andy cannon

When release finally is achieved, I suspect it will look like an all-guns broadside from a man-of-war. Prepare to duck.

Drydock It was like being pulled against your will by something you half hoped would break. The longboats strained at their lines, sailors rowing in steady rhythm, sweat gleaming on their backs beneath the heat. Belle Thérèse drifted forward inch by inch, too grand and ungainly to maneuver under her own power in such narrow waters. The tide offered little assistance, just enough to tempt belief that she moved under her own command, though anyone who knew better could see the truth o

That would be interesting! I fear that Pitt would rather gouge his eyes out than commit the indiscretion of a ménage à trois. At this point in the story, Jamie has eyes only for Pitt, but earlier if someone proposed, "How about a three..." he would have been stripping off his uniform before the "...some?"

You raise some interesting questions. I had not thought much about Huxley's motivation beyond setting promising mids to a task where they would have increased responsibility on a difficult-to-handle ship with fewer hands to man her. He's a wily sea dog who sees more than he lets on, but 75 years away from even a word for queer orientation, would he be able to see two of his crew falling in love? I may be operating under a misapprehension, but I wonder if that wouldn't be as foreign a concept to him as looking in a field and declaring those two stallions are in love with each other? Between the French Revolutionary War and the end of the Regency some 30 years later, there were fewer than 200 executions in the Royal Navy for sodomy, partially because the standards of evidence were so high--- there had to be proof of penetration and of emission(!). Pitt and Blake are always in public locations together and rarely even touch one another. If they ever wander out of the remote regions of the hold with uniforms unbuttoned and hair disheveled, suspicions would erupt, but so far their behavior has been almost pristine. Phillip Adams is wise to them, but he has inside information so to speak and knows that relationships between men can be considerably more complex than just friendship. As far as the accommodations in Antigua, Pitt lied to keep Phillip from knowing where Jamie would be billeted, but then Phillip undoes that secret by telling Jamie where he himself was lodging.

I am glad you are enjoying them! They grew on me as well.

The Approach to English Harbour By the following morning, Lieutenant Pitt was in a foul humour, irritated, restless, and snappish, like a barnacle scraped raw by the tide. His desk lay buried under a flood of reports, manifests, and redundant orders that seemed to multiply each time he turned away. It defied logic how, after a mere week in command, he could already be hopelessly behind. Worse still, he had scarcely glimpsed Midshipman Blake since their last fractious exchange. He had

Another great chapter in this series. Both Hugo and Mike are interesting characters,

When I first planned this chapter, this was the point at which they retired to the empty captain's quarters and quenched that fire. However, I decided to hold off a bit since it would be more fun to torture, uh, to develop the characters a bit more.

Fascinating! So many regional accents have flattened out due to the influence of radio and television, so I wonder how incomprehensible the Cork accent would have been 200 years ago?

Fascinating! So many regional accents have flattened out due to radio and television, so I wonder if the Cork accent was even more impenetrable 200 years ago?

Thank you for your comments. I initially drafted this chapter in April or May. and that scene on the foredeck during the night watch still breaks mt heart, The letters between O'Brien and his mother are among my favorites as well.

Within Sight of Shore HMS Belle Thérèse, Approaching Antigua — Late Morning The sea was too calm. The air too bright. The ship creaked with a nervous, living silence, as if even the wind had begun to hold its breath. Sailors worked in taut rhythm, voices low. No more songs, no more jests. Just the slap of the sea against the hull, scrape of rope, the groan of spars, the rattle of musket straps as Marines paced the deck. They were two days from Antigua. Two mor

It may be a love/hate vibe ?

Great ending to the first part. Looking forward to the continuation.

Looking forward to reading more. The mystery surrounding Luke and his (over)reaction will be interesting to see develop.

There's a subtle touch of ambivalence in Matthew and Val's interaction that I find interesting.

Raw and emotional tale about young Jimmy and his search for love. Highly recommended even though the brutal honesty can be difficult to read at times. Delivers in spades.

What a great read. I send you a big hug! Looking forward to the next story. Very emotional!

A very erotic chapter capped by an emotional confrontation with Daisy. Great writing.

A really fascinating examination of a couple of 'non-standard' practices, subservience/humiliation and foot worship. The narrator's thoughts during this scene are interesting.

A fun little story!

A very rich and rewarding chapter,

The Measure of Silence Cutting Free Belle Thérèse at Sea — Evening Watch The final lashings were cast off just after midday. HMS Absolute and the newly repaired Belle Thérèse drifted apart, lines slithering into the sea as the gap widened between them. Orders rang across the water, sailors hauling lines and squinting into the Caribbean sun. From the deck of the Absolute, men waved and shouted parting cheers, good-natured jeers, farewells, and advice made more for tradition than ef

Fair enough! Dubrovnik is a place on the map I have visited and found fascinating with all the historical significance, especially since one of its darkest and most horrifying periods is within living memory.

Thrilling game, Can't wait to see what that naughty lad, Matt, has planned for our Jack.