CHAPTER 11: A Reason To Hope
Jack was very worried when Katherine had not returned by suppertime. She had disappeared and told no one where she had gone. A maid had told them that Katherine had left the house in tears and did not stop when the maid questioned her. It would be dark soon and it was not safe for a woman to be out alone after dark. Wounded or not Jack was itching to go and look for her himself.
Jack cursed his weakness that he could not go out and search for her. Will was looking and the soldiers had been told to keep an eye out for her and if found she was to be escorted back to the Governor's mansion immediately. Though Katherine had not said much about him, Robert Darcy seemed to have been a liberal man especially when it came to his daughter's happiness. Jack doubted that Katherine had ever thought about an arranged marriage. She'd lost so much and now the poor girl had been back into a corner. No wonder she had gotten so upset.
It was not until an hour after dinner that Jack heard footsteps coming down the hall and Katherine Darcy stepped quietly into the room. Her blue eyes were red and puffy from crying. Katherine approached him slowly her lips trembling. Jack held his arms out to her and she went eagerly into his embrace. Jack bit back a cry of pain when she wrapped her arms around him clinging tightly. Her pain was more important than his. "Sshh, luv," he murmured, "It's all right."
Katherine sobbed into his shoulder and Jack pulled away slightly tipping her chin so that she met his gaze. "Where have you been?" he scolded mildly, "We've been worried sick."
"I-I went for a w-walk," she said between sobs, "I h-had to think . . . G-governor S-Swann . . . I c-can't m-marry a stranger, Jack," she cried, "I j-just can't."
"Hush now, darlin," Jack soothed, "Don't cry, Katie, we'll work something out."
Much to Jack's dismay Katherine showed no signs of stopping. Jack held her close and let her sob out her frustration. Katherine cried in Jack's arms for close to an hour before her breathing slowed and she cried herself to sleep in his arms. "What am I to do with ye, my sweet Katherine?" he whispered.
Will turner climbed the stairs intending to check on Jack and make sure that he hadn't attempted to go and find Katherine himself. His friend would be very worried that despite their best efforts Katherine had not been found. He was quite surprise to find Jack in bed with Katherine sleeping in his arms. He could see tears that had not yet dried on her cheeks. Will walked over to the bed. "We've had the entire town searching for her! How did she get past all the soldiers?" Will grinned at the thought of Norrington's irritation when he heard that a girl had managed to evade his men. "Is she all right?" Will asked the smile fading a bit.
"Physically, yes," Jack answered. He was tired but he was too worried about Katherine to sleep. "Will, I need to ask ye somethin'."
Will frowned at the serious tone of Jack's voice. All mockery was gone from his expression and the mischievous light gone from the pirate's eyes. "What is it, Jack?"
Jack looked up at his friend and sighed wearily. He might as well just come out with it. "I love her, Will," he admitted, "But I'm a pirate and I can't change that. It's too much a part of me. What do I do Will? What is if she doesn't feel the same? What do I do if she does?"
Will had suspected that Jack had feelings for Katherine but to hear Jack admit to it so freely was surprising. "Jack," Will grinned, "The girl has been by your side day and night. Did you know that she pulled a pistol on the Commodore when he discovered that you were here and wanted to arrest you?"
"She did what?!" Jack exclaimed then lowered his voice looking down to make sure he had not woken Katherine. "Was she bloody mad?"
"The Commodore was rather surprised," Will told him smiling at the memory, "It was she that negotiated for Ana and Gibbs' release and your freedom."
"She could have been 'urt," Jack growled, "Foolish wench! What would she have done if he 'ad called 'er bluff?"
Will sobered, "Katherine would have pulled the trigger," His dark eyes met Jack's. "You didn't see her, Jack, she was hell bent on keeping you from hanging. She told Norrington that she'd be damned before she allowed him to harm you."
Jack considered a moment. He made a decision. "I'm a rich man, now, Will," Jack said stroking Katherine's hair absently, "We went and took Barbossa's treasure, except for the cursed gold of course. I can give her luxury, aye, but I can't give her safety."
Will understood. Jack's life was uncertain at best. He pillaged and plundered, as did any pirate even if he was kinder to his victims than most. There was the Royal Navy to consider and other pirates such as Murdock. "I think that's something you need to discuss with Katherine, Jack. It's her life and her decision. She's a strong woman if anyone could do it she could."
Will sensed that Jack wished to be alone. "I'll go tell the maids to keep some food ready in case Katherine wakes up." Will turned to go but Jack's voice stopped him.
"Thank ye, Will," Jack said sincerely, "For everything."
Will turned back to his friend, "You're welcome, Jack. You are our friend. You can come to us whenever you want." Jack smiled almost shyly and Will turned and left shutting the door behind him. Katherine and Jack would need privacy when she awoke.
Jack dozed lightly until movement disturbed his slumber. Jack opened his eyes to see Katherine awake and looking up at him. "Feelin' better, luv?"
Katherine shrugged. Jack frowned. Katherine was going to make herself sick if she kept on like this. In the dim light of the room Jack could see the dirt that marred Katherine's creamy skin. "You don't have to marry anyone that ye don't want to," Jack told her gently, "No one is going to force you."
Katherine looked up at Jack and he could see the longing there. Maybe Will had been right. She did love him. But she couldn't expect Jack to want to be tied to her apron strings. "What choice do I have, Jack?"
Jack caressed her cheek with his thumb, "There's always a choice, luv." Impulsively, Jack leant down and placed the gentlest of kisses on her lips. She returned it looking disappointed when Jack pulled away all too soon.
"Jack-"
"Hush, sweet Katie," he commanded, "We have time to talk later, but for now ye need to take care of yerself." Jack reached out and picked up a bell that Elizabeth had left him in case he needed anything. He rung the bell and shortly one of the maids appeared.
"Is there something I can get you, Mr. Sparrow. Are you feeling all right, sir?" she asked blushing when she saw Katherine still wrapped in Jack's arms on the bed.
Jack chuckled at her embarrassment, "I'm fine, me dear, but if you would be so kind please prepare a bath for Miss Darcy and I believe that Mr. Turner had some food left out for her."
"Yes sir," she curtseyed, "Right away. If you'll follow me, Miss."
Katherine looked from the maid to Jack. Jack placed a chaste kiss on her forehead, "Go on, luv, I'll be here when ye get back."
Katherine climbed slowly from the bed her mind in utter chaos. She followed the maid silently. In one moment Jack had turned her already tattered world completely upside down. Katherine smiled slightly. Perhaps he'd given her reason to hope.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
Well that's it for a now. I should have the next chapter out again in a few days. Keep the reviews coming. Without them I couldn't do this. Thanks again for everything.
Jack was very worried when Katherine had not returned by suppertime. She had disappeared and told no one where she had gone. A maid had told them that Katherine had left the house in tears and did not stop when the maid questioned her. It would be dark soon and it was not safe for a woman to be out alone after dark. Wounded or not Jack was itching to go and look for her himself.
Jack cursed his weakness that he could not go out and search for her. Will was looking and the soldiers had been told to keep an eye out for her and if found she was to be escorted back to the Governor's mansion immediately. Though Katherine had not said much about him, Robert Darcy seemed to have been a liberal man especially when it came to his daughter's happiness. Jack doubted that Katherine had ever thought about an arranged marriage. She'd lost so much and now the poor girl had been back into a corner. No wonder she had gotten so upset.
It was not until an hour after dinner that Jack heard footsteps coming down the hall and Katherine Darcy stepped quietly into the room. Her blue eyes were red and puffy from crying. Katherine approached him slowly her lips trembling. Jack held his arms out to her and she went eagerly into his embrace. Jack bit back a cry of pain when she wrapped her arms around him clinging tightly. Her pain was more important than his. "Sshh, luv," he murmured, "It's all right."
Katherine sobbed into his shoulder and Jack pulled away slightly tipping her chin so that she met his gaze. "Where have you been?" he scolded mildly, "We've been worried sick."
"I-I went for a w-walk," she said between sobs, "I h-had to think . . . G-governor S-Swann . . . I c-can't m-marry a stranger, Jack," she cried, "I j-just can't."
"Hush now, darlin," Jack soothed, "Don't cry, Katie, we'll work something out."
Much to Jack's dismay Katherine showed no signs of stopping. Jack held her close and let her sob out her frustration. Katherine cried in Jack's arms for close to an hour before her breathing slowed and she cried herself to sleep in his arms. "What am I to do with ye, my sweet Katherine?" he whispered.
Will turner climbed the stairs intending to check on Jack and make sure that he hadn't attempted to go and find Katherine himself. His friend would be very worried that despite their best efforts Katherine had not been found. He was quite surprise to find Jack in bed with Katherine sleeping in his arms. He could see tears that had not yet dried on her cheeks. Will walked over to the bed. "We've had the entire town searching for her! How did she get past all the soldiers?" Will grinned at the thought of Norrington's irritation when he heard that a girl had managed to evade his men. "Is she all right?" Will asked the smile fading a bit.
"Physically, yes," Jack answered. He was tired but he was too worried about Katherine to sleep. "Will, I need to ask ye somethin'."
Will frowned at the serious tone of Jack's voice. All mockery was gone from his expression and the mischievous light gone from the pirate's eyes. "What is it, Jack?"
Jack looked up at his friend and sighed wearily. He might as well just come out with it. "I love her, Will," he admitted, "But I'm a pirate and I can't change that. It's too much a part of me. What do I do Will? What is if she doesn't feel the same? What do I do if she does?"
Will had suspected that Jack had feelings for Katherine but to hear Jack admit to it so freely was surprising. "Jack," Will grinned, "The girl has been by your side day and night. Did you know that she pulled a pistol on the Commodore when he discovered that you were here and wanted to arrest you?"
"She did what?!" Jack exclaimed then lowered his voice looking down to make sure he had not woken Katherine. "Was she bloody mad?"
"The Commodore was rather surprised," Will told him smiling at the memory, "It was she that negotiated for Ana and Gibbs' release and your freedom."
"She could have been 'urt," Jack growled, "Foolish wench! What would she have done if he 'ad called 'er bluff?"
Will sobered, "Katherine would have pulled the trigger," His dark eyes met Jack's. "You didn't see her, Jack, she was hell bent on keeping you from hanging. She told Norrington that she'd be damned before she allowed him to harm you."
Jack considered a moment. He made a decision. "I'm a rich man, now, Will," Jack said stroking Katherine's hair absently, "We went and took Barbossa's treasure, except for the cursed gold of course. I can give her luxury, aye, but I can't give her safety."
Will understood. Jack's life was uncertain at best. He pillaged and plundered, as did any pirate even if he was kinder to his victims than most. There was the Royal Navy to consider and other pirates such as Murdock. "I think that's something you need to discuss with Katherine, Jack. It's her life and her decision. She's a strong woman if anyone could do it she could."
Will sensed that Jack wished to be alone. "I'll go tell the maids to keep some food ready in case Katherine wakes up." Will turned to go but Jack's voice stopped him.
"Thank ye, Will," Jack said sincerely, "For everything."
Will turned back to his friend, "You're welcome, Jack. You are our friend. You can come to us whenever you want." Jack smiled almost shyly and Will turned and left shutting the door behind him. Katherine and Jack would need privacy when she awoke.
Jack dozed lightly until movement disturbed his slumber. Jack opened his eyes to see Katherine awake and looking up at him. "Feelin' better, luv?"
Katherine shrugged. Jack frowned. Katherine was going to make herself sick if she kept on like this. In the dim light of the room Jack could see the dirt that marred Katherine's creamy skin. "You don't have to marry anyone that ye don't want to," Jack told her gently, "No one is going to force you."
Katherine looked up at Jack and he could see the longing there. Maybe Will had been right. She did love him. But she couldn't expect Jack to want to be tied to her apron strings. "What choice do I have, Jack?"
Jack caressed her cheek with his thumb, "There's always a choice, luv." Impulsively, Jack leant down and placed the gentlest of kisses on her lips. She returned it looking disappointed when Jack pulled away all too soon.
"Jack-"
"Hush, sweet Katie," he commanded, "We have time to talk later, but for now ye need to take care of yerself." Jack reached out and picked up a bell that Elizabeth had left him in case he needed anything. He rung the bell and shortly one of the maids appeared.
"Is there something I can get you, Mr. Sparrow. Are you feeling all right, sir?" she asked blushing when she saw Katherine still wrapped in Jack's arms on the bed.
Jack chuckled at her embarrassment, "I'm fine, me dear, but if you would be so kind please prepare a bath for Miss Darcy and I believe that Mr. Turner had some food left out for her."
"Yes sir," she curtseyed, "Right away. If you'll follow me, Miss."
Katherine looked from the maid to Jack. Jack placed a chaste kiss on her forehead, "Go on, luv, I'll be here when ye get back."
Katherine climbed slowly from the bed her mind in utter chaos. She followed the maid silently. In one moment Jack had turned her already tattered world completely upside down. Katherine smiled slightly. Perhaps he'd given her reason to hope.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
Well that's it for a now. I should have the next chapter out again in a few days. Keep the reviews coming. Without them I couldn't do this. Thanks again for everything.