[God, but Thomas enjoyed flowers. The Hamilton estate had gardens, both an aviary and an apiary with servants to tend all three, but Thomas never shied away from the dirt. They acted with propriety at all times when there was the chance of eyes upon them, of course, but one of his favourite memories beyond the walls of the bedroom they sometimes shared is of Thomas with his hands in the dirt trying to explain the etymology of the Sweet William plant. It was named for lovelorn men, Thomas told him, and James had been compelled to listen to his recitation of the poem whence it came rather than to carry on with his report as he should have done. As he would have done with anyone else. He learned with Thomas, that some things could wait.
The Latin name of the plant, of course, was--]
Dianthus barbatus. Sometimes called London's Pride or Sweet William. It symbolizes gallantry. As to food-- hm. [There are a million things he could say. Dishes he learned at his mother's knee. Ones he ate at the Hamilton house. But at his heart, a simple sailor, he can't help but say,] Oranges, perhaps.
[They prevented scurvy, and were not so bitter as the lemons the Navy kept aboard their ships to ward off that dread thing.]
no subject
The Latin name of the plant, of course, was--]
Dianthus barbatus. Sometimes called London's Pride or Sweet William. It symbolizes gallantry. As to food-- hm. [There are a million things he could say. Dishes he learned at his mother's knee. Ones he ate at the Hamilton house. But at his heart, a simple sailor, he can't help but say,] Oranges, perhaps.
[They prevented scurvy, and were not so bitter as the lemons the Navy kept aboard their ships to ward off that dread thing.]