When they finally climbed over the side, Annamaria, Gibbs, and Mick were playing poker and smoking cigars on the deck. Marcella, Layla, Cotton, his parrot, Marty, and the rest were watching, whooping and rooting them on.
"Hey, you lot know th´ card game I like best is gin rummy," Jack called. They all looked up and laughed, except for Annamaria, predictably.
"Annamaria, can we talk please?" said Elizabeth, smiling sweetly.
"Certainly, Liz," said Annamaria coolly. She slapped her cards down on the floor and said, "If anyone of you lot so much as TOUCH them I'll ´ave yer guts fer garters." (No one doubted her, either.) She stood up and started going down the rickety wood steps to her bunk. "We´ll talk down ´ere."
Marcella watched them depart with a worried look on her face, but soon was more interested in the poker game.
Elizabeth was led down to the dank-smelling quarters. . . she was subjected to a room at the beginning of her journey but quickly adopted Jack´s bed as her own.
Annamaria opened her door, and Elizabeth caught a gust of fresh, salty and sweet air. How Annamaria managed to make her room smell like a beach while living with smelly, dirty men all the time was a miracle in itself.
Annamaria sat on her mattress, sending a flurry of dust into the air. She winced and Elizabeth sat at her little table. She was trying really hard to be mad at Annamaria, but she was quickly forgetting why she should be.
"Well. . . Jack is my best friend, an´ my mother is his bloody co-captain. . . can you blame me fer trying ta protect me from the dangers of marriage?" Annamaria said, leaning back.
"Yes!" Elizabeth said. "What dangers?! Being in LOVE? CARING for your wife? Doting on her instead of getting drunk with WHORES?!"
Annamaria rolled her eyes. "No, I mean, not being able to be free. You of all people should know his ´Black Pearl is freedom´ speech- he told it to me three times a week early out."
"I am perfectly willing to let him be free. That promise lets him be a pirate- but not a womanizing souse. Well, I don´t mind the souse part, but really!! What kind of would-be wife do you take me for?!"
Annamaria put on her puss look. It was not very attractive, and it would remind either Jack or Will of the time she confronted him about stealing the Jolly Mon, her boat. "I don´t know. And I´m not jealous, I don´t know what kind of woman Will thinks I am- I would never dream of being with any man besides him." She stretched out on her bed and sighed. "Leave Elizabeth- unless you have something else to scream about."
Elizabeth was so incensed she stalked out and up to the deck again. She went right over to Jack, grabbed him by the collar, and pulled him into his cabin.
"Kiss me," she snarled in his ear. She wasn´t so mad as she was desperate for anything, anything symbolizing love. That didn´t necessarily mean sex, because Elizabeth was a good girl and didn´t feel like almost getting caught again.
Jack happily latched his mouth on hers, and they flopped on Jack´s bed, making out. Jack knew it was only kissing Elizabeth wanted, and didn´t attempt to slip a hand anywhere but the small of her back.
When they were finished, Elizabeth wasn´t mad anymore, just ultra confused. But what was she to do? Annamaria was horribly stubborn and oh- it dawned on her, a little late, but better late than never. She could talk to Jack. Elizabeth turned to Jack. "Jack- Annamaria is being horrible."
"I know love." Jack looked at his hands. They were as rugged as ever, were rough and old-looking, but Elizabeth saw innocence in them. She took them in hers, and said, "C´mon. . . please, can you talk to her?"
"Yeah, I s´pose I could. Y´know, she´s never like this. A bit crass, indubitably. But never this cold-hearted." Jack stood up and turned round. "Love, if she doesn´ want us ta get married, we´re gonna anyway- she´ll just have to make peace somehow." He opened his door and left, going down to the deck.