By Tonja Condray Klein©03/21/2026

Admiral Horatio Hornblower sat in his chair while enjoying his morning after having breakfast with his Lady Barbara before she decided to go horseback riding while he read the latest newspaper article about His Royal Majesty’s Navy. The stories weren’t quite as thrilling as thirty years ago when he was mentioned with his accomplishments, but at least he wasn’t at risk of never coming home again from the sea. Hornblower sometimes missed being on a ship with his own crew. When he made Admiral it wasn’t the same as it had been when he was on the HMS Indefatigable as a mere Lieutenant, but the HMS Hotspur, HMS Atropos, HMS Lydia, and HMS Sutherland were memories he’d never forget. Then there was his time as Commodore with Captain Bush on the HMS Nonesuch before the great tragedy of friendship being lost happened that he had never quite gotten over. His age had finally diminished his abilities after his time in the West Indies, so he’d decided it was better to use his Admiralty to help others do their best to keep their country free and still be the best Navy the world had ever known.

Hornblower heard a knock at the door and waited in frustration while his former ship Coxswain Brown who had become his butler at home answered the interruption of his semi-gratifying reminiscence until the last part that had turned bittersweet as it included the loss of his best friend. Hornblower was thankful that at least Brown had been able to be with them safe and sound in a position that made their life easier and enjoyable since he knew his place in their household and always made sure he did his duties with the utmost care and professionalism, even if he was viewed as family most of the time since he had known Bush too and could give Hornblower a sense of at least helping his one crewmember even if he couldn’t help the other. His memory of losing Bush with the HMS Nonesuch still ripped his heart out in ways he still was trying to overcome even at his advanced years.

Hearing Brown exclaim, “How can this be? How did you get here? Where have you been all this time, Captain? What happened, Bush?” was something Horatio had never dared to imagine would be uttered in this lifetime. Hornblower then heard a sound that he didn’t think he’d ever hear again – the thump of one wooden foot so familiar it was like being in a dream or some fantasy that happened during a ragged unhinged battle when fighting for your life on your ship at sea. Admiral Horatio Hornblower suddenly stood up from his chair to see what could only be an apparition or hallucination from his mind coming undone, and that was Captain William Bush standing in his front doorway.

“Good day, Brown. Good day, Admiral. I’m a bit late getting here, but I finally made it back, Sir.”

Bush looked older than him, of course, and his clothes were that of a common sailor at best, but he was standing straight and giving Brown a slight smile that was so like when they had been hiding at the Count’s decades ago. It seemed so impossible, and Hornblower was asking the same questions in his head that Brown had already hastily spewed out like hot black coffee. Bush shook his head and gave them both a considering look that still looked as unbelievable as seeing an angel in the sails.

“I can explain everything that you want to know, but I really could use a place to sit down before I disgrace myself even more than I possibly have in your and even Brown’s presence.”

Both men went to get two cushiony sitting chairs from the room where Hornblower and Barbara would have their guests. Soon they had one sitting across from Hornblower’s while Brown quickly placed his close enough be sure that he didn’t miss anything said. Hornblower kept looking at his thought-departed friend as Bush sat and put his stump out for a better angle of comfort that had Hornblower trying to assess how all of these years had changed Bush like he knew that he and Brown both had too. The moments were heavy with anticipation and blatant disbelief with the situation. Finally, Bush looked at them and sighed like he had just been trying to rest a bit to get his own breath back from standing so long.

“When the HMS Nonesuch exploded, I was in the back part trying to get a rescue boat free that had become lodged when we had set off the attack. The explosion blindsided me with force that knocked me into that boat while the wall of the ship crashed on top of it and me. I was so disoriented I didn’t even look to see where I was at and tried to get myself reoriented, but then another explosion disintegrated the rest of the ship and pushed me down the water with such speed I ended up close to the other side. It knocked me out, Captain… um, Admiral.” Bush shook his head and then gave that smile that Hornblower never thought he’d receive again until Kingdom Come and couldn’t help but give one back like decades ago. Bush then continued, “I woke up in the lifeboat and didn’t know where I was. I saw some little houses on that other shore, so I managed to get to a place I could climb out and see where I was and what help I could get.”

“There was no sign of our ships nearby?” Hornblower asked petulantly.

Bush shook his head and then went on, “I had been out long enough that the tide had rushed me all the way passed the outcrop and landed me by Channel Islands.” He shook his head again. “I knew I needed to be somewhere, but I had a concussion and couldn’t think straight. I finally managed to walk up a street to a house that had a nice garden.” He smiled a bit whimsically as he went on, “A widow lady a little younger than me lived there, and when she saw me in my condition, she took me in and help mend my wounds from the explosions.” Bush gave Hornblower a level look as he said, “She offered to keep my identity a secret by telling everyone I was her cousin. I fell in love with her immediately.”

Brown looked at Hornblower in utter shock but with a little happy nod to their once-again friend. Hornblower could only imagine how things were then. Bush had never been in love to Hornblower’s recollection. Of course, under those extenuating circumstances, the injured man would have taken the lady’s help and let himself be cared for in a way he’d never known the joy of before. Hornblower certainly would have… and actually had his own time of being from their forces with Marie that had been lost to him and the Count. He couldn’t begrudge something good happening for his best friend then even if it had led to his own painful years of thinking the worst.

“Why didn’t you contact the fleet later, though?” Hornblower asked, trying to sound sympathetic but still beginning to feel a bit peeved at his friend for keeping them all in the dark, especially him.

Bush sighed then. “Antonia gave me the different last name of her cousin that was the same as her maiden one. I became Mr. Will Morgan, and we married that way. I couldn’t leave in case we both got into trouble with the town, the church, and the military too.” He shook his head and gave Hornblower a pleading scowl. “I couldn’t leave her in case of any trouble with Napoleon attacking there. I read the paper that had me listed as dead, and since I lost my ship and my crew, I didn’t want to face a court martial after just finding the love of my life.” He then met his look straight on. “Or have you put in a position to help me find a place again. I came back because I lost Antonia and knew it was time to face whatever music England had waiting for me.”

The three of them fell silent then, all ruminating on those lost years, both good for each but missed being shared as would have been ideal if not possible. Hornblower finally sighed heavily and nodded at Bush. “ I can only imaging the situation, and I’m sure under the circumstances along with the outcome that had no loss of needed action from you then should allow no other issues except to take you off of the killed in action list.” He looked at Brown who smiled as big as he had all those years ago too. Horatio then felt a spark he hadn’t known in many years and looked at Bush again. “My nautical steward recently moved to where his son lives in another city. He lived in the building that houses those sundries to a small vessel I sometimes go out in when the desire strikes me. It is now in need of someone to continue managing it for me and being a help with that when time to cast off.” He lifted an eyebrow in the way he often had playing Whist that Bush should recall without any problem. “I will get your life reinstated, Bush.”

The slightly older man gave a slight laugh, another thing Horatio didn’t think he’d hear in this life again. Bush then spoke with happiness lighting up his eyes like they had on the ships they had been on together. “I would be honored, Captain… Admiral Hornblower, Sir.”

“Welcome home, Mister Bush,” Hornblower replied but then laughed at himself. “Captain Bush, I mean, but this changes now to Steward Bush.” He gave that smile that held the youthful mercurial essence of the man himself as he saw his best friend being greeted by Barbara again and their family that had grandchildren for all three to tell their tall tales to now together since neither man had any of his own. Sharing this life, laughing together, and even sailing some when time permitted. It was a time he would enjoy even more now since the last piece of his past had been restored. So he said one more time to savor, “Yes, Bush, welcome home!”

*** I DO NOT claim to own the characters, places, or named items in this fan-written scene ending for this already published novel. I only claim the words in this part that I’m placing on my own website with links to other media outlets or platforms to reach as many of Horatio Hornblower fans as I can for their enjoyment! All of the books in the original series are available on Amazon for all reading pleasure. “May the Age of Sail live in your hearts for all of this present existence!” ***