Chapter 6

Gwen jumped a foot in the air. "James! Really, must you do that? How…much of that did you hear?" Her eyes were filled with nervousness…

"Enough," he said softly, "Mr. Jones, I do believe that you should look elsewhere for a bride. Miss Speares is to become engaged shortly…"

His tone was ominous, his features forbidding.

Jones nodded. "Of course, Commodore. Miss Speares…"

Jones left the couple alone.

"James…" Gwen began.

"Were you really going to marry him…and have him claim my child as his own?" His voice was lethally soft.

"You don't know I'm with child…"

"After last night you very well could be!" he exclaimed angrily.

"I would have broken it off if I were…"

"But would you have told me?"

Gwen hesitated. "Yes…"

James was detected her pause.

"You might not have though. Why did you do it?"

"That's private."

He glared at her. "Oh really? I think after last night I have a right to know, dear fiancée!"

"I am not your fiancée!"

"Yes, you are! Come on, we're going to see your brother…"

James had to practically drag her in, but he managed it. After being granted privacy in the Governor's study, James felt that John was owed the whole truth…

"John, something has been brought to my attention that changes my plans completely. I wish to marry your sister at once…"

John frowned at him. "I told you…that I wouldn't agree…"

Gwen interrupted, "Thank you, John, for at least letting me make the decision…"

James glared at her. "You made your decision last night, Gwen."

"Do you even remember?" she shot back.

"I remember everything. Every last aching moment. At first I thought it to be a vivid dream…"

"Exactly! You can't prove anything!"

"I heard you tell that Jones fellow that you weren't pure! I think I can put two and two together, Gwendolyn!" he seethed.

John finally managed to be heard. "Could one of you explain about 'last night'?"

Gwen spoke first. "Nothing, John. Nothing that concerns you."

James frowned at her. "I didn't want to tell him this, but you're forcing me to do so. John, last night…I'm afraid I got to…know Gwen far better than I ever had before…"

John frowned in confusion. Perhaps he was a bit dense in some areas after all. "I'm glad you two got know each other…"

James groaned. "No, John. I…got to know her in a way only a husband should."

John finally got the picture. His gaze shot to Gwen in astonishment. "Is that true Gwen?"

She nodded. "It is."

John's face turned stern, a quite rare emotion for him. "Then you two will marry at once." he declared.

"John! You can't be serious!" she cried.

"Of course he is, Gwen," James added, "Surely, you knew what would happen…"

"But…"

"No, buts Gwen. I let you remain unmarried because I didn't want you to be unhappy in marriage. You've made choices that have led you here…You will marry as soon as the banns are read…I would have you marry sooner, but tongues would wag even more than they will when society finds out…"

Gwen's face was defiant and only James observed the tear that ran down her cheek. Am I really so repulsive to her? Am I only desirable in bed and not as a husband?

The wedding quickly approached in the coming days. Gwen made all the necessary decisions, but her heart wasn't in it. The marriage seemed to be a paltry imitation of what it should be.

John tried to cheer her up. He reminded her that she'd loved James for the longest time and should be happy. Gwen was quite surprised that he'd observed that. It really did appear that everyone knew…perhaps, thankfully, with the exception of her future husband…

And she wasn't happy. She should be, as John had reminded her. She was getting married to the man she loved. She might even already be carrying his child. Despite the positive, Gwen was miserable. She knew he'd never love her…that he still probably loved Elizabeth and would pine for Elizabeth while being married to her…

The repulsive thought occurred to her that he could very well pretend she was Elizabeth when they made love. The idea of being a substitute made her cold inside. Nothing made her feel the way a bride should on her wedding day.

Even the ceremony seemed strained. Gwen felt as if all the guests knew what had happened and were in the belief that this was anything but a love match…She crumpled inside for the girlish dream that was being crushed today.

Still, she saw James at the altar looking splendidly handsome in his naval uniform. His eyes obviously appreciated the way she looked as they positively ate her up as she approached him. Their gazes remained locked for the remainder of the ceremony.

Soon enough, they were married. They left the wedding breakfast as soon as was politely possible, though James had wished that moment was far earlier than it was. James had wanted to leave the moment his officers protested that they had to kiss the bride. He wasn't quite sure which of them he'd kill first and whether the admiralty would court-martial him for it…

They arrived at his home…their home and she was properly introduced as his wife to the servants. James then proceeded to give her a tour of the house. An hour later, they were served supper in their room.

The maids had undressed Gwen until she wore a sheer nightrail, covered by a robe that barely covered her. James had taken off his coat, wig, and cravat, leaving him only in a shirt open at the neck and breeches, an unusual look for him. Very few people had seen James Norrington in anything but full uniform.

There wasn't much conversation during their meal. Gwen was more nervous than she'd ever been the first time they had come together. There was just something in the fact that it was their wedding night that caused her trembling.

James had quickly perceived the turmoil of her emotions and inquired about it. She smiled shyly…"I know it's silly…but I'm still a bit nervous…"

"It's not silly…This time we both know that we're coming together for the first time as husband and wife…I have to confess that I'm a bit nervous as well…"

She frowned in confusion. "You?"

He gave her a wry smile. "Yes, me. I don't want you to fear what we're going to do. I know it hurt last time…I want you to know that it only caused pain because you were a virgin…It won't hurt any longer, not as long as I take care…and I promise you that I would never harm you…"

She smiled sadly. He frowned. "What's wrong…"

She shook her head. "Tell me." he ordered.

"No."

"Gwen, tell me. As your husband, I am bound to help you…"

"I can't"

"Tell me."

She stared mutinously up at him and shook her head.

James frowned forbiddingly at her. "Gwen...Are you well? Is there something I can do? Should I fetch a doctor? Gwen tell me!"

"NO!" she yelled emotionally.

"Gwen..." he warned.

"Fine! I'm afraid I'm just a substitute for Elizabeth! That you still love her and will never care for me!"

"I care for you!"

"Not the way you love her…I'll always be your second choice." Tears began rolling down her cheek…

He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her up.

"Gwen, I…" He closed his eyes. "I proposed to Miss Swann because it seemed the proper thing to do…"

"Don't lie to me. She's beautiful…and I don't blame you…" Her shoulders slumped in defeat.

"You're beautiful."

"But you don't love me. You love her!"

"I don't love Miss Swann."

Gwen was stubborn. "I don't believe you."

"Believe this then."

James kissed her hard, a deep soul kiss. By the time he finished they were both gasping for air.

"So you desire me." she said sullenly.

"Are you deliberately being this stubborn or are you always this way? Let me say again, I never loved Miss Swann, not the way I do you. I put her up on a romantic pedestal, and convinced myself that I felt the most desperate love for her. She was what I considered to be the logical choice, based on reason…I didn't realize until she rejected me that both of us would have been miserable.

I don't consider her to be my first choice…"

Gwen interrupted him again. "You can't call me your first choice. I seduced you when you were drunk…"

James rolled his eyes. "I was not that drunk, Gwen! And I would never have made love to you if I hadn't wanted it. I may not have realized it until that point…"

"Made love?"

James stared at her, his eyes blazing with emotion.

"Yes, Gwen, made love…"

She sucked in a breath. Her eyes were pleading that he would answer her question correctly… "You don't love me…do you?"

"Gwen, listen to me. I'm going to say this and you'd better believe me: I love you. Yes, I might not have realized it until just recently. Yes, I realize that I've been stupid to have waited all these years. Yes, I'm a moron."

She gave a watery giggle.

"I'd known you since you were small and I never stopped to analyze my feelings until now…but I do love you with everything I am. More than anything. You are NOT a substitute for anyone. I thank God that Miss Swann had the sense to see what an ill conceived match we were. If anything, she would have been a substitute for YOU."

Gwen was silently crying, her body shaking from the emotion. He felt frantic. Suddenly, he felt more panic that she was crying than he had before any battle.

"Don't cry. I can't bear it…please, stop." He wiped away her tears with one of the napkins…

"I…I…I love you too!" she sobbed.

"Oh, Gwen…" He crushed her into his arms and began scattering kisses all over her face…

Then he carried her to their bed and claimed her in everyway he could, as if he could brand his name upon her soul. She received his attentions in much the same way. No one would ever share James. Never. He was hers forever. Just as she was his…

Much later, James held her in his arms, quite content. He could stay in his bed with his beautiful Gwen forever. James was astonished with the strength of his emotions. Over the years, the duties of command had necessitated that he keep any and all emotion under wraps. Men followed you better if you were the silent stalwart commander, especially for a man so young.

Yet he couldn't hold back the emotions he felt about his Gwen. She was beautiful and lovely and completely his. He'd make sure of the last. She was his and everyone would know it. If a man so much as looked at his wife in the wrong way…

Even still, James was cursing himself for not noticing her sooner, for not realizing his feelings sooner. The mere thought that she might have married someone else gave James a cold barren feeling that made him sick to his stomach. He frowned in contemplation of that…

Gwen looked up at him with a smile…and nothing else. It seems in the past few hours James had managed to rid her of any modesty she might have previously held. It suited him to do so, since he had the distinct feeling his favorite view of his wife would be when she wore nothing at all…and he was quite happy with the idea of making sure she wore nothing quite often…

"What?" she inquired of James.

He shrugged. "I was thinking…"

"Congratulations…"

James pinched her on the arm which earned the retaliation of a nip on his chest… "I was thinking of how I was so stupid to not have noticed you sooner…"

She grinned. "Yes, you were."

"And thinking about how terrible it would have been if you'd married someone else if I'd remained ignorant…"

"But I didn't," Gwen reminded him, "I had already made the decision not to marry. It seemed unfair to anyone I would marry when I already knew I loved another…Besides, I'm not sure John would have allowed me to marry…Did you know he knew that I loved you?"

"No, but he knew I loved you. It seems he had observed far more than we thought…"

"Actually, it seems everyone knew of my feelings…No doubt all of Port Royal. It was quite embarrassing when I was told that…"

"Not everyone…though I'm certainly glad I know now…"

She smiled at him, her love evident in her eyes. "I am too."

The kissed each other softly.

"Gwen, I want to say again that I love you more than anything. I would do anything for your happiness…"

She squeezed him. "I love you too, and as long as you love me, I'll not want for anything."

Later she said, "You know, perhaps we should thank Jack Sparrow…"

James frowned in disdain. "Thank a pirate? Gwen!"

"Think about it…if not for him, Elizabeth wouldn't have been rescued…and Will would never have declared his feelings for her at the hanging…then she would have remained engaged to you…Then we wouldn't be right here…"

"Good God, Gwen! Now you've made me realize that I'm practically beholden to that pirate for my happiness!"

She giggled. "Drives you crazy, doesn't it?"

He growled at her in mock disapproval. "I'll teach you for being so saucy, love!"

And when they made love again, it was sweeter than ever before, filled with laughter and tenderness. Commodore James Norrington had found love and never was there a more deserving person…

Author's Note: I know...Gwen is a little to sappy, but I'll delete the story if no one likes it...and save it to read myself. :)