One More Taste of Freedom
04 close call
Disclaimer: See the previous chapter.
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The next step was to find Will and see what he thought of Jack's offer. Neither Jack nor Elizabeth could imagine him turning it down. She knew by the way he looked at the sea that Will felt exactly the same way she did. But, before leaving to find her fiancée she had to make sure no one would know she was gone, once her father returned.
"Wait right here."
Turning on her heel she headed up the stairs to her bedroom. Grabbing some pillows she stuffed them under the blankets to make it look as if someone were in the bed. With the light off and the knowledge that she was 'sick' she didn't think her father would bother her.
"Well aren't we the little outlaw .."
Jack leaned against the door frame, hand on his hip, grinning at her.
"I thought I told you to wait downstairs?"
She mimicked his position, hand placed on her hip, pretending to be angry.
"Aye, but when did I start takin' orders?"
She threw up her hands as if to say 'you're hopeless!' and pushed him out of her doorway.
"I've got to change."
He raised a hand in protest, and probably some sort of innuendo, but she closed the door before he could speak.
Moving over to her closet she pulled a trunk out into the middle of her room and opened it. Inside was an assortment of men's clothes that Will had given her, for such an occasion as this. Maybe it was wishful thinking on both parts.
Minutes later she emerged from the room dressed in gray pants, a white shirt, and a vest to match the pants. Her hair was tied up in a careless bun, with only a few tendrils left down to frame her face. Narrowing his eyes, Jack looked over her attire, then his own, then looked back to hers.
"Well, well, you certainly do look the part."
Examining herself, she looked back up to meet his gaze.
"I'll take that as a compliment. Come on."
Descending the stairs and again with the Captain in tow she opened the door and headed out into the night towards Will's shop, none of this was worth anything unless she had him with her.
Jack hadn't bothered to shroud himself again, and, she was actually kind of worried about that. There were always soldiers out and about but whenever a redcoat came their way Jack would just duck out of sight. The fact that it was night did help some, but she didn't want to test that seemingly endless luck of his.
What a pair they must have looked like. A woman dressed in men's clothing and a crooked walking man who was very obviously a pirate.
More buildings started to come into view as the entered the more populated area of the town. She was constantly on the look out for any solider that might recognize her, or Jack. As they rounded a corner, now standing beneath the blacksmith's sign, she almost walked into such a soldier -- no not a solider -- the Commodore. Elizabeth gasped and stopped, but not before he'd seen her. A glance was shot at Jack and she knew that he had no time to escape, Norrington had already stopped in front of her.
"Good evening, Ms. Swann."
"Good evening, Commodore."
Was he blind? Did he not see a fugitive standing right beside her? Every muscle tensed as she awaited the terrible reaction that was bound to come.
"Mr. Sparrow." Norrington was greeting him.
"`Ello Commodore." Jack looked at Elizabeth, just as confused as she.
The officer folded his arms and peered at both of them, Jack, not being able to stand the suspense, finally spoke.
"So are you goin' to be arresting me anytime soon? I'd rather like to get on with it."
"Arrest you? Have you done something to be arrested for?"
The man was playing with them. Elizabeth suddenly realized that after the events of the previous year, Norrington had given up on catching Jack. He'd never meant to give him a head start, he'd meant to let him go. She offered a soft smile of thanks, she could kiss him! The Commodore spoke again.
"Though I trust that I won't be made a fool? There'll be no raiding, pillaging, or plundering of my town?"
"Wouldn't dream of it." Jack answered, with a cocky grin. It was obvious he wasn't sincere.
"Good then." He faltered for a moment, as if rethinking his mercy, "Well, I must be off, be seeing you, Ms. Swann."
"I'll look forward to it, Commodore." she replied politely before starting to walk off again.
Proudly she pointed out to Jack that the sign over the door now read: Mr. William Turner, blacksmith.
Pulling the door open she stepped into the dimly lit workshop.
"Will?" she called, when she didn't see him. "We have a visitor!"