A/N: Thank you for always supporting me with your comments (and PMs). Means the world to me!
I've always thought Jack to be a great, responsible father if/when he'd be one, seeing his thoughts of Blackbeard's behavior and how he assisted Barbossa doing what he 'was supposed to do.' I really think we'll see his and Angelica's offspring in POTC 6, but until then, I play around with my fics here. :-)
Uploaded: 9th January 2021
To all you Jack and Angelica shippers out there. This is for you.
Chapter X
MARRIED AGAIN
Smooth Criminal
Meanwhile her mother can pretend and think Frances is just naive, she surely is not too gullible. Of course she understood the moment her mother glittered by that bracelet, inside the gift box, that it was from nobody but this man.
Whoever he may be.
During a breakfast on a Saturday morning, she drinks her tea. Grace is keeping her company and literally talks about everything while Frances has eaten her late breakfast. Curiously, she dares to ask at last.
"Grace," her tone makes it apparent she will be fishing for information. Well aware of her softer tone, the maid gives Frances a knowing eye. "Do you have any idea who the man my mother is seeing is?"
Fearful of stirring the pot, Grace aims to avoid such a topic by shrugging.
"I'm afraid I don't know what you talk about, Miss Frances."
Naturally she does. For some reason, everyone seems to believe they can just lie to Frances. But she is definitely more sharper than they take her for.
"Mother has been sneaking around for weeks. That man has dropped her off outside on several occasions, I've seen it with my own eyes."
Yes, her mistake of now admitting her being up way too late in the middle of the night.
"You're not supposed to be awake at that time, Miss Frances. Now, are you?"
This is not the time Frances wishes to be scolded.
"Who is he? He's tearing my family apart. My parents belong together. Father made a mistake but now my mother is about to, as well."
As this is not Grace's speciality to handle, she simply shakes her head.
"Unfortunately, I cannot help you in this matter, Miss. I know no more than you do."
Thankful to be able to escape this, Grace is out as soon as Angelica enters.
Deep in thought, she is distantly putting her earrings into her earlobes. Gracious as ever and glistening by happiness. At least this man who ruins Frances's family is putting a smile on her mother.
If only her father could have done that instead.
"Good morning," her mother warmly greets when she passes Frances's on her way to her seat. A kiss planted on top of her head and Frances's dark eyes follow her mother's any move.
It so apparent by her humming tone and lighter mood how she is infatuated by someone. This stupid man!
"Good morning, Mother."
If she would have known what this day was about to offer, she may have twisted this 'Good morning' partly. But as for now, she is happily unbeknownst about it all.
To annoy her mother and capture her attention, she steals her lipstick from her hands and runs around the dining table, soon having her mother chasing her. Apparently, she is overly stressed out about a luncheon she is going to and serious about catching her. Frances is finding her frustrated mother nothing but hilarious, until she has leaped out of a window and her mother must halter by the windowsill.
"Get back here!" She is so not kidding around. "Frances!"
Her mother is too hysterical to watch when she goes mad.
Provocatively by boredom of finding nothing more fun in the world to do, than to tease her own mother, Frances begins to paint her own lips with this lipstick. Inexperience brings her to paint all over and around her mouth. In frustration, Angelica sighs from the windowsill, as she views down to her daughter in the garden.
"Ay dios… I don't have time for this."
Gloatingly, Frances bounces around and displays this lipstick to her mother. Provokingly given her a rise in temper.
"You can't get me, you can't get me," she sing-songs.
"If you don't get back here, right at once, I shall have a look inside your room for that pirate book."
As if she has hit her below her belt, Frances stops unsurely right on the spot. Evidently, her mother has hit her Achilles and the both of them are aware of this.
Her mother has her fists resting on her hips as if to demonstrate her severity in this.
"Clearly you get too inspired by mischief, reading about pirates."
For a moment the two just stare at each other, challengingly, before it is as if someone has snatched its fingers. Like a lightning striking down onto ground, the two ladies take off towards Frances's bedroom. Her mother obviously with the upper hand of being inside already.
By the time Frances has jumped past the stairs and storms inside her room, she feels how her mother has sneaked up on her and now they keep struggling over the lipstick. Frances hysterically holding it away and Angelica lunges after it.
"Give it to me!"
"No!"
"Give it to me… Frances, I mean it!"
Frances breaks free and runs up onto her bed, tightly gets a hold of her pirate book and has her mother standing by the edge of it, panting as they stare at each other. None ready to budge.
"I am going to a luncheon and I need that lipstick, now."
"What luncheon?" Frances demands to know. "With whom?" Which is the more interesting question she seeks to know.
The look that suddenly forms on Angelica, reveals that she is aware of what Frances searches for. Refusing to give it to her, her mother tries the unbothered road.
"A friend."
Right. Just a friend.
"A friend?"
Her peering to her mother makes Angelica give her a warning eye.
"Exactly."
"Who is this friend?" Frances pushes the matter. "That man that keeps kissing you goodbye, every time he drops you off outside?"
In shock, Angelica's mouth opens, but Frances is far from done.
"That keeps sending you gifts? Who has sent you flowers every day for the past weeks?"
Speechless, Angelica is numb. However, Frances continues.
"Do you think I don't notice how differently you adjust your dress any time you'll meet him?"
Sharply, Angelica pulls in her breath.
Yes, her secret is out. Frances has noticed and she definitely has put two and two together.
"At least, tell me his name," she needs to know.
Giving up to her daughter's nagging, Angelica swallows and holds her hand out. Palm open and gesturing to Frances to put her mother's lipstick there. Hesitatingly, she does and now Angelica begins to spill.
"He's a marquess and he's very kind."
When Angelica speaks this, her gaze is avoidant. Looking anywhere but to Frances.
Well, obviously he is very kind, seeing what gifts and jewelry he keeps sending her mother. But this is not precisely what information Frances is after. Another question lingers within her.
"What are your intentions with him?" Hearing this, Angelica's attention jerks back to Frances. "Are you going to marry him, just like Father is marrying that... bruja?"
"Frances!" Angelica accusingly lets out. "Where did you get that word from?"
With a quirked eyebrow, Frances is not precisely in belief her mother is the one to talk.
"From you."
"Oh..," but smoothly, Angelica manages to talk around that particular question still. "Well, for one, I have invited him for dinner tonight. Think it's good the two of you get to meet."
Frances frowns as response.
How very fittingly. There is never a good thing when her parents want her to meet someone, as much she has grasped. When her father asked her to meet someone, it was Margareth and meant her split in family just growing graver. Now with her mother falling victim to the same destiny, Frances is not stupid to not understand where this is going.
For once, not keeping away facts from Frances, at least her mother speaks truthfully. She can detect it in her tone. The voice Angelica uses. Motherly warm, but firm and informative. There is no negotiation for Frances, yet she seems fearful of Frances's reaction.
"He's picking me up in a few to bring me to his house. When we return here, the three of us will have dinner together. And I'd like for you to behave well. ¿Puedes hacer esto, por favor?"
Sulking and throwing off a tantrum will not stop her mother from bringing this marquess over, Frances can tell. The battle is lost and her mother is presenting this man for a reason.
In the end of the day, she is immensely appreciative he makes her mother smile again. She seems so much happier since he started spoiling her and encountering her.
Giving a wholeheartedly promise, Frances nods. "I'll behave."
Skeptically, Angelica seems to try to read her if she is sarcastic and only acts, or if she truly means it.
"You promise?"
"I promise."
That she buys and now she motions Frances to come over. With a gentle but firm hand, Angelica wipes Frances's lipstick away.
"What a mess," her mother complains but still smiles at her.
When her arms embrace Frances into the warmth of her hug, she lovingly kisses Frances's hair as she holds her tight.
"I love you more than anything. You know that, yes?"
This forces a grin to appear as Frances tries to blow away her mother's fluffy hair she has in her face.
Just as she is about to reply, Grace knocks on the door as she enters.
"There is a carriage waiting for you outside, Mrs Teague."
And now Angelica slowly pulls back from Frances. They take their time just eying each other, intently, before her mother leaves.
On the balcony, Frances stands, now with Grace besides her. Together they watch how Angelica gets greeted by this well-dressed marquess, that kisses her hand and assists her inside this carriage, before joining himself.
More than this, Frances cannot see. But Angelica keeps looking from her tiny window to see her daughter becoming a smaller and smaller figure as the carriage heads out past the gates.
"I notified your daughter. Looks angelic."
She smiles and turns to Leonard who impatiently pulls her into a kiss.
"If anybody knew I was in this carriage, alone with a man..," Angelica speaks against his mouth.
"I know," Leonard admits and begins to apologize. "All my fault, but at least this lunch at my aunt's house will have several chaperones."
Sensually, Angelica fingers on his jawline. "I've never met her. Is this..," she swallows. "Margareth's mother?"
Which would make things too awkward.
"Oh, no. Just our mutual aunt. Childless and no direct heirs. However, I've always been her favorite," he grins cockily.
Laughing at his statement, Angelica also rolls her eyes. "I'm sure."
"It's true," Leonard tries to convince. "She even personally asked me to bring the lady that puts a smile on my face."
Now, Angelica cannot stop grinning widely herself. "You are such a suck-up."
He leans in further to her. "Tell me more, Mrs Curfew."
The both of them try to hold back their giggles but with his fingers working their way to tickle her, the both of them begin to act like a couple of children. That also referring to how they keep on behaving outside this carriage, when they walk inside.
With not a moment to view the enormous estate nor notify all staff members lined up to greet them, Angelica and Leonard are too busy being all over each other like two children tickling and teasing the other one as if to gain the other's attention. First when they enter this dining room, Leonard somewhat leading them there due habit, the both of them stop tracks right on the spot by the… most odd sight. Ever.
An old lady, Marchioness, sitting by the end of an overly long table as if she is the owner of this island.
Margareth finely adjoined on a side with decent Jack accompanying her.
Too many maids and servants as well.
Every single eye is on Angelica and Leonard, who now have their giddy mood wiped away.
Shock, is what she can detect in the eyes of the viewers. Particularly in Jack's.
"Aunt dear," Leonard instantly greets as if he can save what they must have seen. Quickly he bows. Angelica throws herself to curtsy and she inwardly understands this lunch will be nothing but a mistake.
She thought this would be a rather casual, naturally always formal with these noble families, yet enough to feel comfortable over an afternoon tea with this aunt of Leonard's.
This is something else.
She will literally kill Leonard after this, for tickling her and bringing her into such a playful mood she will not be taken seriously from now on by his own family.
This appears like a formal lunch, relative-gathering where JACK of all people also attends. The last person she wishes to be sharing an island with. Let alone a house, a room with.
"Leonard, my darling," the aunt nods for them to join them at their table. Inspecting Angelica extremely warily, she feels rather uncomfortable under this aunt's most watchful eye. "Tell me all about this lovely sweetheart you've encountered."
She is too busy freaking out under the stare of this aunt, as the two of them move to the other side of the table Jack and Margareth are, that she never reflects on that apparent eye of bewilderment her former husband now wears.
Like a gentleman, Leonard pulls out her chair and assists her down.
"This is rather awkward," he speaks as if to break the clear tension between them and the couple in front of him and Angelica.
When she finally looks to Jack, she can see his puzzled expression. Bafflement, stunned, completely confusion. Well, he deserves it. Rightfully, she never really told him about Leonard. He does not have any right to get mad to her about the matter, seeing how he has kept her in darkness about literally everything.
Still, she understands that she feels sort of... torn about the matter. Because now it is out there. Her secrecy of romancing this marquess is no longer... a secret.
"You see," Leonard directs his aunt. "Margareth and Mr Teague here do not know about us," and he gestures to him and Angelica.
"Oh, we certainly do now," Margareth gestures to what partly intimate scene they must have witnessed upon their entrance.
Jack cannot hold himself, a disliking eye shot to Leonard. "You're seeing... Angelica?"
Ashamed, Angelica breaks Jack's intense stare down. He looks to her as if he has the right to judge her. Quite, pain in his eyes, if she dares to interpret him. Which surprises her, as he seemingly hates her. Or is indifferent about her. Whatever the case, he has been too insensible about her. Him being hurt by her moving on must cause him nothing but a torn ego.
That self-centered bastard.
She swallows and forces a shaky smile to appear, deciding to at pretend not be as nervous as she actually is.
"Yes, cousin," Leonard speaks and also directs Jack. "Mr Teague. It'd be more fitting if I'd been able to personally tell you. I never wanted this, rather tangled situation to appear to the surface like this. Seeing what history has been. You must believe me."
To the view, content with the situation, nonetheless, this aunt hints to them all to dig into lunch.
"I summoned the both of you, my niece and my nephew," she goes on. "To discuss a family matter. However..," she trails off and looks to Angelica. "Why don't you first tell me about yourself, darling."
And so, a well-woven interrogation begins. Angelica laying it all out as perfectly as she can in order to appeal to this aunt. In some strange sort of way, she must have been given some kind of acceptance, as the aunt contently nods in between her bites of food. Worth to mention, even though her idiot of a ex husband sits across her table and snorts at her tryout of coming out way more innocent and well-behaving than she really is.
First by the second tea, this aunt clears her throat and directs her relatives.
"I must ask for your audience at the wing," she announces and stands.
Instantly Leonard joins and Margareth mumbles something to Jack. Honestly, Angelica barely notices it as Leonard leans down to her. A comforting hand on her shoulder. Warmly she places her hand above his and now she can detect Jack's peering eye in the corner of her eyes. A person standing all the way in New England can see that she and Leonard are lovers. Or so the eye would envisage.
"Darling, will you be alright if I leave you alone for a moment?"
She can tell this annoys Jack more than anything. Another man indicating him being a caveman that needs to be tangled. Even if she knows Leonard never meant it that way.
Assuringly she nods, a loving smile given back to him. Her eyes are on Leonard and him only.
"Yes, there are many servants around. I'm fine."
He is the last person to go and when he has left, Angelica is alone with Jack. Of course, with staff present.
Totally ignoring him, she continues to drink her tea and keeps her vision down in it.
Which must irritate him even more. His eyes are burning on her and at last, his spitting tone cannot be controlled. It seems as if he does not know where to start this rant.
At last he mimics Leonard, immensely irritated he cannot prevent how he spits out the words.
"My darling."
He is demanding her to explain this. As if he rightfully can inquire such of her.
With a thud she sets her cup down onto the porcelain saucer and stares daringly back to him.
It never ceases to amaze her how full of oneself a person can be. Yet Jack always manages to capture this prize.
It looks as if Jack is about to explode by anger.
He throws his napkin down onto his plate with such force it looks as if he wants to kill something.
"What the hell are you doing?" He demands.
How funny she gets this reaction from him now. Acting all jealous as if he has the right to.
Before she has a chance to reply, he goes on with his venting.
"You can drop the act now, love. I know you just went along with him to make me jealous. Admittedly you may have touched a success but that's how far this goes. Now stop the acting if you please, savvy."
Speechless to his rubbish, she finds herself rather in disbelief he just said this. How can such crap come out of his mouth? Does he honestly think he is the centre of the world? Clearly.
"¿Cómo te atreves?"
"Again, the two of you can drop this act, aye."
She is genuinely confused. Not can he be this self-centered to believe she has been 'fooling around' with Leonard just to have a reaction out of him?
It is insane what a grand ego he has.
In disbelief he is this delusional, she ends up letting out a muffled laughter.
"You think I am with Leonard to make you jealous?"
Not even he can be this irrational, can he?
Instantly she notices how he tenses. As if he understands she is not kidding.
She cannot quite tell if he is uncomfortable, hurt, in extreme rage or what the heck is going on with him. But one thing he does not do is to tear that held look he has over her.
He leans forward towards her as if he will enlighten her, that headless bastard.
"Told Leonard-bloke to babysit you at the governor's annual celebration. Better not dream yourself away, sweetness."
Obviously she is not reacting to this new piece of information in the ways that Jack expects, as it appears as if he is going nuts inwardly, due her non-reaction.
Instead she smirks. "You asked Leonard to chaperone me?"
The irony in this is hysterical. Of all people, her idiot of an ex husband has asked the one man that should not have been asked, to make sure she is not acting sinful with a man.
She smiles teasingly to Jack and it definitely gives a rise in him. "For once, Jack, you actually did something nice for me. Do you want thank you-flowers or would a simple letter be sufficient?"
Bewilderment is all she can notify on his face.
Yes, he is inwardly going mad. Which is, frankly, rather funny to see. Seeing she unintentionally has managed handing him a kick of revenge.
"Wait a minute," he needs a moment. "Have you met Margareth's cousin before this event?"
Angelica blushes and looks away, silently telling enough as answer. At last she cannot hold her tiny, hint of dreamy grin back. This is probably why Jack is boiling over.
"Actually we met at your disastrous engagement party. Fancy that."
Jack's mouth is twitching due his inner rage.
"Fancy that..?" Jack repeats and still seems to try to read her as if she is about to end up laughing and letting him know she is just joking with him.
"Does Frances know about him?"
As if Jack is the one to speak. How annoying this scumbag is. He acts as if he is entitled to speak to her like this, judging her as if he is some saint. Nonetheless, she refuses to get upset by his tryout of pushing her buttons.
"Leonard is joining me home after this luncheon and he'll finally meet her."
Jack mouth hangs open.
Disbelief. Astonishment. Pure hurt.
"You're introducing him to Frances?"
Well, she cannot quite tell of what emotion he truly carries right at the moment.
"Not just any man," Angelica smirks. "My Leonard."
Yes, she may could have been nice enough to leave the word 'my' out. Particularly as she sees that frown of pain on his face. But there is a wish to slam him all down due how he has treated her.
Intimidatingly, he suddenly peers his eyes as if he would be threatening her.
"Tomorrow morning I'll be at our..," he swallows and corrects himself. "Your house for breakfast, and mark my words, love, if I see that man still there…"
Angelica sets her porcelain cup down again with such force it spills water.
"Who do you think you are, Jack?!" she has had enough of his ego. "How dare you talk to me like that?"
"This is the man that has sent you flowers, kissed your hand.., aye?"
How in the world does Jack know about this?
"Frances..?"
Of course. Her daughter has spoken to Jack about it.
"She tells me everything," Jack makes himself heard.
"Well," Angelica then calmly lays out, provoking him further more. "After tonight, I'm sure she'll have more to tell you."
Silence between the two as Angelica tauntingly relaxed enjoys her tea meanwhile Jack is driven up the wall.
"To get this straight," Jack tries to keep his voice relatively in control. "You're seeing Margareth's cousin?"
"Yes."
"Margareth's cousin courts you?"
"Yes."
"And you..," now he swallows first as if he is terrified to ask. "Fancy, this man, aye? Which is Margareth's cousin."
She delays her answer and he appears anticipative about it.
"Exactly."
Setting aside all rage, he must have transferred to insanity. Because to nobody he lets out, "I need a drink," and fittingly a servant has already fetched him beverage.
To gather himself, Jack takes a deep breath.
"Angelica," he is extremely serious as he now looks straight into her eyes. This is that very look she knows of. The one that is so deep that makes her believe she is the only one in the world for him. That they are meant to be and that he is about to let her know just how much he loves her. Which is something that is not needed to say, because everything is revealed in those precise penetrating soul-wrenching mere eyes of his. "Need to warn you… this is not…"
But as the voices are spilling into the room, the Stanfords deep in conversation, whatever Jack was about to say will remain a question for Angelica. Because when he silences that last time, she understands he will not let her know of whatever stupid warning he was about to give her.
For that matter, it is probably nothing important. What only speaks tonight is his bruised ego anyhow, as it appears.
Thankfully she never gets to hear more desperate and infuriating rambling from him, as the Stanfords have returned to the table and they can continue this not too pleasant lunch.
She tries to keep up with the conversation as well as she possibly can. But with Jack's gaze locked on her for the majority of the time, she understands she mostly squirms by discomfort.
Whenever she would throw a look across the table, he would have his arm around the chair's backrest in which Margareth sits on. He would whisper something to Margareth, she would giggle and quite frankly, anything that would make Angelica uncomfortable.
When Leonard at last suggests their departure, she is fast to stand.
By the entrance room, she not too surprisingly finds herself turning around to Jack's voice calling after her. Being too worked up, by anger and frustration from their previous conversation, she is saved from falling victim of loving to hear her name on his lips.
"You'd be careful with Franny-girl, aye?"
What is that, worry?
She does not quite know if she shall be offended by him to think she would not be. Or relieved that he actually has enough head left to still somewhat care.
"Of course," Angelica gives him a glare. "I'm not the one who broke this family apart."
Oddly, she can see that did hit him below the belt. Which does not make any sense, as it is completely true. Not can he be blind enough to not see this coming?
With Leonard encouraging her inside the carriage, she quickly joins him to leave.
Jack infernal idiot, scumbag, demonio, Sparrow never makes any sense, does he? This reaction of jealousy makes her confused. He is the one who wanted out. He broke their family apart. He has treated her as dirt.
But now, when happiness embarks her life and she for real moves on, he suddenly wants to drop by for breakfast. And not just to be polite. No, of course not. He just wants to make sure Leonard is not there, spending the night with her.
How in the world, could she of all men out there, have encountered the most non-sensible one of them all?
She never tells Leonard about this during their carriage ride back to her house. All the questions of his non-predicable reaction, how everything went wrong. No, she just focuses on next possible catastrophe - Leonard meeting Frances.
Nervous about the matter is an understatement of how she feels once she leaves the carriage and steps onto the ground.
Thankfully, Leonard is all calm and relaxed, oblivious to her uneasy mood.
Inside, whilst Leonard inspects the entrance room, Angelica walks towards a doorway and gestures for him to join her.
"I asked Grace..," she corrects herself to have Leonard understand her. "My maid, to prepare dinner for our arrival."
"Splendid!" Leonard smiles. "Admittedly, I'm starving. That luncheon was not much of my aunt."
"Oh, Leonard. Don't complain about your aunt. That lunch was marvelous," she lies. Anything to not think about Jack and his outrageous reaction. "However that look on everybody's face when we came…"
She is giving him an accusing glare but he only winks to her as if this is a fun game. No regret at all to how they must have appeared.
"Priceless," Leonard laughs and she begins to smile as well.
By the dining table, Frances sits. A book about pirates in her hands. Something she has indulged in all day as her mother has been gone. Expectantly, she is awfully curious to this new man when her mother enters. Joined by this… stranger, she has seen several times from the balcony.
There are too many questions she would like to ask him. But if she does, her mother would not be too pleased with her. For what she can see, this man has put a smile on her mother's face, seeing she is grinning widely as she looks to him.
When she sees Frances, her mother beams.
"Frances, sweetheart. This is Marquess Leonard Stanford."
Slowly Frances stands and for a first time is allowed to inspect this mister on a closer level.
The man who will further try to split her family.
So now not only is Margareth an annoying figure she needs to work past, but this man as well?
Why are her parents this unreasonable? Why cannot they just talk and realize they still love each other?
Skeptically, she takes her time on her way around the table.
Her mother is looking between them as she goes on presenting them.
"And Leonard, this is my daughter, Frances."
When Frances reaches out her tiny hand, he gently leans down and shakes it. A friendly sparkle in his eyes that she actually prefers to not see.
This is not a man she is supposed to grow fond of. This is a man she should try to erase from her family.
"Lovely to meet you," he sincerely speaks.
She snatches her hand back and looks to her mother, who affirms her that it is alright.
Suddenly, Leonard pulls out a bouquet of flowers?
Who even has a bouquet of flowers behind his back like that?
Why does her mother awe at him? It is not like he did something magical, did he?! God, her mother is such a fool!
And now he just tricks her mother into falling more for his fawning ways of being. Giving her flowers and showering her with gifts.
Talk about shock, when he turns to Frances and offers her the grand bouquet.
"These are for you," he winks to her.
She likes to stomp away angrily and sulk for the rest of her life. But truthfully, she cannot fight back the happy smile even this causes her.
Somewhere she can detect her mother beaming at the gesture as she rather shyly, accepts the flowers.
"Are these for me?"
Leonard smiles to her.
"They are particularly for you, Frances."
She cannot believe herself. She is supposed to hate this man. It took him like three seconds to literally buy her! Yet she cannot help that wide grin she wears as she smells the flowers. Probably a genuine grin that she either has not worn for ages.
For an afternoon she believed would end in disaster, Frances enjoys her time quite well. Specifically as Leonard makes his effort into actually talking to her. Behaving nothing like that Margareth her father annoyingly has fallen for.
"Couldn't help myself but to notice the book you are reading," Leonard points out.
If there is one left out of this conversation during dinner, it has been her own mother. Observantly, Angelica has viewed their interaction as she has eaten her dinner, sipped on her water and just worn a content look over them.
Ah, finally someone who wants to talk about this! Frances is eager to drag Leonard into this.
"Yes! Have you read it?" she wonders.
Leonard nods. "I've read them all. Pirates interest me. It is a rather… venturesome topic, isn't it?"
Too excited about the matter, she never detects her mother's sudden look of worry, that she works so hard to cover up.
"Oh, really! Tell me about it!" Frances exclaims. "Please, Leonard. Tell me all you know!"
"Which chapter are you on?"
Now, Frances should have noticed Angelica's coming jerk upon Frances's excitement, but she is too into her conversation with Leonard to do that.
"Blackbeard."
"Are you aware of his real name?"
"Edward Teach!"
"Correct, Frances," and Leonard refills her glass with freshly pressed juice. "What do you know of him?"
She is just too excited someone for once puts attention to talk about something she finds interesting.
"He sailed Queen Anne's Revenge, and is titled to be one of the most feared men out on the seas in history. Could it be true, Leonard?"
"I believe so, he's done quite of harm out there, hasn't he?"
Angelica is squirming in her seat and occupies her heavy breathing with drinking water. Yet Frances nor Leonard take a note of it.
"Somewhere between the lines, I take he had a daughter. She would be an adult by now. What do you think of that?"
Leonard chuckles. "What a clever little lass you are, Frances."
Ah, has not Frances always thought this of herself? She absolutely beams by pride.
"I think so too," her girly little voice confidently agrees.
After gulping down his bite of food, Leonard goes on. "Angelica Teach, I think her name was. Or is. Supposedly she must be alive."
For a first time, the two turn to Angelica that keeps coughing as if she is choking.
"Darling, are you alright?" Leonard worriedly wonders.
She nods feverishly as if she excuses herself and gestures for them to go on.
"Angelica," Frances then musingly repeats as if she tastes the word. "That's the same name as my mother! How funny isn't that?"
Angelica nervously chuckles but stares into her glass as she drinks in avoidance. "Very funny."
Eager to have this conversation go on for hours, Frances begin to embark on names such as Davy Jones, Barbossa, Jack Rackham. But as she begins to open the histories about Jack Sparrow, her mother has seemingly had enough of this and warmly sets punctuation to this dinner.
"Now, Frances," she announces in that mother-typical voice, which Frances knows she uses when she will try to have Frances go to sleep.
"Oh, please, Mother! Not now!"
Dramatically she pleads her mother with the most pouting eye that causes Leonard to end up laughing.
"What a little sweetheart."
"I don't buy that look anymore," Angelica is not even the slightest sold. If anybody, she can see through Frances's tricks right away. "It's getting late and your father is accompanying us for breakfast tomorrow morning."
Really? Her father is coming over? When has he said this to her mother? Have they talked?
That is a good thing, right?
Angelica goes on. "Grace will assist you upstairs."
No way!
How can her mother do this to her? Things were just getting interesting!
With a disagreeing expression, Frances folds her arms as she slides off her seat.
"I can go to bed by myself. I'm old enough!"
Amused, Angelica holds her smile back. "Of course, mi'ja."
Tightly her mother hugs her as if she is a baby. And warmly she kisses her head. When she pulls back from her mother, she walks over to Leonard and reaches out her hand.
Finding her funny, Leonard accepts her hand and firmly, Frances shakes his.
"It was a pleasure to meet you, Marquess Stanford."
Heartily, he laughs at her gesture. "Miss Teague, you may continue to call me Leonard."
"Goodnight then, Leonard."
And with that, she leaves.
With her book in her hand and a candlelight working like a charm as she keeps reading, she has stumbled upon a sentence that finds oddly funny. 'Captain Jack Sparrow was rumored to have been witnessed to be romantically associated with the beautiful daughter of Blackbeard.' Which made an awfully hysterical coincidence, seeing her very own parents' name are 'Jack' and 'Angelica.'
It is also a funny story she wants to share, and quickly makes up her mind to retreat downstairs. In the darkness it is still easy to navigate. Heavily she carries her thick book, tightly hugged to her chest. Excitingly she shall share this funny information with her mother and Leonard. Light as a feather, she makes no noise on her way towards the dining room.
Her mother is still there and so is Leonard. They sit comfortable by each other, Leonard massaging her mother's hand as they calmly speak and genuinely laugh at something together.
Just as Frances is about to make herself known by entering the room, she stops in the darkness just outside, by seeing the shift of tone used by Leonard.
"Angelica…"
Sensing his change, her mother sits straighter in her chair.
"There is something… I, uh..," Leonard swallows and looks slightly nervous. When he returns his gaze to stare back into her mother's eyes, he is shooting a sentence Frances understands can only lead to another phrase she inwardly has feared. "I'm falling in love with you."
Her mother, speechless, just stares at him. But her hand that caresses his jaw, tells that probably so does she.
"Or rather, letting it out there in the right way," Leonard corrects himself. "I know that I am deeply in love with you. And I want all of you, for myself."
Again, Angelica squirms in her seat and Frances is as frozen to her spot.
Tears well up in her eyes as she understands what will happen. Something she cannot stop, prevent or make impossible, no matter how much she wants to.
"And I want to ask for your hand in marriage."
A/N: That was chapter ten. :-)