Chapters 17 and 18 Summary

Hotspur returns to Plymouth for repairs and refitting. In England, Hornblower spends time with Maria and his son, finding domestic life strange and disorienting, but finds some enjoyment in it. He often dines at home and searches newspapers, magazines, and chronicles for mention of his own exploits. A comedic feud of influence and interests occurs between Doughty on one hand and Maria and Mrs. Mason on the other. Hornblower tries to ignore it, assures Maria that Doughty is not quite the thing, and sits amidst domesticity and broods about distant war.

Some of the newspapers that Hornblower reads tell of the aftermath of his most-recent engagement. Three French transports had been run aground and destroyed with large loss of life. One French frigate, armed en flûte, had run aground—boats from another English ship had attacked her the next...