Usual disclaimers... humph!
###
James Norrington looked up in surprise as his nephew and Matilda Roseridge entered his office, a large book beneath the boy's arm. "Miss Roseridge? James?" he frowned.
James Schott took the book from beneath his arm, revealing it to be a ledger... the ledger of the Roseridge plantation. Smiling, he opened it, turning the pages to reveal the entry in question. "I believe this is what you were searching for Uncle..."
The Commodore read, unable to believe his eyes before slowly looking up at Matilda. "Has James explained this to you?" he asked cautiously.
"James said it was to do with the black ship that attacked Port au Prince... something to do with the Governor." She looked at him worriedly. "You won't hang Mother... will you?" she asked.
He sighed heavily. "If this is what I believe it is, there should be a matching entry in the Governor's ledgers." He smiled at her reassuringly. "I understand your mother has taken to her room following Edward's death? I will not jail her, do not worry, but I may have to ask her some questions... knowingly building a pirate ship is a serious charge." He paused. "But your brother was in control of the ledger then, was he not?" he said kindly.
"You would accuse my brother?" she gasped, misunderstanding his comment.
James Norrington shook his head. "No. We both know that your mother would have been behind this, not your brother. But by acknowledging Edward as being in control of the ledgers would clear your mother of any responsibility..."
"I see," she nodded, finally understanding his kindness. "Thank you... these past weeks have been hard on her."
"Morven!" James Norrington called for his clerk. "I want you to find Captain Groves immediately." He paused, realising he would have to leave some protection for the children. James was not quite a teenager and Matilda a few years younger... they would have to have some guards. He smiled, realising the two marines he could rely on. "Also bring Murtogg and Mullroy," he ordered. "I do not care what they are doing, they are to come at once!"
"Yes Sir," Angus Morven nodded, wondering what had put the Commodore in such a good mood as he hurried to obey.
###
"Jimmy, you're a marvel!" Theodore grinned as he read the ledger, turning to the Commodore. "When do we move?"
"When two others arrive..." He looked up as the two marines knocked on the door, entering cautiously.
"You wanted to see us Sir?" Murtogg asked.
James Norrington smiled. "I have not forgotten your loyalty to Mistress Sparrow when she was jailed here," he said, "and as such I thought of the two of you for an equally sensitive job."
"Sir?" Murtogg puzzled.
"I want you to guard these two children," he ordered. "You are to lock yourself in my office. Nobody is to enter unless they are with myself or Captain Groves – and that includes everybody up to and including the Governor. If anybody tries to force the door you are to shoot them." Matilda gasped in shock at his order for she had not considered that they would be in any danger.
"Yes Sir!" Murtogg acknowledged, clearly puzzled.
"And if anything happens to this book..." he warned, locking it safely within his desk, "you will think hanging is a mercy – do I make myself clear?"
"Perfectly clear Sir," the two men said in unison.
The Commodore pocketed the key safely within his jacket. "Come Captain, let's find some men and pay the Governor a visit..."
###
"This is an outrage!" Thomas Spense shouted as James Norrington forced his way into the mansion, pushing aside the butler Forester as he entered.
"Men!" The Commodore nodded to the troops that they had chosen. With the help of Theodore and Lieutenant Eccleston, they had easily found enough men that were not in the Governor's control. The marines raised their rifles.
"Commodore!" Thomas exploded, advancing towards him. A number of clicks as rifles were readied persuaded him to stop.
"Governor," he acknowledged, turning to face him. "Your butler here will escort me to where you keep your ledgers. Captain Groves will remain here to see that you do not leave."
"My ledgers... but why?" he protested, a glimmer of understanding in his eyes. "I forbid this!"
"Governor!" James Norrington stood before him, nose to nose. "I have information which leads me to suspect that you have been dealing with pirates – French pirates at that. With the recent experience of your daughter in mind I sincerely suggest you bide your tongue!" For a moment he thought the Governor would explode with rage, his face beetroot with anger. "Forester, the ledgers!"
"Commodore," Forester acknowledged, nodding to the Governor as he lead the way into the Governor's study. He opened a cupboard, drawing forth a heavy book which he placed on the Governor's desk. He made to leave but James Norrington bade him remain.
"Stay," he ordered. "I would not have the Governor try to claim that I had inserted any entry..." His hands trembled as he flicked backwards to the previous summer. Mister F de Neuilly of New Orleans... a similar amount to that paid by Nanette Roseridge. "Please confirm this entry," he said, pointing to it for the butler.
"Mister F de Neuilly, New Orleans," he read.
"Thank you," James Norrington smiled, closing the ledger and holding it tightly beneath his arm. "We will be leaving now, and I will require you to accompany us to the fort."
"Of course Commodore." The butler was no stranger to the shifting changes of power at the Governor's mansion and quickly realised that it had shifted again.
They returned to the lobby where the marines still surrounded the Governor. He glared at James Norrington. "You know that I know," James smiled. "Now you can either come quietly with me to the fort or I will have you manacled... what will it be?"
An angry tic flickered across his face, but he knew that he was beaten. Belatedly he realised what the Commodore and Captain Groves had truly been after. "I will come quietly," he said, but his eyes glared at the two officers. "This is not over yet!"
"For you it is," James Norrington smiled, nodding to his men to lower their weapons. They marched back to the fort, the Governor and his butler with them, looking to all as if it was just a normal visit. He knocked on his own office door. "It is me," he announced, waiting whilst the door was unlocked.
The two men were ushered inside. "Lieutenant Eccleston, ensure that we are not disturbed," the Commodore ordered.
"Yes Sir," he acknowledged, arranging the marines outside of the door. For a moment he looked wistfully towards the office as Theodore shut it from the inside, wondering what was being said behind it.
###
Thomas Spense looked in surprise at the two children in the Commodore's office, ignoring the two marines that stood to attention. He stood, silently, as James Norrington went to his desk and withdrew another ledger. He opened one and then the other to the same date.
"It appears that you have paid a large sum of money to Mister F de Neuilly of New Orleans, a figure matched by Mistress Roseridge." He sighed. "I understand that this gentleman is a shipwright, is he not?" Thomas Spense glared at him. "I'll take that as a yes," he smiled. "Now, I have two English notables, spending a large amount of money in New Orleans. I also know that a ship was built in New Orleans – a ship deliberately designed to mimic the Black Pearl." He held up his hand as the Governor opened his mouth to protest. "Do not think me a fool," he warned. "I have stood on the decks of this ship and was involved in the capture of Louis Lact. The same Louis Lact that was the lover of your disgraced daughter. Your grudge with the Sparrows is well known to me, and I can easily guess how you enticed the Mistress Nanette into your plot..."
The Governor knew he was trapped and that there was no way he could bluff his way out of the situation. "What do you want?" he snarled.
"A signed confession of your involvement in the building of this ship and of your knowing involvement with a French pirate," James Norrington smiled.
"Never!" he protested.
"Oh, I think you will," the Commodore assured him, "else I will send details of this to London. I am sure His Majesty will be very interested in the matter..."
For a moment he looked as if he would argue again, but then he nodded, sighing heavily. "And what will you do if I sign?" he asked.
"Nothing," James Norrington smiled, delighting in the shock on his face. "I will keep the paper and these two ledgers safely as evidence in case you decide to partake in such activities again... if you do, then I will see you hang." He took a deep breath, fearing his next request would cause the Governor to balk. "You will also cease your feud against the Sparrows, granting the Black Pearl a pardon and regranting them their privateer status at a future date when they ask for it." He knew that if they were going after Stephen Waike then they would be attacking English ships, so they would need the paper to be written after they had hopefully found Catherine.
"Nev..." Thomas Spense began, but he fell silent when he remembered the threat of the Commodore. "These are your only two demands?" he asked cautiously.
"Unless I feel the need to make another in the future," James Norrington smiled, "although I would suggest you stay away from the Roseridge plantation in case I mistake an innocent visit for another plot hatching..."
"And my ledger?" the Governor asked hopefully.
"That will be retained, as will the ledger of the Roseridge plantation... although I will ensure that copies are made so that you are not inconvenienced. I warn you though, that your confession and the ledgers will be kept at separate locations. If you attempt to retrieve one, then the other will be sent to the King!"
Thomas Spense knew that he was beaten. He would do what James Norrington wanted, realising sourly that he had no choice.
###
"I don't understand Uncle?" James Schott puzzled over dinner that evening. The Governor had signed his confession and the ledgers and the confession were held securely in separate locations. "Why did you not hang him? After all he has done?"
James Norrington smiled affectionately at his nephew. "It was something that Jack said," he explained. "To have the Governor under our control is useful, and far better than the risk of a new Governor being sent from London. And this will regain the Black Pearl privateer status..."
"But why did you say later? Why not now?" he asked.
"Because if Jack is going after Stephen's ships... they are English..." he said.
"And if he attacked them after becoming a privateer he would be a pirate again... yes?" he frowned.
"Exactly!" James Norrington smiled. "And now that Mistress Roseridge has been contained... it is one of the best results we could have wished for." He sighed, hoping that Theodore would return soon. He had gone secretly to Tortuga once the confession had been signed, taking the ledgers with him to Will's home where they would be kept and he would be returning with Kasia and his daughter. James Norrington smiled, sensing a wedding in the air as soon as Catherine was found.
###
###
James Norrington looked up in surprise as his nephew and Matilda Roseridge entered his office, a large book beneath the boy's arm. "Miss Roseridge? James?" he frowned.
James Schott took the book from beneath his arm, revealing it to be a ledger... the ledger of the Roseridge plantation. Smiling, he opened it, turning the pages to reveal the entry in question. "I believe this is what you were searching for Uncle..."
The Commodore read, unable to believe his eyes before slowly looking up at Matilda. "Has James explained this to you?" he asked cautiously.
"James said it was to do with the black ship that attacked Port au Prince... something to do with the Governor." She looked at him worriedly. "You won't hang Mother... will you?" she asked.
He sighed heavily. "If this is what I believe it is, there should be a matching entry in the Governor's ledgers." He smiled at her reassuringly. "I understand your mother has taken to her room following Edward's death? I will not jail her, do not worry, but I may have to ask her some questions... knowingly building a pirate ship is a serious charge." He paused. "But your brother was in control of the ledger then, was he not?" he said kindly.
"You would accuse my brother?" she gasped, misunderstanding his comment.
James Norrington shook his head. "No. We both know that your mother would have been behind this, not your brother. But by acknowledging Edward as being in control of the ledgers would clear your mother of any responsibility..."
"I see," she nodded, finally understanding his kindness. "Thank you... these past weeks have been hard on her."
"Morven!" James Norrington called for his clerk. "I want you to find Captain Groves immediately." He paused, realising he would have to leave some protection for the children. James was not quite a teenager and Matilda a few years younger... they would have to have some guards. He smiled, realising the two marines he could rely on. "Also bring Murtogg and Mullroy," he ordered. "I do not care what they are doing, they are to come at once!"
"Yes Sir," Angus Morven nodded, wondering what had put the Commodore in such a good mood as he hurried to obey.
###
"Jimmy, you're a marvel!" Theodore grinned as he read the ledger, turning to the Commodore. "When do we move?"
"When two others arrive..." He looked up as the two marines knocked on the door, entering cautiously.
"You wanted to see us Sir?" Murtogg asked.
James Norrington smiled. "I have not forgotten your loyalty to Mistress Sparrow when she was jailed here," he said, "and as such I thought of the two of you for an equally sensitive job."
"Sir?" Murtogg puzzled.
"I want you to guard these two children," he ordered. "You are to lock yourself in my office. Nobody is to enter unless they are with myself or Captain Groves – and that includes everybody up to and including the Governor. If anybody tries to force the door you are to shoot them." Matilda gasped in shock at his order for she had not considered that they would be in any danger.
"Yes Sir!" Murtogg acknowledged, clearly puzzled.
"And if anything happens to this book..." he warned, locking it safely within his desk, "you will think hanging is a mercy – do I make myself clear?"
"Perfectly clear Sir," the two men said in unison.
The Commodore pocketed the key safely within his jacket. "Come Captain, let's find some men and pay the Governor a visit..."
###
"This is an outrage!" Thomas Spense shouted as James Norrington forced his way into the mansion, pushing aside the butler Forester as he entered.
"Men!" The Commodore nodded to the troops that they had chosen. With the help of Theodore and Lieutenant Eccleston, they had easily found enough men that were not in the Governor's control. The marines raised their rifles.
"Commodore!" Thomas exploded, advancing towards him. A number of clicks as rifles were readied persuaded him to stop.
"Governor," he acknowledged, turning to face him. "Your butler here will escort me to where you keep your ledgers. Captain Groves will remain here to see that you do not leave."
"My ledgers... but why?" he protested, a glimmer of understanding in his eyes. "I forbid this!"
"Governor!" James Norrington stood before him, nose to nose. "I have information which leads me to suspect that you have been dealing with pirates – French pirates at that. With the recent experience of your daughter in mind I sincerely suggest you bide your tongue!" For a moment he thought the Governor would explode with rage, his face beetroot with anger. "Forester, the ledgers!"
"Commodore," Forester acknowledged, nodding to the Governor as he lead the way into the Governor's study. He opened a cupboard, drawing forth a heavy book which he placed on the Governor's desk. He made to leave but James Norrington bade him remain.
"Stay," he ordered. "I would not have the Governor try to claim that I had inserted any entry..." His hands trembled as he flicked backwards to the previous summer. Mister F de Neuilly of New Orleans... a similar amount to that paid by Nanette Roseridge. "Please confirm this entry," he said, pointing to it for the butler.
"Mister F de Neuilly, New Orleans," he read.
"Thank you," James Norrington smiled, closing the ledger and holding it tightly beneath his arm. "We will be leaving now, and I will require you to accompany us to the fort."
"Of course Commodore." The butler was no stranger to the shifting changes of power at the Governor's mansion and quickly realised that it had shifted again.
They returned to the lobby where the marines still surrounded the Governor. He glared at James Norrington. "You know that I know," James smiled. "Now you can either come quietly with me to the fort or I will have you manacled... what will it be?"
An angry tic flickered across his face, but he knew that he was beaten. Belatedly he realised what the Commodore and Captain Groves had truly been after. "I will come quietly," he said, but his eyes glared at the two officers. "This is not over yet!"
"For you it is," James Norrington smiled, nodding to his men to lower their weapons. They marched back to the fort, the Governor and his butler with them, looking to all as if it was just a normal visit. He knocked on his own office door. "It is me," he announced, waiting whilst the door was unlocked.
The two men were ushered inside. "Lieutenant Eccleston, ensure that we are not disturbed," the Commodore ordered.
"Yes Sir," he acknowledged, arranging the marines outside of the door. For a moment he looked wistfully towards the office as Theodore shut it from the inside, wondering what was being said behind it.
###
Thomas Spense looked in surprise at the two children in the Commodore's office, ignoring the two marines that stood to attention. He stood, silently, as James Norrington went to his desk and withdrew another ledger. He opened one and then the other to the same date.
"It appears that you have paid a large sum of money to Mister F de Neuilly of New Orleans, a figure matched by Mistress Roseridge." He sighed. "I understand that this gentleman is a shipwright, is he not?" Thomas Spense glared at him. "I'll take that as a yes," he smiled. "Now, I have two English notables, spending a large amount of money in New Orleans. I also know that a ship was built in New Orleans – a ship deliberately designed to mimic the Black Pearl." He held up his hand as the Governor opened his mouth to protest. "Do not think me a fool," he warned. "I have stood on the decks of this ship and was involved in the capture of Louis Lact. The same Louis Lact that was the lover of your disgraced daughter. Your grudge with the Sparrows is well known to me, and I can easily guess how you enticed the Mistress Nanette into your plot..."
The Governor knew he was trapped and that there was no way he could bluff his way out of the situation. "What do you want?" he snarled.
"A signed confession of your involvement in the building of this ship and of your knowing involvement with a French pirate," James Norrington smiled.
"Never!" he protested.
"Oh, I think you will," the Commodore assured him, "else I will send details of this to London. I am sure His Majesty will be very interested in the matter..."
For a moment he looked as if he would argue again, but then he nodded, sighing heavily. "And what will you do if I sign?" he asked.
"Nothing," James Norrington smiled, delighting in the shock on his face. "I will keep the paper and these two ledgers safely as evidence in case you decide to partake in such activities again... if you do, then I will see you hang." He took a deep breath, fearing his next request would cause the Governor to balk. "You will also cease your feud against the Sparrows, granting the Black Pearl a pardon and regranting them their privateer status at a future date when they ask for it." He knew that if they were going after Stephen Waike then they would be attacking English ships, so they would need the paper to be written after they had hopefully found Catherine.
"Nev..." Thomas Spense began, but he fell silent when he remembered the threat of the Commodore. "These are your only two demands?" he asked cautiously.
"Unless I feel the need to make another in the future," James Norrington smiled, "although I would suggest you stay away from the Roseridge plantation in case I mistake an innocent visit for another plot hatching..."
"And my ledger?" the Governor asked hopefully.
"That will be retained, as will the ledger of the Roseridge plantation... although I will ensure that copies are made so that you are not inconvenienced. I warn you though, that your confession and the ledgers will be kept at separate locations. If you attempt to retrieve one, then the other will be sent to the King!"
Thomas Spense knew that he was beaten. He would do what James Norrington wanted, realising sourly that he had no choice.
###
"I don't understand Uncle?" James Schott puzzled over dinner that evening. The Governor had signed his confession and the ledgers and the confession were held securely in separate locations. "Why did you not hang him? After all he has done?"
James Norrington smiled affectionately at his nephew. "It was something that Jack said," he explained. "To have the Governor under our control is useful, and far better than the risk of a new Governor being sent from London. And this will regain the Black Pearl privateer status..."
"But why did you say later? Why not now?" he asked.
"Because if Jack is going after Stephen's ships... they are English..." he said.
"And if he attacked them after becoming a privateer he would be a pirate again... yes?" he frowned.
"Exactly!" James Norrington smiled. "And now that Mistress Roseridge has been contained... it is one of the best results we could have wished for." He sighed, hoping that Theodore would return soon. He had gone secretly to Tortuga once the confession had been signed, taking the ledgers with him to Will's home where they would be kept and he would be returning with Kasia and his daughter. James Norrington smiled, sensing a wedding in the air as soon as Catherine was found.
###