"Blowing up again." "And a bad 'un too." "Aye, a widow-maker." "When will the child be born?" "In seven months." "Did you tell Fogarty before he sailed?" "You promised you would." "I intended to." "I take it Fogarty is the father." " Well?" " Yes." " You want to be hiding your head in shame." " There are many kinds of shame." "None greater than for a woman to be carrying on." "Are you here to brand me, James?" "How could you bring yourself to this?" "My sister." "Brought up in a decent home, weren't you?" "Is it indecent to love a man?" "Love?" "You call this love?" "Oh, what do you know of love, James?" "I might think it indecent to marry in order to secure a ship!" " Why you..." " No, James!" "You keep out of this!" "I am the elder brother and I have the responsibility of her." "Indeed you are, so how could you allow this to happen?" "I allow it to happen?" "!" "Well, she's living under your roof." "Don't you try to push the blame for this onto me." "Did you know that it happened on your ship?" "You've allowed her too much freedom." "She's an Onedin." " You should've kept a stricter eye on her!" " Keep your voice down, will you?" "If a customer comes in, we don't want this all over the town." "I'd hoped for better things for you." "I'm sorry if I've spoiled your plans!" "You're not sorry, Elizabeth, that's plain enough." "Plans for my benefit, James, or for your own?" "You'd have me marry Albert Frazer and bring a shipyard into the family." "Albert Frazer holds you in high regard." "He has a genuine affection for you." "And what of my feelings for him?" "Are they of no account?" "Don't sally me, miss." "You're too uppish!" "In your circumstances, it doesn't sit well!" " How would you have me then?" " Elizabeth, have you no sense of shame?" "There's only one course open for you." "Yes." "You will marry Daniel Fogarty and as soon as possible." "Master of a clipper ship is of little enough station in this world, but there it is." "You've put yourself in a..." "gully too narrow to go about." "And what if he doesn't agree?" " Hmph." " He seduced you." "Did he?" "Did he?" "What if I were to tell you, James, that in fact it was I who..." "You little slut!" "What if I do not wish to marry Daniel Fogarty?" "For heaven's sake, Elizabeth!" "Haven't you brought enough shame on this family as it is?" "Well, you will marry that man and there's an end to it." "Don't anger me further, Elizabeth." "You will do as we say." "Just remember this, an unwed woman with child, disowned and with no money of her own, has but two destinations - workhouse or the street." " You should not have hit her like that." " You were being too soft on her." "He's a selfish brute!" "Oh, my God, she'll wake the child now." "Right, banns will be read as soon as Fogarty returns from the Baltic." "She swears she's told no one." "I hope she's telling the truth." "I see no reason why she should tell anyone." "Sarah and I have said nothing." "We haven't even discussed it." "Can you deal with the shop, Sarah?" "Yes." "I want you at the warehouse." "I've got a load of casks coming in this morning." "Casks?" "!" "For heaven's sake, James!" "Look at them as golden sovereigns - then you won't despise 'em quite so much." "When Fogarty returns, we shall not wait for Elizabeth." "We shall tell him - you and I." "Get up!" "I told you to keep pumping, man." "Get off your knees." " Onedin." " Frazer." "Good morning to you." " Worrying time, eh?" " Yes, it is." "Sea Witch and Mary Gordon both lost with all hands." "Charlotte Rhodes overdue." "Mm." "May I enquire after your sister?" "Elizabeth?" "She's unwell." "Oh, nothing serious, I trust." "Oh, no, a simple cold." "But sensibly, she's taken to her bed." "Oh, very wise." "But please give her my compliments when you next see her and tell her that I'll call on her, if I may, when she's recovered." "Yes, I will indeed." " Till noon then." " Noon?" "You've not forgotten, have you?" "The trip down the river on my new steam pinnace." "Yes, of course." "Well, the truth is, Frazer..." "I'll not be disappointed." "You gave me your word, Onedin." "I'll not be robbed of this opportunity of giving you a practical demonstration of the advantages of steam." "I've even had a screw of my own design fitted in honour of the occasion." "I've very little time today, Frazer." " It'll take no more than an hour." " Perhaps some..." "No, Onedin." "In all fairness, you cannot let me down now." "Very well then." "One hour, not a moment longer." "Capital." "Noon sharp at the yards." "I'll have steam up ready to cast off the moment you arrive." "Hey!" " Give me that lantern." " What're you doing?" "I'm gonna go down, see how bad it is." " Don't be a fool, man." " You tell Baines." " Have you lost your head?" " I've gotta save the cargo." "To hell with Onedin's cargo." "You'll choke to death down there." " Cover that hatch after me." " Eh?" "Cover it." "Air will feed the fire, then we'll all be done for." "We're done for anyway." "You'll kill yourself down there and for what?" "For James Onedin?" "Your wife'll not see a hap'orth of comfort from him." "Close that cover!" "Oh!" "Argh!" "You brainless pot scourer, you!" "Do you wanna smother the life out of him?" "Come on, over the side with him." "Come on, son." "He told me to close it." "Capt'n Baine!" "Come in." "Yes, what do you want?" "Oh, Agnes Bascombe, isn't it?" "My man, George, sails on the Charlotte Rhodes." "To be sure." "You wanted something?" "Well, don't just stand there - what can I do for you?" "There's no news of the Charlotte Rhodes if that's what you've come about." "Oh, no, it isn't that, ma'am." "Is it my husband you wish to speak to?" "No." "No, it's you I'd have a word with." "You're the note-cracker for the Onedin Line, it's you that pays out the dues?" "Yes." "Well, then you're the one as can help me, ma'am." "Your half allotment?" "But I'm sure that you've already..." "Well, yes, Mrs Bascombe, you've already drawn your half allotment." "I was wondering..." "Well..." "You wanted me to give you an advance against the remainder." "I'm sorry, Mrs Bascombe, I can't do that." "But it'll be me man's right when he gets 'ome." "You know the custom as well as I - a half on presentation of your note and the rest when the Charlotte Rhodes docks." "But I'm in desperate need, Mrs Onedin." "I've checked me casks." "Everything's in order." "Who's this?" "George Bascombe's wife." "What does she want?" "An advance against the remainder of her husband's dues." "Some of the money that's due to him, sir." "Yes, when he gets home, when he's completed the voyage, and then payable to him and him alone." "Look, only a few shillings, sir." "It wouldn't be the first time." "You ask Mr Robert there." "He's helped me before out of the kindness of his heart, haven't you, sir?" "Well, it was just the one occasion." "Why do you need an advance, Mrs Bascombe?" "We've nothing to eat." "Shopkeepers'll give her credit against the voyage." "It's a common enough practice." "I can't get no credit, sir." "You're already in debt to them, are you?" "Well, then you've been very foolish." "James!" "Look, I don't ask for me, Mr Onedin, but we've three children." "What thought do you give them when you're in the public bar at the Long Boat?" "I'm sorry, Mrs Bascombe, ships wages'll be paid when they're due and not before." "Mr Onedin!" "Mr Onedin!" "What is it, Jack?" "The Charlotte Rhodes, we've seen her." "Where?" "My brother and me, we was out early in our smack this morning to try our luck with the fish." "It weren't no good, there's a deal of sea running out there." "We were heading back in and that's when we seen her." "She's afloat, Mr Onedin, but she's in a poor way." "Where, man, where?" "Not more than six or seven miles west-nor'west of East Oil Bank." "She has a bad list, not making any way." "If the storm catches her, I fear she's done for." "George!" " George!" " Stop her somebody." " Whole town'll know in five minutes." " Come on, Anne." "Thank you, Jack." "No, Mr Onedin, it's not news I'd gladly bring, I'll not profit from it." "I lo..." "lost her." "What?" "Turn...turned a corner and no sign of her." "James, what're we gonna do?" "My ship, the Charlotte Rhodes, everything I have." "But the men, James, all the men's lives!" "If you lose the ship, at least you've got the insurance." "Don't comfort yourself with that thought." "If we lose the Charlotte Rhodes, we have nothing." "What are you saying, James?" "She's not insured." "Not for this voyage anyway." "Not insured?" "We haven't enough money to chuck away on premiums to the mutual society." "My God, James, when you make a mistake, you certainly make one with a vengeance." "I've a feeling that this time you've made one that you'll regret." "Ah, a glass of sherry wine for my son, please, William." "Yes, Mr Callon." " I've been looking for you, Father." " Oh?" "I thought you were going down to the quay." "Oh, come, come, Edmund, a man's entitled to a glass of wine." "Not three months out of university and already me life's not me own." "There's much to be done, Father." "And plenty of time to do it in." "Oh, come on then, sit down and drink up, lad." "I've been studying the figures Glanville left with us." "Mm?" "A joint stock company with Glanville and the Mersey and North Britain Railway." "Now that's a proposition that merits consideration, Father." "Perhaps so." "I'm sure of it." "Well, we don't want to go into it bull-headed, do we?" "We want to take our time and think it over carefully." "It's my opinion that the Mersey and North Britain is soundly based." "No, shipping - that's the business we Callons are in" " and it hasn't done too badly by us." " But we must look to the future, Father." " Oh, shut the door, will you?" " You're all of a tremble, Mrs Bascombe." "I'm worried about the Charlotte Rhodes." "I must have a glass to calm me anxieties." "My man, George, is aboard the Charlotte Rhodes." "I know." "But what about it?" "Well, she's foundering off East Oil Bank." "You sure of this?" "Look, wasn't I there with James Onedin, the mean pig, when Jack Littlejohn told him he'd seen her with his own eyes?" "Oh, Lord, there's no help for us if my man goes." "Charlotte Rhodes, eh?" "That'll be a shock to Onedin." "His one and only ship." " Mm." "The man must be out of his mind." "Why do you say that?" "Well, surely you know." "Know what?" "She's not insured." "What?" "Oh, you should make it your business to know these things, Father." "Don't be cheeky." "Onedin's not such a fool as to take a risk like that." "She's not insured, I tell you." "Aye, not wi' the Mutual, perhaps, but..." "Nor with any other association." "Foundering off the East Oil Bank?" "I knew it would come to this!" "Robert warned him, he warned him - don't put all your eggs in one basket." "I heard it at the warehouse." "Mr James was quite right to refuse me, of course." "Refuse you?" "Some of the money due to my George when he gets 'ome." "Don't talk to me about allotment notes, Mrs Bascombe." "They're fierce words in this house." "Only a few shillings." "That's all I asked him for." "If Mr James had not been there..." "I know." "Robert would've given it to you." "But I can't, Mrs Bascombe." "I was not asking." "Oh, it's allvery well for Robert to give away money." "He calls it Christian charity." "But let me give away as much as a ha'penny and I'm taking the food out of the baby's mouth." "I understand, Mrs Onedin." "Mine will just have to do without till their father gets home." "If he gets home." "It's company money, Mrs Bascombe." "I can't give away company money!" "I do understand, Mrs Onedin." "Look, only a few shillings." "I'd let you have it back as soon as my George got 'ome." "I'm sorry." "I haven't got it." "I'm not just saying that." "I haven't got it!" "Look, Mrs Bascombe, you're not the only one." "They all come here, all the crew members' wives - a shilling here, a couple of shillings there." "Well, why do they all come here for money?" "That shop out there has got nothing to do with the Onedin Line." "Why should we be deemed responsible for James's company debts, and plagued by the starving families of his wretched crew?" "There's no particular magic in that shop counter out there, Mrs Bascombe." "There's little enough profit, believe me, from the business that passes over it." "Barely enough to feed and clothe us." "I do understand how things are, Mrs Onedin." "And now on top of it all, Elizabeth..." "Well, I suppose I should be getting back to the children." "Oh, please, Mrs Onedin!" "No." " Shop?" "Oh!" "Mr Frazer, good morn." "And a good morning to you, Mrs Onedin." "Oh, I beg your pardon, you have company." "Mrs Bascombe was just leaving." "Ah." "Yes." "Yes, just." "Good morning, Mrs Onedin." "Morning, sir." "Morning." "Oh, oh, Mr Frazer, won't you...sit down?" "Thank you but me time is short this morning." "However, when I heard that Miss Elizabeth was unwell." "Unwell?" "James told me she had a cold and has taken to her bed." "Oh!" "Oh, yes, she has." "Well, I simply could not allow important matters of business to postpone me heartfelt wishes for a speedy recovery." "Will you give her these flowers with me kindest regards?" "Yes." "Yes, I will." "I must go." "I..." "I have an appointment with another lady at noon, along with your brother-in-law." "Morning." "Albert Frazer...he brought you these." "There's a note." "Then you must return it...unopened, and you must tell him, Elizabeth." "To stop calling on you." "It's not right!" "Not now." "Has she foundered, man?" "No, Mr Onedin, she's still afloat, but..." "You mean you abandoned her only six miles out?" "Call yourself blasted sailors?" "Well, that's the end of the Onedin Line." "So it would seem." "I know I'm a damn fool, but I'm sorry for that madman, and madman he is too." "Nothing less." "To take such a risk..." "How sorry do you feel for Onedin, Father?" "Now what's going on in that sharp brain of yours, eh?" "The Lady Sylvia is the fastest schooner out of this port and she's ready for sail." "Salvage?" "Without insurance, Onedin could never meet the award made against him." "The Charlotte Rhodes and her cargo would be ours in lieu - to be sold at a profit." "Three gales we took, each following the other and I've not known worse." "Two days out of Lisbon, we..." "lost Bascombe." "You lost George Bascombe?" "Aye, sir." "Washed overboard and drowned." "As God's my witness, Mr Onedin, we done our best and without sleep nor food." "It'd be to their advantage if it was the Almighty judging them." "Get out of my sight!" "Morning, Onedin." "Bad news about the Charlotte Rhodes." "She's not sunk yet." "Oh, no, indeed." "If she's still afloat when Lady Sylvia gets out to her, we'll bring your schooner in and be pleased to do it." "Good day to you." ""Be pleased to do it." Aye, they will at that." "And claim her for salvage?" "What else?" "£1,500 she's worth." "Cargo and ship." "We're finished, James." "We're finished!" "Stop telling me what I know well enough!" "They'll not salvage her, sir, she's afire." " Afire?" " I'm trying to tell you, in the for'ard hold." " Is she making much water?" " Aye." "Well, then, the hides'll be damp." "With any luck, they'll smoulder but there'll be no flame." "I know what you're thinking, but even if she is still afloat, there's no vessel to match the speed of the Lady Sylvia." "What does he have in mind?" "Don't ask me." "I'm only his partner." "He expects me to spend my life running after him." "Well, he's wrong!" "Frazer!" " Onedin." " A word with you a minute?" "You're early." "It's not yet ten minutes to 12 o'clock." "Can you take me to the Charlotte Rhodes?" "She's on fire, six miles off East Oil Bank." "Well, that's damn bad news, Onedin." "Well, man, can you do it?" "Oh, now, look, the Vussel's never been put to the test on open water, she might capsize." "It's time that she was, eh?" "No, the screw's an experiment." "It might shear off or a blade snap under the strain." "We'll take that chance." "You'd take it, yes, you've nothing to lose." "What have you to lose?" "Look, if a blade's going to snap off, you may as well find out today as in a month's time." "Look, at this moment, Callon's Lady Sylvia is making for the Charlotte Rhodes to claim salvage." "Now, can the Vussel get us there first?" "She'll drive the Lady Sylvia to her utmost limits, if nothing more." " Right." " What are we waiting for?" " To go to sea, we need more coal." " How much?" " A bunkerful." " Five minutes' work." "15 minutes it normally takes my man to fill it." "Three minutes, there'll be five backs heaving it." "Come on, hurry up." "Right." "What're you doing?" "I'll do anything you want me to do." "You're not coming with us." "Of course I'm coming with you." "I'm your partner, aren't I?" "I've as much to lose as you have." "Has she...more speed, Frazer?" "Yes." "I can give you more steam." "Take the helm." " Captain!" " Aye-aye, sir." "Hoist the stasil." "Look lively now." "At this rate, she'll reach her before we do." "I'm doing my best, Onedin." "Damned floating kettle!" "Now you'll see, Onedin." "They must beat a windward while we hold a straight course." "And I told you once before, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line." "You do realise, Onedin, that I'm risking the Vussel to try and save your ship." "You're a genius, Frazer." "Haven't I always said as much?" "Don't be alarmed, Onedin." "It's only the packing blown." "Probably the vibrations shook loose a flange bolt." "It's what comes of pushing an untried boat beyond its bare limits." "Don't talk to me, man, do something about it." "Steamships!" "Hurry, man, hurry!" "Oh, damn your eyes, do something!" "She's going again." "Aye, but for how long, I wonder." "There she is." "Much obliged, Frazer." "Glad to be of service, Onedin." "Good luck." "I was right." "They're just smouldering." "Thank God, there's no flame." "Right, as many buckets as we can find." "Robert?" "She's in!" "She's in safe and unaided!" "Oh, thank God!" "She's at the quay already?" "No, she's downriver, but safe on a sandbank." "She'll lift off with the morning tide as like as not." " If the weather improves..." " Is James not with you?" "No, he stayed aboard but he's well enough." "Baines is with him." "I-I rowed ashore to tell you the news." "Here, Robert, you're soaked through." "Now, go upstairs, put on some dry clothes and I'll attend to your supper." "No, we'll open a bottle of good Madeira wine in celebration." "Madeira wine?" "It'll be the doctor for you if you dawdle around like that much longer." "How did you get there ahead of the Lady Sylvia?" "Well, if I hadn't seen it with me own eyes, I would not have believed it." "No ordinary ship could've done it." "James persuaded Albert Frazer to put to sea in that steam contraption of his." " Truly?" " Aye." "Then such an act is much to Mr Frazer's credit." "It showed a great deal of courage." " Aye, it did." " Is Mr Frazer back safe?" "Oh, aye, he's safe, but from what I saw, I fear his ship suffered greatly from the strain." "Come on, Sarah." "Anne, you'll stay and eat with us?" " Thank you, Sarah." " Elizabeth, set the table." "Oh, let me help you." "Has James told Albert Frazer about me?" "I shouldn't think so." "Why should he?" "Oh, Anne, what am I going to do?" "What can you do but obey your brother?" "And marry Daniel Fogarty?" "There's no other way." "It's his child you're carrying." "You must marry him." "You were a fool at best to have given yourself to him outside marriage, but the harm's done and now it must be remedied." "I might've known you'd support James in his plans for me." "It's not a matter of my supporting James." "You have no choice." "Life is full of traps for us women and despite your fine talk of independence you've fallen into the oldest trap of all." "Oh, my dear." "Daniel Fogarty's a good man and he loves you." "You bring him a child, a son, perhaps." "Now, that's a gift any man prizes." "You will have done better than I." "All I brought to my marriage was the Charlotte Rhodes." "So accept it, Elizabeth." "Why should my brother rule my life for me?" "Tell me what to do and what not to do." "Elizabeth..." "I have a great affection for James but he can be a hard man if he's pushed to it." "I beg you, do not cross him over this." "And his decision is the right one." "Here, take my line!" "Well, James?" "Pay off the crew, Robert." "Pay Baines in full." "Dock the other men's wages proportionately." "What about Agnes Bascombe?" "Pay her for the two days' work that her man did." "George Bascombe didn't complete the voyage." "I'm sorry, Mrs Bascombe, you're having no more gin." "Mrs Bascombe?" "Sorry, Mrs Bascombe, yours is a sad loss." "Who will look out for us now, Mr Onedin?" "Well, have you no relatives?" "None as can support us." "Then I'm afraid you must needs go on the parish." "The children?" "Oh, what's to become of us?" "I'm afraid I don't know, Mrs Bascombe, but I'll not add to your misery." "Look, if you come down to the warehouse... you know, when you're able, I will see to it that you're paid in full- just the same as if your husband had collected his wages." "Was she much damaged?" "The wrist pin fractured when I was nearly back and the main bearings need re-metalling but the screw held up." "That was the one thing I was most afraid would go." "Well, you will have been put to some expense, you must let me settle with you." "Oh, it was a demonstration, wasn't it..." "for a potential customer." "Although not quite the way I'd intended it." "We pushed her hard, Onedin." "She did well, eh?" "Aye, I'll not deny that." "So you're now convinced the future lies in steam?" "For harbour work, perhaps." "But for deep water, she has many limitations." "Oh, how can you say that after your experience on the Vussel?" "She rode the sea better than any sailing ship twice her size and faster too." "I could build you a steamship, ten times as big and twice as good." "Hm." "For every ton of cargo, I'd have to carry two tons of coal- where would be the profit there, eh?" "There are already steamships operating in deep water making a financial return." "Aye, that may be so..." "but steamships are costly to build." "I've not the money to buy me a second sailing ship, leave alone a steamship." "But one day, I...shall have the money," "I promise you." "So you were impressed, then?" "You did me a favour." "I'm obliged to you." "Would you give me regards to Miss Elizabeth?" "Yes, I will." "The Maid Of Formby, she's docked." " Fogarty." " Aye." "He's in the Long Boat." "# They've taken her away... #" "So, tipping his hat, he says all prim and proper," ""That may be, my lord, but she's my bitch."" "James Onedin!" "It's not often we see you in this bar these days." "Though, from what I hear, you've not lost your touch as a seaman." "Will you have a drink?" " Will!" " Yes, Mr Fogarty." "Get them a drink, will you?" "I wish to speak with you, Daniel Fogarty." "Well, Onedin, what have you to say to me that cannot be said in company?" "It's about Elizabeth." "She's with child." "I asked her to tell you before you sailed, she did not, so we are here to tell you." "I'd have her do better for herself, but there it is." "So you'll marry her." "What are Elizabeth's feelings?" " We're not discussing my sister's feelings." " No say in the matter." "I say." "You'll tell Callon you're leaving his service." "From now on, you're working for me." "You have it all arranged, don't you?" "Indeed we have and there'll be no argument." "Well, I must talk with Elizabeth." "Later." "I wish to see you out in t'yard." "Ah-ah!" "It's Onedin business." "Unh!" "Wah!" "Ooh!" "Aargh!" "Ooh!" "Aargh!" "Ah!" "Oh!" "Right." "You...marry Elizabeth." "Aye, I'll marry her, but not because you tell me I must." "I'll marry her because I want to." "Aargh!" "That's enough, James." "So you are asking me to marry you?" "Yes, Elizabeth, I am." "It would seem you took a great deal of persuading." "There was no persuasion." "I want you for my wife." " You know my feelings for you, Elizabeth." " Yes, and I believe them to be honest." "And for that reason, it grieves me to tell you, Daniel," "I will not marry you." "What are you saying?" "It's already been arranged." "By you, James, not by me." "But the child, you must think of the child." "My mind is made up." "Forgive me, Daniel, but I'll not be impressed into marriage." " Now listen here..." " Haven't you already said enough?" "!" "Didn't I tell you to leave us alone and we'd manage our own affairs?" "I'm not leaving here...on me back!" " Do you realise what you've just done?" " Yes." " In full knowledge of the consequences?" " You laid them out for me plain enough." "The workhouse or the streets, wasn't it?" "That will never happen." "Hush, Sarah." "If Elizabeth is forced to leave this house, then I will go with her." "What are you saying, woman?" "What about our child?" "Oh, Robert, there are some loyalties we must put even above children." "Fogarty was right." "You should not have tried to impress Elizabeth into it." "She'd not have married him anyway." "Maybe not." "And whose fault is that?" "You were forever telling her that she'd do better marrying with a sea captain." "Just remember this, James." "Whatever happens to Elizabeth, it'll be your doing." "Remember that."