My damp clothes stuck to me like a second skin. I shivered as I pulled them off. I changed into another dress and sat by the fire to warm up. When I had I sat down by the window and stared out into the streets. I could hear the sounds of marching feet accompanying the lines of Redcoats that were scouring Port Royale for the pirate. It worried me how long it seemed to be taking them to find him. I wondered where James was. His troops were searching all of the buildings and there was an overwhelming sense of panic in the streets, but I was serenely safe in my place by the window, watching the rest of the world panicking. My whole life seemed to be like that, sitting back and just watching other people risk their lives. But what could I do? I was a weak, feeble woman, who had no choice and no control over her future.
My mind turned back to Elizabeth. She had been whisked home by her father. What did Governor Swann think about the proposal? He was probably all for it. Our ploy had bought her time, but to do what? Wallow in the miserable fact that she had to say yes? She didn't have all that much choice in the matter at all.
And then there was James. I had never paid a considerable amount of attention to the way he looked at her, but the way his eyes had just melted when he looked at her had made me want to take back everything we'd done to buy Elizabeth time, because it had been a pointlessly stupid mission that would eventually come to nothing.
***
"We got him." James's triumphant smile as he hung up his hat and coat made me smile in return.
"You always do!" I grinned. His mood was so improved he seemed to have forgotten my momentary laps in my manners at the docks.
"The blacksmith, Mr Brown, he helped, that's where we found him."
"Was William there?" I asked and immediately regretted it. James's smile faltered and the spark in his eyes vanished and they hardened ever so slightly.
"Yeah," he said in a would-be-carefree way, "he was, but he was covered in sand."
I smirked, but said nothing. It sounded to me as if Will had put up more of a struggle than Mr Brown, but I knew James wouldn't like to hear my theory. Or maybe Will had just got into a struggle with a bag of sand.
"Have you spoken to Elizabeth?" James's carefree tone struggled to remain carefree.
"No," I replied, "but her father took her straight home. We've had an eventful day, I'm sure she'll give you an answer tomorrow. Don't worry."
He relaxed and nodded. The day fell into its usual monotonous routine, as if there hadn't been an interruption at all. Night fell and after we'd dined James went to meet Governor Swann up at the fort.
I was alone when the cannon fire started. It was not an unusual sound in Port Royale, but it struck fear into me every time I heard it. I went to the window. My breath got stuck in my throat. The ship in the harbour had sails as black as the night. Inky black. Was this a coincidence? My hands flew to my neck. The medallion! It wasn't there! Where was it? In a moment of blind panic I began to turn my room upside-down in search of it. Then I remembered handing it back to Elizabeth and I let myself relax a little. More canon fire joined the sounds of battle and pirates from the jet black ship spilled out and into Port Royale. In these situations I was forced to stay home and watch while other people suffered. Just watch and pray that James returned.
***
The battle raged well into the night. They cold light the morning brought cast a harsh light on the burnt-out buildings and dead or unconscious bodies littering the floor. James returned looking tired and worn out, his face pale and tired. He said only three words, "They've taken Elizabeth."
I froze.