Chapter Eight

Jack awoke long before the sun rose, in spite of his short night. One of the guards had said something about the festival, and they'd both gone off somewhere. So he was alone. He lay back on the straw to wait and see what would happen. But there was nothing to be done about the cell – Will may have known how to pop the door off, but he sure could put them on, too. It didn't rattle as the old one had. So there was just the waiting part that would do him in. He pulled his hat over his eyes and tried to sleep a little more.

But the sound of shoes on the stones aroused his attention. He sat up in time to see Corinne – a very humble and quiet Corinne – come in.

"Hello," she said.

He stood and bowed from the waist. "Miss Young."

"Jack," she began, "I'm so sorry, I didn't know –"

He silenced her. "It was my own decision, and you are alive, safe, sound, and apparently, in good lodging. It was the least I could do for a lady."

She rolled her eyes. "You and I both know you just wanted to tease the British."

"Yes, and look where it got me. Happened last time, too. Blast."

Her eyes brightened a bit, and she smiled. But the light faded. "I am not sure if Will can get you out of here..."

"Shhh!" he reached through the bars and put a hand over her mouth. She looked back towards the entrance.

"Sorry," she whispered. "Elizabeth had some errands to run, and she directed me to the jail. Will says he can get you out, but I'm not sure. The keys are under lock and key."

Jack grinned. "He got me out last time, lass."

"Oh." She replied. Then, looking at the entrance, she heard voices. "I'd better go, Jack. And I am sorry."

"Goodbye, Miss Young."

"Corinne." She said in return. "Goodbye, Jack."

The streets were crowded with many who were celebrating the anniversary of the founding of Port Royale. It had been thirty years since the first settlers had arrived, and now it was a thriving port of the Caribbean Sea.

Corinne waded through the sea of people and animals, searching for Elizabeth. She'd said she would be at the shop across from Will's...there. They'd spotted each other. Corinne headed towards her cousin.

"I have one more stop, Corinne, but I want you with me this time."

"All right."

"How's Jack?"

"Himself."

Elizabeth laughed. "Then knowing he'll be out soon put him in good spirits, I suppose."

"Yes, I have a feeling that was it."

The next stop was right on the main drag, amidst all the people who were thronging the streets. Elizabeth strode up to the front door of her father's manse and knocked. The butler answered, smiled, and let them in.

It was a grand house, nearly as grand as her own house in England, Corinne thought. But such things meant nothing to her now. She saw through the finery of British wealth easily.

Voices were heard upstairs, a female voice and two male. When they reached the upstairs drawing room, Corinne saw a young woman, about her own age, with brown hair and blue eyes. Then she saw the older man – Elizabeth's father, she knew him well enough – and another man, dressed in the fashion of a commodore.

"Elizabeth!" her father's happily surprised voice drew attention first. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, Father," Elizabeth replied with a slightly annoyed look. Apparently, he still had the exasperating talent of worrying someone to death. She turned to Corinne, who stood just a little behind her, and pulled her forward. "Father, do you remember Corinne? She came to visit us. And the captain who said he lost her at sea lied."

The conversation was dead for a moment. But Elizabeth recovered first, and introduced her cousin to the other two in the room.

"This is Nikole Jones, my best friend from England – you two remember each other –?" They both nodded, offering the other a smile.

"And this is Commodore James Norrington," she cleared her throat, "my father's friend." Alarms went off in Corinne's brain as she realized that this man was the one who had ordered Jack's execution.

"Hello," she greeted them stiffly. "Delighted to meet you." But her words hid her true feelings only so much. The Commodore frowned slightly.

"What happened to you, that this captain desired to lie to me, his superior officer? He will be severely punished."

"I...I was captured by pirates, Commodore."

His face showed little surprise. "I have been trying to crack down on such activities, to prevent similar events from happening."

Nikole spoke. "Tell me, how did you manage to escape?" She asked as Elizabeth and Corinne sat down.

Corinne smiled. "I didn't escape. They brought me back to Port Royale."

The look on the Commodore's face was worth a pirate's treasure, she decided.

Norrington must have decided his business was with other things, and he changed the subject. "Speaking of Port Royale, have you heard about the storm a few days southwest of here?" he asked the Governor.

"Yes," he replied sadly, "And I'm told that the Conqueror was destroyed by that maelstrom."

Corinne perked up. The Conqueror had been the name of the ship that she'd been taken on after being with the Pearl. So it had been utterly demolished. She almost felt bad for them...almost. They may have afforded her all the comforts of a lady, but no one had taken the time to actually do anything with her or talk to her, really. On the pirate ship...well, they hadn't exactly kissed the ground she'd walked on, but she certainly got everything they had, too. And besides that, they had pulled her out of the water the second time, even when they knew she would probably etiquette them to death.

She tuned back into the conversation in time to hear Elizabeth invite Nikole to their house for tea, and she accepted. So perhaps Corinne could catch up a little with one of her cousin's friends...