Chapter 15
Smoke billowed thousands of feet into the air by the next morning as fire devoured the pile of wood as well as the nearby palm trees. Grace emptied one of the last bottles of rum into the blaze.
"Evil stuff," she muttered.
Elizabeth frowned at her. "I dislike rum, but why do you flat out hate it?"
Grace took a moment to debate whether or not to share a difficult part of her life with the other woman.
"I hate all types of alcohol," Grace began. She hesitated. "My father is an alcoholic. When he's drunk he's violent. He hit me and that's why I left home and why I hate alcohol."
"Oh," Elizabeth said in her usual annoying way.
"Oh," Grace mimicked like Jack.
She turned around to get the last bottle of rum. Suddenly something blew up in the fire. Grace ducked and looked at Elizabeth.
"I told you not to put any sealed kegs into the fire."
Elizabeth made a face and opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off.
"No! Not good!" They looked up to see Jack running towards them. "Stop! Not good! What are you doing? You burned all the food, the shade! The rum!"
"The rum is gone, all right," Grace said satisfied as she and Elizabeth walked down to the beach to escape the heat of the fire.
"Why is the rum gone?!" Jack shouted.
Elizabeth turned to face him. "One, because it is a vile drink that turns even the most respectable men into complete scoundrels. Two, that signal is over a thousand feet high. The entire Royal Navy is out looking for me, do you really think that there is even the slightest chance that they won't see it?"
"But why is the rum gone?!" Jack demanded.
Elizabeth sat down and stared out at sea. "Just wait, Captain Sparrow. You give it one hour, maybe two, keep a weather eye out and then you will see white sails on that horizon."
Infuriated, Jack pulled out his pistol, glaring down at Elizabeth like he was about to shoot her. He then turned to Grace with the same wild look in his eyes.
"This was your idea!"
Grace crossed her arms. "I had to do something."
Deciding not to waste his one shot on either of them, Jack stalked off down the beach mimicking them. Grace sat down on the beach a few feet away from Elizabeth. A moment passed in silence and Grace started getting the feeling that Elizabeth was watching her. She glanced at Elizabeth who was indeed looking at her. They both looked away from each other. Grace focused on a small shell that was being washed back and forth by the waves and again she felt that Elizabeth was watching her. With a sigh, she turned back to Elizabeth.
"Did you have something to say?" Grace asked.
"You like Will, don't you?"
Grace was surprised by her bold question. "I've really only known him for a few days." She hoped to avoid a direct answer.
The expectant look on Elizabeth's face told Grace she wanted more than that.
"I'm not going to get between you if that's what you're worried about," Grace said finally.
Elizabeth raised her chin conceitedly. "Good."
Grace's stomach clenched. I really don't like you, she thought.
Suddenly, Grace saw Jack running back to them, his arms waving wildly. Grace and Elizabeth got up quickly.
"It's a ship!" Jack called.
Grace grinned with relief. She accidentally glanced at Elizabeth who was also smiling, but their smiles faded looking at each other. Without saying a word, they followed Jack to the other side of the island where boats were being pulled ashore by British soldiers. One in particular rushed forward.
"Elizabeth!" His voice was full of relief.
Who is he again? Grace racked her brains to remember. Oh, Commodore Norrington, that's who . . . and he loves Elizabeth. Poor man.
Grace looked at Jack who had hung behind. He was looked hesitant and was making sour faces when Norrington wasn't looking. Elizabeth was overjoyed to see Norrington, but both Grace and Jack were feeling like outsiders. Once Norrington had fussed over Elizabeth, making sure she was fine, he looked up at Grace and Jack. Grace fidgeted as he looked at her before turning to Jack.
"Jack Sparrow," he said as if the name put a bad taste in his mouth.
"The one and only," Jack replied, grinning. "And it's Captain Jack Sparrow."
"Men, take Mr. Sparrow to the boats," Norrington ordered, glaring hard at Jack.
Two red-coated soldiers took Jack by the arms and pushed him down to the boats. Norrington's attention turned to Grace.
"Who might you be and what is your relation to Mr. Sparrow." His voice was civil, but cold and Grace suspected he thought she was a pirate.
"My name is Grace Morgan. I offered to help Jack and Will rescue Elizabeth . . . I am not a pirate."
"Very well," Norrington said after a moment. "Come with me."
He led her and Elizabeth to the boats and helped them step into one.
"Elizabeth, your father is waiting for you on the ship. He will be very glad to see you," Norrington told her.
Elizabeth smiled and nodded.
When they finally reached the Dauntless, everyone climbed aboard. Governor Swann rushed forward and hugged Elizabeth.
"Elizabeth, are you all right?" he asked.
"Yes, I'm fine," Elizabeth answered.
"I'm so glad!"
"Father, the pirates took Will. We need to go after them," Elizabeth said.
"We're going home," Governor Swann replied.
"But we've got to save Will."
"No. You're safe now. We will return to Port Royal immediately, not go gallivanting after pirates!"
"Then we condemn him to death," Elizabeth said angrily.
"The boys fate is regrettable, but, then, so was his decision to engage in piracy."
"To rescue me. To prevent anything from happening to me!"
"She would not be here right now, if it weren't for Will," Grace added her thoughts.
"Who are you?" Governor Swann asked.
Before Grace could answer, Jack stepped forward and looked at Norrington.
"If I may be so bold as to inject my professional opinion. The Pearl was listing near to scuppers after the battle. It's very unlikely she'll be able to make good time. Think about it. The Black Pearl. The last real pirate threat in the Caribbean, mate. How can you pass that up?"
"By remembering that I serve others, Mr. Sparrow, not only myself," Norrington replied.
Grace wanted to protest, but Elizabeth beat her to it. "Commodore, I beg you, please do this . . . for me . . . as a wedding gift."
Grace raised her eyebrows in surprise.
"Elizabeth, are you accepting the commodore's proposal?" Governor Swann asked.
Elizabeth kept her eyes on Norrington. "I am."
"A wedding! I love weddings! Drinks all around!" Jack said excitedly. He noticed the warning look Norrington was giving him and extended his arms. "I know. Clap 'im in irons, right?" He smiled sheepishly.
"Mr. Sparrow, you will accompany these fine men to the helm and provide us with the bearing to Isla de Muerta. You will then spend the rest of the voyage contemplating all possible meanings of the phrase 'silent as the grave.' Do I make myself clear?" Norrington asked.
"Inescapably clear."
Two soldiers took Jack's arms and led him up to the wheel. Norrington turned to another soldier.
"Take Miss Morgan down to one of the cabins where she can get cleaned up," he said.
Grace looked down at herself, realizing she was covered in soot and followed the soldier below deck.
