Now I can't laugh, can't cry.
And I can't run, can't hide.
What do I gotta do,
What do I gotta do to keep you from doing this to me?
-Sugarland, Keep You
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Sleep escaped me that night, my thoughts always wandering back to the flash of lightening. Had that truly been the Pearl? Had Jack come back here? Was he angry?
I quickly scolded myself for thinking that the latter question could have any other answer than yes. Of course he was angry. I'd walked out on him, after he'd admitted his feelings, his reasoning for past odd behaviors, for everything. If he was angry, why did he come back? After all, I highly doubted he would physically hurt me; he wasn't that sort of man.
Somehow, I finally relaxed enough to let my thoughts drift, and I fell asleep, only to be awoken the next morning by Mary, who apologized thoroughly. I assured her that it was alright. The sooner we got this ridiculous ball out of the way, the better as far as I was concerned.
Two days after that thunderstorm, I found myself giving into the urge to see if it really was the Pearl. So after dinner, I begged Father for permission to take a small walk before turning in for the night, before it got dark. The sun was just preparing to set. After all, it was summer, and storm season, so evenings like that were rare.
Reluctantly, knowing that I would just fight back, he agreed, as long as Mary tagged along.
I'd thrown my arms around him, before fetching Mary. I led her down to the beach where Jack and I had met, a pang of guilt wracking my heart. I ignored it, turning to my maid and friend.
"There's a cove that Jack once told me about," I whispered, scared that perhaps my voice would carry in the wind. "It's just along the shoreline, no one will see me. Stay here and keep a sharp eye out."
Her eyes widened. "You're going to go meet with him?" I had told her about the ship I'd seen.
I shook my head, wishing that it was only that easy. "No, but I need to go check on something. Please?" I gazed at her, begging.
"Yes," she whispered, giving me a small smile.
"Thank you," I replied, smiling in return before turning into the forest, allowing my feet to drift into the water as I walked along the waterline.
It was only a short walk, and I could hear them before I could see them. The rhythmic pounding of hammers and the chatter of the men. I stuck to the safety of the trees, walking closer to the beautiful ebony ship. A gangplank was lazily propped in the sand, allowing the men easy access to land, should they need to carry items on and off without hassle. And then it dawned on me.
They'd only come to make repairs.
A small bark of happiness came from the deck, and I could see that by the gangplank, a small white creature had spotted me. I could hear Jack's voice scold her, and she just wagged her tail faster, knowing that no one else knew I was there.
I put my finger to my lips, trying fruitlessly to shush her. But it was no use, for at that very moment, she bolted down the wooden ramp, sand flying out from behind her. I backed into the shelter of the trees, and prayed no one had noticed her escape.
I bent, grinning as I was showered in puppy love, my face damp from her licking. She was ecstatic, squealing and barking in triumph of having me near her again. Of course, that caught attention from one of the men. Namely, Jack.
I quickly looked up as I heard him grumbling and walking down the gangplank towards us. Shakily, I stood, Molly in my arms. I could already see the expression in his eyes, a mixture of shock and disbelief, a hint of anger visible.
He didn't stop, and I met him halfway, kissing my dog on the head before handing her back to him. Our skin touched for the quickest of moments, and instantly I was afire. "She saw me," I sheepishly admitted, turning to leave.
A hand on my wrist stopped me, as it had so many times before, and held me hostage. "Let me go," I whispered, avoiding his gaze. If I saw it, I would melt, and I couldn't do that. I'd want to remain here, with him, and I couldn't. Not with this ball about to happen. Idly, I played with my locket with my free hand. "Please," I quietly added, my voice breaking as I stressed the word.
He didn't say anything, but his grip was still iron strong. I tried to pull away, twisting and turning my wrist in a feeble attempt to break free. Finally, I succeeded as he relaxed his hand, the rings and his nails scratching me, bruises only to come later. I gathered my skirt sin my hands and ran, determined to forget that I'd even seen him again.
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Jack's dark eyes stared blankly after her, his feet following her at a steady pace. He could still see her dark curls bouncing freely as she ran, a glimpse of gold catching his eye as it fell from her person. He paused, wondering if she'd even noticed its absence, waiting until she was well out of sight.
Slowly, he bent, keeping a firm grip on the wiggly dog still in his arm as he picked up the foreign object with his free hand.
It was a locket, no doubt newly acquired. He pried it open, his expression not changing in the slightest as his eyes registered the tiny portrait of her father and who he, at first glance, assumed to be Natalie. But upon closer examination, he realized that it wasn't her, but her deceased mother.
No wonder her father is so gentle with her, Jack compromised with himself. She reminds him of her mother too greatly.
Slowly, he closed the locket and encased it in his palm, taking a different path through the brush than she had, knowing that she wouldn't immediately go back to the manor. She'd fret over it before returning, as not to worry the Governor.
Why'd she come? He pondered as he made his way through the forest. She'd left me, then come seeking me? I bloody told her I loved her. Why did I come back here, in the first place? She doesn't want me. That's obvious.
Shaking his head, Jack banished all traces of Natalie from his mind until he reached his destination.
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"Natalie?" My father's anxious voice sounded as soon as I closed the front door, Mary close on my heels. His blue eyes were clouded with worry. "Where were you? I thought you had returned, for I could've sworn I'd heard you in your bedroom, but you weren't there."
I wrapped my arms around him, his night robe smelling strongly of the scent I'd grown up with; mint and earth. "I apologize, Father. I became caught up watching the sunset down on the beach. As for the noise you heard, I'm certain it was just the maids preparing my room." I almost believed the latter half myself.
He released me, smiling sadly. "Yes, well… Good night, Natalie."
"Goodnight, Father," I whispered in return, turning to leave when he stopped me one final time.
"Where's your locket? You've not taken it off since I gave it to you."
My hand immediately flew up to my neck, where it had sat only an hour previously. It must've fallen off when I'd ran, the motion too much for the clasp, apparently. I quickly schemed up a lie.
"I took it off before I left, not wanting it to fall into the water."
He nodded, accepting my lie. "Alright. Goodnight, Natalie."
"Goodnight Father," I replied before turning and scurrying up the stairs, eager to reach my room.
I paused outside the door, hearing a noise from within. But the footsteps were much too heavy to belong to any of our servants. I recognized them, and my breathing immediately gained speed as I twisted the doorknob, expecting to see someone in there. But it was empty. I looked around, examining the room for any traces of my prowler.
Lying there, on my pillow, was my locket. I grabbed it and immediately put it back on, scared of losing it again.
Slowly, I went to the balcony, peering down onto the grounds. I arrived just in time to spot a familiar dark shadow heading towards the forest, a small smile of sadness gracing my face as I watched him disappear.
It seemed as if he was haunting me, never leaving me alone.
Another small dark figure was beside the trellis, which he'd probably climbed to reach my room. This figure was clearly not human, but an animal. A small bark quickly told me that it was my Molly, left behind by Jack for me.
I quickly left my room and stole down the stairs, unlocking the doors quickly so that I might reach the dog quicker. She greeted me with small kisses, as she had earlier. And for that one moment, all memories of my past were nonexistent.
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AN: I'm sorry this is later than usual. I got injured earlier in the week, and I promise I'll post another- yet, probably short- chapter this week. They'll have a confrontation next chapter, so keep an eye out! Your reviews make me smile (:.