CHAPTER XLII.
As soon as Lieutenant Thornton arrived in Plymouth with the Virginie and Vengeance, his first care, after the usual formalities had been gone through, was to get Commander O’Loughlin and Lieutenant Pole on shore, both being so far recovered as to bear moving; and the physician who was consulted on their reaching Plymouth, decided that they should be immediately removed into the country, declaring that a few weeks would completely restore them.
Captain O’Loughlin wrote immediately to his betrothed, Agatha, and made as light of his wounds as possible. He would not allow his friend to remain longer with him; he was able to move about with a crutch, and the surgeon assured him he would not have the least lameness in a month. Lieutenant Pole was also fast recovering.
Excessively anxious concerning Madame Coulancourt and his beloved Mabel, whom he still hoped had safely reached England, Lieutenant Thornton and his friend Julian Arden prepared to leave Plymouth for London, feeling assured that if the party he was so anxious about had reached England, he would surely hear of them there. But Julian Arden, before he left Plymouth, was destined to suffer a severe and stunning misfortune.
To his extreme alarm, he heard a rumour that agitated him greatly. Lieutenant-General Packenham was to have been Governor of Plymouth, but the alarming illness of his eldest daughter, brought on by exposure, it was said, to the pestiferous climate of Sierra Leone, had obliged him to decline the post, and to leave England for some months’ residence in Madeira. This was all he could learn in Plymouth, but it caused him great agony of mind. He feared his betrothed had imbibed the seeds of that fatal fever which raged at the time of their meeting; and became doubly anxious to reach London, where he hoped to hear intelligence from the General’s solicitor, whose address he had.
Need we paint the joy and rapture of the lovers when they met? Many of our fair readers, no doubt, have experienced the same—felt the like intensity only once in life. To those who have not, we can only say we trust it is before them. From joy to sorrow is but a step. Poor Julian Arden learned, with feelings impossible to describe, that General Pakenham’s daughter had died in Madeira, and that her distracted father was remaining there for his own health, to recover from the terrible shock at losing his beloved child.
Minute details, at this period of our story, would only tire the patience of our readers; neither will we inflict on them dull law matters. It will be quite sufficient to say that, after six months’ process in law courts, Julian’s and Mabel’s births and right were fully established, as well as the former’s right to the title and estate of Etherton, though Howard Arden—for to that name he was forced to return—threw every possible difficulty and obstruction in the way. Sir Julian Etherton generously offered to divide the property, which offer was scornfully refused. Mr. Arden, his spouse, and child, retired into Yorkshire, where they lived upon the interest of £10,000, recovered from the wreck of the firm of Brabazon, Brassington, and Blinkiron. Whether they lived happily or not we cannot say; our readers may judge by their knowledge of their characters.
Sir Julian Etherton continued the handsome fortune settled on the widow of the late baronet, who very graciously acknowledged and thankfully enjoyed the gift as long as she lived.
Lieutenant Thornton completely established his claims to the name, estates, and private property of the late Sir Oscar de Bracy. However, before this took place, he was made a commander. With the immense personal property of his lamented father, Sir Oscar purchased a fine estate, not many miles from Etherton Hall. Over his entire property Monsieur Jean Plessis was made agent, whilst Madame Coulancourt bestowed upon that gentleman a sum of £5,000, to be, if necessary, a marriage portion for his daughter Julia. Our hero and his attached friend, O’Loughlin, were united to their fair betrothed in the same place and at the same time.
Julian was sad and dispirited, but strove all in his power not to show his deep and heartfelt affliction at the loss of his tenderly-loved Cherry Packenham.
Some eight months after his marriage, to the intense grief of his beloved Mabel, our hero accepted the command of the captured Virginie, accounted one of the handsomest frigates in either the English or French service. Post-Captain O’Loughlinwas also to take the command of a forty-four gun frigate, and both sailed for the Mediterranean to join the fleet under Rear-Admiral Nelson. They were present at the battle of the Nile, where the gallantry and skill with which Sir Oscar brought his ship into action, and the part he performed, elicited the admiration of all, and won the praise of the gallant Nelson himself.
Sir Julian Etherton so distinguished himself in his character of volunteer, that he was offered a commission, but he begged to remain as he was; his devoted attachment to Sir Oscar would not allow him to leave him. The year following, the renowned Virginie was at Acre, and there our hero once more embraced his friend, Sir Sidney Smith.
Peace being concluded, the Virginie returned to England, when Sir Oscar retired, to the heartfelt joy of his still fair and beautiful wife, from the service; and, shortly after, Captain O’Loughlin did the same. Time and active service had softened the grief of Sir Julian Etherton. Constantly in the society of the amiable and engaging Julia Plessis, the young baronet finally, from feeling and association, became tenderly attached to her, and ended by making the devoted and always attached Julia his wife—an act he never regretted.
Let not our readers imagine for a moment that the generous and simple-hearted coxswain, William Thornton, was forgotten by our hero, who would have loaded him with gifts, and built him a house on his own estate, but the old and happy coxswain loved his little cottage. The wish of his heart was gratified; his darling protégée was the pride of the service he loved, and every year, as long as his powers remained, he became an honoured guest at Sir Oscar’s.
Honest Bill Saunders accompanied Sir Oscar through all his perils as his favourite and attached coxswain, receiving many a sword from conquered ships, and proud he was on those occasions. Sir Oscar had purchased the famous lugger, the Vengeance; she was fitted out after the peace as a schooner-yacht, with Bill for skipper. For many years Bill was the admiration of all the jolly tars he encountered in his frequent rambles. To them he used to relate his adventures in France, and especially he recounted the scientific manner in which he performed the part of a deaf and dumb Frenchman, and, in giving illustrations, he uttered such a succession of guttural sounds as startled his hearers. At length, Bill married, and then his rambles were confined to his comfortable home on his master’s estate. The young De Bracys, in after years, dearly loved to visit Bill, his smiling wife, and his children; to listen to the wonderful yarns he spun of his master’s and his own adventures.
Many were the presents and marriage portions sent over to France to good Dame Moret and her daughters.
Now, gentle reader, our yarn is spun. If this unpretending story enables you to pass an hour free from the cares of the world, our object will have been accomplished.
THE END.
LONDON:B. C. BARRETT, ROUPELL STREET, BLACKFRIARS.