Love this: He wished for a moment that he could ask Longley to have him. But it was out of the question, of course. It seemed that was one of the pleasures of youth that one must put aside when one reached the prime of life, unless one was fortunate enough to have a friend, a man of one's own station who would take either side of the equation as whim demanded. He hadn't been so fortunate for many years.
Now that's the Hornblower I know from the books. With added historical verisimilitude, as it were. And then this makes it complete:
And, really, wasn't it just his way to be brooding over the one pleasure denied him and neglecting the veritable feast laid out before him? He smiled an apology into the blue eyes.
Yes, it is just his way, and by now he's old enough to laugh at himself a little. Great characterization, as well as lovely prose. Encore!
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Love this:
He wished for a moment that he could ask Longley to have him. But it was out of the question, of course. It seemed that was one of the pleasures of youth that one must put aside when one reached the prime of life, unless one was fortunate enough to have a friend, a man of one's own station who would take either side of the equation as whim demanded. He hadn't been so fortunate for many years.
Now that's the Hornblower I know from the books. With added historical verisimilitude, as it were. And then this makes it complete:
And, really, wasn't it just his way to be brooding over the one pleasure denied him and neglecting the veritable feast laid out before him? He smiled an apology into the blue eyes.
Yes, it is just his way, and by now he's old enough to laugh at himself a little. Great characterization, as well as lovely prose.
Encore!