Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
   Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May.
   And summer's lease hath all too short a date:
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
   And often is his gold complexion dimmed;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
   By chance, or nature's changing course untrimmed;
But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
   Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest,
Nor shall death brag thou wanderest in his shade,
   When in eternal lines to time thou growest;
      So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,
      So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

~ William Shakespeare ~

The Indefatigable is en route to England, having recently been engaged in bloody battle with the French Navy off the continent. Shore leave has been ordered for the crew while the frigate is to undergo much needed repairs at Plymouth harbour.

"What do you suppose he wants to see us about, Horatio?" Archie was rather animated as they rounded the last corner on the officer's deck. While Horatio was called to the Captain's quarters frequently, he himself had only been summoned there on a few occasions; usually when the Indy had been sent on a mission and he had been given instructions for his division. Maybe they would finally be sailing to the West Indies after all? On the other hand, that would cancel their shore leave...

Archie knew he was beginning to worry unreasonably again, but he seemed unable to stop that particular habit.

Horatio cleared his throat, determined not to be infected with his friend's undue excitement. "I have no idea, Archie. But I think we ought to wait and find out before we get too frantic, don't you?"

"Easy for you to say. He calls you to his quarters all the time," Archie muttered, but grinned facetiously when Horatio gave him a questioning glare. "Never mind. You're quite right, Horatio."

Horatio decided to ignore the insinuation, for unfortunately, that was all it was. "Well, here we are."

They stopped and straightened out their uniforms before Horatio knocked on the Captain's door, waiting for the familiar, "Come!"

"The three of us, Sir?" Archie asked, his voice at a slightly higher pitch than usual.

"Yes, Mister Kennedy. The three of us." Captain Pellew handed the letter across the table and Horatio quickly grasped it before Archie could get hold of it.

It was written on the finest parchment paper in perfectly lovely script. Addressed to Captain Sir Edward Pellew of the Indefatigable and his officers Horatio Hornblower Esquire and Archie Kennedy Esquire, it was an invitation - one which was extended to all three of them to spend their upcoming shore leave in England at Edrington Manor near Plymouth.

"Sir?" Horatio was duly surprised. And rather pleased as well. He thought about the young aristocrat often and deeply regretted that he had only been with them so briefly. To make matters worse, during the short time they had spent in each others' company they had been involved in battle during that ill-fated Muzillac mission. He shuddered.

"Are you alright, Mister Hornblower?" the Captain asked, frowning.

"Yes, Sir. Just a little chill." Horatio straightened himself up. "Will we be accepting the invitation, Sir?" he asked, hoping not to sound too eager. Bad enough Archie was fidgeting next to him like an over-excited child.

"That is why I called you, gentlemen. I would neither accept nor reject it without discussing it with you both, as you have undoubtedly made plans for your shore leave already. Mister Hornblower, I believe you have family near Plymouth?"

Horatio nodded. "An aunt, Sir, whom I would like to visit if time permits. And I feel certain she would be honoured to meet you, Captain."

"Hmm..." Captain Pellew looked a little nervous for a moment but quickly regained his bearings. "How about you, Mister Kennedy?"

Even from the corner of his eyes, Horatio could tell that Archie was smiling. "Certainly, Captain. I would love to see the Major again."

Pellew nodded. "In that case, I shall respond favorably to the letter in all of our names, accepting the invitation. We should make anchor at Plymouth within two days." He looked up at them. "Thank you, gentlemen. That will be all."

"Sir." Horatio nodded and left, waiting for Archie outside the door.

"What do you think of that, Horatio?" Archie asked. "I have never stayed at a country manor before."

"Neither have I," Horatio admitted. Although the manor was not the part of his shore leave he would be looking forward to the most.

Meanwhile back inside, Captain Pellew groaned and rested his head in his hands. "Oh, damn the Earl to hell and back!" he exclaimed once the door had shut behind his officers.