Author's Note…this is the first chapter (of this fic) that I've written entirely while I've been in school. I'm rather proud of myself. It didn't take too long, did it?

crickets

Oh well, I'm proud of myself. Lots of changes in this chapter, but it should all be good fun. And the next chapter should be lots of good fun. Can't wait to get to it. ;)

Responses being sent out once this is uploaded.

Enjoy!

As the setting sun announced the onset of dusk to the small seaside community of Port Royal, Jack gave the last of his instructions to his gathered crew. Content that he would find a ship waiting for him when he returned, Jack dismissed them, then walked to a nearby launch.

Gibbs followed behind, expecting to receive some final orders. "Now, I am leaving you in command of m'ship," Jack said flippantly though the matter was anything but light. He had an easier time entrusting his life to someone else than he did handing over the care of his ship for even a night or two. "If some element of this plan should run astray, go to Tortuga and I will do my best to meet you there." Letting go of the gravity he had assumed to emphasize his point, Jack said with his normal jovially, "However, since I am the one who made the plan, there is little that should go amiss. I shall rendezvous with you here in three days."

Jack covered the rough mile and a half between his ship and his chosen landing point with minimal fuss. That was the good thing about working on one's ship even though one was the captain – it kept you fit. While he carried no light, the moon had just reached its fullness the night before, so there was plenty of light for him to navigate by.

Reaching shore, Jack quickly and quietly beached his boat. There was no need to hide it for this stretch of beach was surrounded by cliffs that were difficult to traverse, and it was unlikely that anyone would walk this far east on a pleasure jaunt. As he was surveying the small craft to ensure it was past the high water mark, Jack heard the yap of a small dog and a woman's voice slowly growing closer. Silently moving into the shadows of some nearby undergrowth and laying down on his belly to take full advantage of the protection it offered, Jack cursed under his breath. What kind of feather brained female roams secluded beaches at night with only a small dog as company?

Hopefully the kind that won't take notice of a rowboat lying abandoned on an equally abandoned beach, answered his inner voice as the dog he had heard came into view. It started sniffing the sand, apparently catching Jack's scent. Just as it was about to dive into the undergrowth in search of him, the woman's voice distracted it.

"Pige! Don't you even think of it!"

And now I know what type of woman, Jack thought as he stifled a groan. What is she doing here? This really must be the last time I underestimate her. The temptation to grab her now, hogtie her, and take her back to the Pearl for a thorough reaming for her foolishness was strong. He battled it down as the woman arrogantly continued.

"There is no way that I am searching for you in all that, youngling. You lose yourself in there and I am going home without you. Come back here, 'tis time we headed back to the house. They must be done with the preparations by now and I haven't eaten since midday."

The dog went racing to its owner, who was grumbling something about having a long walk ahead of her. Jack raised his head to look between the broad leaves of the plants he'd hidden behind to catch a glance of his ultimate prey. She was dressed in colors that made her blend into the night. Long wisps of hair had come loose from their arrangement, presumably due to the wind that had picked up with the setting of the sun. He could see them dancing in the moonlight. As he watched, she reached up and impatiently brushed them away from her face. In one hand she carried her boots; her feet were barefoot in the sand.

Pige was frolicking around said feet, bouncing and panting with the uncountable enthusiasm that all puppies and young children have. Jack watched as Winn tried unsuccessfully to catch the pup up in her arms. After her third failed attempt, Winn propped her hands on her hips and said in a rather frosty voice, "Pigeon. Come here now." Jack and the dog both recognized trouble when they heard it.

Pige, crawling forward and making apologetic doggy sounds, finally allowed her mistress to pick her up. Scratching the dog between the ears, Winn muttered, "For all that you're listening to me, I should have named you Jack, or at the very least Sparrow. That might suit a flighty thing like you a bit better, huh girl?" While her words sounded irritated, she was smiling slightly, though it was probably because of her pet and not from the thought of him. Though Jack was optimistic and did consider that she might be feeling a bit more kindly about him now that she thought she'd gotten her way.

Winn, unaware that she was under intense observation spared only a glance for the boat (after all, it was getting late), and set off back down the beach, leaving Jack undiscovered. Getting up from his stomach, Jack watched from his shelter as Winn's brisk walk led her closer to Port Royal with every barefooted step. Fool woman, he thought. I thought you had more sense, Winnie. I'm disappointed to find you out here all by yourself. What if I had been dangerous? Sighing, Jack decided that he had better follow at a discreet distance to ensure that Winn made it back to her lodgings safely. That, and it would be hard to abduct her if he couldn't later find her.

Winn looked back only once, feeling as if she were being watched, but that was ridiculous, she told herself. The beach was deserted, she was alone but for her dog, and besides, who was there to be following her?

Jack followed Winn all the way back to the Swann's, albeit from a block or so behind her. The trip had been somewhat uneventful – the few people they had come across being either to drunk or to pretentious to stop or even look at Winn. Jack had almost stopped following her once he realized where she must be going, but the thought of what might happen to a woman alone on the streets in strange garb long after dark kept him going. After all, it'll be somewhat difficult to get decent revenge if the woman is dead. He refused to admit to any other motivation than that.

Upon reaching the gates that enclosed the Swann residence, Winn stopped and set Pigeon down. The feeling of being followed had never gone away during her trip. She'd had to consciously stop herself from looking behind her every few minutes. She refused to look like a victim, even if it was all in her imagination. But now, having reached her temporary home, Winn stopped to look out at the view available from the road.

It wasn't reassuring. The road was tightly hemmed by lush greenery. She tried to appear as if she was relaxed and enjoying the view, but she was actually searching for mysterious figures out of the corners of her eyes. For a moment she thought she had seen something, but when she turned her head to look, all she saw was a palm frond bobbing as if a bird had suddenly taken flight.

With a sigh and a shiver Winn collected her pet and headed indoors.

Why does it feel as if something is hanging over my head? Winn peeked into the parlor, saw Elizabeth sleeping on the sofa, and sighed. She was unused to people waiting up for her, though she would admit that she usually had better sense than to walk about in the middle of the night. Gently she roused Elizabeth and picked up the guttering candle to light their way up the stairs.

"Where were you?" Elizabeth murmured sleepily as Winn helped her into bed.

"Lost in my thoughts," Winn whispered back. "Go to sleep."

"Stay with me tonight. I'm too excited to sleep."

"Mmm-hmm…" Winn knew that kind of excitement, but she didn't truly think that it was any match for Elizabeth's weariness. Still, the sensation of being watched hadn't quite left her, and this might be her last chance to spend some quiet time with a friend whose experiences would soon leave Winn behind. "Let me go change. I'll be right back."

Back in her room, Winn hurriedly undressed, not taking any more note of the open curtains than to notice the pretty view that was reveal. The moon was just setting into the bay, and part of her wanted to sit down and sketch her unease out, but she'd already committed herself to staying with Elizabeth.

Jack had waited patiently outside the walls to the Governor's residence, hoping that Winn didn't have a room in the back. His luck was running in the same beneficial vein. Candlelight soon lit an open window. The knowledge of which room was hers would come in handy later if he couldn't catch her alone again. But not only did he gain the knowledge he sought, but he was treated to the sight of the woman stripping down to her undergarments. If Winnie thinks that no one can tell what she's wearing, or rather, what she's not, then she's sadly mistaken. While Jack enjoyed the view, he had to wonder once again if the girl had as much sense as he had accredited to her. Most ladies wouldn't be caught dead in their encumbering nightgowns and voluminous robes – this one stood in plain sight wearing next to nothing.

Shaking his head, Jack settled in to wait until the lights had gone off in Winn's room. Once they had, and Winn was presumably out of trouble and safely in bed, Jack headed down to the waterfront for a bit of entertainment.

"You know…" Will spun around, his hand instinctively falling to the hilt of his sword even as his mind matched a name with the voice that came out of the darkness of his smithy. "…it'd be worth the price of oil to leave a lamp burning. Gets a tad bit dark in here at night, doesn't it?"

"Jack Sparrow." Will let go of his sword and reached for a flint instead.

"Captain, lad. Captain Jack Sparrow." The unsteady flare of light from Will's lantern illuminated a white and gold smirk.

"What are you doing here, Jack?"

"Needed a cheap place to bunk away from prying eyes."

"I thought you had a ship." Will frowned and waved a hand to dismiss the talk that would surely come after a comment like that. "What are you doing here?"

"Now, see, I'd think a more interestin' question would be how I got here." Jack stepped out from the shadows. If anyone had followed Will or had been listening in, they would have interrupted by now. In these sparsely defended costal towns, the word "pirate" was usually enough to bring the home-grown militia running.

"Why would I ask that? The moment I do you'll simply reply, 'I'm Captain Jack Sparrow,' and won't say another word on the matter."

Jack's eyes became black slits in his face as he narrowed his gaze. Pointing with both index fingers, he said, "You're learning."

Will rolled his eyes. "And you're as bad as Winn when it comes to answering questions. Yes, I know all about it," Will said in response to Jack's surprise. "Though the story was told unwillingly and I have a feeling that she left quite a bit out."

"So she did get here safely. I'd wondered." Well, he hadn't so much wondered as had disturbing dreams. And a man had no real control over what he dreamed, now did he?

"She really jumped off a ship and chose to swim to another in order to get away from you?"

"You sound amazed. I suppose you thought those lovely ladies in Tortuga were greeting me with love taps." Jack was well aware that he was just as adept at alienating the fairer sex as he was at charming them. Unfortunately, the latter tended to fall fast on the heels of the former. There was clearly something wrong with his technique, though he hadn't puzzled out what it was as of yet.

Not that it mattered. There were too many beautiful women in the world for him to give all his attention to one for any length of time. His pursuit of Winn had already gone on longer than usual.

"You still haven't mentioned what you're doing here." Will had gone along with Jack's attempt at misdirection in his own effort to learn more about what had happened between Winn and the pirate. With no details forthcoming, he returned to his original question and prepared to hear as tall a tale as Jack could make up on the spot.

"I wanted to return some of her things to her." Jack nudged the sack on the floor with the toe of his boot.

"You wanted to return some things to…her?"

"The her that was previously under discussion."

"You want to return some of Winn's belongings," Will said flatly. The statement plainly expressed doubt that Jack could ever be motivated by anything so simple.

Jack placed one rag-wrapped hand over his chest. "Out of the kindness of my shrunken black heart."

"Why don't you pull my other leg?" Will drawled as he took a seat on the forge's ledge. "You're a pirate."

"Your point?"

"What's in it for you?"

Jack looked at Will shrewdly. "Nothin' you'd be interested in, I assure you. Or at least I assume so considering the noise I've heard about an impending engagement."

Will's eyes widened in alarm, but he shrugged it off. If Jack were foolish enough to be caught at whatever it was he was planning, then either Elizabeth or Winn would have his head. Just the thought of that was enough to spur him to give Jack a friendly warning. "The females of the species are feeling particularly fierce these days, Jack. I wouldn't recommend making the kind of ruckus that might make them change their plans."

"Come now, Will, I'm just one man." Jack spread his hands and pasted an innocent look on his face. "Just how much damage do you think I could do?"

The day of the ceremony dawned bright and early, as dawns are apt to do. For Winn, who'd been up so late the night before, it was torture when Elizabeth rolled out of bed and forced her to do the same. A retreat to her room had seemed in order, but there had been a maid lying in wait to bully her into a bath and a simple change of clothing. She'd fled her room for the breakfast room as soon as she was able. Now her eyes burned from a lack of sleep, seeing as how she had gotten perhaps four hours of it at the most and those four hours had been anything but restful. Indeed, restless would be a better way to describe them. Not only had she had Elizabeth murmuring incoherently next to her but her own dreams had kept her unsettled. All she could recall now was that she'd been trying to find someone, but she didn't know who, and they always seemed out reach. It had driven her crazy, not knowing who she was looking for, and she just knew that if she could only catch a glimpse of them, everything would be solved. Instead her search had brought her in contact with her own belongings, every day objects that had held strange, weighty significances that she'd known were there but that she couldn't comprehend.

To her not so great surprise, none of those feelings disappeared with the coming of the sun. Pouring herself a cup of coffee – to which she added a great quantity of cream and sugar – Winn sat down at the breakfast table, her head in her hands. Giving a great sigh, she took a sip of her drink, and made a face.

"I thought you didn't like coffee." Elizabeth had come into the room unnoticed. She seated herself across the table from Winn.

"I don't. I don't like coffee, I don't like how this morning started out, and I don't like any of the cranky old goats that are going to be joining us any moment, either. I thought I might as well get used to things I don't like." Winn grimaced as she took another drink.

"You're in a mood," Elizabeth observed, her voice a bit tight.

Winn looked up, one hand rubbing eyes that were still reluctant to focus on anything but the inside of her eyelids. "And you're looking pale," she replied once she'd taken a moment to gauge Elizabeth's state of mind. "I was sure you'd be running off a store of nervous energy today. You were last night. I thought I was aboard ship with all the tossing and turning that was going on."

"You could have gotten up and left."

"I could have elbowed you," Winn said flatly. "What are you worried about? No, let me rephrase that. What are you most worried about right this instant?"

Elizabeth opened her mouth, then closed it, then worriedly asked, "Winn, the sky, do you think…" She trailed off.

Seeing that her friend had a good start on working herself into a nervous breakdown before the seven o'clock ceremony, Winn did her best to allay any fears. "Light cloud cover and wind from the east," she mused, eyes closing halfway as she made calculations …or at least pretended to. She didn't need a complex set of readings to puzzle out a pattern that had marked the last several days. "Relax. We might get a little drizzle yet this morning if the clouds didn't empty overnight. The clouds will start to burn off by ten; they'll be gone by noon. The sun will have all the dew and drizzle dried within a couple of hours in all but the most heavily shaded areas and everyone at the ceremony and following 'entertainment' will have more propriety than to seek those out. And you and Will shall be the center of all eyes, so no worry there either." Winn reached across the table to give Elizabeth's hand a gentle squeeze. "Just worry about your part. You can't argue Mother Nature into changing her mind if she decides to make today wet anyway."

"Thank you." The younger woman sighed, then narrowed her gaze as she looked at her friend. "You look awful. Didn't you sleep well?" Now that one concern had been laid aside, Elizabeth started to worry for her friend.

"About as well as you, I wager."

"You found your dreams interrupted by men demanding the most intriguing things from you?" Even weariness couldn't totally suppress Elizabeth's wicked sense of humor.

"Men?" Winn quizzed back, in no mood to answer that question. "You're going to break Will's heart with talk like that."

"I believe the both of us were under discussion so using the plural was completely appropriate."

"I believe you're being nosy."

"I saw that picture of Jack's eyes, Winn. No one but you would dare put it there."

Winn froze, then carefully set her cup of coffee down. It was unreasonable for her temper to flare up at just the sound of that man's name. She supposed she had to face up to the fact that it wasn't the name but how Elizabeth seemed to be harboring suspicions that she couldn't entirely deny that got her goat. And as that was the case, Winn was very careful to control herself and her voice. "Just because you're a snoop doesn't mean I have to satisfy your curiosity."

Elizabeth remembered that tone. When she was younger it'd meant that Winn was about one tightly strained nerve away from forcing her nose into a corner. And though she was now a grown woman, Elizabeth wasn't entirely sure that Winn wouldn't still make an attempt to discipline her. "You're no fun."

"And you're complaining just to hear yourself talk." The reprimand came out harsher than she'd meant it to be. Rubbing her hands over her face, Winn murmured, "I'm sorry. I truly didn't sleep well last night."

"Well, this is your last chance to catch a nap before it's time to get ready."

"What makes you think I'm not ready now?"

"You're not wearing that." Elizabeth pulled Winn up from her chair.

"Just you wait, Elizabeth Swann. I'll pay you back for this some day."

"You'd have to get married first, and you've already sworn that you're never going to do so. Or have you changed your mind?"

Muttering things about people with long memories, Winn allowed herself to be led to her room.

Hours later, Winn managed to escape. Hemmed in by multiple petticoats and a corset that was far tighter than she preferred, she attempted to run downstairs. The laughter of the two maids who had been assigned to help her prepare for the ceremony followed her.

Her regalia proved to be all she feared when, having made her way successfully down almost two flights of stairs in her heeled slippers, Winn tripped on the last one. Before she could fall flat on her face, she was caught. She looked up at her rescuer to find Will there. "Playing truant are we?" His face showed his uncomfortable awareness that her reckless haste had been witnessed by Governor Swann and most of the other houseguests.

"Hardly," she whispered in response to his own soft tones. Peeking around his shoulders to spy the reason for his caution, she saw their audience. "Drat. Think they'll buy a swoon?"

"Unlikely. Think you can stand?"

"Well since you're not going to catch me a second time." Winn got her feet under her and said in a patently cheerful voice, "Just the man I was looking for. Elizabeth's certain she managed to lose an earring in the music room. Come help me search for it…" and she dragged the considerably taller man out of the room and into a bit of privacy.

"I didn't think I was ever going to get away. How's my hair?" Winn reached up to gingerly pat at the hair that was fixed in a complicated knot on the top of her head. A few stray ringlets framed her face, though they'd first suffered from a strict application of a hot iron and starch before settling into fashionable compliance. After that tumble she'd taken, Winn was sure the entire confection was melting around her shoulders. And if she had to go back up there… "There was talk of powdering my hair, Will, and of applying face paints."

"I'd never expect such a thing out of you. I do have some sense."

"Hmph."

Will grinned despite the message he bore for her, unable to help himself from asking, "Just out of curiosity, but what's that around your eyes?"

Over the strenuous and thunderous objections of the woman whose face they were in, a touch of kohl had been applied to her eyes and it made them seem as deep and mysterious as her glasses had made them seem dull. Winn had ungracefully conceded the point when she'd seen what the cosmetics had done for her in conjunction with her dress. Coppery in color, it emphasized the green in her eyes, and the rich silk it was made of shimmered inconspicuously under the lights. Froths of blond lace spilled from bodice and cuffs. Black pearl earbobs could be seen at her lobes, and a diminutive charm of citrines and peridot hung on a delicate gold chain around her neck.

"It's in case I have to escape and commandeer the first ship I come across. Wouldn't want to be blinded by the light reflecting from my own clothes, would I?"

The humor slowly left Will's face as he stared down at her. Jack was something like a friend, but Will didn't trust him or the professed innocence of his intentions. Winn deserved the warning, even if she thought she could take care of herself. Jack had seemed a man determined the night before. His reluctance to say exactly what he was determined to do only made Will warier.

"Winn."

"It can't be as bad as all that," she tried to joke. She'd seen him become so very serious and today wasn't a day for serious thoughts.

"It's about Jack. He's –"

Winn rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "There's nothing you can say about that man that Elizabeth hasn't already said. I admire your new strength of purpose Will, but she's still the mouthier one."

"That's not it. I know how you feel about him. I understand that you don't trust him, and I understand the reasons behind that. I­ –"

"You do?"

"Would you stop interrupting?" Will was certain Winn's impatience was her most frustrating quality. "He's ­–"

"Governor Swann." Winn stepped back from Will. She was curious about what Will had been about to say, but she had enough sense to know that she ought to curtsey. It was even more important to show respect considering her tumble and hasty exit earlier.

As she rose to her full, unimpressive height, she saw Marcus and Ry come into the room behind the governor. The elder man had his usual look of puzzled concern on his face, but her brothers appeared relaxed.

"You were looking for me, Governor?"

"Elizabeth is asking for you."

"And our wives want to see you," Marcus added, "considering this might be the last time they see you so finely dressed."

Winn repressed the urge to stick out her tongue. "I'm on my way."

The party was in full tilt. Winn was stealing a few quiet moments to herself. Her cheeks hurt from hours of smiling at people she didn't know, her arms were tired from the stately dances she'd been pressed into, and her feet were begging her for a respite from her delicate, heeled slippers. Yet every now and then she would catch sight of Elizabeth's blazing smile or the way Will only had eyes for his now official fiancée, and she would admit that perhaps all this fuss was worthwhile.

Not that she was looking forward to experiencing it all again in a year's time when it was time for the pair to wed.

"Miss Morgan."

Winn turned to face whoever had decided to intrude on her privacy. "Commodore Norrington." She dipped into a curtsey, showing proper respect for her brother's commanding officer.

The commodore bowed in return, then held out his hand. "Perhaps you would care to join me in a turn around the gardens, Miss Morgan."

"It's kind of you to remember me," Winn replied, allowing manners to support her as she extended her hand. What she really wanted was to be left alone for a few more moments before rejoining the throng, but Elizabeth, Cat, and likely even Grace – all of whom had somehow managed to part the sea of humanity between they and she – would likely frown at her if she turned down the commodore's offer.

Put those matchmaking glints away, she warned them through a stern glare. Elizabeth merely twiddled her fingers before turning away to speak to another guest.

"…never forget someone who played chess to well," Norrington was saying.

"You flatter me, sir." Winn thought about the long hours she'd spent facing this man across a chessboard during the interminable crossing from England. "The only thing I recall excelling at was taking my losses gracefully. 'Twas you who had a flare for concealing traps for unwitting pieces. A talent, by all accounts, that has served you well." Gravel crunched under their feet as they strolled along the garden paths. They were hardly alone; others seeking a rest from the dancing and eating and politicking that was taking place inside the house nodded to the mismatched pair as they passed. "Is it true that the Lords of the Admiralty have bestowed yet another commendation on you for your capture of Captain Montrose and the Sow's Ear?"

"You are remarkably well informed," Norrington drawled, neatly avoiding the question.

Winn glanced at him, unused to men who didn't take credit for their achievements. The men in her family didn't worry about niceties like humbleness. The commodore's reticence was a welcome change, so she allowed him to keep it.

"Grandfather retains his connections in England." Out of the corner of her eye Winn thought she saw someone tacking a parallel course to theirs. When she glanced at the thick greenery bordering the estate's gardens, all she saw were dancing shadows cast by the torches placed to light the walkways. Get your imagination under control, Winifred. "I maintain my own contacts, of course."

"Miss Swann wrote you of it then."

"She does hate to keep a perfectly good secret when it could be shared." Once again Winn's gaze slide over and up. Norrington looked as impassive as he ever did. "Permission to speak freely."

"You're hardly one of my officers."

"I'm hardly ever tactful." When he neither granted nor denied her the permission she'd sought, Winn forged ahead. "Frankly, I'm surprised to find you here, Commodore. Considering the nature of the celebrations, I would have thought you'd have begged off."

"One's social duty rarely has anything to do with one's personal preferences."

"I had noticed that." They walked in silence a little further before Winn grew uncomfortable. She could have sworn that she felt herself being watched, but there was no one in sight except an elderly couple making their painfully slow way back to the house.

To cover her disquiet, Winn reverted back to their former conversation. "I also heard that the commendation from the Admiralty is somewhat grudging because you can't turn a Sow's Ear into a Black Pearl with any amount of trying. Like a fisherman who wants to toss back the fingerlings in his catch but can't without letting his family starve, the Admirals are…disgruntled."

Norrington stopped her, facing her for the first time since he'd asked for her company. The look on his face told her all she needed to know.

"Marcus told you, didn't he?" Winn could feel her cheeks heating. "After I specifically asked him to keep it to himself, he told you everything, like a penitent to a priest."

Norrington's face hardened with a determination that was familiar to her. It was a look she'd seen often enough on others in her family. "After your experience with the man, I wouldn't think you'd be inclined to protect him. But then again, Sparrow does have a way of…making friends."

Like Elizabeth. Winn gave an exaggerated sigh in place for the tongue-lashing she wanted to unleash. "I'm not Elizabeth, Commodore. It's my own pride I'm interested in protecting, not Sparrow's freedom." Though it'd be shame to rob him of something that brings him so much pleasure.

He chooses to engage in piracy, her more practical self chided. His freedom is the collateral he puts up against his brigandry

Frustrated with herself, Winn shoved a hand into her hair only to freeze as she encountered a hairpin. Blessed mother Mary and the saints!

"I'm sorry I can't be of any help, Commodore, but I escaped Sparrow the moment I could didn't bother trying to suss out his latest destination."

Man and woman stood apart, facing each other for several long minutes before the commodore bowed rather abruptly. "My mistake, Miss Morgan. With my apologies, I'll take my leave of you."

Winn barely kept her jaw from dropping as Norrington left her alone on the path. Why were so many gentlemen – she snorted – seeking her out for naught more than what they could gain from her? First Sparrow, and then the man hunting Sparrow.

"I'm not some kind of magical Sparrow-centric compass," she grumbled under her breath as she lifted her skirts just far enough to allow her to kick out at a particularly offensive stone. "Bloody men."

"Miss?"

Winn rolled her eyes at the hesitant voice. Was a bit of divine help at the moment really to much to ask for? It was one thing for a lady to be caught talking to herself, another entirely to be caught cursing. "Yes? What is it?"

"Your pet, Miss. You said you wanted –"

"Thank you." Winn turned and plucked her pet out of the maid's grasp. "I apologize for snapping at you, Annie. It's been a long day." She laughed wearily as she realized she'd made yet another faux pas. "And a longer day for you, of course. Thank you for keeping an eye on Pige. Don't worry about staying up to help Elizabeth or I undress. I'll see to the lady and myself. Use the time to steal a few moments with your stable lad."

Beaming, the maid dipped an irreverent curtsey. "I understand, Miss. Thank you, Miss. And if I might be so bold, I wouldn't linger too long with your pet. Your brothers were asking after you not so long ago."

One of the wives must have mentioned who I was strolling with. I wonder how well I can hide in all this fine plumage. "The warning is appreciated, Annie." Good lord, had she really volunteered to see Elizabeth to bed? She must be tired to have forgotten the mischievous glint in her friend's eye that had promised a later inquisition. Briefly, Winn considered calling the maid back, but an armful of wriggling puppy and the thought that the inquisition would come even if it were put off for the night kept her mouth shut.

Safely alone once again, Winn set Pige down and murmured, "Alright, me beauty, let's take care of your business before going to face off against overly protective brothers." Strolling after the exploring puppy, she used the time to get herself back under control. I'm going to have to send the Commodore a written apology tomorrow. I really could have been more understanding, especially in light of how I'd just pointed out that all those admirals are upset with him for failing to capture Sparrow after all this time. Still, Norrington didn't seem like a man frustrated by constant failure. Unless she missed her guess, he'd been enjoying a true challenge until the unofficial reprimand had been handed down.

Sudden barking distracted Winn from her thoughts. "Pige? Pige! Don't you… Blast." Too late. The puppy had dived into the undergrowth at the very rear of the estate. There was no fence back there to keep the animal penned.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," she muttered as she gathered her skirts as close to her body as she could. If she were a less cautious woman, she'd drop her voluminous petticoats… Actually, that's a pretty good idea. But not in the middle of the path. Removing a conveniently placed torch from its stand, Winn slithered into the dense mass of vegetation until she couldn't see the light from any of the other torches. She wedged her light into the crook of a forked branch and then worked to divest herself of her more troublesome garments. I'm a scandal in the making. The thought made her grin.

The sharp crack of a twig breaking made Winn freeze. "Pige?" Pige replied with her silly little yips that normally brought a silly little smile to her face…but this time they were coming from the opposite direction of the noise that'd disturbed her.

Winn spun around, fire-blind, her mouth opened to scream…