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Warning: This chapter is loooooong

Matchmaker

Elizabeth was left to dress by her brothers, and spent a total of 10 minutes in her room before flying down the stairs, to listen to her brothers speaking with her father and Georgia.

"And when will Anne and the children grace us with their presence?" She heard her father ask Thomas.

"They are currently down at the beach. Little Gideon and Arabella have never been to a beach before, and Anne herself has never been to a beach so clean. They will certainly be here shortly." Thomas spoke, noticing Elizabeth enter the room. "Lizbeth!" He cried.

"Father, you cannot keep my brother's inside, they have only just arrived, have they not." She turned to her brother's whilst Georgia bit her tongue; she knew better than to insult her sister in her father's presence.

"We arrived late last night." Arthur spoke.

"Well you have thus been indoors for too long during the day. You must come down to the beach with me. I must meet this lady who stole my brother's heart." She smiled to Thomas who grinned.

"I agree with Lizbeth." Arthur spoke. "It has been far too long since I had the pleasure of traversing this island without a uniform. And it shall be good to speak with my dear sister." He smiled at Elizabeth who beamed at him.

Governor Swann sighed from his seat. "Well, if you insist on going outdoors, I shall leave you too it. I have a matter of business that I need to get onto."

"Not that he ever doesn't." Arthur and Thomas smiled at each other.

"Georgia, you should go with them." Governor Swann looked to the oldest remaining daughter in his household.

Georgia stood and smiled politely. "No thank you, father. There will be plenty of other times I shall be able to speak with my brothers. And Alistair should be dropping by today."

"Alistair?" Thomas mouthed to Elizabeth who immediately rolled her eyes, biting her lip to hold back laughter. She gently patted her eldest sibling's chest, an indication that she would speak about it later.

Governor Swann nodded, exiting the room, shortly followed by Georgia.

"Come. Let's to the beach." Elizabeth exclaimed, grabbing her brothers and leading them out of the house, as they laughed at her exuberance.

--§--

Given it was fast drawing on midday, Elizabeth was surprised to find the beach near empty, apart from whom she could only guess to be Thomas' wife Anne, playing in the shallows with their two children.

"There's Anne." Arthur mentioned as the trio all chatted endlessly about everything that had happened.

Thomas smiled as he spotted Anne a short distance away, running towards them and leaving Arthur and Elizabeth alone to speak.

"So come now, tell me how the both of you arrived here in Port Royal together?" Elizabeth asked before noticing that the ship Arthur usually sailed on was missing. "What happened to the King George?" Elizabeth asked.

Arthur sighed. "We were sailing about the Spanish Isles, when a pirate ship attacked us. Unfortunately we were low on gun powder, and the pirates, although they didn't come and claim the ship, blew it to pieces, before disappearing. All we sailors swam to a small island, where we lit a bonfire and hoped that somebody would see it. A few hours later, a ship appeared on the horizon, and when a row boat landed on shore, Thomas jumped out and we discovered it was the ship from England. Thomas and I have since spent far too much time together and I've been doting uncle to Gideon and Arabella, now I just want to kick back, relax, and spend time with my baby sister."

Elizabeth smiled at him, going through all emotions necessary as she listened to her brother speak. "I'm glad you're okay." She smiled hugging him as Thomas and Anne walked towards them, each carrying a child.

"Anne, you already know my brother, but this is my baby sister, Elizabeth." Thomas made the introductions, and the two women curtsied to one another.

"It's good to finally meet one of Thomas' sisters; I hear so much about you all." Anne smiled.

Elizabeth smiled in response. "Thank you, but I'm certain you shall lose your good opinion of your husband once you have all four of us daughters in the same room with him." She teased her brother who playfully poked her.

"By the way, this is Arabella." He smiled at the young girl in his arms. "And somewhere behind all Anne's skirts, is Gideon." Elizabeth noticed a small head popping out from behind Anne and smiled.

"It wouldn't be the first time a Swann has hidden behind some skirts." Elizabeth smiled at Anne who was looking down where her dress was being gently tugged.

"This one is getting tired. I should take them up to the house." Anne looked to her husband who nodded, placing Arabella, who looked to be around five years of age, on the sand.

"Certainly." He placed a quick kiss on Anne's lips, who, after bidding her farewell's to the group, led the children away.

Elizabeth smiled as she watched the trio walk away. "Is she always so hands on?" She asked Thomas who laughed.

"No, never, but she relishes the opportunity when Mrs. Blackwell, the children's nanny is unavailable." Thomas responded, before starting the remaining trio on a continued walk, away from the naval docks. "You still haven't told me who Alistair is." He stated smirking.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, and Arthur chuckled. "Do you dislike him so much?" He asked.

Elizabeth shook her head. "Oh no, Alistair Cassidy is such a sweet man, at least, from the few times I have met him. It's just how Georgia reacts to him. She mopes about the house when he doesn't visit, and every morning talks of nothing other than seeing him, and she talks of nothing more with Abigail Hest." Elizabeth sighed, at which both her brother's laughed.

"Has father still not had you presented?" Thomas asked, glancing at Arthur.

Elizabeth sighed looking down. "What have I done wrong? Or is it just that he has three children well married, another soon to be engaged, and two sons with decent occupations?" She exclaimed her temper erupting.

Arthur rested a hand on her back, rubbing his hand over the fabric of her gown in calming motions.

"I'll talk to him." Thomas breathed, and Elizabeth looked up at him excitedly.

"You will?" She looked at her eldest sibling with great hope.

Thomas smiled. "Of course I will. You are eighteen years old, Lizbeth, and are quickly becoming an old maid and once father hears that, he shall be greatly disappointed with himself."

Elizabeth flung her arms about her brother's neck, squeezing him tightly. She couldn't recall a moment when she had been happier.

"Brother, I think she is happy." Thomas rasped as he watched Arthur laughing. "Unfortunately, if she continues to hold me so, she shall be greatly disappointed as I can't breathe." Elizabeth immediately released him, apologizing to him, but having her apologies waved aside.

Elizabeth was so happy that she didn't notice the man whose smile had made her heart melt, approach the group.

"William!" Arthur called as he approached, and the two men shook hands tightly, before Arthur introduced him to Thomas. Elizabeth however, stood transfixed, staring at the new addition to the party, which Thomas noted, subtly elbowing her in the ribs, whilst at the same time, noticing how Mr. Turner constantly tried to look anywhere else but Elizabeth, for when he did glance in her direction, he couldn't stop staring at her.

"I hate to be a burden on your group, but Lieutenant Swann, Captain Norrington has been looking for you."

"Lieutenant?" Elizabeth turned to her younger brother.

"I got promoted just before we left Port Royal." He looked at the ground, before Elizabeth hugged him as tightly as she had hugged Thomas.

"I agree with you Thomas, she does kill you." He choked and Thomas could only laugh as Elizabeth hastily released him, before he turned to Will.

"Now, William, please, I am not in uniform, therefore I am not to be addressed so formerly." The Lieutenant gently patted Will's back. "But as the Captain is searching for me, I had better go." He placed a kiss on Elizabeth's cheek. "See you back at the house." He jogged off the beach, waving as he went.

"So tell me, Mr. Turner," Thomas began as Arthur disappeared, and William too made move to leave the siblings. "Forgive me, but I have not been in Port Royal for just under a decade, and thus I know nothing about you."

Will, still trying to force himself to look at the older man than at Elizabeth, who was going through fazes of blushing, and staring straight at him, wishing for him to smile.

"My mother is Adelaide Turner, and I am the eldest of three boys." Will began, albeit uncertain as to what Thomas Swann wanted to hear.

"And your father?" Thomas cut in as they began walking, Elizabeth slightly behind the two men, which William preferred slightly.

"My father left us some years ago." Will stated, looking straight out in front of him, hoping that Thomas wouldn't press the matter.

Thomas seemed to take the hint, but resolved to speak with Arthur about it. "And your profession; your brothers? You look to be little over 25 years of age."

Will smiled weakly. "My birthday is three months away, and yes, I shall be turning 25." He answered. "My mother wishes I would find myself something to do, as my brother Joseph has recently been enlisted in the Royal Navy, and Anthony is stating how he wishes to study the law. I, it must be admitted, have spent the past seven years or so living of my inheritance and standing up for my mother who hasn't been seen in society's circles as much as she would have liked."

"Is she sickly?" Thomas asked, and Elizabeth too, listened intently for she knew very little of the Turners.

"No, she is in good health. But my father leaving has been the main reason. She has thus sent me to every party she is invited too, hoping that if I at least do not find myself a profession other than the Blacksmithing I have been doing in recent times, I must find myself a wife." He explained, kicking some sand out in front of him.

"You are a Blacksmith?" Thomas asked confused.

"More the apprentices, apprentice." Will chuckled. "Henry Cooper and I used to play together as children, and a few years ago he asked whether I would like to learn how to make a sword as I use them so often and always seemed to come and watch him work when he had one to make. I'm currently making a sword for Capt…" He paused glancing at Elizabeth and Turner.

"Captain Norrington?" Elizabeth asked, and Will had to look at her, and found her as breathtaking with the sun shining than when the rain was pouring down on her.

Will hung his head. "Forgive me, I shouldn't have said anything."

Thomas nodded, remembering how whenever a naval officer or military man was promoted to high ranks, he received a new sword, but he kept this thought to himself, and instead, returned the topic to lighter matters. "Well Mister Turner, my sister shall hopefully be presented to society in the coming weeks, and when she is, you must pay her attention, and in the process prove my father to be a fool for keeping from the society of Port Royal it's most beautiful flower."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes at her brother's comment, but couldn't help but beam at him, and blush strongly, whilst William Turner had no option to look at the young woman, whilst her brother watched him intently.

"Yes it has." Will responded quietly to Thomas's remark.

Thomas smiled at the young man's obvious interest and patted himself on the back. "Lizbeth, we have been in the sun too long." Elizabeth glanced up at the sky noticing how the sun had indeed moved a great distance from when they first arrived on the beach.

"Yes we should, and father has probably arranged for the Newmarket's and the Ibsen's to join us for lunch." She moaned, hoping that wouldn't be the case for then Thomas would not be able to speak with her father about her being presented for a while.

Thomas nodded before turning to William. "Mr. Turner, you should join us for lunch. If nothing has changed these past ten years, there shall be more food on the table than for the number sitting round it."

Will glanced at Elizabeth, and saw an expression in her eye, which he thought was hope, but at the same time he did not want to be a burden for the aging Governor. "I shouldn't." He began.

"Nonsense!" Thomas exclaimed. "Come, you shall be my guest."

Will sighed dejectedly, realizing he had no choice but to comply with Thomas Swann, and the trio headed up to the house, Thomas in the lead, deliberately leaving Will to escort Elizabeth up the hill.