Adam got home and ordered the slaves to help him to Jack's room. He had
them wait outside the room under strict orders to inform him the minute his
brother entered the house just incase he should come inside before his task
was finished.
He looked about the room. Damn they cleaned it already. He searched the dressers and closet but could find nothing useful. The brushes and combs were useless since Jack never combed his hair. Disappointment welled up. Why did nothing ever go right ? Wallowing in misery and failure Adam hung his head and slouched in his chair. He couldn't go down into the cellars and the laundry. It was so far and there were so many stairs. It was an ordeal just getting to Jack's room. He wheeled over to the bar and grabbed a etched decanter of brandy and drank. Soon Adam found himself feeling better. Too much better that the decanter slipped from his fingers hit the floor and rolled halfway under the bed.
"Oh blast it to hell!"
He reached for it but couldn't touch it. He couldn't turn the chair by himself so he repositioned himself as best he could and tried again but still to no avail. He slid as far forward as possible and again reached for it. Adam and the chair came toppling forward.
"Oh that's just bloody wonderful!" he raged.
Lying face down next to Jack's bed, he grabbed the decorative bottle from hell and hit it against the bedpost showering himself with brandy and glass. He called for someone to help him. He couldn't pick himself up or get back into the chair by himself. Adam lay on Jack's floor waiting. He looked at the dust under the dresser and the upholstery that needed re- tacked on the bottom of the chairs. He wondered if the strange marks on the desk had been made by one of the dogs or perhaps Jackie when she was chewing everything in sight when she was a baby.
When things got boring he turned to look under the bed. Adam was filled with joy and thanksgiving. Clothing!!! He scooted as far under the bed as possible and collected all the dirty clothing he could reach. When he had gathered all he could he scooted back out. He looked for a way out of the room. There wasn't one. He started to yell for help. Soon a clamor of footsteps told him help was arriving.
Adam was taken to his rooms. He folded the clothing and hid them in his blankets. He lay down on his bed for a nap. The day up to now had been an eventful one. He hoped his plan would work. He hoped Miss Swann would come through. He would tell Bill tonight when he saw him.
Someone was shaking him and laughing.
"Hey you. Wake up."
"Leave me alone." Adam mumbled.
"Dad said you had to go to dinner. What the hell happened in my room?"
Adam pulled himself out of sleep and looked up at Jack. "What do you mean?"
"Well mate, obviously you be sleepin' one off, yer chair is lying in me room and what the hell you doin' wearin' me shirt?"
Adam stared at him not able to come up with a reasonable story to explain the situation.
"I, I, I don't know. I don't remember."
"You don't remember smashing a brandy bottle against me bed?"
"Jack I really have to get ready for dinner. Do be quiet and help me."
Adam hurried to bathe as Jack's shirt left him smelling like he'd spent the day in a pub and rolling with pigs. Jack mumbled about wondering where his shirt was as he helped his brother into the bath. Soon Adam was on his way to dinner.
Charles stood by Adam enjoying cocktails and waiting for their father as Elizabeth walked into the room.
"Woah!" Charles whispered. "Things are certainly looking up."
Adam shook his head hoping not to have to listen to Charles' obsess all night over what he thought she looked like under the dress and how he planned to find out. "She's taken."
"So?" He walked over to The Commodore as he entered the room. "James! So good to see you!"
There was much hand shaking and back-slapping. Charles couldn't help but be disappointed that the stunning creature next to him belonged to The Commodore.
The Commodore presented Charles to Governor Swann and his daughter. Charles responded graciously.
Adam bowed his head. "So good to see you again Sir, Miss Swann."
Elizabeth smiled radiantly.
James Sparrow entered the room and the introductions were made again.
James, Charles, The Commodore and Governor Swann stood together exchanging pleasantries and sipping cocktails.
Adam was elected to entertain Elizabeth.
"I'm sorry you got delegated to play governess to me instead of being in with the men." She said apologetically as she knelt down by his chair.
Adam laughed. "It's no burden Miss Swann. Trust me when I tell you it is much more pleasant being with you. It is a surprise seeing you here I do admit. Seems someone in your entourage knows my father better than he'd like them to."
Elizabeth laughed. "It's no secret. Are you like your father Mr. Sparrow?"
Adam blushed, surprised by the question. He tugged at his sleeves, clenching the bunched up cuffs in his hands. "Oh, no." He laughed. His eyes lowered. "I am sure I am in no position to be so bold miss."
She put her hand on his and smiled trying to stop his obvious habit of hiding his badly scarred hands.
".And your brothers?"
"As you can see Miss Swann, my brother is quite like my father."
"..and Jack?"
Adam smiled knowing she'd bring Jack up sooner than later.
"Jack" He began,"is as well." He used to be attractive and very appealing to women." His voice trailed.
Elizabeth started to laugh hard. "What?! Are you saying that women aren't attracted to vile breath, drunkeness and gold teeth?"
Adam joined her in laughter. His sudden silence caused her to look up. James' icy glare melted into a pleasant inviting smile when her eyes met his. His eyes traveled her body and lingered on her bosom too long and deliberately before reconnecting with hers. Suddenly she felt dirtied. This man disturbed her. She pulled her shawl around her tightly.
Adam noticed the sudden change in her demeanor. He smiled.
"Meet James Sparrow Miss Swann."
She whispered into Adam's ear. "I feel like he wants to see me standing here in my knickers."
Her comment startled him, not that she felt that way but that she would actually speak the words to him. This girl was quite confusing. She was exciting and fun but still confusing.
"Oh no, Miss Swann. You're quite wrong." Adam reassured her. "He has no interest in seeing nineteen year old girls in their knickers at all." He whispered in her ear.
She smiled doubtfully but was grateful that Mr. Sparrow was not the type to dally with young girls half his age.
"He wants to see you on your back without them." The deep blue eyes danced.
She laughed. "I could get lost in your eyes!"
She smiled devilishly at him then slapped his face playfully.
The chatter in the room stopped. Charles' and James' mouths fell open.
The Governor and James Norrington did the same. They didn't know whether to come to her aid or to throttle her.
Elizabeth started laughing. She laughed so hard tears came to her eyes. She covered her face with her hands lay her head on the arm of his chair hoping no one noticed her and believed her to be behaving inappropriately. Mortified at the attention, Adam didn't know what to do but put his arms around her. He looked around embarrassed, not knowing what to say.
Charles and James continued to stare in confused amazement. Charles couldn't believe Adam had gotten his face slapped and now the girl was crying. "What the hell?" James muttered under his breath.
The Commodore marched over and pulled her from him. "I'll remind you only once Sir to conduct yourself as a gentleman." He hissed which made Elizabeth laugh all the harder. Hands still covering her face and head now with her head on his shoulder Norrington led Elizabeth from the room.
Charles, James and Governor Swann looked across the room
"I didn't do anything! I didn't do anything!" was all Adam could say.
He looked about the room. Damn they cleaned it already. He searched the dressers and closet but could find nothing useful. The brushes and combs were useless since Jack never combed his hair. Disappointment welled up. Why did nothing ever go right ? Wallowing in misery and failure Adam hung his head and slouched in his chair. He couldn't go down into the cellars and the laundry. It was so far and there were so many stairs. It was an ordeal just getting to Jack's room. He wheeled over to the bar and grabbed a etched decanter of brandy and drank. Soon Adam found himself feeling better. Too much better that the decanter slipped from his fingers hit the floor and rolled halfway under the bed.
"Oh blast it to hell!"
He reached for it but couldn't touch it. He couldn't turn the chair by himself so he repositioned himself as best he could and tried again but still to no avail. He slid as far forward as possible and again reached for it. Adam and the chair came toppling forward.
"Oh that's just bloody wonderful!" he raged.
Lying face down next to Jack's bed, he grabbed the decorative bottle from hell and hit it against the bedpost showering himself with brandy and glass. He called for someone to help him. He couldn't pick himself up or get back into the chair by himself. Adam lay on Jack's floor waiting. He looked at the dust under the dresser and the upholstery that needed re- tacked on the bottom of the chairs. He wondered if the strange marks on the desk had been made by one of the dogs or perhaps Jackie when she was chewing everything in sight when she was a baby.
When things got boring he turned to look under the bed. Adam was filled with joy and thanksgiving. Clothing!!! He scooted as far under the bed as possible and collected all the dirty clothing he could reach. When he had gathered all he could he scooted back out. He looked for a way out of the room. There wasn't one. He started to yell for help. Soon a clamor of footsteps told him help was arriving.
Adam was taken to his rooms. He folded the clothing and hid them in his blankets. He lay down on his bed for a nap. The day up to now had been an eventful one. He hoped his plan would work. He hoped Miss Swann would come through. He would tell Bill tonight when he saw him.
Someone was shaking him and laughing.
"Hey you. Wake up."
"Leave me alone." Adam mumbled.
"Dad said you had to go to dinner. What the hell happened in my room?"
Adam pulled himself out of sleep and looked up at Jack. "What do you mean?"
"Well mate, obviously you be sleepin' one off, yer chair is lying in me room and what the hell you doin' wearin' me shirt?"
Adam stared at him not able to come up with a reasonable story to explain the situation.
"I, I, I don't know. I don't remember."
"You don't remember smashing a brandy bottle against me bed?"
"Jack I really have to get ready for dinner. Do be quiet and help me."
Adam hurried to bathe as Jack's shirt left him smelling like he'd spent the day in a pub and rolling with pigs. Jack mumbled about wondering where his shirt was as he helped his brother into the bath. Soon Adam was on his way to dinner.
Charles stood by Adam enjoying cocktails and waiting for their father as Elizabeth walked into the room.
"Woah!" Charles whispered. "Things are certainly looking up."
Adam shook his head hoping not to have to listen to Charles' obsess all night over what he thought she looked like under the dress and how he planned to find out. "She's taken."
"So?" He walked over to The Commodore as he entered the room. "James! So good to see you!"
There was much hand shaking and back-slapping. Charles couldn't help but be disappointed that the stunning creature next to him belonged to The Commodore.
The Commodore presented Charles to Governor Swann and his daughter. Charles responded graciously.
Adam bowed his head. "So good to see you again Sir, Miss Swann."
Elizabeth smiled radiantly.
James Sparrow entered the room and the introductions were made again.
James, Charles, The Commodore and Governor Swann stood together exchanging pleasantries and sipping cocktails.
Adam was elected to entertain Elizabeth.
"I'm sorry you got delegated to play governess to me instead of being in with the men." She said apologetically as she knelt down by his chair.
Adam laughed. "It's no burden Miss Swann. Trust me when I tell you it is much more pleasant being with you. It is a surprise seeing you here I do admit. Seems someone in your entourage knows my father better than he'd like them to."
Elizabeth laughed. "It's no secret. Are you like your father Mr. Sparrow?"
Adam blushed, surprised by the question. He tugged at his sleeves, clenching the bunched up cuffs in his hands. "Oh, no." He laughed. His eyes lowered. "I am sure I am in no position to be so bold miss."
She put her hand on his and smiled trying to stop his obvious habit of hiding his badly scarred hands.
".And your brothers?"
"As you can see Miss Swann, my brother is quite like my father."
"..and Jack?"
Adam smiled knowing she'd bring Jack up sooner than later.
"Jack" He began,"is as well." He used to be attractive and very appealing to women." His voice trailed.
Elizabeth started to laugh hard. "What?! Are you saying that women aren't attracted to vile breath, drunkeness and gold teeth?"
Adam joined her in laughter. His sudden silence caused her to look up. James' icy glare melted into a pleasant inviting smile when her eyes met his. His eyes traveled her body and lingered on her bosom too long and deliberately before reconnecting with hers. Suddenly she felt dirtied. This man disturbed her. She pulled her shawl around her tightly.
Adam noticed the sudden change in her demeanor. He smiled.
"Meet James Sparrow Miss Swann."
She whispered into Adam's ear. "I feel like he wants to see me standing here in my knickers."
Her comment startled him, not that she felt that way but that she would actually speak the words to him. This girl was quite confusing. She was exciting and fun but still confusing.
"Oh no, Miss Swann. You're quite wrong." Adam reassured her. "He has no interest in seeing nineteen year old girls in their knickers at all." He whispered in her ear.
She smiled doubtfully but was grateful that Mr. Sparrow was not the type to dally with young girls half his age.
"He wants to see you on your back without them." The deep blue eyes danced.
She laughed. "I could get lost in your eyes!"
She smiled devilishly at him then slapped his face playfully.
The chatter in the room stopped. Charles' and James' mouths fell open.
The Governor and James Norrington did the same. They didn't know whether to come to her aid or to throttle her.
Elizabeth started laughing. She laughed so hard tears came to her eyes. She covered her face with her hands lay her head on the arm of his chair hoping no one noticed her and believed her to be behaving inappropriately. Mortified at the attention, Adam didn't know what to do but put his arms around her. He looked around embarrassed, not knowing what to say.
Charles and James continued to stare in confused amazement. Charles couldn't believe Adam had gotten his face slapped and now the girl was crying. "What the hell?" James muttered under his breath.
The Commodore marched over and pulled her from him. "I'll remind you only once Sir to conduct yourself as a gentleman." He hissed which made Elizabeth laugh all the harder. Hands still covering her face and head now with her head on his shoulder Norrington led Elizabeth from the room.
Charles, James and Governor Swann looked across the room
"I didn't do anything! I didn't do anything!" was all Adam could say.
