Norrington
Chapter 25
The two men stood and glared at each other. Rose had taken a few steps back when Sir Taylor had approached. As she stood there watching the two a sly smile briefly flitted across her lips. "This could be interesting." She thought to herself, "I wonder if they will come to blows, or even better, swords over me." The idea brought another smile to her face, she loved the attention of men, and men fighting over her just made it all that much better. Perhaps she could arrange just that.
A small gong sounded and supper was announced.
Before James could react Jack held his arm out for Rose, "Miss Davenport, it would be my honor to escort you in to dinner."
She cast a flirting look at James, looked over at Jack as she gave him the same look she had just given James, took the offered arm and in a low seductive tone answered, "I would be delighted Sir Taylor."
They walked off together towards the dining room leaving James standing there mouth almost agape. Elizabeth came to his rescue, "James, you can escort me in if you would."
"Hummm? What? Oh Mrs. Turner, yes…" James said, a small scowl on his face as he watched Rose walking along side Sir Taylor, mulling over in his head what had just happened.
"You need to give me your arm James." Elizabeth whispered as she elbowed James in his side.
"Give you what? Oh yes…yes, my arm. Indeed." James said as he finally offered said arm. Elizabeth took it and they too headed into the dining room to take their seats.
Jack, Rose, James, Elizabeth, and William were shown to their seats. James was on Jack's left, William was on Jack's right, Rose was seated across the table from James, and Elizabeth was across the table from Jack.
"This should be interesting." Jack said to himself as a brief smirk flashing across his face.
The first course that was served was a soup course. Rose wasted no time in setting her plan into action. As she saw the men seated across from her lift their spoons to eat she made a low purring sound in her throat just loud enough for them to hear, lifted her spoon, glanced to see if she had their attention, which she did, leaned forward a bit to show off even more of her low cut bodice and what lay beneath, fluttered her eyes shut in a very erotic way, opened her mouth and ran her tongue around her lips as she moved the spoon towards her mouth. She slowly put the spoon in her mouth, making that purring noise again, and then even more slowly withdrew the spoon. She opened her eyes then and to her delight saw three hands with three spoons frozen in place about half way to where they were supposed to be going. She smiled as she lowered her spoon once again to the bowl in front of her and said, "This soup is wonderful don't you think? I just love the feel of it in my mouth."
Elizabeth had been turned around in her chair talking to one of the servants about the next course and had not seen what just went on. Once her attention was no longer diverted it didn't take long to realize Rose had done something unseemly. Especially since the three men across the table were sitting there with their spoons half way to their mouths, their eyes locked on Rose. She stuck her foot out planning on kicking William under the table to bring him out of the stupor he should not have been in in the first place. After all he was a married man and his wife was sitting right across the table from him! Her aim was not as good as she thought because when she connected with a leg on the other side of the table Jack was the one that jumped, dropped his spoon and almost shouted bugger, he'd gotten the bug part out before catching himself and stifling the rest of it. This did bring the other two out of their stupor so Elizabeth thought it was all to the good. Besides, she was sure Jack had done something some time or another that deserved a good kick in the shin.
All three of them at least had the decency to look a bit sheepish as they realized what they had been doing. William even had the good sense to look apologetically towards Elizabeth.
"What was that Sir Taylor?" Governor Swann said with concern from where he sat at the head of the table, "Did you say bug?" A look of horror crossed his face as he added, "You haven't found a bug in your soup have you?" He started to get up out of his chair to investigate but was stayed from that as Jack's quick thinking kicked in.
"No Governor, I was just remembering how this soup reminded me of the wonderful soup I had while visiting with Lord Bugbey a while back. You must give my compliments to your cook."
Governor Swann looked at him a bit strangely but reseated himself and went on with his meal and the discussion he was involved in with Lord Davenport. He did continue to cast suspicious looks at Jack every once and a while through out the rest of the meal wondering if the man was up to no good and trying to ruin his party, after all he was a pirate…er privateer.
As the meal continued Jack was startled a bit to feel a bare foot run up the inside of his leg. He glanced at Rose, as she, of all the people sitting close enough to be doing such a thing, was the most likely to be doing such a thing. She, however, was looking anywhere but at him, or even at his side of the table. Then he began to notice that every little bit James would give a little uncomfortable squirm in his chair. The first time he noticed it was because James suddenly gave a jump and began to choke on the bite of roast duck he had in his mouth at the time. Now Jack was no dummy by far, but just to be sure his suspicions were correct he surreptitiously dropped his napkin on the floor and as he bent over to retrieve it saw he had been right. Miss Davenport's foot was headed up the inside of James' leg. He peeked up over the table and noticed she hadn't noticed he had noticed what she was doing. He glanced at James to see if he had noticed and couldn't help but smile. The man was sitting there with such a distressed and uncomfortable look on his face Jack didn't think the man would notice if a pair of hissing, spitting, and furiously fighting tomcats had been shoved down the front of his breeches. He sat back up in his chair and went through the rest of the meal thinking about just what she might be planning. She evidently had made up her mind to play him and the Commodore off against each other, ergo the flirting with both of them at the same time. This was not going to be as simple as just drawing her attention away from James Jack thought to himself.
As dinner wound down the chamber orchestra started to tune up in the ball room that adjoined the dining room. As the guests finished eating they headed off for after dinner drinks that were being set up at the far end of the ball room. Soon there would be dancing as well.
Rose must have finally went a bit too far with her foot because James suddenly shoved his chair back and sprang from it as if the tomcats were down the back of his breeches instead of the front. All eyes left at the table were on him then and he turned red as a beet under the scrutiny. Jack knew he was fumbling around trying to come up with an excuse for his action.
"I believe the combination of the spiced wine and the spiced cake may have been a bit much for you Commodore." Jack said.
James gave him a grateful look and a nod as he cleared his throat and said, "You are perhaps right Sir Taylor, nothing a bit of fresh air will not cure." He started to make his escape when Rose said, "I think you need some company Commodore, in case you have a relapse. Perhaps I should come along just to make sure." She didn't wait for an answer but walked around the table and took his arm. James, although he would rather at the moment have been going by himself, allowed her to accompany him. As they headed for the verandah he made up his mind to say something again about her improper behavior. He really was attracted to her, in fact found himself more and more attracted to her every time he was in her presence, and if and when they were ever married her behavior would most likely be welcomed, at least in the privacy of their bedroom. But they were neither married nor engaged, in fact barely knew each other. Therefore she really must stop doing what she had been doing. He braced himself to deliver the lecture he was about to deliver, and hoped it would not turn her against him. He didn't like the thought of that at all.
To Be Continued
Reviews are appreciated
5