A Pleasing Withdrawal?

Elizabeth sat in the parlor absolutely petrified. She had been told Norrington was in the house, and wanted to see her, for what reason she could only imagine. So here she was, sitting on one of the many sofas, watching him as he stood by one of the windows looking out to the bay.

"I trust you are well?" She asked, hearing her voice squeak.

He turned around to look at her, removing his hat from his head, before making his way from the window to her location on the sofa. "Yes, ah, quite well."

Elizabeth could see him swallow, but still had absolutely no idea what else to say. She so desperately wanted to avoid the question she knew he had come to find an answer to. "How is the clean-up from the pirates attack coming along?" She asked as he drew near, again hearing her voice squeak and quaver.

"Quite well. Already we have completed work at the fort, and are now focusing on the town."

Elizabeth nodded in response, glancing to the tray of tea that had been left on the small table before her. When she looked back, Norrington was right beside her, and squatting down on a knee and gazing at her face.

"Elizabeth, I have never received an answer to the question I asked of you." He began.

Elizabeth tried to play dumb by shaking her head and shrugging with a confused expression on her face. Unfortunately, the Commodore saw through it.

"Elizabeth, will you do me the greatest honour, of becoming my wife?" He asked her gently, taking both her hands from her lap, clasping them together in his.

Elizabeth stared at him, unable to form words. She knew she had to say yes as to avoid suspicion, but at the same time, all she could think of was Will. She wanted him to be the man asking her this question now, and she was well aware of the fact that if she did agree to marry James Norrington, he would stay away, and never see her again apart from the occasional society do, and Elizabeth knew she couldn't bear that.

"James!" Elizabeth managed to get out after several failed attempts at saying his name. "This is such a surprise!" Norrington just looked at her, sensing she was trying to find a way of saying no.

"If you wish to decline my proposal, please do so without holding me in suspense for a time which would be so painful to me." He said, earning a confused look from Elizabeth.

Oh great, he's given me a way out! Elizabeth thought to herself, before remembering how not-easy it was going to be in getting away with such a decision.

"James no that is not the reason for my neglect in giving you a response. I just need time to think." She said.

Norrington stood up sharply, moving to the door. "It has been a week, Miss Swann," Elizabeth had followed him in standing up, but hearing him address her so formally, and in such a cold tone, made her freeze. "I can recognize when my attentions are not well received. I shall not call on you again." And with that, he opened the door and strode out.

"James!" Elizabeth called, chasing after him, but giving up as she watched him stride out the door, clamber into his carriage, and disappear down the drive.

"Lizbeth?" Elizabeth turned at the sound of her brother's voice.

"Oh Thomas, I'm so confused!" She sighed, moving towards him.

"Has the Commodore left already?" He asked looking past her out the door.

"He sensed my discomfort in response to his attentions, and withdrew his proposal." Elizabeth responded.

Thomas nodded, before taking her hand and leading her back into the parlor, shutting the door behind them. "But why are you confused? You didn't want to marry him, and now he has saved you from an uncomfortable situation." He spoke as Elizabeth reclaimed her seat.

"Maybe so. But now I have to fend of father's questions as to why he did so. He is still going to see this as a decline on my part, and therefore he shall be asking me for why I have declined. And we both know father's reaction if I say I don't love the Commodore." She responded.

"He shall laugh and say Love doesn't mean anything nowadays." He took the seat beside her. "I could talk to him?" He suggested. Elizabeth looked to him excitedly. "Hypothetically of course." He added as he saw her expression.

Elizabeth sighed, looking away from him, focusing her attention on a detail of the rug. "Even if you do speak to father, and it won't matter what sense you employ, he shall still refuse Will as a son in-law."

Thomas sighed biting his lip, and was about to respond when the door's opened, and Arthur and their father entered. "Ah Thomas, there you are." The eldest man spoke. "Come, I must speak with you."

Arthur looked to Elizabeth, and at seeing her expression, lowered his eyebrows in thought as Elizabeth knew he was trying to read her.

"Elizabeth, I am surprised I have not seen the Commodore this morning." The Governor spoke noticing Elizabeth as Thomas stood.

"Well before you speak to me, I must speak to you, father." Thomas cut in before Elizabeth could respond.

Elizabeth recognized her time to escape the room, and excused herself, citing a pillow whose embroidery she needed to finish. Once inside the sitting room to the rear of the house, whose view looked up the hill behind the house, and picking up the said pillow, Elizabeth tried to be optimistic in her thoughts for what Thomas was going to say, and thus forcing negative thoughts from her mind.

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