Ruby-Rose's head fell back as her body relaxed after giggling with relief and nodding to herself, perhaps she was a good Captain after all.
"I am puzzled my dear, what is exactly so amusing about being caught when committing a crime?" Lady Grace demanded.
"My assailant had stayed true to form, she followed the code right now that's all I care about – and for the record no crime has befallen this manor but petty judgements and thinly-disguised vendettas" She panted, dabbing the cut lip with her finger"
"Is the reason behind your smile is the belief that a rescue attempt is at hand? You are really quite deluded, how on earth does a girl like you become a legend?"
Ruby-Rose spluttered and laughed at the remark, she knew that her uncle held her fate in his hands but she promised herself she would not leave this world without making an interesting exit.
"For an ambassador you are quite ignorant of what pirates are capable of; you dismiss us as no more than common thieves, yet all of you have seen the extent of our skill…No I do not expect a rescue attempt, give my people some credit"
Arthur Arlington stood there watching the defiance of the ambitious intruder and felt the oddest sensation of déjà vu, he tried to shake the thought from his mind but it stuck there like a throbbing ache until he could no longer concentrate on anything else. He stared at the young pirate for the longest time until the solution of the puzzle came thundering into his psyche.
The crease of the forehead, the wry grin, and the light in her eyes…it's not possible He pondered quietly
Her defiance, her sarcasm, her grand sense of recklessness are they really echoes of him?
Ruby-Rose momentarily stared straight at him; her eyes no longer portrayed fear or even hatred, just strong, willful determination. The stunned nobleman gasped out loud and stumbled slightly as the revelation materialised right in front of him, looking at her now he felt foolish for not picking up on it sooner.
"Enough of this folly, we will proceed with further questioning some place more private, my study perhaps? Grace, see to the guests' then follow my lead there is much to discuss"
A roar of protests went up as his guests saw that an extraordinary show was being halted, Arlington was polite but adamant in his decision as he soothed the pride of the gentry while allowing his wife to calm the gossip-mongers.
Governor Swann brought it upon himself to take charge of the bewildered aristocracy by leading them back into the drawing room, taking the arms of the most curious and practically dragging them with him. Too preoccupied to make orders for his daughter to follow suit in shut the door without noticing Elisabeth and Will were creeping nearer to their host's private rooms.
Ruby-Rose sat down in another armchair with two guards standing on either side, she huffed at the absurdity but like a true Sparrow loved the sense of infamy she had created. She studied her uncle's body language, he had been spooked by something but Ruby-Rose was too nervous to face what that might be. He paced back and fourth against his desk and stared at the small picture he had kept close by for many years, despite the scandal and the tragedy nobody could escape the memory of their kin.
"….There could be many explanation for all of this; One – you're the most illustrious ghost I have ever seen, two you are indeed a impostor, three you are in fact her…" Arthur mumbled; the courage of his cruel conviction stolen away from him.
Ruby-Rose used every single ounce of mental strength to keep the emotional barrier up and running, she had never been so afraid of truth in her life. She clung her hands to her knees and hoped the moment would be over fairly soon.
Her uncle walked towards her and was about to continue his interrogation when his wife burst in through another door. If she was confused her face did not show an inch of it.
"So madam you more delays from you, I want answers who are you – you wished to discuss something with me my love?" Grace asked a mixture of sweetness and malevolence was a force to be extremely cautious about.
"I thought you were dead, a polio outbreak the doctors said – though it never occurred to me to see for myself – How did you survive…Olivia?"
"You know this woman? How, is this your way of confessing an affair to me?"
"…There are a selected few who know me by my Christian name; the legacy is spun from a pirate dynasty when in fact I was born into prospects a lot higher"
"Arthur what is the meaning of this!" Grace persevered, completely ignoring the Captain's reply.
"…I am known in this continent and perhaps half the world as Ruby-Rose Sparrow my real name is Olivia Arlington I am the disowned niece of your cowardly husband"
"You lie! I have heard tales of how despicable you pirates are but I am stunned by your sheer audacity to cause so much havoc in my home!"
"You did not answer my question young lass, how did you survive the outbreak?"
"You left me in that decrepit building for two years and the only time you had any interest was with my possible death? I cannot say I'm surprised – I did what most children do I ran away"
"To become a pirate of all things, I hoped for some justice with your father's wretched influence on my sister – The shame nearly destroyed us"
"You dare curse the dead, in fourteen years you have not changed – it is you who are wretched not my father!"
Arthur Arlington re-gained his emotional power and slapped his estranged relative on the face, this time she did not stumble and turned back at him eyes ablaze with rage.
"You have not one shred of decency or etiquette in you perhaps piracy was your greatest option; a bastard child has no business in good society"
"Decency is not something that is granted to the financially fortunate; a hag with a good heart has more decency than anything I have seen today"
The guards restrained her into the chair
"But the people you so eagerly despise will be leaving here of their own free will. You my dear will be sent to the gallows by morning I hardly call that a worthy comparison" Grace scolded, amazingly calm despite the earth-shattering revelation of being related to a pirate.
"You have no proof that I was born out of wedlock or otherwise, it bears no consequence to me – Love is not something that needs to be legally bound, it's just there" The Pirate princess bellowed, keeping a wary eye on the guards' bayonets and hoping another bruising would be avoided.
"Ah how sweet we have a beleaguered romantic in our company; Love does not ease the ruination of reputation through spite and scandal. Your father took your mother away from me; a year later your birth was announced…the indignity almost destroyed the family name"
"From what I remember as a child, the constant conduct of your unkindness – my father had every right to take her away"
"Ha, what a reckless, ignorant individual I look at you and I see your mother but then I listen to what you have to say and I hear him" Arthur replied venomously.
"Think of me as you will, you always have done but you will not clip my wings like you tried and failed with my mother…She was impetuous and free and you hated that, you wanted control and when it was not granted you spurned her: I only wish I will meet my death with someone I loved-"
"You forget Olivia she left you in Maine with a lowly nursemaid while she accompanied that swine on a business trip to England. During the crossing they met their fate; they met their fate and left you all alone"
"If you ask me to blame her Uncle Arthur it is something I will never do, living without love is a hard battle I am just glad she did not die alone"
"What are you saying child, that you are experienced in living without love? My heart bleeds for you" Arthur voiced sarcastically
"No pirate worth their salt would make a play for teas and sympathy Do I live in a world without love? No I do not, I was lucky enough to be found by two of the greatest gentleman of this Earth…I take pity from no man because I simply do not need it" Ruby-Rose explained, a melancholic smile crept on her face as she thought about the very men she lived her gregarious life for and started to think if she would ever see them again.
"A notion that is truly absurd…that a greedy scoundrel to be called a gentleman? The very idea of it"
"Lacking something are we my dear uncle?"
"Enough! Guards take her away for I have had just about as I can stand, of all the days for luck to inflict such events upon us – I will never live it down!" Grace raged, the outburst bordering on childish tantrums.
Ruby-Rose laughed quietly to herself while her wrists were being tied with rope in preparation for the inch thick manacles that were waiting for her in the cells.
"Can a condemned criminal make a final request?"
"You have worn out your welcome Miss Olivia Miss Rose or whatever you like to call yourself, you will leave these premises immediately!" Grace ordered firmly and ushered the guards who in turn started to lead the young captain out the door.
"Wait one moment…you have tried my patience Ruby-Rose, I will be stunned if they return back to normal after today – What is this request?"
"That you give me my father's name, a small token of redemption and information is all I ask. I have a disorientating sense of identity, many aliases' none of them have any real truth, it's the least you could do Uncle"
There was a long pause and Lord Arlington spread his hands wide over his desk, he did his best to avoid his wife's stare that was by now alight with fury at what she thought was an audacious insult.
"…Very well as this may be your last night alive; you father's name was Brogan Fletcher an extremely brusque financier from Norfolk he met your mother at a party with our family as hosts. He was boisterous and confident but was deeply charming and gracious to your mother, she fell in love but I thought he was an irritating fop but as you can see she paid no attention to my concerns"
"My mother…?" Ruby-Rose stammered, trying hard not to drift into the daydream of her father during Arthur Arlington's narration.
"Yes Isabelle was far too rebellious for her own good, she hated the restraints of high society and my mother had a tough time in convincing her to behave as a lady should, I believe her rejection brought on my mother's illness, what a dreadful waste…Take her away" Lord Arlington concluded and Ruby-Rose was escorted into the prisoners' cart. Sitting with an odd mixture of fear and dignity she saw Will Turner and Elisabeth Swann peeked around the edge of the window as there was little space left from the rest of the aristocratic spectators. They watched helplessly as the pirate rode away to the district's local jail.
"We have to find Jack, he won't stand for this" Will Turner whispered
"That would be quite impossible if what Ana-Maria says is true, that he really is in Havana" Elizabeth replied solemnly
"Well we have to do something, find her crew and assist with a prison break we cannot just leave her to hang by sunrise"
"Agreed, let's wait till the crowd dies down then head for the lighthouse and see what's out there" Elisabeth concurred nervously