Chapter 19

The marketplace was busy and thriving since it was noon. The smells of fish, bread, sweet meats, and other exotic foods filled the room enticing one as they walked by each shop. Merchant people's bids filling the air trying to outdo each other. As they walked by, they heard many compliments and catcalls from the men.

Thinking that the compliments were directed towards Elizabeth, Ana leaned forward and whispered into her ear.

"Looks like ya got some admirers Liz."

Elizabeth eyed her with fake modesty, "for me? Oh on the contrary I believe those comments were meant for you."

Ana turned around and saw the oggling eyes of the vendors and even of the townsmen watching her.

Ana smirked at their glances.

Men they never change.

"Ya vultures!" She yelled out which resulted in a few looks from the people around her.

As she was walking, she accidentally bumped into something.

She turned around and saw that it wasn't a something, it was a someone.

This man was tall and as thin as a rail. He had brown hair, his face was rectangular with a defined jawline and cheekbones. His nose was upturned a bit and his skin was the color of light brown sand.

"Sorry," she mummered, "I shoulda been watchin' where I wuz goin."

"Oh no," he said politely, "it's all my fault, I was distracted by something."

The words flew from his mouth like water. They were so smooth and easy on the ears that Ana looked up and their eyes met.

Suddenly it seemed as if they were the only two people in the marketplace. As she looked into his eyes she saw two pools of sophistication and mystery behind his blue eyes.

"Oh there you are." Came a voice which snapped them both to reality.

Ana looked over and saw Elizabeth walking over to them.

"Wha?" Asked a confused Ana.

"Hello Mrs. Turner." Greeted the mysterious man as he took off his hat which revealed even more brown straight hair.

"Hello." Came the curt reply.

"Ana, this is James Norrington who is a resident from London."

James turned towards Ana his eyes once again meeting hers but briefly as he nodded his mop of hair at her.

"James, this is my best friend Anamaria Ericson."

Ana nodded at James who was watching her before returning his attention back to Elizabeth.

"What bring you out here today?" Asked James as he put back on his hat.

"Well I was doing some grocery shopping with the little ones and Ana when you came along." Recalled Elizabeth.

"Well I'm doing some grocery shopping of my own, would you mind if I accompanied you?" Asked James.

Ana and Elizabeth exchanged glances.

"Well wha do ya say?" Whispered Ana amongst themselves.

"I say, " Began Elizabeth then turned towards James, "that you can join us."

James smiled which revealed a set of white even teeth, which caught Ana's attention.

He held Victoria and Nathaniel while Ana and Elizabeth walked behind them.

"We have a lot of catching up to do Ana." Reminded Elizabeth.

"I kno." How could she not forget, Ana had the feeling that tonight was going to be a long night.

"So from the beginning where did you go that night after you left my house?"

Ana kept her voice as emotionless as possible, "I went over to Jack's, and the next morning I left."

Elizabeth smiled to herself, she always knew it was gonna happen between them.

"Where did you go?" She asked.

Ana was in the middle of judging some apples, "I went on a ship and sailed all tha way to some part of Africa and South America." Lied Ana, she had been to a lot of places and seen a lot of things.

"Really?" She asked amazed, "well how do these other places compare to our little port?"

"Well..." Recalled Ana searching through her mind, "there's some places tha are betta some worse."

"Really where are some places?" Asked Elizabeth.

Before she could answer, Nathaniel's voice rang out.

"Mommy!" He whined out.

Elizabeth ran over to Nathaniel who was still being held by James.

"Mommy I hungry." He complained.

Elizabeth gave a small smile, "not to worry honey, we'll be home soon so you can fill your lil' tummy." She concluded with tickling his belly which resulted in a giggle from Nathaniel.

James took out a gold pocketwatch which gleamed in the sun.

"Well I'm afraid that I must be going." He explained as he handed Nathaniel over to Elizabeth.

"Oh well thank you for helping us while we shopped." Thanked Elizabeth as she settled Nathaniel on her hip.

James nodded, "hopefully we shall meet again." He said as he looked at the both of them even though his eyes stayed on Ana a bit as he spoke.

Ana just nodded not really knowing what to say at the moment.

After saying goodbye to Victoria and Nathaniel, James left walking towards the center of the city.

What just happened? Thought Ana in amazement as they started walking towards the Turner house. did she just get hit on by that guy? Well obviously she must have done something flirtatious to motivate him to keep going.

As they were walking, Elizabeth kept looking back at Ana who was holding Victoria's hand and smiled.

After Elizabeth did that for the third time, Ana yelled out in irritation, "why do ya keep lookin' back at me!"

Elizabeth turned quickly back around "because," she explained in a sing-song voice dancing around as if she were 16 again "because someone's got an admirer."

"I don' kno' who ya talkin' bout, James wuz jus' bein polite."

"Polite my," Elizabeth noticed Victoria and Nathaniel and stopped herself from cursing, "you know what. I saw you two staring at each other while I was also conveniently examining some meats to take home. I've seen you with that look before."

Anamaria's eyes furrowed together in confusion, "when ya seen me wit tha look before."

"Yea mommy when?" Asked Victoria who had been watching everything from behind Ana.

"A long time ago before mommy and daddy ever got married and way before you and Nate came along. this had been a time when Auntie Ana had known another you ng man like Mr. James and she was a very different auntie back then."

"Wat she look like?" Asked Nathaniel from atop Elizabeth's shoulders who had suddenly become interested in this story which was unique for 2 year olds whose minds are usually racked with ADD like attention spans.

Elizabeth looked at Ana, "well she was younger, and just a bit nicer."

"Well we were all a bit dif'rent back then." Said Ana as she walked a little faster.

When they got to the section where the houses began, the road split off into two sections one she knew, and one she didn't know. Ana started walking towards the old section.

After taking a few steps forward, Elizabeth noticed that Ana was going the wrong way.

"Ana!" She called out.

"Wha?" She yelled back.

"You're going the wrong way, I don't live there anymore!"

"this is the way to Grandpa's house." Clarified Victoria.

"Oh." Ana started to blush at her mistake.

"Don't worry I used to have that problem also." Sympathized Victoria.

Turning around they went towards the newer section of houses. Compared to the old section houses which resembled mansions with their large veranda windows and Greece like buildings, the newer section was smaller and spaced closer together with Roman like buildings.

As they walked farther down the road, the houses began to blend together because they looked the same until they got to Elizabeth's house which definitely stood out.

The Turner's house was white with dark green shutters and columns that lined up around the house.

Ana saw the house and saw it as just that, a house. "Looks like ya done good for yourself." Remarked Ana as they walked up the cobbled driveway.

"Yeah well not really. It's more like Will and Daddy have done well for themselves, I 'm just the daughter of one and the wife of the other." She stated sadly.

Ana didn't know how to respond to this, she did feel a little empathy for her friend who had grown up with finer things in life because of her father's accomplishments as governor, and now along with Will's success as a blacksmith. Not once had she really attributed to something besides Victoria and Nathaniel and this was what left an unsatisfied feeling in her. Unfortuantely since she did feel some empathy, she couldn't just baby her, Elizabeth would just have to get over it.

"That may be the case, but can't let it get ya down." Advised an emotionless Ana as she continued up towards the house.

Once they got inside the house Ana was taken aback by her thoughts of the minimal beauty of the outside of the house. The entrance way was draped in a dark green wallpaper giving one the feeling of being ina dense forest while the trees and rivers were traced over in a gold like paper reflecting sohistication. Once passing the entrance way it opened up into a huge frontroom where there were marble mosaic tiles that formed the image of a rose in the middle. Also if one stood in the middle and looked up they saw a glass dome tha t on its inner edges there were flowers engraved in the border. Included in all of this was a polished wood spiral staircase that seemed to go up into heaven.

"How long did it take ya ta build dis house?" Asked a transfixed Ana as she took in the whole room.

Elizabeth closed 1 eye in thought as she mentally calculated, "oh about 3 years give or take, Vicky was a year old when me moved in." Said Elizabeth ruffling Victoria's hair.

When they entered the kitchen, they put all the food and Victoria and Nathaniel down so that they could play.

"So 10 years out on the sea and not a word from you."

"Wha could I do, if I let any of ya know where I was there wuz a chance that letta would get in the wrong hands." Explained Ana as she watched Elizabeth put her groceries away.

"Well you could've at least told Jack." Pleaded Elizabeth.

"I 'aven't seen Jack in 10 years eitha." Retorted Ana. Why did everything have to refer back to him? Why didn't the past just die, why'd it have to come back to biter her in the ass?

"Oh," Elizabeth instantly got quiet as she finished putting away the groceries.

"So I wonder if James is going to pay another call upon you?" Asked Elizabeth changing the subject.

"I reckon, tell me Liz wha do ya know bout James?" Asked a curious Ana.

"Besides the fact that he came from England, not much. He came here and instantly vied for the position of Chief of the Navy."

Ana's eyes instantly frowned as her eyes searched Elizabeth's trying to see if she's telling the truth.

"Wait, did ya just say what I thought ya said?"

"What?" Asked a confused Elizabeth.

"That James is a...is a...," she couldn't say it, Please god don't let it be true.

"A chief of the Navy? Yeah he's been one for about 10 years. The 1st year after you left he came here and became a part of the Navy. The next year he ran for Chief and won, and has been in that position for the last 8 years." Explained Elizabeth.

Ana sighed in fustration, why did everything go from good to bad?

"So are you staying for dinner, or are you going on another lil' adventure?" She asked as she walked over to the living room and watched with delight as her kids were playing.

"I believe I'll be goin' on anotha lil' venture." Guessed Ana joining her.

"Where to?"

"Mos' likely me fatha's house."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, "leaving me once again?"

"I 'ave ta, I'm not safe here and neitha is anyone else who knows me." Explained Ana as she rubbed her arm.

Elizabeth smirked, "you always did like to take the easy way out of things."

Ana didn't say anything as they watched the children play for a bit later.

After an hour Victoria and Nathaniel ran over to Elizabeth and Ana.

"Mommy when's Daddy comin' home I'm hungry?" Demanded Victoria.

"Yeah I hungry!" Exclaimed Nathaniel as he rubbed his belly.

"Not to worry daddy'll be home soon."

"But I mus be goin." Stated Ana.

Victoria and Nathaniel ran over to her hugging her around her middle.

"No don't go, we luv you." Begged Victoria.

"Yea no go Auntie Ana." Pleaded Nathaniel.

Ana got down to their heights, "ya just met me, an ya already luv me?" She asked perplexed.

Both of them nodded causing Victoria's curls to bob up and down and Nathaniel's to move like wheat in the wind.

"Yea from all tha stories we heard of you from mommy, daddy, and Uncle Jack." Explained Victoria.

"Oh really?" Asked Ana with wide eyes looking up at Elizabeth, "I 'ope nothin bad."

Victoria's eyes got big in suprise, "oh no," she adamantly promised, "nothing bad."

"good." Ana stood up and walked towards the door.

As she was about to open the door, Elizabeth threw herself in front of the door.

"Are you sure that you don't wanna stay for dinner?"

"Yes." Replied Ana roughly, then stopped herself, "sorry." She apologized.

"Don't worry I'll be back this time." Promised Ana.

"I'll hold you to it."Elizabeth moved out of the way.

Ana took a few steps and turned, "don't worry ya can always count on me."

After that off she walked into the night towards Edward's house.