A Caged Swann

Chapter 4: Jonathan Pardal

A week past by with Elizabeth humouring her father into thinking she was getting to know the suitors. She accepted invitations for walks and tea, but tended to drown out all of their talks of politics, land holdings, and the occasional dictation of a woman's proper place in society. Through all of it she turned to the age-old fail-safe of 'smile and nod'. The majority of the men, she decided, couldn't care less whether she was listening or not. There appeared to be only three that were interested or half interested in her opinions. Though one she could tell probably asked just to keep her attention. He listened to her the exact way she listened to him.

Elizabeth also found out that her father was telling different accounts of the 'vanishing Will story'. His new account was that the young boy had left to seek his father, promising to return for Elizabeth, only to be dashed to death on some rocks as the ship he was on was shipwrecked. And that was the reason that Elizabeth shut herself away from them in the beginning. She was grieving for the loss. Almost everyday the story changed and the suitors seemed to go along with all of them. As the stories satisfied them they disappeared never to be mentioned again by the Governor. Will was dead to them all she realized. She sent a silent prayer for his safety before turning her attention back to Thomas, or Timothy, or Thomathy, whatever his name was…

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As the sun shone high on the eighth day of the journey, the crew made ready for Jack to row into Port Royal. The Black Pearl being docked in a safe location, unseen by the soldiers and it was also in good position for Jack to row in unnoticed. He'd ditch the boat and make it seem like he was just walking into town.

"You sure this is something you wanna be doing?"

"For the ninth time today: Aye."

Anamaria shook her head. What had gotten into Jack after reading that letter was what she'd really like to know.

"And what is it exactly you plan on doing once you're there?"

"Not sure entirely."

"This is a bad plan…you've had half a fortnight to think about it and you've no idea?"

"Said I wasn't sure 'entirely' but I do have some idea, not much, but there's some. Think I'll be making it up on spot. I'm good at that."

"Look Jack," started Gibbs, "are you sure…"

"Take care of me ship!" Jack yelled from the side. Gibbs and Anamaria looked to where he was supposed to be only to find him gone. Running to the rail and looking down they saw the rowboat more than halfway down the Pearl.

"He's going to get 'imself killed," said Anamaria. "If not by Elizabeth when she finds out, then by a suitor or a soldier, sooner or later…"

"It's what he does….HEY JACK! WHEN YOU BE WANTIN' US BACK FOR YE?"

"I'LL SEND WORD! TAKE CARE OF ME BLOODY SHIP!"

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Once making it onto land, Jack made his way to the town's outskirts before walking in. About a few steps in he decided to try and walk 'normally'. Going about the town with his own gait might make it a bit suspicious. So standing tall, back straight, Jack continued to walk into town. He stopped and kicked out his legs to make them move properly. Having walked like a drunk on the waves for so many years, this was going to take some practice. Sauntering back to the outskirts, Jack went to work.

Walking up and down the road, Jack knew that he used to be accustomed to walking on land, and he recalled it quickly, though it still felt a bit odd.

"The things I do for this woman…" he said running his hand over his beardless face.

A short time later, the people of Port Royal paused to see yet another would-be suitor of the governor's daughter arrive in their town and inquire about the mansion and its inhabitants. Young girls sighed as yet another handsome man came calling for the stubborn Swann when they would be more than happy to take a few off her hands.

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"…and then I told Margaret, 'No dear you have to watch the stocks carefully so that they don't mistinerate with what you actually owe'. You see playing the London stocks are a man's recreation, it's exceedingly difficult to tell the rise in such things and then…"

Elizabeth groaned behind her teacup as she was currently engaged in yet another one sided conversation with a man named Baltus Kelvin. He was apparently trying to talk about the stocks, but as far as Elizabeth knew 'mistinerate' wasn't even a word. She thought that Baltus should consider investing in a dictionary. Elizabeth was about to interrupt Baltus as he came to the 'timigeries' of the newspaper when someone tapped her shoulder.

"Pardon me Miss Swann, but Baltus I believe your time is up and I was wondering if the lovely lady would like to accompany me on a walk?"

"Yes, very," said Elizabeth. "It was lovely Lord Kelvin, but you must excuse me." Elizabeth took Edwin's proffered hand as he led her along the trail through the wood behind the house.

"What time?" asked Baltus to the air. He looked a bit confused but then shrugged and helped himself to another cup of tea.

…………………………………………..

"Timigeries of the newspaper, I must get him to tell me about that sometime," said Edwin having caught the last bit of his rival's conversation.

"I think you should ask him the meaning of that word."

"Quite so I think. But first might I say how nice it is to finally get you away from everything."

"I believe you may," said Elizabeth. "So Mr. Brock, what is it you do again?"

"I'm a merchant, we import and export the finest quality of items. I have different ships for different hauls. And they have a different square of color on each of my flags indicating which is which. I trade in coffee, beans, silks, and cottons, among other things."

"How interesting."

As they walked they finally came to a small clearing. A ridge of sculpted rock separated them from the cliff and ocean waters below. Elizabeth leaned on the pewter rail and looked out over the waters. There were ships sailing out of port and heading into the deep blue as they watched.

"What do you see?"

"Pardon?"

"What do you see?" repeated Elizabeth motioning to the open waters.

Edwin shrugged, "It's the ocean."

"That's all? Nothing else? No deeper meaning?"

"Deeper meaning? It's water. That's all that's out there. Not only that but storms and hurricanes, dead calms and pirates," he spit the last word out like it were poison, "it's water. It's merciless and could drown a man in seconds."

"For a merchant who's been to sea, you have so many bleak views of it."

"It's a medium, something to be traveled upon, there are no other ways to reach England, or the rest of Europe, if there were I'd take them. A merchant is my trade, it's what I was born to be. My father would accept nothing else. Just because I travel the ocean, doesn't mean I have to like it. Hoping that something doesn't go wrong is all one can do at the grips of Mother Nature. I've had ships completely destroyed and had to report to those sailors' families."

"Be all that, it's still beautiful."

"Nature may be beautiful, but it's still filled with deadly things. And the sea is just that."

"I believe I understand your point."

"Quite. So what of your own question. What do you see?"

"Something I doubt you never will."And with that, Elizabeth turned and left, leaving yet another slightly confused suitor in her wake.

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'This was wonderful, all wonderful,' Elizabeth thought sarcastically as she made her way back through the woods. Every single one of them as boring or uptight as the next and she was sick of it. For a solid week she had been all smiles trying to turn over her behaviour for her father. She had tried to be nothing but pleasant to the suitors while taking out her frustrations on her pillows at night. The maids had come in more than once to find feathers strewn about the room. Elizabeth had tried to get to know them, she really did, but they were all too...she shook her head, the word escaping her as she kept making herself more and more upset. Where was the adventure? Where was the passion for life and work? For all of her patience with these men, what had Elizabeth gotten? Nothing.

Trying to put away her thoughts on her conversation with Edwin, Elizabeth entered the house through the side doors that led into the drawing room. She had barely gotten halfway through when her father intercepted her.

"Ah, Elizabeth there you are. I was just looking for you," said the Governor.

"Yes, well, here I am. I think I'm going to go lay down though. It's been a long day."

"But it's only two o'clock."

"Is it?" she looked at the clock and her expression dropped, "...oh."

"No worries though, it's the perfect time for you to meet our new arrival. Says he's from..."

"What?!" cried Elizabeth. "Another one!?"

"Now really Elizabeth, is it necessary to shout?"

"So how many more are going to show up?"

"He's the last one I assure. He was delayed in Singapore and had to stop in Ceylon for resupply. Honestly dear, it's just one more."

"But there's already more than twenty!"

"Now, now, let's not exaggerate. There's not that many," said Governor Swann. "The more the better I say. Better odds of you finding someone perhaps?"

"Oh please..."

"Elizabeth, you promised me you'd try."

"And I am!" she said, "But it's not my fault they're all...horrid."

"Will you just meet this new gentleman?"

"Fine then," said Elizabeth, walking past her father and into the front hall. "But I hardly think it'll be worth..." her rant was cut off as her last suitor turned around to face her. "...it."

Governor Swann caught up to Elizabeth who had stopped and was staring at the new arrival.

"So sorry to keep you waiting Jonathan," said Governor Swann. "This is my daughter Elizabeth. Elizabeth, this is Jonathan Pardal."

Elizabeth was hardly listening to the introduction as she stared at Jonathan. He wore a trim black suit, along with knee-length black boots; which was unlike the other suitors who wore stockings much as her father did. His dark hair, unhindered by a powdered wig, dropped lazily to his shoulders, framing his face. As he walked up to them, she could make out his features all the better.

"It's a pleasure Miss Swann," he said, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles.

"Likewise." Elizabeth furrowed her brow for the briefest of seconds as a slight wave of familiarity washed over her as she looked at him, "Have we..."

"Have I interrupted?" came a voice to their right. Daniel Bishop, a particularly young man, had just come into the house.

"Not to worry Daniel, I was just making new introductions to Elizabeth," said Governor Swann, "you'll all meet tonight no doubt."

"I see sir," Daniel nodded to Jonathan and inwardly sighed. There were already enough suitors here for him to contend with and now another one.

"Yes, well I hate to have to cut this short but I'm currently meeting Mr. bishop for a carriage ride." said Elizabeth, "I expect I'll see you at dinner Mr. Pardal."

"Absolutely Miss Swann." He watched as she turned from him and her father as Daniel opened the door for her.

"And off she goes, quite a delightful young woman." said the Governor, "Now Jonathan, if I remember, you were saying something about Ceylon before I went to fetch Elizabeth..."

"Ah yes..." Jack started with a small smile. If Elizabeth would make him wait then he'd just regale her father about his 'travels'. The older man was actually quite pleasant to talk to and if he started to favour Jack over the others, well then, better odds to him...

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A/N: Well there's chapter four, was easier to write than I thought it would be (except the end part). I did it at school while I was waiting to go to grad rehearsal. I even named and semi-planned out the next chapters. Lizzie has gotten some of her spunk back!

Mme. Calico Jack Rackham: Yes, I know my grammar for the previous chapters isn't as good as it could be. Thank you for pointing out how much I was slipping, all future chapters will be proofread and edited before being put up. I hope this chapter meets higher up on your grammar rating scale.

OpraNoodlemantra: Yeah, it would take more for Will to leave Lizzie like that. But for plot purposes and all I needed him gone, and I didn't want to kill him or have him kidnapped. It's kinda explained in the first chapter why he left though not that indepth, I know.

Thanks to all of the reviewers. You guys keep this story going!