White breeches and hose, white waistcoat and shirt, legs now encased from the knees down in a spanking-new pair of Hessian boots. He could not resist the temptation of having the London shop sew on tiny gold-fringed tassels. A dark blue coat, with a dark-blue stand-up collar and broad blue lapels, instead of a lieutenant's white ones. There were two bands of gold lace encircling his cuffs, set with three gilt fouled-anchor buttons. The collar, front, top, and bottom, bore a wide band of gold lace; as did the two outside pocket flaps, along with even more set-in-three gilt buttons. The lapels' outer edges, and tops and bottom seams, were gold-laced, and nine gilt buttons to either lapel allowed it to be worn open, or closed in foul weather.

Another thing to rue, he thought suddenly. Going to London to assure his confirmation, and smarm his way through the junior clerks below-stairs, the basement moles who had pored over all his records of service, "tsk-tsk-ing" over every undotted I or slovenly crossed T.

Then off to Coutts's Bank with prize-money certificates, off to see his solicitor, Matthew Mountjoy, who handled his affairs ashore; both the farm and his dealings with the financial side of the Admiralty-and his creditors. Feeling relief, and guilt, that he was called by duty from the bosom of his family after only one night with them in hired lodgings in Portsmouth. And before any trace of his affair with Phoebe showed on his face!

The pleasures of shopping, like a wealthy gentleman, free of a demand upon his time. Of course, he needed new hats from Lock's, new full-dress and undress coats, pristine white breeches and waistcoats, shoes and boots-that was required! Pistols, too, from Mantуn; his had gone down with Zйlй. A new sea chest in which to store all his new finery… and a new sword.

He'd have a Gill's, no other. Wilkinson was all right, he thought, but a Gill's he'd had before, and it had never failed him.