Chapter 6

Norrington, with Lieutenant Gillette and Mr. Smith flanking him, made his way down the hall and let himself in Elise's quarters. He didn't bother knocking as he knew she wouldn't be doing anything other than pacing anyway. But when they entered they didn't find her pacing, they found her staring out the porthole, trembling.

Unfortunately the news he had wasn't going to make her feel any better. He cleared his throat to get her attention and she whirled around with surprise.

He could tell she had been crying, her eyes were puffy and red and her cheeks were tear streaked. Norrington ached to put his arms around her to soothe her but managed to tamp it down.

"Commodore! What news?" She asked as she ran over to him and threw herself into his surprised arms.

"Can I get you a cup of hot tea Miss Gold? It would do you good." He said with slight alarm and pat her back awkwardly. He hated that Gillette was standing there and wished he had come alone so that he could comfort her without prying eyes.

"Commodore please don't patronize me. Did you not find my father?" She asked rhetorically as he was not with them, she knew the answer. She pressed closer and buried her head in the crook of his neck as her lower lip began to quiver.

He opened his mouth to coax her to sit but was cut off by Gillette who pried her from his embrace and grabbed her too high round the waist, his fingers resting on her rib cage just below her right breast.

"Come now Miss Gold. Don't fret. I found you alive. You must have gotten your smarts from somewhere. I bet another ship found your father." Gillette said arrogantly in his too charming voice as he pushed her into the chair and started rubbing her back.

You found her alive? Don't you mean I found her. You were below deck doing who knows what you pompous git, Norrington thought as he kept his sputtering anger to himself and tried to resist the urge to punch Gillette at the next available opportunity.

The lieutenant was a handsome man but a notorious womanizer and was infamous for his extra marital affairs and Norrington watched jealously as Elise cupped his cheek as thanks.

He briefly wondered what the penalty was for tossing a fellow officer overboard before asserting himself into the conversation.

"Lieutenant. Sit down." He ordered roughly before turning a softer tone on Mr. Smith with the same request.

"Miss Gold, I know this is the last thing in world you would like to do right now but I really need to understand some things." Norrington said in what he hoped was a soothing tone as he handed her the handkerchief he knew she would need.

"I'll do my best Commodore." She said with a sniff.

"I understand this is very difficult. Take your time." He replied and squeezed her hand reassuringly before dropping it as if he'd been burned.

"Commodore," Smith interrupted. "I want to make sure she's ok before we start all these questions."

"Certainly." Norrington said.

"Missy, I understand you got your memory back. How are you feeling?" Smith asked.

"Just a little overwhelmed...and scared that my father's has been claimed by the sea. Other than that I feel fine Mr. Smith. Thank you." Elise said, struggling for a polite and unaffected air.

"Satisfied Mr. Smith?"

"Aye Commodore. I'll just be on my way then." Smith said before excusing himself.

"Ok Miss Gold, first off, you said your father owns some ships, who is your father? Is it anyone I have heard of?" Norrington asked.

"Perhaps. Charles Gold." She replied and waited for the usual ruckus to ensue. She was not disappointed.

"Lord Charles Gold is your father?" He asked in disbelief not missing the increased look of interest that Gillette gave her.

Elise looked at Norrington reluctantly and nodded, knowing that was the final nail in her coffin. Just when she felt she was making some progress on him she had to get her memory back. He would certainly never want anything to do with her now that he knew who her father was. Her father was a very powerful man who had a great deal of influence with the monarchy and military. He could dissolve the Commodore's career at the slightest provocation with the wave a hand. That was enough incentive for most men to find easier relations.

Lord Gold owned Gold Transport, the largest fleet of merchant ships in Britain, had a fortune only surpassed by royalty and was notorious for his unflinching hatred of pirates and his shrewd business sense.

"Well...ok." Norrington replied in a lost tone, feeling as if he'd been hit in the back of the head with the mast. He knew Miss Gold had been born to a certain class but he'd never dreamed she was the daughter of Lord Gold.

"He has a fleet of eleven correct?" Gillette asked suavely, leaning forward to pour her a cup of tea.

"Twelve." Norrington and Elise corrected at the same time and gazed at each other for a heated moment before he finally managed to speak.

"So what happened?" He asked in a slightly strangled voice and wondered how one person's eyes could be so bewitching.

"My father had just started dealing in foreign currencies, it was pretty recent and wasn't really public knowledge yet but we were attacked by pirates in the dead of night. I was asleep in my cabin and was woken by the sound of cannon fire. I went to see what was going on but my father was already at my door. He told me to get dressed and hide under the bed until he came for me so I did." She paused with a deep breath and took a sip of tea.

"I listened to cannons firing for what seemed like hours but I'm sure was only about fifteen minutes. A cannonball actually knocked the wall of my cabin down and eventually that's the wood I used to escape on. I remained hidden until all was quiet. But I was found. Our traitorous captain was in league with the pirates and told them I was on board. That's how they knew about the currency. He gave them information as a trade for part of the cut." She continued bitterly.

Norrington tamped down his anger as he gazed at her sympathetically. There was nothing he hated worse than a traitor. Except perhaps a pirate.

"Anyway, Captain Little found me hiding under the bed and smacked me about a bit. He was always a bit resentful to me because he fancied me and I didn't reciprocate but I never expected him to do that. He gave me the bruise just under my lip and the cut above my eyebrow before he whacked me in the skull with the butt of the pistol. He hit me so hard I blacked out and it gave me that bump on the back of my head.. I came too and had no idea what had happened but I heard the distinct sound of crackling flames just outside the door. So I took the large piece of wall that had been knocked out, tossed it in the ocean, dove in after it and climbed on top of it. I had floated about a hundred yards away when the ship exploded." She finished with a shudder and looked at her captive audience.

She looked drained, beaten and lost all at once. Norrington wanted nothing more than to take her pain away and longed to stroke the lone tear that was coursing down her cheek.

"I didn't even try to find my father." Elise whispered tortuously.

"You had amnesia, love." He said softly before he could stop himself. He plunged on as if he hadn't just blundered. "You mustn't blame yourself. You didn't even remember him. It's not your fault."

"Yes, the Commodore is quite right sweetheart. You can't worry your pretty head about that." Gillette burst in, obviously feeling left out of the moment.

"But if I'd only..." She began.

"There's nothing you could have done. You did the right thing. If you hadn't have jumped when you did, you might well be dead." Norrington interrupted with a tightening in his chest. As much as he tried to fight it and tell himself that it wasn't what he wanted he knew he would have kissed her if Gillette wasn't there. She affected him in ways that no one had before.

She was silent for a long moment as she tried to convince herself that they were right. She of course knew they were but that didn't stop the guilt that was gnawing at her.

Norrington let her mull for a few moments before pulling her back. "One last question. Why were you and your father on the ship? It is most strange for the owner to be on board and even more odd for his daughter."

"Just as you and your men are, we were actually on our way to Port Royal." Elise said evasively with dread filling her stomach, wishing he would not probe further. But just as she knew it would be, her wish was in vain.

"What is in Port Royal?"

"A man that my father wished to see." She answered as she flicked her eyes nervously away.

"What man? Perhaps when we return we can find him. He might have some information." Norrington said optimistically.

Elise feigned interest in her tea and stared resolutely at the cup.

"Miss Gold?" He prompted.

"What?" She asked innocently.

"What man were you to see?" He inquired.

"My betrothed. But..." She finally answered and met his mossy green gaze with a pleading look.

"Your betrothed? Your engaged?" He asked, unable to keep the surprise from his voice as pain he had never known before pierced at him.

"Yes but..." She started.

"Well I think we have all the information we can use now." Norrington said as he abruptly stood, needing to get out of there and away from Elise.

"Commodore..."

"Dismissed Lieutenant. I'm sure that Miss Gold is tired." He interrupted again.

"But Commodore..." She began again and watched helplessly as the two men made their way to the door. She didn't care if Gillette left but she desperately needed to make James understand.

"We'll send Smith to check on you again later. Why don't you take a nap?"

"Sir please..."

"You'll feel much better if you take a nap." He continued as he stepped into the hall.

"James, you have to listen to me..." She said as she reached for his arm.

"Good day Miss Gold. Excuse me, I mean Lady Gold." He replied curtly and side stepped her grasp.

Elise stamped her foot in frustration as she watched him practically run away from her, disappointed that he hadn't even let her explain.

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