Who's ready to find some treasure? I know I AM! Hope you're enjoying the story. Reviews are always welcome!
By the way, I am 'stealing' one line from "The Tourist" for a scene in this chapter. For those of you who are Johnny fans, you will probably recognize it…..and it's actually quite perfect for the scene I use it in.
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Celeste squealed in excitement before throwing her arms around a stunned Edmund and giving him a big hug. "Oh Edmund, I KNEW you could do it. I just knew it!"
She let him go and looked at Jack who didn't look pleased at her impromptu hug but she couldn't care less. She had never doubted that Edmund Weatherby would somehow crack the code. "We must celebrate," she said. "May I buy you dinner tonight?"
Edmund blushed, "Oh I could never allow you to buy me dinner, Ms Celeste."
"That's right! Good man!" Jack said before looking to Celeste. "A man can simply not allow that. Besides, we need to get back to the Pearl to figure out this map and plan our course."
"Don't be ridiculous," Celeste said to them both. "It is barely 10 o'clock in the morning, Jack. We have all day to look at the map…..and I promise you, we will…..but I still would like to do something for you, dear Edmund. Without you, we would HAVE no map! May I make you dinner instead?"
"Well, I don't know…..I…..I…"
Celeste looked at Jack and continued on ignoring Edmund's discomfort, "I'm sure your ship has a full galley. Yes? I'll make dinner for us there tonight."
"On the PEARL?" Jack asked.
"Of course, on the Pearl. Unless you'd rather me stay here today and just go back to my cottage to do so. But you know….that would put us behind on deciphering this map, so….."
"No….no…..that won't be necessary," Jack said before giving a resigned sigh. "Fine, you can use the galley since most of me men won't be aboard until we are ready to set sail. Otherwise, I don't think I would be inclined to let you alone with them."
Celeste rolled her eyes but grinned, "Oh for heaven's sake, Jack. Don't be ridiculous. I can handle myself. Besides, I am quite sure none of them will ever breathe in my direction once they are aboard for fear of your wrath." She chuckled and Jack glowered.
Yes, he would have to make sure that is exactly what happened when they were all aboard. No one would dare look at her without his express permission.
Then turning back to Edmund, she gave him another hug. "So does 6 o'clock sound good? You can come to the Black Pearl and I will have dinner for us!"
Edmund looked a little uncertain at the prospect of being on an infamous pirate ship but gave in. "Of course, my dear. I would be happy too. Thank you."
Once Celeste and Jack left his store, they stopped by Rosie's once more. Celeste told her of their success in finding the map and their plans for dinner that night. When Rosie said she would be happy to provide the bread and dessert for dinner, Celeste agreed happily.
"That's wonderful, Rosie. And you can stay for dinner too! This is going to be great!"
So much for dinner alone, Jack thought as he rolled his eyes….though neither woman noticed. His plans to have something special for them that night to celebrate alone were quickly going out the window….but he found Celeste's excitement to celebrate with her friends was easing the blow. After all, he reasoned there would be plenty of opportunities for dinners together once they were at sea.
They bid Rosie good day and made their way back to the ship…..but not before stopping at the butcher to get a couple of chickens and stopping to get some rum and wine for the evening as well.
"If you're providing the food…..and Rosie is bringing the sweets…..the least I can do is provide the drinks! We are celebrating after all. Savvy?" Jack said.
Celeste leaned up to kiss his cheek again. "Savvy!" she replied and within minutes they were walking aboard with food and drinks in hand.
Jack found Gibbs and informed him of the success in retrieving the map. Gibbs followed excitedly and shut the door as the three of them gathered around Jack's desk. He quickly cleared a space as Celeste got the puzzle and map out of her bag and laid it out. Being more familiar with the oceans, Celeste stood back slightly and let Jack and Gibbs look it over.
However, as she began to pace and watch them, she noticed something else curious on Jack's desk. Jack had laid his compass on the desk with the lid open. Celeste noticed that the dial on Jack's compass was constantly moving even though the ship was still.
Curious, she thought. Weren't compasses supposed to point North?
"Jack," she asked as Jack and Gibbs both stopped to look up at her. She pointed towards the compass. "What's wrong with your compass?"
Jack and Gibbs exchanged a glance that seemed to speak volumes although she had no idea what it meant.
"Nothing is wrong with me compass, love." He said before quickly closing the lid on it and going back to the map.
"No wait…" Celeste said as she stepped forward and opened the lid again. "Look. It's not pointing North, Jack."
Once again Jack and Gibbs exchanged a look before Jack started to pick up his compass. Celeste put a hand over his to stop him.
"Watch it. This is curious."
Realizing that she wasn't going to let it go, Jack watched her as he tried to come up with an excuse as to why his compass did not point North. In actuality, Jack hadn't noticed anything peculiar about his compass recently, but would not be at all surprised if it had indeed started to decipher what his heart seemed to be telling him after only one day in Celeste's presence.
Celeste moved around to Jack's side of the desk and the dial on the compass seemed to follow her. Then she walked around in the opposite direction towards Joshamee and once again it moved with her.
"See!" she said as she pointed at the compass. "Why is it doing that, Jack?"
Celeste could practically see the wheels turning in his mind as he tried to figure out how to answer her. He gave her his most charming smile hoping to distract her. "Dear Celeste, can we not just get back to the map. Gibbs and I think we have figured out…."
"JACK!" she said a little more sharply. Even though she wasn't upset with him, it just seemed as if he was keeping something from her.
Something important.
Jack wasn't one to lie. In fact, it was probably one of the things people were always most surprised to learn about him. Although he may twist the facts from time to time or try to send people off in a different direction, he did not lie.
Resigned that he wasn't going to get out of telling her the truth, he looked at Gibbs and sighed. "Fine. My compass is…Well, it's an extremely unique compass, you see?"
Celeste shook her head and Jack took her hand. And pulled her so she was standing beside him once again. As she moved, she saw the compass move as well. It seemed as if the dial was pointing in her direction no matter where she stood.
"It points towards 'treasure'…..so it must know you are quite the gem, my dear Celeste." He took her hand and kissed it before trying to change the subject. "Now, may we get back to the map?"
Celeste didn't quite believe him although it was sweet of him to say so. There was more to it. She knew it. But perhaps now wasn't the time to press the issue with him. There would be time for that later.
Jack felt somewhat guilty but reasoned that he hadn't exactly lied to her. He just hadn't told her the entire truth. Maybe someday.
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A couple of hours later, Jack and Gibbs believed they had a heading. Although with Jack's compass once again being out of whack, it was hard to say.
"Yer goin' to have to tell her about the compass, Jack. She may be the only one right now to get us a proper direction."
Jack knew he was right but he simply wasn't ready to do so yet. It was way too soon to be contemplating whether or not Celeste was what his heart desired. Besides, if it were true, that knowledge could scare her away.
And then what would they do? He could lose her as well as the possibility of finding one of the most enviable treasures ever.
He sighed, "I know, mate. But it's all about timing, aye? It be too early to tell her about the compass just yet."
"Well you may not have a choice. Once we are ready to set sail again, we're going to need it's direction."
"And if it doesn't want to do so? Then what?" Jack asked. When Gibbs didn't answer, Jack answered for him, "We follow the stars…..and our charts…..and use every bit of knowledge we've garnered from being on the sea our entire lives."
Gibbs shook his head in agreement even though somewhat doubtful. They had relied on Jack's compass so long they could be out of practice with doing it the 'tried and true' ways now.
"I'll tell her when I'm ready," Jack insisted and they let the matter drop.
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It was nearing six o'clock and the dinner she had prepared for everyone was nearly ready. Rosie had arrived at the ship mid- afternoon and helped her with the food as well as setting up a large dining table on the ship that Jack said was rarely he used. He normally ate in his rooms or with the men, so the ornate dining room adjacent to his "captain's quarters" went largely unused. In Celeste's opinion, that was a shame so she and Rosie had set about to make it the perfect setting for their celebratory dinner.
They had set the table for five: Jack, Celeste, Joshamee, Rosie….and the guest of honor, Edmund Weatherby.
As they were finalizing the table settings, Rosie had finally shewed her off. "Go get ready, my dear."
"But you need to freshen up as well," Celeste protested.
"Bah! I am an older woman…I will just change my clothes and be fine. YOU, on the other hand, have your eyes on a certain pirate," she said with a gleam in her eyes.
Celeste blushed, "Nonsense!" she protested.
"Aye, but I know you too well, girl. Now go…..get changed. Everything is ready for your guests!"
With little time to spare, Celeste did as she asked and returned to Jack's quarters to change and get herself ready for the evening.
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For the second time in a day, Jack wondered how long did it actually require for a woman to get ready. He had never been in such a predicament since he normally found women "ready and eager" to entertain a pirate; Especially a pirate such as he.
However, Celeste was a mystery; A mystery he was feeling an increasing desire to solve.
He knocked on the door to his own quarters, "Celeste, everything okay, love? Edmund Weatherby has just arrived. What should I do with him?"
"Yes….Yes….I'm ready," he heard her say before the door opened before him.
Celeste had asked Rosie to stop by her cottage and bring one of her favorite dresses so she could dress for this special dinner. When she opened the door for Jack, his breath caught in his throat as he took in the sight of her.
She stood before him in a purple gown with short sleeves. The bodice was purple covered in black lace and had a sweetheart neckline showing off just enough of her cleavage to be enticing. The dress also accentuated her small waist before falling into a shirt that hugged every curve of her body as it met the floor. To make matters even more difficult for him, her gorgeous mane of red hair was piled on top of her head in some sort of hair-do that allowed a few tendrils to escape and frame her face and neck.
"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph! What is that?" Jack's eyes were huge and she couldn't tell if he was happy or appalled at what he saw.
Celeste ran her hands down her skirt self-consciously.
"You don't like it?" she asked.
Jack stepped into the room and closed the door behind him as he took her into his arms. "I don't like!"
When she frowned at him, he took her face in his hands. "I don't like it….I love it. You look beautiful, darlin'."
Celeste looked down shyly.
"Well, I just thought…I mean, since this is a celebration and we're getting ready to head out on a nearly impossible journey…. I just thought I might dress for the occasion."
Still holding her face in his palms, he leaned down to kiss her, "You look beautiful, Celeste. Probably one of the rarest sights I have ever seen."
Then he frowned again, "But do not even think of dressing like this in front of me men. I would hate to have to throw any of them overboard!"
Celeste couldn't help but chuckle. "Oh Jack…Seriously…..I don't think you have anything to worry about."
He looked appalled at the suggestion, "Of course I DO! So you best be behavin' yerself, young lady…because I will not have me crew ogling over you."
A sudden twinkle sparked in her eyes as she smiled up at him. "Are you jealous, Jack?"
"What?" he asked suddenly standing up straighter although he did nothing to deny it.
She laughed her melodious laugh that was like music to his ears.
"What of it?" he asked as he puffed out his chest in indignation.
Still smiling, Celeste looped an arm around his. "Let's go to dinner, Captain Sparrow. I think you'll like what I have prepared."
As they walked the short way to the captain's dining room, she stopped just before he door to look at him. "Jack…..When are you going to tell me about this compass of yours?"
"What about me compass?"
She smirked at him. "Don't give me that, Captain Sparrow. You know exactly what I'm talking about. Something is strange about that compass….and I mean to know what it is."
She perched hands onto her hips and he swallowed uncomfortably under her glare. Then, he regained his composure. Damned if he'd let a lass…..even one as beautiful as Celeste…..get the better of him.
"Later, love….I promise."
She looked at him skeptically and he crossed his heart.
Yes, literally crossed his heart with his fingers. "Cross my heart…..I will tell you…..later. Now can we please go have dinner? I am starving!"