The carriage bumped uncomfortably along the dusty track up to Governor's
House, jostling its inhabitant back and forth with the violence he had
grown accustomed to over the years. Of course, Governor Swann had grown
used to the violence of the carriage with his daughter beside him, both
willing to grin and bear it, but somehow this familiar journey was made
worse without her wry comments and cheerful smile.
He sighed wearily. Of course he was happy that Elizabeth had chosen to follow her heart in marrying Will Turner, though he would have preferred Commodore Norrington for a son-in-law. There had always been something about Will that hadn't rung true, as if he were denying what he truly was, even to himself. Then there had been that ghastly affair with the undead pirates, and the boy's true heritage had been revealed. Admittedly, he seemed far more at ease with himself since taking up a life on the sea, but still, it irked the governor to be associated with piracy.
He glanced out of the window at the large house that was his home, frowning in alarm at the sight of so many lights lit within. Now it was just himself, living alone in the old building, he had felt the need to dismiss all but the manservant, Jonathan ,who had seen to his needs adequately since Elizabeth had left. So the only lamps lit should be those in his bedroom, and the hallway outside.
The carriage rolled to a halt, throwing the old man back against his seat with such force that he had to readjust his wig before stepping down, dismissing the men with an imperious wave of his hand. He scarcely heard the obligatory mutter expletives as they rumbled away, more concerned with the movement within his house.
There were several people within, all quite at their ease, it seemed. He felt a swift surge of anger. How dare whoever it was come into his home when he was away and make themselves so comfortable? It was insulting to say the least. Governor Swann steeled himself to give them a swift exit, and strode up to his own front door.
Jonathan was waiting just inside, his face a mask of horror at the expression on his master's face.
'There was nothing I could do, sir, they just barged right in and said they were prepared to wait for you as long as it took,' he whispered, his tone one of terror. 'Miss Elizabeth's with them, sir.'
The anger flew from the governor's mind at this, replaced with joy at the thought of seeing his beloved daughter again. The others must be members of Will's crew, he decided, though he had not seen the Lady Swan in the harbour. Their company must be tolerated, if only for Elizabeth's sake.
'There's no need to be afraid, Jonathan,' he said briskly. 'Where are they?'
Jonathan nodded to him, unconvinced by his master's display of confidence.
'The drawing room, sir.'
Governor Swann thanked the frightened man, and moved towards the drawing room door. He stepped inside, and was immediately accosted by his daughter as she flung herself into his arms with a joyful cry. He held her tightly, not having realised until now how much he'd missed her. The swell of her pregnant belly pressed into him, filling him with unexpected wonder and joy at the thought of a grandchild.
Elizabeth pulled back to plant a gentle kiss on his cheek, and it was only then that he became aware of the others in the room. Will nodded to him from where he was draped across an armchair, a huge grin on his face for the expression of utter astonishment on his father-in-law's face.
But it was not the sight of his daughter's husband that gave the governor pause. No, it was the man sat to his right, a visage all too familiar to the governor of Port Royale.
'Evening, mate,' Jack said cheerfully, raising his glass to the frozen man.
'Mr Sparrow, I would not have thought to see you back in Port Royale for at least another month,' Swann said acidly. 'I should have you arrested for this -'
There was a cough from the window, where the remaining two figures stood together, laughing quietly at the scene. The governor felt his jaw drop. No one in the Caribbean could mistake Elias Fitzpatrick for what he was, one of the most feared pirated on the seas.
'If ye be wanting to arrest young Jack there, ye'll first have to get through me,' Elias said pleasantly. 'And I have no fear that me crew would have a word to say about that.'
The girl by his side slapped his arm lightly.
'You've no right to go making threats, cap'n,' she scolded him gently, turning to the governor with a smile. 'My apologies, governor, for the captain's ill manners.'
Feeling slightly numb, Swann felt himself shake his head, raising a hand to forestall her apology.
'No need to apologise, young lady,' he heard himself assure her. 'I am well used to the less refined ways of pirates.'
At this, he saw her glance at Jack, who had the decency to look abashed for a moment before taking a sip of what looked like the governor's best brandy and leaning back with a wide smile. Seeing her father's suddenly stony countenance, Elizabeth drew him out into the hall, away from Jack's mocking gaze.
'What is going on, Elizabeth?' he demanded, foregoing his joy on seeing her in favour of anger at the piratical invasion of his home.
She fixed him with a no-nonsense stare.
'I invited them,' she said simply. 'You did say this would always be my home, and you've never objected to my bringing friends home before.'
He flushed a deep blotchy red as he fought to keep his temper from boiling over.
'Your friends have never had such lurid reputations before!' he hissed in fury. 'There are only two people whom I would even speak to, let alone share my home with!'
'Two?' Elizabeth sounded surprised. 'Aside from Will, who's the other one?'
'That young woman with the impeccable manners,' he said, sounding confused.
Elizabeth did her best to keep her sudden laughter under control, but a few stray giggles did escape.
'Whatever is the matter, Elizabeth?' her father asked her, alarmed by the coughing fit that seemed to have overtaken his daughter.
'Nothing,' she spluttered, unable to hide her smile any longer. 'It's just that she's as much of a pirate as the others are!'
He waited patiently for her to regain her composure, watching as she drew a thin veneer of control over her almost hysterical giggles. With a sigh, he glanced into the drawing room, building himself up to tolerate these pirates' company for as long as they remained.
'Why are they here, Elizabeth?' he asked wearily, too tired to fight her over this.
She smiled softly, one hand on the smooth curve of her bump.
'I'm near my time, father,' she told him. 'And I was determined to have the baby here, in your house. I asked Marin - the girl - to come with me because she's my friend and I want her there. She's part of Elias' crew, and Jack sailed us here, so I could hardly leave them out of this. They're my friends, father.'
'I know, I know,' he conceded. 'And they are welcome in my home for the duration. Just keep them out of sight.'
Elizabeth threw her arms around him once more, embracing him warmly for this sacrifice to his pride and honour for her sake.
'Commodore Norrington will be visiting tomorrow, Elizabeth, so hiding the captains soon would be a good notion,' he told her. 'If the young lady can be persuaded into a dress, she would be safe from his rather zealous attack on all pirates.'
Elizabeth grimaced, imagining the expression on Marin's face when that proposition was put to her.
'I'll try, father,' she promised. 'Marin has strong opinions about that sort of thing.'
'Then convince her to put them on hold for a while,' he said wearily, turning back to the drawing room. 'Now, I suppose I should play host to my guests.'
Elizabeth followed him back into the little room, her mind already at work on just how she was going to persuade Marin into looking respectable.
*~*~*
Elizabeth hurried down the hallway, her face flushed with excitement. She had arranged for the two pirate captains to remain closeted in their rooms for the duration of the commodore's visit, though neither had been too thrilled about the idea. But since they were not to be seen, they joined her in forcing Marin into a dress.
Once she'd been convinced that it was the only possible option, Elias had pounced, removing all the weapons he could find rather forcefully, on the grounds that, if she changed her mind, at least the maids would have a fighting chance. Despite her pleas for someone to help her, everyone had turned a deaf ear, as interested to see the scruffy young woman looking feminine as the each other.
When Elizabeth had slipped in earlier, Marin had been very vocal about her corset, demanding to know why she couldn't just wear the dress without the fancy underwear. Rather than try to argue, Elizabeth had quietly called for Elias to come and persuade his unruly companion to do as she was told. In the face of his stubborn refusal to give even an inch, Marin had subsided, her objections only just audible as Elizabeth left once again.
The two captains leant on the banister outside Marin's room, listening to the intriguing noises coming from behind the door. Elizabeth smiled absently at them as she hurried into the room, the maids bobbing curtseys to her as they all but ran out.
Elias laughed.
'Ah, she's a terror is our Marin,' he said fondly, shaking his head at the expressions of relief that marked the young maids faces.
Jack's eyebrows rose as raised voices filtered out to them from the silent room. There was a short scuffle, followed by a blistering oath and a thud, and all was still once more. Elizabeth emerged triumphantly from the room, Marin's sea boots and dirk clutched in her hands. The two captains exchanged a glance and roared with laughter.
As she hurried back down the hallway, Elias wiped an errant tear from his eye, overcome with mirth at the thought of a demure young lady wearing sea boots and carrying a blade as long as her forearm.
'Come to think of it, I don't believe I've ever seen young Marin dressed up nice,' he mused quietly.
Jack grinned, listening to the muffled monologue going on in the room behind them. It appeared Marin was less than pleased with her transformation.
'Probably comes from trying to raise her like a son, Fitz,' he suggested.
Elias nodded, conceding the point.
'Aye, there's truth in that,' he agreed, turning to face the open door. 'Come out, me lovely, let's take a look at you.'
There was no sound of movement within.
'I look like a china doll,' Marin complained sharply. 'A badly made one, at that.'
Elias glanced at Jack, warning him with a look to keep his laughter in check.
'That's as may be, but are ye going to deny an old man a chance to ye as ye were made to look?' he asked the stubborn girl, not making any moves to go in and get her.
'But -'
'No buts, lovely. Out ye come.'
Grumbling, looking extremely uncomfortable, Marin stepped unsteadily out onto the landing, the look in her eyes daring anyone to comment on her appearance. From the corner of his eye, Elias saw Jack's jaw drop and moved quickly to prevent Marin from seeing the astonished reaction. He stepped forward and kissed her forehead gently.
'Ye'll do,' he told her, his eyes taking in every detail of the exquisitely curled hair, the perfect make-up, and the dress that seemed to cling to every curve, natural or not.
Marin smiled, drawing in a short gasp of breath as she pressed her hands to her midriff. Elias swallowed a smile as he watched her fight for air against the wishes of her corset. Will called down to them, beckoning the captains to join him. Elias nodded up to him, moving deftly away, and left Jack and Marin to stare at one another on the landing.
Their eyes met, and Marin felt a blush rise in her cheeks at the expression on Jack's face. He was gobsmacked, completely blown away by her appearance. Unfortunately, she couldn't linger on his reaction for very long. The combination of the heat and her very first attempt to wear a corset was making it increasingly difficult for her to draw breath.
She stumbled past Jack to grasp the banister, bending in the hopes of relieving at least some of the pressure on her lungs. He watched her for a few moments, unsure of his reception if he offered any help.
'You alright there, love?' he ventured, his words laced with rather more concern than he had intended.
Marin gasped in a series of tiny breaths before answering, grimacing in pain as dots began to dance before her eyes.
'I . . . I can't . . . br . . . breathe,' she managed, her chest heaving with the effort as she tried to force herself to remain conscious.
Jack's eyes widened as she swayed dangerously, drawing one of the many daggers he had on his person and stepping closer. One arm around her waist too prevent her from falling, he fumbled with the dress lacings, slipping the blade beneath them and slicing carefully through the bottom few crossings of her corset ribbons. Marin drew in a huge shuddering breath, and the corset moved with her lungs, allowing her to regain control of her breathing. As she did so, her knees gave out for a moment, throwing her backwards into Jack's waiting arms.
He held her carefully, trying not to enjoy the sensation of her cradled in his arms, of her hair against his face. Her hands clutched at his arms, but did not push him away as he had expected. Still, he was convinced that she had a young man in some other port, someone who deserved her, and was not about to do anything that might come between them. Her head lolled back onto his shoulder, presenting him with an enticing view of her half closed eyes and inviting lips. She slowly drew her lungs under control, not at all inclined to remove herself from her companion's arms.
On the upper landing, Will and Elias were watching in fascination, very pleased with this turn of events. The door bell rang, and Elizabeth hurried past the couple on the landing to join her father as they greeted the commodore.
Aware that she would be expected below very shortly, Marin stood, albeit reluctantly. She gave Jack a somewhat abashed smile.
'Sorry,' she said softly.
He grinned down at her, in control once more now she was out of his arms.
'Not at all, love,' he assured her, letting his gaze sweep her body swiftly. 'You certainly scrub up well.'
She gave him a flat stare.
'Don't get used to it,' she warned.
He chuckled, glancing up at where Will was motioning for him to join them. Marin followed his gaze, suppressing a surge of jealousy at their luck in not having to dress up for a complete stranger.
'I supposed I should be getting downstairs,' she murmured, unwilling to step away from Jack as he gazed down at her.
He nodded, turning to go up the stairs. As she, too, turned away, he stopped, grasping her hand gently and raising it to his lips. Marin felt a shiver run through her as his lips brushed tenderly across her knuckles, his eyes never leaving hers. He smiled gently at her.
'You look beautiful, love,' he told her, and turned away, hurrying up the stairs before the commodore decided to come looking for this house guest.
Will and Elias restrained their celebrations on his finally saying the right thing to exchanging a wide grin, and quickly separated, allowing Jack to pass unmolested into his room. Marin smiled softly after him and moved to join Elizabeth in the drawing room, unable to shake the feeling that something important had passed between them.
*~*~*
Hey there, hope you liked it! I have a bit of a plea to make, I'm afraid. My beta reader has just dumped me, so I've kinda been left in the lurch. I don't suppose there's any chance that one of you guys might possibly be willing to, you know, beta for me? *hopeful smile*
He sighed wearily. Of course he was happy that Elizabeth had chosen to follow her heart in marrying Will Turner, though he would have preferred Commodore Norrington for a son-in-law. There had always been something about Will that hadn't rung true, as if he were denying what he truly was, even to himself. Then there had been that ghastly affair with the undead pirates, and the boy's true heritage had been revealed. Admittedly, he seemed far more at ease with himself since taking up a life on the sea, but still, it irked the governor to be associated with piracy.
He glanced out of the window at the large house that was his home, frowning in alarm at the sight of so many lights lit within. Now it was just himself, living alone in the old building, he had felt the need to dismiss all but the manservant, Jonathan ,who had seen to his needs adequately since Elizabeth had left. So the only lamps lit should be those in his bedroom, and the hallway outside.
The carriage rolled to a halt, throwing the old man back against his seat with such force that he had to readjust his wig before stepping down, dismissing the men with an imperious wave of his hand. He scarcely heard the obligatory mutter expletives as they rumbled away, more concerned with the movement within his house.
There were several people within, all quite at their ease, it seemed. He felt a swift surge of anger. How dare whoever it was come into his home when he was away and make themselves so comfortable? It was insulting to say the least. Governor Swann steeled himself to give them a swift exit, and strode up to his own front door.
Jonathan was waiting just inside, his face a mask of horror at the expression on his master's face.
'There was nothing I could do, sir, they just barged right in and said they were prepared to wait for you as long as it took,' he whispered, his tone one of terror. 'Miss Elizabeth's with them, sir.'
The anger flew from the governor's mind at this, replaced with joy at the thought of seeing his beloved daughter again. The others must be members of Will's crew, he decided, though he had not seen the Lady Swan in the harbour. Their company must be tolerated, if only for Elizabeth's sake.
'There's no need to be afraid, Jonathan,' he said briskly. 'Where are they?'
Jonathan nodded to him, unconvinced by his master's display of confidence.
'The drawing room, sir.'
Governor Swann thanked the frightened man, and moved towards the drawing room door. He stepped inside, and was immediately accosted by his daughter as she flung herself into his arms with a joyful cry. He held her tightly, not having realised until now how much he'd missed her. The swell of her pregnant belly pressed into him, filling him with unexpected wonder and joy at the thought of a grandchild.
Elizabeth pulled back to plant a gentle kiss on his cheek, and it was only then that he became aware of the others in the room. Will nodded to him from where he was draped across an armchair, a huge grin on his face for the expression of utter astonishment on his father-in-law's face.
But it was not the sight of his daughter's husband that gave the governor pause. No, it was the man sat to his right, a visage all too familiar to the governor of Port Royale.
'Evening, mate,' Jack said cheerfully, raising his glass to the frozen man.
'Mr Sparrow, I would not have thought to see you back in Port Royale for at least another month,' Swann said acidly. 'I should have you arrested for this -'
There was a cough from the window, where the remaining two figures stood together, laughing quietly at the scene. The governor felt his jaw drop. No one in the Caribbean could mistake Elias Fitzpatrick for what he was, one of the most feared pirated on the seas.
'If ye be wanting to arrest young Jack there, ye'll first have to get through me,' Elias said pleasantly. 'And I have no fear that me crew would have a word to say about that.'
The girl by his side slapped his arm lightly.
'You've no right to go making threats, cap'n,' she scolded him gently, turning to the governor with a smile. 'My apologies, governor, for the captain's ill manners.'
Feeling slightly numb, Swann felt himself shake his head, raising a hand to forestall her apology.
'No need to apologise, young lady,' he heard himself assure her. 'I am well used to the less refined ways of pirates.'
At this, he saw her glance at Jack, who had the decency to look abashed for a moment before taking a sip of what looked like the governor's best brandy and leaning back with a wide smile. Seeing her father's suddenly stony countenance, Elizabeth drew him out into the hall, away from Jack's mocking gaze.
'What is going on, Elizabeth?' he demanded, foregoing his joy on seeing her in favour of anger at the piratical invasion of his home.
She fixed him with a no-nonsense stare.
'I invited them,' she said simply. 'You did say this would always be my home, and you've never objected to my bringing friends home before.'
He flushed a deep blotchy red as he fought to keep his temper from boiling over.
'Your friends have never had such lurid reputations before!' he hissed in fury. 'There are only two people whom I would even speak to, let alone share my home with!'
'Two?' Elizabeth sounded surprised. 'Aside from Will, who's the other one?'
'That young woman with the impeccable manners,' he said, sounding confused.
Elizabeth did her best to keep her sudden laughter under control, but a few stray giggles did escape.
'Whatever is the matter, Elizabeth?' her father asked her, alarmed by the coughing fit that seemed to have overtaken his daughter.
'Nothing,' she spluttered, unable to hide her smile any longer. 'It's just that she's as much of a pirate as the others are!'
He waited patiently for her to regain her composure, watching as she drew a thin veneer of control over her almost hysterical giggles. With a sigh, he glanced into the drawing room, building himself up to tolerate these pirates' company for as long as they remained.
'Why are they here, Elizabeth?' he asked wearily, too tired to fight her over this.
She smiled softly, one hand on the smooth curve of her bump.
'I'm near my time, father,' she told him. 'And I was determined to have the baby here, in your house. I asked Marin - the girl - to come with me because she's my friend and I want her there. She's part of Elias' crew, and Jack sailed us here, so I could hardly leave them out of this. They're my friends, father.'
'I know, I know,' he conceded. 'And they are welcome in my home for the duration. Just keep them out of sight.'
Elizabeth threw her arms around him once more, embracing him warmly for this sacrifice to his pride and honour for her sake.
'Commodore Norrington will be visiting tomorrow, Elizabeth, so hiding the captains soon would be a good notion,' he told her. 'If the young lady can be persuaded into a dress, she would be safe from his rather zealous attack on all pirates.'
Elizabeth grimaced, imagining the expression on Marin's face when that proposition was put to her.
'I'll try, father,' she promised. 'Marin has strong opinions about that sort of thing.'
'Then convince her to put them on hold for a while,' he said wearily, turning back to the drawing room. 'Now, I suppose I should play host to my guests.'
Elizabeth followed him back into the little room, her mind already at work on just how she was going to persuade Marin into looking respectable.
*~*~*
Elizabeth hurried down the hallway, her face flushed with excitement. She had arranged for the two pirate captains to remain closeted in their rooms for the duration of the commodore's visit, though neither had been too thrilled about the idea. But since they were not to be seen, they joined her in forcing Marin into a dress.
Once she'd been convinced that it was the only possible option, Elias had pounced, removing all the weapons he could find rather forcefully, on the grounds that, if she changed her mind, at least the maids would have a fighting chance. Despite her pleas for someone to help her, everyone had turned a deaf ear, as interested to see the scruffy young woman looking feminine as the each other.
When Elizabeth had slipped in earlier, Marin had been very vocal about her corset, demanding to know why she couldn't just wear the dress without the fancy underwear. Rather than try to argue, Elizabeth had quietly called for Elias to come and persuade his unruly companion to do as she was told. In the face of his stubborn refusal to give even an inch, Marin had subsided, her objections only just audible as Elizabeth left once again.
The two captains leant on the banister outside Marin's room, listening to the intriguing noises coming from behind the door. Elizabeth smiled absently at them as she hurried into the room, the maids bobbing curtseys to her as they all but ran out.
Elias laughed.
'Ah, she's a terror is our Marin,' he said fondly, shaking his head at the expressions of relief that marked the young maids faces.
Jack's eyebrows rose as raised voices filtered out to them from the silent room. There was a short scuffle, followed by a blistering oath and a thud, and all was still once more. Elizabeth emerged triumphantly from the room, Marin's sea boots and dirk clutched in her hands. The two captains exchanged a glance and roared with laughter.
As she hurried back down the hallway, Elias wiped an errant tear from his eye, overcome with mirth at the thought of a demure young lady wearing sea boots and carrying a blade as long as her forearm.
'Come to think of it, I don't believe I've ever seen young Marin dressed up nice,' he mused quietly.
Jack grinned, listening to the muffled monologue going on in the room behind them. It appeared Marin was less than pleased with her transformation.
'Probably comes from trying to raise her like a son, Fitz,' he suggested.
Elias nodded, conceding the point.
'Aye, there's truth in that,' he agreed, turning to face the open door. 'Come out, me lovely, let's take a look at you.'
There was no sound of movement within.
'I look like a china doll,' Marin complained sharply. 'A badly made one, at that.'
Elias glanced at Jack, warning him with a look to keep his laughter in check.
'That's as may be, but are ye going to deny an old man a chance to ye as ye were made to look?' he asked the stubborn girl, not making any moves to go in and get her.
'But -'
'No buts, lovely. Out ye come.'
Grumbling, looking extremely uncomfortable, Marin stepped unsteadily out onto the landing, the look in her eyes daring anyone to comment on her appearance. From the corner of his eye, Elias saw Jack's jaw drop and moved quickly to prevent Marin from seeing the astonished reaction. He stepped forward and kissed her forehead gently.
'Ye'll do,' he told her, his eyes taking in every detail of the exquisitely curled hair, the perfect make-up, and the dress that seemed to cling to every curve, natural or not.
Marin smiled, drawing in a short gasp of breath as she pressed her hands to her midriff. Elias swallowed a smile as he watched her fight for air against the wishes of her corset. Will called down to them, beckoning the captains to join him. Elias nodded up to him, moving deftly away, and left Jack and Marin to stare at one another on the landing.
Their eyes met, and Marin felt a blush rise in her cheeks at the expression on Jack's face. He was gobsmacked, completely blown away by her appearance. Unfortunately, she couldn't linger on his reaction for very long. The combination of the heat and her very first attempt to wear a corset was making it increasingly difficult for her to draw breath.
She stumbled past Jack to grasp the banister, bending in the hopes of relieving at least some of the pressure on her lungs. He watched her for a few moments, unsure of his reception if he offered any help.
'You alright there, love?' he ventured, his words laced with rather more concern than he had intended.
Marin gasped in a series of tiny breaths before answering, grimacing in pain as dots began to dance before her eyes.
'I . . . I can't . . . br . . . breathe,' she managed, her chest heaving with the effort as she tried to force herself to remain conscious.
Jack's eyes widened as she swayed dangerously, drawing one of the many daggers he had on his person and stepping closer. One arm around her waist too prevent her from falling, he fumbled with the dress lacings, slipping the blade beneath them and slicing carefully through the bottom few crossings of her corset ribbons. Marin drew in a huge shuddering breath, and the corset moved with her lungs, allowing her to regain control of her breathing. As she did so, her knees gave out for a moment, throwing her backwards into Jack's waiting arms.
He held her carefully, trying not to enjoy the sensation of her cradled in his arms, of her hair against his face. Her hands clutched at his arms, but did not push him away as he had expected. Still, he was convinced that she had a young man in some other port, someone who deserved her, and was not about to do anything that might come between them. Her head lolled back onto his shoulder, presenting him with an enticing view of her half closed eyes and inviting lips. She slowly drew her lungs under control, not at all inclined to remove herself from her companion's arms.
On the upper landing, Will and Elias were watching in fascination, very pleased with this turn of events. The door bell rang, and Elizabeth hurried past the couple on the landing to join her father as they greeted the commodore.
Aware that she would be expected below very shortly, Marin stood, albeit reluctantly. She gave Jack a somewhat abashed smile.
'Sorry,' she said softly.
He grinned down at her, in control once more now she was out of his arms.
'Not at all, love,' he assured her, letting his gaze sweep her body swiftly. 'You certainly scrub up well.'
She gave him a flat stare.
'Don't get used to it,' she warned.
He chuckled, glancing up at where Will was motioning for him to join them. Marin followed his gaze, suppressing a surge of jealousy at their luck in not having to dress up for a complete stranger.
'I supposed I should be getting downstairs,' she murmured, unwilling to step away from Jack as he gazed down at her.
He nodded, turning to go up the stairs. As she, too, turned away, he stopped, grasping her hand gently and raising it to his lips. Marin felt a shiver run through her as his lips brushed tenderly across her knuckles, his eyes never leaving hers. He smiled gently at her.
'You look beautiful, love,' he told her, and turned away, hurrying up the stairs before the commodore decided to come looking for this house guest.
Will and Elias restrained their celebrations on his finally saying the right thing to exchanging a wide grin, and quickly separated, allowing Jack to pass unmolested into his room. Marin smiled softly after him and moved to join Elizabeth in the drawing room, unable to shake the feeling that something important had passed between them.
*~*~*
Hey there, hope you liked it! I have a bit of a plea to make, I'm afraid. My beta reader has just dumped me, so I've kinda been left in the lurch. I don't suppose there's any chance that one of you guys might possibly be willing to, you know, beta for me? *hopeful smile*