Greetings all, and thank you so much for the wonderful reviews. This has been a hard chapter to write, mainly as there were so many different ways that this story could go. After much thought, I finally made the touch final decision, and I hope you all enjoy where the story is going from here!
As always, I don't own any characters from Disney's POTC...just the ones I make up in my own sick widdle brain!
Feedback, as long as it is constructive and not just plain spiteful, is always apprecaited!
Chapter 18: Revelations, Accusations and Arrivals!
"My God…wh..what have you done!"
"Nothing more than any decent man would do in defense of his best friend's…his wife's best friend's honor, rather." Cursing his almost-slip of the tongue, Will reached down and jerked the cutlass from Leighton's back and wiped it clean before sheathing it at his side. "I heard what he planned for you and Merry, and when I saw him strike you I knew what had to be done. No man should ever lay hands on a woman in anger." He glanced over to see that Linnet had sunk back down to the floor and was staring at her fiancée's body without truly seeing it. Stepping over to her, he pulled her to her feet and spoke to her gently and quietly.
"What happened here wasn't your fault, Linnet. Leighton was a vicious bastard who got exactly what he deserved, and I'm sure Ol' Hob is holding a celebratory feast in honor of his arrival down below. I'm normally not one to stab a man in the back, mind you, but 'tis doubtful he would have even shown up had I challenged him to a fair fight. He was without honor, and you're well quit of him. Now, we need to get you home before they raise hue and cry."
Linnet looked up at him, finally becoming aware of the gravity of the situation. "How did you know I was here? I asked Elizabeth not to involve you in this matter. I can't believe she went behind my back and sent for you anyway!"
"It wasn't Elizabeth who came flying into the smithy babbling at full steam about how I needed to save you from Leighton's wrath." Will grinned, the expression causing his warm brown eyes to sparkle, and at that moment Linnet could see exactly why Elizabeth fell in love with the handsome blacksmith with certain pirate tendencies. "I've never seen her so upset. She reminded me of Elizabeth that time she…..no, there will be time enough for that tale once we are safely home. By the bye, I could have sworn you told us Miranda had no knowledge of Leighton's blackmailing you, yet she repeated practically word for word what Elizabeth revealed to me last night. I'm beginning to think that nothing can be kept secret in our household."
Linnet grimaced. "I'm beginning to agree with you. She must have heard my unbosoming to Elizabeth---your wife, dear as she is to me, must have been an Inquisitor in a previous lifetime. I am certain she could have wrangled a confession of heresy from the Pope himself!"
Will smirked before growing serious once more. "While I would love nothing more than to discuss my lady's numerous attributes, I think such a lengthy conversation would be better held in more congenial surroundings, don't you think?"
"Agreed. But how are you going to get out without being seen? I couldn't bear it if you were implicated in this matter—not to mention Elizabeth would undoubtedly run me through herself should her husband hang and make her a widow before your child is even born!"
Will chuckled softly and shook his head. "Don't worry about me…I'll go out the same way I came in, through the parlor window. Its on the backside of the house and the sun is setting, so it'll be highly unlikely that I'll be seen. It appears Leighton was rather tight-fisted regarding his hired help…I saw only two servants and the cook, who appears to be doing her best to pickle herself from the inside out, if my eyes didn't deceive me." Turning to the sofa, he retrieved Linnet's cloak and placed it on her shoulders, raising the hood for good measure. "Now, there's a chance a random passerby saw you arrive, so you should leave the same way you came. Have you any funds on you?" At her nod, Will continued. "Good. Stop by a few of the little stands on the street, and be sure to engage the keepers in conversation. Above all else, you must appear as if you're about to be married to the most wonderful man in the world. ((((Which if Jack's luck holds, you will be soon…..)))) In other words, act naturally. You have done nothing wrong, and people will be suspicious if you behave in a nervous or guilty manner. Get along with you now….I'm going to see what I can do to stage the scene here. I'll see you soon back at the house. And don't mention this to Elizabeth, if you don't mind. No sense in worrying her in her condition."
Linnet nodded and went to the door, stopping with her hand on the ornate handle. "Will" she said softly, and she turned to see him dragging Leighton's blood-soaked form behind the desk. She almost laughed as he stopped cold, and blinked away the moisture in her eyes as she met his inquiring gaze. "Thank you…for everything." Will ducked his head in an almost regal fashion, then after glancing both ways she swept out of the room, closing the door softly behind her.
The figure who had witnessed it all from the window slipped silently away into the twilight as well.
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Half an hour later…………….
The overworked maid tapped gently on the study door and waited. She had sensed the tension in the room earlier when delivering the tea things, and now the silence was driving her mad. She hadn't heard any shouting, but that didn't surprise her…..both her employer and his bride-to-be were quality folk with manners, and weren't likely to air their grievances with each other in ways that might be over heard by the help. However, she hadn't heard even the slightest mumble of conversation for quite some time, and she was beginning to get concerned. She hesitated to intrude, especially if the couple were involved in a romantic moment. After all, her master was a very handsome man….a woman could hardly be faulted for succumbing to his charms. He had been a bit rough when he tumbled her, true, but surely he would be a gentleman when it came to wooing a real lady like Miss Bryce…..
Her curiosity finally got the better of her, and after tapping once more, she took a deep breath and opened the door. She had been fully prepared to be met with a roar of anger, but to her surprise she found the room silent and apparently empty. Relaxing slightly, she hurried over to the table before the sofa, clucking when she saw the untouched tray of biscuits and full pot of lukewarm tea. "Went to all that trouble to make it all fancy, too, and they touched nary a drop. Ah well, guess me and Nan'll have a rare treat a'fore supper." Rising up with tray in hand, she swung around and just as quickly dropped it, shrieking with horror at the bloody sight be on the floor beside the desk. Moments later the cook dashed in, as did the groom, who had been gossiping with the portly woman as he snatched a bite to eat in the kitchen. He immediately went to his master's side, and after examining the wound he laid his head on the blood-soaked chest.
"He's dead…..oh, the poor man….what's to become of us?" The cook stood, worrying her soiled apron as she tried to comfort the sobbing maid.
"Quit your squalling, Nan…he's still alive, but barely. Take those napkins and apply pressure to his wounds---Sarah, grab that cushion and throw from the chair and try and keep him warm while I run and fetch the doctor and alert the patrol!" He wiped his bloody hands on his pants and stood up. "From the looks of that wound, it'll be a miracle if he survives the night."
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Elizabeth was coming down the stairs when Linnet entered the house, lost in thought as she reviewed the events of the afternoon. Her friend waited impatiently while Linnet hung up her cloak and straightened her hair in the hall mirror before turning towards her host. "Well?"
"I did it…..I've broken my engagement to Bart, and I made it clear that I want nothing more to do with him. I think it is safe to say that he will never press his unwanted suit on me again, except perhaps in my nightmares." Linnet resisted the strong urge to confess all, deciding to let Elizabeth make what she would of her statement. After all, she wasn't lying…just omitting a few pertinent facts, so to speak.
"Good for you…..I'm very proud that you finally came to your senses. It's about time someone gave him exactly what he deserves…you've undoubtedly dealt his pride a mighty blow."
(((….Aye, I did at that…..just as your husband dealt his body a fatal one…..))) Linnet shuddered at the thought, hoping she hadn't just said that aloud. Since Elizabeth made no comment, she assumed that she hadn't betrayed her secret. Speaking of secrets….
"Have you seen Miranda anywhere about? I need to speak with her urgently, and 'tis best I do so before we leave for the Governor's."
"She's upstairs in your room. She seemed rather distraught when she came in…in fact, I thought she was you when she flew past my door not 10 minutes ago, wailing like a banshee. I knocked but she didn't answer and the door was locked, so I was coming down to fetch the key so I could check in on her when you arrived. Have you an idea as to why she's in such a state?"
Linnet grimaced, debating on how much she could tell her expectant friend without upsetting her. "I'm not certain, but I can tell you that she isn't acting herself. She was rather quiet this morning when I mentioned our staying with your father, and I've learned since that she apparently overheard our conversation during my fitting yesterday. It's imperative that I sit down with her and clear the air, so to speak."
"Linnie?" The voice that came to them from the top of the stairs was wavering, and looking up the women saw Miranda standing at the top of the stairs, her doll hanging limply from one hand as she wiped her streaming eyes with the other. "Please don't be angry. I didn't mean to tell."
Linnet quickly climbed the stairs and pulled Miranda down to sit with her on the top step, shushing her cousin's tears. "It's all right, lovey, and I'm not angry. You did the right thing, and I know you only meant to help. You're the best cousin I could ever ask for, sweetheart." She looked down at Elizabeth, who was still standing at the foot of the stairs with a puzzled look on her face. "I'll tell you later" she mouthed silently to her friend over Miranda's head, which rested on her shoulder as the girl continued to sob quietly as Linnet rocked her. Elizabeth nodded, and turned toward the hall leading to the kitchens. "I need to check in with cook, and then I think I'll lie down for a bit before supper. My back is aching quite fiercely this afternoon." With a sigh, she waddled slowly away, mumbling under her breath as the baby tried to rearrange her internal organs with its tiny limbs.
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"AAAAaaaaggggggggggghhhhhhhhh!"
"Blast your hides! Hold him down you fools—I can't stitch him up while he's thrashing about!" He glared at the groom and his own assistant who were doing their best to hold Leighton down on the massive desk as he attempted to repair the damage. He nodded toward the maid, who was hovering nearby. "Be a good lass, and pour some more laudenum down his gullet, if you will." He leaned back and stared down at his patient broodingly as the girl pressed a glass of water and opium derivative to the man's bloodless lips. Leighton choked, and when a great quantity of blood came up, the doctor knew that his lung had been hit and it would only be a matter of time.
"Gah….for the love of God….give me….some whiskey….."
The doctor sighed, and waved one of the men to do as the dying man bid. The man took a deep swallow, and slowly his eyes focused on the surgeon before him. "You can tell me true, doctor……I can see it in your eyes that there's no hope, is there?" The doctor stared at him for a moment, then shook his head, at which point Leighton closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. His lungs troubled him again, and he gave another massive bloody cough, wiping his mouth and then signaling to the man with the decanter to refill the glass. "If I'm going to die, I'm going to be quite foxed when I go…no sense in letting it good whiskey be drunk up by the servants. T'would be a waste, wouldn't you agree, doc?." He took another deep swallow, nearly emptying the glass, before lying back down weakly against the cushion.
"Do you have any idea at all who did this?"
The doctor was surprised when Leighton chuckled. "Ahhh, the irony." He winced in pain before continuing. ".dared to stab me in the back and send me to my death, and now I get to issue an invite to join me shortly in hell care of His Majesty's executioner. That, my good man….is truly ironic." He gave a mighty cough, and began gasping as his lungs, which had been filling with blood, were no longer able to provide him with needed oxygen.
"So you saw who stabbed you?" He could tell by the blueish cast to Leighton's complexion that he was moments from dying, and gestured to the others in the room to gather around to be witnesses to the man's final words.
"It was………." The doctor leaned closer so as to be able to catch what he knew would be the man's dying words.
"Miranda…………….…Everton…."
With that, he gave up the ghost, his final breath leaving him in a pathetic gurgle as he drowned in his own blood.
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Later that night, while most of the residents of Port Royal slept, a ship with dark sails crept past the harbor entrance and made berth at its favorite cove………not knowing that at the same time the anchor was being lowered, a household was being roused by soldiers at the door……
(A/N Heheheheh...I was going to leave it as another cliffhanger, but was afraid I would find myself being hunted down and shot so I changed my mind. The next chapter is going to be another rather dramatic one, as one of our heroines goes on trial and Jack is reunited with his friends. Stay tuned for the next exciting installment...coming your way soon, and don't forget to go see POTC:DMC coming out FRIDAY!
