The next day James made his way to the dock and was surprised to find Miss Katherine Thompson already there and waiting. He noted that while there were several trunks and a lady's maid with her, there were no family members to send her off with fond farewells. Not that the lack of well wishers seemed to bother her. To the contrary, she sat comfortably perched on one of the trunks with her nosed pressed into a book. He snuck a look at the title. She was reading Machiavelli's The Prince, definitely not what he would consider appropriate material for a young woman. Still, he was only to act as a protector and not in loco parentis. If Miss Thompson chose to study such works, it was none of his concern.
"Good afternoon, Miss Thompson. I see that you are ready for our journey. Timeliness is an excellent virtue and not one often found in your sex," he observed in what he intended to be a cheerful manner.
"Then you have been associating with the wrong kind of females. It has been my experience that most women are just as capable of monitoring time as men." There was a hint of annoyance in her voice. Her maid coughed discreetly, and Miss Thompson demurely added, "Of course, I am sure that as a man of the world your basis for comparison is much vaster than my limited knowledge."
Surprised by her unexpected retort, James uncomfortably replied, "Yes. Well. Shall we board?"
Boarding proved to be a much more complicated process than it actually needed to be. The captain of the ship, Captain Wilson, was so pleased to have both a commodore and a lady traveling on his "humble ship" that he insisted on giving them the grand tour. He led the small entourage around the ship pointing out the various riggings and lovingly detailed each of the types of wood utilized. After half an hour of this, James interrupted him, "A fine ship indeed Captain Wilson. However I fear that this sort of talk is of little interest to the ladies. Perhaps we should allow them to retire to their quarters and settle in? You and I can continue this discussion alone, without fear of overtaxing the ladies."
"That is…" and here Miss Thompson was forestalled by her maid's gentle hand on her arm. "That is an excellent suggestion Commodore Norrington. How kind of you to realize that ladies have no head for such technical matters. I shall see both of you gentlemen at dinner." Miss Katherine's eyes were firmly fixed on the deck as if it were of unparalleled interest.
Captain Wilson gallantly offered, "It shall be an honor having such a lovely young lady share my table. Lieutenant, please escort Miss Thompson to her quarters."
"Of all the arrogant,condescending men!" Katherine fumed the moment the door closed behind her.
"Now, Miss Katherine, don't go getting yourself all mad. Remember, you promised not to upset the arrangements."
"Well really, Jenny, I know that I am to be banished to the wilds, but do I have to be accompanied by such an infuriating man?" fixing a haughty expression on her face, she proceeded in a wickedly accurate imitation of Commodore Norrington saying, "You and I can continue this discussion alone, without fear of overtaxing the ladies."
Stifling her laughter, Jenny again admonished, "You mustn't upset the arrangements. You know what will happen if he refuses to take you to Port Royal. Do you really wish to be married to Mr. Stokes? Besides, the Commodore seems a nice enough man, if a bit dull."
"A bitdull? I thought that I would collapse from sheer boredom during last night's dinner conversation. Although I must admit, it was a quite fun watching Violet string him along. Fool man that he is, he was taken in by her simpering."
"Well you'd best be glad that he is so easily taken in. A more perceptive man might have noticed your poor attempts to quell your laughter," Jenny declared impertinently. Then she gravely advised, "Miss Katherine, please remember that this is a chance to escape from the gossip and begin anew," and seeing her mistress's countenance, added soothingly, "I know and so does anyone who truly cares for you, that you were not to blame. However, that mama and papa of yours refuse to see reason when it comes to Violet."
Giving in to an uncharacteristic moment of self pity, Katherine wailed, "It's just so damn unfair. Why do they hate me so? How could they not believe their own daughter?"
"I'm sure I don't know, miss. But just think of it. In Port Royal, you will be able to set up your own household and not have to worry about the quidnuncs. Surely, that is worth a few weeks inconvenience of holding your tongue?"
"I suppose that you are right. Mind you, it will still be a difficult chore but if I stick to my room, I should not have to interact much with that horrible man."
Jenny silently wondered to herself what it was about the Commodore that had so set her mistress off. He seemed rather kind, if a tad too formal. Of course, he had made the mistake of assuming that women had interests of a limited range, but her mistress had often encountered this kind of ignorance before. This was the first time that Jenny could remember her taking it so personally. Usually, Miss Katherine just laughed it off and declared that she had been given more proof that she was better off remaining unmarried. Puzzling over this mystery, she began to unpack.
As James dressed for dinner, he mulled over the day's events. The morning had been spent tying up the last of the business details that had necessitated his trip to England. Luncheon had been spent with his mother. When he had mentioned his dinner with the Thompsons and his obligation to escort the elder Miss Thompson to Port Royal, his mother had raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Yes, I know, mother. It is rather unconventional, but I agreed before I knew what I was agreeing to. Governor Swann led me to believe that she was a child and therefore there would be nothing remotely improper about the arrangement. Once I'd given my word, I could not back out. Fortunately, Miss Thompson is the type of young woman that is unlikely to cause tongues to chatter."
"Indeed?" Mrs. Norrington queried with a small smile. "You say that you are escorting the elder Miss Thompson, and not the younger?"
"Fortunate, is it not? She is so unassuming and quiet that one could easily forget that she is in the room. If it had been the younger, I would have been forced to recant my promise. It would not help my career to become the topic of drawing room gossip."
His mother smiled broadly and agreed, "Oh yes, very fortunate. James, I've been thinking, I really do not get to spend nearly enough time with you. Perhaps I shall come visit you in a few months."
When they took their departure of each other, she hugged him and whispered, "Good luck James. I am certain that you will have an interesting journey." As she watched him walk away, she wondered to herself exactly what Miss Katherine Thompson was up to, and how long it would take her son to stumble upon the truth.