I mean, Jesus, how old is he in Lieutenant Hornblower? He grown up and self-possessed in a waythat Hornblower never entirely manages.

Which should be a big fat CLUE to readers that watching Bush through HH's eyes in the later books is a distorted view. He shows up as you said, a self-possessed, confident, competent naval officer.

It's a bit of business that always makes me psycho when I see it in fic. This sort of weak souled Bush who needs HH as his strut to stand upright. Fuck that.