Author's Note: Hello and welcome to chapter eleven of "Rubicon". I would like to thank everyone who read and reviewed my last chapter NazgulQueen, Tiera-Tarie, jla2snoopy, ElfLuver13, kitty, and sudoku. Thank you all so much, your comments are wonderful! As always, I do not have a beta for this fic, so any mistakes that appear are my fault and my fault alone.

Disclaimer: I claim no ownership of Pirates of the Caribbean.

May 2, 1731

Dearest Diary,

It is night and I am not the least bit weary. The air is heavy with the heat and it sticks to my very flesh. I can find no rest as I sit in the guest chamber at Lord Nesbitt's plantation. It is a pleasant room, but draped with red curtains and silks. I do not care for such a harsh color.

Cutler has recently left to return to Port Royal. A message came for him this evening and he was forced to take his leave. He would not tell me why exactly, some trouble with one of his ships. I did not question him though, for I was most vexed at the time. Let him settle his business and return to me and maybe then he will apologize.

I do not mean to be cruel, but he knew I would not agree with him. He deserves my anger, at least for now.

But I shan't talk about silly things. For it is a silly thing, a trifle really. Never mind it now.

We had a most lovely day, here at Lord Nesbitt's plantation. He arranged a fox hunt through the great fields and pastures that surround his estate. Cutler provided him with the foxes.

Many ladies and gentlemen from throughout Jamaica also accompanied us. Most I had met before and some I did not know. They were all kind enough, but common and they could only speak on simple subjects. Once more I was glad for Lady Jane's company.

We arrived at the plantation yesterday evening and had a quick supper in the dining room. I think of all the rooms Lady Jane showed me, I found the dining room to be the most beautiful. On the right side the wall is interspaced with large French doors that overlook a garden. Lady Jane and her husband invited us to stroll through it after the sun had set.

I must admit that their garden is so much larger than mine. I am quite jealous. Perhaps Cutler might purchase a house in the country. It would be a nice retreat, I think.

The next morning we awoke early and I loved the way a hazy mist dampened the grounds. Our horses were brought around and I dressed in my finest habit. Green, with gold buttons and a three-cornered hat. My horse was one of Cutler's, a swift black gelding with a sweet spirit. Cutler mounted his white stallion and the creature put up such a fuss, tossing his head about in the stable yard and stamping his hooves.

"That creature is mad!" One young lady commented and she looked at Cutler doubtfully. I glared at her and assured her that my husband was an accomplished horseman. Her own horse was thin and lame and could scarce move beyond a slow trot.

The hounds were ushered into the yard and they yowled and whined. Lord Nesbitt was most proud of them, as he bred them himself. Cutler saw fit to compliment him. My husband knows more in the way of dogs than I and by the end of the day, he had secured one of animals for himself.

The creature now sits in my room as he is more of a pet than a hunting dog. But I suppose we have little use for hunting dogs in the Caribbean.

After the hounds were forced into some sort of order, Lord Nesbitt rode to the fore and led us down through his fields. Most were planted and Lord Nesbitt told us he expected a good crop.

It was most boring, I thought, for I do not care to hear how much grain he plans to reap. Three of his servants walked along the edges of the fields and beat away at the brush. The foxes had been released the night before and had quite disappeared.

We rode about in this manner for a long time and I near fell asleep in the saddle. Cutler expressed his boredom to me more than once.

Then suddenly, one of the servants cried out.

"The fox! The fox!"

We all stood in our stirrups and strained our necks. I could see nothing. But then Cutler raised his hand.

"Tally-ho!" He shouted and I glimpsed a flash of red crashing back into the brush. (I was most proud of him at the time for spotting the fox first, but now I am vexed so I will say little more.)

The company pursued the creature at once. Cutler and I broke to the fore at once, with Lord and Lady Nesbitt close behind. A few others followed, but were hard put to keep up with us.

We dashed through three fields and the hounds kept on yowling. My heart thumped heartily in my breast. Oh how I have missed the chase! So long it seems, since Cutler and I bounded over the meadows in England. Of course, the Caribbean countryside cannot compare to Bath, but it will do.

My horse was swift and I had only to give him the rein, no whip. When we reached the fourth field the hounds stopped and bent their noses to the ground.

"They have lost the scent!" I lamented and Cutler brought his horse close to mine.

"I cannot see." And he shielded his eyes, looking to a clump of leafy trees that hemmed the field.

The other riders branched out and searched, the servants following the dogs. A long while passed before anything happened and I began to lose hope. Perhaps we would never find the fox.

Then one of the dogs shrieked. It was a high, whining sound and it chilled me. The others joined in and they swarmed, like rabid creatures, over to a single bush. There was much squawking and fluttering and the servants had to beat the dogs away. One held up a bird, or at least I think it was a bird.

The plumage was quite colorful. I have never seen such feathers before. The dogs had torn into the bird's neck and blood dripped freely.

The servant made to bring the dead bird to Lord Nesbitt but a young gentleman accosted him. Driving his horse between Lord Nesbitt and the servant, he reached down and grabbed the bird, swinging it around in a vulgar fashion.

Some thought this quite amusing. I didn't. From the depths of my memory came an image, an image of a bronzed woman dancing before a fire with a bird in her hand. There was blood everywhere….

Cutler must have noticed my distress. Without a word, he reached for his pistol and shot the bird right out of the gentleman's hand. No one spoke much after that and the company returned to the house.

Dinner was likewise quiet and I did not stay at the table to talk with Lady Jane. I had a headache and retired with Cutler early. He was in a thoughtful mood. The moment we entered our chamber he sat down by the hearth and bid me join him.

"We must look to our son's schooling," he said. I was shocked.

"But darling." I closed my hand over his. "Young Cutler is not even aged a year! How should we look to his schooling now? It is too soon, certainly you realize that."

We had not taken our son with us to the plantation, but left him in the care of Agnes in Port Royal.

"No." He shook his head then and stared into the fire. "You witnessed the actions of that man today. The men of the Caribbean are brutes, all of them. I would not have him subject to such crudeness."

"Then what will you do?" I asked. My tone was a bit harsher than I had intended, but so greatly did I dislike any talk of our son's education.

"When he is old enough, I will hire the very best of tutors. And then when he has outgrown them, I will send him to England for schooling or further aboard. He will not be raised here."

"But Cutler!" I stood and he stared up at me as if I was mad. "No, I shan't let you! I do not want our child sent away. He will stay with us."

"Anne, be calm." He stood as well and put his hands on my shoulders, gently pushing me back down into my seat. "You act foolishly, nothing has been decided yet. And surely, you can not argue with what is best for our son."

"You would raise him as a Spartan, I think!" I accused. Cutler's eyes darkened.

"I have said nothing of the sort."

"Yes, that is what you would do."

"Then you, madam, would raise him as a hellion, without proper guidance or care."

"Never!" I shot to my feet once more. But upon standing I felt so weak that I collapsed.

It was most embarrassing, laying on the floor in a plume of silk with Cutler staring down at me. But his face was soft once more.

"Anne?" He tried to reach down and help me, but I brushed him away.

"Leave me be!" I ordered and he retreated.

"Anne, what is it?" Cutler kept asking me the same thing over and over as I dragged myself back onto the seat of my chair.

"Nothing, I am well."

A knock sounded upon the door just then and he was distracted. Now, I thank God for such a distraction. He did not notice the blood that leaked from my mouth as I coughed. It was bright and red and I wiped it away quickly with the edge of my sleeve. How horribly wretched.

When Cutler returned he had a note in hand and looked most annoyed.

"What is it?" I asked. My voice sounded ragged. I do not think he noticed.

"A message from Norrington, there is trouble in Port Royal. One of my captains refuses to sail."

"Oh. Will you go?" I asked him. He looked down at the note and back up at me.

"I do not wish to leave you."

"Why? I am well."

He did not seem to believe me, but a moment later he shrugged into his coat.

"Stay in this chamber," Cutler ordered. I did not argue and let him kiss me upon the cheek.

He has been gone for a long while and I doubt he shall return tonight. It is rather boring sitting alone in my chamber and I shiver now. The fire has gone out.

But perhaps I shall lay down. I am a bit weary after all. There is no sense, I suppose in…..

Author's Note: The next one-shot "Frightful News" will be up tomorrow. It's actually a bit humorous, unlike what the title suggests. Thanks so much for reading!