Passage to St. Kitts
Chapter 2
Antonia walked quickly from her father's study to her own room. The emotions she'd kept in check while in his presence threatened to overwhelm her. Reaching her bedchamber, she quickly closed the door behind her so she could give in to the seething anger. Damn the man! Well, he'd wanted to get rid of her, and so he had. He would send her to the far side of the Caribbean and likely never set eyes on her again. Not that she minded that particularly, but the manner of her dismissal sparked her anger. Antonia had never been her father's favorite. Her parents' marriage had not been a happy one. Her mother's parents had arranged it, and the bride and groom had met for the first time at the altar. Antonia had been born less than a year later. Margarida de Salazar had spent most of the years of her marriage exiled to her husband's county estate outside of Portobello, while Don Bartolome had lived in the town. Periodically, Bartolome had visited his wife, in hopes of siring the heir he greatly desired. When Antonia had been four years old, her brother Luis had been born. However, when Luis was only a year old, Bartolome had removed him from his mother's care, and brought him to Portobello under the care of a nurse, leaving Margarida in the countryside with Antonia. After that, Margarida and Bartolome had rarely met. Antonia had barely known her father until her mother's death, five months before. Bartolome had come to the country house for the funeral, then brought Antonia back to town with him. Antonia was at a loss to understand why she had been almost completely ignored by her father for the whole of her twenty years, and now he was sending her away to be married to a man she'd never even heard of before. Her mind whirled with questions about this Rodrigo Valera, but she would cut out her tongue before she'd give her father the satisfaction of showing the slightest interest.
The door opened quietly, and Antonia's maid entered. Ines had been with Antonia's mother since before Margarida had married Bartolome, and was devoted to Antonia. "I imagine the news has already spread throughout the servants' quarters, has is not?" snapped Antonia. "I am to be shipped off to Santo Domingo in four days."
"Yes, my dear, I heard," said Ines softly. "And also that I will not be allowed to accompany you. I will miss you, child."
Antonia folded the older woman in her arms. "And I will miss you too! I cannot imagine my life without you, Ines."
"You are a dear girl, and your husband will be fortunate," Ines said. "But there is another reason I wished to speak to you now. Sit down, Tonia." Antonia sank onto the window seat, and Ines sat beside her. "Many years ago, your mother met a handsome young man, and English man who was accompanying a deputation from the King of England to the Governor of Panama. Margarida was struck by love as soon as she saw him.
"An English man?" gasped Antonia. "She never said a word to me!"
Ines smiled reminiscently. "Ah, but he was a handsome man, and he was as much in love with your mother as she was with him. They contrived to meet secretly and planned to run off together. The night came for their flight, and they were gone. Your mother's absence became known late the next morning. Her father and brothers went after them. They returned, with Margarida, two days later. They'd caught up with them. Margarida's oldest brother challenged the young man to a duel. Your uncle defeated, and killed him. As soon as they returned home, your grandfather arranged the marriage with Don Bartolome, and your mother married him six weeks later."
"Dear God," breathed Antonia. "What a horrible thing, to have your lover killed and then forced to marry a stranger."
Ines shook her head. "Not just her lover. They'd been married that first night that they'd run off." She pulled out a packet of papers from the pocket of her gown. "I have the marriage lines here, as well as a letter he'd written to her. The ring he gave her is here also."
Speechless, Antonia took the papers and held them in her hands. "Married? They were married?"
Ines looked at Antonia intently. "Tonia, love, your mother was pregnant when she married Don Bartolome. He is not your real father. Your father was this Englishman."
Antonia looked at Ines sharply. "Does he know, Don Bartolome, I mean."
Ines nodded. "Yes. Your mother confessed to her elopement, and you were born merely seven months after the wedding. He knew. Have you never wondered why he has so little regard for you?"
"He knows I am not really his daughter," said Antonia slowly. "That is why he cares nothing for me." She looked up at Ines again. "Is this why he has never shown any affection for my mother?"
"I do not doubt it," Ines answered. "When he discovered that she was not the virgin he thought she was, and that she was actually pregnant with another man's child, he was enraged. It is why he took your brother from her. He said he didn't want such a slut as she was to raise his son."
Antonia rose and moved aimlessly around the room, pressing the packet of papers to her breast. Why had her mother never told her this? Ines rose as well and went to Antonia, putting a hand on her arm. "I'm sorry to upset you, my child, but I felt you should know. I will leave you now. Shall I come back in an hour to help you dress for dinner?"
"Yes, thank you," said Antonia absently. When Ines left, closing the door softly behind her, Antonia reseated herself on the window seat, unfolding the packet of papers. A ring slid out of the packet as she opened it. It was a small signet ring; the type a man might wear on his little finger. The crest was of a golden colored swan. Antonia slipped it onto her own finger as her attention turned to the papers. The top one was the letter.
Margarida, my darling,
I will be waiting for you tonight at the back gate with horses to carry us away to our new lives together. Bring nothing that cannot be packed into a small saddlebag. I will provide all else for you.
Your loving Roland
The next paper was a straightforward document, registering the marriage of Margarida Theresa de Fuentes with Roland Charles Swann.
--
Commodore Norrington sat at his desk looking over some papers when a soldier stepped into the room. "Captain Sparrow to see you, sir."
"Send him in.," said Norrington, who looked up as Jack entered the room. "Good day to you, Captain. I'd heard the Pearl came in last night."
"Commodore." Said Jack politely with a slight bow. "I hope I find you well?"
Norrington ignored the pleasantry "How was your voyage, Captain?"
"One Spanish and two French ships, sir." Jack said in answer. "We ran into a bit of weather a few days ago, but no real harm done. I expect to stay in port for a week or ten days to have some sails repaired."
"You're staying at Turner's shop, as usual, I suppose?"
"Aye. Miss Tracy is with me. Some of the crew will be sleeping aboard ship, and some will be staying in inns along the waterfront."
"Miss Tracy is well, I trust?"
"Quite well, Commodore. Travel agrees with her." Jack allowed a trace of his earlier self-satisfied smile to hover on his lips, knowing it would irritate the Commodore.
It did. Norrington shot him an exasperated look. "I don't suppose it would do any good to ask you about pirate activity."
"No." answered Jack cheerily. "I will tell you that I encountered an English ship that had met up with one of me old Brethren of the Coast. She'd sustained some damage, so I escorted her to port in Antigua. Was that not heroic of me?"
Norrington glared at him. "Which ship?"
"The Verity." Said Jack. "Home port, Southampton.
"And I suppose you won't tell me who the pirate was?"
"Send to Antigua if you really want to know." Answered Jack. He rose to his feet and bowed again. "While I hate to break up such a pleasant little party, I really do have to see to my ship."
Norrington continued to glare. "I don't know why I insist on you making these reports, Sparrow. You never tell me a damn thing."
Jack paused at the door and looked back. "Mate, you need to get out of this office more. Take the Dauntless for a little spin, eh? You're getting gloomier every time I see you. A little salt spray on your face will do wonders for your disposition."
"As a matter of fact, Sparrow, I'm accompanying Captain Gillette on the Defender in three days, headed to Barbados. The Dauntless," he said dryly, "is being fitted with her new figurehead so she will be in port for a few weeks."
"Hope this one lasts longer than the last one," quipped Jack.
"If I can keep you away from the helm, it may," retorted Norrington.
Chapter 2
Antonia walked quickly from her father's study to her own room. The emotions she'd kept in check while in his presence threatened to overwhelm her. Reaching her bedchamber, she quickly closed the door behind her so she could give in to the seething anger. Damn the man! Well, he'd wanted to get rid of her, and so he had. He would send her to the far side of the Caribbean and likely never set eyes on her again. Not that she minded that particularly, but the manner of her dismissal sparked her anger. Antonia had never been her father's favorite. Her parents' marriage had not been a happy one. Her mother's parents had arranged it, and the bride and groom had met for the first time at the altar. Antonia had been born less than a year later. Margarida de Salazar had spent most of the years of her marriage exiled to her husband's county estate outside of Portobello, while Don Bartolome had lived in the town. Periodically, Bartolome had visited his wife, in hopes of siring the heir he greatly desired. When Antonia had been four years old, her brother Luis had been born. However, when Luis was only a year old, Bartolome had removed him from his mother's care, and brought him to Portobello under the care of a nurse, leaving Margarida in the countryside with Antonia. After that, Margarida and Bartolome had rarely met. Antonia had barely known her father until her mother's death, five months before. Bartolome had come to the country house for the funeral, then brought Antonia back to town with him. Antonia was at a loss to understand why she had been almost completely ignored by her father for the whole of her twenty years, and now he was sending her away to be married to a man she'd never even heard of before. Her mind whirled with questions about this Rodrigo Valera, but she would cut out her tongue before she'd give her father the satisfaction of showing the slightest interest.
The door opened quietly, and Antonia's maid entered. Ines had been with Antonia's mother since before Margarida had married Bartolome, and was devoted to Antonia. "I imagine the news has already spread throughout the servants' quarters, has is not?" snapped Antonia. "I am to be shipped off to Santo Domingo in four days."
"Yes, my dear, I heard," said Ines softly. "And also that I will not be allowed to accompany you. I will miss you, child."
Antonia folded the older woman in her arms. "And I will miss you too! I cannot imagine my life without you, Ines."
"You are a dear girl, and your husband will be fortunate," Ines said. "But there is another reason I wished to speak to you now. Sit down, Tonia." Antonia sank onto the window seat, and Ines sat beside her. "Many years ago, your mother met a handsome young man, and English man who was accompanying a deputation from the King of England to the Governor of Panama. Margarida was struck by love as soon as she saw him.
"An English man?" gasped Antonia. "She never said a word to me!"
Ines smiled reminiscently. "Ah, but he was a handsome man, and he was as much in love with your mother as she was with him. They contrived to meet secretly and planned to run off together. The night came for their flight, and they were gone. Your mother's absence became known late the next morning. Her father and brothers went after them. They returned, with Margarida, two days later. They'd caught up with them. Margarida's oldest brother challenged the young man to a duel. Your uncle defeated, and killed him. As soon as they returned home, your grandfather arranged the marriage with Don Bartolome, and your mother married him six weeks later."
"Dear God," breathed Antonia. "What a horrible thing, to have your lover killed and then forced to marry a stranger."
Ines shook her head. "Not just her lover. They'd been married that first night that they'd run off." She pulled out a packet of papers from the pocket of her gown. "I have the marriage lines here, as well as a letter he'd written to her. The ring he gave her is here also."
Speechless, Antonia took the papers and held them in her hands. "Married? They were married?"
Ines looked at Antonia intently. "Tonia, love, your mother was pregnant when she married Don Bartolome. He is not your real father. Your father was this Englishman."
Antonia looked at Ines sharply. "Does he know, Don Bartolome, I mean."
Ines nodded. "Yes. Your mother confessed to her elopement, and you were born merely seven months after the wedding. He knew. Have you never wondered why he has so little regard for you?"
"He knows I am not really his daughter," said Antonia slowly. "That is why he cares nothing for me." She looked up at Ines again. "Is this why he has never shown any affection for my mother?"
"I do not doubt it," Ines answered. "When he discovered that she was not the virgin he thought she was, and that she was actually pregnant with another man's child, he was enraged. It is why he took your brother from her. He said he didn't want such a slut as she was to raise his son."
Antonia rose and moved aimlessly around the room, pressing the packet of papers to her breast. Why had her mother never told her this? Ines rose as well and went to Antonia, putting a hand on her arm. "I'm sorry to upset you, my child, but I felt you should know. I will leave you now. Shall I come back in an hour to help you dress for dinner?"
"Yes, thank you," said Antonia absently. When Ines left, closing the door softly behind her, Antonia reseated herself on the window seat, unfolding the packet of papers. A ring slid out of the packet as she opened it. It was a small signet ring; the type a man might wear on his little finger. The crest was of a golden colored swan. Antonia slipped it onto her own finger as her attention turned to the papers. The top one was the letter.
Margarida, my darling,
I will be waiting for you tonight at the back gate with horses to carry us away to our new lives together. Bring nothing that cannot be packed into a small saddlebag. I will provide all else for you.
Your loving Roland
The next paper was a straightforward document, registering the marriage of Margarida Theresa de Fuentes with Roland Charles Swann.
--
Commodore Norrington sat at his desk looking over some papers when a soldier stepped into the room. "Captain Sparrow to see you, sir."
"Send him in.," said Norrington, who looked up as Jack entered the room. "Good day to you, Captain. I'd heard the Pearl came in last night."
"Commodore." Said Jack politely with a slight bow. "I hope I find you well?"
Norrington ignored the pleasantry "How was your voyage, Captain?"
"One Spanish and two French ships, sir." Jack said in answer. "We ran into a bit of weather a few days ago, but no real harm done. I expect to stay in port for a week or ten days to have some sails repaired."
"You're staying at Turner's shop, as usual, I suppose?"
"Aye. Miss Tracy is with me. Some of the crew will be sleeping aboard ship, and some will be staying in inns along the waterfront."
"Miss Tracy is well, I trust?"
"Quite well, Commodore. Travel agrees with her." Jack allowed a trace of his earlier self-satisfied smile to hover on his lips, knowing it would irritate the Commodore.
It did. Norrington shot him an exasperated look. "I don't suppose it would do any good to ask you about pirate activity."
"No." answered Jack cheerily. "I will tell you that I encountered an English ship that had met up with one of me old Brethren of the Coast. She'd sustained some damage, so I escorted her to port in Antigua. Was that not heroic of me?"
Norrington glared at him. "Which ship?"
"The Verity." Said Jack. "Home port, Southampton.
"And I suppose you won't tell me who the pirate was?"
"Send to Antigua if you really want to know." Answered Jack. He rose to his feet and bowed again. "While I hate to break up such a pleasant little party, I really do have to see to my ship."
Norrington continued to glare. "I don't know why I insist on you making these reports, Sparrow. You never tell me a damn thing."
Jack paused at the door and looked back. "Mate, you need to get out of this office more. Take the Dauntless for a little spin, eh? You're getting gloomier every time I see you. A little salt spray on your face will do wonders for your disposition."
"As a matter of fact, Sparrow, I'm accompanying Captain Gillette on the Defender in three days, headed to Barbados. The Dauntless," he said dryly, "is being fitted with her new figurehead so she will be in port for a few weeks."
"Hope this one lasts longer than the last one," quipped Jack.
"If I can keep you away from the helm, it may," retorted Norrington.