The next three months, Port Royal saw a change in Miss Kathleen Constance Audubon. It started with learning to sew. She read for three weeks the books on sewing, memorizing each page. Then she began to cut into the black and white fabric. Her room was a mess with butcher paper and fabric as she crawled on her hands and knees. One day, her frizzy hair was once again falling in her face. Frustrated she took out the pins and combs and thought as she looked at it in her full length mirror,
'You know, maybe I should just chop it all off!' Then she eyed the scissors and her reflection.
"MISS KATHLEEN!" shrieked Elsie dropping the linens when he came into her room. With her hand over her mouth, she saw the young woman run a hand over her curly, wavy hair that now reached only the bottom of her neck.
"Oh Elsie! Don't be so dramatic!" tutted Kathleen as she walked pass her to go down for supper. Josephine laughed when she saw her,
"What on Earth have you done?" Sitting down at the dinner table, Kathleen explained,
"I got tired of having frizz for hair. My hair's too thick for the Caribbean! I like it!" Still in shock, Uncle Thomas said,
"You know...I like it too!"
"You do?" asked both girls.
"It suits you. The layers frame your face well." he said.
"Oh please! She'll be the laughing stock of the Caribbean!" cried Josephine.
"Josephine!" warned Thomas.
"Don't worry about it Uncle. Josephine can't help it she's a slave to others approval." said Kathleen. Shutting Josephine up, Kathleen went on to say,
"So Uncle have you seen the doctor about the tingling in your hand?"
"He said it was fine." said Thomas turning to his broth as Mrs. Wiggins eyed Kathleen warily.
That was the first incident that made Port Royal differentiate Kathleen from her cousin. The second was when Port Royal noticed she liked to walk in the rain. Not heavy rain, but the light trickle that would fall from the heavens. It definitely raised an eyebrow or two. As for Kathleen, it was something she always wanted to do since childhood. It made her feel playful and happy. Of course, all this walking, made Kathleen's waist smaller than her bosom. But she failed to notice since she was still not as skinny as most girls. But Port Royal noticed.
"Have you seen Kathleen Audubon? She looks wonderful! Who knew she had such a lovely figure?"
"Yes and that short hair of hers looks perfect all the time! I wish I had the guts to cut my hair short!" The girls of Port Royal would say.
Then she began to raise some eyebrows when she asked people to dance at parties. She! A woman! Mostly the older men, who watched the dancing with longing.
"Would you like to dance sir?" Kathleen would ask. The old man's eyes would light up as he said yes. One commented to her on the dance floor.
"You know, it's nice to have nice young people take notice of us old relics! Especially one's so pretty!"
"Thank you sir!" she said smiling. As she would waltz pass, Governor Swann would say to her Uncle,
"A truly remarkable and beautiful young lady, Sir Thomas."
"Thank you Governor. I'm proud of both my girls!" he would say smiling widely. Of course, once the Governor had confirmed Kathleen, all Port Royal began to see her as such. Beautiful. Then the day came when Kathleen had finished her first dress. Her Uncle and cousin were waiting in the foyer, when she came down. Both gasped. It was a creation with a white background and black lace on the bodice. Black filigree circled the skirt in a bold style. She even placed all white flowers in her hat and replaced the ribbon with black lace tied behind her head.
"Kathleen! You look sensational!" cried Uncle Thomas. Josephine just squeaked,
"I don't believe it!"
"For a moment, I thought my precious baby sister had come back to life!" said Thomas taking her hands. Blushing, she said,
"Thank you Uncle." He grabbed his hat and said,
"Come! We mustn't be late for the Governor's picnic." he said ushering her out. But unknowingly, he shut the door behind him leaving Josephine inside.
"DADDY!" she whined in shock. Opening the door hastily, he said,
"Oh Josephine! Darling, I do apologize! I didn't see you!" As she stomped out, she saw Kathleen looking up towards the heavens with an innocent smirk on her face.
"EERRR!" she grunted getting into the carriage. If Josephine thought she would feel any better at the picnic, she was wrong. All eyes where upon them as the came up to the picnic. Rushing up to her, dragging poor Will behind her, Elizabeth exclaimed,
"Kathleen! You look gorgeous!"
"Thank you Elizabeth!" said Kathleen as Josephine rolled her eyes under her parasol.
"I think I made a mistake not having you do my wedding dress! Doesn't she look nice Will?" said Elizabeth. He could have just nodded and said,
"Yes Elizabeth." But Kathleen and Josephine saw his eyes go up and down her body.
"Yes Elizabeth. She does." he said. Now Will loved Elizabeth more than anything, Kathleen knew this. But to think that as a man, he wouldn't notice, is foolishness. Kathleen didn't know what he meant by his look. But Josephine did. She knew that look. He found her attractive enough for a long second look. When a woman realizes this look exists, it leaves a very affirming feeling. No one noticed the young man walk up to them.
"If you'll excuse me Miss Swann. Mr. Turner." Smiling at the young man, Josephine said,
"Why Harry! Oh delightful to see you!"
"Hello Josephine. Miss Audubon! I just had to come up and compliment you on your dress!" Harry said pushing aside a stunned and crestfallen Josephine to come up to Kathleen. Harry was not the first. By the end of the afternoon, all the young single men were gathered around Kathleen. Munching on some grapes, Josephine was scowling when one young man getting some punch for Kathleen said to her,
"Your cousin is so fascinating! Intelligent, witty, beautiful!"
"Yes...we ALL love Kathleen!" breathed Josephine. But once Edward Darling started paying her attention again, she soon forgot all about Kathleen. That is until the next day when she went in for a dress fitting. She overheard the Todd girls complain to their mother,
"But Mother! I want a black and white dress like Kathleen Audubon's!" one cried. What?
"Yes Mother, it was so lovely!" said the other. Oh no.
"You girls will do no such thing! No girl of mine will look like a gypsy bride in moarning.!" said their Mother.
"But Mother!" they cried as Josephine was stunned. But not as stunned as when Commodore came to visit the next day.
"Commodore! I wasn't expecting you! I'm afraid none of the servants are about to serve you!" said Josephine ushering him inside.
"That is quite alright." he said.
"So have you caught that pirate yet?" asked Josephine. He flinched and said,
"I'm afraid not. Do give my apologies to your father."
"I most certainly shall James!" she cooed. Sensing her releasing the snares, he looked around the foyer saying,
"Actually, I came by to call upon your cousin Miss Evans." Her face fell.
"Kathleen?" she asked.
"Is she home?" he asked. Josephine smiled and said,
"No! I'm afraid you just missed her! You know how she likes to walk in the rain!"
"Then I shall come back..."
"Commodore? Is that you?" asked Kathleen coming down the stairs in a dress of black background and thinner white strips running all the way down it vertically. He quirked an eyebrow at Josephine who said,
"Cousin! Darling! You're home!" she said.
"Of course I am! I've been home all day!" said Kathleen coming off the stairs. Norrington shot the sheepish Josephine a knowing look before he did a double take at seeing Kathleen. His eyes went up and down her body as he said,
"You look stunning, Miss Audubon." Noting his glance, she said,
"Thank you Commodore."
"Please. Call me James."
"Only if you call me Kathleen!" she laughed. When the Commodore left an hour later, Kathleen turned to Josephine and said,
"Cousin, are you all right? Your eye is twitching!"
"I'm perfectly fine!" she huffed before stomping into the house. It was no surprise to the household, when Josephine accepted Edward Darling's proposal the next day.
Meanwhile, as this revolution took place in Kathleen's life, she did the one thing she wanted to do most. She daydreamed about Captain Jack Sparrow. She often found herself drawing his eyes instead of a new dress design. She still wondered why he was attracted to her, but more because of his reputation with women than her looks. She allowed herself wonderful fantasies where he would stand below her balcony and call,
"Kathleen! Darling, please come away with me!"
"To the end of the Earth Captain!" Then she would jump off the balcony and land gracefully in his strong arms. Then he would kiss her and walk off with her down to his waiting ship on the beach.
But soon she would snap herself out of her daydreams. It was silly to think he would want more than a night with her. Still she would often lean against her bedroom window, playing with his handkerchief, picturing his face in the setting sun and watching for black sails on the horizon.
Then came the fateful day the fabric arrived from England. A bolt of red-violet with a red companion. Elizabeth had brought it with her to Kathleen's house.
"Oh Elizabeth! It's lovely!" said Kathleen feeling the fabric.
"I'm afraid I can only stay a moment. I have to go to a fitting!" said Elizabeth rolling her eyes. Kathleen laughed,
"Thank you for bringing it to me!"
"Well, I want to see this dress completed. It's been a while since I've seen you in color!" she said eyeing her white and black evenly striped bodice, with a white skirt, a black train in the back topped with a bow and black sleeves. Kathleen shrugged,
"Well, once I got started, it was hard to stop!" Both girls laughed as Uncle Thomas came down the stairs saying,
"What are you two going on about?"
"Nothing Uncle!" said Kathleen.
"Well I better be off!" said Elizabeth turning to leave.
"Wait I'll walk you out!" said Uncle Thomas walking to the door.
"Oh, thank you Sir Thomas!" said Elizabeth.
"Are you excited about your upcoming wedding?" asked Uncle Thomas.
"Yes, I still can't believe it's a month away!" said Elizabeth.
"You're not going riding with your hand acting up are you?" Kathleen asked with her hands on her hips.
"Oh, a little exercise will do it some good!" he said as he flexed it and shut the door leaving Kathleen alone in the house. As Elizabeth's carriage rode away, and Uncle Thomas left on his horse, a tall figure sitting on the roof smiled. He took a quick swig of rum out of his flask and headed around to the large balcony in the back.
Inside, Kathleen walked up the stairs to her room. But she didn't want to sew right now. She wanted to daydream about a certain pirate captain. Leaning against the railing, she sighed happily. It gave her such a freeing, rebellious feeling to think about a pirate as a possible romance. She felt so deliciously scandalous! She sighed again noting how it was going to rain, when she heard from above her,
"Penny for your thoughts Luv." She gasped and spun around. And wouldn't you know, there, sitting on the roof was the good looking rascal himself! He smiled down at her as she said,
"Jack!...Err...Captain Sparrow! What are you doing here?" He stood up on the roof and pointed down at her,
"I came back early!"
"Why?" she asked nervously. Jumping down onto the railing, he stumbled a bit before finding his balance. She gasped at this and fell silent when he turned to look at her and said,
"Because YOU have not left me a moments peace since I met ye!" he said.
"Me?"
"Aye you! You're in me dreams at nights, you're in my thoughts during the days, you're bloody everywhere!" he said walking the foot wide stone railing.
"Do you have to do that?" she asked knowing he was going to fall any minute. She began to back up into the room when he said,
"Frankly my dear, you have been a pleasant annoyance." He stepped off the railing and continued,
"I haven't had a woman since the day I met you."
"Am I suppose to be flattered or something?" she asked annoyed at the thought of him with other women.
"No, but I just thought you should know how serious this has become. Now I come back, hoping you can just turn me down flat and we can both get on with our lives, when what do I find? A woman's who ten times more gorgeous than when I left her! Her curves are more pronounced, her hair is cut in an adorable fashion, and her eyes are alive with life! And she's actually wearing a dress that fits!" he said walking into the room.
"What's wrong with my dress?" she asked.
"Nothing Luv. In fact, if you do recall, I am an expert on women. Thus, I am also an expert on ladies fashions. And that garment is very fetching." he said pointing to her clothes.
"Thank you." she said quietly realizing that maybe going inside the bedroom wasn't the best idea.
"But now I can't possibly just let you go out of me life." he said circling her.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"If I didn't know better, I'd say I was in love with you!" he said looking at her but contemplating what he just said.
"You can't be serious!" she said. He started to circle her again, looking at her up and down saying,
"No I think I am. I seriously believe, I am in love with you!"
"Will you stop looking at me like that! Why the blazes does every man look at me that way!" she huffed. He smiled and said dryly,
"Because Luv, when a man finds a woman attractive, he looks over her body, wondering what it looks like without clothing!" She dropped her jaw and said,
"Really?"
"Aye. Of course some blokes don't even realize they do it. But I always notice Luv!" he said waggling his eyebrows.
"Will you please leave?" she asked. He shrugged and said,
"As you wish!" He turned to walk towards the balcony when she cried out,
"Not that way! You may hurt yourself!" He turned back on his heel slowly grinning like a wildcat.
"So you do care!"
"No! Well...what I mean is..."
"I knew you'd warm up to me!" he said walking back towards her again.
"I think you should leave before I call my Uncle!" she said going towards the door. He followed her saying,
"He went riding, Luv!"
"My maids..."
"Mrs. Wiggins has the day off and is spending it in town with her daughter, and little Elsie is down at the fort visiting her beau Sergeant Murtogg!" he smiled.
"How long have you been watching my house?" she asked. He grinned,
"Just a few days. But now we are all alone in this big lonely house, I've been at sea for a few months, and I've just made a declaration of love. Whatever shall we do now?" he mocked.
"Why don't I leave you to think about that?" she said running out of the room. He chased after her looking over the top of the stairs when he couldn't see which was she went. Creeping along the wall, she snuck her way back into her room, slamming the door and locking it. Turning to see her shut door, he ran up to it jiggling the handle and calling out,
"Kathleen!" But she was already running towards her balcony and beginning to climb down. He ran into the next room, and looked over the neighboring balcony, seeing her jump to the ground, he said to himself,
"Oh I can't hurt MY-self!" Then he climbed over the railing and jumped down. After rolling a bit, he picked himself up chasing after Kathleen.
"Ye can run Luv! But know that I always get what I want!" he called after her. She stopped and looked at him defeatingly, her breathing rapid,
"What?" He slowed and sauntered up to her saying,
"I spent ten years chasing after the mutinous dog who stole me Pearl because I wanted her. If I have to chase you around the Caribbean, God help me I shall." It began to rain, the light trickle Kathleen liked, but she barely noticed. All she saw was his eyes. Those eyes came closer to her. Soon she felt long fingers brush against her palm. Looking down, she saw his hand interlock with hers. She smiled gently and looked up as the rain began to come down harder and thunder rolled in. She closed her eyes when Jack caressed her cheek, reveling in the touch. She opened her eyes for but a moment seeing his lips coming closer.
"Kathleen!" he whispered before locking his lips with hers. If she had thought her first kiss was perfect, her second proved her wrong. Her eyes closed now, she knew no fantasy of the past few months had come close to this. Kathleen felt as if everything was moving slowly. The rain, even though it was beginning to come down in sheets, the kiss, her arms coming up to wrap around his neck, his hands going to her waist. Once again, Captain Jack Sparrow made Kathleen Constance Audubon feel alive.