DISCLAIMER—I do not, in any way, own Pirates of the Caribbean, or its plot and characters. Original characters are mine.
Chapter Two
The room was cramped because an imposing wooden desk filled most of it. The walls were dark and the only source of light was a set of oil lamps fixed on the walls on either side of the desk. The whole room smelled of cedar and the only decoration was an old framed map of the New World.
"Miss Cortés, we have carefully assessed your balances here at Worthington and Rose, and our findings have been less than satisfactory." Juliet buried her face in her hands. "We realize that your age makes it difficult to attain a full time profession. Is there any possibility of obtaining an apprenticeship?"
"It's not my age that prevents me from learning any such craft, sir."
"Oh—yes—female… well then, I'm afraid that I'll have to stand by my previous advice -- for you to be married as soon as possible, dear." He stood, indicating that their meeting had completed.
"Thank you, Mr. Rose."
As soon as she had exited the bank, Juliet made her way back to the harbour. She stepped into a bar, The Fiery Heart, which was owned by her friend Mary's family. Adjusting to the dim lights and smoky atmosphere, Juliet weaved her way through the crowded tables and slipped behind the bar.
"Hey there, dearie." Mary was tending the lunch pack today and she seemed a little overworked. "You don't look like you're doing so well. Is everything all right?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Juliet said, holding a hand to her forehead.
Mary slid a mug of ale down the bar and stood next to Juliet with her hands on her hips.
"You tell me right now what is wrong with you!"
"Well, the thing is, I'm running out of money… I don't know what to do about it. I can't find a good job anywhere. I'm starting to think that Mr. Rose was right—getting married will be the only way out of this mess."
"Juliet! I thought you said that you would only marry the man you love!"
"The man she loves? You ladies don't happen to be talking about me, now do you?"
There was Jack Sparrow, setting himself down on a stool across from the two girls.
"Hello there, Mr. Sparrow."
"Miss Cortés! I thought we were on more familiar terms by now," he said, smiling.
Mary picked up a few platters of food that had just been placed on the back counter for delivery to their proper tables. "I've got to get back to work," she said. As soon as she was out of Jack's sight, she pointed her thumb at him and winked her approval, and was off in the crowd.
"Mr. Sp—"
"—Jack"
"I think you may be following me."
"I may be."
"What brings you here?"
"Every sailor knows that The Fiery Heart's got the best eats in Port Royale!" This was true.
"Then why haven't you ordered anything?"
"Why do you think I'm sitting at the bar? I can't eat on an empty stomach!"
"Don't you mean you can't drink on an empty stomach?"
"No, no, I meant what I meant. Or said. When I don't have any brandy in me I've got no appetite for anything else. So are you going to serve me or not?"
"Well, I don't really wor—"
"Delightful. I'll have a nice bottle of good ol' Barbados rumbullion!"
Juliet reached under the counter for the bottle, deciding to help Mary with the crowd today. Besides, she could keep any tips she earned. She twirled the silver bottle cap remover around her hand before she popped the cap off; Jack watched, spellbound by the pretty shiny moving object.
"You know your way around a bar."
"Yeah, well, I help out Mary's family out here a lot."
"You don't seem like a drinker, yourself."
"No, sir." Jack expected more. Juliet looked up. "I mean, there's only a certain kind of girl who would be, isn't there?"
Jack took a long draught of his rum and looked at the bottle, interested. As he ran his finger around the tip of it, around and around and around, his eyes following its path, he said, "Not everyone likes that type of girl…" He paused, and then looked up at her. He continued. "I mean, I'm only seventeen… It'd be kind of odd to be with a woman possibly ten years older than me and who's been with hundreds of men, isn't it?"
"Yes."
"Yes…hmm…"
"Well what if you decided—" Juliet halted.
More trays of hot food were pushed onto the counter, slips of paper indicating where they were to go. Someone had to transport them, and Mary wasn't around. Juliet snatched the first slip and glanced at it. She picked up the tray and began to zigzag through the maze of tables, leaving Jack to sit at the bar alone drinking his rum. He turned in his chair to scope out the crowd. Most of the clientele were from around town; some were sailors. Jack recognized a few of them, and nodded deliberately, toasting his bottle of rum. His glance fell on Juliet again for a moment—he downed the last of his drink, straightened his jacket, and went after her.
"What are you doing?"
"At the moment?" Juliet said as she set plates of meat in front of hungry seamen. She thought it was clear what she was doing. She wove through the crowded restaurant, somehow balancing multiple trays of food.
"You said you didn't work here," Jack said, following her.
"I don't."
"Where do you work?"
"I don't."
"So how do you live alone?" They paused in their tracks.
"How do you know I live alone?"
"I'm observant. Answer the question."
"Well—I don't think I'll be living there much longer."
"Why is th—oh. Why don't you get a job?"
"No one's hiring." Juliet turned to continue delivering platters of roasted meat.
"You could work here."
"No, they don't really need anyone more here."
"Then what are you going to do?"
Juliet stopped and looked at him, brown eyes sparkling with almost-tears. "I don't know."
Jack appeared to be thinking. His lips twitched, and Juliet knew he had an idea. Whether it was good or not, she was soon to find out.
"Marry me."
"Excuse me?"
"I'll make an honest woman out of you!"
"Mr. Sparrow, I think it's time you left me alone!"
"Fine, fine, but don't think I'm going to wait around for you."
"I'm sure I'll manage." Annoyed, she looked at the door pointedly. Jack nodded his head and twisted through the crowd, out of her line of vision. Juliet craned her neck to be sure that he'd really gone, then shook her head.
Miz Juliett—I no that when you tolld me that it wood be best for me to be finding work somewares else that I sayed that I wood never leeve you, but you see there has been a poster at the dock for jobs in London and as you no my mother has been ill, so this is a good chans for me. I shurly am sorry, but keep yur chin up, Miz Julliett. I no it you will be fine.
The maid was gone. Juliet didn't blame her. She'd made it clear that she had no funds to pay the household servants, and most of them had left. The maid, though, had insisted on staying to help her as a friend. She doesn't have a bad idea, though. Juliet's only living family was last known to be in London. Besides, if they're not there, the flyer says that there's a chance for work in England.
"We're sorry, Miss Cortés, truly we are, but the fact of the matter is that you simply do not have the funds for a trans-Atlantic journey at this time." For the second time that day, Mr. Rose stood to shoo Juliet from the room.
"But that makes no sense! If my maid can afford to travel to London, why can't I?" Juliet was running out of options.
"Miss Cortés, your family has been letting your servants live in your home and eat your food free of charge for years, in addition to paying them. It is no wonder that she could have saved up enough for passage. Good day, miss."
Depressed, Juliet walked along the wharf while looking for food to buy. How am I going to get to London if I have no money? She paused and stared at the ship ahead of her. Patience. What had Jack Sparrow said? His ship, Patience, was headed to England!