Notes: I am really sorry about this. I was rereading the first draft of this and I was deeply frustrated. I feel like it was really rushed, so, I tried to kick out some of the quirks...and it almost ended up like a whole new plot. Luckily, the first draft wasn't planned out very well so the plot wasn't ruined!

If anyone wants to beta, drop me an email!

Chapter One

Sarah listened to her mother brag and boast to the Waringford ladies in an arrogant silence. The ladies of Waringford glowered as politely as they could manage, but the unspoken jealousy hung between each word Mistress Nelson spoke. Sarah's eyes dazzled as she let the sunlight flooding into the room catch the glint on the engagement band on her pale finger. Her thoughts not only pondered the tension in the room, but escaped off to her dear fiancé, Charles Bergenhamm, the Royal Navy captain, and what he was up to.

Anne Waringford was certainly not pleased with the situation. She was supposed to be wearing the fourteen-carat diamond. She was supposed to be listening to her own mother boast to the Nelsons. Not some cocky wench who called herself a lady! She supposed that Sarah somehow trapped him into an engagement by blackmailing him or something terrible and horrid such as that. And to think, she courted him for over two months until he and Sarah met!

Anne Waringford was fuming, but her mother was positively livid. Mistress Hanna Waringford remembered telling Mistress Nelson about how well the relationship between Anne and Charles was progressing just a few months ago. Mistress Nelson stood there, her face turning a light shade of pale green. She was jealous of the Waringfords! Hanna scowled as she realized how ironic and how quickly the switch went.

Agnes Waringford watched a red beetle crawl along the cracks of the floorboards. She didn't care much for Mistress Nelson's discussion of the engagement. Being only ten years old, she couldn't understand the need for her to attend this bitter meeting. Mistress Waringford told her it was for her own good to learn how to act in a gathering such as this. Agnes only sighed and sat lower in her chair until Anne hissed at her not to slouch.

"Sarah, let Mistress Waringford see the ring again," Mistress Nelson ordered her daughter.

Sarah smirked at Anne's angry stare and held her hand out for the Waringfords could see for the fourth time.

"That is very beautiful, dear," said Maude Covington, as she examined the ring close to her face. She was an elderly woman who could never keep any thoughts to herself.

"Thank you, Mistress Covington," Sarah said. She smiled gratefully at the old woman.

Maude Covington let a laugh escape from her lips. "No need for formalities with me, love, Maude will do," she said.

"Thank you—" Sarah thought "—Erm, Maude."

"Now that's better."

Sarah glanced at other of Mistress Nelson's gossiping friends. The eight ladies of Wilkes Manor congratulated Sarah on her find. Each of them smiled and admired her ring with boredom in there. In the last two years the seven young ladies married proper gentlemen much to Hanna's aggravation. Mistress Waringford pledged to marry Agnes off by the time she was fifteen if she could find a suitable husband. She could just see Mistress Nelson's face if Agnes Waringford married a commodore!

Charles Bergenhamm sighed deeply behind his mahogany desk in disappointment. His debt was increasing by the numbers and his new estate certainly did not help him. He couldn't sell it. If the Nelsons got word of him in debt, the engagement would surely be broken and he would lose any chance of more profits. Sarah Nelson was plenty rich enough to help him, luckily. She inherited a fortune after her eldest cousin, Gabriel, died. Unbeknownst to Miss Nelson, a month after the wedding she would be sinking down to Davey Jones's locker.

He really wished he didn't have to kill her. She was such a pretty little thing. Her arrogance was not one of her best traits: it was her most unlikable. Her beauty tempted not to go through with it, but this was the only way she wouldn't tell her parents that he was using her money to pay off debts. He couldn't even begin to imagine what they would do.

Charles flicked a large ball of dust off a stack of papers.

"Sir?" A Lieutenant Goers poked his head into the cabin.

"Yes, lieutenant?"

"Pirates."

Captain Jack Sparrow grinned as he began to close in on the English ship. The H.M.S. Felicitous was not exactly living up to its name, much to Jack Sparrow's amusement. He ordered that cannons be readied in case the Felicitous decided to attempt to defend themselves.

Joshamee Gibbs relieved him from the helm while Jack sent orders to crew milling about the ship.

"FIRE!" he commanded when the Felicitous blew off a chunk of rail from the Black Pearl.

And he silently agreed with himself that the captain from the Royal Navy was a complete idiot.

Clive Nelson swung to the Felicitous with the grace of a dead beetle. He jumped to his feet as soon as he hit the deck and punched a man who was threatening to slit his throat.

Once the Black Pearl's men had gathered the Felicitous crew, Clive and many other crewmen went below deck and gathered supplies.

Clive searched the captain's cabin. The Felicitous captain didn't have much, as he could see. But the desk held some interesting facts. It appeared this captain was in debt... a great dealofdebt. He chuckled. That was until his eyes read Charles Bergenhamm in signature. Clive's eyebrows knocked together as he read his ledgers and the notices about his debt. His breath froze in his throat. Bergenhamm had a pack of files on Sarah, his daughter.

Realization surged through him. He knew exactly what Bergenhamm was doing.

He gathered as many papers as he could manage and took one last glance at the Navy captain's cabin. With a growl he kicked the mahogany desk in anger.

"Captain!" said Clive. The Felicitous idled behind them, white sails missing and in the arms of the Black Pearl.

Jack Sparrow turned sharply.

"Aye?"

"I-I want to ask you a favor."

Captain Sparrow beckoned towards the helm. Clive followed him.

"What's this 'favor' yer want?" asked the pirate captain.

Clive twisted his shirt with sweaty hands. "Well, you see, the Felicitous, the captain is engaged to my daughter and I discovered some information on his desk today. He is deeply in debt—"

Jack sighed. "Sorry, Nelson, but I'm not 'bout t' give a man back something I took from 'im."

"No! He intends to kill my daughter after they're married for her money. I'm just asking you to—er..." Clive bit his bottom lip.

"How old is she?" asked Jack.

"Twenty-six," said Clive.

"Is she pretty?"

"What—no! She's my daughter! Not your...you know."

Jack laughed at his horrified look. "How long would she be on m' ship?"

"As long as," Clive gulped, "as long as you would stand for."

The captain thought. He stared out at the sea. Women did not belong on a ship, especially a pirate ship. It was too dangerous. On the other hand, Clive Nelson had done much before that proved he could ask for great favors like this. He growled.

"One month," he replied.

"Three months?"

"One and a half."

"Three months?"

"One and a half."

"Two months?"

"One and half."

"Two?"

Jack grinned. "Two."

"She can't know I'm a pirate, please," Clive implored.

Jack's grin widened. "She won't."

"And captain?"

"Yes?"

"It would be wise not to touch her."

When Charles Bergenhamm returned to his cabin, his spirits only lowered. He knew that something was amiss.

He was greatly angered when he proved correct. Someone had been through his papers! A pirate now knew of the large debt and his plan to kill his wife.

He began panic. Yet, he began settled when he knew who he would consult with his problems.

Thank you, mother, he thought. Hands reached for paper and ink.

Dear Peter

Estelle handed Sarah Nelson a letter the next day, bearing simply the words To Sarah. She opened it eagerly and read the words diligently. She smiled as she recognized her father's neat handwriting. He wrote to tell her that they would be relocating to Port Royal, all three of them and even promised to take off sailing for a month or so! Sarah kissed the letter and showed her mother.

Mistress Clara Nelson was not in high spirits about living in the Caribbean. How could Clive do this to them? She knew no one there, and how was she expected to converse with those...sun burnt people? Sarah reminded her that Greta Sanders, her aunt, lived at Port St. Mary's in the Caribbean too. She was quite excited about the move and eager about seeing her father. Clara reprimanded her and told her not to let Clive Nelson know she was happy. If anything, the mistress would make sure their daughter was on her side!

Peter Bergenhamm paced his study. What Charles was doing was disgraceful. Dishonorable and unjust! Killing his own bride for money! He felt like he was going to be sick. Debt was common in his family, but not as much as this!

Peter combed a shaky hand through his pale hair. This was the last thing he needed his younger brother to do. Three estates! Three! How could he even think he had enough money on his own to do something so stupid? He was convinced that Charles gambled the last of his salary he was given from the Royal Navy or else he wouldn't be in this disaster.

He pulled out some paper and some ink.

At least the Nelsons would be aware of Charles's dangerous actions.

Next Chapter, I'll try not to make just so many snippets of stories. Or do you all like it? Chapter two is when the story really begins.