The Gift
Chapter 3: Soloist
Setting: Post POTC 3
Characters: Norrington/ OFC

Plot: A fluffy holiday love story. Who knew that James Norrington played the violin?

lj-cut text"Soloist"

As the daughter of famed Italian violinist Nicholas Gagliano, Lucrezia Anjelica Maria was raised between two worlds. Her childhood and education were spent at the English Court under the protection of her father's employer, the Viscount of Tweekesbury. With the supervision and care of the Vicount's kind wife, Anne (who was the Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne's daughter, as well) Lucy was raised with the royal children and cousins as nearly an equal. Along with the noble girls, she was schooled in embroidery, letters, languages, dance, drawing and music; and Lucy, the little Italian, excelled at music. Very much so.

She was immensely popular with her noble friends, who became a sort of surrogate family, and she attended every court dance and party with the household entourage. Often, she was called upon to play viola de gamba or cello at these revelries, and her attractive looks and exceptional talent caused many noble boys and men to swoon and swear their undying love.

Yet, she was not of noble birth. The daughter of musician Nicolas Gagliano and Venetian Opera Company soprano Chritiana Regoli; she was a bastard -- a fact hidden from her most of her life and, for the sake of her father's patron, covered up with the convenient lie that her mother had died in childbirth. The future of this beautiful, talented daughter of a popular violinist would be precarious one past the age of seventeen, and her father often warned that she would have to tread carefully in the world of men.

Thankfully, Nicholas Gagliano was a bookish man for an Italian and preferred practicing his music to pursueing Venetian singers (at least most of the time). He rescued baby Lucrezia from the poor house where her mother had immediately sent her, just a babe in the nurse's arms, the day Nicholas entered the birthing chamber. Christiana Regoli had many bastards, and she certainly didn't have time to raise them. Without a fight or even a good riddance, Nicholas left Christina to find his child. He took the small bambina in his arms, and that day he fell in love for the first time.

Because Nicholas loved his daughter, he wanted to give her the best life possible. So when he was offered a position in an England court, he knew his daughter would be raised as a lady amongst the noble classes, and so he took the position. And there, Nicolas and Lucy had lived for the past twenty-three years. But last July, the old Viscount died and Nicholas, being little more than a servant even as the man's favorite musician, was forced to find a new master or a new world. Through the viscount's son, a man with interests in the colonies, he learned of a new job opportunity in Port Royal -- the chance to serve as violin master in the Governor's Chamber Orchestra with the additional freedom to pursue music and run his own small business. Realizing his daughter did not intend to marry her intended bethrothed, a German violinist by the name of Herbert Hasselmire (after all, four years had passed!) he decide it was time for a new world and a new life.

Lucy was delighted. Number one, it meant that her father would break his arrangement with Herbert for his daughter's hand in marriage. Secondly, she would no longer be between worlds. A woman with the skills of a courtier and the lineage of a dancing girl, she could now become a merchant. She had vehemently refused to do what most women in her position did and become a kept woman, the mistress of a wealthy married gentleman.

Finally, she was going to be part of something new -- the middle class. She had high hopes for finding a husband who was a dignified and dependable merchandiser himself. And although a number of suitable Port Royal business and tradesmen currently wooed her, the men she met wanted passive English wives, not female musicians with passionate hearts and souls that desired the pursuit of art and beauty.

Returning from a quick trip to the baker, she entered through the back door of the shop and was surprised to hear the sound of a violin coming from the other side of the velvet curtains. Quietly sitting down her basket and removing her cloak, she peaked through the veil; and, to her great surprise, saw a formidable gentlemen. She pushed aside the curtain, watching him intently, his body moving with lithely and with ease as he cradled her violin beneath his chin and extolled one of Vivaldi's finest works.

The man did not recognize her presence within the room, completely enraptured with his music making. Lucy smiled, as it wasn't often that she had the opportunity to spy on a handsome gentleman musician. She had watched Herbert play the same work often, but he never exuded the same tenderness or finess of feeling when he played. Finally, his green eyes caught hers, and that's when she recognized him. Dear god, it was the famous scorned lover of Port Royal, Admiral Norrington!

James Norrington lost track of time as they played duet after duet. Learning not only about one another but also about their own reaction in this musical exploration of Haydn's latest work.

"Yes, truly," Lucy offered, "He is England's finest composer. You know, as a child I played for him."

"Really? You performed publicly in England?"

Suspecting his implication, she smiled. "It was a private salon gathering. They called me the 'Little Italian'."

Norrington stroked his chin. "Miss Gagliano, you still seem a little Italian."

Lucy laughed at his word play, "Italian in the flesh, but an English woman heart and soul, sir."

Norrington smiled at her loyalty to mother Brittian, but their conversation came to a quick end when a young boy bounded through the shop door.

"Admiral Norrington! Sir!"

The boy came to a quick halt, and Lucy abruptly stood.

"Sir, you're needed at the fort immediately, sir. As requested of Capt'n Gillette."

James winced, as Gillette's return to port could only mean one thing -- pirates.

"Thank you, sailor, that will be all."

"Aye, sir." The boy saluted and left the shop.

James turned to Lucy, realizing that there was so much he wanted to say and so much that must be left unsaid.

"Well, Admiral Norrington I believe duty calls," Lucy said regretfully.

"Yes…" James looked down at the violin and was surprised to hear himself say, "But it was very nice being Mister Norrington for the day."

Lucy melted as his green eyes expressed a great surge of emotion. And just as unexpectedely, she reached out and touched his coat sleeve. "Here, you shall always be Mister Norrington, if you wish it."

James was touched by the young woman's sincerity. "I do, Miss Gagliano."

"Lucy," she said in little more than a whisper.

"…I do wish it, Lucy…." He answered quietly leaving a resounding wake of silence after her name. Both feeling awkward, they spoke at the same time.

"I shall take the violin." "Shall you take the violin?"
But Lucy caught her breath first and added, "I shall clean it for you, change the strings. It will be ready Monday, Mister Nor--"

"James." He said it almost curtly and then with apprehension. "My given name is… James." Then he wondered why he had said that and mentally slapped a palm to his forehead. He was acting like a schoolboy with the most beautiful woman he had ever met, and he wanted nothing more than to drift away at her silence.

"Well then," he said as he bowed quickly and headed towards the door. "Good day."

"James, wait!"

Lucy had been so surprised by his offering the use of his first name in such an innocent, bashful manner, that she had been nearly speechless. She smiled, and her dark eyes followed after him; and Norrington's heart ached at the use of his first name. It had been so long since he'd heard a fine lady call after him with such tenderness.

"Might we play again? I mean, if you enjoyed playing duets today, I would be honored to play with you again at your leisure, Admiral."

She gave him a silly salute and prayed that he understood she was offering herself to him in only the strictest musical sense.

"It is James between us," his green eyes holding her in great esteem. "And it would be my honor."

She curtsied. "Good day, James Norrington."

He smiled at her and without another word rushed towards the awaiting carriage.

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