Chapter 03:
Will and Patricia were relieved to see that after almost four years away, Port Royal's people had changed and that few people would remember their faces. They had asked the men at the port to see if the Norringtons still resided on their seaside bluff and after an affirmation, they rented a carriage to take them there.
Patricia was in awe of what she's missed. Though Southampton had proven itself to be a worthy place to settle, Port Royal was still home. She missed the warmth and the smell and the fruits that was laid out on the floor, ripe and firm at the same time. The colors were different from the grays and browns of England. In Port Royal, everything was vibrant in hue. It seemed like everything was glowing and as she stared, Patricia felt the kick of her baby in her stomach.
"Yes, love. This is home," she murmured.
"Did he kick?" Will asked when he saw Patricia's hand move to her stomach.
"He knows that we're somewhere different."
However, as the carriage went up the incline to the Norringtons' mansion, Patricia's happiness began to make way for nervous anxiety. Will felt Patricia's tension and understood a bit of where it was coming from. He hadn't seen Elizabeth in years and he wondered if their friendship, or what little friendship they maintained, would be enough to warrant a surprise visit from them.
Patricia knew that Will was thinking about Elizabeth and she wondered if the time apart helped Will forget all remnants of the beautiful governor's daughter. She wondered if Elizabeth aged to an ugly haggard woman or did she age gracefully? Patricia felt her old jealousy bubble and she hoped for the former.
In any case, Patricia thought as she stepped off the carriage, I shall have to ask the doorman as to how Elizabeth is doing beforehand. That way I'll be ready.
Will knocked on the door with his right hand as his left hand gripped Patricia's.
Patricia expected the old doorman to answer as the door swung open but the person in front of her made her falter in composure and in plans.
Patricia's insecurities came rushing back suddenly. It seemed like it was the effect this person had on her. All she could think of was that in that four years, this person hadn't changed even in the most minute detail. Still the tall, elegant, slender, most beautiful woman she'd ever set eyes on… She just realized that her stomach was massive to the one this woman proudly boasted in the tight corset and she prayed that she was having twins just to justify her sheer size.
"Will! Patricia!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "You're here!…" Her eyes looked at Patricia and her jaw dropped. "You're pregnant!"
Patricia didn't know how to answer that so she looked helplessly at Will.
"Elizabeth. Wonderful to see you," Will smiled gently.
"And to see you, of course!" Elizabeth said. She stepped aside to let Patricia and Will through. All the while she couldn't take her eyes off of Patricia's stomach. "Patricia, I can't believe you're with child! How far along are you?"
"Eight... eight and a half months. The baby is due in a few weeks," Patricia murmured with quiet pride.
"Unbelievable. My goodness, pregnancy suits you!" Elizabeth ushered some servants to help with the bags and then stepped up to embrace Patricia. "You look beautiful!"
"Th... thank you," Patricia said softly, blushing. Elizabeth led them into a sitting room and started conversing happily as if she hadn't had company in years.
"Well, it doesn't matter how long you two are staying. I insist that you stay with us."
"Really, Elizabeth… We don't want to be a burden…" Will began but was interrupted.
"Nonsense. Your bags are probably already in their rooms. I wouldn't leave you to some third class suite in town especially with Patricia in her condition. You will be here." Elizabeth was so adamant that Will couldn't have said no if he really wanted too.
"Well, then thank you… I guess."
"Will, it's so wonderful to see you both."
"And you as well. You look good," Will said before sitting down next to his wife. His hand instinctively rested on the roundness of Patricia's stomach and just his touch sent her mind a bit of reassurance that the thoughts of Elizabeth becoming the heart of Will's affections again would never happen.
"Unfortunately, not as beautiful as Patricia. Being with child seems to treat her very well," Elizabeth said. Her eyes clouded for a moment, and when Patricia glanced at Will, she was sure she was the only one to notice but she was sure it was there. Just like before, female intuition told her that something was wrong with Elizabeth.
"Is something wrong?" Patricia spoke up and Elizabeth just looked at her, shrugging.
"Nothing at all," Elizabeth sighed.
"Is the Commodore about?" Will asked politely.
"No, he's on his way to England. Some sort of whoop de doo about his accomplishments," she said proudly. She turned to Patricia. "I kept my promise to you. James lets me be. I think he's afraid that I'll run away and become a pirate but truthfully, I think I'm happy. I come and go as I please under the condition that I stay faithful which of course I do."
"I'm glad," Patricia replied genuinely.
"How long will you be staying then?" Elizabeth asked.
"Does two months sound too imposing?" Patricia answered, hopefully.
"Not at all," Elizabeth said, picking a cup of tea up to his lips. "So how are you doing? Besides the whole-going-to-be-parents factor, of course. Is your business doing well, Will?"
"Actually, it is. It's why we're here. My goods are now being asked for in the Caribbean and I'm here to scout business. Patricia wanted to tag along to see the old haunt," Will said proudly. "Tricia and I live on the second and third floor of a building that we own. The first floor is the store. I have an apprentice working under me and I have two others who work for me." His hand reached out for Patricia's again subconsciously, grasping it in his as they sat down on a love seat and Elizabeth sat across. "Life is going EXTREMELY well for us." Will turned and smiled at Patricia, who smiled at him in return.
"Ugh! You two are still disgustingly in love, I see," Elizabeth laughed. "I don't even need to ask how many times you two have been separated! I already know it's either a day or less."
"Three days, I'd have you know," Patricia replied, haughtily. "He had to go to Portsmouth for some order and..." Patricia's mouth snapped shut, her hand suddenly gripping his, her blush growing. If memory served her correctly, that trip was made almost eight months ago as well. The separation had proven to be a VERY powerful aphrodisiac, resulting in their absence from the outside world for almost the same amount of time that he was gone. The sly grin on Patricia's face told Elizabeth everything she needed.
"I don't even want to know," she smirked.
"Let's just say that repercussions of that day are still to be dealt with."
"I told you!" Elizabeth shrieked "I didn't want to know!"
"Actually, Elizabeth, I'm actually quite grateful that you've invited us to stay here," Will said interrupting the two women.
"Pardon?"
"Yes. Well, I really don't want to but there's so much to be done here in Port Royal for the next few weeks. I have to leave to other parts of the island and I don't want Tricia traveling when she's so ready to give birth," Will explained.
"You're still going!" Patricia interceded, surprised. "You told me you weren't!"
"Tricia, I have to go. There's no way out of it, unfortunately."
"Will, you promised you'd stay in Port Royal until our child comes," she whined.
"I know, and I'm sorry I have to break that promise but you know Jillian. He refuses to talk to anyone but myself. He's one of our primary patrons here and I can't lose him. If I don't come at our appointment next week, he'll surely replace us."
Patricia just pursed her lips and nodded. It seemed like she accepted the inconvenience of it all but Elizabeth noticed that Patricia's hand slipped from Will's.
"I'm sure he'll be here for the birth, Patricia. How long will you be gone?"
"Two days at the most," Will replied.
"See? What are the chances that the birth will be inside that small space of time?" Elizabeth said, trying to ease the tension.
She doesn't get it, Patricia thought. It's not him being here that actually gets to me, not that that's not important. I'll castrate him if he's not here when our baby arrives. But he promised. He promised and now he intends to break it. She sighed and looked up.
"Of course," she murmured. "I'm just having a bit of a fit." Will's arm snaked around her waist and Elizabeth smiled, satisfied at her answer.