All characters and constructs PotC are brought to you by the wonderful world of Disney. Nothing to do with me.
Thank you, elaneon (what happened to your stories?), nanashi, Snake Mistress, Green Bird, and to Mrs. Miniver- aka LadyB. and Rowana, whom I owe deepest apologies for taking my sweet time. Promise the next update will not sit on the back burner so long.
An Answer of Doubt- Part Eleven
Two and a half weeks later, Will came home unexpectedly early. Elizabeth looked up from restitching a hem that had fallen. Unlike so many domestic tasks, she was quite skilled at sewing. Sometimes she did pretend she was mending sails.
"Will! Is everything all right at the smithy?"
"Yes, Jonathon is keeping an eye on things."
"How is his apprenticeship coming?"
"The lad is quick to learn. He might make a fine blacksmith, if he can avoid piracy. A man just delivered this- a letter from Jack."
"What does it say?"
"I have no idea."
"You didn't read it?"
"Twice. You know I can not make heads or tails of his ravings."
"You're still learning our code."
"I will never be able to read either of your minds."
"I'm nearly finished with this one. Will you read it to me, line by line?"
Will smiled and sat on the foot stool near Elizabeth's chair, who continued making tiny, nearly invisible stitches at the hem of her blue dress.
"Dearest Cousin Elizabeth, I do hope this letter finds you well."
"Jack is rather close."
"Do you remember me telling you about the charming young officer I met at the black and white ball?"
"Will! James is with Jack on the Black Pearl! "
"We are spending time together."
"James has been injured, but is recovering."
"I do hope my brothers A and T will approve."
"James wants us to tell Andrew and Teddy that he is perfectly safe."
"Since you are closer to them, than I have ever been, I hope you will have a word with them in our favor."
"Jack wants them to know that James is still in danger."
"The weather here is lovely. "
"The Pearl is in good shape."
"The whole garden is in bloom."
"Jack has a full crew."
"Miss Sylvia-"
"Wait! Miss Sylvia? Miss Forrest, Miss Wood, Miss Tree, mystery! Jack has a mystery to work out. What is the rest of the line?"
"The cat you met on your last visit, has three kittens now."
"There is a mystery concerning three villains, not as bad as Barbossa"
"All of them look like the father, a wild tabby tom that we could not keep out of the garden. "
"Jack is pretty certain there is a fourth villain as bad as Barbossa who controls the other three"
"We have decided that he is welcome there, since he is part of the family now."
"Jack wants to kill the fourth. He thinks the man is a threat to us all."
"Father has taken up oil painting."
"Jack is helping Norrington accept piracy"
"He feels he has mastered landscapes,"
"He thinks James is feeling at home on the Pearl."
"And is working on improving his portraits."
Elizabeth laughs. "James is wearing kohl."
"The portrait he painted of me, has a rather oddly shaped head, at the moment."
"Oh dear! James is wearing his hair like Jack, too."
"However, we all think he has gotten my nose right. "
"Oh my God."
"What? Elizabeth? What happened?"
"It's nothing, Will."
"Obviously it is something. You are flushed!"
"Jack says James kisses like a pirate."
"What! What does that mean?"
"It means William, that Jack likes how James kisses."
"That can not be what that means!"
"Why not? Let me assure you, that- is precisely what -that- means."
"Are you absolutely certain that's true?"
"As you are well aware, I gave that boat a miss, Will. I'll just have to take Jack's word for it now."
"Why 'nose'?"
"Because noses are very close when you kiss."
"So are mouths."
"There are so very many uses for the mouth."
Elizabeth looked pleased. Will felt very uncomfortable.
"Let's just continue. Shall we? I miss the times we've spent together."
"That means he misses us"
"Give William and dear Uncle Weatherby my fond regards."
"Same thing, really"
"Your truest cousin, Caroline"
"That means he was serious about everything, including kissing James and wanting to kill someone."
"What do make of that, then?
"Will, I think Jack might be in love!"
"I think you are both completely mad."
"I'm going to the fort to go speak to Andrew."
"I'll get back to the smithy then. Elizabeth, you're not going to mention about them kissing?"
"No, but I will tell Teddy if I get the chance."
"Elizabeth!"
"Teddy can keep a secret! Besides, it will make his day."
Later that afternoon, Elizabeth, looking a vision in vivid blue, carrying a basket full of muffins, arrived at Andrew's office.
"Mrs. Turner, to what do we owe the pleasure?"
"I wish to speak to you, on behalf of a certain single young lady, in private, please Captain. I brought you a sample of her baking!"
"Ah. Of course. Please do come in, Mrs. Turner."
Andrew escorted her to a chair, and closed the doors behind them.
"You look well Elizabeth. How is Will?"
"We are both well, thank you, Andrew."
"May I ask which young lady, has asked you to speak with me?"
"It is a ruse."
"Excellent! I did not realize that you baked."
"I don't. Picked them up from behind the bakery on my way. I'm afraid that they are quite moldy on the bottoms. I would have brought some you could eat; but they were closed."
"How may I help you?"
"I got a letter from a friend, Andrew. James is with him and wanted you both to know. James feels safe. My friend thinks he is still in danger. There is some sort of mystery involving three men. My friend feels there is a larger villain behind those three men, someone who needs killing. He believes that man is a threat to all of us. My friend will protect James, to the best of his ability. Does any of this make sense?"
"All of it. Is that all you know?"
"I do know about you and Teddy. Never fear that I will come speaking on any young lady's behalf."
"May I ask-"
Elizabeth's eye's twinkled mischievously. "A little mermaid told me." She waited until Andrew rewarded her with a sheepish grin, before continuing. "The way you look at him, Andrew. I noticed when we all met to organize James' defense. Only Will knows, and only because I told him. We are most discrete and happy for you both."
"I see. Would you and Will care to have dinner with us, Sunday, at my house, around seven?"
"We'd love to come! Don't worry, I won't bring anything moldy, or that I've cooked."
"Thank you for a far more charming visit than I expected, Elizabeth. I'll walk you out."
When Gillette returned to his desk, he opened a drawer and pulled out a piece of canvas, that he had received from an informant only last night. An impressive likeness of the man known as Timothy Morley stared back at him.
"I hope to God Sparrow knows what he's doing, James," he whispered, before putting the canvas away again.
...to be continued...
