Usual disclaimers... blah!
I'm uploading six chapters today... and have four waiting for editing... and then it should be only one or two chapters at most until the end of the tales {sob} Guess I'll have to start doing my housework again!
Sorry if you don't like what I have done to the Governor in this group of chapters... but I had my reasons (as Jack and James explain).
Read on!
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James' alleged escape and subsequent arrival in Port Royal caused much jubilation at the Governor's household, although Thomas Spense had been disappointed that the boy had not been able to tell him much about where he had been held. He had seen his two grandchildren – Charlotte and Nicolas! His hands ached to hold them, to free them from the pirates that were raising them, but James had been unable to say where he had been held. A sandy bay was not much help if he intended sending men to retrieve the children. He had his suspicions that they were on Tortuga somewhere, but his first agent had not returned and he had been able to find nobody else willing to undertake such a risk since.
He would have liked to have had greater access to the boy, but James Norrington seemingly ensured that he was always out or busy whenever he called. It did not matter – he would find out what he needed eventually, including what the Commodore and Theodore Groves were up to. He knew they were up to something... he could sense it, but what it was he had no idea.
###
James Norrington invited Theodore to dinner that evening. He had spoken to James at length and the boy had insisted that Jack wanted him to tell Theodore everything that he knew – and that was not something he would say with even the slightest chance that they could be overheard. Theodore had wanted to dash back to the bay when he had heard that his sister was missing, but the assurance that Jack was already doing all that was possible had eventually stopped him.
The Commodore looked up as his servant announced Theodore's arrival. It was late and his nephew was already in bed, tired out from all of the questioning he had been forced to endure – even though the majority of it had been for show. He had tried to keep the boy from Thomas Spense, but the Governor had pounced on him as soon as he had left the fort. At least James had not revealed anything to him that he would not already have known. "Show Captain Groves in," he ordered, "and then leave us. We will serve ourselves tonight."
"Yes Commodore," the man bowed, puzzled by the unusual request although he did as he was ordered.
"Theodore," James smiled warmly, standing and offering him a drink as he waited for the servant to leave. Only when they were totally alone did he speak further. Theodore understood the need for caution and waited patiently, sipping his wine as he looked through the window to the small garden.
"James," he nodded. "I understand you have some news that you could not speak of at the fort..."
James Norrington nodded. "Sit." He beckoned towards the table where there meal had been placed ready for them. "I have some news from Jack that I could not tell you earlier... you will understand why..." He beckoned to the food. "Eat... it will get cold!"
Theodore picked up his cutlery, helping himself from the numerous platters. "And the news is..." he prompted, curious about the secrecy.
James Norrington took a deep breath. "Jack is my half brother," he said quickly before his nerve failed him.
"What?" Theodore dropped his fork in shock, too stunned to even pick it up. His jaw hung slackly in amazement.
"A long time ago my father had a brief affair with Rose... Rose Waike as she is truly named..." James began, pausing briefly as Theodore reached for his fork.
"Waike?" he puzzled, wondering for a moment where he knew the name from.
"The London shipping family," he explained. "My father was a Lieutenant at the time, my mother sickly following the birth of Ester." He shrugged. "I do not condone his actions, but it happened. It seems that Rose wrote a letter to my father but never sent it and it had lain, forgotten, in her bible ever since. That is why Jack and Catherine returned to London..."
"Cat knew all this?" Theodore frowned. "About you and Jack and everything?"
James nodded. "She knew even before I did, and before Jack from what I can understand. She is a shrewd woman, your sister..."
Theodore was surprised. He had never had any secrets from his sister in all the time they had grown up together, and even as adults he had kept nothing from her. He smiled wryly, recognising how complete her loyalty to her husband was – conceding that it was only right. "Do we know anything about this Stephen Waike?" Theodore asked. "Anything that might help Jack?"
"I dare not make enquiries... it may alert the wrong ears to his true identity," James sighed. "But I will keep my ears open for the name, and I suggest you do the same." He reached for another slice of beef. "James is riding out to the Roseridge plantation tomorrow..."
"Is that wise?" Theodore questioned.
"He has become friends with the daughter of the family – Matilda. She will be relieved to see him safely home and it would look suspicious if he did not visit," James explained. "Especially following Edward's recent death – he must pay his respects..."
"Can we trust him?" Theodore worried, he had not forgotten the boy's outbursts back at Will's bay, nor his sister's response to it.
"Well Jack trusted him enough to release him,' James reasoned. "He has given me his word of his silence – so we will just have to do the same."
Theodore nodded slowly. It was out of their hands any way, but he still worried what would happen if it became known how deep their association with the pirates went.
###
I'm uploading six chapters today... and have four waiting for editing... and then it should be only one or two chapters at most until the end of the tales {sob} Guess I'll have to start doing my housework again!
Sorry if you don't like what I have done to the Governor in this group of chapters... but I had my reasons (as Jack and James explain).
Read on!
###
James' alleged escape and subsequent arrival in Port Royal caused much jubilation at the Governor's household, although Thomas Spense had been disappointed that the boy had not been able to tell him much about where he had been held. He had seen his two grandchildren – Charlotte and Nicolas! His hands ached to hold them, to free them from the pirates that were raising them, but James had been unable to say where he had been held. A sandy bay was not much help if he intended sending men to retrieve the children. He had his suspicions that they were on Tortuga somewhere, but his first agent had not returned and he had been able to find nobody else willing to undertake such a risk since.
He would have liked to have had greater access to the boy, but James Norrington seemingly ensured that he was always out or busy whenever he called. It did not matter – he would find out what he needed eventually, including what the Commodore and Theodore Groves were up to. He knew they were up to something... he could sense it, but what it was he had no idea.
###
James Norrington invited Theodore to dinner that evening. He had spoken to James at length and the boy had insisted that Jack wanted him to tell Theodore everything that he knew – and that was not something he would say with even the slightest chance that they could be overheard. Theodore had wanted to dash back to the bay when he had heard that his sister was missing, but the assurance that Jack was already doing all that was possible had eventually stopped him.
The Commodore looked up as his servant announced Theodore's arrival. It was late and his nephew was already in bed, tired out from all of the questioning he had been forced to endure – even though the majority of it had been for show. He had tried to keep the boy from Thomas Spense, but the Governor had pounced on him as soon as he had left the fort. At least James had not revealed anything to him that he would not already have known. "Show Captain Groves in," he ordered, "and then leave us. We will serve ourselves tonight."
"Yes Commodore," the man bowed, puzzled by the unusual request although he did as he was ordered.
"Theodore," James smiled warmly, standing and offering him a drink as he waited for the servant to leave. Only when they were totally alone did he speak further. Theodore understood the need for caution and waited patiently, sipping his wine as he looked through the window to the small garden.
"James," he nodded. "I understand you have some news that you could not speak of at the fort..."
James Norrington nodded. "Sit." He beckoned towards the table where there meal had been placed ready for them. "I have some news from Jack that I could not tell you earlier... you will understand why..." He beckoned to the food. "Eat... it will get cold!"
Theodore picked up his cutlery, helping himself from the numerous platters. "And the news is..." he prompted, curious about the secrecy.
James Norrington took a deep breath. "Jack is my half brother," he said quickly before his nerve failed him.
"What?" Theodore dropped his fork in shock, too stunned to even pick it up. His jaw hung slackly in amazement.
"A long time ago my father had a brief affair with Rose... Rose Waike as she is truly named..." James began, pausing briefly as Theodore reached for his fork.
"Waike?" he puzzled, wondering for a moment where he knew the name from.
"The London shipping family," he explained. "My father was a Lieutenant at the time, my mother sickly following the birth of Ester." He shrugged. "I do not condone his actions, but it happened. It seems that Rose wrote a letter to my father but never sent it and it had lain, forgotten, in her bible ever since. That is why Jack and Catherine returned to London..."
"Cat knew all this?" Theodore frowned. "About you and Jack and everything?"
James nodded. "She knew even before I did, and before Jack from what I can understand. She is a shrewd woman, your sister..."
Theodore was surprised. He had never had any secrets from his sister in all the time they had grown up together, and even as adults he had kept nothing from her. He smiled wryly, recognising how complete her loyalty to her husband was – conceding that it was only right. "Do we know anything about this Stephen Waike?" Theodore asked. "Anything that might help Jack?"
"I dare not make enquiries... it may alert the wrong ears to his true identity," James sighed. "But I will keep my ears open for the name, and I suggest you do the same." He reached for another slice of beef. "James is riding out to the Roseridge plantation tomorrow..."
"Is that wise?" Theodore questioned.
"He has become friends with the daughter of the family – Matilda. She will be relieved to see him safely home and it would look suspicious if he did not visit," James explained. "Especially following Edward's recent death – he must pay his respects..."
"Can we trust him?" Theodore worried, he had not forgotten the boy's outbursts back at Will's bay, nor his sister's response to it.
"Well Jack trusted him enough to release him,' James reasoned. "He has given me his word of his silence – so we will just have to do the same."
Theodore nodded slowly. It was out of their hands any way, but he still worried what would happen if it became known how deep their association with the pirates went.
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