to go back to the U.S. with Travers Sr. and did not take the oppertunity.  Divorce was very rare back then, and never really done in the lower classes.  There were a lot of abandoned spouses but I don't see Jacobs as the type.  Does he have seven children, two dogs, and a cat as well????

 

 

You are a bad, bad man Mark Arbour...  You are building up some really interesting Karma for the next turn of the wheel. 

[Mark Arbour]

Stories are like a good massage:  they have a happy ending.  This one will.  

[Westie]

Stories are like a good massage:  they have a happy ending.  This one will.  

 

What type of message we talkin' here?

[Mark Arbour]

What type of message we talkin' here?

 

Swedish.  Think Holmquist. 

[Clydee]

Well, I for one enjoyed the chapter very much.   I always thought Winkler should have someone to love and be loved.  He and Jacobs seem to fit well together and I'm sure Mark has a solution in mind about Jacob's marriage...    Whatever happens between Jacobs and his wife remains to be seen obviously, and they (Winkler and Jacobs) might as well be a couple while they can.  

[ricky]

It occurred to me that Lord Granger has dispersed the entire Granger on-board family. Calvert has hooked up with Gatling, Winkler is with Jacobs. Even the LaFavor is with his wife. (We hope he made it.)

 

The only one not hooked up would be Cavendish and undoubtedly he's been made to marry. ;(

 

Then there's the fever and his ship being at the bottom of the sea. But not before his wealth is rescued. So prize money isn't a relative goal anymore. He's fabulously wealthy. **sigh**

 

I think his swash buckling days are over and he is headed for the big house.

 

Parliament.

 

We all know how much Lord Arbour enjoys political intrigue.

[ricky]

What type of message we talkin' here?

Westie! That was mAssage, not a note from his mother.

[centexhairysub]

Well, I have faith in Mr Arbour finding ways for Granger to make it back to sea, maybe not as much as he did for a while but a few more adventures surely lay ahead...

[JimCarter]

Well now we know that the chart room will have plenty of rats if Granger ever gets another ship.  I for one hope that he does, I don't think he will be happy on dry land and not risking his life on a frequent basis.

[Mark Arbour]

I think that Granger will chafe at being landlocked for too long. 

[sandrewn]

Straight from the horses' mouth (no offence intended Mark) so to speak. The adventure(s) will continue, Yay, thank you. Now we just have to get this story back up to sixth or better. Come on shipmates, review your little hearts out.

[centexhairysub]

I think that Granger will chafe at being landlocked for too long. 

 

I fully expect Granger to be back in America during the War of 1812....

[Westie]

I fully expect Granger to be back in America during the War of 1812....

 

Really?  Remember that Granger is an officer in the Navy, and that the Navy focus was mostly on Europe.  Sure, there was an oceanic aspect to the War of 1812, but the skilled officers were fighting what was considered to be the greater threat - The Napoleonic Wars.  

 

The battle of Lyngør was the decisive battle of the Gunboat war for example.  1812 was also the start of the War of the 6th Coalition, culminating in the first abdication of Napoleon.

 

Moreover, we still have the majority of the Napoleonic wars to get through first.  Nelson will die in 1805 at the Battle of Trafalgar.  There's a huge amount to get through before the Americans start to get antsy.

 

West

Edited September 20, 2013 by Westie

[ricky]

A great Chapter Mark. I confess to a little disappointment however. Retrieving the shipwrecked sailors from the French was a little anticlimactic. I was hoping for a corvet out of the deal. What a coo that would have been and the young Lord Kingsdale would have at least gotten a feather in his cap over it. Instead he just became another bit character.

 

On the other hand,Calvert getting praise from St Vincent (Calling him saint anything is a bit of an oxymoron don't yo think?) was a real milestone. And him wishing that he return to his squadron was an even higher compliment. I just got through the door from a grueling 19 hour double show day and there it was, sitting there waiting for me to read it. I better put the frozen groceries away now or I'm gonna have to have a HUGE dinner tomorrow. Priorities you know. And then I'm gonna pop the top on a Redds Apple Strawberry Ale and read it again.

 

Thanks!

 

PS - Winkler has his man now! WooHoo! But I hope they both continue to follow Granger. Granger without Winkler is just . . . well it just wouldn't be right.

Edited September 21, 2013 by ricky

[Daddydavek]

George doesn't yet know the Bacchante is lost, that Maidstone is dead and that Bertie's correspondence is in Davy Jones locker.  Nor does he know that Calvert was able to come along at the last minute and collect the last remaining crew and of course the silver.  He is out of touch with Winkler and Jacobs.   So I guess he will not be enjoying his sojourn in Paris as much as I initially thought.   But he is a gentleman and he will just have to make the best of it. At any rate I look forward to Mark getting to the this part of the journey.  

[sandrewn]

Ricky, I agree with you about Kingsdale. I still hold out hope that Mark will keep him around. He is supposed to get together with Caroline on how to manage an estate and the Earl did seem to like him. Let us think positive thoughts and hope for the best and for the bagpipes.

 

I also agree that the series wouldn't be the same without having Winkler there scurrying and fussing about in the back ground.

 

 

Note: Okay, boys and girls, we have made it back to tied for 6th place, let us try for sole 6th, 5th should be easy and even 4th a possibility. You just have to have faith (and reviews), come on just one (a few) more for the Gipper.

[centexhairysub]

I really enjoyed this latest chapter despite the fact that Calvert was in it and actually handled himself well; will this man just never go away...  LOL...

 

 

I thought that Jacobs handled the situation with Winkler just perfectly.  He knew that Winkler would be upset and let him go on without getting upset himself until Winkler had control of himself.  I loved the comment about him thinking of Granger always stayed so calm and collected.  I think the reason that Winkler got so upset to start with was a sign of how deeply he feels for Jacobs.  Winkler cared for Jeffries but I don't think he ever loved him like he does Jacobs.  I hope that Mark finds a way to keep them together and with Granger.  I guess he will have to make sure Jacobs stays with him since I can't see him sitting home alone waiting for Winkler to return from the sea with Granger. 

 

 

I actually thought Calvet handled the situation with St Vincent about as well as could be expected.  I think that Calvert has picked up some tricks from being around Granger so long.  He isn't as smooth, and never will be, but he does handle himself better now then he did when the story started.  Since Mark just refuses to kill the damn man off; I hope that he and Gatling have a long and happy union.  They can even rejoin the fleet as St Vincent indicated that he would be quite happy with this.  Of course, this means that Granger will need to be somewhere else other than with St Vincent but oh well....

 

 

I was glad we got to find out about those that Humphreys sent north to Goree.  Glad that Calvert was able to get Baron Kingsdale, Andrews, and the others but hate that Lt Eastwyck was sent off before they arrived.  I hope that Granger meets up with him in Paris or somewhere along the way to make sure he gets home as well.... 

 

 

I have to wonder who Granger will rescue or save while he is in Paris.  You know we can't have a Bridgemont story without Granger saving some aristocrat or leader or some such person.  It will be interesting to see Granger in Paris.  He will be in the heart of the enemy and you just know he will get up to something good.....

 

 

Great work Mark, and can't wait for the next installment.

[ricky]

Ricky, I agree with you about Kingsdale. I still hold out hope that Mark will keep him around. He is supposed to get together with Caroline on how to manage an estate and the Earl did seem to like him. Let us think positive thoughts and hope for the best and for the bagpipes.

 

I also agree that the series wouldn't be the same without having Winkler there scurrying and fussing about in the back ground.

 

 

Note: Okay, boys and girls, we have made it back to tied for 6th place, let us try for sole 6th, 5th should be easy and even 4th a possibility. You just have to have faith (and reviews), come on just one (a few) more for the Gipper.

What are you talking about?

[JimCarter]

I know I am just a worry wart, but I can't help but recall that Paris was not a good place to be sent in one of the Hornblower books.  He was to be tried and executed just for being a thorn in the side of the French.

 

Let's hope that it doesn't come to that for our hero, but as I said is is hard to trust the French back then.  Hmmm  not sure today!!!!!    

[Mark Arbour]

I know I am just a worry wart, but I can't help but recall that Paris was not a good place to be sent in one of the Hornblower books.  He was to be tried and executed just for being a thorn in the side of the French.

 

Let's hope that it doesn't come to that for our hero, but as I said is is hard to trust the French back then.  Hmmm  not sure today!!!!!    

 

Well, Hornblower was fiction too.     There are a couple of things to keep in mind: 

 

1.  Hornblower was captured approximately 10 years after Granger.  Things were considerably different for prisoners in the latter part of the Napoleonic Wars.  Parole was not granted as easily, and prisoners were often confined to parole towns.  In France, this usually meant Verdun. 

 

2.  Hornblower was a commoner, whose father was a minister.  There would have been less outrage over his mistreatment than Granger, but I suspect there would still have been considerable outrage. 

 

3.  Hornblower was captured when there was one capricious autocrat in charge of France (Napoleon), while Granger arrives in Paris to face the Directory, a polyglot of bizarre men.