Changing Kitty

Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty – One

William was incredibly relieved when the passenger ship docked in London. A month of travelling without having captain’s quarters was not a pleasant journey.

Commander Gates had been a lot more pleasant to be around once William had agreed to go back to Kitty, and he had been even more supportive in walking at the pace that William could with his false leg.

It was truly a marvel, William had never seen a false leg so perfectly carved. If his right leg had been made of wood, it would have looked identical to the wooden one that Jonas had so expertly made. As it fit perfectly, his clothes were still the right size. His left foot fit into his boot and to an oblivious man, he looked like someone with a slight limp, not a false limb.

It took him a few weeks aboard the ship to truly trust the leg. Putting his weight on it made him nervous but after he’d done it a few times he knew he could use it properly. It was attached to his thigh via a layer of sheep’s wool for comfort and leather for strength and a brass buckle to tighten and loose it as he needed. The top of the wooden leg had been hollowed out to the right shape to fit his stump. William couldn’t thank Jonas enough. He gave him double his fee but he felt that he still had not filled his debt. Jonas had just asked him to keep in contact and if he ever needed a new leg then he was available for hire.

As he and the Commander walked along the London dock, the same dock that he had gotten engaged to Kitty. It felt strange to be back on English soil. He hadn’t been there in over ten months. His wife was only a short carriage ride away. But he couldn’t see her first, he had to see his parents, as when he returned to London, he was never leaving.

“I suppose this is where we say ‘goodbye’,” the Commander said as they reached the dock’s end. There were several drivers standing idly beside their carriages that were for hire. William would be heading there first.

“You have shown me great loyalty these past few months, Commander,” William said truthfully. “You’ve shown me courage and leadership … all the qualities that a future Admiral of the Fleet must possess.”

Commander Gates’ eyes widened. “Admiral of the Fleet?” he repeated in disbelief. “You can really see that for me?”

William nodded. “My influence will get you ‘Captain’, maybe even ‘Commodore’, but you will make ‘Admiral of the Fleet’ on your own, mark my words.”

Commander Gates’ posture stiffened formally. “Thank you, sir. It has been a privilege serving under you,” he said, saluting William.

“And I you,” William saluted his friend. “And from now on, I am ‘William’ to you. I will no longer be your commanding officer.”

“You will always be my commanding officer, sir,” Commander Gates replied. “I hope I will be seeing you soon, Captain Aubrey, with your wife by your side.”

William wasn’t so sure. “I hope so, too,” he sighed. “Farewell,” he smiled at him.

They parted ways and William headed over to the carriages. He selected the one of the far left as the driver looked the most private and would be the least likely to start a conversation with him.

“Hello, there,” William said to the driver. He was an older man of about fifty. His sour expression matched his dull grey eyes. “How far is your perimeter for passengers?”

“If they’ve got the money, I’ve got no perimeter,” he mumbled.

William pulled five pounds from his pocket and held it out to him. The man’s eyes widened as he secured the paper eagerly. “I need to get to Kent,” he instructed. “And I will require you to wait for me to finish my business there and then return me to London.”