The Commodore's Daughter
Chapter Fourteen
Regardless of whether or not they had a future, it was all Anna and Jack could do to keep from holding hands and smiling foolishly at each other for the rest of the day. Anna had the uncomfortable feeling that her father saw, but she put the thought firmly from her mind. There were, she reasoned that evening, absentmindedly pouring gravy in her soup and trying to cut her chicken with a spoon, better things to contemplate...
"Anna!" She started and blinked across the table at Thomas. "Are you even here, Anna?" asked her brother. "I'd wager you haven't been paying attention to anything since you woke up this morning!" Anna looked down quickly to hide her blush, but Thomas persisted. "As I was saying before I noticed your absence, Anna, Jack thinks tomorrow is as good a day as any to put our mutiny in motion. We all need to have a meeting after supper to determine our course of action." He cast a swift glance at the commodore, who was studiously eating, and Governor Swann, who had frozen mid-chew at the mention of Jack's name. "All of us," Thomas said pointedly.
"Understood," Norrington replied, carving his chicken into miniscule pieces. "After supper." Mrs. Norrington sighed tragically, and Elizabeth Norrington quavered, "Thomas, surely you don't mean Mama and me, too?"
Anna hid her amusement at watching Thomas fight back his grin. "I do. You need to know what's going to be happening – you're going to be part of it, after all." Elizabeth looked shocked, and Mrs. Norrington nearly fainted in her soup.
Norrington was not happy about the pirates congregating in the dining room, but no other room was big enough for everyone. Anna saw him wince when Gibbs pulled up a chair without being asked, and when Annamaria strolled in and sat on the table, all chairs being occupied, Anna thought her father might well have a fit. But he kept control of himself – he just sat very rigidly throughout the meeting.
Thomas unrolled the map of Port Royal and spread it out on the cleared table, holding it in place with a paperweight at each corner. "We're agreed, then, on the groups plan?" he asked, looking at everyone in turn. "Good. Jack, have you chosen the groups?"
"I have," Jack answered. He sat back and stared up at the ceiling, trying to remember where he'd put his pirates. "Oh, yes – my group, which consists of me, Zhao, Hendrikson, Cotton, and Anna – will blow up the governor's house. Gibbs, you're leading the other group, which consists of everyone else and is going to the second French station." He looked at Thomas and the Turners. "You did say that your good townsfolk would handle the third station."
"They will," Will promised, "or I'll know the reason why."
"Good," Thomas said quickly, before Norrington could interrupt and demand what Anna's part in the plan was. "Governor Swann, you will come with me, Elizabeth, Will, and Father. Hopefully, when we announce that you're here, the citizens will mutiny and overthrow the French at the third main station. We will meet once the station has been taken at the governor's house, which will probably be decimated – however, it's a good site to meet, since everyone can find it. We will rally all three groups together and drive the French away."
"That is an excellent plan," Jack interrupted, "but I have to ask you something, son – what are you planning to do about the French fleet in the harbor? And it's not going to involve the Pearl, lad, I promise you that. I'll risk my life, but not my ship."
Anna thought Thomas' smile was so smug it should be illegal. "No need to put the Black Pearl in danger, Captain Sparrow. When we arrived back here, I went to visit Gillette as soon as I could. He's sent a message to the British fleet that was anchored secretly on the other side of the island, and it will arrive here tomorrow to cut off the French." Thomas looked around the table, smiling complacently at the astonished looks on the faces of everyone there. "So you see, we're perfectly safe. It's as certain as these things can be that we'll win."
"Ah, nothing's certain," Jack said, "except for the fact that someday you'll die." Anna shivered. "But it sounds like a fine plan. One more question – how many of my crew are going to get a stretched neck as reward?"
Dead silence fell in the room, silence that stretched on as Thomas said nothing. Finally Annamaria shoved herself off the table violently. "You promised us," she snapped, "that we would be in no danger, that we were safe!" She spun furiously on her heel and marched out of the room. At the doorway she paused and turned around. "Jack, come on. We should leave now, while we're still safe." Then she went on out the door, slamming it resoundingly behind her. The silence continued for long moments after she had left, her bitter words echoing in the room.
Then Thomas spoke. "I can guarantee nothing," he said heavily, "but I will do my utmost to persuade them that you all deserve to be pardoned. I promise you that, at least, for what it's worth."
"Right," said Jack. "We'll see what happens, then."
"Thank you." Anna looked around in shock – the words had come from behind her. She stared, astounded, at her father. "Thank you," he repeated. Oh, please don't bait him now, Jack, she thought. You have no idea what it cost him to say that.
Jack did not bait the commodore. He looked as astonished as Anna felt, but he said, "You're quite welcome." Anna's jaw hit the floor, and Jack grinned at her innocently.
***
Anna was awoken in the early morning just after dawn by a hand on her shoulder, shaking her none too gently. She opened her eyes blearily to pitch darkness, save for the single candle whose flame showed the person who had woken her to be Annamaria. "What ...?" Anna muttered, barely half- awake.
"Get up. We need an early breakfast to start." Annamaria straightened up and waited for Anna to get out of bed, which she did – reluctantly. Anna reached for her robe, tying it tightly about her for warmth, and then followed Annamaria out of her room and down to the dining room, stumbling on the stairs as she followed the bobbing light of the candle.
They made it downstairs quickly enough, and Anna made straight for the branch of lit candles on the table, where all the residents of the Norrington house were eating a silent meal of porridge and sausages. Anna helped herself to some food and ate, as silent as everyone else. An unspoken thought thrummed throughout the room and inside the mind of everyone: This could be the last meal I eat. Anna shivered, despite the warm silk of her robe and the hot juiciness of her sausage.
Finally breakfast was finished. The would-be rebels held a council of war one last time, Thomas reviewing all three plans of action. Then Norrington led them all to his store of weapons, arming each pirate with an extra pistol or sword and giving the respectable citizens one each as well. The remaining weapons were concealed carefully in the women's large pockets beneath their skirts, which were easily accessible by a slit in the dress' side. "So we're prepared if some of the people of Port Royal have no weapons handy," Norrington explained. Anna watched her father with awe – this was what he had been born to do, command and lead battles. With a sudden sharp ache in her heart, she remembered that he was still due to be court-martialed in less than two months. She and Thomas might have brought back the saviors of the British colonies in the Caribbean, but they had failed their father. She fought back the sudden urge to throw her arms around him and cry.
The arming finished, everyone proceeded quietly through the house until they came to the front door of the house. After breakfast and arming had been finished, the day was just about due to start – the sun was climbing high in the sky like a bird. Anna looked out of the window and felt something grip her heart tightly. It was suddenly hard to breathe. "This is it," she said quietly, but everyone heard her.
Elizabeth Turner looked at Anna, and with a sudden ferocity reached out and hugged her. "I promise we'll see each other again," she whispered. "Don't think of the worst, and it won't happen." Anna's eyes stung with tears, and she returned Elizabeth's fierce hug. She squeezed her eyes shut against crying, but she heard the softly spoken farewells of Will and Thomas, Jack and Gibbs – Jack and Norrington? Anna let go of Elizabeth and craned her neck around. Improbable as it was, her father was clasping Jack's hand, and while he was not smiling, he was serious to the degree that Anna recognized as respect. Thank you, Father, she thought. When he let go of Jack's hand, she went to him and hugged him tightly. "I'll come back, Father," she promised. "I'll come back." Norrington said nothing, but his arms were trembling as he hugged her back.
Then he released her. A quick glance at Will, a shaky smile for Thomas, and Anna's farewells were said.
"Whether we come back from this or not," Will said, "we have done far more than is expected of us. We have done our duty."
Norrington unlocked the doors and pushed them open.
The rebels slipped out into the waking town.
Chapter Fourteen
Regardless of whether or not they had a future, it was all Anna and Jack could do to keep from holding hands and smiling foolishly at each other for the rest of the day. Anna had the uncomfortable feeling that her father saw, but she put the thought firmly from her mind. There were, she reasoned that evening, absentmindedly pouring gravy in her soup and trying to cut her chicken with a spoon, better things to contemplate...
"Anna!" She started and blinked across the table at Thomas. "Are you even here, Anna?" asked her brother. "I'd wager you haven't been paying attention to anything since you woke up this morning!" Anna looked down quickly to hide her blush, but Thomas persisted. "As I was saying before I noticed your absence, Anna, Jack thinks tomorrow is as good a day as any to put our mutiny in motion. We all need to have a meeting after supper to determine our course of action." He cast a swift glance at the commodore, who was studiously eating, and Governor Swann, who had frozen mid-chew at the mention of Jack's name. "All of us," Thomas said pointedly.
"Understood," Norrington replied, carving his chicken into miniscule pieces. "After supper." Mrs. Norrington sighed tragically, and Elizabeth Norrington quavered, "Thomas, surely you don't mean Mama and me, too?"
Anna hid her amusement at watching Thomas fight back his grin. "I do. You need to know what's going to be happening – you're going to be part of it, after all." Elizabeth looked shocked, and Mrs. Norrington nearly fainted in her soup.
Norrington was not happy about the pirates congregating in the dining room, but no other room was big enough for everyone. Anna saw him wince when Gibbs pulled up a chair without being asked, and when Annamaria strolled in and sat on the table, all chairs being occupied, Anna thought her father might well have a fit. But he kept control of himself – he just sat very rigidly throughout the meeting.
Thomas unrolled the map of Port Royal and spread it out on the cleared table, holding it in place with a paperweight at each corner. "We're agreed, then, on the groups plan?" he asked, looking at everyone in turn. "Good. Jack, have you chosen the groups?"
"I have," Jack answered. He sat back and stared up at the ceiling, trying to remember where he'd put his pirates. "Oh, yes – my group, which consists of me, Zhao, Hendrikson, Cotton, and Anna – will blow up the governor's house. Gibbs, you're leading the other group, which consists of everyone else and is going to the second French station." He looked at Thomas and the Turners. "You did say that your good townsfolk would handle the third station."
"They will," Will promised, "or I'll know the reason why."
"Good," Thomas said quickly, before Norrington could interrupt and demand what Anna's part in the plan was. "Governor Swann, you will come with me, Elizabeth, Will, and Father. Hopefully, when we announce that you're here, the citizens will mutiny and overthrow the French at the third main station. We will meet once the station has been taken at the governor's house, which will probably be decimated – however, it's a good site to meet, since everyone can find it. We will rally all three groups together and drive the French away."
"That is an excellent plan," Jack interrupted, "but I have to ask you something, son – what are you planning to do about the French fleet in the harbor? And it's not going to involve the Pearl, lad, I promise you that. I'll risk my life, but not my ship."
Anna thought Thomas' smile was so smug it should be illegal. "No need to put the Black Pearl in danger, Captain Sparrow. When we arrived back here, I went to visit Gillette as soon as I could. He's sent a message to the British fleet that was anchored secretly on the other side of the island, and it will arrive here tomorrow to cut off the French." Thomas looked around the table, smiling complacently at the astonished looks on the faces of everyone there. "So you see, we're perfectly safe. It's as certain as these things can be that we'll win."
"Ah, nothing's certain," Jack said, "except for the fact that someday you'll die." Anna shivered. "But it sounds like a fine plan. One more question – how many of my crew are going to get a stretched neck as reward?"
Dead silence fell in the room, silence that stretched on as Thomas said nothing. Finally Annamaria shoved herself off the table violently. "You promised us," she snapped, "that we would be in no danger, that we were safe!" She spun furiously on her heel and marched out of the room. At the doorway she paused and turned around. "Jack, come on. We should leave now, while we're still safe." Then she went on out the door, slamming it resoundingly behind her. The silence continued for long moments after she had left, her bitter words echoing in the room.
Then Thomas spoke. "I can guarantee nothing," he said heavily, "but I will do my utmost to persuade them that you all deserve to be pardoned. I promise you that, at least, for what it's worth."
"Right," said Jack. "We'll see what happens, then."
"Thank you." Anna looked around in shock – the words had come from behind her. She stared, astounded, at her father. "Thank you," he repeated. Oh, please don't bait him now, Jack, she thought. You have no idea what it cost him to say that.
Jack did not bait the commodore. He looked as astonished as Anna felt, but he said, "You're quite welcome." Anna's jaw hit the floor, and Jack grinned at her innocently.
***
Anna was awoken in the early morning just after dawn by a hand on her shoulder, shaking her none too gently. She opened her eyes blearily to pitch darkness, save for the single candle whose flame showed the person who had woken her to be Annamaria. "What ...?" Anna muttered, barely half- awake.
"Get up. We need an early breakfast to start." Annamaria straightened up and waited for Anna to get out of bed, which she did – reluctantly. Anna reached for her robe, tying it tightly about her for warmth, and then followed Annamaria out of her room and down to the dining room, stumbling on the stairs as she followed the bobbing light of the candle.
They made it downstairs quickly enough, and Anna made straight for the branch of lit candles on the table, where all the residents of the Norrington house were eating a silent meal of porridge and sausages. Anna helped herself to some food and ate, as silent as everyone else. An unspoken thought thrummed throughout the room and inside the mind of everyone: This could be the last meal I eat. Anna shivered, despite the warm silk of her robe and the hot juiciness of her sausage.
Finally breakfast was finished. The would-be rebels held a council of war one last time, Thomas reviewing all three plans of action. Then Norrington led them all to his store of weapons, arming each pirate with an extra pistol or sword and giving the respectable citizens one each as well. The remaining weapons were concealed carefully in the women's large pockets beneath their skirts, which were easily accessible by a slit in the dress' side. "So we're prepared if some of the people of Port Royal have no weapons handy," Norrington explained. Anna watched her father with awe – this was what he had been born to do, command and lead battles. With a sudden sharp ache in her heart, she remembered that he was still due to be court-martialed in less than two months. She and Thomas might have brought back the saviors of the British colonies in the Caribbean, but they had failed their father. She fought back the sudden urge to throw her arms around him and cry.
The arming finished, everyone proceeded quietly through the house until they came to the front door of the house. After breakfast and arming had been finished, the day was just about due to start – the sun was climbing high in the sky like a bird. Anna looked out of the window and felt something grip her heart tightly. It was suddenly hard to breathe. "This is it," she said quietly, but everyone heard her.
Elizabeth Turner looked at Anna, and with a sudden ferocity reached out and hugged her. "I promise we'll see each other again," she whispered. "Don't think of the worst, and it won't happen." Anna's eyes stung with tears, and she returned Elizabeth's fierce hug. She squeezed her eyes shut against crying, but she heard the softly spoken farewells of Will and Thomas, Jack and Gibbs – Jack and Norrington? Anna let go of Elizabeth and craned her neck around. Improbable as it was, her father was clasping Jack's hand, and while he was not smiling, he was serious to the degree that Anna recognized as respect. Thank you, Father, she thought. When he let go of Jack's hand, she went to him and hugged him tightly. "I'll come back, Father," she promised. "I'll come back." Norrington said nothing, but his arms were trembling as he hugged her back.
Then he released her. A quick glance at Will, a shaky smile for Thomas, and Anna's farewells were said.
"Whether we come back from this or not," Will said, "we have done far more than is expected of us. We have done our duty."
Norrington unlocked the doors and pushed them open.
The rebels slipped out into the waking town.