Chapter Eleven

"William!" Jack called, standing on the beach, cupping his hands around his mouth to amplify his voice, "William!"

He looked around for any sign that Will had been there recently. The crashing waves would have erased any footprints where the land met the water. He noticed further up toward the tree line several footprints that led back into the trees. He wildly dashed toward them as several of his men followed. He plowed through the trees and suddenly saw a small shimmering pool of water- probably collected from the recent heavy rainfall they had received- and lying beside it was Will.

"How are you feeling, Elizabeth?" the commodore asked, sitting in the parlor drinking a cup of tea. They had just returned from the governor's funeral. Most of the port had attended, and by the end, there was not a dry eye there.

Elizabeth took a sip of tea before answering. "As well as can be expected under the circumstances, I suppose."

Commodore Norrington put down his cup of tea and pt his hand of hers. "He loved you very much, Elizabeth. He only wanted the best for you. He wanted you to be safe. You are doing the right thing by marrying me, Elizabeth. He would have wanted it to be this way."

She only nodded.

"Are you going to wear the same dress you wore at your wedding with Will, or do you…"

"Yes," she answered swiftly, as she pulled her hand away and looked out the window. "Yes, I am."

"Elizabeth, you must act happy tomorrow. This is very important- part of the plan. If the killer knew it was all just a plan to keep you safe… Well, they would suspect a trap. Can you do that?"

What difference would it make if the murderer knew" she wondered. And will it not look suspicious to the port if so soon after the death of my husband I can just smile and remarry?

But then, the commodore is probably smarter than I am when it comes to plots and planning, she reasoned.

Commodore Norrington was looking at her expectantly.

"I shall try my hardest."

He smiled and stood up. "Will, I have some business to attend to this morning, and I am having dinner with the new governor, Governor Wilson, later tonight. So, I suppose I'll see you tomorrow morning." He smiled. "At the altar."

Safely back on The Black Pearl, one of Jack's crewmen managed to revive Will. His wounds were cleaned and bandaged and he was given food and clean water. Jack never left his side.

"Well, my boy, it seems that you chose a back time to be injured."

Will, who was lying on a bed, gave him an odd look. "I don't understand."

Jack sighted and shook his head. "You said that you had guessed that Norrington was up to something, correct? You were quite right. He reported your untimely death, saying that you had been killed in Tortuga and that your body had been stolen by pirates. Which is ridiculous, really, what use have we with dead bodies?"

"What about Elizabeth? Does she think I'm dead?"

"Story doesn't end their, mate. Governor Swann, God rest his soul, was murdered a few days ago. My guess is that the most excellent commodore killed him."

Will was shocked. "Norrington killed Governor Swann? Elizabeth thinks that I'm dead, and now her father, I have to get back to her, I have to-"

"Calm down there, lad. We're headed back to Port Royal now. We'll be there by tomorrow morning. Back to the story now, your commodore faked several letters to the governor threatening him and Elizabeth, and he told Elizabeth that it was her father's wish that they marry so he could protect her in the event that he was killed. Poor lass, confused and upset, she agreed."

"She agreed to marry him?"

"She is totally convinced that you are dead and that she is following her father's last wished. They are to be married tomorrow morning out on the docks."

Will struggled to sit upright. "What is the plan?"

"Get into Port Royal. Break up the wedding- which is a real shame as I love weddings, just not the illegal kind. Incriminate Norrington and make sure he gets his just reward."

Will laid back down.

"Sounds good."

Norrington was sickened. 'Will loved you!' and 'He would want this!', but ultimately, he knew that it would all be worth it. All the sickening lies he had to tell her, all the disgusting things he was forced to utter in order for his plan to work. They would all be worth it in the end.

He was marrying Elizabeth.