There was to be a ball the night after the engagement announcement two weeks after Ella had come to Port Royal. They were to be married in a month's time when she would become Lady Beckett. The thought terrified her as did the thought of her wedding night. She'd learned these past two weeks that Lord Beckett could be cold as ice if someone did not do as he said. He was rather good to Ella, however, lavishing gifts on her as if trying to buy her love. It did not make a difference to her, but she politely accepted his presents.
The afternoon of the engagement ball, Charlotte came into the room with a grin on her face.
"Ella, your gown has arrived from Mrs. Baker's just now…" She said, carrying the large box under her arm and setting it on the bed. "Come, I'll help you into your corset and things." She said, already dressed. Ella smiled at her and threw her dressing gown aside as she allowed her sister-in-law to put the corset around her and begin to lace it.
"I do hope your mother isn't disappointed I won't be participating in the season." Ella said apologetically. Charlotte laughed lightly.
"Are you kidding? She's thrilled to death that the girl she agreed to sponsor has already caught such a man!"
Ella smiled uneasily and sighed.
"Charley, can I ask you a question?" She asked, gripping the bedpost as Charlotte tightened her garment.
"Of course." The girl replied, finishing.
"Are you in love with James?" She asked, sitting on the bed. Charlotte sighed.
"I have love for him…but we mainly agreed to marry because it was a smart match. My mother arranged it. James is a good man, one any woman would be lucky to marry, but I suspect he still harbors feelings for Elizabeth. We are terribly fond of each other though." Ella nodded, looking at her hands folded in her lap, her engagement ring shining in the sunlight. She could settle for being terribly fond of someone…couldn't she?
"She's an ideal catch Beckett, well done." Jeremy Warton, an Earl and a partner in the East India Trading Company said as the group of wealthy men watched their spouses and some of the single women crowd around Lord Beckett's betrothed. He smiled, satisfied with himself and nodded.
"She is…a perfect wife for me since I will scarcely be home. She will be able to bear children well and raise them…the only habit I must break her of are those damned books." A few of the men blanched.
"She reads?" One asked and Lord Beckett chuckles.
"A flaw that will soon be remedied. Women were not meant to read…that's where Norrington made his mistakes asking Elizabeth Swann to marry him last year. She was headstrong and rebellious and left him for a bloody pirate. If I have anything to do with it, Eleanore will never even come into contact with a pirate." The men chuckled gaily and toasted Lord Beckett's future.
"Care to dance my dear?" Beckett asked his bride to be, stepping into the circle of women, who practically swooned at the sight of him.
"Well I…yes. Of course." She said in her soft spoken manner as she took his arm. Elizabeth watched moodily from where she stood with her father and Will.
"I always hated these bloody parties. The incessant chatter, the phony laughs…"
"Lizzie, it's Ella's engagement ball and you've hardly spoken to her…" Will said, patting her gloved hand as she fanned herself.
"I can't stand it…how can she just go along with this…this charade? She couldn't possibly care for him…could she?"
"Of course she doesn't," A slurred voice said from behind the couple. Will and Elizabeth looked at each other confused.
"Jack?" They said at the same time and began to turn around but he had ducked behind them.
"Oh…don't mind me…I'm actually just looking for a woman…"
"A what?" Will asked, looking down at him. Jack sighed melodramatically.
"A woman, mate. You know…those creatures all slim and curvy that smell nice and…" He turned to Elizabeth. "Are you positive he isn't a eunuch?" She chuckled softly.
"Quite." She replied, squeezing Will's hand.
"So why are you looking for a woman?" She asked Jack, still looking out at the festivities. Jack snapped his finger.
"Oh, right…sorry…I was admiring the bosoms on that woman by the food table." He said and both she and Will cringed.
"The rum has gotten to you, mate…" Will said dryly, watching the woman throw herself at a man who was obviously not her husband.
"Right then…well, a couple of weeks back, the compass started this spinning business and hasn't stopped…I tried handing it to Sea Sponge, to Gibbs, even Pintel and Rigetti. Not a tick. So we go to the witch who tells me that the blasted trinket won't stop spinning until I meet a woman…she was rambling on about the sparrow meeting a dove and all that nonsense. Sea Nymph or not that woman has a couple of notches loose in that head of hers."
Elizabeth looked at Will.
"Sparrow meeting a dove? It's engraved inside your compass isn't it, Jack?" Again, Jack's attention had been caught by another pretty girl. This time, a thin woman with red hair.
"I think I bedded that girl once…tried to break a bottle of rum over my head…"
"Jack!" Elizabeth hissed and he shrugged.
"Sorry love…what was it?" He asked and she sighed.
"Let me see the compass, you fiend." She retorted, holding her hand out for him. He placed the compass in her hand.
"I don't think it's gonna work, love."
She flipped it open and touched the inside of the lid, trying to see anything engraved. There was nothing she could see, but a small fold caught her eye and she began to lightly pull the thin leather inside the casing. It folded down to reveal a piece of paper folded. Taking it out and unfolding it, she began to read.
"To those who possess this compass…" She stopped, and looked behind her at Jack before going on, "True love conquers all, this compass will spin when it's possessor meets the person meant for them. Until both parties confess their love, it's power is useless. Once the compass regains its power, it will lead you to the greatest treasure of all…" Jack looked satisfied.
"Now that doesn't sound half bad…"
Elizabeth rolled her eyes and went on.
"Around the spinning arrow turns, soon the flames of love will burn…" She looked at Will, who shrugged as she began to read on,
"What the sparrow wants, he is not sure...for it lies within a being so pure…" Will eyed Jack who looked thoroughly confused, just as he'd been the first time he'd heard it.
"The wheel of destiny will show you love, when the sparrow meets the dove…" She stopped, all three of them pondering this. Actually, Jack was pondering pilfering a sack of coins hanging from a nearby man's belt, but lost interest when his compass suddenly clicked momentarily.
"Wait!" He said as Will and Elizabeth turned to look. Lizzie noticed the arrow had stopped for a moment and was pointing straight at Ella. Within seconds, the arrow began to spin again.
"Do I even know her?" Jack asked aloud and Elizabeth shook her head.
"It must have been caught on something…Eleanore Norrington just arrived here in Port Royal the day before James's wedding." She said with a shrug and Jack's eyebrows furrowed together in confusion.
Captain…if you ever come near my sister again, I shall gladly see you swing from the gallows…
"The girl! The one with the voice!" Jack stopped, realizing what this could mean and slumped against the wall tiredly. "Oh bugger."
"You know Ella?" Elizabeth asked and he nodded.
"Well yes…no…not really…I may have accidentally…kissed her the night of the Commodore…Admiral's wedding." Elizabeth's mouth dropped in horror.
"Jack, you didn't!"
"Guilty…" He said with half a grin.
"Guilty or not…that girl is engaged to Lord Beckett…" She said and the smile left Jack's face as did the light tone in his voice.
"Not Cutler Beckett, the very same man working for the East India Trading Company…" He said his voice low.
"The very same…" Will couldn't help but notice Jack crack his knuckles.
"You seem a bit tired…would you like some fresh air dear?" Lord Beckett asked his fiancée. Ella smiled politely.
"That would be lovely, thank you…my Lord." She said as she felt his hand touch the small of her back and wanted to recoil from his touch.
"Please Eleanore…call me Cutler…" He said and she gulped trying to fathom the words as they walked into the gardens of his estate.
"C-Cutler…" She stuttered. He chuckled.
"I regret that I haven't been able to explain my reasons for asking for your hand in marriage Eleanore…the truth is, I have been looking for a wife for some time now and the women here in Port Royal just aren't of the same standing as the women from England. You are a respectable, lovely girl with a fine upbringing. Not many people know this but Governor Swann will be retiring very shortly and I will be stepping in as Governor. I cannot do this without a good woman by my side, and you Ella, are that woman." Ella felt a bit violated when he used her shortened name without her permission, but remained silent.
"Well I…thank you sir…" Was all she could think of to say in reply.
They stopped in a covered area with a gazebo and benches all around and he walked ahead still speaking to her.
"I suspect we will be very prosperous you and I Ella…after time, I do believe we should return to England for a bit and rejoin our own society as this world is becoming far too uncivilized. I do want a large family maybe four or five…though more wouldn't be too bad either…we can only pray for boys and…Ella?" Cutler stopped walking and turned around, only when he turned to his fiancée, she wasn't there…