She really does redeem herself, although I do agree with you even with me as far into the series as I am : Villiers doesnt deserve half the devotion that Stephen gives her. However, I'd be just as alarmed about Jack and Diane though cause the two would use each other up and burn out. Diane would get tired of feast/or/famine with Jack and Jack would get tired of not finding solace in something predictable and safe and unwavering, like Sophie. Sophie is 'safe' in every aspect of the word.
I think you have pegged it though : Stephen and Jack call her courageous, but she really is heedless and lacking a certain consciousness about her actions, which makes more sensible people go "DUH!" when she finally does stop to wonder why people treat her so bad. Why Stephen falls in love with her I'll never understand...which is probably why I lean heavily towards Jack in my favoritism, despite the goofy and raking things HE does. At least you know where he is coming from.
all ahoo
That's another phrase I would have loved to have heard!
Sophie seemed kinda wussy to me --- nothing like the Lamb sisters, who put on trousers and hauled shot --- but she got my respect at the beginning of
The Mauritius Command when she pulled Stephen aside and begged him to get Jack a ship. Even if she just wanted the elbow room --- I think Jack Aubrey takes up an enormous amount of room on land, and I don't mean his girth --- she was worried about
him, enough to send him off to sea.
That was brave.