Author's Note: I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean nor any of the charcters. I only own the plot to the story and few charcters which are my own.
Summary: World War 1 Slow Burn Au. Will Turner returns home to England after four horror filled years on the Western Front. Trying to peace back together his broken life. A chance at a new life comes in the form of a job on a country estate in Surrey.
Chapter 2
Shadwell, East London. London Middlesex England
June 1919
I woke in a cold sweat in the earlier hours of the morning. Thunder rumbled and lighting lit up the dark sky as a summer storm rolled through London. I sat up swinging my legs over the edge of the worn old iron bed squeaked and groaned in protest as I stood up.
I grabbed the half empty bottle of rum from the makeshift bedside table. I took a long pull from the bottle as the storm ragged outside.
I could recalled countless nights like this when we had been in the lines. The nights where the worst when we'd been at the front.
I rolled myself a cigarette. Striking a match and lighting it. I took a long drag as I stood near the window watching the storm roll through.
Four months I'd been back. I'd still had yet to find a job. I wasn't alone in that respect. Lots of blokes where looking for jobs. There was none to be found. Times where hard for everyone.
Rent here at the boarding house was cheap. A bob(Shilling) a week. I'd was making some money to get by. Not legally mine you. Bare knuckles boxing down in the Chapel (Whitechapel) brought me a fair bit of money. Enough to get by.
I made a friend or two since I'd been back. Jack Sparrow and his old partner in crime Hector Barbossa. Barbossa had been in Navy during the war. Till his ship was sunk by a German U Boat.
Barbossa lost part of his right leg from a shark. Jack had served on the Western Front like I had. He hadn't come out unscathed. He'd lost an eye and his left hand from Shrapnel. During the Battle of Passandendale in 1917.
Swanson, Surrey England
June 1919
Sargent Henry Turner of the 1st Battalion Royal West Surrey Regiment stepped off the train from London. With his new bride Carina Smyth now Turner. Travelling with him was Lord and Lady Swann's son Thomas and his cousin James Norrington.
Henry had served with both men in the same Battalion. And Lord Swann two other sons Oliver and Benjamin who hadn't made it home. They where buried like a lot of other good lads back in France and Belgium.
Henry had lived most of his life in Swanson with Edith and Joseph Swift who own and ran the Red Lion pub in Swanson.
He and his older brother William had been separated after their mother Arabella died. Their grandparents where to old to care for them. Henry never knew his father. He always assumed that he died before he was born.
Joseph and Edith had no children of their own. Henry became like the son they never had. Growing up in Swanson had been all bad. He'd been sixteen when war was declared in August 1914.
Henry was tall for his age. So had lied about his age to enlist. They'd all though it be a grand adventure. That the war would be over in months. How wrong they all had been. Filled with youthful naivety of the hell that awaited them on the blood soaked fields of France and Belgium.
By the grace of God it was that he, Thomas and James survived when so many hadn't. Philip Swift had been one of the lucky ones in a way. A belly full of shrapnel in those horror filled days during the Battle of Passandendale had been his ticket home.
His adoptive cousin had thankfully made a full recovery returning home to marry his
childhood sweetheart Syrena Hamilton.
The Red Lion, Swanson Surrey England
June 1919
Joe Swift was behind the bar of the Red Lion. Pulling a pint for a regular. A hush fell over the patrons as the doors opened. His foster son Henry stepped into the Red Lion. It was the first time
Joe hadn't seen Henry since they had said goodbyes on the docks of Southampton when he was due to sail for France in early 1916. With a lot of local lads who signed up in the days, weeks and months after war was declared in August of 1914.
Joe didn't pity the job his younger brother Albert had delivering death message to the families of local lads who never would come home. Joe was thankfully his nephew Phillip made it back when so many hadn't.
Edith was in the back getting things ready for lunch rush. Joe wracked his brain to remember of Henry's sweetheart he had written about in countless letters home. Carina that was it.
She was a nurse who had treated Henry after he was temporarily blinded by gas. Joe came out from behind the bar.
"Welcome home son" Joe said with tears in his eyes as he hugged his foster son.
"It's good to be back Pop."Joe was the only father Henry had growing up.
"I guess this pretty lass is Carina you wrote about fondly in your letters home."Joe turned to Carina.
"Mr Swift" Carina replied in kind.
"Joe love. Seeing as we're now family going by the rings on your ring finger. Edith come out here for a minute" Joe called.
"Joe what's the matter" Edith Swift stopped in her tracks. The knife in her hand clattered to the floor at the sight of Henry standing there.
"Henry my boy. Oh thank the lord you back" Edith cried as she hugged Henry close to her.
"Don't cry Ma" Henry said as he hugged Edith back.
"Oh I can't help. I just so happy to see you back in one piece. This must be Carina. Welcome to the family" Edith turned to Carina.
"Thank you Mrs Swift"
"None of this Mrs Swift nonsense you can call me Edith" Edith dismissed.
"To celebrate my lad's safe return the drinks are on the house" Joe announced a loud cheer from the patrons followed.
Henry received many hearty slaps on the back, welcome back lad. Hope you gave those German and Austrian bastards hell.
Shadwell, East London. London Middlemost England
July 1919
It was another day without a gainful employment. My money for my latest boxing match was running low. Running scams down at the docks was getting tiresome. I paid a sixpence to the paper boy.
Reading the latest going on the world. Was the last thing I wanted to read about. A job was what I was after.
I found the page where any jobs vacancy where written. One of the jobs being advertised caught my attention it read as follows.
BLACKSMITH WANTED
POSITION VACANT FOR BLACKSMITH FOR EMPLOYMENT OF SWANSON ESTATE. SWANSON SURREY. LODGING PROVIDED BED AND BOARD. FOR ENQUIRES WRITE TO MR EDMOND MATTHEWS ESTATE MANAGER.
I reread the job advertisement a few times. Staying in London was become tiresome. As much as I liked living in Shadwell. I urn for clean air and wide spaces of the country side. London was cold, damp and well a miserable place.
I'd have to save a little more money for a train ticket to Swanson Surrey. Maybe this job was the next step in the next chapter of my life.
Swanson, Surrey England
July 1919
A few more fights. I had the money for a train ticket to Swanson. I paid the last of my rent for the room in the boarding house. I packed my possessions in my Army bag. I walked the three miles to Waterloo.
The train trip from Waterloo to Swanson was relatively short a few hours before we pulled into the station in Swanson.
"Hey Mate can I borrow a few minutes of your time" I asked one of the Porters.
"Sure what is it" He asked
"You know a place around here called Swann's Estate" I answered and asked at the same time.
"Sure I know it. Lord and Lady Swann's Estate. It's about ten miles from town."The Porter pointed in the direction that the Estate was.
"Thanks"I thanked him.
Swann Estate, Swanson Surrey England
July 1919
I got lucky a local deliver driver was delivering goods to the Estate I was heading to. I sat on the back of the wagon as we rolled along. The driver Harry chatted to me as we rolled along the road to the Swan Estate.
"Here we are mate Swann Estate. If your looking for the Estate Manager go up and ask at the house" Harry advised as I got off the back of the wagon.
Bloody hell I thought to myself as I looked at the main Estate house more like a bloody castle it was.
I wiped my hands on my pants before knocking on the front door.
"Yes may I help you Sir" The butler answered looking me up and down with distain.
"Is there a Mr Edmond Matthews here. I was hoping to talk to him about the job he advertised for a Blacksmith" I answered.
"I will see if I can find Mr Matthew please wait here" He shut the door. I stood on the steps rolling my self a cigarette. The way the butler had been looking at me. You'd think I was going to rob the place take off with the sliver and family jewellery or something.
"Roberts tells me your here for the Blacksmith job Mr" Edmond Matthews asked.
"Will Turner Mr Matthews that's right" I answered shaking his hand.
"You have experience as a Blacksmith Mr Turner"
"Yes sir. I worked in a Blacksmith shop in Sussex till I was seventeen when I enlisted" I answered.
"Did you work with horse during your time in France Mr Turner"
"No Sir I had already been in the Army for several years when I went to France in 1914"I clarified.
"What Regiment if you don't mid me asking"
"Royal Sussex Regiment Second Battalion sir "I replied.
"The job will be a bit more then Blacksmithing. Mainly helping with the horses and general things around the estate"
"I don't mind sir. I'm not immune to a little hard work Sir" I only hoped I got the job.
"Good well there's a cottage our last blacksmith used. He like most of the young lads on the estate, surrounding towns and villages enlisted. Most of them never return including Lord and Lady Swann Eldest two boys. Killed on the first day of the Somme" Mr Matthews shook his head.
I'd say a word as Mr Matthews showed me to the cottage that was mine now.
"It's a little run down."Mr Matthews handed me the key to the cottage. "I'll let you get settled in then Mr Turner. When you've settled in. It would be best to go speak to Gibbs he's our head stable hand, he looks after the horses I'm sure he'd have some work for you" Mr Matthews took his leave, leaving me alone to unpack.