Matchmaker

Rating/Classification: PG, Horatio/Archie pre-slash
Word Count: 2100
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters
Summary: Eddrington speaks with Horatio and Archie

"Acting Lieutenant Kennedy, what are you doing so far from the bridge?" Lord Eddrington asked as Archie cantered toward him, expertly guiding the horse around tents and soldiers. The horse tossed its head slightly, as Archie slowed it, but he quieted it with a gentle press of his knees on its flanks.

"Hor—Lieutenant Hornblower let me take the horse out for a ride, my lord," said Archie as he dismounted, "It was restless, from lack of exercise."

Eddrington raised an eyebrow. "I daresay you were restless, too, Mr. Kennedy?" Archie blushed and Eddrington thought he saw a lip twitch. He gestured sharply at one of the soldiers, who walked over and took the horse's reins. "Walk with me a moment, Mr. Kennedy."

Archie gave Eddrington a bland look, and inclined his head. They fell into step together and walked in silence—as custom dictated, Archie waited until the officer superior in rank spoke first.

"You seem a capable horseman, Mr. Kennedy," Lord Eddrington said, after a while.

"Yes, my lord, my father's estate has both horses and hunting grounds. I learned young," Archie answered. Eddrington strained to detect whether there was some mocking in Archie's tone, but it was perfectly affable.

"Kennedy . . . is that Scottish?"

"Yes, my lord, lowland." They walked in silence for a few more minutes, circling the perimeter of the army's encampment. Archie watched men walking in step, removing their backpacks in unison, even cleaning their rifles using the same motions, and shuddered slightly. The life of a naval officer might not afford much freedom, he reflected, but certainly it was better than the stultifying routine of a soldier. Still, the precision possible on land must surely appeal to a man with Eddrington's meticulous nature.

"You are very close to Lieutenant Hornblower, are you not?" Eddrington asked. Archie noticed they were out of earshot of the rest of the camp at this point, and now the Major's path took them along the river.

"Yes, my lord, he saved my life," Archie answered, simply, his tone light.

"From what I hear, he also put it in jeopardy in the first place," Eddrington replied. Archie turned to face him for a moment, squinting uncomfortably. When Archie felt he had mastered his voice, he said, "If you know that much, my lord, you know what he did was necessary. He has more than atoned for that." Eddrington nodded in acknowledgement of this, and they continued walking.

"What are your impressions of him, of Mr. Hornblower?" Eddrington asked.

"As an officer or as a man?" Archie inquired, then before Eddrington could continue, "or perhaps they are one and the same. He is capable, inspired, and inspiring. I'm sure you've seen it yourself." Eddrington gave a half smirk, then nodded to himself.

"I must confess, Mr. Kennedy, that some of his behavior in the village has troubled me. He seems quite preoccupied, and little able to hold his tongue when silence would be most prudent," Eddrington said, surprising himself with what he was revealing to the midshipman. Having gone this far, he continued, "and then there is the business of the girl." Some suspicion made him turn his head to look at Archie as he spoke, and he was surprised to see the man's face had gone white.

Archie cleared his throat and said, as if from far away, "The girl, my lord?"

Eddrington shrugged dismissively. "Some peasant in the village, pretty enough girl, and willing enough, too I'd imagine," Eddrington continued. He glanced at Archie and saw him eyes staring hard and unseeing ahead. "What is this, Mr. Kennedy? I can see I've shocked you. Is he promised to your sister or some matter like that?" Archie merely cleared his throat, and shook his head, and Eddrington went on, "I don't think he took advantage of the girl's willingness, Mr. Kennedy. When I spoke to him yesterday, he did not have the look of satiation I would have expected, had he—what is that charming expression you sailors use—boarded her." Archie attempted a grin, which did not touch his eyes, and only curved half his mouth. He tried to find his voice again.

"I'm sure Horatio would do nothing dishonorable, my lord," he replied in a tight voice. Eddrington usually tried to stay clear of his inferiors' personal affairs, but he found himself unaccountably interested in Mr. Kennedy's sudden pallor.

"Mr. Kennedy, you look like a jilted schoolgirl. I'm sure Horatio doesn't intend to stay and marry her."

"Perhaps she will give us some useful intelligence about the enemy, my lord," said Archie, looking up now and squinting into the distance.

"I've met the girl," Eddrington replied with a short laugh, "Intelligence from her seems unlikely. I suppose all things are possible, though. I hope he doesn't do too much damage with Moncoutant, trying to save this girl from his interest." Eddrington took Archie's elbow briefly to guide his footsteps across a muddy patch and then turned their path back toward the camp. They walked in silence again for a ways, before Eddrington spoke again, "Archie—isn't that what Mr. Hornblower calls you—Archie—" Eddrington stopped walking and turned Archie to toward him, looking into his face. Archie returned the look, pain and discomfort evident on his face. Eddrington raised his eyebrows questioningly. Archie blinked hard once, tears standing out in his eyes, and nodded slightly. Eddrington sighed, and released him and they continued walking. Eddrington was silent for a while longer and they listened as the tall grass brushed by their legs and the sounds of the soldiers' camp grew louder.

As they neared the edge of the camp, Eddrington, sighed again, and said, "Mr. Kennedy, I was a boy in school once, I know something of these things." Eddrington cleared his throat, "I'm sure Mr. Hornblower is a difficult man to love."

"All too easy, I'm afraid, my lord."

"Put it from you, if you can. We all must outgrow these attachments one day."

***

Look after him, Mr. Kennedy, Eddrington had said. Now, back aboard the Indefatigable, Archie was trying to put that advice to good use. Alone in the wardroom, Archie tentatively asked, "Do you want to tell me about her, Horatio? They say that can make it easier." Horatio just turned his pained, self-accusing eyes upon Archie, and then looked away.

A few stolen kisses, some fumbles in the dark, Archie reminded himself, that's all we had. Eddrington was right. I shouldn't make it seem more than it was. But Archie could still hear the sound of Horatio breathing hard in his ear, as they embraced, roughly, in the cable tiers, and feel Horatio's lips on his. Unconsciously he rubbed his lips slowly, gazing out the window over the ocean.

Horatio watched Archie's fingers on his lips and felt his throat tighten, and looked away again. "I think I'll take a turn on the quarterdeck, Mr. Kennedy," he said, forcing some brusque cheer into his voice. Archie turned his face toward Horatio, blue eyes wide and pleading, but he said nothing, and Horatio left and went up the passage into the sunlight.

On deck Horatio found Major Lord Eddrington looking out over a spirited blue ocean, the light breeze ruffling the tail of his wavy blond queue. On seeing Horatio he nodded and saluted and Horatio did likewise. Eddrington noted Horatio's red eyes and dejected countenance and gave him a searching look. "Mr. Hornblower," he asked, "are you quite well?"

Horatio leaned back on the railing, aiming for a casual stance and failing. In a tone of assumed lightness he replied, "Yes, perfectly well. And yourself, my lord?"

Eddrington cursed himself for a fool, but couldn't stop himself from asking, "Mr. Hornblower, it is alright, Moncoutant must have been quite difficult for you. You were at the most painful end of that losing battle." Horatio nodded mutely, and Eddrington waited for him to respond. Inwardly Eddrington reflected that it was well he was not often surrounded with men approaching his own intelligence, since they brought out this overly sentimental side in him. Men were simpler in the army. He found himself far too drawn to this Hornblower, and after teasing Kennedy's secret out, had sworn to himself to worry no more about it. Still being on a ship was dreadfully boring. What had Johnson said; it was like "prison, with a chance at drowning besides"? Hearing Horatio's troubles would take up some time.

"I tried, major," Horatio blurted brokenly. Eddrington looked around the deck and saw far too many eyes on them. How a solitary man like Horatio managed in such an environment, Eddrington could not conceive.

"Let us go below to the wardroom, Mr. Hornblower," Eddrington suggested, placing a firm grip on Horatio's arm, "and for God's sake, don't get all soppy here." Horatio was, indeed, in danger of getting soppy for the second time that afternoon, the first being in private audience with the captain. Horatio drew up short.

"Archie—Mr. Kennedy is in the wardroom," he said.

"I'm sure he can be persuaded to leave, Mr. Hornblower." Mr. Kennedy had, in fact, heard them approaching, and quickly exited the wardroom. He yielded to temptation and crept around to the surgeon's cabin, and secreted himself in the closet, which shared a wall with the wardroom.

Once they were alone in the wardroom, Horatio sat down and continued, "I tried, my lord, I really did."

"You couldn't have saved her," Eddrington said automatically, find himself bored again.

"Oh, yes, that," Horatio said, "well certainly. Well, I suppose if I had carried her . . ." Eddrington had the impression that the girl was not what burdened Horatio, and his interest was fired up again.

"You tried, Mr. Hornblower?" Eddrington asked.

"Yes . . . I tried to not be . . . that is, I tried to stop. Well, Mariette wanted to . . . to give me some comfort," Horatio said, halting, and not altogether coherent. He looked at Eddrington, who sat in another chair, legs spread, elbows resting on his knees and hands clasped. His even gray eyes rested on Horatio, uncompromising, but not unkind.

"You didn't accept," Eddrington said, finishing for him, and, taking a plunge, asked, "because of Mr. Kennedy?" Mutely, numbed, Horatio nodded. Then he breathed in deeply, held it for a moment, and sighed.

"I tried to want her," Horatio said in rough, low voice that sounded unlike his own. "I tried to want her, but I found I did not. I promised to save her, and I did not. I failed her and I failed myself."

What of Mr. Kennedy, Eddrington wanted to ask, but he held his tongue.

"I failed Archie, too, back on the Justinian. I failed to save him, as I failed to save Mariette. I should have protected him better. I am unworthy of him."

"I think that Mr. Kennedy would not agree," Eddrington said dryly, "and I think he can offer you better comfort than I can." Horatio looked up, confused. Eddrington stood up and straightened his jacket, and Horatio did likewise. Eddrington grasped him by the bicep. I don't believe I'm saying this, he thought, then said, "Go to him, Horatio, he loves you as you love him. Tell him what you told me, and I think he will let you make your amends." Eddrington turned Horatio toward the door and gave him a shove out of it. Horatio stumbled briefly, and turned a charming, self-deprecating smile toward Eddrington before leaving his sight.

I am a great fool, Eddrington thought to himself, and I think I half envy Archie Kennedy right now. Then he laughed, I am better off without Horatio's moody, taciturn self-pity. He will make a gifted, marvelous, miserable captain, someday. And then he will abandon Archie again.

***

The next morning Eddrington found Horatio and Archie on deck. "Mr. Hornblower," he said in greeting, "did your affairs conclude to your satisfaction?"

Horatio nodded, and saluted, trying, and failing to hide his smile. "Yes, my lord," he said.

Eddrington smiled quickly at Archie, and took his elbow as he passed him. "That, Mr. Kennedy," he said, sotto voce, "is the look I was referring to."


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