Usual disclaimers. I hate disclaimers!
***
Theodore sat quietly as Thomas Spense paced the room angrily. "Are you implying that my daughter is the cause of all this? The fire... everything?"
"She was seen in Tortuga roughly three weeks ago Sir," Theodore explained. "And from her behaviour it appeared she was under no duress..."
"Could they not have had some hold over her, forcing her to appear normal?" Rosamund worried. "Surely Mary would not have run off with a pirate? She doesn't know any pirates!" she protested.
"We know that Mary disappeared on the night of the fire and that my house was the only one outside of the docks to be set afire. Why Sir? Surely there must be a reason..." Theodore tried desperately to keep his voice calm when all he wanted to do was to shout at the man.
"And who is this witness? Why have they not come forward?" Thomas demanded. "Or is it one of your sister's pirate friends?"
"If Mary was seen in Tortuga then it was unlikely to be a respectable trader," Theodore conceded.
"But who?" Rosamund Spense asked.
"Jack and Kitty would not say..." Theodore admitted as he felt his argument slipping away from him.
"Because it is a lie!" The Governor's face mottled with rage. "Another lie spread about my daughter by the Sparrows!"
"No Sir!" Theodore countered. "I believe that she was there - the timing is right and it gives me hope at least that she is alive!"
"But she must have been taken by force," Rosamund argued. "She would not have left Charlotte... especially with the fire..."
"Perhaps she didn't know about the fire..." Theodore ran his hand through his hair in exasperation. "It could have been set after she had left to hide her disappearance... and there has been no ransom demand..."
"And your father? How do you explain him in all of this?" Thomas Spense demanded.
Theodore sighed heavily. "I don't know. Perhaps he was killed by the fire or perhaps he was already dead - and unless we find Mary we will never know..." He turned to look at Rosamund, feeling the time was right to ask the question that had been niggling him all day. He took a deep breath. "Who is Captain Valais?" he asked.
Rosamund blinked, surprised at the change in direction of the conversation.
"I understand from those that used to work at the house that he visited my wife on a number of occasions..." Theodore looked at Rosamund Spense, trying to keep calm.
"Captain Valais is just a trader... Swiss I think he said." Rosamund frowned, trying to remember. "He had some delightful fabrics that Mary and I bought for new dresses... why?"
"Well, apart from some known tradesmen from Port Royal, he is the only recent visitor to my house... and his ship was in port on the night of the fire..." Theodore sighed with frustration - why could they not see the connection?
"Honestly Theodore!" Rosamund laughed. "That is a most ridiculous assumption. Captain Louis Valais was a gentleman..."
"Even Jack can act the gentleman if the need arises..." Theodore began, but was interrupted by the Governor.
"And we all know what he is!" Thomas Spense sneered. "Little better than a pirate!"
"Jack is a privateer," Theodore countered. "And made so by your own hand!"
"I should have simply hanged him instead - him and all his crew!" he snarled.
Theodore's voice dropped, low, threatening, icy cold. "Do you include my sister in that comment?"
"Especially your sister!" the Governor fumed. "She is the worst of them all!"
Barely holding his temper, Theodore rose, bowing politely to Rosamund. "Good evening Mistress Spense. My daughter and I will be taking our leave of you now..."
Rosamund's eyes widened with horror, realising what Theodore meant. "No!" she protested. "You cannot take her!"
"I can and I will!" he shouted. "I will not leave my daughter a minute longer in a house with that man!" Theodore pointed angrily at Thomas, all pretence at courtesy gone.
"You cannot take her!" Thomas Spense sneered. "Your duty is to your ship which sails next week!"
"My daughter comes first! I will not leave her here with you!" He walked close to Thomas Spense, standing nose to nose with him. "And if that means resigning my commission Sir, then so be it!" He turned, striding towards the door.
"But..." Rosamund gasped. "But where will you live?"
Theodore smiled as he looked at them. "I am sure my family will take me in. Good day!"
***
Theodore wandered down towards the docks, unsure what he was really doing. He had served in His Majesty's Navy ever since he was old enough and had known no other life. He was somewhat scared to admit that he felt lost. He cradled Charlotte gently in his arms, her wet-nurse Etta Burgess carrying her small bag of possessions following a few steps behind. "Captain?" she asked. "Captain? Where are we to live? Surely you do not intend us to live on a pirate ship?"
"Etta," he smiled, turning to face her. "Firstly it is Theodore, or Mister Groves if you insist. I am no longer a Captain and considering I have nowhere to live, not even the barracks, I will be grateful for any bed tonight."
"But..." she protested.
Theodore looked across at the docks, surprised to see Will Turner and his family on the dockside climbing into a small ships boat. "Will!" he called. "Will! Are you going out to the Pearl?"
Will looked up. "Theo?" he frowned wondering why he was out of uniform. "Yes, Jack and Kitty invited us to dinner..."
"Perhaps the three of us can beg a ride with you then," Theodore sighed. "Evening Elizabeth." He handed Charlotte down to her in the boat before helping Etta in too. He took one of the oars and helped Will row the women and children out to the Black Pearl. Etta looked nervously upwards as they bumped against the hull. A face peered over the side and she squeaked with fright.
"Evening Hawker," Will smiled. "Stop scaring the ladies and lend a hand!"
He started to hand up the children, Eilis insisting on being first and disappeared towards the cabin squealing in delight. "Jack!"
Eventually everybody climbed up on deck and made their way to the main cabin. Will laughed to find Jack under assault from Eilis as she climbed all over him. Catherine looked up, smiling but then shocked to see Theodore with Charlotte and a maid. "Theo?"
"Can I bother you two for a bunk tonight?" He looked embarrassed. "Well, for three of us actually... I've, um, resigned my commission..."
"What?" Jack looked up from Eilis' assault in shock. Everyone gasped.
"The Governor refused to believe me about Mary... some things were said..." he explained. "I couldn't leave Charlotte with them after that..." He carefully embraced Catherine as she hugged him. "This is Etta, Charlotte's wet-nurse..."
"Well, I'd better go and tell our cook that we'll need one extra plate. Excuse me a moment..." Catherine slipped from the cabin towards the galley, shutting the doors carefully behind her.
***
Jack and Catherine had figured that it would be safe for Jean Claude to be seen onboard since Theodore had never met him, but they took the precaution of changing his name to John - just in case. He, and a number of the crew, helped Catherine carry through the food for the meal. She noticed Will staring at him.
"Will?" she frowned.
"Your new cook... is he related to Captain Valais?" Will asked for the Captain had requested some work whilst he was in port and he was struck by the resemblance.
Catherine noticed Jean Claude pale, casting a panicked eye towards her.
"Valais?" Theodore interrupted. "I have been hearing that name a lot today in association with my wife..." He stared closely at Jean Claude. "Are you?"
"Let me understand one thing Theo," Jack interrupted, frantically trying to draw attention away from Jean Claude. "You are no longer in the Navy... the Navy has no ties on your loyalties or your sensitivities like.. yes?"
"That depends Jack..." he warned, not sure what Jack was talking about.
Catherine nodded to Jean Claude. "What do you know of Captain Valais?" she asked cautiously.
"I do not know a Captain Valais, Catherine," he explained. "But my family come from a small town called Valais in France..." He stressed the word family.
"Your family..." Jack was starting to put things together and he did not like the answers he was coming up with. "Will, Theo - do you know the first name of this Valais?"
"I believe Rosamund said his name was Louis, Louis Valais," Theodore responded.
Jack, Catherine and Jean Claude looked at each other in shock. "It can't be!" Catherine gasped.
"You know him?" Theodore pressed eagerly, aware something was happening beyond his comprehension.
Catherine looked at Jack and he nodded. "Tell 'im."
"Tell me what?" Theodore demanded.
Catherine looked at him, biting her lip. "Well, I guess as you're no longer Navy," she smiled nervously.
"Cat!" Theodore nearly screamed with frustration.
Catherine looked at Jack for reassurance. "Okay... Theodore, may I formally introduce our new cook - Jean Claude Lact." She winced, waiting for his response.
"Lact!" he hissed in shock, reaching for his pistol.
"Theo! Wait!" Catherine jumped up from her chair, putting herself before Jean Claude and praying that he would not actually shoot. "We can explain... things aren't as simple as just Mary..."
"Dammit Cat! The man is a wanted pirate!" he argued.
"Theo, please... lower your pistol and I will explain. Please..." She looked at Jack, realising that his pistol was drawn too, aimed at Theodore. Jean Claude just paled but said nothing. "Theo! Jack!"
For a moment Theodore stared at his sister, wondering for a brief second if the Governor had been right. But that second was just a second and he lowered his pistol, only then realising that Jack had drawn on him too. "This had better be good," he warned.
"Can we eat whilst we talk?" she suggested. "It would be a shame to waste the food..."
"Not to mention the shouting is upsetting the children!" Elizabeth scowled her disapproval as Etta tried to hush Charlotte. Will wisely kept silent.
Theodore had the grace to look embarrassed. "I am sorry," he apologised as Catherine sat, Jean Claude holding the chair for her.
"Please stay Jean Claude," she smiled. "There is plenty of food for yet another..." She looked across at Jack. "Perhaps you could start?"
"Mmmnn." Jack munched, swallowing his mouthful. "Okay, you remember we destroyed the Swallow as we promised the Commodore. Well, what we didn't tell him is that we went back for the crew and took them to Tortuga. Marooning is a horrible way to die Theo... believe me. Jean Claude an' I struck an accord..."
"The accord that you were arguing with Catherine before?" Theodore interrupted.
"Yeah," Jack admitted. "Anyway, we struck an accord but Jean Claude never got to keep it as his younger brother Louis led a mutiny against him. We've been chasing Louis an' th' Catalyntie fer months now an' we believe they are th' ones that hit th' Nessa Rose an' the other ships..."
"The bad men?" Richael asked, not really understanding the conversation but hearing the name of her father's ship.
"Aye, the bad men Richael. When we left yer last we had a brush with a French frigate an' had t' put into a little island I know fer repairs - only to find Jean Claude an' another friend of ours marooned there." He decided to leave Anamaria and the Hallams out of the discussion, not wanting to scare Theodore with too many pirates at once. "That is when we learned that Louis was Captain of the Catalyntie..."
"But what has this to do with Mary?" Theodore puzzled.
"B'cause Mary was seen with pirates in Tortuga three weeks ago. The Catalyntie was in Tortuga three weeks ago... and it would appear that Louis Valais is Louis Lact."
"But why would she go with him? I cannot believe she would leave everything we had to take up with a pirate!" Theodore desperately tried to make sense of all the confusion.
"I may be able to explain some of that," Jean Claude interrupted. "Louis hates Catherine and the Captain... he blames them for the loss of our family mine, his captivity by the savages, everything... "
"And we all know how Mary feels about us..." Catherine added.
"But the fires? Surely Mary had nothing to do with that?" Theodore argued. "Charlotte and a maid were nearly killed!"
"Fire is a favourite pirate trick t' cover tracks Theo... which is probably why yer house was burned. I've a feelin' th' lower dock fires were set t' take attention away from yer house..." Jack sighed.
"But why? It makes no sense for her to go with him... surely Mary would have been more use to him here in Port Royal?" Theodore puzzled.
"I think we need t' look into what he did when he was here... every little movement..." Jack reasoned.
Theodore sighed, trying to remember everything the staff had told him. "I think he first arrived the day before Charlotte was born - he went to the Governor's household to sell his cargo... Mary was there that day because she was due so soon. Mary and Mistress Spense bought some fabric and other things... He didn't then return until about a week before the fire with a fresh cargo. I know he visited Mary at home in the lounge and she placed an order. Eve told me she was sent to the docks on the day of the fire to tell him that some things were missing from the order..."
"Did he return?"
"Yes, before he sailed. Mary went into the study with him to write down what was missing..."
"The study?" Jack started to grin. "Was anything missin'?"
"You couldn't tell, the whole house had collapsed..."
"But it was there they found yer father..."
"Yes." Theodore had no idea what Jack was talking about. "So?"
"The fire, Mary disappearing an' yer father dying all happen on th' day that she takes him into th' study... why?" Jack stared at him, willing him to catch up with his own leap of logic.
"I don't..." Theodore began.
"Think Theo, think! He's a pirate! What did he see?"
Jack watched Theodore as he thought it through, gradually realising what Jack was talking about. "The map?"
"Th' map!" Jack smiled. "I think he saw th' map an' wanted it... an' that means I know where he is!"
Will looked in confusion at Jack. "How would you know where he is?"
"B'cause I drew that map..." he chuckled.
***
***
Theodore sat quietly as Thomas Spense paced the room angrily. "Are you implying that my daughter is the cause of all this? The fire... everything?"
"She was seen in Tortuga roughly three weeks ago Sir," Theodore explained. "And from her behaviour it appeared she was under no duress..."
"Could they not have had some hold over her, forcing her to appear normal?" Rosamund worried. "Surely Mary would not have run off with a pirate? She doesn't know any pirates!" she protested.
"We know that Mary disappeared on the night of the fire and that my house was the only one outside of the docks to be set afire. Why Sir? Surely there must be a reason..." Theodore tried desperately to keep his voice calm when all he wanted to do was to shout at the man.
"And who is this witness? Why have they not come forward?" Thomas demanded. "Or is it one of your sister's pirate friends?"
"If Mary was seen in Tortuga then it was unlikely to be a respectable trader," Theodore conceded.
"But who?" Rosamund Spense asked.
"Jack and Kitty would not say..." Theodore admitted as he felt his argument slipping away from him.
"Because it is a lie!" The Governor's face mottled with rage. "Another lie spread about my daughter by the Sparrows!"
"No Sir!" Theodore countered. "I believe that she was there - the timing is right and it gives me hope at least that she is alive!"
"But she must have been taken by force," Rosamund argued. "She would not have left Charlotte... especially with the fire..."
"Perhaps she didn't know about the fire..." Theodore ran his hand through his hair in exasperation. "It could have been set after she had left to hide her disappearance... and there has been no ransom demand..."
"And your father? How do you explain him in all of this?" Thomas Spense demanded.
Theodore sighed heavily. "I don't know. Perhaps he was killed by the fire or perhaps he was already dead - and unless we find Mary we will never know..." He turned to look at Rosamund, feeling the time was right to ask the question that had been niggling him all day. He took a deep breath. "Who is Captain Valais?" he asked.
Rosamund blinked, surprised at the change in direction of the conversation.
"I understand from those that used to work at the house that he visited my wife on a number of occasions..." Theodore looked at Rosamund Spense, trying to keep calm.
"Captain Valais is just a trader... Swiss I think he said." Rosamund frowned, trying to remember. "He had some delightful fabrics that Mary and I bought for new dresses... why?"
"Well, apart from some known tradesmen from Port Royal, he is the only recent visitor to my house... and his ship was in port on the night of the fire..." Theodore sighed with frustration - why could they not see the connection?
"Honestly Theodore!" Rosamund laughed. "That is a most ridiculous assumption. Captain Louis Valais was a gentleman..."
"Even Jack can act the gentleman if the need arises..." Theodore began, but was interrupted by the Governor.
"And we all know what he is!" Thomas Spense sneered. "Little better than a pirate!"
"Jack is a privateer," Theodore countered. "And made so by your own hand!"
"I should have simply hanged him instead - him and all his crew!" he snarled.
Theodore's voice dropped, low, threatening, icy cold. "Do you include my sister in that comment?"
"Especially your sister!" the Governor fumed. "She is the worst of them all!"
Barely holding his temper, Theodore rose, bowing politely to Rosamund. "Good evening Mistress Spense. My daughter and I will be taking our leave of you now..."
Rosamund's eyes widened with horror, realising what Theodore meant. "No!" she protested. "You cannot take her!"
"I can and I will!" he shouted. "I will not leave my daughter a minute longer in a house with that man!" Theodore pointed angrily at Thomas, all pretence at courtesy gone.
"You cannot take her!" Thomas Spense sneered. "Your duty is to your ship which sails next week!"
"My daughter comes first! I will not leave her here with you!" He walked close to Thomas Spense, standing nose to nose with him. "And if that means resigning my commission Sir, then so be it!" He turned, striding towards the door.
"But..." Rosamund gasped. "But where will you live?"
Theodore smiled as he looked at them. "I am sure my family will take me in. Good day!"
***
Theodore wandered down towards the docks, unsure what he was really doing. He had served in His Majesty's Navy ever since he was old enough and had known no other life. He was somewhat scared to admit that he felt lost. He cradled Charlotte gently in his arms, her wet-nurse Etta Burgess carrying her small bag of possessions following a few steps behind. "Captain?" she asked. "Captain? Where are we to live? Surely you do not intend us to live on a pirate ship?"
"Etta," he smiled, turning to face her. "Firstly it is Theodore, or Mister Groves if you insist. I am no longer a Captain and considering I have nowhere to live, not even the barracks, I will be grateful for any bed tonight."
"But..." she protested.
Theodore looked across at the docks, surprised to see Will Turner and his family on the dockside climbing into a small ships boat. "Will!" he called. "Will! Are you going out to the Pearl?"
Will looked up. "Theo?" he frowned wondering why he was out of uniform. "Yes, Jack and Kitty invited us to dinner..."
"Perhaps the three of us can beg a ride with you then," Theodore sighed. "Evening Elizabeth." He handed Charlotte down to her in the boat before helping Etta in too. He took one of the oars and helped Will row the women and children out to the Black Pearl. Etta looked nervously upwards as they bumped against the hull. A face peered over the side and she squeaked with fright.
"Evening Hawker," Will smiled. "Stop scaring the ladies and lend a hand!"
He started to hand up the children, Eilis insisting on being first and disappeared towards the cabin squealing in delight. "Jack!"
Eventually everybody climbed up on deck and made their way to the main cabin. Will laughed to find Jack under assault from Eilis as she climbed all over him. Catherine looked up, smiling but then shocked to see Theodore with Charlotte and a maid. "Theo?"
"Can I bother you two for a bunk tonight?" He looked embarrassed. "Well, for three of us actually... I've, um, resigned my commission..."
"What?" Jack looked up from Eilis' assault in shock. Everyone gasped.
"The Governor refused to believe me about Mary... some things were said..." he explained. "I couldn't leave Charlotte with them after that..." He carefully embraced Catherine as she hugged him. "This is Etta, Charlotte's wet-nurse..."
"Well, I'd better go and tell our cook that we'll need one extra plate. Excuse me a moment..." Catherine slipped from the cabin towards the galley, shutting the doors carefully behind her.
***
Jack and Catherine had figured that it would be safe for Jean Claude to be seen onboard since Theodore had never met him, but they took the precaution of changing his name to John - just in case. He, and a number of the crew, helped Catherine carry through the food for the meal. She noticed Will staring at him.
"Will?" she frowned.
"Your new cook... is he related to Captain Valais?" Will asked for the Captain had requested some work whilst he was in port and he was struck by the resemblance.
Catherine noticed Jean Claude pale, casting a panicked eye towards her.
"Valais?" Theodore interrupted. "I have been hearing that name a lot today in association with my wife..." He stared closely at Jean Claude. "Are you?"
"Let me understand one thing Theo," Jack interrupted, frantically trying to draw attention away from Jean Claude. "You are no longer in the Navy... the Navy has no ties on your loyalties or your sensitivities like.. yes?"
"That depends Jack..." he warned, not sure what Jack was talking about.
Catherine nodded to Jean Claude. "What do you know of Captain Valais?" she asked cautiously.
"I do not know a Captain Valais, Catherine," he explained. "But my family come from a small town called Valais in France..." He stressed the word family.
"Your family..." Jack was starting to put things together and he did not like the answers he was coming up with. "Will, Theo - do you know the first name of this Valais?"
"I believe Rosamund said his name was Louis, Louis Valais," Theodore responded.
Jack, Catherine and Jean Claude looked at each other in shock. "It can't be!" Catherine gasped.
"You know him?" Theodore pressed eagerly, aware something was happening beyond his comprehension.
Catherine looked at Jack and he nodded. "Tell 'im."
"Tell me what?" Theodore demanded.
Catherine looked at him, biting her lip. "Well, I guess as you're no longer Navy," she smiled nervously.
"Cat!" Theodore nearly screamed with frustration.
Catherine looked at Jack for reassurance. "Okay... Theodore, may I formally introduce our new cook - Jean Claude Lact." She winced, waiting for his response.
"Lact!" he hissed in shock, reaching for his pistol.
"Theo! Wait!" Catherine jumped up from her chair, putting herself before Jean Claude and praying that he would not actually shoot. "We can explain... things aren't as simple as just Mary..."
"Dammit Cat! The man is a wanted pirate!" he argued.
"Theo, please... lower your pistol and I will explain. Please..." She looked at Jack, realising that his pistol was drawn too, aimed at Theodore. Jean Claude just paled but said nothing. "Theo! Jack!"
For a moment Theodore stared at his sister, wondering for a brief second if the Governor had been right. But that second was just a second and he lowered his pistol, only then realising that Jack had drawn on him too. "This had better be good," he warned.
"Can we eat whilst we talk?" she suggested. "It would be a shame to waste the food..."
"Not to mention the shouting is upsetting the children!" Elizabeth scowled her disapproval as Etta tried to hush Charlotte. Will wisely kept silent.
Theodore had the grace to look embarrassed. "I am sorry," he apologised as Catherine sat, Jean Claude holding the chair for her.
"Please stay Jean Claude," she smiled. "There is plenty of food for yet another..." She looked across at Jack. "Perhaps you could start?"
"Mmmnn." Jack munched, swallowing his mouthful. "Okay, you remember we destroyed the Swallow as we promised the Commodore. Well, what we didn't tell him is that we went back for the crew and took them to Tortuga. Marooning is a horrible way to die Theo... believe me. Jean Claude an' I struck an accord..."
"The accord that you were arguing with Catherine before?" Theodore interrupted.
"Yeah," Jack admitted. "Anyway, we struck an accord but Jean Claude never got to keep it as his younger brother Louis led a mutiny against him. We've been chasing Louis an' th' Catalyntie fer months now an' we believe they are th' ones that hit th' Nessa Rose an' the other ships..."
"The bad men?" Richael asked, not really understanding the conversation but hearing the name of her father's ship.
"Aye, the bad men Richael. When we left yer last we had a brush with a French frigate an' had t' put into a little island I know fer repairs - only to find Jean Claude an' another friend of ours marooned there." He decided to leave Anamaria and the Hallams out of the discussion, not wanting to scare Theodore with too many pirates at once. "That is when we learned that Louis was Captain of the Catalyntie..."
"But what has this to do with Mary?" Theodore puzzled.
"B'cause Mary was seen with pirates in Tortuga three weeks ago. The Catalyntie was in Tortuga three weeks ago... and it would appear that Louis Valais is Louis Lact."
"But why would she go with him? I cannot believe she would leave everything we had to take up with a pirate!" Theodore desperately tried to make sense of all the confusion.
"I may be able to explain some of that," Jean Claude interrupted. "Louis hates Catherine and the Captain... he blames them for the loss of our family mine, his captivity by the savages, everything... "
"And we all know how Mary feels about us..." Catherine added.
"But the fires? Surely Mary had nothing to do with that?" Theodore argued. "Charlotte and a maid were nearly killed!"
"Fire is a favourite pirate trick t' cover tracks Theo... which is probably why yer house was burned. I've a feelin' th' lower dock fires were set t' take attention away from yer house..." Jack sighed.
"But why? It makes no sense for her to go with him... surely Mary would have been more use to him here in Port Royal?" Theodore puzzled.
"I think we need t' look into what he did when he was here... every little movement..." Jack reasoned.
Theodore sighed, trying to remember everything the staff had told him. "I think he first arrived the day before Charlotte was born - he went to the Governor's household to sell his cargo... Mary was there that day because she was due so soon. Mary and Mistress Spense bought some fabric and other things... He didn't then return until about a week before the fire with a fresh cargo. I know he visited Mary at home in the lounge and she placed an order. Eve told me she was sent to the docks on the day of the fire to tell him that some things were missing from the order..."
"Did he return?"
"Yes, before he sailed. Mary went into the study with him to write down what was missing..."
"The study?" Jack started to grin. "Was anything missin'?"
"You couldn't tell, the whole house had collapsed..."
"But it was there they found yer father..."
"Yes." Theodore had no idea what Jack was talking about. "So?"
"The fire, Mary disappearing an' yer father dying all happen on th' day that she takes him into th' study... why?" Jack stared at him, willing him to catch up with his own leap of logic.
"I don't..." Theodore began.
"Think Theo, think! He's a pirate! What did he see?"
Jack watched Theodore as he thought it through, gradually realising what Jack was talking about. "The map?"
"Th' map!" Jack smiled. "I think he saw th' map an' wanted it... an' that means I know where he is!"
Will looked in confusion at Jack. "How would you know where he is?"
"B'cause I drew that map..." he chuckled.
***
