MDMD (6)--Outline Ch. 18

[RICHARD ROMEO]

Outline, Ch. 18--Home Fires

M&D are back in London.  After reporting of a successful mission to the 
Royal Society, Dixon leaves the city for Staindrop and presumably, many 
pints.  Mason, meanwhile, delays his reunion with his family even after 
he receives casual questioning from interested parties (the Royal Navy, 
reps. from Parliament, etc.) about his just-completed trip.  He stays in 
town, visiting famous haunts, including the Cock Lane Ghost.  This event 
tells us the year is 1762 when that scandal reared its head.  However, 
realizing Rebekah will not show her face there, he resigns himself to the 
task of meeting his boys and family in Sapperton.
Back home, Mason tries to connect with his young sons, but they seem wary 
and unsure of him.  At this time, the month being July, Mason learns of 
Bradley's (Mason's mentor at Greenwich) death.  Mason riding over on 
horseback to Bradley's deathbed, has a rather bizarre conversation with 
himself about the "intrigues and Parlor-Games" that occurred at Greenwich 
between Bradley, Bardley's young wife Susannah Peach (one time love of 
Mason's), Mason, and Rebekah.  Mason remembers the moving in's and moving 
out's, the petty fights, and reconcilations, b/w Bradley & Susannah, that 
made up their marriage and how awkward it was for him.  We are privy to 
conversations between Rebekah and Susannah's daughter, Miss Peach, about 
their star-gazing men-folk, how Rebekah first heard of Mason, though who 
introduced them remains a question, a description of their wedding in 
Clive's ornate Chapel, then Bradley's wedding 1744, Susannah's death in 
1757, Rebekah's death in 1758 and her apparent residence in the sky, 
which poignantly Mason searches evermore for.
Mason still brooding, muses over Bradley's professional accomplishments 
and speculates that Sam Peach, Sr., an power hungry Company man, arranged 
Bradley's marriage to his daughter so Bradley's astronomical observations 
would become the property of the Peach family, Bradley being so much 
older and in frail health to begin with.  Mason shrugs off this notion, 
even getting a stern look from his horse and also decides not to put in 
any claim of his own. 
 

Richard Romeo
Coordinator of Cooperating Collections
The Foundation Center-NYC
212-807-2417
rromeo at fdncenter.org