Norrington
Chapter 36
"Ah so there is a spark of fire left in that benumbed and mostly dissolute personage of yours." Jack said with a grin. "The lass didn't manage ta wring it all out of yer arduously plodding self now did she."
"I should run you through Pirate." James spat out, the anger still running hot in his veins.
"Not hardly yer style ta be doin that to an unarmed man Commodore." Jack said with a flutter of his hands.
"You have a sword Pirate."
"And it will be stayin right where it's at Commodore, so if yer still of a mind to be runnin me through you'll have ta do it without my assistance. I'll not draw my sword ta allow ya ta make me the scapegoat for yer guilt. If ya do the deed you'll be the one that has ta square with it." Jack said looking James straight in the eye as he spoke.
Even though his mind was still addled with anger and from the events of the past few hours Jack's words managed to land in a semi clear spot in his brain and make some sense. James lowered his sword.
Will and Elizabeth let out signs of relief, and Jack gratefully relaxed his stance determining by the Commodore's expression the danger of being run through was probably over.
"Now Commodore," Jack said with a smile and a wave of his arms, "we can get down ta solvin yer problem with the lass."
"I not only have that problem Captain but also have a duel with Sir Taylor to contend with."
"Trifles Commodore, that problem can be solved right here, right now." Jack said with a smile and a flourish of hands. "Ya see Commodore, I happen to be on rather intimate terms with Sir Taylor.
"You may be Captain Jack Sparrow but I hardly think you will be able to work your miracles in this instance."
"Consider it already done Commodore." Jack said as he pulled the wig out of his pocket, placed it on his head, albeit a bit crookedly, took a regal stance and smiled a glittering smile at James.
James was totally taken aback, then it dawned on him why Sir Taylor had seemed so familiar to him. James sputtered a bit trying to speak, "You…..you are…..were….are…Sir Taylor?"
"Aye, Sir Taylor at yer service…..although not for any duels or the like ya understand." Jack said with a grimace.
"What was in your head Sparrow, why would you do that? What right did you have to do that?" James said, his blood once again beginning to boil, his voice rising in anger.
"I was tryin ta help ya bloody git." Jack shot back.
"Who asked you for your help Pirate?" James shouted back.
"I did." Elizabeth said, rising from her seat at the table and approaching James.
"You did?" James said, his voice lowering a fraction as he turned to face Elizabeth. "And what gave you the right to meddle in my affairs?"
"Because I care for you James, I was trying to keep the very thing that happened from happening."
"Well a bloody poor job you've done of it now isn't it?" James said with disgust.
Elizabeth's ire was instantly known to all, but especially James as she stalked forward and began poking him in the chest and shoulder and where ever else her fingers happened to land, and favoring him with a most unladylike expression, "I am not the one who refused to listen! I am not the one who, against all his friends' advice, continued to keep company with the harlot. I am not the one who allowed her to lure him to the gazebo and disgrace himself now am I?"
James refused to step back away from her assault, only straightening his posture and moving his face back out of the way of her wild poking of his person.
"Elizabeth that's enough." Will said as he stepped up next to her.
"No it's not nearly enough." She spat at him not taking her eyes or fingers from James. "None of this would have happened if you had not been so stubborn and just listened to me James instead of listening to your bloody….."
"Elizabeth!" Will shouted and jerked her around to face him, "That is quite enough!"
"Ya have ta admit William, she does have a fine point." Jack interjected. "Wouldn't a happened if he'd been thinking with his head instead of his…." Jack paused and rethought what he was about to say as he caught the glare from James, not to mention the one William was shooting him. "…..that other bodily accessory or appendage as it were….. we're all, or at least most of us, so fond of so to speak…. if we was doin such… which I'm doubting more and more this be the most opportune time ta be doin such speakin of… here and now….the more I think the matter over….as it happens…." He finished a bit lamely with a weak flop of his hands as he took a step towards the door, ready to retreat if necessary.
James took a deep breath, cleared his throat, and said, "Be that as it may Mrs. Turner, Captain Sparrow, how does that help my present circumstance? Only one of my current problems has been solved to any satisfaction. And regardless of who is to blame for the other the outcome is the same. My honor will allow me to do no less than what Miss Davenport has demanded of me, and as far as I can see there is no solution for that."
"Well Commodore," Jack said forgetting the distance he was going to keep between himself and the Commodore and stepping up to the man to wave his fingers around in his face, "perhaps a solution to that problem will suddenly and entirely without anything to do with me what so ever present its self."
"When Hell freezes over no doubt." James said with a snort.
"Aye Commodore, stranger things have happened." Jack said as he rocked back on his heels and fluttered his hands about.
"Indeed." James retorted.
William and Elizabeth looked at Jack and then at each other. "What do you suppose he's done?" William whispered to Elizabeth. "I would hate to think of the multitude of ways that question could be answered. We are dealing with Jack after all." Elizabeth whispered back.
To Be Continued
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