Book One - Chapter Twelve: A Finer Education
Victoria's wedding had come and gone. Amelia, of course, went along with all of the plans her mother had laid out. They moved into the Colonel's home as expected. Amelia's bedroom was larger than the very house she had spent most of her life in.
Colonel Crestcastle remained unsure of how to treat the young Amelia since he never had a daughter of his own, only sons from his first wife who died many years back. He was not a doting stepfather, but neither was he disrespectful towards her. He provided everything for his stepdaughter. Her education was being funded purely by the Colonel's efforts as well as every piece of finery she owned. He also ensured that girl would be well stationed by legally adopting her as his own. Amelia was to leave the name Barbossa behind her now. She spent a long while just going over her new name, trying to keep it from sounding so foreign to her. "Amelia Crestcastle." "Ms. Amelia Crestcastle." It was of no use; it would always sound out of place. Amelia could only imagine what her real father would think if he were to ever find out that his only daughter had been stripped of his name. Needless to say, he would not take it very well.
Amelia, while remaining obedient to her mother and new father, could not help but count down the days with the great anticipation of soon being out at sea once more. The arrangement was not entirely unfamiliar to her new father. Colonel Crestcastle knew as well as his wife that the man known as Hector Barbossa still lived and still saw his daughter. For the sake of public appearance, Barbossa's funeral had to be held, and for the sake of appearance, the Colonel had to marry Mrs. Victoria Barbossa, since their affair was not quite as candid as society was capable of tolerating.
The Colonel was not the least bit concerned about Hector Barbossa still being alive and still attempting to father little Amelia. Victoria had made it perfectly clear that she would never have anymore to do with her former husband. So long as the "filthy sailor" did not go near his estate, the Colonel could care less about where the man was. As far as Amelia going off with her father periodically, the Colonel would play along with the story of Amelia going off to see an aunt who would dote upon the girl and ensure that she was being well brought up, feeling sorry for her mother's poor condition for so many years. So long as Amelia did not return too unladylike, the visitation would be allowed to continue. In fact, the visitations continued regularily.
During Amelia's time at sea, she learned more and more about the art of piracy. Still being young and defenceless, she was often left out of the most adventurous parts. Every now and then there were scuffs and sea battles that broke out, leaving Amelia no choice but to be forced to run and hide. When it became a frequent enough occurrence, Barbossa finally gave in and saw to it that Amelia was taught enough to ensure that she would be able to defend herself. At first Barbossa was very reluctant and hardly spent much time going through these exercises. Once begun, however, Amelia was determined to follow it through. Where Barbossa's instruction was lacking, the other members of the crew would help Amelia practice in secret.
Each passing year Amelia's skill improved. Even when Amelia returned home, she would still practice when no one was watching, using branches that she found in the back yard of Crestcastle's estate. She at twelve years old, Amelia had become quite familiar with the rapier, dirk, cutlass and the pistol. All of these skills, however, would be for naught.
During Amelia's twelfth year, it was decided by her mother and the Colonel that she was to go on to higher education. She was to be sent to the Hawthorn Academy for Young Ladies, a finishing school where young girls would be educated in the highest regard for etiquette. It was not just the education that young women of privilege were sent there for. Upon successful completion of the Academy's program, a debutant ball was organized and patrons of the institution were invited to attend as well as recent graduates of the boys' college. The most notable eligible bachelors would be eagerly examining the girls and finding the best matches. This was the hope for young Amelia's future. Victoria had to be sure that her only daughter would marry the best, though she feared that the amount of exposure that she had on a merchant ship might taint her highest expectations.
Hawthorn Academy for Young Ladies was instituted in London and would not give Amelia the summer freedom to go off gallivanting with uncouth sailors. Amelia was obviously against the very idea of being sent to the Academy. She had no desire to go to London and even less desire to be put on a parade in order to be married off. Her mother tried to reassure her by saying that it would several years before Amelia would be eligible for the debutante ball. That was not an encouraging thought. The sentence echoed in Amelia's mind everyday. Several years? Had she not been obedient enough? Had she not been proper and pleasant? Had she not appeased her mother thus far? Amelia did not see this as being any bit to her advantage. It was a form of punishment. She would rather be sentenced to the stalks than go to London. Regardless of how she felt, Amelia had no choice in the matter.
"April 22nd,
Dear Mr. H.B. Smith,
I regret to inform you that I shall not be remaining in Stone Chapel should you intend to call upon me again this summer. It has been decided by my mother and Colonel Crestcastle that I should attend a school for girls in London. They say that it is a five year program which intends to turn out each young pupil into a fine marriageable young lady. I can honestly say that I am not pleased with the notion. In fact, I resent it entirely. It is not fair that I must be sent away for so long. And though I feel my heart breaking at this very moment, I know that I will endure it with dignity. I do not know when I may be able to see you again, but I pray that day should not be so far off into the distant future. I will do my best to write when I learn more of my predicament. Please pass on my fondest regards to the others. Let them know that I do and shall miss them all terribly.
Sincerely,
Ms. Amelia Crestcastle
(And with all my love,
forever your Amelia)"
Barbossa received this last letter and not a single other for a very long time afterwards. On one hand he opposed the notion as severely as his daughter did, but he knew that it was only for selfish reasons. His daughter could not make a life on the sea, nor would he want her to. It was his goal as much as his former wife's to see that their daughter led a respectable life. It was simply Barbossa's own denial of the fact that his little girl would need to make such preparations so soon. What man would be seeking to make his daughter into another man's wife? She was still only a child in Barbossa's mind and he could not come to think of her in any other light.
As the years went on, Barbossa could only access his daughter through letters, and at this time, the letters were very few and far between. Amelia would send her father a single letter at Christmas. Barbossa, on the other hand, would write to her after every successful plunder, enclosing his gift of a newly found necklace as per usual. Barbossa counted the years, wondering at each passing one if her next letter would announce either her release or her engagement. Sooner than expected, however, during the month of March, Barbossa received another letter that a fellow passing through Tortuga brought to Barbossa knowing that the Roving Maid and her crew had only just recently left the town. Barbossa read the letter with a sense of alarm.
"Dearest H.B. Smith,
I pray that you are well and that you are close by. I cannot stay here any longer. I have begged mother and Colonel Crestcastle to allow for me to return home but they refuse to allow it. They say that it is simply my rustic nature to complain as I do. I cannot argue with them, for it is no use. Nonetheless I have hated this place from the first and can no longer bear to remain here another day. Thus I beg of you, Father, if there is any way that you can convince the captain to sail to England, that you rescue me from this prison which confines me. If it is not within your power, I do understand, and I will not hold any ill feelings towards you. Know that I love you and miss you and that I think back on my memories aboard the ship with fondness and longing.
Forever your daughter,
Ms. Amelia Barbossa"
Barbossa acted upon the letter at once. He approached Captain Jack Sparrow with the request of sailing north.
"North? What would we be doing north?" Jack questioned his first mate.
"Aye, Captain, it is a godforsaken place, to be sure. Ya see, me daughter still be stuck up there. I find it be me duty to retrieve her," Barbossa explained.
"Ah, yes, her," Jack muttered in remembering the little girl running up and down his ship's decks. "The squirt wants to come back, does she? Thinks that we're a bloody delivery service?"
"I know 'tis a poor place to be draggin' the ship, but I must be getting' to London."
"I'll not be taking the Maid to London, too many navy ships, everything's guarded; they'll be on us like bees to honey. No, I'll not be doing that. Endangering the whole crew? The gold? The rum? Can't be done, mate. No," Captain Jack Sparrow said staring off and visualising the chaos that would break out upon nearing the English capitol, "I would go as far Cornwall, Porthleven and the like, but no so far as London."
"Ye'd go to Porthleven?"
"But no further," Jack said very assertively, "you'll have to make the rest of the arrangements on your own."
Barbossa was quick to make arrangements. He wasted no time in sending a letter in reply to his daughter saying that he would come as soon as he could. The days could not pass quickly enough.
End of Book One