What in the World
Chapter 14
Leah entered the kitchen door with a gloating smile on her face. Jack trailed a few steps behind, not looking nearly as happy as she.
"Leah!" her father exclaimed from where he was removing a bottle of rum from the cupboard, "I thought I sent you to your room."
"So you did Sir William," Jack interjected, "And that's exactly where I've been doin me best to try and get her to go ever since you and the Commodore took your leave."
"Have not!" Leah said loudly.
"Have so." Jack said sticking his tongue out at her.
"Have not!" Leah repeated angrily.
"Have so." Jack said tilting his head and looking up, trying for an uppity effect.
"Have Not!" Leah shouted totally exasperated.
"Have…….."
"That will be enough!" Sir William said sternly. "You two follow me." And seeing them still glaring at each other added, "Now! And Commodore you may accompany us if you please." and headed back for his study with the rum.
"Now you've done it." Jack whispered to her.
"Have not." She replied.
"Have so."
"Have not."
"Have………."
"Oh Please!" James said shaking his head, "Just shut it and do as the man asked."
Jack and Leah both stuck their tongues out at each other and headed after Sir William and James, walking as far apart as the hallway would allow.
"The Commodore and I have come to an agreement." Sir William said giving James a slight smile as he poured glasses of rum and distributed them to all present. "He wishes to continue seeing you Leah, and has agreed to let a chaperone accompany you when you venture out."
"Father, I am not a child, I do not need a chaperone." Leah said peevishly.
"I'm afraid tonight has proven otherwise my dear. Therefore I am going to ask Captain Sparrow if he will agree to chaperone the two of you from now on."
Jack did a double take and looked back over his shoulder not believing Sir William was speaking to him, there must be another Captain Sparrow in the room somewhere.
"Me? You're talkin to me?" he said looking incredulous at Sir William, not quite believing, and taking several more looks behind him and still seeing no one else standing there.
"Yes Jack, I am talking to you. What do you say?"
"I don't rightly know Sir William. I've never been a chap-er-une before. I'm not sure I could be what a chap-er-une is supposed to be, or do what a chap-er-une is suppose to do, if you get my meaning. And besides all that, I can't believe the Commodore agreed to this." He said, eyeing the Commodore suspiciously.
James merely gave him a smirk.
"All you need do is follow them around and keep them from doing anything you would do if you were in their position." Sir William answered. "And Commodore Norrington is in agreement are you not Commodore?"
"I am in agreement to the idea of a chaperone Sir William, just not necessarily this particular chaperone." James answered sourly.
"So this doesn't sit well with you Commodore?" Jack asked, "Me bein the chap-er-une?"
"Not in the least Sparrow."
With a big smile Jack said, "Then I'll do it Sir William. And it's Captain, Captain Jack Sparrow….the chap-er-une to you Commodore."
"Indeed!" James said curtly.
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James and Leah….and Jack spent the next several outings together. James, because of his interest in Leah tried to tolerate Jack's incessant chatter and well meaning advice in his newly assigned post as chaperone.
"Now Commodore, it isn't seemly for you to be walking with your arm around the young missy's waist like that." Jack said as they were walking in the merchant's district one morning. "What would Sir William think?"
James held his tongue, but did remove his arm much to Leah's dismay. A little later, James had reached his limit. After more than enough ramblings and similar suggestions from Jack such as, "I believe you and the young missy are just a bit too close there Commodore." Or "Are you sure you should be lookin like that at the lass Commodore, might make people wonder what your thinkin about, I know it does me." Or "I think that's what Sir William had in mind as something that shouldn't be goin on Commodore" when James leaned over to whisper something in Leah's ear. He stopped walking and turning to Leah said in a much too calm voice, "I have reached my limit dear, I must put a stop to this." And started to turn and step towards Jack who seeing said motion started to backpedal a bit, not wanting to make too easy a target for said Commodore.
Leah caught the Commodore's arm and said seriously, "James you mustn't. If this is the only way we can see each other then this is what we must do." And shooting an if looks could kill glare at Jack finished, "I'm sure Jack will try to be a little less exasperating in the future, won't you Jack?"
"I didn't realize that was what I was bein luv. I was just tryin to fulfill me station as the best chap-er-une Bridgetown has ever seen."
"We don't need the best Jack, just the quietest." Leah shot back.
Jack looked crestfallen at Leah and James with no effect. And then cheerfully looking behind them at the sign on the door that was there. "I'm havin a thought here you two. Perhaps I have been a bit overbearin." At this James let out a huge snort and Leah cuffed him on the arm drawing a slight "Ouch" from said Commodore. "But maybe old Jack can make it up to the two of you? What say you we walk ourselves over into yon tavern and have us a rum or two…..on old Jack as way of an apology as it were. What say you to that?"
"I say that is asking for trouble." James answered snidely, and once again received a cuff on the arm from Leah.
"Now James I think that is a wonderful idea." Leah said with a wink at James that Jack couldn't see. "I think the very place we need to be right now is sitting in a nice cool dim tavern. Jack would you lead the way please." She said with a nod towards the tavern door.
"What are you thinking Leah?" James asked in a low tone.
She just smiled and taking James by the arm directed them into the tavern after Jack.
To Be Continued
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