Peace of Amiens - 7. Chapter 7

September 3, 1801

HMS Endymion

Weymouth, England

It was an hour before dawn, but Granger had woken up early. He allowed his mind to wander, trying to figure out why, but that was only a futile attempt to try to avoid the truth. The reason he’d woken up early was because he was incredibly horny. He’d been sleeping next to Calvert for several days now, but they’d had no sexual relations. For Granger, this was tantamount to a living hell. It would be bad enough to share a bed with someone who wasn’t all that attractive, but to Granger, Calvert was the most desirable man in the world. There was no one he would rather couple with, and no one he felt more passion for, than Calvert. When they’d gone to bed, Granger had been exhausted from dealing with the Royal Family, while Calvert was still weak as he struggled to recover from his wound. But now that it was morning, Granger’s exhaustion had faded to the point that his libido had taken over. He gently stroked Calvert’s chest, marveling at how sculptured it was. Calvert’s eyes opened slowly. “Good morning,” Granger said.

“Good morning,” Calvert responded. He knew Granger’s moods too well not to realize what his partner needed. “I promised to satisfy you yesterday, but I failed to accomplish that goal,” Calvert said to Granger sadly.

“I am most displeased about that, as I find that my patience is starting to wear thin,” Granger joked, smiling at Calvert.

“Perhaps I can help you out,” Calvert said. He maneuvered himself so he was behind Granger on his right side, then maneuvered his right hand underneath Granger’s body. He slowly stroked Granger’s cock while sliding his own member against Granger’s hole and taint. While Granger found that stimulating, that is not what he wanted.

Granger leaned forward and grabbed his jar of lanolin, then slathered it on Calvert’s cock. “Please?” Granger asked.

“With pleasure,” Calvert said. He slowly slid his cock into Granger, making sure not to speed up too much lest he irritate his wound, and because he was still weak. As he did, he grabbed some lanolin and used that to lubricate his hand, and he began stroking Granger’s cock in time to his thrusts. They continued on, going slow and enjoying the moment, until they gradually built up to spectacular orgasms.

When they were done, Granger looked down at the cum-stained sheets and laughed, then turned around to face Calvert. “That was wonderful. You are a most amazing lover.”

“I am,” Calvert said, making Granger laugh even harder.

“I have plans for you today,” Granger said, grinning.

“What are these plans?” Calvert asked.

“First we must get up,” Granger said. He pulled himself out of bed and used the sheet to wipe off his abdomen, his groin, and his ass, while Calvert merely had to deal with his hand and his groin. He seemed so much stronger today.

Winkler heard them rustling around and came in, wrinkling his nose at the smell of sex that permeated Calvert’s sleeping compartment. “Good morning, my lord, sir,” Winkler said. “Breakfast will be ready shortly. Let’s get you ready for the day.” Granger knew that his men would be eating as well, as he had given orders that they be fed before dawn today. That had raised some curious looks from his officers, but they would never be so impertinent as to ask him about it.

Jacobs appeared and helped Calvert get dressed in his worn trousers and a shirt he’d borrowed from Granger, while Granger opted to wear his second-best uniform. Despite their morning interlude, they still had time to eat a good breakfast. Granger made to go up to the quarterdeck and was surprised that Calvert was following him. “And just where are you going?” Granger asked.

“On deck,” Calvert answered confidently. “I have been below for much too long.”

“If Dr. Jackson insists that you return, then you must do so,” Granger cautioned.

“As you wish,” Calvert said, but Granger knew that was a lie. Calvert was a captain through and through, and being stuck below deck while the ship sailed would be maddening for him. He would fight strongly to avoid being stuck in Granger’s cabin.

Granger led the way up the ladder, glancing back to see Calvert following him, although at a slower pace. They arrived on deck and surprised the officers. “Captain Calvert, it is good to see you up and about,” Kingsdale said, his words ringing with sincerity and affection.

“Thank you, my lord,” Calvert said. The officers had all come to check on Calvert while he was recuperating in bed, so he’d met them all.

“It is good to see you, sir,” Austen said, chiming in as was fit and proper for the first lieutenant.

“Mr. Austen, hands to weigh anchor. I’ll have the topsails set,” Granger ordered. Generally, the day after the Royal Family cruised, Endymion would stay in port. The officers were not overly surprised by his orders; they’d already guessed something was up since he’d ordered the men to be fed early.

“Aye aye, my lord,” Austen said. That prompted first whistles, then bellows, as the petty officers rousted the men. Granger and Calvert began to slowly pace the quarterdeck as the ship came to life.

“And where are we going today, my lord?” Calvert asked. Granger smiled, so impressed with how Calvert could chat with him intimately and then seamlessly adopt a more formal posture when others were around.

“We are going to Portsmouth,” Granger said.

“And what are we to do there, my lord?” Calvert asked.

“We are to take on a passenger the day after tomorrow,” Granger said.

“A passenger, my lord?” Calvert asked.

“Lord St. Vincent will be in Portsmouth and has requested that we convey him to Weymouth so he can attend His Majesty,” Granger said loudly enough that not only could the officers hear him, but that the men on the quarterdeck would hear him as well.

“That would appear to be quite an honor, my lord,” Calvert noted.

“I am not sure that serving as His Lordship’s hackney cab is the honor you think it is, but we will treat it as such,” Granger said, smiling, and got a chuckle from the assembled officers. “We are going to Portsmouth today so we will be able to make sure Endymion is in perfect condition to receive him.”

“Of course, my lord,” Austen said. The officers began looking around frantically, as if trying to find things that required fixing.

Granger and Calvert walked over to the rail so they could speak privately. “While we are in Portsmouth, I will have a surprise for you,” Granger said.

“A surprise?” Calvert asked.

“I promise that you will be pleased,” Granger said.

“You have yet to promise me pleasure and not deliver,” Calvert said with a surreptitious leer. Granger was tempted to drag him back to his cabin and fuck him again. Instead, he strolled over to the binnacle, then joined his officers.

Dawn came upon them slowly, or so it seemed. The men paused after the anchor was hove short, the masts straining from the force of the topsails, but Granger waited until it was light enough to ensure they would make no navigational errors. When he was finally satisfied, he gave the order to weigh anchor. “Mr. Austen, once we clear Weymouth, we will set a course for Portsmouth,” Granger said.

“Aye aye, my lord,” Austen said.

“We will moor Endymion near my home, where she was anchored before. This will give us a chance to stock up our stores,” Granger said, offering an unnecessary explanation. They cleared Weymouth and tacked on sail, sending the frigate all but tearing up the Channel.

“God, how she flies, my lord,” Calvert said, totally exhilarated. Granger loved the opportunity to drive his ship as fast as she would go, but Calvert was the only officer Granger knew who probably enjoyed it more than he did. They strode back over to the rail to continue their private conversation.

“She is a dream to command,” Granger said. He would be quite sad when Durham showed up to relieve him.

“I was under the impression that the ship tasked with watching the King was required to be on hand,” Calvert said, more of a question.

“I was told last night that His Majesty is traveling inland to visit some local gentry, so the Life Guards are more than adequate for his protection,” Granger said. “That will give us ample time to receive St. Vincent.”

“I wonder if he will be vexed at me for not reporting to London immediately?” Calvert asked nervously.

“Francis, you have just today been up and about enough to come up on deck,” Granger replied honestly. “It is inconceivable that you would have hazarded a carriage ride to London.”

“I suppose you are right,” Calvert agreed.

“And besides, even if you had wanted to go, Princess Amelia would not have allowed it,” Granger said, and was so amused that he could not hide his smile.

“I am so glad that you think this is funny, George,” Calvert responded acidly. That made Granger laugh out loud, but the curious stares he got from his officers compelled him to control his amusement.

“I think it is hilarious that you have suddenly acquired a benefactor in the form of a Royal Princess, and not just any princess, but the one who is the King’s favorite,” Granger said.

“I feel as if I am a cow that is being fattened up for the kill,” he grumbled. “Once I have healed, she will be ready to pounce on me.”

“When was the last time you had sex with a woman?” Granger asked.

“The only time I did that was when I was sixteen,” Calvert said.

“You did not like it?” Granger asked.

“I did not,” Calvert said, grimacing. Granger suddenly realized Calvert’s dilemma and felt like a boor for assuming Calvert viewed sex with women like he did. Granger’s sexual preferences were focused mostly on men, but he had satisfying sexual relations with women as well. Evidently Calvert did not.

“I am sorry,” Granger said. “I fear that I have mistakenly assumed that you would. I will no longer joke about it.”

“It is not something you have to be sorry for,” Calvert said. “But that is why I am so nervous about being home with no command. As you said, I will probably be bullied by society into a marriage I do not want and will be unwilling to fulfill.”

“I will help you find a suitable bride,” Granger said, getting an alarmed look from Calvert. “We will find someone so hideous that people will understand that you don’t want to have sex with her.”

“Very funny, George,” Calvert said, completely annoyed by the thought of marriage.

“Francis, it will be alright,” Granger said soothingly. “We will work on a way to make such a marriage for you that will not overly inconvenience you.”

“I do not want you to think that I do not trust you on this,” Calvert said. “I will do as you suggest, but I am loath to feel any joy about it.”

Granger noticed that something was not quite right, and immediately turned his attention back to the ship. “Mr. Austen, I would be obliged if you would trim the foretopsail.”

“Aye aye, my lord,” Austen said, horrified that he’d not noticed it himself. Austen corrected the error, and Endymion continued to race up the Channel. It was not as glorious as yesterday had been, as today there was a considerable amount of fog, but fortunately it wasn’t so thick that it impeded their progress. Calvert insisted on staying on deck, so Granger had Jacobs bring up a chair for him to sit on. “You make me look like a dowager,” Calvert grumbled.

“You must save up your energy so you are fast enough to evade predatory princesses,” Granger teased. Periodically his officers would stroll over and engage Calvert in conversation, which was a nice way for him to get to know them. The trip was slower because of the fog and the winds, such that Endymion arrived just after they had finished dinner.

Even prior to anchoring, Granger had sent Winkler and another man off to his home, getting a curious look from Calvert, especially since they were carrying two rather large bundles with them. Granger made sure Endymion was safely anchored, then focused his attention on Austen. “Mr. Austen, you have the ship. I will be ashore tonight,” Granger said.

“Aye aye, my lord,” he responded.

“I will trust you to ready Endymion to receive His Lordship,” Granger said. “I will be back tomorrow afternoon to check on your progress.”

“Aye aye, my lord,” Austen replied again.

They rigged the bosun’s chair to lower Calvert into Granger’s gig, to be joined immediately after that by Granger, then the two of them settled in for the brief ride to his pier. When they docked, Granger leaped out of the boat, while Jacobs helped Calvert navigate his way much more carefully. “These fountains are wonderful,” Calvert said. “It is as if they are welcoming you home.”

“All of my other properties have Caroline’s stamp on them, but I wanted this one to reflect my own tastes,” Granger said. “I worked with John Nash to build this house, and he managed to produce exactly what I wanted without my even knowing how to describe it.”

“He certainly did a nice job,” Calvert said. He went to walk up the steps, but Granger diverted him towards the baths.

“We will start our sojourn ashore with a bath, and going there directly will save you from having to walk up and down the stairs an additional time,” Granger said.

“That is marvelous,” Calvert said. Winkler was there to help Granger shed his uniform, while one of the footmen was there to assist Calvert.

“We’ve gotten everything ready, my lord,” Winkler said.

“Excellent,” Granger said. “I will trust you to see that we are not disturbed.”

“Of course, my lord,” Winkler said, with just a hint of a smirk. Granger went out to find Calvert standing by the bathing pool, its warm soapy water looking incredibly inviting.

Granger walked up to him, put his arms around him, a gesture Calvert returned, then their lips met, and it was pure magic. Granger felt Calvert’s erection poking him, much as his own was doing to Calvert. He stepped into the smaller bathing pool, then helped Calvert get in. “You must make sure not to get your wound too wet,” Granger said.

“I am not thinking about my wound at all,” Calvert said, as he maneuvered himself so he was on top of Granger. Calvert lowered himself slowly onto Granger’s dick, taking his time because Granger hadn’t prepped him to be fucked. It took Calvert a bit to finally absorb Granger’s dick, but then he became quite animated. That did much to fuel Granger’s love for Calvert. Their relationship had always involved a trade-off on who was penetrated, yet Calvert’s ass was so tight, it was evident that he had not allowed another man to fuck him recently. “Oh yes. This is good. This is good.”

“Having your ass wrapped around my dick is inflaming me,” Granger said, then bucked his hips in time to Calvert’s movements. After a bit, Granger sensed that Calvert was exerting himself too much, so he swapped positions with him, pushed Calvert’s legs back, and re-entered him.

“I feel so bonded with you, George,” Calvert said. Granger looked into his eyes and saw that Calvert had lowered his shields completely, leaving himself open and vulnerable in a way that he could probably do with no one else. Granger felt his love for Calvert swell, and did the same thing, and while their bodies merged physically, their eyes acted as the means to merge their souls. Granger felt his orgasm rising, and made to grab Calvert’s cock to stroke him off as well, but Calvert pushed his hand away, telling Granger he wanted him to focus on his own pleasure. When Granger came, he let out a muffled roar, and it was such a potent experience he was worried that he would black out.

“Your turn,” Granger said, and left his cock in Calvert’s ass as he stroked Calvert’s long cock. It took almost no time for Calvert to explode in an orgasm that was just as intense as Granger’s.

“I have never experienced a connection with anyone like I do with you,” Calvert said to Granger sincerely. Granger felt a huge grin spreading across his face, and manfully resisted the urge to ask Calvert if that was true even before Gatling died.

“There is no one who has captured my body and my heart like you have,” Granger said lovingly. They smiled at each other, then set themselves to work on washing up. Granger washed Calvert’s hair in a loving and sensuous way, so by the time they were done cleaning themselves, they were aroused enough to fuck again, with Granger taking Calvert inside him this time.

They removed themselves to the soaking pool and lounged around, enjoying the refreshingly warm water. “You have fulfilled my greatest fantasies,” Calvert said lovingly, and kissed Granger. “We have coupled, and we have bathed.”

Granger laughed. “It is easy to do that when our fantasies are the same.” They rinsed off then got out of the pool, both of them putting on bathrobes. They exited the bathing area and made their way up the first flight of stairs, then paused so Calvert could catch his breath. After that, they ascended to the next floor and went into Granger’s room.

Winkler arrived and helped Granger into some trousers and a shirt, which got a surprised look from Calvert since no one had brought him clothes. “My lord, sir, right this way,” Winkler said.

“Where are we going?” Calvert asked.

“I will explain everything shortly,” Granger said. They went into another room and found several uniforms hanging up, along with the same man who had gone ashore with Winkler earlier. “This is Alfred Kinder. He is a tailor and he has come down here from London to ensure that your new uniforms fit correctly.”

Calvert stared at Granger, his mouth falling open in shock. “These uniforms are for me?”

“You have no clothing that would be adequate for you to appear in polite society,” Granger said, shaking his head in disdain. “Winkler took your measurements from your old uniforms and shoes, I dispatched them to London, and Mr. Kinder brought your completed uniforms back.”

“If you are ready, sir, we will see if we have the fit right,” Kinder said politely.

Granger sat back and watched as Calvert tried on these new uniforms that had been crafted for him. Calvert glanced at the additional epaulette and smiled. “When I reached my three years’ seniority back in October, I did not have the opportunity to get new uniforms. The extra epaulette was added on and never quite looked right.”

“These are perfect,” Granger noted.

“You are a bit thinner than your measurements suggested, sir,” Kinder said.

“I was first a captive, then I was wounded, so I expect I will fill back out again now that I am back ashore and surrounded by good food,” Calvert said.

“I’ll make sure they fit you right well as you are, sir,” Kinder said. “I’ll also leave enough room to let them out.”

“I am most obliged,” Calvert said. Kinder made marks for alterations on both of his dress uniforms. “I do not really need two dress uniforms.”

“Yes, you do,” Granger argued. “One you will keep in pristine condition and use on those occasions when you go to Court, or on some other formal outing. The other you will use more often, primarily when you are engaged with other naval officers.”

“Oh,” Calvert said. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure,” Granger said. He watched as they fitted Calvert’s second-best uniform. Granger thought his own second-best uniform looked better on him, but that on Calvert, full dress was more impressive. It took an hour for Kinder to go through and make his alteration marks.

“My lord, sir, I will have these ready for you to try on at dawn tomorrow,” Kinder said. “In the meantime, these trousers and these shirts should provide you with something to wear. I’ll also have the rest of your wardrobe necessities ready by then.”

“Thank you,” Calvert replied. Granger led him back to his bedroom and into the adjacent tiled area that contained a privy closet and a bathtub. There was also a large mirror. “Now what are we doing?”

“Winkler is going to crop your hair,” Granger said. Calvert had always worn his hair longer, in the way that was favored by the more conservative members of the navy, but that style did not match the forward-thinking and bold officer that he was.

“I have always liked the look of your hair, so I will put myself in Winkler’s capable hands,” Calvert said.

Winkler gently combed Calvert’s hair, as if sizing it up and planning what to do. Without a word, he began working with his scissors at a slow deliberate pace. Granger and Calvert said nothing, they just watched Winkler’s progress. Some thirty minutes later, Winkler stepped back and admired his work. “You look fabulous,” Granger said.

“Winkler, you have done wonders with my hair,” Calvert said. “Thank you.”

“It was my pleasure, sir,” Winkler said, blushing a bit.

“I remember when I first had my hair cropped,” Granger said to Winkler. “Daventry’s man Boles did it, with you looking on.”

“Indeed he did, and he was a master, my lord,” Winkler said, reminiscing about Boles’ hair cropping skills.

“At that time, you were merely an apprentice, but you have now proven yourself to be a master,” Granger pronounced.

“Thank you, my lord,” Winkler said.

“And what is on our agenda now?” Calvert asked.

“We are going to greet my children,” Granger said. He usually went to see them as soon as he got home, but he’d been focused on Calvert and had postponed meeting them until this moment.

“This should be interesting,” Calvert said nervously. Granger looked at him curiously. “I am unsure how to deal with children.”

Granger laughed. “You will be just fine, and they truly are wonderful beings, at least at this point.”

Granger led Calvert over to the children’s annex and opened the door to find William and Charlotte working on their lessons with Mr. Pence, while Alexander and Elizabeth were working on some other project. “Father!” William said, a huge smile breaking across his face. He ran over to Granger, who knelt down to hug first him, then the others.

“This is one of my dearest friends, Captain Francis Calvert,” Granger said to them. Calvert kneeled as well.

“It is a pleasure to meet all of you,” Calvert said.

“Is this the Captain Calvert that Mommy doesn’t like?” Charlotte asked. Granger and Calvert exchanged surprised looks.

“The very same,” Calvert said, and tousled her hair.

“You seem very nice to me,” Charlotte said, all but flirting with him, which was hilarious.

“Mother is a bad judge of people, so that is no surprise,” William said acidly. A withering look from Granger shut him up.

“Captain Calvert was with me when I sailed around the world,” Granger said.

“Did you go through Egypt too?” Charlotte asked.

“I did not,” Calvert said. “I took the long route, around the bottom of Africa.”

“I do not want to go to Egypt,” Charlotte asserted strongly.

“I do,” Alexander said, ever the daring one. Granger and Calvert spent an hour with them, stopping only when Winkler arrived to tell them that supper was almost ready.

“Would you please have them send supper up to us. I think we will eat in my room,” Granger said. That got a huge smile from Calvert.

“I will attend to that at once, my lord,” Winkler said, then left them.

They walked out of the children’s area and said nothing until they got back to Granger’s room. “Your children are delightful,” Calvert said.

“I did not enjoy them all that much when they were younger, but now that they have grown up such that they are small people, I find them refreshing,” Granger said.

“William seems to be angry at Caroline,” Calvert said, probing to draw out the reason.

“He is very much my son, and watches out for me,” Granger said. “When Caroline was having her very indiscreet affair with Colonel Stewart, William was quite vocal with her, explaining how he felt about it.”

“Indeed?” Calvert asked, then chuckled a bit.

“Caroline then launched a plot to send William off to Eton a year sooner than was best for him, just to get him out of the way,” Granger said, letting Calvert see how angry he was.

“That is unfortunate,” Calvert said. Seeing Granger with his children had made Calvert realize just how important they were to him. Granger would be more fierce than a lioness in defending his offspring, and that explained a lot of why his relationship with Caroline was all but shattered.

“It is one of the many issues I found confronting me when I got back from the Baltic,” Granger said, shaking his head.

Calvert walked over to Granger and hugged him tightly. “I understand,” he said, and held Granger tightly, letting him feel how much Calvert loved him.

“Now that you are here, my problems seem to be so much more insignificant,” Granger said.

“I cannot believe you arranged to have me outfitted so well,” Calvert said, changing the subject. “Thank you for doing that. You always watch out for me.”

“You would do the same for me,” Granger said. That seemed to disturb Calvert.

“I disagree. I have not always done that,” Calvert said. “When I think of the times I have wounded your heart, sadness overwhelms me.”

“We are different people, Francis,” Granger said, and ran his fingers through Calvert’s newly cropped hair. “Yet we are destined to be together.”

“We are not that different,” Calvert said. He kissed Granger passionately, then they collapsed onto the bed and made love yet again. Winkler opened the door briefly, with the intention of bringing supper in for them, but saw them in mid-fuck and quietly slipped back out, glad that they hadn’t seen him. He had watched Granger’s relationship with Calvert over the years and had seen Granger reach his happiest when they were doing well, and his saddest when they were estranged. He hoped that this time, they would find a way to be together without such stormy ups and downs.