Disclaimer: While I do hold "Pirates of the Caribbean" in high esteem, I
do not own any part of it. So there. Jonathan Weatherby Turner, the
Wenhams, and any servants, however, I do own. I also like to think that my
plotline is at least a little bit original; hence, I own that, too. If
you'd like to use anything that I have created, just contact me and I'll
probably let you. Enjoy!
Jack Sparrow took over the Turner household like a gust of wind, and in a matter of days the servants were all calling him Hannibal Sparrow after the famous Carthaginian conquerer. The female servants were especially fond of Captain Jack, and he more than returned the admiration. Although he was no longer young, his appreciation for the female in all of her glories had not dimmed. Rumors quickly spread about him and the pretty young scullery maid, Helen O'Toole. It was said that more than once Helen brought Jack a bottle of fine wine in his chambers and didn't emerge until the wee hours of the night. Jonathan was well aware of such rumors, but he pretended not to care. Jack Sparrow had not left a good impression on him with their first conversation, and he had since avoided contact with the scallywag.
Since Sparrow's arrival, William had been incredibly generous to his handsome wife. The refined folks looked at her expensive new accessories, hats, dresses, and elaborate bouquets, as a sign of how very much Will had missed Elizabeth while he had been at sea. The servants knew better. Elizabeth had not been pleased when Will had brought Jack home, and she was even less pleased when she found out why. She enjoyed Jack's company in small portions, and found his quirky charm to be endearing at times, but five long months with the pirate under her roof would prove to be quite taxing.
Jonathan had not questioned his father about the Captain's accusations of piracy, but it had been on his mind frequently. With each new gift his mother received, Jonathan inwardly questioned his father's true career. One week after Sparrow's arrival to the Turner home found Jonathan seated in the parlour alone with a map spread in front of him. He was in little mood to study, however. His was trying to decide whether or not he should mention Jack's claims to his father. On the one hand, he wanted to know so that he could prove to Sparrow once and for all that he was completely off target. Yet on the other, Jonathan feared William's positive response to the question. He rubbed his right temple with his fingers while he pondered his dilemma. Suddenly, he stood up. He was twenty-one years old and was darn well old enough to ask his father a simple question. With a stomp of his boot, he headed towards the door, exuding confidence.
"Jonathan, love, Captain and Miss Wenham have just arrived for tea!" Elizabeth said, with an air of excitement. Both parties stopped in their tracks.
"Jonathan Weatherby, I dare say you do not look at all prepared for this meeting. Had you forgotten?" She made a note of Jonathan's unkempt hair and startled expression.
"Of course not, mother. I simply.lost track of time, is all." He responded, his eyes on the floor.
"What is a mother to do, Jonathan? Now quickly, go fix yourself while I entertain your guests." She pecked Jonathan on the cheek, and added, "Do hurry!"
Jonathan nodded and moved briskly up the stairs to his bed chambers. With a shake of the head, Elizabeth went to the front hall, where Captain and Charity Wenham were waiting. As soon as she came into view, she donned a charming smile.
"How very nice to see you again!" Elizabeth cooed as Gerald took the pair's hats. "My son shall join us in just a few moments. Why don't we settle in the parlour and have some tea while we wait?"
When Charity didn't see Jonathan come to greet her with Mrs. Turner, her heart sank. He had forgotten again, which certainly meant that he had no interest in her. Still, at Mrs. Turner's suggestion, she forced a polite smile. "Of course, Mrs. Turner."
As the threesome moved towards the parlour, it was all Charity could do to retain her pleased expression. She could already presume that Jonathan Turner would not be joining them later, as Elizabeth had told her and her father. After an hour of polite chatter, Mrs. Turner would explain that Jonathan had a very pressing business engagement which had kept him from being prompt, and must have held him longer than she expected. With a promise to try again next week, Charity would leave with her father, another small piece of her heart ripped away.
They sat down in the parlour, and an older maid wordlessly followed with a tea tray.
"Mrs. Turner, let me once again praise you on your fine house. It is one of the loveliest in town, if I may say so." Captain Wenham remarked in a gravelly voice.
"You may, and I thank you for the compliment. Mr. Turner has done well to provide."
Captain Wenham and Elizabeth engaged in several brief discussions about food, weather, and clothing for quite some time. Charity occasionally piped in with a quick agreement or laugh, but otherwise remained quiet. She was feeling too rejected to say anything insightful. The sound of the parlour door opening paused the conversation, and Charity's eyes lit up to see Jonathan walking hastily to a seat.
"Captain Wenham, Miss Wenham, let me express my apologies for my tardiness. It is a pleasure to see you both." He said in a nervous voice.
Charity thought Jonathan was, at that moment, the most handsome young man she had ever laid eyes on. He was dressed in a fine suit, and his long, chocolate hair was pulled back neatly. Her pale blue eyes focused intently on his chiseled features, and she blushed when she caught Mrs. Turner steal a glance at her.
Jonathan found Charity to be flawless as well. Her raven hair was arranged fashionably on top of her head, and her robin's egg dress made her eyes seem all the bluer. In fact, he nearly lost his breath when he first walked in and saw her.
Both Elizabeth and Captain Wenham sensed the attraction between their offspring, and neither could be more pleased. Elizabeth was already choosing flowers for Charity's wedding bouquet in her mind. Captain Wenham was envisioning a grandchild on each knee, and a beautiful home to retire to when he could no longer move about.
The conversation after Jonathan's arrival changed very little. Jonathan did not want to bore Charity with his talk of books and maps, and therefore refrained from talking much at all. Charity did not want to seem foolish by chattering too much, and only interjected in conversations when her father motioned for her to. When it was time for the Wenhams to depart, Jonathan felt like he had repulsed Charity, and did not feel like he should humiliate himself by requesting her presence in his home again. Elizabeth, however, had other ideas.
"Jonathan and I would love it if you would join us next Friday for dinner." Elizabeth exclaimed.
"We would be most happy to attend." Captain Wenham responded.
"Splendid. Dinner will be served by seven o'clock. I will have Maurice prepare something exquisite."
When the doors shut behind the Wenhams, Elizabeth turned to her son. "That went remarkably well, don't you think?"
Jonathan's reply was a half-hearted, "I suppose so."
In their carriage, Abner Wenham turned a smiling face to his daughter. "I can hear wedding bells chime already."
Charity smiled, but her heart was heavy. Jonathan had not asked her one question the entire tea, and it was Elizabeth who had extended the invitation to dine with the Turners the following Friday. She was quite certain that Jonathan's interests did not include herself.
A dinner that evening, Captain Sparrow put on sly grin as he looked at Jonathan's blank face. "How'd yer tea with the lady friend work out for you, mate?" He asked, taking a large bite of lamb.
Jonathan looked up at Jack with cold eyes. "That is none of your concern, Mr. Sparrow."
Jack didn't bother to correct the lad on his error in his title, which took some restraint. Instead he placed one elbow on the table and leaned his chin on his fist. "Not well, I take it."
"Jack-" Will warned.
"Because if you want any advice, remember, I'm always available for a friendly heart-to-heart about the ways to woo women friends." Jack winked at Jonathan, whose eyes had changed from just cold to angry.
"That will not be necessary, Mr. Sparrow. Excuse me, but I am quite exhausted. Good night." With those words, he placed his napkin on the table and marched upstairs.
I would thank reviewers, but I did have any last time. It's quite depressing, really. I actually was beginning to like my little story in the last segment, and I was hoping others would feel the same. Ah well. I write not for the praise of others, but for my own personal procrastination pleasure, I suppose. Heh. I hope you enjoyed this selection, and more will come soon!
Jack Sparrow took over the Turner household like a gust of wind, and in a matter of days the servants were all calling him Hannibal Sparrow after the famous Carthaginian conquerer. The female servants were especially fond of Captain Jack, and he more than returned the admiration. Although he was no longer young, his appreciation for the female in all of her glories had not dimmed. Rumors quickly spread about him and the pretty young scullery maid, Helen O'Toole. It was said that more than once Helen brought Jack a bottle of fine wine in his chambers and didn't emerge until the wee hours of the night. Jonathan was well aware of such rumors, but he pretended not to care. Jack Sparrow had not left a good impression on him with their first conversation, and he had since avoided contact with the scallywag.
Since Sparrow's arrival, William had been incredibly generous to his handsome wife. The refined folks looked at her expensive new accessories, hats, dresses, and elaborate bouquets, as a sign of how very much Will had missed Elizabeth while he had been at sea. The servants knew better. Elizabeth had not been pleased when Will had brought Jack home, and she was even less pleased when she found out why. She enjoyed Jack's company in small portions, and found his quirky charm to be endearing at times, but five long months with the pirate under her roof would prove to be quite taxing.
Jonathan had not questioned his father about the Captain's accusations of piracy, but it had been on his mind frequently. With each new gift his mother received, Jonathan inwardly questioned his father's true career. One week after Sparrow's arrival to the Turner home found Jonathan seated in the parlour alone with a map spread in front of him. He was in little mood to study, however. His was trying to decide whether or not he should mention Jack's claims to his father. On the one hand, he wanted to know so that he could prove to Sparrow once and for all that he was completely off target. Yet on the other, Jonathan feared William's positive response to the question. He rubbed his right temple with his fingers while he pondered his dilemma. Suddenly, he stood up. He was twenty-one years old and was darn well old enough to ask his father a simple question. With a stomp of his boot, he headed towards the door, exuding confidence.
"Jonathan, love, Captain and Miss Wenham have just arrived for tea!" Elizabeth said, with an air of excitement. Both parties stopped in their tracks.
"Jonathan Weatherby, I dare say you do not look at all prepared for this meeting. Had you forgotten?" She made a note of Jonathan's unkempt hair and startled expression.
"Of course not, mother. I simply.lost track of time, is all." He responded, his eyes on the floor.
"What is a mother to do, Jonathan? Now quickly, go fix yourself while I entertain your guests." She pecked Jonathan on the cheek, and added, "Do hurry!"
Jonathan nodded and moved briskly up the stairs to his bed chambers. With a shake of the head, Elizabeth went to the front hall, where Captain and Charity Wenham were waiting. As soon as she came into view, she donned a charming smile.
"How very nice to see you again!" Elizabeth cooed as Gerald took the pair's hats. "My son shall join us in just a few moments. Why don't we settle in the parlour and have some tea while we wait?"
When Charity didn't see Jonathan come to greet her with Mrs. Turner, her heart sank. He had forgotten again, which certainly meant that he had no interest in her. Still, at Mrs. Turner's suggestion, she forced a polite smile. "Of course, Mrs. Turner."
As the threesome moved towards the parlour, it was all Charity could do to retain her pleased expression. She could already presume that Jonathan Turner would not be joining them later, as Elizabeth had told her and her father. After an hour of polite chatter, Mrs. Turner would explain that Jonathan had a very pressing business engagement which had kept him from being prompt, and must have held him longer than she expected. With a promise to try again next week, Charity would leave with her father, another small piece of her heart ripped away.
They sat down in the parlour, and an older maid wordlessly followed with a tea tray.
"Mrs. Turner, let me once again praise you on your fine house. It is one of the loveliest in town, if I may say so." Captain Wenham remarked in a gravelly voice.
"You may, and I thank you for the compliment. Mr. Turner has done well to provide."
Captain Wenham and Elizabeth engaged in several brief discussions about food, weather, and clothing for quite some time. Charity occasionally piped in with a quick agreement or laugh, but otherwise remained quiet. She was feeling too rejected to say anything insightful. The sound of the parlour door opening paused the conversation, and Charity's eyes lit up to see Jonathan walking hastily to a seat.
"Captain Wenham, Miss Wenham, let me express my apologies for my tardiness. It is a pleasure to see you both." He said in a nervous voice.
Charity thought Jonathan was, at that moment, the most handsome young man she had ever laid eyes on. He was dressed in a fine suit, and his long, chocolate hair was pulled back neatly. Her pale blue eyes focused intently on his chiseled features, and she blushed when she caught Mrs. Turner steal a glance at her.
Jonathan found Charity to be flawless as well. Her raven hair was arranged fashionably on top of her head, and her robin's egg dress made her eyes seem all the bluer. In fact, he nearly lost his breath when he first walked in and saw her.
Both Elizabeth and Captain Wenham sensed the attraction between their offspring, and neither could be more pleased. Elizabeth was already choosing flowers for Charity's wedding bouquet in her mind. Captain Wenham was envisioning a grandchild on each knee, and a beautiful home to retire to when he could no longer move about.
The conversation after Jonathan's arrival changed very little. Jonathan did not want to bore Charity with his talk of books and maps, and therefore refrained from talking much at all. Charity did not want to seem foolish by chattering too much, and only interjected in conversations when her father motioned for her to. When it was time for the Wenhams to depart, Jonathan felt like he had repulsed Charity, and did not feel like he should humiliate himself by requesting her presence in his home again. Elizabeth, however, had other ideas.
"Jonathan and I would love it if you would join us next Friday for dinner." Elizabeth exclaimed.
"We would be most happy to attend." Captain Wenham responded.
"Splendid. Dinner will be served by seven o'clock. I will have Maurice prepare something exquisite."
When the doors shut behind the Wenhams, Elizabeth turned to her son. "That went remarkably well, don't you think?"
Jonathan's reply was a half-hearted, "I suppose so."
In their carriage, Abner Wenham turned a smiling face to his daughter. "I can hear wedding bells chime already."
Charity smiled, but her heart was heavy. Jonathan had not asked her one question the entire tea, and it was Elizabeth who had extended the invitation to dine with the Turners the following Friday. She was quite certain that Jonathan's interests did not include herself.
A dinner that evening, Captain Sparrow put on sly grin as he looked at Jonathan's blank face. "How'd yer tea with the lady friend work out for you, mate?" He asked, taking a large bite of lamb.
Jonathan looked up at Jack with cold eyes. "That is none of your concern, Mr. Sparrow."
Jack didn't bother to correct the lad on his error in his title, which took some restraint. Instead he placed one elbow on the table and leaned his chin on his fist. "Not well, I take it."
"Jack-" Will warned.
"Because if you want any advice, remember, I'm always available for a friendly heart-to-heart about the ways to woo women friends." Jack winked at Jonathan, whose eyes had changed from just cold to angry.
"That will not be necessary, Mr. Sparrow. Excuse me, but I am quite exhausted. Good night." With those words, he placed his napkin on the table and marched upstairs.
I would thank reviewers, but I did have any last time. It's quite depressing, really. I actually was beginning to like my little story in the last segment, and I was hoping others would feel the same. Ah well. I write not for the praise of others, but for my own personal procrastination pleasure, I suppose. Heh. I hope you enjoyed this selection, and more will come soon!