Such Great Heights Chapter 3

A/N: Hi, I'm back! It has been a busy week, as I am being swamped with assignments as I have a four week long program in the city. You people are awesome! Thanks for the lovely and encouraging reviews that you have left me, I really do appreciate it. I was so relieved to hear that you liked Edith! And in return for your reviews and story alerts and favourites, I have finished another chapter for you!

James Norrington moved through the fort, saluting those who were still on the early morning shift of watch and made his way down to the forts kitchens. He had left his house a little earlier than usual and did not bother waking his staff just for the simple task of having breakfast prepared. The cooks in the kitchen would have been up for several hours already anyway, preparing breakfasts for those who lived inside the walls of the fort.

He had been struggling to get a decent night's sleep since the letter had arrived from England several days before. The whole idea of suddenly getting married weighed heavily on his mind and in result; he had been working overtime just to keep the thoughts out of his head. His parents had said that they were sending over a woman who he would have to suddenly accept into his life and accommodate. The idea seemed to constantly make him feel sick whenever he wasn't controlled enough and let his thoughts ran rampant though his head.

Stepping into the kitchen and nodding to the staff before waiting for them to serve up whatever they were serving to his men. It was now only a couple of days before the Sapphire of the Sea was due to dock in Port Royal and they were preparing for the arrival of the Challenger a ship to replace the Interceptor which was due in port later on in the day. He was proud to have another fast ship in the Caribbean waters, as it was a safety blanket and would be useful for when he would be able to catch Sparrow, if he ever decided to show his face in the Caribbean again.

After accepting the plate of food along with a cup of tea balanced on a saucer in the other hand, James slowly made his way up to his office and settled in to enjoy a few peaceful moments before the daily rush of going's on in the fort left him busy.

The sun had just passed its mark high in the sky and James still found himself unable to enjoy the beautiful day that was sitting just beyond the doors of his office. The only sound in the room was the methodical scratching of a quill against sheets of parchment or the soft sighs of frustration. But the silence was not to last so long, as a knock on the door interrupted the fragile silence.

"Enter" he answered in a rather stern voice, because if he did not hurry up he would not have enough time to finish the missives to inspect the Challenger before it was too dark to be on the water.

A young third lieutenant entered, Jones James thought as he stepped slightly away from the door before drawing himself up into full height.

"Commodore, there is a party of people awaiting your presence down at the docks. The Challenger has arrived" Jones said in a rather shaky voice. James looked closer at the young man and noticed that he also looked rather flustered, as if he had just been running.

"I thought I left word down at the docks that I would be there later." Norrington replied as he placed the quill on his desk and gave the lieutenant his full attention.

"Yes, Lieutenant Gillette told me, but they insist that you come down."

"Do you know who is involved in this party?" James asked as he stood from his chair and gathered his coat.

"I was only told that Admiral Norrington was in the party" the third lieutenant was only just able to get out the words before James barked that he was dismissed. James gathered his hat and looked at the parchments, deciding that they would have to be left for later on in the evening. They are a few days earlier than expected… and especially on the Challenger and if father is with them, that means mother and Miss Reynolds must be there too.

Finally leaving his office with his sword at his hip, James tried to find the longest possible way to the docks. He went to the fort stables and collected the black stallion he owned and saddled it himself, waving off the stable hands. He then decided to take the longest possible route down to where the Challenger had been docked, which just happened to be the place where the Interceptor would have been anchored.

Arriving at the docks, James handed the horse to a marine who was standing on guard before carefully brushing his coat down and striding purposefully to the end of the pier.

As he got closer, he saw three people dressed in civilian clothing along with his friend and lieutenant Phillip Gillette. Phillip often liked to annoy James anyway possible, which usually consisted of starting an argument between marines Murtogg and Mullroy. It was only fair that he had to retaliate in some way and his parents were the way to do it. Phillip was trying in vain to calm his mother who was slowly becoming impatient with the amount of time she was being made to wait to see her son.

In no particular rush, just to see his friend uncomfortable, he waited for a while, pretending to look at the docks records. After watching him for a while, James took pity on his friend and decided to approach the three travellers.

"Lieutenant Gillette is there a problem?" he asked with a slight smile towards Phillip.

"No, not at all Commodore Norrington." He said before saluting and walking away.

"Naval officers should not be tardy and leave incompetent lieutenants to deal with important people, James." Lawrence Norrington said as James turned to his family and the young woman who had accompanied them.

"I apologise father" James replied. "There was an issue at the fort which could not be ignored."

"Very well then." Admiral Norrington said before turning on his heel to inspect the Dauntless which was being moved back out to the heads of the bay to watch over the port.

Next it was his mother, who inspected him carefully before stepping forward and kissing his cheek lightly. James returned the kiss and then let his mother take his shoulders and look him over. "Oh you look so much like your father in this uniform, dear." She said as her green eyes continued to analyse every aspect of his uniform and face. "It has been so long, the last time I saw you was just before you left for England."

"Yes it has been. Though I am surprised that you came, especially on a naval ship." James replied.

"Well, we were meant to arrive a few days later, but the Sapphire of the Sea had to be… what do they call it? Dry docked! That's right, yes and we did not want to disappoint you, so your father arranged it so that we could still make our trip. They were very welcoming." Mrs Norrington prattled on.

She seemed just to have remembered the young lady who was standing slightly behind her and jumped as if she had just been snuck up on. "Oh yes, yes. James this is Edith Reynolds, the lovely young woman you'll be marrying."

James turned his gaze from his mother to the woman who had taken a small step forward to be seen. She was a head shorter than he was and had a quiet bookish look about her. Miss Reynolds had mousy coloured hair that was pulled up in an elaborate style that all women wore and perched precariously on her nose were a pair of glasses. Behind the glasses were deep brown orbs, which seemed to possess a fiery quality behind them. Her lips were not full, but not thin either and her skin had the same pale quality that any woman from England would possess. James thought the description that his parents had sent him was fairly accurate. She was not one of those London girls who just seemed to radiate beauty, but she was not one of those people who were ridiculed by others for not looking the same. Edith Reynolds was just an average girl, nothing more, nothing less.

Clearing his throat, James stepped forward and took the woman's hand and bowed over it before placing a light kiss on her knuckles. "A pleasure, Miss Reynolds." He said looking up into her eyes, becoming confused when he saw slight disgust behind those glasses.

"Commodore Norrington" she said in a strained voice as she quickly pulled her hands from James' grasp and took several steps backwards.

"Ah yes, yes. James, have you had the maids set up a room for myself and your father? I look forward so much to seeing where you live." His mother said breaking the deafening silence.

"Of course, will Miss Reynolds be dining with us tonight?" James asked, secretly hoping that she would not. It was not that he did not like her, but the disgust in her eyes made him incredibly uncomfortable for someone who had to deal with situations that required some degree of disgust every day.

"Yes, she will be so that her maid has the time to set up her room at the inn she is staying at." James' mother replied as she begun to direct the marines who had gathered their luggage, ordering them to take it up to his house.

"Come, now James you must show us where you live!" his mother said as she picked up the small hatbox that had been sitting on the dock.

James turned and moved back down the dock, his thoughts unusually chaotic as he waited for his visitors to come to the carriage. Quickly before forgetting, James turned to the nearest marine and asked that his stallion be taken to the fort stables. He was not appreciative that his parents had suddenly turned up and expected him to have a room ready for them, along with a dinner for four people.

He was used to a life of solitude. James did not have many friends or acquaintances outside of the fort as they usually meant some horrid mother trying to pair him with a young woman. He only ever had one or two close friends that he genuinely liked and trusted enough for them to enter the small and private world that he had created around himself.

Standing at the door and letting the footman prepare the horses, James helped his mother up into the carriage and then let his father pull himself in. When he turned to Miss Reynolds, she looked at his hand and then grasped the side of the carriage, effectively pulling herself in before James could make any comment on what she was doing.

After pulling himself up into the carriage and taking a seat next to his father, James listened as his mother commented on the houses that they passed and how they were 'just simply adorable.' James looked out of the window, wistfully staring up at the fort where he knew he had left the day's work half uncompleted and that it would have to be done as soon as possible.

As he turned his gaze to nod to his mother to show that he was paying attention to what she was saying, he caught Miss Reynolds staring at him, with her face completely blank. He raised a questioning eyebrow, trying to get her speak a little bit, but she just turned her face and stared out of the window, the same way he was earlier.

A/N: don't forget to review and leave your thoughts as they are very much appreciated!