Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own anything related to Pirates of the Caribbean. Well, except a Jack Sparrow poster, but that's pretty much it. Only original creations (characters, places, etc) are mine.
AN: Here's where Jack and Evie meet, though it's not what Jack expected. Thanks for reading, and please review!
Chapter 3: First Impressions:
For most sailors, the journey to Port Thomas would have seemed short and uneventful. For Jack Sparrow, however, the trip had been long and grueling.
During the voyage, his mind had been filled with dread and worry about finding the matchmaker, and that had made him rather bad-tempered. His crew had quickly sensed his mood, and learned to avoid him whenever possible –they only came to him on important matters, and immediately left once their problems were solved.
"Jack, you have to relax," Gibbs had chided him once. "You're making the crew nervous, and nervous men make mistakes. We can't afford to have mistakes on a ship."
Well, he couldn't relax, not when his bachelor days were numbered. If this matchmaker was half as good as Gibbs said, then he was in trouble. There was always the hope that she wasn't, but he had to be prepared for anything.
When they finally arrived at the island where Port Thomas sat, he decided to dock in the town itself. Jack knew that a pirate ship wouldn't be accepted at such an upright town, but it was possible they wouldn't recognize the Pearl for what it was, so he decided to risk it. He would then send a group of men to restock the ship while he went in search of Miss Watkins.
He doubted that the woman would be hard to miss. This wouldn't be the first time Jack had met a matchmaker, so he was familiar with their appearances and their reputations.
In Jack's experience, female matchmakers tended to be stiff, calculating, greedy old women who had never married themselves, but who were somehow able to find mates for those incapable of doing so themselves, especially the less-attractive folk. In most cases, the couples ended up relatively content, though generally not in love with their spouse, which was probably more than some people could hope for.
In Jack's case, he thought love a fine thing, but if this matchmaker could find him a wife who was tolerable to look at, talk with, and spend time together with, it would be a miracle. He didn't want a woman who nagged all the time, or who had an annoying voice. He couldn't abide warts, scars, or unbearable traits on her face or body. She needed to have a good number of teeth, too, preferably all of them.
But most importantly, she had to be intelligent. Jack couldn't abide stupid women who babbled on about tea, the weather, or dresses all day long, or ones who couldn't tell one end of a ship from the other. He wanted a woman he could talk to without getting the urge to knock his head against the wall two minutes after the lass opened her mouth.
When the Pearl finally weighed anchor, Jack led his first mate and a group of men towards town, while leaving Anna-Maria in charge of the Pearl. As they neared the marketplace, he handed Gibbs a small money pouch.
"Go buy whatever it is we need most," Jack ordered while looking around. "I'm going to have a chat with some of the locals about the personage we're looking for."
Gibbs gave him an amused glance, but said nothing as he led the men towards the bustling stalls. Meanwhile, Jack took a deep breath and headed for the nearest tavern.
It is a fact well-known that, other than a wealthy lady's parlor, the best place to find gossip is in the local tavern.
Settled in a corner table, Jack ordered a mug of rum and some lunch, his ears open as he consumed both. On his second round of rum, he motioned for the tavern's owner to join him, which he did.
"Something you need, sailor?" the owner asked as a serving wench set a tankard on the table for him.
"Aye," Jack replied, leaning forward. "What can you tell me about Miss Evianna Watkins?"
The tavern owner smiled. "Ah, looking for a woman, are you? Well, Miss Watkins is the best you'll find anywhere."
The list and tales of successful matches told to him astonished even Jack –he'd never heard of a matchmaker who had such marvelous luck when it came to their line of work. Some were good at what they did, others were complete failures, but no one could make that many successful pairings in their lifetime. Was the woman a witch as well as a matchmaker?
Well, if the stories were true, then perhaps Jack would get his money's worth after all. He might even get a woman he liked spending time with outside of the bedroom!
After obtaining the woman's address, Jack thanked the tavern owner for his help, and proceeded to finish his meal before heading out into the streets.
The cottage of Miss Watkins was small, but in a good part of town. It stood bordering the working-class, where most of her clients were no doubt from, and the merchant-class, which probably made up the remaining part of her business. The nobles and well-to-do had their own ways of getting their children to wed, so they were probably not interested in Miss Watkins' services.
It was a quaint home, with whitewashed walls and a wood roof. A wood fence surrounded the tiny property, and there was a single rose vine creeping up each side of the house, adding a touch of color to the outside. Jack admired the simplicity of the place, though he wondered what the old biddy had inside the home. Sometimes, those with houses that seemed neat on the outside actually had horrible messes (or worse, a dozen cats) on the inside. Sometimes they had a dog, which was worse.
Holding back a shudder, Jack slipped through the gate and approached the door, bracing himself for the withered or bitter face that always came with a female matchmaker. Taking a deep breath, he knocked. There was the sound of quiet footsteps approaching, and the latch being undone. Pasting on a smile, Jack tucked his thumbs into his sash and tried to determine how to charm the old bat into assisting him with his situation.
The door opened, and to Jack's surprise, a young woman in her mid- to late-twenties stood there. She was rather pretty, with long brown hair done into a braided crown atop her head, a delicate pink mouth to match the softness of her face, and deep brown eyes that looked up at him in puzzlement. The only thing keeping her face from being perfectly sweet and innocent-looking was a stubborn chin and the glitter of suspicion now forming in her eyes.
"Can I help you?" she asked warily.
Figuring that she was the maid, Jack tipped his hat at her. "Afternoon, Miss," he said, all politeness. "Is your mistress at home?"
The woman stared at him at moment. "Mistress?" she asked, clearly surprised.
"Aye, Miss Watkins," Jack replied. "Would you mind telling her that I've need of her services?"
She actually chuckled. "Oh, you must be new in town. I thought so, since I've never seen you before, and if I had, I'd remember. Well, I'll introduce myself. I'm Evianna Watkins, but you can call me Evie."
Jack felt his jaw drop.
I never tired of seeing men new to Port Thomas have that reaction –they always thought a matchmaker had to be old, bitter, and wanting money. It was fun seeing them get all flustered and surprised when they met me for the first time.
"So, you're in the market for a wife?" I asked the stranger, eyes studying him carefully.
I hadn't been joking when I'd said that I would have remembered him if we'd met before. The man standing on my doorstep had to be the most curious fellow I'd ever seen, and I had seen many strangers in Port Thomas in my life.
This one had to be a sailor, and a captain of a ship, if his hat and coat were any indication of who he was. Of course, some people dressed erratically, and the coat and hat might have been something he bought at a used garment shop. Eyeing him further, I took in the beaded dreadlocks, the twin beaded strands in his beard, the red-and-white striped sash, and the various odd knick-knacks that dangled from a brown leather belt wrapped around his waist. There were also several rings on each finger, each as unique as he was. It was a rather eccentric ensemble, but it did him justice.
He was also very handsome, almost beautiful, in fact. He had a perfect nose, high cheekbones, and a rather dashing, roguish smile. His dark hair and eyes, which were lined with kohl, only made him more appealing.
'Oh, yes, him I would have remembered meeting before,' I thought, hiding a smile.
The man snapped back to himself, then seemed to remember that I'd asked him a question. "Oh, yes, a wife," he said, blinking rapidly. "My name is John Teague."
I took the hand he offered and shook it. "Well, Mr. Teague, let's discuss business, shall we? We can either have tea here, or go for a quiet walk along the beach. I suggest the beach, since we'll be less likely to be interrupted. I'm a much sought-after person in Port Thomas, and I think a bit of peace and quiet are in order to discuss business."
As she led him to the beach, Jack began to wonder what he'd just gotten himself into. He hadn't expected Miss Watkins to be attractive, nor young, and yet here she was, walking beside him with all the trust in the world. Of course, he hadn't exactly told her the truth about who he was, or what he did for a living.
That was why he had given her a different name rather than his own; he was fairly sure someone would recognize it and inform the authorities of his presence in town, and the last thing he wanted was the Royal Navy on his heels! Of course, they might be after they discovered the outcome of Jack's new plan in regards to the matter at hand. Though why he'd chosen his father's name was beyond him…
In any case, since it would be impossible for any matchmaker to find a mate for each of his crewmen in this small town, Jack had formed the idea of taking Miss Watkins (or Evie, as she asked him to call her) with them on the Pearl when they left port. That way, every crewman who wanted a wife could find one, and after that was done, everyone would have what they wanted: he and his crewmen would have their women (or man, in Anna-Maria's case), and Evie would be given a sum equal to the work she'd done.
"I first wanted to discuss my fee with you first, Mr. Teague," she was saying, bringing Jack back to the task at hand.
Jack waved a dismissive hand at her. "No need, luv," he said. "I ought to tell you that I sail on a large ship, and quite a few of my crewmates are in need of wives themselves. Therefore, you won't just be working for me, but for them as well. As such, we're willing to pay you your weight in gold to find each of us the woman of our dreams."
He couldn't help but smile at her gape-mouth reaction.
I couldn't help but stare at him in shock. They were going to pay me my weight in gold for my services? My mind spun from what I could do with all that money.
'I could leave Port Thomas, for one thing.'
Oh, that was a tempting thought. I was beginning to get tired of all the sympathetic looks from the townswomen, all of them wondering when I, the town matchmaker, would get married and have a family of my own. I was also becoming annoyed with a few of the unmarried men trying to snatch me up for themselves, knowing that they probably wanted the money I had earned more than they wanted me.
I looked out at the sparkling blue ocean. 'I want to find my own happiness, and I don't think I'll find it here.'
Matchmaking was all well and good, and I did enjoy doing it, but I wanted to live for myself for once. I wanted to stop having to think of everyone else's joys and actually find my own as an independent woman, namely someplace where people didn't ask why I hadn't found a husband of my own. The money this man was offering was tempting.
'But what if it's a lie?' the practical side of my mind wondered, bringing me back to reality. 'What if they don't pay me as much as they promised?'
Well, if it was, I could still make a tidy sum off of this particular incident. If so many of Mr. Teague's fellow sailors were willing to take wives, then with the amount I charged for each man, I would still walk away with a very nice profit indeed. It might even be enough to leave this life behind and go find another.
However, the problem was finding the future brides.
I looked over at my newest client. "I'm going to be perfectly honest with you, Mr. Teague. I could help find wives for you and your crewmen, but it won't be easy. Port Thomas is a small town, and while some women might like being a sailor's wife, most probably won't. You should prepare yourselves for some disappointments."
Again, he waved my words aside. "I've full faith in your abilities," he said.
That made me smile. "Very well, then, let's get started. Since I have you with me, you're going to have to answer a few questions so that I can start on finding a decent bride for you."
Jack was a bit apprehensive about the questions she might ask, but relaxed when he realized that she merely wanted to know what kind of man he was and what he was looking for in a wife.
He told her the basics of what he was looking for, and Evie accepted each of these traits with a nod.
"Mr. Teague, I should tell you that in most instances, what you're looking for and what you get can be quite different," she explained once he was done. "Some men find exactly what they want in the women I find them; however, in most cases, they decide that what they wanted didn't matter much after meeting the woman they end up marrying."
Well, he could see her point, but Jack was sure his "requirements" wouldn't change much, if at all, after he met the women Evie was going to introduce him to.
However, he hadn't told her that he had no intention of meeting any of the women here at Port Thomas. Small-town folk were not his favorite kind of people, and Jack wanted a wife who was open to adventure and any strange things he offer as a gift for her. For that kind of woman, they had to go elsewhere, and that required Evie to go with them on the Pearl.
"Well, from what you have told me, I think you require two different sorts of women, Mr. Teague," Evie said, stopping to take a seat on a large log that had washed up on the beach. "One sort is a woman who would be happy to remain a solitary housewife in a house that you provide for her, and welcome you into her house and bed with open arms whenever you see fit to visit her."
Jack nodded. "Aye, that's one possibility. And the other?"
She smiled and straightened out her skirts. "The other type is a woman who you would welcome as part of your crew, a woman who loves the sea and adventure, and who wants to see the world with you. I, personally, think that this is the kind of girl who would suit you best."
Ah, such a girl was the stuff that Jack's dreams were made of. Having a housebound wife to visit was a lovely thought, but not practical, especially when he was in urgent and immediate need of 'feminine attentions.'
A wife who wanted to stay with him, but who wouldn't be a burden to have aboard, was a rare breed. She had to be made of stern stuff to live onboard a pirate ship, and had to know how to give orders, work hard, and know how to survive in a battle. Such women were nay impossible to find.
'But perhaps Miss Evie Watkins can find one when I couldn't.'
However, Evie wasn't finished yet. "I'm afraid you won't find such women here in Port Thomas," she apologized. "Most of the women here fit into the first type of wife I suggested."
Jack shook his head. "I thought as much. Women from small towns tend to be content with their ways of life, so I hadn't expected to find the diamond-in-the-rough here in Port Thomas."
She looked thoughtful. "Well, I can try and find someone off one of the incoming ships, which usually stop by on their way to other ports. With a enough time, I can probably find an adequate wife for you."
Alas, she couldn't have known that he had no intention of remaining here in Port Thomas for very long.
Keeping his thoughts private, Jack smiled. "Well, then, you can get started on that in a day or two. My ship needs to be restocked, but afterwards, we can begin the search, savvy?"
They parted ways immediately, Evie going home to her cottage and Jack going off to the Pearl. There he was greeted by the welcoming sight of several cases of rum being loaded, and Mr. Gibbs shouting orders to those on deck to work faster so they could load the supplies still lying on the dock.
"Mr. Gibbs!" Jack shouted, getting his first mate's attention immediately. "I need six men who are as quiet on their feet as cats, and as discreet."
Gibbs nodded and pointed out the men. Jack nodded his thanks and called the half-dozen fellows into his cabin. When all were assembled, he gave them their orders.
"In town is a woman named Evianna Watkins," he said, leaning against his desk. "She's a matchmaker, and she's going to be using her talents to find wives for those onboard who want them. Unfortunately, we're going to have to "persuade" her to join us aboard the Pearl, since I doubt the women in this tiny town would be willing to marry any of you dogs."
The men laughed, then proceeded to smack and elbow each other in jest. Jack waved them quiet. "Now, the six of you will have to sneak into this woman's home and pack up her belongings to take with us. In two days, I'll lure her out for a few hours, then bring her here to the Pearl. Before we arrive, though, you'll have to have brought all of her moveable things here. Savvy?"
All six men nodded. "Good. Now, get back to work. Thompson, send Mr. Cotton to clean out that spare cabin adjoining mine, and tell him to make it fit for a proper young woman. Miss Watkins will need a safe place to sleep while she's here."
With his plans in place, Jack picked up a bottle of rum from his private stores and took a seat in his favorite chair. Propping his feet up, he uncorked the bottle and took a deep drink, smiling as the alcohol burned pleasantly down his throat.
AN: Review?
