Chapter Seven: Double Entendre

Jack rubbed his eyes as they left the glow of light from the house windows and strolled across the wide lawn. His face felt clammy and cool. He took a few deep breaths of the pleasant air and felt better immediately. Lor led the way to a crisply white gazebo near a huge tree, the little building's paint bright in the moonlight. As they entered it, he saw that it sat on the edge of a pond, the source of the cool breeze in the hot evening. Lor sat down with her back to the water, and Jack lounged beside her, glad to escape the formality of the house.

"Feeling better?" she commented.

"Much."

"The house is terrible in summer. I can barely sleep for the heat some nights, and I come out here a lot. There's usually a nice breeze off the pond."

She turned to look at the water, and the pearls around her neck caught the moonlight, highlighting them. Jack's eyes were drawn to them again. He couldn't seem to look away, and he reached out and picked them up from her neck a bit with one finger.

"Before, I was asking if you wore these a lot." He held the necklace for a moment longer, then let it fall back against her collarbone. The finger that had held it lingered on her skin for half a second, and a shiver ran down her spine before she answered.

"I do." Her hand played with the necklace unconsciously as she spoke. "I feel, sort of naked without them on. I guess it's because I've had them so long. It's like having a ring you wear all the time. You can feel where it was on your hand even when you take it off, and it feels wrong." She smiled, and it was disarmingly wide. "That sounds silly, when I hear myself saying it."

"Makes sense to me." Jack shrugged.

"No need to be nice." Lor's smile blinked off, then returned. "A little lack of manners is appropriate sometimes. I would imagine you know that well enough."

What was she playing at? Jack was silent, pretending to look at the water. His conversation with Martin still rested in the back of his mind. Had her father not said anything to her along the same lines? Of course not, Lor would be perpetually eight to a doting father like him. This was getting old bloody fast though. And really, what did he have to fear from Martin Peters, a hundred yards away in the house, totally unaware?

"I know all about bad manners m'dear"

The dazzling smile remained. "Bet you were a naughty child."

"It didn't end with childhood. Why do you think I'm a pirate?"

"I thought you were in it for the women," Lor replied.

Jack put on a mock serious face. "What are you implying?"

"That living in Tortuga would certainly be an interesting life when you were in town."

"D'you fancy being a bar wench?"

"Oh, not for anyone."

"For who then?"

"I met a very handsome pirate once. Shame I'm stuck with you now." Lor grinned even more broadly, if possible. "He had one leg and a pet turtle…"

"Did you know you could ride sea turtles?" Jack asked teasingly.

"Lucky things."

"What?"

"Getting a ride from Captain Jack Sparrow would certainly be the highlight of the week for anyone." There was a funny intonation in her voice, something that danced carefully between suggestive and joking. Jack turned to look at her more closely, catching her eyes and holding them. There was a long, long pause, then he reached out one hand, tipping up her chin, and kissed her.

For all her comments, Jack had still wondered if Lor would push him away. But she met his kiss eagerly, edging across the bench so he could put his arms around her. Her lips held the taste of her sugary tea, and Jack pushed them apart, sealing their mouths together. One hand was still under her chin, and he slid it down her neck, toying with the cold, smooth pearls. His calloused fingers grazed across her skin as they had before, and he could feel Lor's breath catch slightly. He purposely let his hand fall away from the necklace and traced the line of her collarbone with one finger, his mouth still hotly on hers.

"Lor?!" A voice came from the direction of the house, and they turned in comic unison.

"My father! Shit!" Lor said in an urgent whisper. Jack imagined his eyebrows were near his hairline. Perfect, genteel Lor cursing was a shocker, and oddly attractive. He didn't have much time to ponder this new and interesting bit of her personality, though, because Lor was tugging him up off the bench. "Come on!"

They walked purposefully across the lawn, meeting Martin at the doorway. He let Jack pass, but touched his daughter's arm. "A word my dear girl."

Jack left the room, closed the door, and waited outside, his ear pressed against it. It would be best to know if Martin were getting ready to run him through with that cleverly concealed blade.

"What, in the name of your dear, departed mother, were you doing out there? For half a bloody hour Lorelai?" Her father's voice had the same sharp tone he'd used with Jack earlier. Martin had seen the flush on her cheeks, noticed that the catch of her necklace was twisted around to the front. Had that fool of a pirate forgotten what he'd said already?

"The captain felt ill, and so I walked with him for a time. I felt a bit unwell myself, the air was so stuffy when we were dancing."

"For half an hour?"

"We were speaking, and I suppose time slipped away. I apologize if it seemed indiscreet, but it was mere courtesy."

"Have the courtesy, then, to bid our guests farewell. Most are preparing to leave."

Jack jumped away from the door and hurried up the hall as he heard them approaching. He was back in the study and talking to Bart by the time the entered. Martin made the rounds, saying good evening to the guests, and Lor said goodnight on the porch as they made their way to the carriages. Jack lingered, talking to Bart, until they were the only two left. He allowed the older man to exit first, said goodnight to Martin, then went out as well. Lor was standing to one side, watching the carriages pull away.

"This is goodnight then, eh?" Jack said, leaning on the doorway.

"So it is." Lor turned, and he stepped out of the door to meet her, and kissed her sharply, sliding his tongue over her lips and into her mouth. They lingered on the porch this way for several minutes, until Jack broke away abruptly and grinned.

"I look forward to seeing you Thursday, Miss Peters."

Lor took a deep breath, watching him go down the steps and then up the path that

led away from the plantation. She'd had many suitors, for there were few women in the islands with her kind of wealth, but she'd never been kissed that way before. This Jack Sparrow was fascinating, addicting almost, and she was glad to be going on this voyage. Still half unaware, she put a finger to her lips, wiping away the sheen of dampness that remained there, and retreated into the light of the house.