Chapter 14
"Liz, hurry up! They're going to leave with out us!" Allie demanded. Liz had been doing her hair for the past half hour.
"They are not going to leave us," Liz insisted.
"Well, I'm going to up on deck. I'm sick of watching you do your hair. Will is going to love your hair no matter what it looks like!" Without waiting for a reply, Allie walked out of the door and up the stairs.
Jack was waiting by the gangplank. He turned around when he heard footsteps approaching.
"There ye are, luv. I was wondering where ye was." He looked over her shoulder, then back at Allie. "Where be Liz?" Allie rolled her eyes.
"She's doing her hair, and has been for the past half hour." Jack laughed.
"In that case, would ye allow me to be yer escort for this fine evening, milady?" Jack asked, holding out his arm.
"But what about Liz?" Allie asked. Jack waved one of his hands.
"The whelp's still around here somewhere. They can catch up with us later." Allie grinned.
"You've convinced me, Captain Sparrow," she said, taking his arm.
"Luv, tonight, it's Jack."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Liz placed the last pin in her hair, looked in the mirror, and smiled. Perfect, she thought, I'm ready for a night on the town. Her curls were piled on top of her head immaculately. She stood up and smoothed her pink dress. Liz had already stitched up the small slash from the rail in Rexburg, so the dress looked liked new. She hadn't worn it since the first time on the Pearl months ago. Suddenly a wave of homesickness washed over her and she did her best to hold it back.
There was a knock on the door just as a single tear fell down her face. She wiped it away quickly.
"Come in," she said meekly. Will opened the door and was about to speak but stopped when he saw her. He looked her up and down. Liz blushed from his obvious appreciation.
"Wow Liz…you really do look like a princess." She blushed a deeper shade of pink.
"Um…thank you Will." He continued standing there awe stuck. "Did you need something?" she asked timidly.
"What? Oh yeah. I came to see if you were ready to go. Jack and Allie have already left." She patted her hair once more to make sure nothing had fallen. Then grabbed the little money bag she had found to use as a purse.
"I'm ready when you are." Will gave Liz his arm and they walked out the door.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Allie had no idea where to start looking for a bookstore. She glanced up at Jack.
"Have you been here before?" she asked. Jack nodded, and looked down at her.
"Aye. Ye lookin' for something specific, luv?" Allie nodded.
"Do ye know where a bookstore is?"
"A bookstore? What do ye want to go to a bookstore fer?" Jack asked incredulously. Allie grinned.
" 'Cause I want to buy some books with the money I've got," she said, thoroughly enjoying Jack's reaction.
"Why would want to buy some bloody books?" Allie's grin widened.
"I love reading, Jack. I haven't been able to read in months. Therefore, I would like to go to a bookstore. Please?" she asked, giving him a puppy dog face. Jack rolled his eyes.
"Alright, luv. Let's go get ye a book or two!" A minute later, a bookstore came into view. Allie let go of Jack's arm, and sprinted the rest of the way. When she got inside, she stopped and looked around. Where should I start? she wondered. For the next hour she walked among the shelves, trying to decide which books to buy. She only enough money to buy 2, or at the most, 3. Allie didn't even notice Jack leave.
She finally decided on which books to buy, and she took them up to the front to pay for them. Allie was so glad that she had paid attention in History class when they talked about how money used to work, and just how much a shilling was worth.
After she had paid, she looked around for Jack. He was nowhere in sight. She stepped outside, hoping that Jack was waiting for her out there. When she didn't see him, she sat down on the ground outside the bookshop, opened up one of her books, and began to read.
Meanwhile, Jack had gone to the local smithy and bought Allie a sword. He wanted her to learn how to fight, should the need ever arise.
He walked back to the bookshop, and saw Allie sitting outside, reading. She didn't even look up as he approached.
"Good book, luv?" Allie nodded.
"Yeah," she said distractedly, not looking up.
"Well, ye can read it later. I've got something to show ye."
"Okay," Allie said, but she didn't put the book down. Jack waited for a minute. When she still didn't put the book down, he reached out and took it from her.
"Hey!" Allie complained. "I was reading that!"
"Ye can read it later, luv," Jack said again. He held out a hand to help her up. Allie grasped it and hauled herself to her feet. She bent over and picked up her other two books, then held out her hand for the third.
Instead of giving it back to her, Jack grabbed her hand, pulled her to him, and kissed her.
Allie pulled back immediately and glared at him. "Jack!" she hissed, grabbing her book from him.
"Apologizes, luv. I'll make ye a promise: I won't kiss ye again, until ye ask fer it." He held out his hand. "Do we have an accord?" Allie shook his hand.
"Agreed." Then she noticed that he had another sword attached to his belt. "What's with the other sword?" she asked, letting go of his hand, and pointing at the sword.
"Oh, this one's fer ye, luv," he said, pulling out the sword and handing it to her.
Allie took the sword in amazement. It was lighter than she expected it to be. She looked up at Jack.
"Why'd ye get it for me?" Jack shrugged.
"I thought that ye should learn how to fight, should the need arise. Ye can't fight if ye haven't got a sword." He held out a belt that had a place for a sword. "Put this on, luv."
Allie took the belt, handed her books and her new sword to Jack, and put on the belt. It was a perfect fit. She took her sword back from Jack and slid it into it's proper place. She grinned.
"How do I look?" she asked, turning around. Jack smiled.
"Like a pirate, luv," He handed her books back to her. "Come on, lass. Let's go try to find Will and Liz."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Liz walked around the clothing store, with the store attendant, ogling over all of the dresses. Will followed slowly behind. She had already picked out a few dresses to try on but when she came across a beautiful pale blue dress she knew it was the one she wanted.
"Oh it's gorgeous! Will, isn't it great?" Liz exclaimed quite giddily. He looked at the dress and shrugged.
"I guess so." Liz looked at Will. She could tell he didn't want to be there and was annoyed at something.
"You didn't have to come you know. You were the one who insisted on being here."
"You needed an escort, remember?" Will said matter of factly. Liz rose an eyebrow.
"I could have gone with Jack."
"What's wrong Liz, am I not good enough to take you shopping? Did I ever once say I didn't want to be here? Why are you biting my head off?" He practically shouted at her. The store keeper stood off to the side, mouth gapping, trying not to listen. Liz excused herself and Will then pulled him outside.
"Who's biting whose head off here? You are the one tripping out on me. Have I done anything to offend you, Mr. Turner?" she asked when they were out of hearing reach, "What's wrong, Will?" He sat there silent. Thinking to himself. Finally he spoke up.
"I am sorry, Princess. I guess I was just thinking about bad times in a dress shop with someone else. Which isn't your fault at all. And there have been other things on my mind lately. I apologize for being so crude. The dress is very pretty and I am sure it will look even better once it's on you." He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead then opened the door so they could go back in. "C'mon lots of shopping to do still."
They walked through the door smiling. When they were almost back to the attendant Will stopped walking and looked down at Liz once more.
"Tripping out?" he asked, confused. Liz smirked and kept walking.
"Never mind that, Will." She picked up her blue dress and told the attendant she was ready to try on the dress. He just stared after her as she and the shop helper went in the changing room.
"Turn around miss and I'll help you out of your dress." The young girl told Liz when they were behind the door. Liz panicked. There was a zipper in the back of her dress.
"I can manage to get out of this one on my own. I'll just need your help getting into the blue one." she tried to say calmly. The girl looked at her doubtfully but nodded just the same.
"Will you be needing new undergarments miss?"
"Like what?" The girl looked at Liz like she was daft.
"Corsets, petticoats, slips, and things of other sorts." Liz hesitated. She didn't need any of those things for her modern dress.
"Um well…I guess I'll need everything because I don't have any of it." The girl was perplexed.
"All right miss. I'll be right back." Liz undid the zipper, stepped out of her dress, and hung it on a hook so the zipper was facing the wall. The girl returned shortly with all of the appropriate under things.
"Turn around miss." She put the corset around Liz's middle, the assistant then continued to lace it up the back. She then instructed Liz on how to put everything else on properly. Finally, the dress was put on over everything. Liz looked at the mirror and gasped.
"What's wrong miss? Don't you like it? If it's not too bold of me saying, I think the dress looks wonderful on you." Liz smiled at her.
"It's fine. It's just…is there supposed to be so much um…cleavage showing?" Once again the girl looked at Liz like she was daft.
"Too much? That is one of the highest cut dresses we have. You look great. Let's go show that handsome young man you're with how great you look." The girl walked out of the room expecting Liz to follow. She took a deep breath, well as deep a breath as the corset allowed her, and walked out to show Will her new dress.
He was looking out the window when she entered the main part of the store. The store assistant walked over to him and tapped him on the shoulder.
"We're done now." He turned around and looked at Liz, who was trying to cover her chest up with her hands. "Isn't she a sight? I wish all the ladies who come in here were as pretty as her. It would make my job a lot easier," the girl said, admiring her work. She walked over to Liz and pulled Liz's hands away from her chest. "Stop fidgeting miss. You'll ruin the effect."
Will stared at her for the second time that night appreciatively. He walked over to her, picked up her hand, and placed a kiss upon it.
"You never cease to amaze me, Princess. You look stunning."
"Thank you, Will." She said looking into his eyes. They were having their own little moment; right then they were the only two people on earth when the assistant spoke up once more.
"Will you be needing anything else miss?" Liz was broken out of her spell and looked up at the girl, blushing. Then remembered what else she desperately needed.
"Actually, I was wondering if you had any sleepwear." The store clerk brightened at the mention of another sale.
"Of course miss. Right this way."
By the time Liz was finished, she had purchased a new dress, undergarments, a cloak, shoes, a nightgown, slippers, and some material to make some less fancy skirts to work in. Plus, some ribbons to tie her long hair back with, a cute hat, and a white parasol. She was quite satisfied with the night's accomplishments. They paid the store and left, Will carrying all of Liz's new treasures.
"I can carry those, Will." He grinned.
"What else are escorts for except to carry fair ladies parcels?" Liz laughed.
"You're so silly, Will. I can help though." she said trying to take some boxes.
"You really are stubborn, you know. It's all right. I like helping you out." he said earnestly. "Let's go find Allie and Jack. I think you've spent enough for your first night off the Pearl."