Lily gets herself into trouble and sparks off a frightening reaction from Elizabeth - something is going on and what does the mysterious pirate have to do with it? PLEASE REVIEW for continuation - please please please :)
Chapter 3
Lily excused herself politely and rose from her seat. She could feel Thomas's eyes on her as she made her way to the door and once outside she withdrew the note from her sleeve and fanned herself with it, leaning against the wall. This was hardly acceptable behavior she told herself, but somehow she found herself walking to the library and slipping in.
She was not one for books but even thinking about the reaction her bookish brother would have when seeing that amount of novels in one room made her gasp; books lined every wall with elaborate spines and glass cases, they stretched to the ceiling – hundreds and hundreds of them. Lily jumped as the sound of the door opening broke into the silence but did not turn round. She heard a person (Thomas, she assumed) close the door and walk up to her until he was almost touching her; she could feel his breath on her hair.
"You came." He said softly and she turned around slowly, removing her gloves.
"Yes, I found your note intriguing. You are quite unlike the other young men I have met." She told him, looking down and playing with the gloves.
"My Father has spoken of you to me, you know." Thomas said breezily.
"Oh?" Lily tried to look disinterested but her heart was beating faster and faster, these were dangerous grounds – if he were to speak of marriage...Nina would ensure that she was ruined for certain.
"Yes. I believe he wants us to marry." He said, looking at her intently. "He broached the idea to me in a letter whilst I was away and at first, I must admit, I was dead against it – I didn't want to be tied down to anybody." Lily's breath began to return to her, perhaps he would go against his father's wishes.
But then he took her hand, stepping closer.
"But that was before I'd seen you, spoken to you – you've bewitched me Lily." He whispered, his eyes intense and fixed upon her own.
Suddenly her corset seemed stifling, she couldn't breath...it was as if a boa constrictor was wrapped around her torso. She couldn't let this happen, it would result in ruin for her and her family.
She struggled to find the right words but the lack of air made it impossible for her to think straight and before she could answer he had closed the distance between them and his lips were on hers.
Aghast she pulled away, putting the back of her hand to her lips, and ran from the library. She could hear him calling after her but didn't stop until she was out of the house, the drivers looked at her worriedly and she was off again, her dramatic dress streaming out behind her as she ran without knowing where she was headed.
Eventually she stopped and leant against a wall, still trying desperately to regain her breath. It was only then that she looked around to see where she was and that was a remote side-road leading to goodness knows where – she was sure she'd never seen it in her life. Panicking slightly she looked left and right but nothing was familiar, trying to remain calm she dusted off her dress and began to walk back the way she thought she'd come. She walked for a while but the road did not open out into a bigger street as she remembered and she stopped dead in her tracks – she'd come the wrong way. Cursing she spun round and headed in the other direction but the dark prevented her from making informed decisions and she knew she was just hoping for the best, soon she had to accept the fact that she was completely lost. She began to run as she heard footsteps coming closer but she could not judge which direction they were coming from as the enclosed nature of the alley made the sound bounce everywhere; there could have been one hundred footsteps for all she could tell. She ran and ran but the footsteps ran with her: she was being chased.
At last she emerged onto a bigger street lit up by moonlight that she at least recognized and stopped to regain her bearings, there was no sign of whoever had been pursuing her and she started to wonder whether she had imagined it, that seemed more likely.
All at once a man burst into the clearing from the opposite direction and Lily screamed; he looked, to all intents and purposes, like a pirate; his threadbare trousers and loose top, his tanned skin and tattooed arms, his hair was in thick dreadlocks decorated with beads and coins and he even had a pirates hat. His outlined eyes widened as he saw her standing frozen in the moonlight and he darted a glance back the way he'd come, Lily could hear what sounded like an army coming after him but somehow could not find the sound to scream, she could only back away. He looked back to her at her movement and grabbed her before she could run, drawing a knife from his belt he dragged her back into the shadows and pinned her against him putting the blade to her neck.
"Don't make a sound luv." he threatened casually as several soldiers ran in close formation onto the street where they'd been standing just seconds ago. Lily felt him tense as they paused and looked around but they did not appear to see them, she glanced down at the arm holding the knife to her throat and examined his tattoos to try and take her mind off the nightmarish situation. Her suspicions were confirmed by the black 'P' on his arm but the other tattoo she could see was more obscure – a sun with some birds mid-flight. The soldiers left and the pirate waited a safe amount of time before removing the knife from her throat and gripping her upper arm instead he pushed her into the moonlight, Lily struggled against his grip but he didn't even seem to notice so she merely kept her head down.
"Right well, should probably kill ye now ye've seen me." He said thoughtfully and Lily snapped her head up at the words spoken so casually in his throaty voice.
"No! I demand to be released immediately."She said as defiantly as she could, tilting her chin regally. She had not expected it to work but something changed in his eyes and he caught her chin in his hand, looking intently at her.
"Elizabeth?" He asked slowly and Lily felt her eyes widen.
"How do you know my mother?" She accused, struggling. His mouth all but fell open and he held her at arm's length to look at her.
"Yer mother?" He asked, astounded and Lily rolled her eyes – was he simple?
"Oh shall we say our paths 'ave crossed before?" He said, letting go of her. Lily dusted herself off and glared at him.
"My mother would not be associated with a pirate." She said scornfully and he doubled over with laughter.
"Got some of yer father in ye as well, it seems!" He said and Lily felt as if she'd been slapped, she stepped closer to the man that, pirate or not, knew her father.
"You...you know him too?" She asked, hardly daring to hope.
"Will? Yeah I know him. Haven't seen him for years though, or yer mother for that matter." He replied, lurching slightly. Lily's head was spinning, she'd known her mother had not had the most normal upbringing but to be friendly with a pirate was another story, one that had been kept from her entirely.
"H -how?" She stuttered but the man was too busy listening to the sound of the soldiers returning and before she could stop him he was gone as if he'd never been there.
"He's gone, must be." She heard a man's voice say and it was met with a rumble of agreement from some others. Lily guessed the soldiers were back and tried to compose herself, she told herself she had nothing to fear from them and turned to greet them.
"Miss? What are you doing?" One of them demanded, stepping closer to see who she was. As his eyes found her face in the uneven light he stopped talking and simply stared until he was joined by the other men.
"I'm dreadfully sorry to inconvenience you sirs but I am lost." She explained, assuming an air of innocence and biting her lip worriedly, she wished that she could cry but that was a skill she had not yet mastered under pressure. All the same the men crowded round her and promised to escort her safely home and seemed charmed by her humble thanks, she took care to say and do all the right things but all she could think was she'd just had a conversation with a somewhat terrifying pirate who mysteriously knew her parents.
She had not come as far as she'd thought and soon she was back at home, the lights were on inside and Lily shuddered to think how cross her mother would be with her.
"Thank you gentlemen, I really don't know what I would have done without you." She said with a grateful smile and a quick curtsy before rushing inside to face Elizabeth's wrath.
"Mother?" She called nervously and as expected Elizabeth stormed out of the parlor, but instead of shouting she wrapped Lily in a tight hug and didn't let go for a long time.
"Darling you mustn't -" She sobbed into her daughters hair and Lily (taken completely by surprise) tightened her hold on her mother.
"I'm sorry." She said and Elizabeth nodded fervently.
"I know but – so scared – today of all days...just – just thank God you're alright." She muttered brokenly and Lily looked at her curiously wondering what she'd meant by 'today of all days'.
Elizabeth suddenly broke the hug and gripped Lily by her shoulders, looking seriously into her face.
"Where did you go? Did anything happen? You must tell me?" She said emphatically and Lily faltered over her words.
"I – I don't know, I got lost...But, I mean – yes I did meet someone; someone who said he knew you." She managed eventually and her mother's face turned ashen.
"Mother? Sit down!" Will said worriedly as she swayed. The siblings tried to help her into a chair but she recovered herself quickly ad waved them off, staring intensely at Lily.
"Who? Who was it?" She asked in a voice that was almost frantic.
Lily took a deep breath.
"I believe he was a pirate." She said bluntly and Elizabeth crumpled to the floor in a faint.
"Mother!" The twins cried as they knelt beside her, Lily taking her hand and Will shaking her gently.
"I did not mean to alarm you, I assure you I was not harmed." Lily told her, tears pricking her eyes.
Elizabeth's eyes fluttered open and she gripped Lily's hand tightly.
"You were not harmed?" She asked breathlessly.
"Not in the slightest." Lily assured her, squeezing her hand.
Suddenly embarrassed Elizabeth sat up and smiled sheepishly.
"You just gave me a fright love, that's all." She consoled the worried looking twins. She regained her composure and looked at Lily.
"Did he have a name – this pirate?" She asked, dreading the answer.
"Not that I know. He was a bit odd – he swayed whenever he stood still like he was on a boat constantly and he had some kind of kohl on his eyes, oh and tattoos; a pirate brand and one involving birds of some sort." She finished, rather proud of her description. Her mother's mouth fell open and then tilted into a disbelieving smile as she pressed a hand to her chest in relief.
"Jack? Jack Sparrow?" She said almost exultantly and Will and Lily exchanged confused looks.
"He said he knew you and -and father too." Lily said carefully and Will inhaled sharply.
Elizabeth closed her eyes and when she opened them they were very sad.
"Yes, yes he knew your father and I well." She said quietly.
"What's going on Mother?" Will asked cautiously and Elizabeth gave a sad smile and got to her feet.
"I'm not entirely sure. You and Lily must simply be very careful for a few days, stay close to home. Will you do that for me? She asked, her eyes urgent despite her casual tone.
"Yes of course." The twins replied in unison and she nodded and bid them goodnight leaving them to wonder what on earth was going on.
