The stranger leant in eagerly, the shadows engulfing his face entirely, so all that they could see was snatches of a gleaming tooth when he spoke. "Well, a little story got around to me about this noble-lady you were ferrying across to the Africas." He replied in conspirator tones. It took every ounce of willpower Will owned not to glance at Alex. Jack was caught off-balance for several moments. Alex had invented that story as a cover, trying to keep them out of trouble. It hadn't really worked as well as hoped, but it kept them alive. Until now…
"Aye?" Jack finally voiced.
"Word's got around that you've been harbouring a fugitive. Your cargo is on the run from marital commitment. They've currently got the entire English Navy out looking for her."
"Why?" Will cut in.
"Because," the informant explained patiently, "they believe you, being alleged pirates, have taken off with Mr Lafew's fiancée, as dastardly pirates do, and they're scouring the seven seas looking to return her." Jack hadn't believed that Alex had been telling the truth when she'd made up that story for the Navy. But that would explain so many things; the way the story slipped off her tongue like the truth, her knowledge of manners and etiquette at the Navy ball, the reception they received when they boarded…
"And your information comes from?" Jack asked resignedly.
"Straight from the horse's mouth," The stranger grinned, a diamond embedded into his tooth glinting, and slipped his hat off his head. Vice-Admiral Stone from the ball at the navy ship stared back at them. "Your precious employer has been leading you off the garden path, Captain Sparrow. She's using you, and when she gets caught, it'll be your head on the chopping block. It always happens that way." He trailed off sadly.
"I'm doing nothing of the sort!" Alex shouted, jumping to her feet. Stone glanced at her, then did a double-take, looking taken back.
"Why, even better; she's here in person." He recovered, "Forgive me, my lady, I didn't recognise you there for a second. Montana, what a pleasant… surprise." His words seemed to Jack to hold a more sinister, double meaning, but Alex merely snorted derisively in a very unlady-like manner.
"Now, that's not very becoming," Stone lectured, "If I were you, I wouldn't spend anymore time around this crowd; bad habits tend to rub off onto the impressionable."
"I'll spend my time how I like, with whom I like. I'm nobody's claim." Alex snarled.
"Essentially, Alexandria, you are. Mr Lafew has paid the dowry, and fifteen thousand pounds is quite a large sum to forfeit."
Will spluttered in surprise; fifteen thousand was more than anyone in London would make in a year. For Lafew to buy Alex for that amount, she'd be almost royalty. Or the man was very rich. Jack was also doing the same calculations, but they ran more along the lines of, Well Jack Sparrow, this is a quandary and a half. You are in more trouble than a whore with the clap.
Vice Admiral Stone continued, "If I were you, Miss Alexandria, I'd make haste straight to Africa and stop sculling around pirating ports such as these. You never know who might get the wrong idea…" He trailed off. Jack stiffened slightly. Stone was hinting he knew exactly what Jack did for a living. Harbouring a run-away fiancée worth 15,000 was forgivable. No worries, slap on the wrist and off you went on your merry way. Try to steal one measly piece-of-eight however, and it was all 'hang the bloody pirate.'
"Is that a threat?" Alex asked, her voice lowered dangerously. Stone laughed amiably.
"Certainly not my fair lady; you're old enough to judge for yourself. It's just, if word got out about your… escapades, you may find it difficult to ensure the marriage remains on schedule. You certainly have your fiancée in an anxious state, which, may I add, is not very courteous, while you're flouncing around on some common trader." Jack breathed a sigh of relief – the Navy was still oblivious to what the Black Pearl did as an occupation, exactly. His crew was safe. His ship was safe. They were safe.
Will could hold his tongue no longer. Now it had been established that Stone was not lusting after their blood or revenge from some misdeed they had unwittingly afflicted on him, Will could see no harm in speaking his mind, "How exactly does this concern us?" He asked. After seeing Stone's raised eyebrow, he hastily re-worded his question, "What I meant to say was: we're getting her to Africa; we were just delayed by a storm. It happens all the time so why is Lafew so concerned?"
Stone tipped back his seat as he contemplated Will's question, and gathered his thoughts on how best to answer, "Obviously, Mr Lafew is concerned about his bride-to-be's welfare; he is well aware that ocean voyages take considerable and varying times, but as the concerned man he is, he is naturally anxious about any delays to proceedings. Anything can occur on an open sea, and Mr Lafew is well aware of the dangers of travelling over water. Storms, leaks, pirates…" Was it Jack's imagination, or did Stone emphasise the word 'pirates' just a little too much?
Jack decided he'd had enough. He'd heard all he needed to know: they were in a mild spot of bother with the law. What good pirates weren't? Jack, Alex and Will would board the Black Pearl,where Jack would worm the real story out of Alex. He had no intention of delivering Alex into a marriage she obviously loathed, but he'd need to gauge the danger of keeping her aboard. She may have to go into hiding somewhere for a while. Additionally, no doubt Stone would be watching every move he made to ensure Alex got to her desired destination; if the Vice Admiralof the Navy was around, the entire Naval Fleet couldn't be far away. No doubt the only reason they hadn't had a cannon-blazing attack to thieve Alex back to the Navy was the risk that they might harm her while undertaking the operation. Jack took this as a warning; 'The Navy is onto you'. Jack shrugged. Captain Jack Sparrow was used to warnings. He just wasn't used to heeding them.
But in the next few minutes, the situation got so much more complicated and out of hand. The warning signs were there, if he'd chosen to heed them… In later days, Jack would kick himself for his handling of the whole affair.
Hey gang. This chapter and the next one or two may be a bit slow. I'm filling in background information on Alex's history etc. Answering a few questions, back-tracking, and tying up a few loose ends of this story arc, before a new plotline – yay! After these boring chapters, I'll throw in a dark one. I think I said somewhere along the way they'd be a new ship that was mean nasty. I just have to try to slot it in somewhere. Over the rainbow.