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Chapter 5: Girl Talk
"You actually poked Gillette with your parasol?" Elizabeth collapsed into a fit of giggles. She and Adelaide were sitting at the scarred table in the kitchen of the Governor's mansion. It was late in the night. The governor had retired early in the evening claiming that the ordeals of the day had exhausted him. Even most of the staff was gone home for the night or abed in their quarters.
The girls had taken advantage of this and were picking at what was left of a sponge cake from dinner and trading their various stories of what had happened since the last time they were together. Empty bottles of wine littered the table around them. It had been almost nine years since Elizabeth had traveled to the Caribbean when her father had been appointed governor of Jamaica. Even though there was a six year difference in their ages, they had always gotten along. Before, Adelaide had viewed Elizabeth as a younger sister. She had been the one that filled her head with stories of pirates, treasure, and adventure. By the time the Swanns had left England, Adelaide had already begun making a name for herself in the water's around England, Ireland, and Northern France. Elizabeth had eaten up the tales that Adelaide told, not knowing that parts of them were truths from her own adventures.
No one in London society would have suspected that Adelaide was the pirate that was attacking their ships. They spoke freely around her because she was one of their own. She gathered information of trade routes and shipping schedules from idle conversation. With that she managed to take only the ships with the richest cargo that passed through her territory. She also kept good track on the movements of His Majesty's navy by keeping time with many well placed naval officers. This had worked beautifully for more then ten years. Then decision to change territories had come when, in a thick fog, they had sailed unknowingly into the British fleet off the coast of Cape Clear. By pure luck the fog had held long enough for them to slink out of the main part of the fleet and then put to sail and run for their lives. If the naval officers on watch had been a bit more alert her career would have ended then and there.
Thankfully, they hadn't. When they had returned to a safe port she had taken a vote from her crew and it was decided to move on to new waters. It had taken her a couple of months to pass around the information that she intended to visit her friends in Jamaica to the various social circles she frequented in London. While making preparations to leave she had received the announcement of Elizabeth's impending wedding. It had made her sudden plans to visit the Caribbean even more believable. Adelaide had not planned on actually enjoying Elizabeth's company, or genuinely liking her fiancé, Will Turner. But she had.
She regretted the fact she could only spend two weeks with them. But her wager with Jack took precedence. Her men needed action; they were getting restless. As soon as the wedding was over she would begin to ready the ship for a month at sea. And prepare herself for the biggest risk she had ever taken in her life. She had never put her ownership of the Midnight's Dove in jeopardy. If she lost this wager she would loose everything important to her in her life.
"Yes, I poked the puffy little twerp. I wanted to run him through, but my sword wasn't handy. His incompetence cost me two good men from my crew. How am I going to explain myself to their mothers? I would rather face the gallows than an angry Welsh mother." Adelaide forked another piece of sponge cake and gestured at Elizabeth with it. "What about you? From the gossip my men are bringing me from town, you and will seem to have enough adventures of your own. So tell me are the stories true? Were you kidnapped by pirates? And did Will gallantly race after you with the help of Jack Sparrow?"
"That's Captain Jack Sparrow to you." Elizabeth lifted her chin slightly and then burst into giggles again.
"You sound just like him," Adelaide giggled around her mouthful of cake. Elizabeth quit laughing. She dropped her fork on the plate and looked at Adelaide in astonishment.
"You've seen him? You've seen Jack?"
"Three days ago. In Tortuga."
"Tortuga? You went to Tortuga? Why would you ever want to go there?"
"All in all it was entertaining, slightly dirty, but entertaining. I went there to get rid of some things that would be hard to explain to the commodore if he went through my cargo. Weren't on my manifest and all. Navy's rather picky about stuff like that." Adelaide picked up another piece of cake. "What? Come on, Elizabeth, you believe that I am a pirate but you are surprised that I went to a pirate port? Where is that imagination I admired when you were a child?"
"I believed you ran the ship, and that your men were pirates, but I just didn't picture you actually doing the pirating and haggling over swag in a pirate port." Elizabeth shook her head. "But that doesn't really answer my question. Why did you see Jack?"
"I needed to formally issue my intent to take his place as the best pirate ship in the Spanish Main."
"You really are full of yourself, Adelaide. I am sure that Will would have a heart attack if he knew you were really a pirate."
"I think you under estimate Will, Elizabeth. He can't be that straight-laced if he lasted any length of time with Jack in Tortuga."
"I know. It is just that since we returned to Port Royal he has been so…I don't know…priggish…about acting correctly in front of people. It can get quite annoying."
"I believe you but I am sure that he is deep down a pirate. We get cranky when kept on land to long. After I have beaten Jack in my wager, I will take you both on an adventure on the Midnight's Dove. Maybe we will even visit this Isla de la Muerta of yours."
"You can't even find it without Jack's compass."
"Then the fact that I have said compass would be a plus, right?"
"What?"
"I palmed it when we talked in Tortuga." Adelaide giggled into her wine remembering that night. She shifted her hand into the pocket of her robe and pulled out the compass.
"How?" Elizabeth was still in shock, staring at the compass. She shifted her gaze to Adelaide and narrowed her eyes, trying to focus her very drunken mind on what Adelaide was telling her. "How did you get away with taking Jack's compass?"
"He was distracted." Adelaide picked up her wine again. In the back of her mind she realized she was very tired. No longer paying attention to Elizabeth she stood, weaved a bit, and headed out of the room in search of the stairs. Elizabeth stared after her for a moment, grabbed her wine and the compass off of the table, and then took off after Adelaide. She found her staring at the stairs. Adelaide looked at her and slurred, "I am not sure if I can make it up those steps."
"We'll do it together." Elizabeth wrapped one arm around Adelaide's waist. It took all of her concentration to get them up the stairs without falling back down. So much so, she almost forgot to ask why Jack had been distracted. She managed to get Adelaide to her room and into the bed. She climbed into the other side, snuggled into the blankets before she remembered to ask Adelaide. "How was Jack distracted enough to allow you to steal his compass?"
"Borrowed, I borrowed his compass. I fully intend to give it back…after I win this wager." She yawned and burrowed herself into the blankets. "He was distracted because he was busy kissing me."
"You kissed Jack!"
"He's really good at it, too." Adelaide touched her lips at the memory, "Really good at it."
Elizabeth flipped onto her side to stare at Adelaide. "For some unknown reason, I doubt that. He is so…dirty."
"I think that it is all an act. He is not quite as despicable as he would have us believe."
Elizabeth was silent. It seemed that Adelaide had discovered Jack's well kept secret. She wondered what this would mean. If Adelaide knew that she was correct in her assumption, Elizabeth suspected Jack would have a lot more problems on his hands than just a competition between crews. This would be an entertaining relationship to watch develop. She just hoped that they both survived to laugh about it later.
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"You look like an angel, Lizzy," Adelaide breathed as Elizabeth stepped out from behind the dressing screen in her room. Because they were alone they had reverted back to the childhood names they had called each other. Elizabeth was the only person who was still permitted to call her Addy after the death of her parents. Elizabeth had wanted to be grown-up like Adelaide and so she too had required everyone to call her by her full name. But today they were just two friends contemplating the change one of them was about to undertake. Elizabeth was showing off the dress her father had purchased for her wedding. The dress was a stunningly elegant mixture of white satin under ivory silk. A cascade of pearls rained down the bodice and scattered across the skirt. The sleeves ended at her elbows; a delicate lace streamed down to her fingertips. Adelaide blinked tears from her eyes as she walked toward Elizabeth. "It's only missing one thing. Close your eyes and put out your hands."
Elizabeth's eyes snapped open wide when Adelaide let a pearl necklace fall through her fingers. "I-I can't take this. Addy, it was your mother's. Uncle Connor gave it to her on her wedding day."
"I know that. It can be your 'something old'. Since I am never getting married I will never have a use for it. She would be glad for you to have it. Pearls always suited you more than they did me. I am a ruby and diamond girl."
"I don't know what to say, Addy."
"Don't say anything. Take it and smile." Adelaide started to hand it to Elizabeth but jerked it back at the last minute. She raised her brow at her. "I want your word…that your daughter will wear it at her wedding, as well."
"That, I'll give gladly." Elizabeth turned to look at herself in the mirror as Adelaide fastened the necklace around her neck. The pearls shone pure white even with their age. She fingered them gingerly and remembered her aunt, Adelaide's mother. She had always been so happy. Her clearest memory of her was of when Uncle Connor had arrived at her parent's home after a trip. Aunt Bridget had been staying with them for a short time. Adelaide had been with her father. Aunt Bridget had heard his approach before Elizabeth had realized he had been in the gardens. The sight of her running to him, laughing as she threw herself into his arms would stay with her for the rest of life. Uncle Connor had been smiling so wide Elizabeth had been sure his face would split. Aunt Bridget was suddenly even more alive. She glowed. Even with her young mind, Elizabeth had recognized what she was witnessing. It was love. All-encompassing, complete, total, unconditional, absolute love. Surprisingly enough, Elizabeth was certain that she had found the same thing with Will. It terrified her to the bone.
Her eyes met Adelaide's in the mirror. She was almost certain they had been thinking of the same memory. Adelaide's eyes were speculative. "Do you think that everyone has the chance to find what they had, Lizzy? Or is it a rare find, like a jewel found in the side of a mountain when the rest of the mountain is dirt? The pearl among the bed of clams?"
"I found it with Will."
"I know you have that is why I am wondering. For the last eighteen years I have been working toward the goal of continuing my father's tradition that I may have passed up my chance. Like you and Will nearly did, And would have if not for the intervention of pirates and adventure. Do you think that maybe I have had too much adventure and not enough normal life?"
"I think that you are still under the aftereffects of too much wine from last night," Elizabeth said dismissively. "That is a load of gibberish, and you know it. You have not been doing anything other then being yourself for the last eighteen years. The reason Will and I didn't miss our chance is because we stopped pretending to be people we weren't. You just haven't come across yours yet."
Adelaide contemplated what Elizabeth said. What was the matter with her? She had never doubted her destiny to be a pirate. Why was she suddenly doing so now? The answer was simple. Being captain was a lonely position for a woman. And having Will and Elizabeth getting married just reminded her of that fact. And it didn't help that her encounter with Jack had done the same a few days before.
Maybe she was just lonely. Well, that could be rectified in a quick fashion. There had to be some men coming to the wedding that could serve as quick entertainment before the wager began. She smiled to herself. Yes that would work. It wasn't Jack that she was attracted to. It was that she was that starved for male companionship. Well that would change. Reassured she grinned at Elizabeth in the mirror. "I am sure you are right. I don't know what got me thinking like that. I hate thinking depressing thoughts…last time I spend the night drinking wine. I am going to stick to whiskey like a good Irishwoman."
Elizabeth giggled as Adelaide slipped from the crisp British accent she used when talking to London society members into a thick Irish brogue. She leaned her head against Adelaide's hand that was rested on her shoulder. "You've never changed. Don't ever change on me."
"I'll do everything in my power to avoid it." Adelaide rested her chin on top of Elizabeth's head. "What would you say if I suggested that we sneak out of here and go swimming down in the cove like we used to at home? It would probably be warmer here."
"Sounds exquisite. Help me out of this contraption and we can escape down the servant staircase. Hurry, I think I heard father talking about inviting the Commodore and Gillette over in an effort to have them apologize."
"Well then, my good woman, fly like the wind. We have to get out of here."
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Okay girls I know it has been a while but I had to fly home for family problems and my computer is a desktop not a laptop. This chapter was not what I planned on but Elizabeth and Adelaide needed some downtime; it has been nine years since they have seen each other. Okay numbers wise…Elizabeth is twenty-one, making her three when Adelaide's parents died. Some of you may thing this is too young to have a strong memory but that is how old I was in my first clear memory. Adelaide is twenty-seven. She was eight when her parents died. I will get into details about the subsequent years later. Jack is thirty-one. His past has already been outlined…details will pop up later. I think that explains any questions you might have as to ages. If you find any in discrepancies in what I have already posted please tell me and I will fix them. It is hard to find mistakes when editing your own writing. Your eyes begin to skim cause you now what is there…now that I have rambled on and on.
I have one more thing to say "Please, please, please, please read and review."
….love ya all…Marti Gras was awesome by the way…drunken pleasures all around…friends woke up with tattoos, piercings, and strangers (perfect and otherwise)…good thing I was out of the city.