Headquarters

'Well...,' George glanced at the Doctor, deciding whether he should regale him with the full tale, and finally decided on a slightly edited version. 'I went to Spain seven years ago, in 1802. For about a year I did pretty much nothing except enjoy life and pick up shreds of information that did manage to remain in my memory at the lectures. Then in 1803, the arrests of British nationals in France started, as the war was declared. As I am sure you are aware, Spain was by that time nothing more than the French puppet state. At first I ignored the whole thing, but in the end my friends persuaded me, that it would be safer for me to return to England via Gibraltar. Which I did with no particular intention of either continuing my studies or entering the army.'

"You have led an exciting life!" Stephen said. "I remember there was much talk of Spain at the time; it must have been dangerous. The journey to Gibralter especially."

'Well, I was luckier than most in that my journey in the end it turned out to be more no more dangerous than a sightseeing trip.'

"That is something to be thankful for; otherwise you might yet be in a French prison," Stephen said with a suitable level of awe in his voice.

'I hope I'd have had the sense to get killed before that.' George grinned around a slice of bread. 'To be stuck in a prison seems like the worst thing that could happen to me.'

"Ah, sure, it depends on the prison," Stephen said lightly.

George cocked his head slightly to the side. 'I suppose. But I did say 'for me'. Others will of course have a different view on the matter.' He smiled. 'But do let's not talk of these things, I'm afraid am I quite the wrong person to engage in serious conversation with... as evidenced by my failure at university studies.'

Stephen raised an eyebrow. "That could be insulting, Captain."

'What exactly, Doctor? I do not mean to be insulting.'

"The implication that a lack of a university education renders one unsuitable for what you deem to be serious conversation."

'Sir, I only meant that my own inability to have a serious, intelligent conversation was evidenced by failure to get a degree. Among other things, of course, such as not making myself clear in the first place and in the process sounding insulting.'

"Then you are only wrong, instead of insulting - you seem to me to be a very intelligent young man."

'Well, sir, I am very grateful to you for saying so, even if I do not feel I deserve such a compliment.'

"Then you may accept it or reject it as you will," Stephen said with a small smile, standing up. "Thank you for the breakfast."

George stood up as well. 'My pleasure, Doctor. I hope your day will not be disturbed by any more spiders.'

Stephen's lips quirked, amused. "Ah, I do not mind spiders at all - they are not a passion, unlike birds - arachnids I find rather dull, more dull than beetles. Goodbye Fernao; thank you for procurring our breakfast."

Fernao mumbled something around a mouthful of food in reply. George waited for the Doctor to leave and sat back down to finish off his breakfast.