CHAPTER 14: Honor Among Thieves After All
Katherine and Elizabeth returned shortly after lunch and with them came many boxes. Katherine and several of the servants carried her purchases upstairs to Jack's room while Elizabeth went to hers. She smiled at Jack's sleeping form.
"Just put them down by the door, please," she told the servants in a hushed voice, "That will be all, thank you."
As quietly as possible Katherine put away the dresses she had purchased along with various other items she had acquired in town. She could have had the maids do it of course but she didn't mind and also didn't want to disturb Jack. Reaching into her new satchel she pulled out Jack's still mostly full purse and placed it in his coat pocket. When she had finished she went out on the balcony that over-looked Port Royal and the Caribbean.
Katherine smiled as she breathed in the ocean air. It was incredible how much had happened. When her father was murdered Katherine had been sure that her life was over. When she had been ready to give up Jack had given new meaning to her life. Though her heart still ached from her loss Jack was what kept her going. Who would have thought that a pirate ship would become her home and the captain of the infamous Black Pearl would be the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. Was that fair? Could she expect him to give up even that much of his freedom? No. He loved her, yes, but being in love and being married were two entirely different things. Could she give herself to him, really surrender to him without that formal bond? Jack would never go for it. He had asked her to come with him and she would have to be content with that somehow. Katherine believed that he loved her but she could never replace the Black Pearl in his heart. Could she?
Jack opened his eyes and felt stronger than he had since he had been shot. He turned his head and sucked in a breath. Katherine stood on the balcony dressed in a white dress with gold embroidery. The sun reflected off her hair making it shimmer like a flame as she stood gazing out over Port Royal and the Caribbean. She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. Jack could admit it now. He'd been lost since the moment he'd laid eyes on her. Katie's blue eyes had captured him the moment that they had fluttered open after he had rescued her. She had changed him and changed him quickly. A month ago he would have laughed if anyone had told him that he could feel this way about someone. Jack had been in love before but that was long ago when he was a lad. And though he had loved that girl of long ago he had never worshipped her as he did Katherine Darcy. She was his goddess. Unable to resist Jack crawled quietly from the bed and walked stiffly to the balcony.
Katherine jumped when an arm wrapped itself around her waist. She turned. "Jack! You shouldn't be out of bed!"
Jack laid a finger over her lips. "Hush," he told her sitting in the chair they had set out for him. With his good arm he pulled her onto his lap. He cupped her chin and kissed her gently. "You look beautiful," he told her, "That dress becomes ye."
Katherine blushed, "Elizabeth insisted I buy it and wear it home. I told her it was too much."
Jack chuckled. "Lizzy did what I told her to do."
Katherine smiled. Elizabeth had told her that Jack was paying for her shopping spree. "I put the rest back in your coat." She paused, "You didn't have to."
"I wanted to," he replied, "You deserve beautiful things."
Katherine blushed again but smiled brightly. Jack made her feel like a precious jewel. "I picked up a few things for you too."
Jack arched an eyebrow. "Really. And what would that be?"
"I got you a couple of shirts and two pairs of trousers," she said, "I thought you might like some clean clothes that were your own."
Jack looked down at his borrowed clothing. "That I would," he said laughing ruefully, "William's tastes do not match me own." Katherine joined in his laughter and leaned back in Jack's arms.
Commodore Norrington paused outside the door of the Swann estate. He couldn't quite believe what he was about to do.
Will Turner's angry words had nagged him all morning. Jack Sparrow was a pirate but Turner was right in several ways. For, in his twisted way Sparrow was an honorable man and, he thought with a smirk, a worthy adversary. Sparrow had saved the lives of Miss Swann, Will Turner, and now Miss Darcy. The man did have a code of honor even if it wasn't the law of the British Crown. Lastly, Sparrow was in fact injured and he'd had no right to provoke the pirate in such a manner. It was beneath him as a gentleman. And so, as much as it pained him to do so, he'd come to apologize. With that resolution in mind he knocked on the door.
The butler opened the door an bowed, "Good day, sir," he said, "Come in."
"Please inform Jack Sparrow that I would like to speak to him." Norrington paused and continued through clenched teeth, "Make sure Captain Sparrow understands that this is a request."
The butler frowned but nodded. It was not his place to question the Commodore. "Yes, sir."
The butler climbed the stairs and knocked on the door of Sparrow's room though it was open. Katherine turned in Jack's lap and smiled at the butler. "What is it, Henry?"
"The Commodore is here, Miss. He wishes a word with Captain Sparrow."
"How dare he?" she hissed, "I told him-"Jack squeezed her hand.
"Easy, luv," he soothed.
Henry cleared his throat. "He told me to make sure the Captain understood that this is a request."
Jack raised his eyebrows. "Did he now?" He smirked at Katherine. "The mighty Commodore is make requests of pirates," Jack turned his grin on the butler, "By all means show him in."
Henry bowed and left and Katherine started to stand but Jack tugged her back down. "You're fine right where you are, luv."
Katherine put a hand on a slender hip. "Jack Sparrow! Are you trying to annoy the Commodore by having me sitting on your lap, which is most improper I might add, when he enters the room?"
Jack grinned. "Yes."
Katherine smiled back wickedly. "Just asking." Katherine leaned back upon Jack's good shoulder and kissed him sweetly.
Norrington suppressed a groan when he entered Sparrow's bedroom to find the pirate and Miss Darcy kissing again. Patience, he told himself, walking towards the balcony and stopping less than five feet from them. The Commodore cleared his throat.
The couple parted and Jack grinned mockingly up at Norrington. "Commodore! How wonderful it is to see you. To what do I owe this great honor?"
It pleased Jack immensely to see the irritated look in Norrington's eyes. The man was such a stick. There were few things that Jack enjoyed more than an opportunity to rile the man. Jack was surprised when the Commodore merely took a deep breath squared his shoulders and calmly replied, "I wanted to apologize for my behavior last night."
"Apologize?" Jack repeated slowly.
Norrington looked towards the ceiling as if asking for strength and pressed on. "Yes, my actions and words were uncalled for. It was beneath me to provoke you in such a manner."
"So ye take back all the things you said?" Jack asked playing idly with Katherine's hair.
Norrington smiled and Jack was surprised to see that it was sincere, "All save that I still believe that she is too fine a woman for a pirate."
Katherine glanced at Jack and was surprised when he merely chuckled. "You're probably right about that, mate."
Though she was still a bit peeved at the Commodore Katherine couldn't keep herself from asking the question that had occupied her mind since the Commodore had arrived. "Have you had any luck finding Captain Murdock?" she asked picking at the skirts of her dress.
"No," he told her regretfully, "I have my ships scouring the Caribbean but none have spotted him as of yet."
"Tis no wonder," Jack said, "His ship took a lot of damage during our little fray. He probably stopped somewhere to make repairs."
"Do you have any guesses as to where Murdock would go?" Norrington asked tilting his head.
Jack shook his head, "Sorry, mate. Even if I did I couldn't tell ye."
Norrington grinned, "So, there is honor amongst thieves after all." Jack didn't answer but the two men had an understanding. If Jack gave Norrington that information then the Navy would then know the safe ports of all the pirates that sailed these waters. Jack wouldn't betray his fellow pirates and the Commodore wouldn't ask him to. Norrington inclined his head, "Well, I have duties to attend to. I will let you know if we find Murdock."
Katherine nodded, "Thank you, Commodore."
Jack watched the Commodore's back as he left. "That was interesting."
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
I didn't get as many reviews for the last chapter I hope you guys aren't getting bored with it? I don't want anyone to think that I'm a Norrington hater far from it. He's a fine man but he needs to loosen up a bit. He has a dry but amusing sense of humor and I think if it wasn't but for the fact that Jack is a pirate that they'd get along wonderfully.
Anyway I won't be updating for a week probably because my brother and my sister-in-law are on vacation so I am house/dog sitting for the week and I'll be staying there. I promise that as soon as I get back though I'll put up the next chapter. We're a little over half way and I know there hasn't been as much action but that will pick up eventually. Please read and review I really do appreciate your comments. Thanks again to those that have. Enjoy!
Katherine and Elizabeth returned shortly after lunch and with them came many boxes. Katherine and several of the servants carried her purchases upstairs to Jack's room while Elizabeth went to hers. She smiled at Jack's sleeping form.
"Just put them down by the door, please," she told the servants in a hushed voice, "That will be all, thank you."
As quietly as possible Katherine put away the dresses she had purchased along with various other items she had acquired in town. She could have had the maids do it of course but she didn't mind and also didn't want to disturb Jack. Reaching into her new satchel she pulled out Jack's still mostly full purse and placed it in his coat pocket. When she had finished she went out on the balcony that over-looked Port Royal and the Caribbean.
Katherine smiled as she breathed in the ocean air. It was incredible how much had happened. When her father was murdered Katherine had been sure that her life was over. When she had been ready to give up Jack had given new meaning to her life. Though her heart still ached from her loss Jack was what kept her going. Who would have thought that a pirate ship would become her home and the captain of the infamous Black Pearl would be the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. Was that fair? Could she expect him to give up even that much of his freedom? No. He loved her, yes, but being in love and being married were two entirely different things. Could she give herself to him, really surrender to him without that formal bond? Jack would never go for it. He had asked her to come with him and she would have to be content with that somehow. Katherine believed that he loved her but she could never replace the Black Pearl in his heart. Could she?
Jack opened his eyes and felt stronger than he had since he had been shot. He turned his head and sucked in a breath. Katherine stood on the balcony dressed in a white dress with gold embroidery. The sun reflected off her hair making it shimmer like a flame as she stood gazing out over Port Royal and the Caribbean. She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. Jack could admit it now. He'd been lost since the moment he'd laid eyes on her. Katie's blue eyes had captured him the moment that they had fluttered open after he had rescued her. She had changed him and changed him quickly. A month ago he would have laughed if anyone had told him that he could feel this way about someone. Jack had been in love before but that was long ago when he was a lad. And though he had loved that girl of long ago he had never worshipped her as he did Katherine Darcy. She was his goddess. Unable to resist Jack crawled quietly from the bed and walked stiffly to the balcony.
Katherine jumped when an arm wrapped itself around her waist. She turned. "Jack! You shouldn't be out of bed!"
Jack laid a finger over her lips. "Hush," he told her sitting in the chair they had set out for him. With his good arm he pulled her onto his lap. He cupped her chin and kissed her gently. "You look beautiful," he told her, "That dress becomes ye."
Katherine blushed, "Elizabeth insisted I buy it and wear it home. I told her it was too much."
Jack chuckled. "Lizzy did what I told her to do."
Katherine smiled. Elizabeth had told her that Jack was paying for her shopping spree. "I put the rest back in your coat." She paused, "You didn't have to."
"I wanted to," he replied, "You deserve beautiful things."
Katherine blushed again but smiled brightly. Jack made her feel like a precious jewel. "I picked up a few things for you too."
Jack arched an eyebrow. "Really. And what would that be?"
"I got you a couple of shirts and two pairs of trousers," she said, "I thought you might like some clean clothes that were your own."
Jack looked down at his borrowed clothing. "That I would," he said laughing ruefully, "William's tastes do not match me own." Katherine joined in his laughter and leaned back in Jack's arms.
Commodore Norrington paused outside the door of the Swann estate. He couldn't quite believe what he was about to do.
Will Turner's angry words had nagged him all morning. Jack Sparrow was a pirate but Turner was right in several ways. For, in his twisted way Sparrow was an honorable man and, he thought with a smirk, a worthy adversary. Sparrow had saved the lives of Miss Swann, Will Turner, and now Miss Darcy. The man did have a code of honor even if it wasn't the law of the British Crown. Lastly, Sparrow was in fact injured and he'd had no right to provoke the pirate in such a manner. It was beneath him as a gentleman. And so, as much as it pained him to do so, he'd come to apologize. With that resolution in mind he knocked on the door.
The butler opened the door an bowed, "Good day, sir," he said, "Come in."
"Please inform Jack Sparrow that I would like to speak to him." Norrington paused and continued through clenched teeth, "Make sure Captain Sparrow understands that this is a request."
The butler frowned but nodded. It was not his place to question the Commodore. "Yes, sir."
The butler climbed the stairs and knocked on the door of Sparrow's room though it was open. Katherine turned in Jack's lap and smiled at the butler. "What is it, Henry?"
"The Commodore is here, Miss. He wishes a word with Captain Sparrow."
"How dare he?" she hissed, "I told him-"Jack squeezed her hand.
"Easy, luv," he soothed.
Henry cleared his throat. "He told me to make sure the Captain understood that this is a request."
Jack raised his eyebrows. "Did he now?" He smirked at Katherine. "The mighty Commodore is make requests of pirates," Jack turned his grin on the butler, "By all means show him in."
Henry bowed and left and Katherine started to stand but Jack tugged her back down. "You're fine right where you are, luv."
Katherine put a hand on a slender hip. "Jack Sparrow! Are you trying to annoy the Commodore by having me sitting on your lap, which is most improper I might add, when he enters the room?"
Jack grinned. "Yes."
Katherine smiled back wickedly. "Just asking." Katherine leaned back upon Jack's good shoulder and kissed him sweetly.
Norrington suppressed a groan when he entered Sparrow's bedroom to find the pirate and Miss Darcy kissing again. Patience, he told himself, walking towards the balcony and stopping less than five feet from them. The Commodore cleared his throat.
The couple parted and Jack grinned mockingly up at Norrington. "Commodore! How wonderful it is to see you. To what do I owe this great honor?"
It pleased Jack immensely to see the irritated look in Norrington's eyes. The man was such a stick. There were few things that Jack enjoyed more than an opportunity to rile the man. Jack was surprised when the Commodore merely took a deep breath squared his shoulders and calmly replied, "I wanted to apologize for my behavior last night."
"Apologize?" Jack repeated slowly.
Norrington looked towards the ceiling as if asking for strength and pressed on. "Yes, my actions and words were uncalled for. It was beneath me to provoke you in such a manner."
"So ye take back all the things you said?" Jack asked playing idly with Katherine's hair.
Norrington smiled and Jack was surprised to see that it was sincere, "All save that I still believe that she is too fine a woman for a pirate."
Katherine glanced at Jack and was surprised when he merely chuckled. "You're probably right about that, mate."
Though she was still a bit peeved at the Commodore Katherine couldn't keep herself from asking the question that had occupied her mind since the Commodore had arrived. "Have you had any luck finding Captain Murdock?" she asked picking at the skirts of her dress.
"No," he told her regretfully, "I have my ships scouring the Caribbean but none have spotted him as of yet."
"Tis no wonder," Jack said, "His ship took a lot of damage during our little fray. He probably stopped somewhere to make repairs."
"Do you have any guesses as to where Murdock would go?" Norrington asked tilting his head.
Jack shook his head, "Sorry, mate. Even if I did I couldn't tell ye."
Norrington grinned, "So, there is honor amongst thieves after all." Jack didn't answer but the two men had an understanding. If Jack gave Norrington that information then the Navy would then know the safe ports of all the pirates that sailed these waters. Jack wouldn't betray his fellow pirates and the Commodore wouldn't ask him to. Norrington inclined his head, "Well, I have duties to attend to. I will let you know if we find Murdock."
Katherine nodded, "Thank you, Commodore."
Jack watched the Commodore's back as he left. "That was interesting."
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
I didn't get as many reviews for the last chapter I hope you guys aren't getting bored with it? I don't want anyone to think that I'm a Norrington hater far from it. He's a fine man but he needs to loosen up a bit. He has a dry but amusing sense of humor and I think if it wasn't but for the fact that Jack is a pirate that they'd get along wonderfully.
Anyway I won't be updating for a week probably because my brother and my sister-in-law are on vacation so I am house/dog sitting for the week and I'll be staying there. I promise that as soon as I get back though I'll put up the next chapter. We're a little over half way and I know there hasn't been as much action but that will pick up eventually. Please read and review I really do appreciate your comments. Thanks again to those that have. Enjoy!