It was then that there was a soft knock at the door behind them at the back
of the shop. Elizabeth excused herself as the other two watched her go to
answer the door. On the other side of that door stood an elderly woman
holding a small, struggling boy by his shirt collar.
"I swear Mrs. Turner, I'm at the end of my rope," the old woman cried. "You must get control of your boy," at this she thrust the child into Elizabeth.
"What happened, Madame Smith?" Elizabeth inquired as the boy peered around its mother's dress to look at the visitors. Norrington gave a little bow and Jezebel gave a wink, the boy smiled and winked back nervously.
"I found your boy snatching apples from the basket my sister sends me every month. Do you know how hard those are to come by for my sister? Here I am, helping you in your time of need and what do I get for my good deed? Robbed! That's what I get." Elizabeth tried to calm the old woman down, but it was too late, she was on a tirade. "And don't think I don't know what your husband really does for a living. Merchant sailor my hide! He's a pirate and everyone knows it! If you're not careful your boy's going to end up just like him and his namesake, Jake. We all know your boy wasn't named for yours or anyone else's great-grandfather; he was named for that nasty pirate Jack Sparrow! Isn't that right, commodore?" It seemed that Madame Smith had only just realized that there were other people in the room.
"We have no proof of that, or any of your other allegations Madame Smith," the commodore replied as politely but sternly as possible, "However, if you feel so strongly about the things you have said then maybe it would b if you stopped caring for young Jack."
"Indeed," the elderly woman said and with that she left the house allowing Mrs. Turner to close the door behind her.
"I swear Mrs. Turner, I'm at the end of my rope," the old woman cried. "You must get control of your boy," at this she thrust the child into Elizabeth.
"What happened, Madame Smith?" Elizabeth inquired as the boy peered around its mother's dress to look at the visitors. Norrington gave a little bow and Jezebel gave a wink, the boy smiled and winked back nervously.
"I found your boy snatching apples from the basket my sister sends me every month. Do you know how hard those are to come by for my sister? Here I am, helping you in your time of need and what do I get for my good deed? Robbed! That's what I get." Elizabeth tried to calm the old woman down, but it was too late, she was on a tirade. "And don't think I don't know what your husband really does for a living. Merchant sailor my hide! He's a pirate and everyone knows it! If you're not careful your boy's going to end up just like him and his namesake, Jake. We all know your boy wasn't named for yours or anyone else's great-grandfather; he was named for that nasty pirate Jack Sparrow! Isn't that right, commodore?" It seemed that Madame Smith had only just realized that there were other people in the room.
"We have no proof of that, or any of your other allegations Madame Smith," the commodore replied as politely but sternly as possible, "However, if you feel so strongly about the things you have said then maybe it would b if you stopped caring for young Jack."
"Indeed," the elderly woman said and with that she left the house allowing Mrs. Turner to close the door behind her.