Jubilation of the Heart
As Opposed to the Mind
Chapter 4
By Aldesina
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Three hours later Captain Renyolds shook his head in disbelief. After he and Chase had traded their stories they could only come to the conclusion that Keese was after her company. Chase shook her head. It hurt like the devil and all that tea had apparently not done her any good. It was about seven in the evening, and the sun was beginning to go down. Chase felt extremely stupid, she should have known about all this, she should have predicted it, and for God's sake she should have known something was up.
"Blast it all"
"Chase….." Renyolds admonished lightly, "Such language."
"Poppy cock." Chase started out. "For all the supposed education and training and hours upon hours of wheedling and dealing and business handlings with my husband." She closed her eyes. "Oh it's so obvious that it hurts."
"Now, dear you can't truly blame yourself."
"Oh come now Jules, stop with all those formalities already, you know that putting on airs to your friends makes me sick." Renyolds chuckled at the young lady's frankness.
"Yes, yes, I know perfectly well about your temper."
"Not temper darling, merely… abruptness." Renyolds snorted again. Ah, Chase was back to herself. He had worried about her when she was speaking to the Commodore. She had been as polite as ever, but it seemed as if she was also particularly cold to him. Captain Renyolds never thought she held a grudge toward military men, she never shown it before. He wondered what made her react the way that she did to the young officer.
"James Norrington is quite the gentleman don't you think?"
"Yes," Chase said absently, "And he's quite thoughtful as well, he seemed to be thinking of my health and my honor as opposed to his own convenience."
Renyolds merely nodded.
Chase wondered about the man, it seemed awfully suspicious that he should find her so readily floating in a box. She might have few to no connections at all in the Caribbean. But Lauris Keese might have quite a few. It's true, at first glance he seemed to be a good person but what man brings a found woman so easily into his own house?
"So what do you plan to do now?" Chase's thoughts were cut short by Renyold's voice. He was letting her think, true, but he was also giving her refuge and for that Chase was grateful.
"Actually" chase started up. "This is where you come in. I'm hoping that you could help me."
"At your service love." Chase smiled, Captain Jules Renyolds had been one of the few acquaintances that she had met during her years that became one of her greatest friends. She trusted him, and he, her. He was also good friends with her former husband, and trusted by him as well.
"According to my husband's and my will in case anything happens to the two of us before we can hand down the company…….."
"You mean before you have children?" Renyolds looked at her confusedly. Ah… Chase thought, so he was not told by her husband about his plans for her future. "Hell Chase, I'd hate to be frank, but a man his age can't really…… and besides, now that….."
"I know, Edward did not mean our children, he meant mine." Chase began slowly.
"He wanted you to marry Monteclair?" Chase hesitated, the thought was almost comical, but it was one that was on the table for some time. He would have liked it better if she had married one of Jules's sons, but she was not about to tell him that. "It had been discussed, but you know Monteclair almost better then I do," She smiled wryly. Yes, Monteclair's amant was Jules's nephew. "That arrangement would have been most uncomfortable." Renyolds merely chuckled, that was certainly one way of putting it.
"Well you could have shared a lover." Chase looked at her old friend sharply. Renyolds shrugged.
"Trying to lighten your mood my dear."
"My mood does not need to be lightened," Chase was suddenly all business once again. "What I need is for you to do me a favor in New York."
"And I have already said that I am at your service." Renyolds said lightly. Chase sighed, and then sighed at the fact that she was sighing to begin with. It seemed to be all that she was doing these days.
She reached over to her left hand and removed her engagement ring, one of the two rings that she wore on her third finger on her left hand. She kept the other; her wedding ring on.
"Give this to Monteclair and tell him to contact bond street." Renyolds took the ring gingerly and tucked it into a safe place. He knew how important this would be.
"Shouldn't you be a little more specific."
Chase shook her head
"No, he'll know what's going on."
"Well in that case, as soon as I can get myself passage aboard a ship to New York I'll be making my way there." Chase nodded.
"While you're making your way there, he'll be trying to make his way here. Him and the rest of the board so you will have to hurry."
"I don't understand."
"As I was saying before, my husband and I made a will, in case we don't have children to take over the company, the board of directors are suppose to come to the Caribbean and arrange the next heads of the two companies."
"Wouldn't it make sense to give it straight over to Monteclair? He does have the largest percentage of the two companies now, except for you of course."
"He's a known sodomite Jules." Chase said shaking her head, she hated that word. "Do you really think they would give it to him without a fight?" Renyolds looked at her,
"I still don't understand why you would want them to come over to the Caribbean."
"To buy time."
"Time?"
"Yes, Edward and I were well aware that there would be problems with the company, true that the majority of the board is loyal, that does not mean they can not be swayed if dangerous situations arise. If we were both gone, Edward was afraid that the company would go to those investment wolves. He planned for it, and so did I." Chase looked over at Jules, if he went back to New York earlier then his ship run was supposed to have taken he could draw suspicions to himself. He could very much be in danger. Currently she was not aware of how far spread Lauris Keese's influence was, but Monteclair would be able to find out. And he could do it faster then anyone else she knew.
"Going to the Caribbean gives the Bond Street runners time to investigate, and it puts all our finances on hold. Nobody can touch them." Renyolds reeled back, she was planning for this. A girl her age planning for her own death, he was more then twice her age and he hadn't even thought about it yet.
"That's bloody brilliant."
"No, mere practicality. That was one that that I envied about Edward, he had this foresight that just…." Chase's lower lip trembled. "Sometimes I wondered if he knew when he was going to die and that's why he took the day off with me." Chase's hands began to shake and she had to place her teacup down. She still could not put her husband behind her, even though it was his wish. Right now was not the time to think about this.
"Jules, listen to me, I know it will be difficult since you will be lacking a ship, but I need you to back to New York as soon as humanly possible. Not only that I want you to be well aware that it will be dangerous for you to do this. There will be people wondering why you're back so early, and I have no idea how many people Keese knows." Renyolds nodded solemnly.
"Aye, but what about you?"
"I have a bit of money, and I know how to defend myself." Renyolds couldn't believe what he was hearing. For all her planning, she was not making any sense right now.
"Are you insane?"
Chase looked at Renyolds, indignation written all over her face.
"And what is that supposed to mean?"
"You are a born and breed lady, how do you expect to survive? I highly doubt that you can stay here for the next two months. You haven't a cent on you, and Firebird Efflux hasn't been established enough in the Caribbean…."
"Actually the name is well recognized enough as proved by the fact that you told me the Commodore himself recognized me. We merely don't have a store front, that's not the point right now though…."
"That is precisely the point, who the hell is going to help you?"
"I'll have you know that I can help myself just fine." Chase reached out touched Renyold's face. "Don't think that I can only survive in a board room, I've been to other places then that, I'll have you know."
There was a slight knock on the door and both Chase and Renyolds looked up toward the door. Renyolds looked at Chase,
"Well, well, I wonder who that might be?" Renyolds said sarcastically. Chase cocked an eyebrow at him.
"The master of this mansion, of course, and he'll be wanting to question me." She straightened herself and rearranged the robe they had brought her around her shoulders more comfortably.
"May I come in?" Chase and Renyolds turned again at the voice at the door.
"Psychic too are we?"
"Practicality Jules, pure practicality." Renyolds sighed
"Whatever you say."
"Come on in Commodore." Chase called out to him.
James Norrington walked in the door to see Captain Renyolds sitting on the bed next to the young lady that had been fished out of the water the night before. No doubt about it Captain Jules Renyolds was extremely protective of her. Somehow something about her entire situation bothered him. She seemed to be a high class lady. What was she doing in a box, as a stowaway no less?
"I hope you're feeling better then last night Mrs. Van Allystynn."
"Come now Commodore, Did I not request that you call me Chase?"
"I also remember requesting you call me James." Chase shook her head.
"Dear me I do apologize, I have forgotten James, please forgive me"
And the wall is back. Renyolds thought to himself.
"I suppose I should be leaving now," Renyolds said as a way of excusing himself. He knew damn well Chase could defend herself against one pompous flop. And as amusing as it would have been to watch her tear him to shreds, he was pretty sure he would have eventually been asked to leave anyway.
"I have a room set up for you down the hall" Norrington cut in. "Since you are still tending to your wounds after all you shouldn't travel." As if on cue the butler stepped into the room and made a little bow.
"I'll show you to your room sir" Reginald asked.
Chase made no outward expression but she was impressed by the staff's timing, she wondered if they lingered outside the door and listened. As for the Commodore, he in it of himself was quite the mystery. He had questions, and she prepared herself for an interrogation. Norrington would probably have preferred it if there were no distractions or overbearing protectors around. Jules Renyolds seemed to have gotten the point too. Chase was glad that he also trusted her enough to take care of herself.
"Ahh, right now at this hour that seems like just the thing." Renyolds smiled and gave Chase a quick kiss on the forehead.
"I'll have a maid bring dinner up to your room Captain."
"Many thanks Commodore sir." Renyolds gave Chase a wink and followed Norrington's butler out the door. James watched the two of them go and momentarily forgot what he had come in here to do.
"James?" Chase's voice snapped him out of his thoughts for the second time that day. "Is there anything I can help you with? I'm sure that there are many other things for you to do, I'd hate to become a distraction." Norrington heard the hostility in her voice, indeed she was grateful, but she was also suspicious. He felt a bit angry, his intentions were good. There was no point in her suspecting him. Then again, he did come in here suspicious of her, did he not?
"Yes, there were some questions that I wanted to get out of the way, but that can wait until you are fully healed. Would you like for me to send for the doctor again?"
Chase shook her head.
"There's no need, I'll be fine on my own."
"Are you sure? Your…"
"I'm fine Commodore,"
"James," he cut in.
"James," she remedied. "There's no need." He looked at her and she gave him a slight smile. Captain Renyold's words came back to him, she was one of the most skilled people in the world at hiding her emotions. She was hiding something now. Usually when someone was so adamant about their wishes he would leave them be but for some reason he felt pity for this woman, and he wanted to be able to help her. Unfortunately he needed obtain some information about her first, It would not be an easy task
"You can tell me if you are in trouble madam."
"Chase" she cut in. "And for your information, it's none of your business." Chase was feeling agitated, she did not like being questioned.
"Madam I mean you no harm." He said. Chase eyed him, and reached for one of the last biscuits left on the tray. Insistent isn't he?
"Commodore all you have to know is that I'm well and with your permission I'd like to stay here for the next two days until I am well enough to move without toppling over. My name is Chase Van Allystynn as you know, and I am the current owner of Firebird Efflux and Van Allystynn Glassware. I would very much appreciate it if you wouldn't tell people this." This statement startled Norrington, people who wanted to keep a low profile usually had other people after them.
"Are you in danger?"
Again with the concern.
"I'm just fine Commodore." Chase softened her tone and took another bite of her biscuit. Perhaps I should try another approach?
"James please," Commodore looked up at the woman sitting in the bed.
"Madam I'll have you know that the safety of Port Royal and its inhabitants are my responsibility…."
"I am well aware of that Commodore,"
"Are you really? I know that you have something to hide and people that do that often have someone after them. Avoiding my questions is not going to help your situation. If anything it'll get you killed."
"Commodore!" Chase was thoroughly annoyed with the man. Did he believe that she had so little brains. She looked up at him and found that he had come closer during their argument. He had green eyes. Cool and tainted with golden brown they looked angry. It can't all be because I won't let him help me.
"What happened to you Commodore?" Norrington looked at her surprise written on his face. That chiding tone was gone and replaced by a gentle inquiring one. It unnerved him to no end, and insulted him. Did she truly think he would be so easily swayed.
"That would be my question to you madam. According to British law you are a stowaway, a crime which can be punished by death, although it seems that since you know the captain of the Lara that has saved you from that fate. It still doesn't explain why you didn't get into a lifeboat and it doesn't explain the injuries on your arm." Chase kept looking at him with an impassive expression fighting to not look at the many needle wounds dotting her upper arm. Him, something happened to him, men are not born overly protective, they're made that way through life.
"I should be grateful then I suppose?" James stopped short, Bloody hell, perhaps Gillette was right and the past few days had been too much of a strain on him.
"Madam, what I really need from you now is information. You seem to be in need of help and without the most basic facts I cannot do anything for you."
"All I needed was a place to rest for a few days, everything else I can manage on my own." All at once Norrington understood. He looked down feeling embarrassed that he did not think of this in the first place. But of course. A young lady, out on her own, without any relatives, of course she was afraid of being taken advantage of.
"You won't be indebted to me in anyway I assure you." He looked up into her face. "It is my duty after all."
"Yes…" Chase said slowing, still looked at him with the same expression she always showed him. "I know, but this is not something that concerns you, it has to do with me, and my business elsewhere. I just happen to be here for now."
"Are you going to remain this stubborn throughout your stay?"
"I will not be bothering you for long."
"I see, you are bound on the next ship to New York then?"
"No, Captain Renyolds is though. He's merely bring a message for me to New York. As for myself I will be staying in Port Royal for the next month or so."
"I see." Norrington was not a fool, he knew when he wasn't wanted, and he learned from experience not to push it. As for the questions, he could clearly see that he would not be getting any sort of answers from her. Perhaps it would be best to leave her be.
"You may stay as long as you need to madam, I will not force you to leave." Chase was surprised by the Commodore's answer, she had expected to be yelled at, she had expected to face the same fire and anger that she met in board rooms. Instead he backed down, and merely let her be. She hadn't been unchallenged since her husband passed away.
"Thank you." She said, and it was heartfelt.
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Author's Note; I think I'll just end this here. Norrington was a bit of a bastard in this chapter, but that seems to be the only way he can show concern. Then again, Chase wasn't giving in either, now was she? Next time we find out exactly what Chase meant to do by giving her engagement ring to Monteclair, and we find out how Chase intends to survive in the Caribbean all by her lonesome.
Until next time, Please read and review!
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