The marketplace was not a place you would usually find someone of the Swanns' statures. Its hustle and bustle overwhelmed the usual aristocrat, making their trips there scarce. But then again, the Swanns were no normal aristocrats. Harriet walked the roads of the town square as though she belonged, completely unnerved by the looks the other higher class individuals there were giving her as she had no escort. She would glare back at them in some instances: her purpose for going there was her business and hers alone. No one should be so nosey...
Harriet's sole purpose for this voyage was to look for some jewellery to match her gown. The ones she had at home were either unfitting or they had been worn too many times... actually, most were in fine shape, though her father's opinion thought otherwise.
"No, I will simply not allow my daughter to be seen in such jewellery!" he had said, and Harriet knew better than to go against her father when he was like that. She should be thankful, as a matter of fact, that her father spoiled her so, but she felt a bit guilty letting him do so seeing the many homeless folk along the streets of Port Royal. She didn't let her fear show, though. If someone thought her fearful, who knows what they would do? She looked around at the stalls, slightly disconnected from her activities. Her mind was elsewhere.
A hand touched her shoulder and she jumped in fright, a small squeal escaping her lips. She quickly spun around and was met with a pair of hazel eyes.
"Andrew!" she exclaimed. "You gave me a fright."
The officer gave an embarrassed laugh. "I beg your pardon, miss," he said, nodding.
She looked at him, exasperated. "How many times do I have to tell you to call me Harriet? I thought we were past all that..."
"Your father wished I spoke to you this way, miss." He looked at her with kind eyes. "Not like I wanted to."
She smiled. "I suppose you're right, sir," she said with a laugh. "Then I suppose you are here to be my escort, seeing as I have none."
Andrew blushed. "I hadn't meant that, actually. I just happened to see you and thought I'd say hello."
"Oh," Harriet said softly. How embarrassing...
"Unless you would like me to escort you," he said nervously. "I have nothing to do today so I may... if that is what you wish."
Harriet smiled. "Yes, I wish that."
He returned the smile. He cleared his throat. "Yes," he said nervously. "Well... excellent."
Andrew held out his arm, and Harriet linked onto him as they walked the roads of Port Royal.
Left and right there was hustle and bustle. There were rows of stalls on either side of the road, each with their own collection of trinkets displayed on its surface. The fresh bread from the bakery left a wonderful aroma in the air. It was enough to make Harriet and Andrew stop in their tracks.
"Nothing smells better than freshly baked bread," Harriet said, breathing in a generous amount of the aroma. "Come, let's have a look and see what they have."
She slipped from Andrew's elbow and entered the bakery, which was warmer than any summer day in the Caribbean.
"Good morning, Miss Harriet!" said Mr. Patrick Watson, the baker as Harriet walked into the shop. His Irish accent was obvious, though he spoke English well. "How are we today?"
"I'm fine, Pat. And you?"
"I'm wonderful, as always, though I could do without the stifling heat." He wiped the sweat off his brow with his sleeve. "So, what brings you here?"
"Nothing, really. My friend and I just wanted to see what you have today."
"This friend of yours, is it a he or a she?" he asked, a mischievous grin plastered onto his face.
"What exactly are you implying?" she bantered. She knew him all too well.
"So, 'tis a male companion." He smiled, proud of his conclusion.
"And that's all he is." Harriet said, in an effort to end the conversation.
Just then, Andrew walked in. "Goodness, it's warm!" he said.
Harriet giggled. "What more do you expect from a bakery, Andrew? I mean, lieutenant."
Pat laughed. "Miss Harriet is right, Lieutenant Andrew. What more do you expect?" He turned around and brought out a freshly baked batch of scones from the oven. "So, Lieutenant Andrew, Miss Harriet tells me you two are friends, yes?"
"Yes," he replied. "Why, sir?"
He waved his hand. "Call me Pat." The baker shrugged, a twinkle in his eye. "Oh, no reason. Just checking to see if she isn't lying to me," he said.
"And what makes you think she's lying, Pat?" Andrew said, aware of his witticism.
"Are you accusing me, lieutenant?" Pat threw back at him.
"Is there anything to be accused of?"
Pat laughed. "You've a sharp wit, lieutenant. Are you Irish?"
Andrew nodded. "As a matter of fact, I am, Pat."
"Your accent is English, though," Pat interviewed.
"I was raised in Britain."
"Ah," he shook his head. "They stole an intelligent one."
Andrew smiled with what Harriet thought was a little bit of pride. "Thank you, Pat."
Harriet watched the exchange between the lieutenant and the baker. She had never seen this side of Andrew before. He could make witty conversation.
He pointed a finger at Andrew. "You keep an eye on him, Miss Harriet. If his wit gets the better of him, he'll have the town after him."
Harriet smiled. "I will, Pat."
---
"What was that all about?" Harriet asked as they left the bakery.
"What do you mean?" Andrew pretended.
"Don't lie to me. I know when you are." She chuckled. "I've never seen you like that before, so witty."
He smiled. "Well, you learn something new everyday, miss."
She shook her head. "I'll never to get used to you calling me that."
"Calling you what?" he asked, genuinely curious.
"'Miss'."
He snickered. "You'll get used to it soon enough, miss."
"There you are again!"
He laughed and she laughed at that.
"How do you find Port Royal?" he asked.
"I love it here," she said. "It so beautiful and everyone is so kind. And it's incredibly safe, thanks to James, Theodore and you."
He flushed slightly, though Harriet was unaware of it though as she was busy looking from stall to stall for the perfect piece. "It's nothing, really..."
She shook her head. "There you go again, having a false sense of modesty. Be proud of you're accomplishments, Andrew."
He smiled, turning a slight shade pinker.
"Help me find the perfect piece, Andrew," she asked him, taking no note of his rosy complexion. She took him by the hand and pulled him to one of the stands, catching him off guard and almost toppling over the display.
Harriet laughed at him. "Hold yourself together, Andrew! It's just jewellery."
He was slightly annoyed at her laughing at him, but her laugh was so sweet could not keep being angry with her. "It's not funny," he said.
"My sincerest apologies, lieutenant," she said with a wink. "Come, let's look."
She bent over the table and examined a silver brooch. Andrew looked around the table and mentally shook his head. Nothing here is good enough... he thought, as Harriet spoke to the owner about one of the pieces. He looked at her, her face glowing in the sunlight, her hair curled and held up away from her face, exposing her brilliant green eyes.
"Andrew?" she called him.
He hadn't realized he was staring at her. His face reddened. "Uh, yes, Miss Swann?" he was able to stammer.
Harriet shook her head. "It's nothing, Andrew. I just wanted to thank you for doing this with me."
He smiled.
"Especially since you know James so well, so you would know what he would like."
His face fell. He had forgotten that he did not own her heart. He quickly turned away before Harriet could see his face, pretending to search the displays. Although doing it half-heartedly, he still could not find anything suitable for her.
"Not one of these suits you."
Andrew looked up to see James staring down at him, a grin on his face.
"I'll have you know that this isn't for me," Andrew stood to his full height and nodded. "I'm aiding in Miss Swann's pursuit of the perfect one."
"Miss Swann?" James repeated, with a hopeful glimmer in his eyes.
"Harriet," Andrew said.
"Did you call me?" Harriet said. When she saw James, her face went pink and her eyes went wide. "James! Fancy meeting you here?"
The glimmer was gone. "Yes," he said, returning to his formal persona. "Fancy that. I see you were able to recruit Andrew for your pursuit."
She smiled. "Yes, I was."
James coughed into his fist. "May I have a word with him?" he asked.
Harriet nodded vigorously. "Of course."
James nodded a thank you and turned around, with Andrew following closely behind.
"What's this all about?" he whispered urgently.
When he felt they were out of Harriet's earshot, he spun around, his formal facade replaced with panic. "I need your help," he told Andrew.
Andrew raised his eyebrows. "What is the nature of this emergency?"
"The Swanns' birthday is in a week and I haven't a present for Elizabeth yet!"
"And you've one for Harriet?"
James nodded. "Yes. Some diary and pen I found at the bookstore."
"Why not get the same for Elizabeth?"
James looked at his friend incredulously. "Are you mad? That'll never work!"
"Why not? They're twins!"
James brought his hands to his head. "Look. I need your help finding Elizabeth the perfect gift, something that will amaze her."
Andrew shook his head. "It's my day off today, and Harriet asked me first."
"Please! I'm begging you!" James begged. His eyes were wide with fear his friend could not take.
"Alright, alright! Stop begging! I'll help you."
"Thank you!" James hugged his friend until he had to let go for fear of cutting off his blood circulation.
"But you'll be the one to tell Harriet that I need to go. I can't." Andrew said, rubbing his arm to bring the blood back.
"Why not?" James asked.
"Because I'll hurt her if I do."
"Everyone gets hurt, Andrew," he said plainly, almost harshly. "You can't be nice to everyone, or else we would never get rid of pirates." He shrugged. "Fine, I'll tell her."
They turned around and made for the stall where Harriet was busy bargaining with the owner.
"Harriet..."
Yay! I finally updated this story! The "secret" identity of James Norrington's love has been revealed, though I'm pretty sure you figured it out before that :) Please review! It won't take very long, but it'll make me very happy :)
