Amanda Grange - Captain Wentworth’s Diary

At last I am on my way to Somerset!

Harville and I travelled from the coast together, marvelling at how strange it was to see green fields as we went along, rather than the blue sea. Apart from the ground’s alarming tendency to stay still beneath us, instead of rolling and dipping like an honest element, the journey was not uncomfortable, and we managed to while away the time by regaling two governesses, the Miss Browns, with our recent adventures at sea. Or rather, I did, for Harville said little, and it fell upon me to astonish them with tales of the dangers we had passed through in our efforts to protect them from the French. I was rewarded by their horrified gasps and grateful thanks.

As they left the coach, I rallied Harville, telling him he was a fool to exchange the smiles of a country full of women for the shackles of one, and asking him if the elder Miss Brown was not the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. He acknowledged that she was very pretty, but not as pretty as his Harriet, and he would not be dissuaded; he is still determined to ask her to marry him as soon as he gets home.

We found a comfortable berth at the Cow and Calf, and now here I am in my room, sitting by the open window, looking out over fields. I have not yet accustomed myself to the country, with its rich smell of flowers and grass. It seems strange to me after the salt tang of the sea, but I will grow used to it before long, I dare say, and I have no doubt I will soon be revelling in the joys of shore leave.

Harville and I made a good breakfast, and then we parted, he to go to Wiltshire, and I to go to Monkford. He left first, on the stage, and I had to wait an hour for the coach that was to carry me onwards. It arrived at the inn in a great hurry, pausing only long enough to change horses, disgorge three passengers, take up two more, myself and a young man who sat outside, and then depart at the same riotous pace. I took my place inside, being in funds, and was soon thrown about by the speed and the poor condition of the road, but as a very pretty farmer’s daughter was thrown into my lap I could not regret it. Her mother looked at me disapprovingly, but we could none of us help laughing when another pothole sent her into my lap as well! Restraint being thus broken, we began to talk, and it soon emerged that they had a cousin at sea. The time passed quickly as we talked of battles and promotion, and it was a surprise to me when it was time for me to leave the stage.

I looked about me, to get my bearings, and found I had some distance to cover on foot, but I was glad of the exercise after spending so long confined. I passed through Uppercross, which I had expected to be larger from my brother’s description, but which turned out to be merely a moderate-sized village, with yeomen’s houses, a high-walled mansion, and a parsonage. I wondered if my brother lived in something similar, and hoped it was so, for although the parsonage was a small house, it had its own neat garden, with a vine and a pear tree trained round the casements.

I came at last to Monkford, and found myself a subject of interest to the two dames and three little boys I passed, the latter falling into line some way behind me. I looked about me for my brother’s house, and at last I asked a gentleman coming towards me where Mr Wentworth, the curate, lived. He gave me directions, and I soon found myself at the gate.

My eye ran over the house with interest. It was not as fine as the parsonage at Uppercross, being much smaller, and without a vine, but it had a good aspect, and I was in high spirits as I knocked at the door. The servant answered and told me that his master was not at home, having not known exactly when to expect me, but that he could be found in the church. I left my belongings in the hall and went in search of him.

The church was a modest size, but in a good state of repair, which spoke well of its parishioners. As I went in, Edward saw me and gave me a hearty welcome. He finished his business, and then we left the church together.

As we walked back to his house along the dusty road, I told him all my news, of the ships I had sailed in and the captains I had sailed under, of the battle of St Domingo and my promotion to commander, and in return I listened to his tales of sermons and services, of neighbours and parishioners. I could not help laughing at the difference.

‘What! One of your neighbours climbed over your wall uninvited last month? What a calamity! I do not know how you survived the excitement!’

‘A pretty time you have had of it!’ Edward retorted. ‘Never knowing where you would be in a few hours’ time, and whether you would be alive or dead. I would rather be safe in my parish with my garden and my books, my home and my church, than tossing about on the open sea in a flimsy wooden boat. You were always the bold one, Frederick.’

‘And why not? The war has made it possible for men of ability and ambition to rise in the world, and I mean to use the opportunities it has given me to make my fortune. Ah! the limitless horizons, both at sea and on land, the battles to be fought, the prizes to be won. I will be a wealthy man soon, and I mean to own an estate before I am done.’

‘And then be off again the minute you have bought it! You will never settle on land, you will find it too dull. I believe you will scarcely be able to tolerate your shore leave. I can offer you no battles, unless you wish to frighten my parishioners into listening to my sermons instead of whispering about each other’s bonnets, and I can offer you no glory, save the glory of being a novelty, to be examined and talked over like a prize bull at a fair.’

‘It is enough. I have had my fill of battles for the time being, and I am ready for variety. A man may grow weary of the sea as well as anything else, and I will fight all the better for the change. Besides, I mean to enjoy myself whilst I am here, and to do all the things I cannot do on board ship. I mean to ride and walk and explore the countryside, and I am looking forward to meeting your neighbours. You have told me a great deal about them in your letters and I cannot wait to make their acquaintance. I hope there are some pretty girls hereabouts!’

‘I have never noticed.’

‘Come, now, even a curate notices a pretty face,’ I said.

‘If you had been plagued by every spinster from sixteen to sixty for the last twelvemonth, as I have, you would not be so eager to attract their notice. If they are not offering to arrange flowers in the church, they are baking me cakes, much to my housekeeper’s annoyance. “Do they think I don’t know how to bake a cake?” she asks. It is all I can do to keep her from leaving me; I have to soothe her ruffled feathers at least once a week.’

‘They may bake as many cakes for me as they wish, though I wonder they do not have servants to do it for them.’

‘They are most of them too poor to employ more than a maid of all work, so that most of them take their turn in the kitchen from time to time,’ said Edward.

‘And which of your spinsters is the prettiest, do you think?’

‘If you must have it, Miss Welling is thought to be very pretty, and Miss Elliot is held to be handsome. She, though, is a baronet’s daughter, and I doubt if she has ever seen the inside of a kitchen in her life. She will not pay any attention to you, commander or no. You will be beneath her notice.’

‘Ah, yes, I recollect you mentioning the Elliots. It was Sir Walter Elliot who asked you if you were a member of the Strafford Wentworths, I recollect, and cut you when you replied that you were not,’ I said.

‘He did not cut me, he simply remarked that he was astonished the names of the nobility were becoming so common, and then passed on.’

‘Fine talk, when he is nothing more than a baronet. I have no time for such people. They do nothing useful, but give themselves airs because of the achievements of their ancestors. They are a spent force.’

‘Then I pray you will tell him so, and ruin my standing in the neighbourhood.’ Edward snorted.

‘Never fear, the Navy has not rid me of all my manners, or all my common sense, but I will take the liberty of thinking it.’

Upon asking him when I might have a chance of seeing Miss Elliot for myself, he told me that we were invited to a soirée tomorrow evening, and that Sir Walter intended to grace it with his presence.

‘And has Miss Elliot any handsome sisters?’

‘Two. Miss Elliot—Elizabeth—is the eldest, after which come Miss Anne and Miss Mary, though the latter is very young and is away at school.’

‘And Miss Welling? Does she have any sisters?’

‘An elder sister, who is married, and a younger one, who is not.’

‘Splendid! Four handsome young ladies to meet. I believe I am going to enjoy my time here!’

I rose with the dawn and went to the stables, but nothing there took my fancy and I decided to buy a horse. I told my brother of my intention and he said it was hardly worth my while as I will soon be back at sea, but I was determined to have one, and I walked into Crewkherne after breakfast for that very purpose. I saw several horses, but none of them caught my eye, and I was about to walk away when Limming, who was conducting the auction there, told me of a chestnut he knew, which was to be sold on account of its owner having lost heavily at cards. He promised to have the animal for me on Monday, and I agreed to take a look at it.

When I returned to Monkford I had luncheon with my brother and I told him about the horse.

‘And can you afford it?’ he asked.

‘Of course I can. I have my prize money. I can afford ten such horses,’ I told him.

‘You do not think it too extravagant?’

‘What is money for, if not to spend and enjoy?’

‘To give to the poor,’ he said, taking another glass of wine.

‘It is a wonder to me how our mother could have had two such different sons!’ I exclaimed. ‘But to please you, brother, I will make a contribution to the poor-box. Are you satisfied?’

‘For the time being,’ he said.

After our meal, I explored the countryside whilst he attended to his duties in the parish. We met again in the evening and prepared to attend the party at the Honourable Mrs Fenning’s.

‘A new suit of clothes?’ he asked, as he cast his eye over me from head to foot when I joined him downstairs. ‘No, do not tell me,’ he said, as I opened my mouth. ‘Prize money!’

‘It is there for the taking, if a man has courage to fight for it. There are French ships just waiting to be captured, and as soon as I have my own vessel, I mean to take a dozen!’

‘You will need a steady supply if you continue to spend your money as quickly as you make it.’

I laughed at him and his caution and clapped him on the back, and told him to join the Navy and sail the seas with me. He returned with a desire that I would remain ashore and give myself to the church, and we set out for the party in perfect amity.

The Honourable Mrs Fenning’s house was a large mansion on the outskirts of Monkford, not as grand as the mansion house at Uppercross, but impressive nonetheless. I looked about me as I went in, thinking that I would like to buy something similar when I had taken a few more French ships. Mrs Fenning welcomed us cordially, and my brother and I went into the ballroom. I glanced around, and saw that there were already a number of people there.

‘And who are all these people?’ I asked my brother, then said: ‘No, let me guess.’ My eyes alighted on a good-looking man of perhaps forty or forty-five years of age. His hair was swept back in the latest fashion and he was dressed with the greatest style. ‘That must be Sir Walter Elliot,’ I said. ‘And the gentleman next to him is ... ?’

‘Mr Poole, with his daughter, Miss Poole.’ Miss Poole was a plain lady of indeterminate age. ‘And the young lady next to Sir Walter—’

‘Is his daughter Elizabeth,’ I said. ‘You are right, brother, she is very handsome.’

Edward was uncomfortable, and said with an embarrassed laugh, ‘That is not Miss Elliot. Sir Walter’s daughters are not here tonight, they are indisposed. A soaking at a picnic has given them a chill. No, the lady next to him is Miss Cordingale. We all thought he would marry Lady Russell when his wife died, for Lady Russell is a widow, they are old friends and they are of an age, but—’