Chapter 8: Gone

Jack walked out of the Governor's Mansion a free man. Or as free as a man could be with a ship and crew to take care of, a ladylove who just happened to be carrying his child, and a most inconvenient conscience that would not let him dismiss any of them. Bloody hell, he thought as he walked out the gates and down the road to the harbor, I was freer when I had nothing!

It was only a few months back too. But of course he had not had 'nothing': he'd had the clothes on his back, his sword and knife, the broken compass, and the pistol with one shot. That last in particular had represented heavy chains indeed: chains of obsession and revenge that had kept him chasing after Barbossa and the Black Pearl for ten years. More than a quarter of his life. He had told Elizabeth that the Black Pearl was freedom. Well, so it was: he could see her out there now, the familiar lights of her as she sat out of range of the fort's cannons, at the far edge of the harbor, waiting for him, ready to take him away, halfway 'round the world if he liked. But, in another way, she too was a chain, for he could not sail her alone and, for better or worse, he cared about the people that now made up his crew, the people for whom he was responsible as Captain of the Black Pearl.

And then of course, there was Harry. Henrietta Fanshawe, Dowager Duchess of Wyndham. "I do not ask anything of you," she'd said. But she had! From the night he'd carried her off from the Bride's Auction. There had been a kind of connection between them, right from the start, something he'd never felt with any other woman. The reality of it had been born in upon him more and more as their first week together had progressed. And then the two days he'd spent alone with her, locked in his cabin, had more than confirmed it. She was his other half, a part of himself he'd not even known was missing. The month he'd spent on St. Clair with her had been one of the happiest times of his life, in spite of the illness that had plagued him and the other members of the crew. I ask nothing of you. Well, she hadn't had to ask, not in words. She had his heart. And he could have sworn he had hers, too.

It was all too much. Maybe the only real freedom was the grave. Maybe. But he wasn't ready for that, not by a long way. So he'd bloody well have to learn to live with the new set of chains that bound him.

He'd reached the waterfront now, and began to wonder how he'd signal the ship to send a boat. Perhaps he'd have to hire one—or commandeer one! But no: as he approached the docks he spotted O'Brien and Montez, and Gibbs sitting on a railing, conversing as they looked out at the harbor. And there was Owens.

The boy saw him first, turning to look over his shoulder in the direction of the Governor's Mansion for the hundredth time that night. He leapt to his feet as Jack approached, and started forward, a glad cry hovering on his lips, but then stopped abruptly, obviously uncertain as he got a clearer view of Jack's face in the faint light. Jack stopped too, looking at the boy for a moment. Then he consciously softened his expression and opened his arms.

Owens just about knocked him over.

The other three had got to their feet, and Gibbs said, his voice carefully casual as he watched Jack hug the boy, "Ev'nin', Captain. Ready to go back to the Pearl?"

"Aye," Jack said. He patted Owens on the back a bit, and then gently disengaged himself. Owens looked up at him, and frowned.

Gibbs voiced the boy's concern. "Who gave you the love pat?" Gibbs brushed his hand against his own jaw, along the same area that discolored Jack's face.

"Norrington. Still looks bad, eh?" Jack gave his concerned crewmembers a crooked smile. "Had me in manacles again, too: my wrists are devilish sore. Let's get back to the ship, shall we?"

o-o-o

He let Alphonse help him get cleaned up, and put soothing salve on his raw wrists. He wouldn't have, ordinarily. Ordinarily he would've groused, What in blazes does a pirate need with a valet? But he was so bloody tired. And yet, sleep was out of the question, for he'd rarely been so blue-deviled in his life. So he let Alphonse do the work for which the man had been trained, and when the valet at last made a quiet little bow and left the cabin, Jack had to admit he felt a bit better.

He went back up on deck. The night was cooler than usual, and he could feel that there was another storm on the way. Probably would hit by morning. The deck was quiet, most of the crew having gone below—to give him some privacy, he expected. He hadn't told any of them what had happened, but he supposed it was obvious he wasn't quite himself.

He walked over to the railing and looked out over the water. Toward Port Royal. Toward the Governor's Mansion. He still wasn't sure he would tell his crew any of it. Maybe it'd be for the best if they all sailed away and let the Governor take care of Harry and her baby. She'd come around to seeing sense sooner or later, if he left her alone. If he accepted that he'd never see their child. If he could bear the thought of her in another man's bed. He leaned over, setting his arms on the rail and put his head in his hands.

"What is it, Jack?"

He lifted his head and turned to look at AnaMaria. There was sympathy in her dark, liquid eyes, but there was that stubborn tilt to her chin, too.

He gave a soft chuckle, and shook his head. "I'm bloody doomed to be plagued with domineering women."

"Aye, you are. Now what is it? Something to do with Harry?"

He straightened, and his eyes narrowed. "How the devil'd you know that?"

"What else'd make you look like death, eh? If it were anything else you'd be considerin' ways an' means."

Jack thought about this. "You're right," he said finally. He hesitated, and looked out to the Governor's Mansion, high on the hill behind the town. "She's with child."

"Bloody hell," she said, but without heat. "And Swann found out an' set Norrington on your tail?"

Jack nodded. "That's just about it." He gave a slight, bemused smile at her perspicacity.

She looked him up and down, and gave a wry, answering smile. "Well, you're here, and you appear to be intact. You're luck's holdin'."

He gave a short laugh. "That's one way of lookin' at it."

She hesitated a half-second, studying him. Then she said, "You gonna marry 'er?"

A odd expression came over his face, but he said with some bitterness, "I ain't cut from the right cloth, Ana, as you well know. And she don't want me in any case. Said she won't marry—that she asks nothin' of me."

AnaMaria gave a derisive snort. "O' course she'd say that, ye fool! She loves you! And she knows yer life is with the Pearl and the sea. As for the right cloth: yer blood's as good as theirs, or almost. Ain't it."

It was a statement, not a question, and Jack's brow creased as he looked at her. "Where'd you get such an idea?"

She looked him over again, briefly. "Don't know. Just somethin' about you. Lots o' things. An' nothin': you've a good disguise. Mad Jack Sparrow. But it is a disguise, for all that." She shrugged, seeing how disturbed he was by her words. "Ye don't spend time with a man — work and fight beside him — share his bed — without gettin' a pretty fair idea what kind of man he is."

He shook his head. "I'm glad most folk are a bit slower on the uptake than you. Else I'd be a dead man now."

"Aye, ye would," she agreed briskly. "You're a rogue and a scallywag, and ye'd lie to yer own mother if it suited your purposes. And Harry's the same, just wears a different mask is all." She could see that he agreed with this assessment, though he said nothing, so she said, "You'd better see about marryin' her an' give that baby a name. Else it won't have one."

He shook his head. "If I go, she'll marry someone else. She'll come 'round to it."

"I wouldn't bet on that chance if ye gave me the blunt," said Ana. "Look, she knows life ain't a certain thing. You could be dead in a month. So could she! So if the luck favors you, hands you a bit of happiness…"

"…you grab it with both hands," he said, finishing the phrase with Harry's words.

They looked at each other for a long moment. Then Ana said, "Think about it. Aye?"

Jack nodded, slowly. She started to leave, but he stopped her by saying, "Sorry I stole your boat, that time," voicing an afterthought, but one that was long overdue.

She turned back and laughed. "No yer not. Ye did what ye had to do. Ye'll get me another, some time. But I'm happy here, now. Savvy?"

He nodded again, and watched her walk across the deck and go below. He briefly returned his gaze to Port Royal, to his contemplation of the Governor's Mansion and all it contained, then turned away and went back to his cabin. He needed a drink. And some rest, too, if he was to be ready for tomorrow.

He lay awake for a long time, in their bed. Their bed. But at last sleep took him, a couple of hours before dawn. Only the nightwatch was awake on the Black Pearl when the merchant ship Freya slipped past it, catching the ebbing tide.

o-o-o

The storm was coming in and it was spitting rain the next morning, when Jack was walking back up the long, rather steep road toward the Governor's Mansion. Water dripped from his hat, and his coat already felt damp. He'd present a simply lovely appearance by the time he got there, he thought morosely.

The sound of a coach came from behind him. He moved to the side of the road as it drew abreast and passed, but then, to Jack's surprise, the coach stopped. Norrington stuck his head out the side window.

"Can I take you up, Sparrow?" said Norrington, politely, his expression bland.

"No, thanks," said Jack, equally polite and bland. He continued walking.

Norrington's lips pressed together for a moment, but then said smoothly, "I'd like a word with you, if you wouldn't mind. Please accept a place in my carriage."

Jack stopped and gave the man a narrow look, but then shrugged and said, "As you wish."

The footman got down off the box, opened the carriage door, and put down the step for Jack as he approached. The pirate murmured, "Much obliged!" to the footman, climbed in and settled himself in the seat opposite the Commodore.

When the horses were given the office to start and they were underway again, Norrington looked at Jack and said, "Didn't think to see you again, actually."

"Aye?" said Jack, a bit testily. "Well, that's what you get for thinkin', innit mate?"

Norrington's lips twitched. "Thoroughly back in disguise today, are we Captain?"

Jack looked down his nose at the man. "Don't know what you mean by that!"

"How is it," said Norrington, thoughtfully, "that your plebeian accent is so much stronger this morning than it was last night?"

Jack stared at him, then said with evident irritation, "Is that the word you wanted to have with me?"

Norrington raised one brow, but said in the same polite tone, "Yes. It is." He turned his gaze to the drizzling rain outside the carriage, away from the pirate.

Jack stared at the impassive face for a moment, then made a slight sound of annoyance and folded his arms, debating whether he should demand to be set down again. He decided against it; it'd make him look (and feel) churlish. But silence was maintained for the remainder of the journey.

The coach drew up before the mansion. Jack got out first, became aware of raised voices coming from within the house, and glanced over at Norrington who answered the pirate's startled look with one of his own as he emerged from the coach. They both hesitated briefly.

Norrington said, slowly, "That sounds like…"

"…Elizabeth!" Jack completed the thought. He strode forward, up the steps, and knocked on the door, followed closely by Norrington.

It was opened by Beck, who raised his brows and assumed a somewhat pained expression. He stood aside and announced, "Commodore James Norrington and Captain Jack Sparrow."

"Jack!" exclaimed Elizabeth, who was standing on the stairs with one of the maids. Will and the Governor were standing in the foyer. Elizabeth rushed down, saying, "Jack! My aunt is gone!" But then she drew close enough to clearly see his bruised face and exclaimed in combined anger and concern, "You are hurt! Who did this to you?" And she turned an angry, accusing gaze on Norrington.

But Jack took her outstretched hands, gave them a brief, sharp squeeze, and said, "Ran into a lamp post. Never mind that! What do you mean, she's gone?"

"A lamp post! " she said, hotly, looking at Jack again, her anger now directed at him. "This is not the time for absurdities! And I mean she's not in her room! Her bed has not been slept in! She's gone!"

"When was this discovered?" Norrington asked.

"An hour ago!"

Governor Swann said in great distress, "I thought it likely she had not slept well last night, and so asked her maid to let her lie abed till nine at least! But when the girl took a tray in, she was not there!"

Norrington said, "Have you questioned the servants? Did any of them see her?"

"Yes, I've asked them. They saw nothing!"

"Flown the bloody coop again, has she?" Jack shook his head. "Where's the note?"

"Note?" said Elizabeth. "What note?"

"The note! She's a woman, ain't she? Bound to have left a note."

Swann said, "But there is not! I looked myself!"

"Well, look again. There's a note somewhere, mark my words."

"My aunt is not like most women!" Elizabeth said, a bit huffily. "Why, she didn't leave a note when we escaped from the Pearl that time!"

"Escaped from the Black Pearl! What is this?" demanded Swann.

"Now you've done it," Will said to his agitated wife.

Jack, paying no heed to this, said to Elizabeth, "Didn't have to leave a note that time. Left a message with poor little Owens, didn't you?"

"Oh, well, yes. But still!"

"You're right," conceded Jack, "Harry's not ordinary! But she ain't that different either. We need to find the note."

Swann exclaimed, "I tell you there is no…"

A loud knock on the door cut him off. Beck opened it.

"Giles Lightfoot to see Governor Swann, if you please!" said a brisk voice.

Beck turned to Governor Swann to announce the visitor but Jack said, "Lightfoot! You here? Have you seen Lady Harry, man?"

Beck moved away, allowing Mr. Lightfoot to stride in. The visitor's shrewd eyes took in Jack and his bruised jaw, the sardonic Commodore, the flustered Governor, the irate Elizabeth, and the concerned but somewhat amused Will. Giles said, "Jack! I can see there is a considerable imbroglio afoot! I hope you have not been too much abused by these well-meaning but nevertheless wrongheaded associates of Lady Fanshawe's!" He threw glares of severe disapprobation toward the Governor and Norrington. The Governor stiffened, but Norrington merely sighed, and lifted a brow at the apparent esteem in which the pirate was held by this respectable citizen.

"I'm well enough," said Jack, "but tell us: have you seen Harry?"

"I have not," said Giles, "but this was delivered to me not an hour ago!" He took a note out of an inner pocket of his coat.

Elizabeth snatched it from Lightfoot's hand, ignoring Jack's smirk.

She read it swiftly. Jack looked over her shoulder, a frown appearing on his face and deepening the more he read.

"Well, what does it say?" demanded the Governor.

"It is not very complimentary toward you, Father," said Elizabeth.

The Governor rolled his eyes. "Should that surprise me? Just read it to us!"

Elizabeth read, "'My dear Giles: My officious, interfering fool of a brother has done something so completely despicable that I doubt I will ever be able to bring myself to forgive him! I can no longer bear to occupy contiguous earth with him and am leaving for St. Claire immediately. I know the weather is not conducive to passage in a small boat, like the Bonny Lass, but I beg you will follow when it clears. I shall tell you all when we meet again. I am, as ever, your friend, Lady Harry.'"

Jack said, grimly, "The weather ain't conducive to passage in any boat! There's a bloody great storm comin' in!"

Giles said, "The Harbormaster told me that the Freya, a merchant ship out of Amsterdam, bound for Cap Fleurit left before dawn. Wouldn't listen to any advice to stay put!"

"God's teeth, she's on that ship or my name ain't Captain Jack Sparrow! Cap Fleurit's only two days from St. Claire. I'd bet the Pearl she's bribed the captain of the Freya to drop her off! Lightfoot: how'd you get here? Did you ride?"

"Yes, I brought the hack I hired for the week."

"Mind if I borrow it? Norrington'll see you back to the harbor." Jack glanced over at the Commodore, who nodded briefly.

"Of course," said Giles, "But where are you going?"

"To fetch her," said Jack heading for the door.

"Jack!" exclaimed Elizabeth, "I want to go with you!"

"Not this time, Missy. You can just stay and explain to your father the little remark about 'escaping from the Black Pearl', eh?"