"OK." "Here we go." "There we are." "Right." "All right, come on you lads, let's have it." "Come on, we haven't got all day." "Easy now, there we are." "She tells me it's your intention to come and live with me." "It's too confined for two, leave alone three." "He's had fever, I had to bring the ship home most of the way." "Honeymoon fever." "I knew he'd crack." "Not content with swindling me out of my ship, I'm supposed to provide a roof for him." "What will it be next?" " We've no money." " What?" "!" "In hand, but he's been very clever." "He has the sole concession for returning all Señor Braganza's wine casks to Portugal." "Return his casks, empty casks?" "The same freighter, just forwards, and we're Señor Braganza's sole agent in this country, with the agency and the return freight." " But no cash." " It's only a matter of time." "But who's going to pay to vittle this ship?" "Have you thought of harbour dues?" "Stowage?" "There's more to being a ship owner than weaving your fancy strut." "How have you managed without my cooking?" "I've lived on hard tack most of my life." "Wedding dress." "Seems a pity to take it ashore." " Who's gonna pay the rent?" " Rent?" "Well, he's not reckoning on living in my house rent free, I hope." "You can't unload a barrel, Captain, unless your harbour dues are paid." "And we'll not have the wharf used for stowage either." " What line is this, if you please?" " The Onedin line." "Onedin?" "Never heard of it." "Portugais casks out there, aren't they, Mr Callon's trade?" " We have the concession now." " Then you'll have to see your owners, Captain." " I'm the owner." " Oh?" "Right, sir, if you'd just step down to the office." " I'll give you a letter of credit." " Credit?" "No credit on harbour dues, sir." "The line's not even listed." "Well, it will be." "You'll have to come to the office." "What tonnage is she?" "220." "By the ton that will be 33 pounds on the berth...by the week, sir." "I've not had time to see my bankers yet." "I'm sorry, sir, but not a cask can be shifted until you've paid at least a cash deposit against the balance." "And the balance to be paid before you open out." "Well, how much will this deposit be, eh?" "Er, 15 sovereigns, sir." " Will you come to the office now?" " I'll be with you presently." "Very good, sir." "I'm sorry but those casks will have to come off the jetty." " Baines?" "!" " Sir!" "Pick those casks up again from the jetty." " We've only just put them ashore, sir." " Well, bring them back on board again!" "Oh, and has that man from Watson's come yet?" " Not a sign, Jim." " Ah, I said this parcel was urgent!" "My urgency, not his." " So, he brought you nothing then?" " He's brought himself." "You are not going to come to me with nothing, I'll tell you that straight." " Have you any money on you?" " Not a ha'penny." "I'm still out of pocket over the wedding." "Well, I hope when you get home, you'll both still have the clothes you stand up in." " He's asking for rent." " No harm in his asking." "He'll be glad enough with something more to complain of." "And me to cook for him." " What's the matter?" "How much cash have you got?" " We have the agency." " No, cash." " 30 shillings." " I have a sovereign." "That's two and a half, I need 15." "Harbour authorities want cash against their dues and the balance before we clear." " When have we to pay?" " Now!" "In a way he's right." "I was Callon's captain..." "I got dues to pay, office ashore did all that." " I'll warrant Callon has credit." " And us?" "Cash now, or the casks re-loaded." "You can't put the line ashore without some financial obligation." "They'll spite you before you've a chance to clear." " For shame!" " What?" " Hangdog for 12 sovereigns?" "!" " 12 and a half." "We cannot raise 12 and a half sovereigns, we're a poor lot." " I've your mother's rings for a start." " Your mother's rings?" "If it's cash now, I'll go ashore." " And pawn?" " Should I mope here instead?" " I will not see you walk that road so soon." " Did you not think it likely?" "Owning a ship is different from captaincy." "I had the vision for the profits and the details..." "Not these details!" "Our details, no more." "And what's this, "I had"?" "Have we not taken the agency from under Callon's nose?" "If he has any say with the harbour board, 'tis petty malice, naught else." " The agency is ours, signed." " Aye, true." "Well then, enough of this malingering." "It wasn't for this that I sewed a house flag or married or became partner." "Well, come on, we shall have to buckle too." "Now, have you any jewellery yourself?" "Hm, nothing that glitters." "What?" "My partner's my only adornment." "Mr Watson's come himself, Captain." " Himself!" " Show him aboard." " Oh, and Baines..." " Sir?" "Be so good as to give my wife a hand with her luggage." "Aye aye, sir." "I'll say it myself, got some of me self-respect back and you've letters to write." " And your cargo to chase." " Yeah, and Robert to see, profitless." " I'd quite forgotten Robert." " Well, he won't have forgotten us." "As long as your courage does not ebb again." "And polish your mother's rings." " I think not yet." "Ah, Captain Onedin." "Mr Watson, good afternoon." "My parcel's not fully loaded." "Six casks to complete it." "They were awaiting your clerk." "I always deal with the principal in a new agency." "You're returning Braganza's casks as well, I hear." "New idea, that." "Well, we're always pleased to welcome new ideas in an expanding business." "Now, you'll be wanting your credit note." "Er, I'd prefer cash." "Cash?" "Hmm, cash is very unusual, let me see." "10% of the consignment is nine pounds, ten..." "I can't let you have cash without a discount." " You couldn't?" " Oh, come now, Captain, you're inexperienced in these matters." "Small as the amount is, the principle's the same." "Cash in lieu of a 30-day credit note, let see me..." "I shall expect 2% discount for cash." "I take it you mean cash now?" "Er, yes." "Well, let me see, that's 190 shillings, nine pound..." "That's four shillings." "Are you sure you want me to trifle with such sums?" "Quite sure." "Oh well, let me see, there's nine pounds ten, less four shillings is nine pounds six." " Call it nine pounds." " Call it nine, six." "You're hard pressed, Captain?" "Your parcel was made out as a matter of urgency." "That's seven, eight, nine pounds and six shillings." "Callon been at the harbour board, eh?" "I've no idea." "He's one of the trustees, you know." " Good day to you, Captain." " Good day." " Am I to load the dray, sir?" " Yes." "How soon can we turn around?" " Turn around?" "Have we a cargo?" " No, but we must get a cask cargo fast." "Now, look, if we ship light to Cork, we could undercut the packet steamers with emigrants." " How soon can we turn round?" " That depends on the merchant, sir." "Well, have to be within the week." "Pick 'em up on the jolly boat, that'll save dues in Cork." "I'll be in the harbour office and we can slip and return without any fuss." "I'll tell them that we need to, er, put on new sails, try them out outside." " What about crew, sir?" " Three men and a lad should do it." "Aye aye, sir." "..without so much as a by your leave, they're here." "Will your brother find a place for them?" "Robert's all agog to hear the news of the voyage." "I'm here to see the bride." "Penniless, the lot of 'em." " I'm dry." "I'll take myself round the corner." " I thought you would." "And mind you take him up to your own bunk, my room's to remain unchanged." " Yes, Father." " And nothing's to be altered here, mind that." "Miss Onedin." "The bride's returned then?" "Yes." "But I haven't a minute to chat, I've letters to write all over." "James fell sick with fever and I had to navigate as best I could." "And now I'm clerk for the agency." "You must forgive the untidiness of things, the housewife must come last." "Well, you look well on it." "I'd no more be single again than..." "Well I must guard my tongue, lest I give too much away." " No regrets at all?" " None whatsoever." "If I hadn't gone aboard, I'd have just sat about here, waiting for his return." "And you?" "What news of Daniel Fogarty?" "He's on his way home form Falmouth." "You must pine for him." "That's my life now, forever waiting for Daniel to come home." " He's bound to get a command soon..." " And then we'll marry, I know." "Any sign of Mr Frazer?" "He asked me to accompany him to the opera but the family prevailed." "I hoped he'd call again, but he hasn't." " What is it?" " You look so happy." "Yes, I suppose I am." "So there's...there's nothing." "No profit at all for me, then." "As you see, the contract states, "half the profits of the voyage."" " The one voyage?" "!" " The profits were none." " You swindled me!" " Not I!" "You were offered a partnership in full but you'd not help me buy the Charlotte Rhodes," " so I made my own arrangements." " Yes, marrying that woman to secure the ship." "I gave you 150 sovereigns to refit and vittle." "And said nothing about paying the allowment note to seamen's wives the day they fell due." "How do you think I felt?" "There with children to feed and me with no money to pay them." "I thought they'd be more than enough." "Don't make matters worse by lying to me, James." "You put me in debt and brought not a penny back." "Not a penny!" " It's a disaster and more fool I." " Not so!" "Look, we have the agency from under Callon's nose," "Braganza signed, it's settled." "We handle all his wine exclusively, and what's more, we'll return the empty casks at the same rate as full ones." "Nobody ever thought of that before." " Yes, but you have no cash!" " Yet." "Yes, but you have not even got a beginning." "If you are to return his empty casks, you'll have to collect his empties from all over the country and where are you gonna keep them?" "No!" "I'm not having them in that there shop!" "Calm yourself, Robert, leave it to me." "Now look, first of all we store them aboard the ship as the space is vacated." "Eh?" "'Twill be like empties in a shop." "Anne's writing now to the wholesalers and as they increase in numbers so we shall have to get a warehouse." " A warehouse!" " Well then, a shed at first." " Then a warehouse." " With what?" "No, don't tell me, I don't want to know." "One venture and nothing gained." "Well, I'm out." " Yeah, I thought so." " You thought right." " All your eggs in one basket." " Ah, father's phrase." "Well, what if the Charlotte Rhodes is sunk, delayed, or broke up?" " I can charter ships..." " Charter." "Lay off against that eventuality." "I do not think in terms of just one ship but many." "And the agency's the kernel of it." "Now that's the main chance, and I seized it." "But what are you going to do for cash?" "Well, the ship will work." "she's bound now for Cork, emigrants." "Emigrants!" "There's no profit in them." "What?" "At a shilling a head, a moveable cargo?" "They've legs, and feed themselves!" " And women and children?" " Well, sixpence for children." "Oh, where will it end, James, where will it end?" "!" "For you, Robert if you had the nerve at something more than a chandler's begging bowl!" "James, why are you so anxious to have me as a partner, eh?" " Why?" " You're my brother, Robert." "Who else should I want as a partner?" "But..." "But why do you want a partner?" "You manage your affairs - or mismanage them more like - very well enough as it is." "No, you want somebody to stay here and pacify your creditors while you are away at sea." "You want to be free to play the big merchant to the fancy sea captain, while I stay behind and take all the knocks." "Well, no thank you!" "I've just left your wife with 70 letters to write." "70 letters?" "The wine wholesalers, Braganza's customers." " Where's Sarah?" " She's lying down." "How is Sarah, eh?" "Seven months gone." "And I had a raging toothache last night." "It's witchcraft that's what it is, it's witchcraft." "Has Albert Frazer called on Elizabeth while I've been away?" "No." "Why this sudden interest in Albert Frazer?" "His father employs carriers with all his timber yards." "Ships pour in from the Baltic all laden with Frazer's timber." "Mm, why should he give you the trade, eh?" "Indeed, why should he?" "Has Daniel Fogarty come home yet?" "What made you ask?" "Her face long as a fiddle." "Mr Fogarty, I'll not haze a crew a day from home, it's too close." " They've no grievance, sir." " There's no water." " We've water enough, sir." " Contaminated." "I said we'd heave to." "Hail a passing ship at dawn." "One cast will do it." "It was a mistake to stow paraffin where we did." "Paraffin and water never harmed a fly, sir." "What's the loss of one day to a sweet-tempered crew?" "They'll sign on again." "We've no hurry." " I've a lady waiting." " Ah, well." "Mine's home too." "With permission, the cock of the fo'c's'le's the root of the matter." " Ginger Flynn." " He moves, they'll all move." "Mmm..." "He's a hard man." "And a thick one." "Leave him to me, sir." " I don't want a mark on him, mind." " Not a mark that's visible." "Permission?" " Here's trouble." "Mr Flynn?" " Mr Fogarty." " I've a mind to raise half a watch." "Ach, no." "Can't work without water." "The captain says hold still till dawn till we sight an outward bounder." "Who can't work without water?" "Men that's just been promised all night in." "Unless there's volunteers." " And there's not like to be none." " Unless you do." " Not without water." "Delicate, are you?" "Heck, no." "Can't be roused." "Or fancy a wager - a night's work for a bed." " Not interested." " Scared of a drop of oil, then?" " You try it." " I mean to." "I'm in a hurry to be home." "I'll wager, I'll drink you two for one, and a bottle of grog for a night's work." "Half a watch." "Here's the water." " Who'd drink that stuff?" " You and me, two for one." "Go on, Ginger, he's got the grog in his pocket." "The same as for me as for you." "Here's the bottle." " No, you could never drink that stuff." " Twice as much as you." " And work?" "!" " And work." "Rope for rope along side you." "But you know you'll drop." "You'll drop first." " Go on, Ginger, he'll choke his self." " Go on, man, have a go!" "Go on, try it, Ginge." " And the grog is mine?" " To split." " You pour." " Go on, Ginge." " Go on, lad." " You show him." "He's a man, eh?" "He's a man." " Come on, Ginge, show him." " Come on, Ginger." " Now you." " Ah." "Now you said two to one, eh?" "I'll follow." "Fair." " Go on, down you go, Ginge." " Go on, straight down." " That's it." " Go on, Ginge." " Well done!" " Come on, Ginge." " Good lad, Ginge!" " That was a grand one." "Now I pour." "Oh, God." "Now you." " Come on, Ginge." " Come on, Ginge, down it." "Show him you can do it." "I can't drink the water!" "I'd rather work!" "Now then!" "Who's to split the bottle?" "Over here, Mr Fogarty, Sir." "My cabin, the moment we dock." "Hard knock." "I can't drink that stuff." "I drunk yonder, now I'm going to work yonder." " Lay two!" " Ah, Ginger you lost!" "I drunk him drink for drink but I took the second cup." "The second cup?" "Paraffin settles on water." "Though I drank him two to one, he'd the scum and more in his share." "I couldn't drink either." "I'd eaten just a pound of fat for lining just in case." "And all for the sight of a pretty face." "Mr Frazer, you've been here half the morning." "And not progressed beyond Mister." " Would that I were a knight." " What difference would that make?" "At least Sir Albert has a more of a ring to it than the unfortunate Mr Frazer." "Why unfortunate?" "Because you continually remind me of how long I've been here." "I've done it but once, and anyway I'm bespoke, as you've been reminded." "To Captain Fogarty?" "He's not captain yet, but he's home from sea and calling here," " so take care." " Another rebuff?" "And will you be boatswain, shanty man and watch keeper like Anne there?" " I can hardly picture it." " Nor I." "The salt air plays havoc with the hands..." " ..and yours are so fine and delicate." " If you'll excuse me." " Er, no." "Mr Frazer, I am to lunch with my fiancé and I haven't even changed." "We're to join his employer, Mr Callon." " Business?" " Why, yes." " A business lunch and you?" " Is that so strange?" "My fiancé's promised a command." "Many mates would give a year's pay to be on social terms with their owners." " Oh, dear." " What is it?" "I did not think that you would devote yourself so slavishly to profit." "One in the family is bad enough." "Mr Frazer, you forget yourself." "If only I did." "I have an obsession, you see, and the only way to deal with one obsession is to substitute it with another." " You bewilder me." " It's you who bewilder me." "When I'm in haste, I've no time to flirt." "A lady who has no time to flirt is hardly alive." " My fiancé's almost due." " Ah." "I feared you were under someone's thumb." " I'm under no one's thumb." " And irritated now?" " Yes!" " You're angry... because I dared to suggest that there is something else in life, other than arranged marriages, business luncheons and appointments conceived for no other purpose than private gain." " Mr Frazer..." " And before you interrupt me..." "Oh, you look so pretty when you're angry." "Let me tell you further, you're angry because underneath me banter" "I dare to suggest one more thing, and that is, that another's happiness, the true fulfilment of a lovely human being, should always be declared importantly and at once." "I have, as James would say, wasted a morning." "But I think not." "I have at last declared meself." "There are other points to the compass besides profit and loss." "He-e-e-ed." "Your wife is kindly teaching me to read, you see." "He-e-e-ead." "Hedge...hog!" " Hedgehog." " Hedgehog." "That's right, look there's a picture of it just after the squirrel." "Baltic?" " Going after timber now, are we?" " That depends on Mr Albert Frazer." "Well she's been called often enough, but she's dallied all morning." "Elizabeth!" " Elizabeth, Daniel's waiting!" " I've had to wait long enough for him." "At last." "Whose is this?" " Please don't finger it." " Finger it?" "!" " If you rub against the nap, it marks." " I'll mark it." "Please, it's not made of sail cloth." " I've half a mind to..." " Pray control yourself, give it to me." " Whose is it?" " It belongs to Mr Frazer." "Him again?" "!" "Then he can pick it up!" "What was he doing here?" "He called to see Robert." "He's very amusing." "Didn't you say we're to meet for lunch?" "Why weren't you changed and ready?" "Well, answer me!" "Has Frazer stolen your tongue as well as your sense of obligation?" "Most important meeting of my career you're late, and made me into a foul humour!" "Days at sea and then home to this!" "I dare say you've not given one thought to what might be said." " Said?" " At lunch." "Mr Callon is my employer!" "You might at least give thought of things to say!" "It's important he's amused and taken with us." "Taken with us!" "Commands are not easy to come by." "Ship's captains are no longer required to be plain sailing masters and nowt else." "Owners want men you can negotiate and mix socially." "Socially!" "That's why married men are all the more desirable." "They've more to come home to and have more to skimp for." "This luncheon's an honour and Mr Callon's was of finding out." "If we leave now we'll be on time, Just!" "Step lively, then." "My appetite's deserted me." "The food's not important." "I've nothing to say that's amusing." "Be there, it's enough." "And if I say no?" "Elizabeth, you've maddened me enough, we'll not be spared the expense of a cab as it is." "No." " Elizabeth..." " I'm not coming." "There's time for tantrums after, I'm in a haste." "No!" " Have you forgotten we're bespoke?" " In name." "Please, say what you wish - attack me, malign me, sing your pretty gentleman's praises." "I'll even buy me a fancy hat." "But after one o'clock." "I beg of you, if I'm boorish it's because I'm ill at ease and no hand at title-tattle and we've discussed all that." "But now, please." "You're late for your luncheon, you two." "She's in a tantrum." "I am not in a tantrum!" "I'll summon a cab." "I'm not going and that's that." "Now come on, this family has offended Callon enough as it is!" "Muddle yourself off and no more said, go on." " I've no appetite for lunch." " But Daniel..." " Nor him either!" " Elizabeth!" "Come on." " You remove your jacket?" " Well?" "Ship's masters may remove their jacket but not ship's owners." "Robert's still undecided about the partnership?" "If, but and maybe." "I've been to see Albert Frazer." " I've arranged to meet him again." " The Baltic trade?" " He talks of nothing but Elizabeth." " Oh?" "Hm, Frazers are well established and not only in shipbuilding." "They're insurers, have shares in ships, a staff of over a hundred, excluding sawyers." " There's a wage bill." " Mm." " Father?" " Yeah?" "You began without me, I see." "Shirtsleeves!" " Normally we say Grace." " We never did on weekdays." "Eat while it's hot." "It's too blamed hot." "I wonder you didn't bring your casks home with you." " Have you cleared them yet?" " Last batch today." " Cash or credit?" " Whichever is preferred." " And what next?" " Mm." "Short voyage." " Cash trade?" " Mm-hm." " Thought so." "Where?" " Let him have a moment's peace." "Well, it's my ship or was." "Your dish will be cool now, try it." "Very good, very good." "But you'll not get around me, I warn you." "Well?" "Is it to your liking?" "I've more room to cook here than on board." "I thought perhaps it was too savoury." "So long as it'll not interrupt the afternoon's labours." "Salt tart tomorrow then." "Yeah, it's better than he deserves." "Well, I was thinking of Elizabeth." "I doubt she can cook so well." "Oh, it is to your liking, then?" "Not bad." "You'll be billing and cooing by Christmas." "You see, I place a great emphasis on my captain's ladies." "A man's wife should be a reflection of himself and vice versa, of course." "Er, indisposed you say?" "I'm afraid so, Mr Callon." " Hmm." "Sickly is she?" " Just a turn." " Local lass?" " Yes." " Hmm." " This Miss..." "It is Miss, isn't it?" "Onedin." "James Onedin's sister?" " Yes." " No!" "Mr Callon, I can give you my full attention..." "Go away and come back later." "You know what you're doing, don't you?" "I say that because I have a very high opinion of you." "If you haven't captain's braid within a voyage, you've only yourself to blame." " Voyage?" "!" " As close as that, yes." "I've had reports of you from every shipmaster you've worked under, and there's not one of them's not been first class." "But I can see I shall have to tread lightly." "I think perhaps we'd better have some lubrication." "Bring us a bottle of red and none of your Portugais muck." "French." "Certainly, sir." "An Onedin, eh?" "Mm." "I know James has given you cause for offence, Mr Callon, but..." "Oh, say no more about that, that's dealt with, or will be as soon as I get round to flea bites." "No, it's you I'm thinking of, my boy." "So she's James Onedin's sister." " Can't have a word said against her, Mr Callon." " I know, and I respect you for that." " But..." " But?" "Well, it's a little delicate." "Hm?" "Pour it, I can't drink through glass." "She's not, er, indisposed on Master James' account, is she?" "I don't understand you, Mr Callon." "Well, he's strapped to the boot laces for cash." "He had to pay harbour dues with foreign currency practically." "Didn't you know that?" " No." " And now he's chasing after Jack Frazer's son." " Albert Frazer?" " Mm." "With a view to getting his nose into the Baltic trade." "Oh, he's fly is our Master James." "He got his ship with a wife, and, putting it bluntly, who knows what he'd do with his sister?" "Indisposed, you say?" "Mm, well it's grieving to both of us to talk this way, so I'll stop it." "Now, business." "Supposing you're carrying ballast in a big, full-rigged ship, er, 2000 tons or so of shingles for ballast." " List of precautions, one two, three." " Er, shingle?" "Quick, now." " The ballast must not be carried too low." " Right." "The ballast box must be strong at the fore and aft ends." "And that the surface of the ballast should be smoothed off, covered with timber and between deck beams." "To the letter." "Oh, you don't happen to know what cargo" "James Onedin is carrying next, do you?" "No." "Well, I think perhaps we better order." "Erm, clams, I think?" "I like clams for captains, and I know one captain who's going to have a very busy afternoon." "We can't have them aboard, we've just unshipped." "We can't leave them on the jetty." "Mr Watson told me to get 'em on board today." "Can't put them on the jetty either." "I had to go up to Callon's yard to get the extras, his express orders." "He says they'll have to come aboard and they've gone and got extras from Callon's yard as well." " But why?" " Simple." "Callon's flooding us with empty casks so that we can't work the ship." " Can't you store them?" " My brother hasn't got room." " Rent a warehouse." " Aye, we haven't got around to that yet." "Then you must." "Can't take them to Ireland." "You can leave them in my yard for a week." "My father wouldn't want to offend Callon but he's away." " Do you mean that?" " For a week, that's it." "I know." " Right, tell the drayman to look sharp." " No." "No, let me." "Thank you very much, sir." "Easy when you know how." "You better come up yourself and see them stow." " I've other things to discuss." " I'm obliged to you, Frazer." "You can't blame Callon, you know." "You did take the wine contract away from him." "You better slip on tomorrow tide and stay on board as watchman tonight." "Pray do not think me flirtatious when I am but gay." "Eager to please when the mood suits me, and you are you, never seen but with the worries of the sea upon you, brusque with your manner of your calling that I know so well." "And sometimes, forgive me, tire of." "Born as we are into our circumstances, we can help ourselves but little, and yet, please do remember, dear Daniel, it is the man to whom I am bespoke not the master." "Ships, courses and customs only take you further away from me." "Can I come in?" "Goodness, now you're a chimney sweep as well!" "Oh, I didn't expect you." "Robert said James was seeing Albert Frazer, I've brought his hat." "His hat?" "He called, and left it behind this morning." " They're at the ship." " Oh." "And I'm busy." "I best go, then." "You better not go to the dock dressed so." " Why ever not?" " For fear of..." "What?" "!" "Please yourself." "You'd make a skivvy of yourself for a man." " You'd do anything." " I make my way best I can." "Went about an hour ago, Mr Frazer and your brother." " Will they be back?" " I shouldn't think so, I'm left as watchman." "I wanted to go ashore meself as well." "Did you come down here on your own, miss?" " Yes." " It will be dark before you're back." "Well, I'm perfectly capable of..." "Not down here, miss, there's a clipper from Frisco just put in further along." "It'll be wild tonight along the dock." "Nonsense, I shall return the way I came." "The captain'd have my life for letting you go, miss." "Am I to spend the night here?" "Well, not the night, but if you care to sit I'll brew up, and call a cab to take you back later." "Can't you call me one now?" "Oh, the cabs won't come near this part the dock the clipper's paid off." "You just give it an hour to settle, then I'll take another look." "An hour?" "Oh, bother!" "Mrs Onedin gave me a start in the book learning, the shape of words and that." "There's..." "There's one or two here I can't quite make head nor tail of." "Oh, very well." "Out?" "Where?" "Oh, she's returning Mr Frazer's hat." "My, you come in with a command, then?" "Or your luncheon drive you to the tailors?" "Keep your quips, I want to know where your sister is!" "Mr Fogarty, I'm the head of this household and I am responsible..." "Where is she, man?" "She went to see Anne at Captain Webster's." "Keep your fo'c's'le manners for where they belong!" ""And then...the..." ""cat said..." ""oh..."" "I see absolutely no reason why you can't call me a cab at once!" "All right, miss, I'll go and take another look." "I should be perfectly safe here, you can secure the door behind you." "Very well, miss." "Who is it?" " Oh..." " I went to Robert's and saw Anne." "Did Albert Frazer turn you away?" "Too busy?" "I'll thank you to mind your manners." "Is that all?" "And I've done myself up like a powder puff." " I ordered Mr Baines to get me a cab." " Countermanded." " I gave him a shilling." " And I gave him two shillings!" " I distinctly told him..." " He thought us bespoke." "Very well, you can take me home." "Am I to be grateful for that, and nothing more to say?" "I thought first I'd tell her what I think of her." "I went to my lodgings, I found your letters, and I read them over." "Oh, not that I haven't I read them a hundred times." "Every port I touch, seems a bolt put out or a point sighted when I think of... letters from her." "An awful lie, I thought." " We can talk about it again." " No, now." " Not here, please." " Here!" "I've got a thousand things I don't mind telling you." "A change in the wind, that's what's come over her." " A sea change." " It's nothing to do with the sea." "Oh, well." "I put myself to great expense with the fancy dress then." " I didn't ask you." " No, but I did, more fool I again." "Oh, please, Daniel!" "Tall hat and a sideboard." "There's a sore sight for a sailor man." " It has nothing..." " Nothing to do with the sea!" "You've no business to order me about." "That you should behave like a slut!" "If you knew how much you meant to me." "It was a seaman you got yourself bespoke to, a seaman you penned your letters to and a seaman you let down and if that's not a slut's behaviour, I don't know what is." "I'll not be owned, paraded as a possession!" " You'll stand to it and like it!" " How dare you!" "And then it came to me, it's James' doing." "It's nothing to do with James!" "The Frazers' yard's not bespoke then?" "Didn't James marry the very strip we stand in in the cause of profit?" "And he'd have you do the same." "What's the sacrifice of a sister for a shipyard when Frazer has no brothers?" "You're worse than a slut, you're a fool as well!" "I'm surprised he hasn't offered me discount on me ring." "Here, take these to get a better grip with, there's enough lies in 'em." "If you were a common woman, you'd have more stick and thrived on it I dare say." "As every second passes you make me dislike you all the more." "Aye, and me too." " Please take me home, we'll..." " We'll what?" "We'll say it was a mistake." "Part civilised and harm ourselves no more." "I..." "I never wrote to you." "I'm sorry." "I am sorry." "This morning I was dressed and ready but I'll not be used." "And Mr Frazer pleases me, that's true." "If you understand anything, can't you see how sick I am of the chandler's shop and all the commerce of the sea?" "If you'd never yearned to go to other places, you'd never have sailed away, and me too." "But to be courted is not commanded." "Do I go back...for your own safety?" "No, because you're an oaf." "You think your letters went unread." "Others see the captain," "I see the scrubbed orphan with his plate outstretched the waif of the board school, parentless and graceless, bandied about the wild like so much chaff." "I never whine of that." "It is your only commendation." "Do I come back?" "Just torture me further?" "No, because you are a man...and a fool." "Well, you are a man and I dare say I'll never meet one more honest." "Then we'll marry?" "No." "Oh, Elizabeth." "There are things we never speak of, and daren't, but for all our silence sometimes we know," "and I dare say our compassion is as good a reason as any." "Reason for what?" "For ending our ignorance of each other." "Will Albert Frazer charge you for storing the casks?" "More than predisposed to help." " Lucky then, twice over." " Your mother's rings are safe yet." "And your sister's?" "If you don't want to go in alone, I..." "No, I'd rather." " Good night, Daniel." " Good night." "Let go aft, haul in stand rope." "All gone aft." "Albert Frazer's hat." "You might return it to him." "I'm sure you welcome any opportunity for words with such an influential man." "Sail your own ship, James, Elizabeth and I can manage our own affairs." " If Elizabeth chooses to marry you." " She has chosen." "Good morning to you."