Lydia walked with Will and Elizabeth down the gangplank. When she reached the ground she looked back to the ship, Jack was nowhere to be seen. Here ends my adventure, she thought. She sighed inwardly.

"We've decided," Elizabeth said, "that you are to come live with us. We will pretend that you are my cousin from England. You are visiting Port Royal because you wish to know if the living conditions are better here," Elizabeth grinned. "These people are too self absorbed to realize a lie." She and Will chuckled. Lydia only nodded. "Tonight there is a party at the governor's mansion," Elizabeth continued. "I'm sure you will meet plenty of gentlemen, begging for the chance to dance with you, when I'm done dressing you up." It took a little while for Elizabeth's words to sink in.

"Dressing me up?" Lydia asked, perplexed. "I'm going to the party? But I'm a pirate!"

"Don't worry," said Elizabeth, brushing it aside, "no one has to know." They continued walking in silence; Lydia was contemplating the party issue. The more she thought about it, the more she thought it would be extremely amusing to fool all these high society people.

"I guess I could do it, do you think I'd be convincing?" she asked.

"Oh definitely, and if you say you're my cousin no one will challenge you," Elizabeth replied airily.

"Why's that?" Lydia inquired.

"Because I'm the governor's daughter," Elizabeth responded with a smirk.

Lydia opened her mouth to say something, but Will said, "We're here." She looked up and was staring at the governor's mansion.

"You live here?" she asked in shock.

"Yes," Elizabeth said. "Now we need to get you cleaned up." She took Lydia upstairs where several servants were waiting. They gave Lydia a bath, washed her hair, and her clothes. Elizabeth brought out a beautiful dress to put on Lydia. "It will look wonderful on you." Before the actual dress went on, they forced Lydia into two under-dresses, and a corset. "Not too tight," Elizabeth said with a wink. After a servant laced the corset up, Elizabeth checked the tightness. "Perfect," she said. Perfect? Lydia thought, I can barely breath! They pulled the dress over her head and laced it up.

"It's a little heavy," Lydia said, trying to lift her arms and barely succeeding.

"You'll get used to it," Elizabeth replied. She sat Lydia down at a vanity and started teasing her hair, while the servants were applying makeup to hide her tan face. The result was amazing. Lydia looked as though she had been a noble woman all her life. All Lydia could do was gasp. "It's time for the party," and Elizabeth led her downstairs.

The party had already begun; men and women were dancing gracefully on the floor. The music was flowing and so was the champagne. It wasn't long before a gentleman came to ask Lydia to dance. She accepted. It was an exhilarating sensation; she was floating across the dance floor. She soon learned the man's name was Gerald Hamilton; he was a merchant. "And what is you name, fair lady?" he asked.

"Lydia Swann," she answered.

"Oh, are you related to Elizabeth Turner?"

"Yes," she responded. "She is my cousin." She smiled on the inside at the lie.

"And what brings you to Port Royal?" he inquired

"I wish to observe the living conditions, and determine if they are better than England's." she answered snobbishly.

"I find that they are." He said.

"Yes, I am experiencing that myself." They continued dancing for a little longer.

"My dear, I wish some champagne. Will you wait here for me?" He asked politely.

"Of course." She walked to a corner, out of the way of the dancers. She tried to catch her breath, but it was extremely difficult with the corset. While she was controlling her breathing, she overheard a few men talking.

"Did you see that ship in the harbor?" one asked.

"Yes of course!" another answered.

"The one with the black sails?" the third man asked.

"It's a pirate ship," the first one answered.

"A pirate ship!" the second one responded.

"Yes, but don't worry," the first one smiled smugly. "I sent out the militia to capture the wretched creatures." All of the men laughed. Oh my God! Lydia thought, Jack! She didn't know what came over her then, but she took off towards the door and ran. She could barely breath, everything was getting black around the edges, but she didn't stop. Her shoes fell off as she ran; she didn't notice. She was fighting ferociously to keep conscious. She sprinted onto the ship.

"Jack!" she yelled. "Jack!" she panted. He came running from his cabin.

"Lydia," he asked confused. "What is it?"

"The village--the men-coming-militia-heard talking," she wheezed. Jack looked to the shore and saw torches headed his way. As he looked back at Lydia she fainted. He caught her dangerously close to the floor.

"Damn it!" he said. He laid Lydia down on the deck. He then proceeded to rip her dress off and cut her corset off. She didn't wake up, but she was still breathing. He heard footsteps and looked up. Will was running toward him.

"You have to cast off immediately!" he said. "What's Lydia doing here?" he asked.

"She came to warn me," Jack replied.

"How did she know?"

"I don't know. She fainted before she could tell me." He looked Will in the eye and said, "It's those damn corsets." Will nodded in agreement. More footsteps were running up the gangplank.

"Captain," Gibbs said, "we came running as soon as we saw the militia." The whole crew was behind him.

"Cast off!" Jack yelled. The men ran to their stations. "It's too late to get you and her back on shore," Jack said. "Are you ready for another adventure?" He asked.

"Yes," Will replied with no apprehension. "I told Elizabeth this might happen. She doesn't mind, or at least that's what she told me." The ship began moving, Jack lifted Lydia into his arms and carried her to his cabin.

"Rest well, Lydia," he said as he placed her on his bed, "you have lots of swabbing to do tomorrow."