The Daily Aubrey-Maturin: The Yellow Admiral (Book 18), Chapters 8-10 (pg. 5830-5912)

CHAPTER 8

Sophia gets a talking-to from Maturin’s wife, Diana, and their roommate Clarissa Oakes, and she decides to forgive Jack. There’s also good news in terms of solvency, with the prize captured earlier finally condemned and paid out.

But blockade duty remains extremely boring, and worse yet, everyone can start sensing the end of the war, which would put the vast majority of them literally out of a job, including Aubrey, with little to no hope of advancement up the ranks anymore. Aubrey wants to make Admiral, despite the constant political headwinds against him, but he can’t do that if there’s no war in which to excel.

Maturin hints at a potential “peace-time” caper involving Chilean independence, which could be beneficial to all.

CHAPTER 9

War is indeed ending, though not before a couple French ships try to test the strength of the blockade. Aubrey chases them back into port, but it’s not much an engagement on their part, with nary a gun fired on the Bellona.

CHAPTER 10

Napoleon abdicates (1814) and gets sent to the island of Elba. Aubrey agrees to the Chile caper, which promises to be a most glorious voyage back on board the Surprise, with a hand-picked crew. They set sail not long after, but as they reach Spain, they hear news of Napoleon’s escape and are thus pressed immediately back into service...

And thus ends Book 18, “The Yellow Admiral”. Next up, the penultimate completed works, Book 19, “The Hundred Days”.

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