Disclaimer: I don't own POTC. I don't really own any of the chapter titles, either. The title is the poem by William Wordsworth that is also known as "Tintern Abbey".

Chapter 25: Lines

The next day was very gratifying, at least to Camille. Still rewarding herself for being able to talk Gretchen into at least changing her clothes, she was enjoying every moment of this day. Gretchen had the pleasure of swabbing the decks. It was Camille's least favorite job, because her back would always ache afterward and her skin would burn easily. The deck was extremely difficult to clean, and was and ongoing job that was never finished. Sailor were constantly spitting on it, vomiting on it, seagulls were always messing on it, broken rum bottles and the contents were usually spread all over it…it was a terrible job for any man or woman.

She did feel somewhat sorry for Gretchen. She was the only one besides Gabriel and Priscilla who knew about her rape, and therefore her fear of pirates. But there were times where she wanted to punch the girl in the mouth until all her teeth spilled out, also. Nobody should ever act like that.

Camille was one of the few cheerful ones on the ship that day. It was too early in the journey to mend sails, nothing was really broken, so she got to be on kitchen duty, which she had learned to excel at. And the compliments everyone made about her cooking always boosted her self-esteem, as well.

To everyone's surprise, the captain was nowhere to be found that evening. Relieved, the evening passed by lazily. Perhaps Jack's frenzy was beginning to calm down a bit already. Camille sat out on the deck, letting the cool breeze flow around her and enjoying it. She was joined shortly by James, who was actually beginning to look much healthier to her.

"Mr. Norrington, you're looking well. Much of your strength has been returning on the sea, eh?" she questioned him.

"Yes, that and your cooking," he complimented. "I suppose you are going to go to Jack after what I have to say to you."

"I am not speaking to him," she said quickly. "That man is unbelievably stubborn, and until he adjusts that I have resolved to ignore him. Besides, he's probably watching us this very instant. He knows and hears everything aboard this ship."

"He has been rather indifferent in his treatment of me, actually. I have received no further snide remarks from him or otherwise. I believe he may be preoccupied with other thoughts."

"Other thoughts? Like what?"

"He is probably perplexed as to how Gillette knew to go to Colombia as well. That would imply that Gillette had somehow obtained a clue."

"Yes, I suppose that it would."

"I believe that it has something to do with a ring of some sort."

Camille froze. He knew about the ring? How could he possibly know about it? How could there have been two rings? She looked at James. "You knew? How long have you known?"

"Just before Gillette replaced me, Sparrow's route was being traced around Peru. When the Thatcher estate, Jack's last known whereabouts, was searched, a mysterious ring was found."

"Another ring? That's impossible," she said, feeling panicked. "That's entirely impossible! Gabriel had all of the artifacts concealed!"

"Adrienne," she realized.

"Whom?"

"Adrienne Thatcher and Morgan Sullivan were the two women before us to guard the treasure. The map must've been in Adrienne's ring as well as my mother's. But James, something is still missing. How were they able to decipher the map? It would have to be triggered by Priscilla or Gretchen."

"He must have met with the Thatchers at some point between their arrival in Jamaica and when they got to your estate."

"Yes, it makes sense. But why is Gillette so intent on finding this?"

"I believe he means to make a name for himself in doing so. But I must say, he is going about it in a very unwise manner. I would think a pirate to be more knowledgeable than he or I."

"I agree. Well, I suppose that I had better have a conversation with Miss Thatcher about that ring."

James nodded. "I am assuming it will be back to work tomorrow morning, as always?"

"I don't know. I can no longer predict the captain's unstable moods. But I'll find out all that I can." Their prediction was correct. After a short talk with Gretchen, who was tired as ever, she found that there had been a meeting between Gillette and the three of them. They had thought nothing of it, but Camille remained suspicious.

"Were you wearing your mother's ring that day?"

"How should I remember? It was so long ago, now leave me to retire," Gretchen whined.

Camille left her alone, and hesitated before entering Jack's cabin. This was just like the Rune, only worse because they all had some kind of awful fate hanging over their heads that had been known from the beginning.

She sighed. Not speaking with Jack over a week had really put their relationship in perspective for her. He hadn't even tried to talk to her. Being the captain of a ship once again took up all his time. But it had only been a short time. After all, he had given up a life at sea for some time to live with her in Port Celebros. Perhaps she was being selfish. Perhaps she had to let him be in love with the sea again.