The next morning, the house was in a state of chaos as people ran around preparing for the arrival of the baron and baroness. Their ship had been spotted not far off the coast. Elizabeth was barricading herself in her room, hoping that she wouldn't be forced downstairs to socialize.
The niceties had been taken care of. Elizabeth had dressed in her finest clothes, her hair had been done, and she had even made a vow with herself to not lose her temper with Carter in her father's company. She couldn't make any promises as to what would happen if they ever found themselves alone.
Elizabeth saw the gates of the fort burst open. Shortly after, a regal carriage pulled by two black steeds came through. She sucked in a breath.
"Here we go," she thought to herself. Surely enough, a servant came up to fetch her and she knew that there was no hiding from the situation anymore. Elizabeth would be forced to come face-to-face with the one boy she considered her worst enemy.
Her father was waiting in the Entrance Hall when she finally dragged her feet out of her room. The entire household had turned up to show their respect. Rufus the butler opened the front door and Elizabeth's jaw locked.
"Announcing, Baron and Baroness McLeod and their son, Mr. Carter McLeod," he said, stepping aside to reveal the trio. The baron had the same blonde colored hair as his son and a mustache in the same color. He was an older man compared to his young wife.
The baroness wasn't nearly as old as her husband. She had dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes that her son had inherited. Most girls would have found Carter McLeod extremely handsome, but Elizabeth didn't. He had the look of someone who had been pampered his entire life. There were no scars or calluses on his hands. His face didn't have the tone of someone who spent all day working in the sun. His lips weren't chapped from the heat of working in a blacksmith's shop…
She snapped out of her daydream when she saw Baron McLeod standing in front of her. She curtsied abruptly and he kissed her hand. Then she and the baroness bowed to each other. Then came Carter.
He looked her in the eye and smiled as he bowed and kissed her hand. She fought the urge to pull it away. Her hand burned where his lips had touched it and not in a good way. Her hand twitched and she pulled it back and began rubbing it.
"Welcome back to Port Royal! Shall we go to the parlor?" said Governor Swann, gesturing towards a room off the Entrance Hall.
"That would be lovely, Weatherby. It's been a long journey and I was hoping you would have some of that famous Jamaican Firewater," said the baron with a wink. He was referring to the rum that Jamaica was so famous for. It wasn't a title Elizabeth wanted for her country. It didn't seem that noble to be known for your exceptional alcohol.
Elizabeth sat next to the baroness on a large sofa. Rufus began pouring drinks and handed them around to everyone except her and the baroness. She tried to hide her disgust when Carter downed his glass in one gulp.
There was talk amongst the men about the navy, politics, and numerous other things. Elizabeth wasn't paying much attention to the baroness as she rambled on and on about how excited she was to go to Havana. In fact, she wasn't paying much attention to anything anyone was saying.
The time flew by so quickly. Before she knew it, the sun was beginning to set, turning the sky a beautiful shade of orange. Elizabeth always loved Caribbean sunsets. Sometimes they were pink, other times purple or orange. She was so wrapped up in the setting sun that she didn't even notice Carter get up from his place on the couch and sit next to her.
"Elizabeth?" he said quietly. All eyes were on them.
"Yes, Carter?" she said, trying to be polite. Inside her head, she was wondering why on earth this filthy piece of scum was talking to her.
"Elizabeth, you are a beautiful young lady. Strong minded, talented, intelligent… you would make any man a fine bride. It is my request, however, that you be mine," he said. Elizabeth's jaw dropped.
"Pardon me, I don't think I understood you."
"Elizabeth, will you marry me?" he said again. Elizabeth felt her fingers tighten on the fan that was in her hand. Her jaw clenched and she fought the urge to begin screaming that even if he were the last man on earth, she would not marry him. If the future of the human race depended on their marriage, she would not. There would be a cold day in hell before Elizabeth Swann would change her name to McLeod.
It was a moment before she realized that all movement in the room had ceased. They all seemed to be waiting for her to give an answer. She began sweating with nerves. No, she was not going to say yes. But it seemed rude to reject him in front of his mother and father.
"I need some time to think this over," she said, standing and leaving the room. But she was not going upstairs. There was only one person she could talk to about this. She was going to Mr. Brown's blacksmith shop.