CHAPTER FOUR

Misunderstandings.

Jack woke lazily that morning. The sun was rising slowly over the horizon and it cast a warm glow over Jacks naked chest. He sighed and got up slowly. He threw his shirt on and went to the en suite. He hadn't washed since he had arrived at Port Royale. And, without a doubt he probably smelt like it too. He poured a few jugs of cold water into a bath and sighed. He stripped off and sunk into it, the cool water running over his tanned skin. He lay there for many minutes before getting out and drying himself off. Jack slid his pants and shirt. A smile crept across his handsome face. It felt good to be clean for a change. He began to contemplate how he would spend his day. Pulling his shirt onto his bare skin he began to think. Did Elizabeth actually know what he was going to say to her? Jack was semi-glad that he hadn't told her. It would have been awfully awkward between Jack, Elizabeth and Will if he had of said anything.

Perhaps he would take a walk through the city of Port Royale. Yes, he may find a positively saucy wench to take his mind off his undying love for Elizabeth. Yes! That's what he would do. Although, he doubted it would be possible to take his mind off Elizabeth. Jack sighed and buckled his belt up and tied his red headscarf around his braided head.

He left the room and sauntered down the marble staircase. Jack noticed Elizabeth and Will in the dining room as he passed it. He poked his head in the door.

"I bid yer a farewell" he began "I be goin' out for a walk"

Before they could say anything, Jack swaggered out of the dining hall and into the entranceway. He walked out the door and down the pathway to the wrought iron gates, past the unimpressive topiary hedges, and out the gates.

The cool seaside air whipped Jack in the face. He walked dazedly onto the streets. The shops were just beginning to open for a days trading and people bustled in and out of stores. Mothers with daughters and fathers with sons walked in pairs down the streets. Everywhere, happy couples strode along, hand in hand smiling happily and whispering in one an others ears. Jack sighed. Was there anywhere he could go to get away from love? He had never realised how much there was.

Up ahead he noticed a low building. It was called Josephs Inn. The sign hung on the front said:

Josephs Inn.

Inn closes at dusk.

Does not reopen until dawn.

NO exceptions.

Jack found this place rather intriguing. He pressed on and walked in. It was just like stepping into a slice of Tortuga. Scarlet women presented themselves flirtatiously to men. Normally Jack would be tempted to take up on one of their offers. It was only a matter of time before one of these women walked over to Jack. She leant of his shoulder and whispered something highly risqué in his ear. Seeing this as the only way to take his mind off things he took her up on her offer. He followed her upstairs and into a dark and dingy room. The woman pushed him up against the far wall and did what she was undoubtedly being paid for. Jack was enjoying it, he had to admit, but his mind was not on the woman pleasuring him but on Elizabeth.

After about one hour of sweat, heavy breathing and loud pleasure-filled groans Jack lay on his back. He was bare from his waist down and felt unusually exposed. He had lain like his many times before, but somehow, this time was different. The woman lay beside him, covers over her pale skin.

Looking back on the past hour Jack realised he couldn't even remember any of it. It was as if he wasn't really there. His body was sure enough, but his mind was otherwise occupied.

Jack fumbled around for his pants and slid them back on. He re-buttoned his shirt and slowly slid out of the room. He had just got out of the door when he remembered he had to pay the woman. Although her services had done him no bit of good whatsoever. Jack took out five shillings and placed them on the oak dresser.

Jack made his way down to the main area of the inn. There were still people there but the crowd had since died out and there were only a few stray drunkards left by the bar ordering a few more pints of this and that. Jack made his way to the bar and sat unsteadily on a stool. He signalled the bartender and ordered a glass of sweet rum. He drank it down quickly and slammed the glass down on the bar and ordered yet another. After a few more rounds of rum Jack staggered out of Josephs Inn and out onto the streets of Port Royale.

As he walked in a crooked fashion people stopped and stared. Jack didn't notice this; he was too off his face. He finally staggered into the gates of the Swann Manor. He walked up the stone path and through the door. Will and Elizabeth were enjoying an afternoon's embrace by the fire in the library. Jack stood outside the archway of the library and watched them.

He saw Will peck Elizabeth on the cheek and raise from his seat. Jack guessed he was off to get a drink of some sort. Jack hid behind a stone pillar as Will passed. Once he was out of sight, Jack staggered into the Library and over to Elizabeth.

"'Ello Love." Jack said in a drunken slur.

Elizabeth couldn't decide if he was drunk or whether he was just back to his old self. But, as the next events unfolded she would soon make up her mind.

Jack slinked sleazily towards her. He sat besides her on the armchair. He put an arm around her and leaned his face closer to hers. Before she could move away his mouth was latched onto hers.

Out the corner of her eye she saw Will, before she could pull out of the kiss he was standing over them. He gripped Jack by the scruff of the neck and threw him onto the floor.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" Will yelled at him, enraged. His whole body was shaking from head to toe. Sheer hate glistened in his brown eyes.

Elizabeth stood up and moved over to Will. She touched him on the should but he roughly shrugged her off.

"Get away from me," he said quietly.

Jack lay on the wooden floor and looked up at Will. Jack stood up and initiated a drunken fight with the blacksmith. But, Jack was too slow. Will punched him square in the face. Jack fell to the floor. He could taste blood.

All of this unfolded before Elizabeth's' hazel eyes. Tears fell down her face but Will ignored her completely. Will stormed out of the Library and walked quickly out the door and into the rose garden.

Elizabeth's' first instinct was to go after Will, but seeing Jack laying on the cold floor, blood trickling out of his mouth gave her another thought. She bent down at his side and pulled a white handkerchief out of her dress and wiped his bleeding face clean. Jack re-opened his eyes and looked up at her.

"Why did you do that, Jack?" she asked, an apologetic tone in her voice.

Jack didn't answer but slipped into a faint sleep. She left him there and went to call on a maid.

Meanwhile, Will sat underneath a blood-red rosebush. He replayed the previous encounter through his mind again and again. There he was, with every good intention. He walked back into the room to join his beloved Elizabeth, and found his best friend kissing his fiancée. The whole scenario seemed implausible actually. But why would Elizabeth do this to him? Did she not love him?

Will picked at his fingernails. Tears stung his brown eyes as he thought of the possibilities that lay before him. He could call off the wedding. NO!!! He wouldn't do that! He still loved Elizabeth. He would find a way to sort it all out. Only...did she still love him? Whether she did or not He would make her love him. He had to speak to her. But, he had to leave her to sort out her own emotions. God knows; Will hadn't even sorted out his own yet.

Jack lay on the bed in his room. The well-in-dowd maid Arabella had taken him up there. What had come over him? He had possibly wrecked the engagement between Will and Elizabeth. Wills' enraged face stuck in his mind. He had a look of pure hatred on his face. Jack, as usual, had taken things way too far. What had started as drunken play, turned into something fair more serious. He had to set the record straight. His eyes stung with salty tears. Jack had never cried over a woman before. Oh well, there was a first for everything. The tears fell down his sun-drenched skin and onto his shirt. The black kohl around his bottom eyelids smudged as he wiped the tears away.

Elizabeth sat on her bed, her head in her hands. Her worst fear had been realised. Will, without a doubt would call of the engagement. She felt no hard feelings towards Jack. It all boiled down to too much rum and Jacks not-so-innocent feelings towards her.

It was equally Elizabeths' fault. She could have stopped at any given time, but she didn't. Instead she kept going, deeper, deeper into the kiss. Some part of her actually enjoyed it, but a larger part regretted it immensely. She loved Will like she had never loved anyone before. He was a kind and sensitive man. What he had done to Jack had shown just how much he loved her. He was prepared to knock his best friend off his feet for the woman he loved.

It was all too much for her. She curled up into a tight ball underneath the covers and sobbed. Suddenly she heard the door open. Someone walked in. Elizabeth knew who it was. Will came slowly onto the bed and cradled her sobbing body in his strong arms.

She rolled over and buried her head into his chest. They laid there for about an hour before Elizabeth drifted off into a deep and reassuring sleep.

Authors Notes: This is the longest Chapter so far. I enjoyed writing it. Hope you enjoy reading it. Please R/R
thankyou

xxx