Broken Faith

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone except the roadblock in the relationship of Jack and Elizabeth (aka Henri d'Alphonse, odious villain) Oh, and the pub, I guess.

OC/E, J/E, W/E, N/E

Chapter 10: Second hand news

Jack received the letter while he was in the pub. One of the hands who worked on the Lady Fair had been instructed to bring it to him in exchange for several gold coins. Having dispensed of the boy, Jack looked over the letter. It contained little of note, but it did confirm his suspicions. That Groves himself had recognized the similarities only helped his cause. Jack smiled grimly into his mug of rum. His suspicions had been correct, but they would do nothing but hurt Elizabeth. Still, he owed her as much as an explanation. He owed Will that much. He had little doubt that he would be found dead, strangled by ghostly hands, if he let Elizabeth carry this affair much further. Sipping his rum, he scanned the crowded barroom, and caught sight of the odious Frenchman. As before, he slipped into a slightly secluded booth and waited. Jack sidled closer so that he could hear what was being said, a challenge to be sure in a pub.

Several minutes later, the by now familiar dark figure slid into the booth opposite Henri.

"This had better be good." Henri sounded bored. "I've a governor's daughter to seduce. It pained me to break off our dinner engagement."

"You have bigger worries than whether Mrs. Turner succumbs to your charms." The figure's voice fairly dripped with sarcasm. "Someone knows who you are."

Henri paled slightly, but his voice remained light. "Oh? And how do you know?"

"I have a source inside the fort." and the man reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a tattered piece of paper.

"A letter?" Henri scoffed, not bothering to take the offered piece of paper. "You expect me to be afraid of a letter?"

"Read it, you idiot." And he shoved the paper at Henri, who scanned the page.

"'...I find that the facts surrounding his death are troublesomely hazy. Perhaps you can enlighten me? In particular, I wish to know who it was who killed him'" Jack leaned closer, recognizing his own letter. "'If you have no name, a description will do just as well. Remember, deliver your reply to the Lady Fair. Do not bother sending troops to capture me. I will not be there. Deliver the letter yourself. It will find its way to me.' Terribly fascinating, old boy, but I don't quite understand."

The figure reached across the table and smacked Henri across the face. "What that means-" he pointed at the letter that Henri had dropped on the table "is that someone has figured out who you are. Otherwise, they would not be inquiring about the captain of the Boston. That was you, was it not? If it wasn't, then you're trying to cheat some man out of his rightful fortune. If it was, then you have a problem."

Henri considered this for a moment. "I suppose you are right." He conceded. "We must work faster then."

"Do you have any clue who this could be? Do you recognize the handwriting?"

Henri studied the paper a bit longer. "It is rather strange, isn't it? Sort of slopping. This is someone who isn't used to writing on flat surfaces. Everything is slanted, as though making up for a slope."

The figure looked at him for a moment. "Could the slope be a ship's roll?"

"Perhaps."

"You don't suppose that Sparrow could have gotten wind of this do you?"

Henri laughed. "Jack Sparrow couldn't spell 'cat.' The man is rather ignorant. A good pirate, but no intelligence to speak of." In the dark corner, Jack balled his fists, trying not to lash out at the pompous ass and blow his cover in the process.

"He could have someone write it for him."

"The only person he knows who writes is Elizabeth and this is not her handwriting. Speaking of the charming wench, I have a dinner engagement." Henri stood up, grabbing a coat. Jack did not stay to listen to whatever words passed between Henri and his mysterious 'benefactor.' He tore out of the pub and ran through the streets of Port Royal, heedless of the other people milling about the streets. He only saw the road that lead up the hillside, to a small seaside cottage.

A/N: Aww, its Noble!Jack. Oh, and for the record, the 'mysterious figure' will be revealed before the end. Ah, revenge. It seems to motivate everyone, doesn't it?