Leaving Lisbon

Stephen's physical weakness was being replaced by a strange sleepiness, but he knew from multiple near-drownings that it was an entirely mechanical reaction and so he ignored it, leaning less heavily on des Sablières' arm and not at all on Barrow's. "Thank you; I am fine now."

"Sick bay, M'Clure. Did you stow those carboys in the hold? Packed all around with straw?" He looked up from his cabinets as he heard a familiar voice. "Capitaine, is it you?" He poked his head out through the dispensary door and smiled. His smile vanished when he saw the other visitor who had obviously fallen into the sea. "Oh sir...! Come into the sickbay."

Raoul smiled, relieved to have reached their goal. "Dr Crozier, it is, indeed. Mr Dawson gave me your note... Dr Maturin, may I introduce Dr Crozier; Dr Crozier, this is ..."

He looked from one to the other, but just shook his head and grumbled about no one telling him anything.
"Yessir. Neatly done, all as neat as ye could wish, sir."
He eyed the possible conversation. "Err...I'lll just be popping t'bag in t'sickbay, sir, if that's all?"

He was young, Stephen thought, making the most unsteady leg of his life. "Doctor Crozier, it is an honour to meet you. I wished to convey my compliments-"

Raoul reached out for his bag - it might only be a pair of saddle bags, but it was ... all he had, including his uniform. "Please, I shall take it. And thank you for bringing us down..." He smiled at the man apologetically.

Crozier stared, speechless for a moment. He finally found his voice. "Mister Crozier. I am-- Doctor Stephen Maturin?" His stare finally melted into a smile as he gripped the doctor's hand and pumped it eagerly. "Doctor Maturin, I have-- It's a pleasure, sir. But you are... Come, sir, into the sickbay here!"

Phil passed them over. "Tis me job, sir." He nodded his head politely. "Pleased ter be of service ter ye. I'll think ye'll be busy enough now, so I'll leave ye to it?" he directed the last question to Crozier, already on his way back up on deck.
He stopped and turned at the name of at least one of the men. Maturin....familier, yet he'd never met him afore....

Stephen smiled, touched beyond telling by the warmth of the welcome. "Mister Crozier, I am very sorry to visit unannounced like this, but the capitaine and myself wished to convey our thanks for your kind treatment of him, and to wish you a pleasant voyage."

Crozier nodded, still staring, suddenly unable to think of anything to say. "Oh. Oh!" He nodded again for good measure.

Stephen smiled hesitantly. "Forgive me, I appear to be dripping on you - I must apologise to your shipmates for the inconvenience I have caused them" - he smiled up at Barrow - "and thank them for a daring rescue. We will not stay long; I know well how busy it is the day before a voyage."

Billy coughed discreetly. "I found some slops, just nankeen trousers and a Guernsey shirt, but they're dry."

The famous Doctor Maturin was aboard. Chase had heard innumerable good things about him from other seamen who knew him from previous ships. He was suitably awed to see the man himself, even after the unexpected plunge into the harbour.

"Can't believe it's him," Lakes said delightedly, evens Watts bellowed at them to get back to work. Chase grinned broadly. He recognised the Frenchman he and Barrow had helped. Apparently the man was Maturin's friend.

"Never known a ship what had two sawbones on it at once!" Chase said.

"That is exceedingly kind of you, thank you," said Stephen, shivering and accepting the bundle - it meant that he would have to return to the ship tomorrow to return the clothes, but they would be dry at least...

"Please, step into the dispensary!" Crozier offered, then immediately regretted the untidy shambles he had left it in. What would the man think? Still, he ought to have privacy to change his clothes.

"Get into them before you make them wet," Raoul urged him. "I shall explain to Dr Crozier how we came here, but you are dripping and shivering, and ..." He remained concerned - the doctor needed to be warm, not standing on ceremony like this.

Stephen looked from Crozier to des Sablières, both faces urging him in; he gave another half-bow, and crept into the dispensary, feeling like a muddied child.

Crozier stared at the door as it closed, and then turned to stare at the Frenchman.

Raoul smiled rather nervously at Dr Crozier. "Dr Maturin was with me when I went back to Mr Dawson's house to collect my belongings - he has found me other accommodation. I had your letter and decided to call on you, and... Your lieutenant Leat brought us to the ship."

"Oh. Oh! I see," Crozier said, smiling in delayed comprehension. "I'm glad. I mean, that you found new accommodation. Mr. Dawson said he didn't know where you were. Not that... not that it was any of my business. But I'm glad that all is well. What happened...? With... Doctor Maturin?"

"He fell into the sea," said Raoul simply. "I think there was some misunderstanding about how much help he needed. He has, after all, been climbing on and off ships for many years."

The surgeon looked appalled. "How very-- How shocking! I must apologize to him on behalf of the ship! The men are very good men, but they do sometimes insist on being too helpful." He had a sudden thought and called through the door. "Doctor Maturin? Shall I hand you a blanket to dry off with?"

"I owe them my life, and now the doctor's. That is enough, I think. As for me, there was a problem which ... The officer responsible for my parole has made all right with Mr Dawson, and ... I must thank you for your kindness - that after all is why we came. And to say goodbye and bon voyage. Are you returning to England?"

Stephen stood topless in the centre of the dispensary, guiltily caught while looking for somewhere to surreptitiously wring out his shirt, then sighed in relief as the door stayed shut. "Oh, yes, if you please; that would be most helpful."

Crozier grabbed a blanket from off the nearest cot and handed it through the door discreetly. "Here you are, sir!" he called, and then turned back to the hussar, hesitantly answering his question. "Back to England, no. But of course, I am not privy to the captain's orders... But how kind of you to come in person! And to bring Doctor Maturin! I told you that I had read his book and found it very informative and enlightened, but you know, he is a smaller man that I had expected! Though perhaps that's just the effect of... Poor man! I'm mortified that he should have fallen like that on my ship!"