The next morning Ruby woke up early, she could barely sleep the night before and her attention was poised more on the ceiling above the bed than on James who laid on top of her. Carefully Ruby looked over next to her and seen James sleeping silently next to her, with due care she softly pushed back the sheets and slipped her legs out. She kept checking over her shoulder to make sure James wasn't woken up,

Finally she was up and out of the bed, quietly she left the room shutting the door behind her with ease. Ruby then made a quick dash down to her bedroom to grab her robe quickly, she wanted to make it downstairs to speak with her father before James awoke.

Ruby made her way down the stairs ignoring the staff she passed along the way, her feet softly pounded on the carpet floor. As Ruby walked into the dining room she found her father sitting at the table, the maid setting a plate of his breakfast down in front of him.

"I need to speak with you," said Ruby sternly as she walked over to him.

"Well," said Robert nodding to the chair next to him.

"No, in private," hissed Ruby. Robert rolled his eyes, he didn't want to leave the plate of food in front of him that smelt delicious.

"Can it wait?" asked Robert.

"No," said Ruby, "Please." Robert looked up at his daughter who was staring at him with pleading eyes. Sighing Robert pushed his chair back from the table, he picked his coffee cup up as he stood from the table and followed his daughter from the room and into the library closing and locking the door behind them. Robert watched his daughter pace around the room quietly for a second before he spoke up.

"Well, talk young one, you just can't pull a man from his breakfast and then not say anything," said Robert before bringing the coffee cup up to his lips.

"I need you to go down to the docks and look around," said Ruby. Robert creased his brow at his daughter.

"Why?"

"Because I need you to see if anything is out of the ordinary," said Ruby, "I cannot go, I will arise the suspicion of ever single member of the ton."

"Why?" Ruby turned swiftly enough to make her skirts flare out.

"Why? Because I asked you to," said Ruby.

"We've got to have a reason little one, you're asking a very odd request here," said Robert knowingly. Ruby huffed, she didn't want to tell her father why she wanted him to go to the docks but she knew she had no choice, 'oh god what if I'm wrong' thought Ruby, 'if I was just drunk and seeing things, then I am going to bring up unnecessary feelings.'

"Look little one, I'll go down to the docks and look around, I don't know what I'm looking for but if you don't want to tell me that's fine and I'll still go," said Robert seeing his daughter's reluctance. Ruby bit her lip and stared at the window as she crossed her arms over her chest. She looked back at her father, he was guilting her into tell him.

"I think I might have seen Jack last night," said Ruby quietly.

"Were ya drinking last night?" asked Robert.

"Yes," said Ruby immediately knowing what her father was trying to imply, "But it had to be him."

"But little one he doesn't even know where ya are," said Robert. Ruby cocked her head at that comment, 'he doesn't know?' . Robert immediately realized what he had said and hoped to draw her attention away from it.

"So yer wanting me to go to the docks and see if Jack's ship here or if anyone's seen him?" asked Robert.

"No I want you to go to the docks and look at all the pretty ships," said Ruby sarcastically, "of course I want you to go look for Jack."

"Aye well no need to get nasty," said Robert, "I'll be heading there right after breakfast." Ruby pouted her lip, she wanted to know right away.

"Please?" asked Ruby softly, "I have been waiting too long for Jack and if he is here." Tears streamed down Ruby's cheeks as she spoke. Robert nodded understanding what he needed to know.

"I'll be back as soon as I have information," said Robert setting his coffee cup on the desk. Ruby stood silently as Robert came to her and kissed her forehead before turning the leaving the library. Once Robert was gone Ruby sank down into one of the chairs and stared off aimlessly, 'what if Jack is back?' thought Ruby, part of her wanted him back so much she physically ached but another part of her didn't want him there, as much as she wanted Jack, ultimately he hurt her. Sighing, Ruby lifted her legs up and rested them on the ottoman in front of the chair, she sat there in on of the most un-lady like positions with her legs straight out in front of her and her arms draped over the sides of the chair. A thought then occurred to her, if it had been Jack she had really seen last night then why did he disappear, 'because if it had been Jack, he must of seen me kissing James,' Ruby's mind screamed at her.

"Oh bugger," muttered Ruby tossing her head back against the chair.

Jack sat in his cabin across from Gibbs, each with a bottle of rum. Gibbs had found out from Elizabeth what had happened when the three of them arrived back at the ship without Ruby the previous night. Gibbs had been the only one Elizabeth had the chance to say anything to before Will had told her to keep the events to herself.

"How do ya explain what she's done?" muttered Jack staring at his bottle of rum with a hollow stare. Gibbs looked over at his captain and sighed, he knew it wasn't the fact that Ruby was with another man, Jack could handle that simply by swooping in and romancing her back but James was a different story, this dug a deep wound into Jack.

"Shall we be sailin' back ta the Caribbean?" asked Gibbs figuring Jack would want to leave English waters as soon as possible.

"Ney, not yet," said Jack bring the bottle up to his lips.

"Ya want ta stay?" asked Gibbs.

"Aye, I've never questioned her before but not she's got explainin' ta do," said Jack solemnly. Gibbs nodded, Jack was never the type to seek explanations from those who had betrayed him, as a pirate Jack understood that you always did what was best for you and you alone but Ruby was different.

Both men were broken from their thoughts by a knock on the cabin door. Jack looked up slowly then over at Gibbs.

"Aye."

"Cap'n there's a man 'ere ta see ya," called one of this younger crewmen through the door, Jack recognized the strong cockney accent as a young boy they picked up at an American port they had spotted at before heading across the ocean towards England, "Says 'e won't be waitin' either, older chap 'e is." Jack creased his brow at Gibbs who looked equally confused.

"What's his name whelp?" called Jack.

"Oddest thing there Cap'n says 'is name's Hellstorm, but I've heard that legend, and they're all dead," called the boy. Immediately the mention of the name Hellstorm Jack sat his bottle of rum down on the desk and stood up from his chair. Gibbs stood and followed Jack from the cabin and on to the deck where Robert stood waiting. Jack waved the boy off before nodding his greeting to Robert as he approached him.

"We're gonna be talkin' in private," said Robert without a greeting. Jack nodded and turned to lead Robert back into his cabin, Gibbs quickly dismissed himself knowing that he was not to be involved in the conversation and frankly did not want to be involved.

Robert and Jack walked into the cabin the door shut behind them. Jack picked a new bottle of rum off his desk and handed it to Robert before he picked up his already open bottle and settled himself back into his chair. He watched carefully as Robert sat down across from him in the chair that Gibbs had previously been sitting in.

"I'm surprised to find you here," said Robert.

"Funny, we both share the same surprise," said Jack, "how long 'ave ya known she was here?"

"I left the day I found out," said Robert.

"And ya never thought it'd be a good idea ta inform 'er husband where she is?" asked Jack. Robert inhaled deeply as he looked over at Jack, he hated that fact that in the man across from him laid his daughter's true happiness.

"There wasna time to tell," said Robert.

"I will be meetin' with her," said Jack.

"No ya won't," stated Robert. Jack cocked his head to the side, he knew that Robert wasn't happy over his marriage to Ruby but not like this.

"She's my wife," said Jack.

"As I remember it she signed a divorce decree endin' yer marriage to 'er," said Robert.

"We're still married, and I will be meeting with her," said Jack cooly.

"Look boy, my daughter 'as finally found a life suited of her, she's got her Lord and her title as a Lady, she's got estates, a fortune, a good position in society, everything you can't be giving her," said Robert, "now she sent me here ta find you, and I came because there's not a wish I wouldn't be granting her, but I came 'ere to tell you ta leave. James Norrington who she deserves, she was never to enter a life with you." Jack sat back breathing slowly as he took in Robert's words, he was right that Jack couldn't give her the life of society she deserved.

"She'll only be able ta keep the charade up for so long," said Jack, " she never has."

"She chose him," said Robert in a sober tone, "you've hurt her for the last time, I have not decided that, she has."

"I'll be meetin' with her," stated Jack again, choosing to ignore Robert's previous statement, if Ruby had chosen James then Jack wanted to hear it from her own mouth.

"You'd be riskin' her place in society, if her truth were ever ta be found out she'd be ruined and possibly thrown back into prison and you'd risk that all for your own selfish reason?" asked Robert.

Jack inhaled deeply as he set his bottle of rum back on the desk, Robert had a point there would be a risk on Ruby.

"How come yer here if she chose him?" asked Jack curiously, if Ruby was so wrapped up in James how come she would even bother mentioning anything about seeing Jack.

"Because she's my daughter and I'll be fulfilling her wishes," said Robert. Quietly Jack looked away, he seen through this, it was simply a matter of a father not wanting a man near his daughter.

"Aye, well then yer right, it's not worth riskin' the girl's reputation," said Jack, "just tell her, I was here and I wish her all the best." Cautiously Robert stood up, he wasn't satisfied with the way Jack just suddenly gave up but he was in no mood to continue on this pointless argument. Robert had done what he came to do, tell Jack to stay away and let the man know that it was known he was in London.

"Yer makin' the right choice there," said Robert cautiously before he walked towards the cabin door, "may the seas be kind to ya on yer sails back ta the Caribbean." Jack leaned back in his chair and watched as door slammed shut behind Robert.

"Aye, well if that'd be the case, I was never one for makin' the right choices," said Jack to himself as he leaned over and grabbed his bottle of rum.

Ruby went rushing through the house as she heard the front door echo loudly through the house as it shut. A maid that was dusting in the hallway nearly fell over as Ruby passed in with little regard for those around her. Her knuckles were almost white from grasping her skirts as her feet moved quickly.

Ruby was almost breathless as she reached the main foyer only to find James and Roger removing their jackets. Ruby quickly stopped herself from groaning and rolling her eyes, they were the last two men she wanted to see. James creased his brow as he looked at his wife who stood there with her skirts clutched tightly in her hand and her breaths jagged.

"Expecting someone?" asked Roger making it sound more of a statement. Ruby's mouth dropped open at the boldness of Roger's statement. She dropped her skirts and smooth them out slightly before walking over to the two men.

"Yes, my husband," snapped Ruby coolly as she walked over to them, "James, have we not spoken about this matter?" James bit his lip as Ruby stood in front of him, he was not the mood to deal with any scuffles between his staff and his wife.

"I am sure Roger did not mean any unkindness, he was just taken back by your apparent urgentness," said James. Roger sighed silently before he looked over at Ruby.

"Lord Norrington is correct m'lady," said Roger, "I am deeply sorry from my offending tone." Ruby looked over at Roger, it was as clear as day to her the apology was forced and meaningless.

"you are forgiven," said Ruby in an aloof tone before she turned her attention back to James.

"I am sorry, I did not mean to alert anyone, my father left this morning quite suddenly and he seemed not quite himself, I have been awaiting his arrival," lied Ruby hoping to smooth over suspicions.

"Do you want me to send men out to look for him?" asked James believing Ruby's feigned worry.

"No, no, no, my father is quite alright on his own," said Ruby softly, "I am just worried." James nodded and chastely kissed her forehead.

"Have the maid make you a cup of tea and sit and relax, everything will be just fine," said James quietly as Ruby nodded. Without another word she turned on her heel and left the room, still in anxious waiting for word from her father.

An hour later Robert found himself back at the house and being dragged into Ruby's bedroom by his daughter. Once Ruby had the door shut behind them she turned on her father like a hound on a cornered fox.

"Well?" the seconds were killing her as Robert fell silent of his answer.

"Well?" repeated Robert.

"Bloody hell was the ship there?" cursed Ruby. Robert sighed, his regret of lying was being misinterpreted by Ruby as regret of having to tell her what she didn't want to hear.

"Well? Before I go mad," stressed Ruby.

"Ney, little one, I hate to tell you, but your eyes were tricking ya," said Robert hating the pain that appear on Ruby's face no matter how hard she tried to hide it. Ruby bit her lip trying to hold back tears that threatened to spill over, she wanted to appear that it was nothing more than a simple disappointment and she was not hoping with all her heart that the black pearl was in London docks.

"It was probably all that champagne to blame," said Ruby, her throat becoming curiously dry.

"I'm sorry little one," said Robert quietly as he drew his daughter into a hug. Ruby rested her cheek against his chest as a tear slowly rolled down her cheek.

"It is probably for the best," mumbled Ruby into his chest.

"Of course it is," said Robert as Ruby pulled away and wiped the tear from her face.

"I am sorry, I feel so foolish, I suppose part of me maybe was hoping for it all to be right," said Ruby laughing slightly.

"Yer nothing to be sorry for little one, it's perfectly natural fer ya," said Robert. Ruby nodded as she walked over to the bed and sat on the edge.

"I think I need to rest, I spend most of my energy this morning over this matter. For nothing apparently," said Ruby. Robert nodded and left the room and Ruby sitting on the bed. Sighing she pulled her legs up on to the bed and scooted herself up until she was at the head of the bed with her head resting on the pillows. To her surprise feelings of disappointment weren't filling her, she wasn't sure what it was she was feeling but it wasn't disappointment or abandonment, they were two emotions she was more than well acquainted with.

'I swear that was Jack I saw' thought Ruby knowing she'd be able to identify Jack anywhere, 'but why didn't come forward?'

"Because I was kissing James" said Ruby answering her own question as she ran her hands over her face. She knew Jack wouldn't take off out of London because of that, Jack was never one to back down especially when someone had something he wanted.

Sighing Ruby swung her legs back off the bed and went over to the door. Quietly she opened the door and peered out to the hallway to find it empty. Quickly she slipped out of her room and down the hall, instead of heading towards the main staircase she went to the servants staircase at the far end of the hall. Her shoes clicked softly against the stairs as she made her way down into the kitchen where she found the cooks at work cleaning up from lunch and preparing for dinner. Curiously the staff looked at her in silence as Ruby walked through the kitchen into the pantry and out the backdoor into garden. She looked around the lush green garden looking for the gardener and his helper. The gardener's helper was a young boy who was the son of one of the maids and quite an adventurous child if Ruby heard correctly.

Ruby spotted the boy to her left where he was digging in the dirt around the rose bushes. He didn't seem to notice Ruby approaching him and only looked up when she coughed slightly to announce her presence.

"Can I 'elp ya Lady Norrin'ton?" asked the boy in a thick cockney accent. Ruby smiled at the boy, he couldn't be any more than 7 or 8 and instead of bowing to her he looked up at her with wide eyes and a smile.

"Yes you could," said Ruby kneeling down letting her skirts pool around her, "Nicholas is it?"

"Yes m'lady, but you could call me Nicky,"

"Nicky," nodded Ruby, "I need you to do me a favour, do you know where the docks are?"

"I do m'lady, me ma 'ates me goin' there, says I'll get in to nothing but trouble there," said Nicholas.

"Well Nicky, your mother is right you could," said Ruby, "But if you went straight there and came straight back you would not be getting into any trouble now."

"I suppose," said Nicky. Ruby took the boys hand in her and pressed a gold coin into his hand as she smiled up at him.

"Nicky, I need you to go to the docks for me, but you cannot tell anyone," said Ruby softly, "not even your mother, I need this to be our secret. Can you do that?"

"O' course I can m'lady," nodded Nicky anxious to pull his hand back from Ruby's to see for himself that she had really given him a gold coin.

"Good, I know you can. Nicky, I want you to go to the docks and see if there is a ship there with black sails, a ship called the Black Pearl, I don't want you to do anything but see if it is there then I want you to run straight back here and tell me," said Ruby.

"I can do that m'lady," nodded Nicky as Ruby released his hand. The young boy stared at the gold coin in awe, he had never been given a gold coin before.

"And if you do, I will give you another gold coin when you return," said Ruby, "Now, go, hurry and remember no getting in trouble." Nicky nodded before he stepped around Ruby and took off across the garden to the gates. Ruby looked over her shoulder at the running child before she stood up and dusted off her skirts. Turning around she headed back into the house careful to avoid her father as she made her way back up to her room.

An hour later Ruby was awoken from her nap by a rapid knocking at her door and the sounds of concerned voices. Wiping the sleep from her eyes she heard a young boy's voice on the other side of her door, remembering the boy had an answer for her Ruby slipped off the bed and hurried to the door. She opened it to find the young boy being hauled away from the door by maids who were scolding him.

"Let him go," demanded Ruby as she stepped in to the hall.

"I'm sorry m'lady, I have no idea how the boy got up here, he will punished," said one of the maids.

"There will be no such thing," snapped Ruby, "now let the boy go." The maids did as their mistress said and watched as Ruby waved the young boy over to her.

"I asked the boy to come see me, so anyone who lays a hand on him in punishment will be dismissed immediately," said Ruby harshly before ushering Nicholas into her room and shut the door behind them. Once the door was shut Ruby squatted back down to Nicholas's level and looked at the boy for an answer.

"Well what did you see?"

"Aye, ya was right m'lady, there was a ship there with black sails, and I asked a sailor there and 'e told me it'd be the Black Pearl, said it'd be a pirate ship," said Nicholas.

"Good job Nicky," said Ruby smiling, "Did you get into any trouble?"

"No m'lady just like you said," nodded Nicholas. Ruby rose back up and walked over to her vanity table. She opened a small jewellery box and took out two gold coins.

"Here you are," said Ruby handing the coins to the boy who stared at her with eyes as big as saucers.

"M'lady you said it'd only be one coin when I returned," said Nicholas astonished.

"I did, but you did such a good job you deserved two," said Ruby, "Now remember you cannot tell anyone you went to the docks or what you seen." Nicholas nodded in understanding.

"Don't you worry m'lady, I won't be sayin' a word," said Nicholas.

"Good, now you stay out of trouble and go down to the kitchen and tell the cook I said you could have a pastry," said Ruby resting her hand on his shoulder.

"Thank you m'lady," said Nicholas excitedly before he took off running to the door and let himself out.

Ruby rested her hands on her hips once the boy was gone, 'he lied to me' thought Ruby angrily, 'my own father lied to me, I knew I was right'.

"Now what am I going to do?" sighed Ruby as she walked back over to the bed and flopped down on it carelessly.

"Well damn Jack, if he wants me he can come and get me," huffed Ruby knowing that Jack would come and it would cause lots of problems.

That night at dinner Ruby sat quietly picking at her food. Occasionally she looked up at James and Robert, she spoke to neither one of them, not to Robert because she was silently stewing in her anger over his lie and James because she didn't want to choice yet without full thought. 'I have no idea what I will do when I see Jack' thought Ruby, 'and come to think of it why didn't he reveal himself when he saw me with James, that man is so dense sometimes'. It frustrated Ruby too that she was stuck, there was no way she could go to the docks without sparking rumours and James finding out. Sighing silently she picked up her glass of wine and drank from it but all she wanted to do was fling the glass across the room.

"Are you feeling better little one?" Ruby looked over at her father who was inquiring.

'No, I just found out you lied to me and broke my heart for no reason' thought Ruby. "Yes, I do not think I slept well last night, a bit overwhelmed by the party last night."

"Well you will have lots of time to rest now that the season is over," said James.

"Yes I suppose I will," said Ruby through almost gritted teeth. Unable to sit at the table with both men Ruby dropped her fork carelessly on the table and pushed her chair back.

"I am sorry, I do not believe I am hungry anymore," said Ruby coolly as she stood up," excuse me." Ruby left the dining room before another word could be said.

Once she was back up in her room Ruby paced in frustration, 'why the hell hasn't Jack come yet? This is so typical of that stupid man' thought Ruby, she wanted to leave the house but more than that she wanted to storm down to the docks and confront Jack but she knew she couldn't. Reaching under her bed she found the stashed bottle of brandy from underneath. She quickly uncorked it and without bothering for a glass she drank straight from the bottle.

"That idiot had better hurry up about things I cannot stand this much longer," muttered Ruby as she took the bottle away from her lips.

Elizabeth, Will and Gibbs sat quietly in the corner of a local tavern watching Jack consorting actively with the whores much to Elizabeth's chagrin. All over them were drowning themselves in the ale that kept coming, Jack had yet to say anything about Ruby since they had witnessed her kiss with James.

"I don't understand what he is doing here? Why is he not getting her back," said Elizabeth, "he's just dallying with those girls."

"Aye, let 'im be," muttered Gibbs, "The man's got some deep wounds to lick."

"That's no excuse," said Elizabeth.

"What if she has picked him," said Will softly.

"What? Norrington? Not likely," snorted Elizabeth.

"It is the perfect life she was born to have," said Will.

"These are just excuses," snapped Elizabeth banging her glass down on the table, "in the morning we are going to the house and I will speak with her."

"Maybe that's not the best course of action," said Will.

"And maybe it is," said Elizabeth, "but we'll never know if we leave it to Jack, the only thing he can tell us is how much that whore is worth."

"Elizabeth, you are over reacting," said Will.

"No I am not," snapped Elizabeth as she stood up, "we came all the way here and now Jack is just going to run off like a sheepish dog just because she was kissing Norrington? I am sorry but I was always under the believe that you men had more gaol that than." Elizabeth turned and left the table heading towards the door.

"She's wrong ya know," said Gibbs before emptying his mug of ale, "he'll get her, Jack never gives anything up without a fight."

"I know," muttered Will before getting up and following his wife hoping to catch up to her before she ended up on the London streets alone.