A/N: Wow! Thanks again to all my reviewers last chapter: sea-salt kisses, Isen-norden-ss, Countcresent, RedFrost, [blank], [blank], and Lady Elizabeth Beckett. Ugh, I keep taking forever for chapters... also for you two who submitted nameless reviews, care to put in a letter or two? xD It's hard to refer to you if you have no names, but I hate to bother if you don't want to do that.

Disclaimer: I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean. Neither do I own the lovely characters presented herein. Except maybe any OFCs.

Warnings: Horrible attempt at Tia Dalma's accent, again.

Chapter Seventeen

Bloodwoode.

The Duke Bloodwoode waited patiently at the head of the table, hands folded upon his lap. Today, he was dressed in his best frock coat, a deep ink mahogany with gold edges and buttons of Tahitian pearl. His breeches were a clean, crisp cream color, and his boots were lacquered brown, shiny and new.

His eyes scanned the table-spread meticulously, searching for even the slightest error. It had to be perfect, exceptionally perfect. His guest, after all, was the governor's daughter. And if his exploits were successful, he'd not only have a beautiful wife, but also all the powers of a governor. Influence in London, great wealth (which he undoubtedly already have, but you could never get enough), and authority in Port Royal, as well as all of Jamaica.

"Ms. Baker!" the Duke exclaimed suddenly. The maid came rushing over instantly.

"Yes, sir?" she inquired.

He gestured to the wine glass that was to be Ms. Swann's. "That glass, the gold foil on it is slightly chipped. Do replace that glass posthaste."

The maid nodded, snatching the glass and scurrying off. A few moments later, she returned with a perfect glass. Moments later, a messenger arrived. "She's here, sir," he informed the Duke, who smiled, pleased.

"Good," he said. "She's just on time. Do escort her in."

A few long seconds later, Elizabeth Swann walked into the dining room. The Duke Bloodwoode's brows rose just a slight, observing her closely. She, also, had dressed appropriately for this meeting. Her dress was crystal blue, like the color of Caribbean water, and her hair was pinned up in a swathing bun with pearl clips. Smiling shortly and pleasantly, she sat herself down as the Duke gestured her to.

"Good morning, Ms. Swann," he greeted her with a curt smile.

She simply glanced at him at first, but then couldn't help but look again. He was very good-looking, to be frank. It was a little difficult to ignore it. How had she not noticed it before? The corners of her lips tugged upwards as she responded politely, "Good morning, Duke."

He waved his hand to the food, which she had not yet touched. "Please. Help yourself," he said.

She nodded and began to eat daintily and mannerly. For the first few moments, there was an awkward silence between the two, with only the sound of silverware tinkering against fine china and slight chewing.

Then, the Duke spoke, snapping the fine tapestry of silence. "The last few days have been rather hectic for you, so I hear," he asked in the form of a statement.

Elizabeth nodded. "Yes, certainly, they have. The Lord Beckett and I have been through much, and currently he is considering taking a break from his piracy eradication conquest."

Now this was new information. But the Duke decided to leave it for now. He'd bring it up again later. At the moment, he just wanted to have a basic recap of what had conspired over the past few days. "According to word of mouth, apparently the two of you ended up stranded at Port Faith?" he inquired.

"Yes," Elizabeth answered, then bit her lip, wondering just how much she was supposed to say. Would Beckett be mad at her if she told the Duke the truth...? Should she lie? Damn it, she should have asked Beckett about it first! She decided to simply tell a modified truth. "The pirates took over our ship, and then they... well, after the Lord Beckett had defeated their captain, they threw us off their ship and we ended up on the island of Port Faith."

The Duke blinked. "The Lord Beckett defeated their captain?" he questioned her incredulously. How in the world did that scrawny, midget man fell a pirate captain?

"Um. Yes, he did," Elizabeth replied. "Well, after that, the two of us embarked on a ship back here."

"Did you now," The Duke responded, vaguely amused. Nodding, he then returned to the conquest topic, having been satisfied by Ms. Swann's explanations. "So, you mentioned something about a conquest to eradicate piracy and that it's on a temporary hiatus?"

Elizabeth feigned surprise. "You haven't heard of it?" she inquired. "Why I would've thought that someone as influential as you would know."

Trying to flatter me, Ms. Swann? You'll have to do better than that, the Duke thought to himself. "No, I haven't. Do explain, please."

"Well, the Lord Beckett had decided that piracy was an imminent danger and a severe crime of the highest caliber. So, as a result, he made it his quest to eradicate piracy as an organized crime by taking down the nine Pirate Lords—self-proclaimed 'pirate leaders' of the seas—then from there, eliminating all the pirates' strongholds, such as Tortuga and Shipwreck Cove," she explained.

"Ah. I see," said the Duke. Workaholic, he thought to himself with slight disgust. He never did like Cutler Beckett. There was something about the man that bothered him. He was always trying to climb higher, get more... with him, there never was an end to it. There was never a moment where he allowed himself to relax and simply just relish in his riches. Plus, he was a real suck-up if he thought it would benefit him. Even Lord Penwallow had fallen to his seemingly unconditional, charitable deeds, but the Duke Bloodwoode saw right through his act.

Elizabeth sipped her wine, stealing glances at the Duke. What's he planning? She wondered to herself. He seemed to be staring emptily into space as he ate, but then he turned his attention back to her briskly as she said, "With all due respect, Duke... What were your intentions inviting me here on such short notice?"

He paused. In his haste, he never had thought of a good reason for him to invite her like this. Then, after a moment's consideration, he responded, "Well, simply put, Ms. Swann, I was just dying to know what had happened over the Lord Beckett's absence. However, I did not want to press him for details as he is now currently injured. So, I decided that since you were his companion through the trip, you should know what had happened. I assure you that it's nothing particularly personal." He smiled lightly, as if to soften the statement.

Oh, Elizabeth thought to herself, then reprimanded her own mind for thinking that he was trying to court her when they hardly even knew each other! Goodness, I was so silly, assuming that of the Duke. Of course he wouldn't be trying to court me. He just wanted to know what had happened and didn't want to disturb Beckett. How kind of him! She smiled back at the Duke. "Ah, I understand," she told him kindly.

Easy, the Duke thought to himself, suppressing a sneer. Just a few sentences and already she begins to trust me! "Well, then," he said, checking the large grandfather clock installed in his dining room. "I do believe it's about time for me to attend another meeting. I'm sorry, but business is business. Perhaps we shall meet again, Ms. Swann." He got up from his seat.

"I look forward to it," she said, grinning, feeling so relieved that he wasn't trying to court her. With that, she left the room, in much better spirits than when she had entered.

"So what 'ave you observed of Ms. Turnuh?" quetioned Tia Dalma—no, Calypso—in her thick accent as she paced about in the bedroom, dressed in a fine English gown that most certainly, did not suit her. The Duke did not bother asking where she had gotten it from, but at least it would make her look less conspicuous in the midst of his manor.

Bloodwoode relaxed back in the chair, calmly sipping his Earl Grey tea. "She seems to be rather attached to the Lord Beckett," he drawled in response, his lips curled into a bemused smile. "I do wonder what would happen if I were to harm either one of them."

Calypso chuckled softly. The Duke amused her greatly, with the way he just loved to play with people. He was just so fascinated by their reactions when you manipulated them. Although Calypso herself wasn't much of that kind of person, she had to admit she enjoyed watching the Duke play his gleeful games with whoever would tolerate his company—or wouldn't.

"Still," the Duke continued, "it is clear that the Lord Beckett must be... romantically attracted towards her. There is no other plausible reason for why he would invite her so graciously into his home and treat her with such hospitality."

Calypso nodded and sat herself in front of the Duke. She invited herself to a cup of tea and said, "She left out a few details, from what I've 'eard. She left wit'out 'im originally, leaving 'im behind to rot and die in Port Fait'. But d'en the circumstances changed, and they were together... again."

The Duke blinked. "So there were moments of doubt between them," he ventured.

The sea goddess smiled craftily. "I do not t'ink d'at Cutluh Beckett love 'er. I t'ink him be using 'er to get powah," she explained. "But maybe... just maybe..." Calypso cooed softly, "d'ere is another kind of affection from Ms. Turnuh."

Bloodwoode blinked again, surprised, but then sneered. "I've always thought that Ms. Swann was easily affected by other men. She did seem to have a tendency to fall for any man crafty enough to walk past her. So for her to like the Lord Beckett, I see as reasonable. Whereas, the Lord Beckett not liking her in an affectionate, romantic fashion would actually be most appropriate. He is quite the loveless man."

Calypso dumped the tea down her throat rather than sipping it, which almost made the Duke cringe. Yet he maintained his composure as she rose to her feet. "So d'is is part of our deal, Bloodwoode," she announced. "I will help you take care uv Beckett, and you will get Ms. Turnuh's hand in marriage. As long as Beckett ends up dead, d'en I don't care what happens."

The Duke grinned. "Oh, I assure you, by the time I'm through with him, he'll want to be dead."

"Ms. Swann," said Beckett as Elizabeth came strolling back into the manor. "How did your encounter with the Duke go?"

She smiled shortly. "Quite well, actually. He seemed to have good intentions. I'm sure that he hadn't meant to court me or do anything of the sort."

At this, Beckett paused. Had Bloodwoode coerced Elizabeth to believe otherwise about him? Had it been on his good looks alone? Was Ms. Swann really that shallow?

But despite his suspicions, his only answer was, "Ah."

He didn't press matters.

Beckett chewed on nothing absentmindedly as he jogged ideas through his head. He needed a method as to getting closer to Ms. Swann, but he didn't want to seem too straightforward, or else she would figure out his scheme. He certainly could also use a way of getting her away from that pesky Bloodwoode, who had apparently seduced her into thinking he was decent in just one short meeting.

A vacation, perhaps? Or... would that be too obvious?

Beckett cursed himself for not knowing better on the ways to skillfully befriend a lady. Other men, other businessmen, that was simple. But a lady like Ms. Swann?

It embarrassed him to admit that he, frankly, had no experience and no clue on what the bloody hell he was doing.

God damn it, he thought to himself helplessly as Elizabeth scrutinized his face curiously.

"What... seems to be the matter, Beckett?" she inquired. "You look... troubled."

He blinked, glancing back at her. "Sorry," he apologized clumsily. "Lost in thought."

Elizabeth blinked several times. That's rather unlike him.

"In any case," Beckett said quickly, changing the subject brusquely, "I was thinking a bit, Ms. Swann, and I came to the conclusion that it would be most beneficial for us to take a brief... break, from our duties, so to speak."

Elizabeth didn't even bother veiling her surprise. "Lord Cutler Beckett? Taking a break? Don't kid me."

He scoffed. "With my poor health due to succumbed injuries, it's only logical, Ms. Swann. What else am I to do for the time being? If the physician declares me unfit for work, then I am unfit for work. That's that. So for now, I thought it best to go on a brief, relaxing trip to London. No place like home, I daresay."

Elizabeth's reaction was to flinch in utter astonishment. "Wh-what? Has something gotten into you, Beckett?"

"It's Lord Beckett," he corrected her tersely for the umpteenth time, brushing off her inquiry. He honestly didn't have a proper answer to it anyways. What was he supposed to say? "We're going on a vacation so that you will like me, then marry me so that I can assume control over Port Royal"?

Good luck with that!

"And how long will we stay at London? And what about the Company? Who will oversee your work while you're on break? And what of the missing people? Parker? The escaped prisoners? Sparrow and Barbossa?" Elizabeth asked question after question, berating Beckett with as many she could come up with.

And don't forget Calypso's promise of killing me, he thought to himself wearily, but didn't remind her. Some things, he decided, were better left unsaid.

"I'm putting Commodore Groves in charge of seeking out Parker and recapturing the pirates. This will be his time to prove himself to me. If, by the time we return, all of this is resolved, not only will the Commodore keep his post, he will also be heftily rewarded," Beckett explained. Then, he added, "In gold."

Elizabeth blinked.

"As for my work in the East India Trading Company, I will still be able to oversee affairs at my post in London," he added. "There. Is that sufficient enough for you, Ms. Swann?"

She smirked. "My, aren't we hell-bent on going on this vacation? Is there something at London you really wish to see? Because I still am not buying your excuse of actually listening to what the physician told you."

Perfect excuse! Thank you, Ms. Swann, Becket thought as he visibly frowned. "A relative I would like to visit, that is all," he lied, making up the story on the spot. He'd figure out how to prove it later. For now, any answer would do.

Elizabeth blinked, then nodded. "I see. Then I suppose our... vacation won't be a problem."

Beckett could hardly suppress a smile. Good, good. Now all that remains is a way to figure out worming into little Ms. Swann's vain heart. Then all the authority shall be mine for the taking!

A/N: Sorry for the short chapter and long wait... again, I'm... just... a horrible... person. But this time I have an excuse! The reason for the long wait was actually that I've just moved to New Jersey! We're just about settled in now, though, so I should update faster. I was going to add this chapter a few days ago, but then there was Hurricane Irene, and... bluh, just a bunch of things happened in too little time.

Please, please, please review so I can know who's still actually reading, orz... I also have a few questions: One, are you extremely angry about the upload times? How often would you like for me to update (be reasonable xD)? And two, do you like when I respond to your reviews? And would you like me to? (Seeing as when I do, I often don't get any response. lol)