NEW CHAPTER
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We are approaching the end of this story! Hope you will like this chapter.
Chapter XXII
Here I go Again
MARRIED
"She's betrothed to the Rothleys."
Angelica will refuse giving her up. The endless evening have moved into late hours of the night. By a burning fireplace, the returned Hans stands by one end and Angelica at the other. Jack somewhere beside her but a few hours ago he felt the need of sitting down.
So he did. Every now and then he brings the bottle of rum towards his lips. Otherwise the heavy bottle of glass hangs loosely in his grip with an arm resting over a backrest of his armchair.
The conversation seems endless. Their banter back and forth. Angelica in her despair, ready to do anything to get Franny-girl back. Her pleading would go over to a rant in Spanish curses, pure hatred for Hans and then she would end up again to beg him to just give her Frances back.
Jack has to agree with Angelica. While Hans wants to get back at them, caging them in some sort of narrow yet invisible dungeon, Angelica is right. Taking Frances away from them only leads to more problems and questions.
"What 'bout, Mister Hans, when people start questioning this supposedly perfectness of a family?"
Angelica stops what she is about to say and silences her ranting. She glances to Jack and nods once turning back towards Hans.
Jack goes on. "What lie do ye think people loving rumors and with this fondness of crushing a reputation of anyone will buy? What purpose, tell me, do ye find acceptable to lie 'bout? What happened to our Frances? What happened to her that nobody will judge us for?"
Again Angelica is back to hopelessly plead to Hans. "Please, Hans. I'll do anything."
The both of them know they are running out of time. The girl has to be returned before some sort of announcement would be made. When that had been settled, then it would be too late to just bring the girl back without a proper explanation. There are too many people involved in her life, that would both question her disappearance as much as a possible return.
"The saying will be of such that she unfortunately passed away very quickly in illness during the night."
Growing sick, Angelica brings her hands to her stomach. "She did not!"
Jack still agrees to her. "Sounds stupid. Nobody would accept that of a noble daughter, aye?"
Even Hans sees the point.
"Bring her back, Hans, and we'll forget 'bout this little dispute, eh?" Jack tries. He feels guilty to all of this. If he had not let his emotions get the best out of him, this never would have happened. It rarely happens that he chooses to act upon his senses and impulses rather than by mindful yet spontaneous decisions. Although now he has, and he now he needs to fix this. To his defense though, he just looked out for Angelica and did have best intentions for her. It simply just backfired.
"Where is she?" Angelica demands to know. "Where's she at?"
But Hans will not let her find out about this. He seems to think, deeply in how to reply before he at last opens his mouth. "Perhaps the best solution is for me to fire the nursemaid, hire a new one and redo the staff which shall be needed. Thereof I can pick a new girl similar appearing like Frances. I am sure nobody of the other families would notice. They are too preoccupied in themselves."
Jack frowns. "Sounds like a bad idea."
"You are delusional," Angelica accuses. "Just give me her. I don't want another one. Nobody can replace her. And it would make things suspicious, wouldn't it?"
Still, Jack has to agree with her. "Angelica is right, Mister Hans, aye. It'd be very fitting for these people creating rumors of us with another child, or missing one. Surely they'll notice, with those prying eyes and ears, mark my words on that one."
This night it appears as if Hans is up for no negotiation. That he has absolutely no urge to meet them even halfway. Instead he will neglect any of their suggestions. At last he drops the final one.
"Mrs Teague," he speaks very seriously to Angelica. "Forget about this child. You will never have her. And you were never supposed to."
The hurt displaying in Angelica is equal to someone knocking a heavy stone right into her.
"The truth and saying of Frances will be her staying at your dear and beloved aunt in Spain, Angelica. Just until this fall. Since our lovely Mrs Teague here is related to the Spanish crown, it is of importance this child gets in close touch with them. For further prying ears, it shall hear that she will return this fall."
"This fall?" Angelica repeats.
"Oh no," Hans eyes her severely. "That is, dear, not what will happen though. Because the two of you definitely do not have that much time left. This shall be wrapped up long before that. When the real truth will be apparent to them all here in London, I and I suggest the two of you as well, should leave this side of the Atlantic sea long before."
It does not matter what he says, she simply cannot let it go. She cannot accept it. "Where is she? I have to know she is safe."
Hans seems to consider again to answer her. "She is, Mrs Teague. But more than that I will never tell you. She's unimportant from now on. Focus on doing your part, but never get too involved."
And with that, he motions them to leave - calling it a night.
With her restraining herself from retorting, figuring out whether she still may be able to pursue Hans or not, Jack can tell Angelica is not finished. So he takes actions himself and pushes the door open to motion her to go out. The conversation is over and he does not want her nor himself doing something stupid. The important thing was that the girl is alive. At least for now. The rest they would have to figure out.
Inside their bedroom, he also as he has opened the door for her, closes it behind himself. He sits at a chair while she keeps pacing back and forth, stressed all about it.
"What do we ought to do?" she wonders. Perhaps she asks herself, her belief up there or Jack. He cannot tell but decides whatsoever to join her.
"We shall be happy she's alive," he tries. "Aye?"
The fact that Angelica possibly is displeased with how the situation even began is however nothing she accuses him of. Instead her focus in only for the future and how to get this solved. Yes, that is literally how much she needs to have this solved. As if her whole life surrounds this issue. Because it does.
"But I need her here. I have to know she's alright. And she belongs here with us."
Jack leans forward and decides to announce an idea. "Why don't we just get her back?"
Angelica pauses her pacing and looks to Jack as if while he said the most simplest thing, it appears to be most clever as well. "How?"
Jack delays his reply and Angelica goes on.
"We have no idea where she is. And if I'd threaten Hans into revealing it, I may risk never seeing her again, ever."
Meanwhile her words mean something utterly serious and heavy, he cannot help but smiling at this side of piracy at last revealed in her. Glowing like the most golden rum he has ever laid his eyes upon. Her, threatening Hans? Aye, he can bloody imagine that happening. Dressed in her pirate attire and a sharpened sword at her waist, she would. But also, a fluffy dress like this never prevented her either.
He liked that idea. Getting her away from all these fluffy dresses and tea parties.
But he also sees the problems with doing such a thing. Angering Hans further. So he says something Angelica is not too fond of. "Perhaps, love, this time we need to listen to this bloody bony moron. We have no clue of what he shall do to us by disobeying him further, now what do ye say?"
She fights on wanting to ramble at him all these oppositions of why that shall not happen. But it ends with a sigh and she partly gives up this discussion. All she knows is that she has to get the girl back. And what Jack says certainly does makes sense. Although still no option for her. He never spoke of anything that she can in fact accept to her heart.
Very often one would face those scenarios. An option seemingly well for the mind but not for the heart. Or the other way around.
And that is why she seems very obedient to his suggestions. Only to have him fall asleep, letting him believe as she lays beside him that she was on his side. For her to later in the middle of the night sneak outside.
After all she is working under cover. And if so, so shall she live up for its name.
Firstly she begins by sneakily heading towards Hans's private office room. Finding the door locked, which is for that matter no surprise, she brings up her hairpins to unlock it. Very classic but oh so effective. With a last look over her shoulder, she enters for a very first time this tiny yet pompous office. In darkness she navigates herself through the moonlight shining through a window. It takes her about a second until she for a quickie, returns outside to bring a lightened candle with her back inside. Carefully she moves around all paperwork.
Somewhere inside she must find what has happened to Frances.
'Teague marriage' reads a journal and she aims for it. She brings it down to the desk and begins to browse. The marriage certificate is the first paper and she stops as she eyes it carefully. The fine linings of her written name together with Jack's. Of course their false names.
It brings her to for the shortest moment, pause.
For how will this circus go on?
Well, for as long as until she is done with it. And she certainly is not right now.
There seems to be nothing about Frances, until she behind another file of papers finds a journal she quite cannot grasp. It reads, 'Magdalena' and once opening it, a birth name, reading 'Surname unknown', 'Mother unknown', 'Father unknown', and something twists in Angelica.
She has found what she was looking for.
It is Frances's.
She reads the name of the orphanage before closing the journal to put it back up on the shelf. She cleans quickly before returning outside to lock the door. The last part is a hurry to a butler's private quarters. There is guilt for waking him up at such an hour, but he has always of them all, seemed to be the most kind-hearted one.
She hushes him to not make a noise and pleads him. "Please, don't tell anybody about this."
Loyal to the household he works for, he immediately gathers his stuff and joins her outside. With horses and carriage, he quickly begins to bring Mrs Teague to the destination she wished for. It is silence upon the streets of London at such an hour. Sunrise threatening at the horizon to begin a new day when they at last arrive outside the orphanage.
Angelica slides out of the carriage before he even gets the change of opening the door for to her himself.
"Would you wait for me?" she asks and he nods. Somehow grasping the tone in her pleading by now, instead of commands he so very often is used to be talked to, as a staff member of any house he so assists.
So he gives her a warm smile and nods. "Of course, take your time, Lady Teague." But his frown also revelas his musing thoughts of what was going on. Although Angelica has no time to spill and knocks on the door at once.
She manages giving it two more banging before a tired nun opens it.
"What in the world?! At this hour?" she greets Angelica, quite grumpily in her almost not awake state.
"Forgive me, Sister," Angelica apologizes, panting as if she has not been brought by carriage but run all the way. "But I have to see if you have a child."
The num rubs her tired eyes. "Oh? We have many children here, Miss..."
"Mrs Teague," Angelica fills in. "Lady Teague."
"Lady Teague," the sister greets. "But at this hour? It is barely morning."
"Oh, I am an early bird!" and Angelica leaves no room but to invite herself inside. The nun makes no effort into protest but eyes her skeptically.
"So, you want to adopt a child?" she wonders.
Angelica, walking down the hallway with the most scanning eyes, turns around and nods. "Yes, Sister. I am looking for a Magdalena."
Now more than ever, the nun eyes her oddly. "Well, we certainly do have a child with that name. She once lived here but was returned yesterday."
"That must be her."
The nun sighs and shakes her head. "Poor child, thrown around as if she were a doll. Well, glad to have her off. Wait here and I'll get her for you."
Nervously Angelica has to wait. And even if she knows the nun will return, there is this tender knot in her reminding her of the thought of never seeing Frances ever again. So when she at last returns, carrying the girl, Angelica feels as if she is complete. As if a missing piece is set back in her.
It is strange. So strange.
What this tiny girl has awakened in her. What feelings she has for her.
This was a person she at first could not care less for. Frances had been a pure burden. Someone she just wanted to get rid off. Someone who was a pure obstacle in her life.
And to now know that there is absolutely nothing she would not do for her.
She loves her for all she has.
And it so strange.
Motherhood.
She never thought this... strange disease, or pure addiction, would in fact hit her. But it had. And oh, my, so heavily.
"Mommy!"
And Angelica just hugs her tightly to her. She must utter a "Thank you," to the nun as her surprised face of hearing the girl call Angelica for mother turns to thankfulness.
"Frances," Angelica whispers while swallowing the lump in her throat. "You're here..."
Tightly Frances holds onto Angelica, never wanting to let go. Ever.
And she will not have to. Because they are going home. Together.
"The only thing we need, Lady Teague, is your marriage certificate."
At that, Angelica freezes. "My marriage certificate?"
"Naturally! We only give these children a home of married couples."
She tenses and takes a deep breath. It cannot be. "I am married. But the certificate is at home."
The nun gives her a look of pity and reaches for Frances, but Angelica hugs back. She almost appears puzzled to her reaction.
"I can come back in just the split of a moment with it."
The sister reaches again for Frances but now Angelica takes a few steps back. She glances over her shoulder to the entrance which is now blocked with another nun who has woken up.
"Of course, Lady Teague, you can return with it. But you get no child out of here without a certificate."
"Please," Angelica tries. "I promise I have it. I'll be back very soon with it. Please don't make me leave her here."
"I am sorry, Lady Teague. First the certificate, then the child."
The hold she has around Frances is so tight. How close she holds her to her body, as if she belongs there. Which she does. With Angelica.
So when she has to let the child go for yet another time, it truly feels as if someone brings her own soul out with her. Her crying and longing for Angelica while there is nothing she can do, yet again. The guilt washing over her for another time, letting Frances down.
It physically pains her heart, aches in her and she feels her heavy breathing. It is like a magnetism pulling her to Frances and leaving a world of emptiness as she no longer holds her.
She has no idea how, but somehow she has ended up outside again and the butler seems to be communicating with her. She lets him assist her back inside the carriage before he takes off.
Tryouts of forcing her to stay sane is patiently reminding herself that they will once again be together. She will have her daughter back.
Alright. Things would be alright. The only thing she has to do is to return with the certificate. And Frances would be hers.
But she has to organize this before every staff members either returns or awakens at their home, because then Hans or Jack will have to announce what has happened to Frances. And by then, she would not be able to return with the child. Or else she risked Hans showing off his disapproval. Things would be much harder, that is for sure.
So when the carriage pulls up to the house, by her command, stopping just outside the garden, it is well hidden by the large hedge and fence surrounding the estate. She asks for the butler to stay until she has returned, and he hides his sleepiness by swallowing the yawn as he obediently accepts her demand.
Once inside, she hurriedly in utter silence goes back to Hans's office. Nobody seems to be up still and she finds the certificate in no time. But just as she locks the door back, she hears the familiar steps approaching.
They are light, but brisk. Which can only mean one thing.
Swallowing her sharp inhale, she presses herself inside a nearby room and can only hope Hans will not enter that precise one.
He does not. He passes down the hallway, walking like a dead with his pale face and no expression revealed. His posture is just too straight and he unlocks the door to his office, which he enters.
Carefully Angelica peeks through her door which stands partly ajar, and she can hear the click of his door as he closes it.
In other cases she probably would have felt trembly by how close this was. But now she cannot feel anything but this longing to bring Frances home.
Hans may disapprove. But she just has to.
It is like a call in her.
In the morning sun fighting its light between clouds to begin a new day, Angelica sneaks back through the grand garden towards the carriage. Once she appears, her steps lightly sliding on the gravel stones, the butler wakes with a jolt. He is about to apologize to the missus, but as she seems to not care and just thankfully jumps inside her carriage, he just pulls the reins to leave, again.
By now when they pull up to the orphanage, Angelica has decided. She will not leave without Frances. And she has the marriage certificate tight in her hands. There is no chance the breezy wind will take it from her, but still she holds it as if her life depends on it. In addition, while she may have to deal with Hans later on, him absolutely probably tearing her to pieces, it will be all worth it as long as she has Frances back home. Back with her, and with Jack.
It is almost as if she quite already feels relieved. Thankful she managed getting here so fast and with the certificate. Everything will get solved at last. It will fall into pieces, it certainly will.
So when she stands inside the long hallway all over again with a clarification of the marriage certificate, she feels nothing but peace wave through her as the nun appears down the hallway, carrying Frances. She has accepted the certificate.
But by the sudden cold and bony hand on her shoulder, it brings her world for another time, to shatter into pieces.
She looks over her shoulder and slowly turns around. Even if she really did not have to. She already knows of to whom this bony hand belongs to.
But it simply cannot be.
"Angelica," he speaks. "We are so close now."
He holds his hand up to the nun to not come any closer. She halters on her steps and watches them confused. "Mrs Teague, is there a problem here?"
Angelica turns back around and is about to answer when Hans interferes.
"Yes, Sister. There is." He hands her a sack of golden coins. "You will never hand this child to Mr or Mrs Teague, thank you."
The sister frowns but accepts the golden coins.
"Hans, you cannot do that," Angelica objects. "I am her mother."
Hans seemingly bites his tongue to not explode in public. Which is a matter that do makes this more nasty, but Angelica cannot hold it.
"You saw my certificate, Sister," Angelica speaks and gestures for her to hand her Frances. But the nun appears torn on what to do.
Hans never makes things easier. Instead he throws another sack of coins to another nun that appears. "None of you ever serves Mr or Mrs Teague, is this an accord?"
"Mister I don't know if..." But as he hands a letter to one of them, she silences and takes a deep breath upon reading it. Afterwards she does the cross sign.
They nod while Angelica feels her tears again begin to form. Comforting her in the most uncomfortable way, Hans places his hand on her shoulder again and leans in to in a low tone speak.
"It's time for us to head home, Angelica."
But she refuses.
"I can't..," Angelica lets out. She cannot go home, not without her daughter. Her feet are as glued to the ground, heavy and unmovable. But somehow she does end up back in the carriage to bring her back home. Somehow she lives through for another time, being teared away from Frances. In some way, she handles having to say a farewell, even so a desperate and heartbreaking one, for another time.
The ride back home is spent in utter silence. Hans traveling eye working between viewing the passing sceneries of the town of London and back to Angelica, who wears an empty expression. Her vision speaks of nothing but emptiness. The wound of a mother losing her daughter.
She feels sick to her stomach. While this has felt like a nightmare for a long time, she has now entered a whole new level.
It is first when they arrive at the front entrance that he decides to regard her. "I don't want to see you ever near that orphanage again. I admit, Mrs Teague, that you have slipped way easily than I tend to. However my words are never a joke, and I am firm to get this done with very fast. You will not have her back in the Teague family, and the sooner you accept that, the better. You know what you are here for. So does Sparrow. Keep it at that, will you."
She stands and eyes him for the first time during the whole ride. It is like she has given up, surrendered to it. But still has to direct the cause. "It wouldn't matter to you nor Milton if we had her."
"It changes everything," Hans speaks truthfully. "You play house for the view and image to assist Jack having Baron Peter Rothley hand the island over to Governor Milton. You do not play house to in fact for real, Angelica, play house. You are not a family and you must not let anything think you are. When this is over with, you are back in the Caribbean and Jack will have his Pearl. Everything will be just like it was before this started. Stop trying to prevent him - Jack, and so on the rest of us, in particular Governor Milton, from this."
She takes a deep breath, wearing this saddened eye. "Rothley will tear the world apart after this, won't he?"
"Probably."
She meets his eye directly as if she wants to ask or tell him something. But she refrains from it and instead goes out of the carriage. The day has barely begun, and in the worst way possible. Her thoughts are all over the place, thinking of ways she can get Frances back. While she knows what her stakes are, what the risks are, she cannot seem to manage convincing herself of that much is left of worth if Frances is not pictured in her future with her.
She had become a mother. Pretty much whether she liked it or not. She has obligations to her, and she has to get her back. As she enters the house, she immediately sees Salazar strolling downstairs. He appears to not be in such a bad mood as she is. He reacts to her aura and motions for her to join him inside the dining room.
What she really needs in her exhausted state is a good sleep. Not to dine fancily for breakfast. On the other hand, she probably would not sleep well anyhow. Not in times like these, not unless she has her girl.
She has actually felt the need for days to talk with Salazar. And she had tried so many times but Jack had hindered her at any cost. Now she did not know anymore if it would be worth it. As far as she knows, Hans may find out what her intentions are and punish her for it.
"You look tired, mi amor," he states and fills her glass with fresh juice. She just eyes it without aiming to grab it, so he gently hands her it. "Tell me what's wrong."
She takes a deep breath and now brings the fine glass towards her. "Hans took Frances."
Intently Salazar eyes her as he sits down beside her at the corner of the table. He leans forward with clasped hands resting on the table. He frowns and seems displeased over the situation. "He took the girl?"
"Sí, and I can't get her back."
"Why?"
She hides the anger, pure despair and hurt that builds up in her at the very thought of it. "He took her back to the orphanage, and they only adopt children to married people."
Salazar refrains from rolling his eyes. "But you're married," his accent rings quite equal to her way of speaking. "¿No estas? At least for the views. You must have a certificate, no?"
She sighs and shrugs hopelessly. "What for, Armando? I showed it to them but to avail. Hans made sure of it. He told the nuns to never ever give me this child. Not to any by the names of Teague."
It is as if his look gets caught on her, freezes as if he becomes made of pure icy stone. But once she eyes him, he softens and gives her a warm pitiful look. He reaches out his hand to grab hers. She snatches it back once Jack enters the room. He decides not to comment on the fact of Salazar clinging to his wife, but he however does sit just in front of Angelica. He can read her expression and pours himself a glass of juice.
"Now tell me, love, what has happened?"
Truly now feeling the overwhelming feelings get the best out of her, she stands. "Would you have a talk with me later?"
Jack nods. "'Course."
And off she is.
By now, Jack's caring expression of her turns to peering eyes to Salazar. The man who eyes him back in the same manner. It quickly grows into a smirk though.
"You've lost, Sparrow."
"Come again?"
"You're not just aware of it, yet."
Jack drinks his glass of juice and smirks back to Salazar. "Never underestimate me, mate."
"Likewise," Salazar answers.
Jack digs into a croissant and reaches for fruit he eats. It is not a breakfast where he enjoys every bite of food he heaves, but rather a necessity to get some fuel for the day to come. By Angelica's expression, it seems as if it has already started in the worst of ways and he definitely has things to sort out. Like for example, getting that bloody and infernal signature before Hans will begin to kill them off one by one.
So after he wraps things up, he heads for his bedroom. Quite the only place where he tends to get some privacy with Angelica. However it can also mean maids and other staff of the house to enter whenever, sometimes without warning. Or perhaps it was just him quite not reckoning their knocking.
She is standing by a window, viewing the scenery reaching from their garden to the streets of their neighborhood. Once she feels his presence, she turns around and leans towards the windowsill.
"Ye were at the orphanage," Jack comments.
She almost looks at him accusingly. How in the world does he know?
"Ye sneaked out early this morning, didn't ye?" he wonders. "Ye weren't here, darlin'."
At last she nods.
"Figured, as well, that'd be the place they'd have her at, if ever taken."
Angelica agrees. "And she was."
"You couldn't take her home? Did Hans follow ye?"
For usually acting like a fool, intelligent one though - he can still surprise her in so many ways. Clearly he snatches those tiny traces even more than she does.
"Yes, he did," she admits. "They were just about to give her to me. They even accepted the marriage certificate," and now she fights again to not have her voice cracking. Instead she does her best to speak with force. "But he made sure they'll never give her to, as by Hans's words; 'Mr or Mrs Teague'."
Jack thinks aloud. "Now then we have a problem, aye."
"We do," she sighs. "Rothley will tear the town apart when he finds out about us."
"I'd set my bets on that," Jack considers.
Which is absolutely not in Angelica's favor at all. "This means I have to get Frances before he finds out. I have to buy myself some time."
Clearing his throat, Jack does not know how much he supports this. "Love, we be quite running out of it. Hans wants this signature by now. Don't think we got much time at all."
This is a negotiation she honestly does not want to have at all. "Once they know, none of us can stay on this side of the Atlantic sea. We can probably never set foot here ever again. He will tear Europe apart in his search for us. And he'll know we both will be around the Caribbean, or on the seas if he ever finds out about who we really are. It will by then be impossible for me to get her. It is now or never, Jack."
He never quite say it to her, but it nonetheless appears evident. The inevitable air of perhaps, this one time, them not leaving a game as winners.
She feels as if everything she has done lately is pleading. Beg people for not pulling the carpet away from just right below her feet. But it appears as if that is all everyone does. Going against her by their own wills. Probably something she cannot quite accuse them for, but regardless something she finds not only frustrating, but also tough. Everybody seems to be working for individual destinations, and it so happens to be working against each of them. Thereof this endless competition of who can handle whom.
"Jack," she speaks. "Don't make him sign the contract before I got Frances back."
It sounds like a command, something which she is utterly excellent at handing Jack. Although this time it is another plead. A pray for him to not go against her, and as well pull this carpet from below her feet. To for once letting her stand still for just the slightest moment. Stable and in belief she got at least something in control. For the most minimal moment. But it would be something.
He never answers her. Not even by a gesture showing of his either approval or disapproval. He just eyes her and she leaves.
And it is in this particular rush as she heads downstairs, in need of privacy in any chamber she can lock herself into - that she by all regards ends up locking herself into the very same room where Salazar also happens to be.
"Mi amor," his deep voice speaks and she jumps around in her jolt. Almost scared and she brings her hand over her chest as if to calm her nerves down.
"Armando."
Maybe if she had not been desperate. If she had not seen any other solution but this one.
"Angelica..," and his hand gently grabs hers, bringing her to him, closely. "Mi amor."
Her vision tears from his as she looks away. She needs a moment for herself. Tenderly he moves his fingers under her chin to bring her eyes back to eye him deeply.
"You cannot get that girl back as Mrs Teague can you?"
She takes a deep breath. "No..."
"But you would... as Mrs Salazar?"
A/N: Maybe Jack underestimated Salazar after all..?
Salazar... Well, what do you think of this chapter, or so far in the story? I think next chapter has to be the last... ! :-)
I remember when I started this story as if it was literally yesterday! But it feels good to wrap it up, now almost two years later... :-) Took a bit longer than I had expected but I feel we are for the end now.
Hope you liked this chapter and the story so far!