Chapter One
The Bentley children sat in the parlor of their extensive house in Kent waiting for their mother to return. Lillian Bentley the oldest of the children sat at the windowsill looking out the window, watching as the rain pitter-patted across the countryside. She was a very pretty girl with curly blond hair tied back in a satin ribbon, a slim frame clothed in a matching blue satin dress and her blue eyes watching the rain steadily drop from the sky. She was quite a quiet girl, the oldest of six. Already twenty-three her mother was getting irritable that her oldest and most handsome daughter was not already married. It only made Lillian more quiet and shy.
"I don't know why it is taking her so long we all know he has left," said Joanne Bentley the second in the family. Much like her older sister she was slim but a little taller and with bigger eyes. Her skin was darker and her hair was a honey brown rather than blond and longer however; she almost always kept it in a bun. She was a very out spoke girl, as her mother said, with a quick mind and an even quicker tongue. Her mother also said no one would want to marry a twenty-two year old girl with an attitude sharper than her male counterpart. Her ruby lips were pursed as she paced the room looking at her siblings her brown dress trailing along the floor.
"Have a little faith Joanne, you never know he could just have gone for a early morning ride," Katherine Bentley said softly. She looked almost identical to Lillian however; was three years younger. Her curly blond hair was tied with a pink satin ribbon and laid gently on her pink satin lap was some unfinished embroidery.
"Always like you Katy, looking on the bright side – it is pouring!" said Joanne roughly in a highly spiteful tone.
"Well someone has to, with the way you look at life. Little pessimist. Anyway he could have gone out before the storm hit," said the fourth daughter Amelia Bentley who was eighteen. She was a reflection of Katherine and Lillian too but let her long blond hair cascade over her shoulders. Her rouged lips were pursed as she watched her sister pace back and forth across the door.
"Please don't fight," said Peter Bentley with a hint of worry in his voice. He with his twin sister Wendy were the youngest at the age of twelve. Both were of similar colouring to their sister Joanne. Honey brown hair, big blue eyes and darker skin all year round. Both children sat on the ottoman by the dresser looking apprehensive at the interchange between their older sisters. Katherine, Amelia and Joanne looked towards their brother yet said nothing. Turning back to what they were doing. Lillian remained staring out the window.
"Do you remember the last time he left?" Lillian said softly, "It was just after the twins were born. I was eleven. It was so scary; it was raining just like it is now. He and mother had a huge fight in the entrance hall; Jo and I sat on the balcony watching them with Katy between us. She was crying and we were trying to comfort her, Millie six and could sleep through anything, still can. I was eleven and Jo was ten. Katy you were eight. I remember it so well. We were all frightened but mother didn't have the energy to fight him instead he just walked out and left her crying in the entrance. I was to scared to go comfort her," She said not removing her focus from the estate below the window and the rain covering it.
"But he came back that time, I don't think he is coming back this time," Joanne said sitting next to Lillian on the windowsill. They exchanged a glance. Amelia looked up from her book and looked into space, turning to her two sisters on the sill:
"I wonder why he is leaving," she dared to ask. Katherine paused mid-stitch but didn't look up. Everything seemed to pause in the room no one dared speak the silence was frightfully unbearable. Suddenly the parlor door opened. Everyone snapped to look at the entrance. There stood Madame Bentley in all her glory. In a deep purple dress with her greying hair piled into a smart bun on top of her head, her cheeks and lips rouged she looked around the room at her children. Joanne and Lillian sitting by the sill, Katherine in the sitting chair by the coffee table with her embroidery, Amelia sitting next to the bookshelf with a hard cover open on her lap and Wendy and Peter by the dresser on the elaborate ottoman. She sniffed stiffly.
"Come dinner is on the table, my, this room is dimly lit," she said abruptly turning on her heel. Joanne leapt from her seat.
"Wait mother," she said as Madame Bentley turned to face her daughter no emotion on her stern face. "Pray enlighten us,"
"Your father is gone," she said shortly, "Now please join me at dinner my darlings. The cook has made up quite a feast for us we don't want to disappoint her do we?" she said looking around at all of her children then continuing to walk. But Joanne was not finished yet. Running a few steps to catch her mother she was followed by her brother and sisters.
"So that's it, he is gone. Oh dearest mother please explain! We deserve the right to know why! What do you expect us to continue on with life just as we have been when he was here?" she said hotly her voice reverberating off the marble that coated the halls. Madame Bentley did not stop but proceeded to walk up the staircase towards the dinning room.
"Mother why did father leave?" Wendy said as the six children reached the staircase. Madame Bentley stopped at the top step and exhaled. She turned to look at her beautiful children.
"Reasons…reasons that I cannot tell you my precious little ones. Please come to dinner," she said almost pleading. Wendy, Peter and Amelia began to proceed up the stairs to join their mother. Joanne gave her mother a look of utter disappointment and despair then ran in the opposite direct towards the entrance of their large house.
"Joanne!" Lillian called about to running after her.
"No Lily! You will get sick! Just let her go," Katherine said grabbing her sister's hand. Lillian looked longingly at her sister figure as she slammed the door behind her. Katherine embraced Lillian as did Madame Bentley with her three other children. Lillian and Katherine were sobbing, as were Wendy and Amelia.
"Hush my babies, we will make it through with out him," Madame Bentley said looking at the closed door, listening to the raging storm.
"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Lydia, happy birthday to you!" Will Turner said placing a small chocolate cake in front of his daughter with two solitary candles burning. She clapped her hands watching the cake come to her.
"Two years old my little princess," Will said placing the cake on the table in front of her. Lydia drew a deep breath scrunching up her face then blew out the candles in one go. She began to clap gleefully at her achievement as Will kneeled beside her. She reached over and kissed her father on the cheek giggling. He smiled sadly looking at his little princess's face. She was a spitting image of her mother Elizabeth Turner.
Father and daughter sat in their small parlor in the Governor's house at the top of the hill over looking the whole of Port Royal. After the sudden death of Governor Swann and the quick marriage between Elizabeth and Will, Will became the Governor of Port Royal because of his gallantry in saving Elizabeth and general popularity amongst the people. Less then a month later Elizabeth was pregnant. It was only another nine months before she died in childbirth. Forced to go on Will never forgot his beloved wife and proceeded to bring up his daughter Lydia Jane all by himself in a large house whilst remaining Governor of Port Royal.
At the present time it was Lydia's second birthday, two years after the death of Elizabeth. Will thought that he was over mourning for her except when it was Lydia's birthday he always remembered. Suddenly Will was broken from his depressing thoughts as the door burst open with Captain Jack Sparrow in the door the same as always.
"Uncle Jack!" Lydia said her words slightly slurred. She jumped off her chair and on her small legs ran as fast as she could into Jack's open arms. He lifted her up and kissed her on the cheek.
"Well hello there Lydia! 'Appy Birthday!" he said kissing her again. "Will," Jack said acknowledging Will with a cheeky grin. Will nodded in reply.
"Present!" Lydia said pounding her little fist playfully against Jack's chest. He rolled his eyes.
"So all ye want is your present? Not time with old uncle Jack?" Lydia giggled. He put her down on the ground and kneeling on the floor in front of her reached into his pocket and pulled out a little box made from mother-of-pearl. Lydia's eyes were wide with joy. She smiled broadly and took the box from Jack and ran to her father.
"Papa! Papa!" she called as he picked her up. Showing him the box Will smiled at Jack, seeing his little girl smile and laugh seemed to blow all the sadness out of Will's life.
"How very pretty! I wonder how long Uncle Jack is staying this time because if he is here for long we will have to make up a room for him won't we?" Will said looking at the box in his daughter's hands.
"Uncle Jack, will be staying for a week," Jack said walking over to Will in that way only Jack Sparrow knows how.
"I guess we will have to tell Nanny to make up the guest room then won't we?" Will said as Lydia nodded feverously making both grown men laugh.