Hi everyone, thank you for reading and patiently waiting for the updates. The writing inspiration has been about as elusive as the Black Pearl lately, but I try.

Missed Opportunities

Nessa:

After sharing the morning tea with Olivia and Joanna, I slip away into the garden quietly. It isn't that I do not value their company. It is my heart that clenches too painfully whenever the others discuss yesterday's date, whereas I have nothing to remember. Brenda has been so kind as to tell me about the wonderful picnic. She spoke so well that I've almost felt like I've been there with everyone. I'm very glad that she hadn't been left behind because I've been so foolish as to misplace my cross. I'm sure she's a kind soul who would have stayed to help had she noticed my delay. This way, I'm the only one to pay for my mistake. Mr Norrington must think me very rude for ignoring his invitation. I would give up everything dearly to explain my absence.

God is truly forgiving. As soon as I make my wish, I encounter the one person I want to see, turning onto the path that leads towards the mansion. I nearly stumble back to hide behind the heliconia bush. It is not from him that I feel like hiding, but from something in me that both shies away and begs to be noticed.

He greets me mildly as soon as our eyes meet, and I have nowhere to run. "It's a pleasant morning," I manage to get the words out into the awkward space between us.

"The day will be hot, I believe," he says. The sun is in my eyes when I look up at him, and he lightly steps around me, changing our positions. "I do trust my stallion's judgement. On the way here he behaved like a ship that refuses to move without a trace of wind."

"It is hot," I agree quickly, which may seem foolish because there is a transparent shawl covering my shoulders. The shaded garden where sunrays haven't reached the ground yet is cooler than the road leading to the mansion.

"I want to apologise for my tardiness yesterday," I say. I want to add more, but it means I will bother him with the pointless complaints. I fumble with the shawl, lost for words.

"You mustn't feel that you owe me an explanation," he assures me. "I am the one who must apologise for disturbing you so early, although I'm sorry to say I can make no guarantees in the future to my fiancée. My job will frequently call me away any time, during the day and night."

"You haven't troubled me at all. I like mornings."

"As lovely as they are, I enjoy evenings more, at least when I feel that the day hadn't been wasted."

"You're right. Some evenings are relaxing," I say.

He shifts a long box wrapped with a lovely red ribbon to free his right arm. "Have you been on your way to the mansion when we've met?" he asks.

I nod even if I haven't planned on returning yet. This is the first time he came to visit us. I want to know why. I would have agreed regardless because his hint in clear that he is anxious to end our conversation. I place my hand onto his arm as he offers to escort me.

Thelma:

I am about to finish my porridge when I hear an excited shriek loud enough to send the content of my bowl swirling. This house is a live entity like an algae filled reef, which grows in the shallow waters, sheltering all sorts of fish. Graceful manners forgotten, I can hear swift tapping of the feet, and rise to follow the agitated swirl, leaving my breakfast, which I've talked myself into eating to replenish my strength. I've missed the date because I've been unwell.

I cannot withhold a smile as I enter the room. I already had a good idea who can cause such a wave of excitement. The Admiral is surrounded once more. These women resemble small children who welcome a parent home while hoping for a treat. I feel he brought one. Just like children their mood rapidly changes from one to another when turns out that he only has a gift for one of them. Norrington explains that he felt a connection with Carmen during the date, and asks her whether she will accept a gift from him that will encourage them to get to know each other better.

She accepts the golden coloured box wrapped with a scarlet ribbon. Inside, there is a rose, cased in velvet and worth a thousand envious glares, all of them lost on Carmen who bestows a hug on the gift giver. Norrington explains that Theodore Groves came up with an idea to give one rose after each group date. Carmen is pleased to be the first one to have it. She asks Joanna to wrap the scarlet ribbon around her wrist, behaving like she's been given a sun, but all her flirting does not keep him near her all the time. The Admiral isn't a man who will be distracted easily when he sets his mind onto something. She isn't the only one he came to see.

I know to approach when purposefully he casts a quick look around the room and stops on me. He leads me into the next room to speak privately. He inquires after my well being. I wonder how he knew that I'm ill. I have a good intuition when it comes to people. He is not asking to be polite. He genuinely cares.

I explain that I feel much better due to Nessa's help. I tell him on her behalf why she was late to the carriage. She was glad that at least she could help me if her day wasn't meant to be spent in his company. I feel she may not explain well when she speaks with him again. She is too shy. She is a sweet girl who reminds me of my younger sister Karen, always looking for approval and encouragement. Nessa seeks my instruction, although I am younger than she is. James thanks me genuinely for telling him. I feel that he has trouble speaking with her. I worry; he may send her home due to a misunderstanding.

Our conversation is easy. I am sorry it is too short. Before leaving James asks about Jade. He intended to speak with each woman who missed the date individually. I tell him that she is still asleep. I cannot say that I feel too sorry for her that he must return to work. My intuition tells me that she is my competitor.

Jade:

Today, I've dreamt about Jeffrey. He didn't speak or move - he simply looked at me quietly. I felt like he was saying too much with his silence. The dream left me with a guilty feeling and resentment that he can make me feel such. I have nothing to be ashamed of. We haven't seen each other in two years. One would assume I should have forgotten him by now.

Groggily, I make it to the empty dining room. It is a lovely place with the large, widely open windows and always stark white tablecloth. Other women are no longer here. I usually wake up too late to see any of them. I can sleep through the end of the world should it come early in the morning. Unfortunately, I've also slept through the date.

I drink my tea and take small bites out of various jam sandwiches. I enjoy nipping at bits and pieces rather than eating one thing whole. I'm impressed by the servers who bring and take away the dishes unseen and variety of cooking to satisfy all tastes. We have more than one choice, even for the main course at dinner. This mansion is luxurious, aside from having to share rooms with two other women. I suspect it is done to test our social graces. Only spoiled women like Amanpreet find fault in everything.

I hear her high-pitched voice across the mansion as I finish my tea and walk to join the gossiping circle. The picture before me explains her whining as Amanpreet sits in the armchair with a perfectly straight back and nails sunk deeply into the armrests, and Carmen up on her feet in front of her in a swirl of red dress. Carmen is holding a rose. It is becoming a ritual to confront with their multiple faults anyone who is lucky to receive this token of interest from the bachelor, but Carmen will never succumb to playing the victim, which Amanpreet is quickly learning.

"As natural as it is for a man to pursue a woman, men enjoy the attention bestowed on them. I intend to demonstrate to the Admiral that I am attracted. Any attention he is willing to give me is welcome," Carmen declares. "You chose to sit there, blinking your pretty, glass eyes like a doll, waiting for everything to come to you without any effort, and then didn't get a rose, and that's your problem. Keep behaving the way you do and you will never be chosen."

I do care little for their fight at present, more concerned that I've missed the Admiral once more. I must receive an invitation to the last group date or I will be going home. Yulia's date tomorrow increases my chances of staying. Some women feel that one on one date nearly guarantees staying through the next week. Attraction or not, it is awfully unkind to spend a day with a woman only to inform her that she isn't good enough. I'm not so sure, because a woman can indicate that she is not interested; then it would be senseless to keep her. Not in her opinion, of course, Yulia is doing everything to scare a man away. Norrington must have kept her because he hadn't been able to grasp what kind of person she is. He will soon. Once she leaves, she will not enter this mansion again.

Yulia:

Waiting for my date is extremely disconcerting as is being the center of attention. I'm happier when the other women avoid me the same way the sinners avoid the church. I see it as an indication of their wickedness that tries to cease me, mistakenly assuming that it has found a way to lead me into temptation. They share, as they claim out of the goodness of their heart, ideas how to seduce the Admiral. I am no snake to be seducing anyone. I'll leave it to them. I don't need to embellish myself in finery or wear a better dress. The true beauty is in my heart and soul. Norrington wouldn't be a fine man if he looked only at the material.

Louisa tells me that looking for the beauty of the heart is easier when the surface doesn't scare you away. Shameless wench! I'm about to remind her that Jesus drank out of a plain cup when we're interrupted by Norrington's arrival.

I'm very glad he came without his awful friend whose name I keep forgetting. Leopold Groves, I think. I can tell merely by how he looks at women that there is nothing except wickedness on his mind! I would advise against an acquaintance with him. It seems that some of it has already passed onto the Admiral because he kisses my hand.

I am subjected to the devilish temptation to smile at him. I give him my coldest glare instead, and tell him that he is out of line. He is properly chastised and keeps a respectful distance from me from then on.

I ask where we are going. He tells me that I will soon find out. I certainly can wait. I'm very patient. I am rewarded when we stop by the church. I know this place well, I come here daily, but I've never went past the side door into the priest wing where he leads me. There are doors leading to beds and praying chambers down the corridor. I look around reverently. Cool and covered in veil of semi-darkness corridor emanates peace.

Norrington tells me that this is the oldest building in Port Royal. It has been erected by Nicholas Stone who wanted to ease his beloved wife's passing into the afterlife by praying for her soul at a holy place.

I tell the Admiral that Stone was an awful sinner who had traded his wife for the love of a savage native. He probably wanted to avoid divine wrath by erecting the church. Such bribes do not work. I'm sure he is still paying for his sins. I have a strange feeling that my date wanted to discuss something else. I think he meant to say that we all should be more forgiving. I propose we pray for those who have committed sins to be forgiven.

Norrington manages it quite well for an hour and then says that we should go. I rise to my feet reluctantly. My back and my knees hurt pleasantly from kneeling on the stone floor. I usually spend two or three hours a day in prayer, I tell him. My knees are rough as a testament to how much I love God. I hope he takes my word for it. I cannot show my knees to a man because it's awfully improper. I ask Norrington how often he prays. He avoids the question and directs us towards the shore.

The conversation with him is not difficult. He is an educated man. Slowly, we leave the spiritual theme and come down to the mortal world. I warn him about the two faced snakes in the house, such as Amanpreet. That woman only pretends to be modest. The vanity itself is imprinted in her soul that's tainted by the desire for the material possessions and the corruption of the worldly things. I tell him about other women who have no sense of decorum.

He thanks me. I feel that he is growing distant with each passing moment. He still responds appropriately to my remarks, but with a distinct lack of interest. When I ask what he is thinking about, he says work. It's admirable when others think about work. I wouldn't choose a slacker for a husband. Although, as the date comes to and end, it seems that this man is not meant to be my life companion either.

The Admiral doesn't offer a rose to me. He tells me that my connection with God is too strong for him to disturb. As true as it is that God will always be first in my heart, it doesn't mean I have no place in it for a man. I think it is his mistake to let me go while keeping far less deserving women. This must be Leopold's ill influence. I must find him and rinse him with holy water before the devil takes his soul. It's a shame that an otherwise good man like Norrington is corrupted by foul temptations of flesh and vanity. I was prepared to save his eternal soul from damnation.