Suddenly having a life means too much less time to write. But I'm still here (and not complaining, a life is good too).
I've got another, very full chapter coming up soon, but this mini one here isn't just filler, it's got plot stuff too. Enjoy and review maybe? :)
Present Day – Williamsburg, Colony of Virginia
.
"Miss Ellsworth…"
"Oh, come now, we've talked about this. Please? Mother isn't here."
"Miss Imogene."
"Better. Is something the matter? Don't you like it?"
"It's not that – I mean, s'very nice. But I – I'd never be able to afford it myself."
"It's a gift, Alex. A gift. And…"
Alex stops fiddling with his new suit and focuses on Imogene as she trails off this time. She's blushing deep and has averted her eyes and gods above she's adorable. He can hardly stand it.
"And?" He prompts, allowing the hint of that Sparrow smirk to tug at his lips.
She looks back and, steps tentative, comes to stand before him, far closer than she usually dares. Reaching up to adjust his collar a bit, she gives a sheepish smile. "It's just you look, if I dare to say myself, the most handsome of any of the men in town."
The smirk pulls back into a bit of a grin as he sneaks a hand up to ghost his fingers against her cheek. "Fittin', I suppose, as you are by far the most beautiful of the women."
She giggles softly as the blush coloring her cheeks deepens. "Well, I must confess to being untrusting of the musings of one whose opinion may be rather biased – but please, feel free to continue your showering of compliments." She reaches up on tip toes, a quick little hop, and plants a kiss on his cheek before turning to glide back across the room, turning to face him again as she reaches the doorway. "Well? Are you coming? My cousins will be here shortly. I know you are nervous, but I promise, it will not be so bad. They are, for the most part, just a lot of giggling girls after all, and if they like you then you shan't have any problems with any of the boys should you ever meet them."
He is nervous, but that's not what has him feeling as though his legs have turned to jelly. He brushes a hand against his cheek where her lips touched his skin.
"Alex." She prods, eyebrows raised now, eyes dancing with clear amusement.
"Erm, yes," he blushes a bit as he darts forward to join her, "sorry Miss Imogene." He holds out an arm for her to take. "Shall we?"
.
He knows little of her cousins, only that the family is wealthy as Imogene's if not more so. She'd tried to explain the relation – it was a sort of complicated thing, involving Imogene's father's sister being married to… Oh, he can't quite keep it straight, but Imogene says she'd grown up with the youngest of her cousins, in England, was quite close to them all for a time. So he'd promised to do his best to impress them; to remember all she'd helped teach him of how a gentleman conducts himself and to try to remain conscious of how his tongue wraps around the words rolling off of it and…
Well, of course he's nervous. A lot hangs on all this, thanks very much.
The large dining room of the Ellsworth's mansion is set already, the windows open just a touch to let in the cool evening air. Mrs. Ellsworth pauses in her inspection of the table, set with the finest china and silverware, and does quite the double take when catching sight of Alex.
"Dear me! You cut quite the dashing figure, Master Teague." She places her hands on her hips, a smile tugging at her lips. "You'll have to watch out for Imogene's cousins. Lovely though the girls are, they're also well known for the way they tend to have men so quickly eating out of their hands – particularly the handsome ones."
"Mother." Imogene huffs just a bit.
"Watching out would imply I'll have my eyes on anyone other than yer daughter." He replies, soft. "As it is, I daresay no other woman could compare."
Now it's Mrs. Ellsworth's cheeks that turn a touch red. "Well, perhaps that is where your eyes should be, by now, but if you please I'd rather not hear of it for all that the mind of a mother wanders so."
Trying not to chuckle as he meets Imogene's eyes, lit with amusement, Alex nods once. "Oh, aye ma'am, do forgive me."
There's a commotion outside, the sound of horses trotting along at a steady pace and the creaking of carriages. The butler enters the room. "Ma'am, I believe your guests have arrived."
"Indeed, it sounds as though they have. Well, come along then the two of you, and we'll get introductions out of the way as quick as we can." She gestures for Imogene and Alex to follow her. "Doubtless they'll be curious of you, Master Teague, but it shan't be too hard to get the girls onto some subject upon which they'll start chattering and you'll be quite forgotten if you wish to be, I'm sure. I believe the eldest is nearing the point of engagement to a young sailor now, they'll be quick to turn the conversation to him."
Alex clears his throat, reaching up to adjust his collar one last time, along with the cravat tied around it. "One can only hope."
The door opens, the three of them step out onto the large front porch…and Alex stops dead in his tracks.
"Aunt Evangeline!" The young woman who is first out of the carriages looks near bursting with excitement. She's a lovely thing, though rather un-unique in her beauty, with light brown hair and large blue eyes. Four other girls quickly follow her out, but she appears to be the oldest…in fact, he knows her to be the oldest. He's seen her before.
He's dressed even more sharp than he is now, pretending to be the son of a truly wealthy man and attending such a ball. He has Emily on his arm, biting her tongue as she tries to make pleasant conversation with the men and women around them. He's looking for someone, a man…but it's a girl what catches his eye first. Lovely, though average, she's draped in such finery that she is unmistakably the one for whom this party was thrown.
The Admiral's niece. 16 on this day and courting suitor after suitor, careless in her enjoyment of it, unaware of the danger lurking a few short paces away in the form of a couple not too much older than she.
"Miss Adelaide Norrington! Oh come, come, look how you've blossomed! You were still but a girl when last I saw you, where does the time go?" Mrs. Ellsworth holds out her arms as Adelaide sails into them, planting a delicate kiss on her aunts cheek.
"Oh, you sound like Uncle. I shall be eight and ten soon, I'll have you know!" Her eyes light up further when they land on Imogene, and she darts past Mrs. Ellsworth. "Imo!" The two embrace.
Alex remains at Imogene's side, stiff and resolute, and tries to put a bold face on it as Adelaide quickly turns her focus to him, though her sisters have already caught up and are tittering away with Imogene. "Oh – you must be Alexander. Imo's been telling all about you in her letters."
"Erm yes, Miss. Alexander Teague." He nods, respectful as can be, hands held behind his back.
"Well, I know you'll be well aware by now of my name, but in the interest of proper introductions," she dips into a shallow curtsy, "Adelaide Norrington." She pauses, looking up at him. "You know, you look familiar. Is it possible we've met before?"
He opens his mouth to answer, but by some miracle Imogene grabs his hand to pull him a touch closer before he can say a word. And then a familiar voice reaches his ears from above the tittering and chattering of the girls he's surrounded by, and his eyes widen a touch – this time in very pleasant surprise.
"Girls, girls, come now, where are your manners?" Apparently a scolding to the younger girls that have all but swarmed Imogene. "Imogene, please, introduce Master Teague so that he may not feel so uncomfortable."
Squeezing Alex's hand, Imogene smiles bright and nods. "Thank you, Laurel. Ladies, this is…"
.
His stomach stays tied in knots for the entirety of the meal. The girls do not, in fact, ignore his presence as Mrs. Ellsworth had said they might. In fact, they heap questions upon him, about where he comes from and where he is employed and how long has he known their dearest Imo, anyway, and…
After dinner has been finished, Imogene is quick to tell him he may leave if he very much wishes, as she's sure this has been enough excitement for one night where he is concerned. She knows him well. She sneaks off with him to see him to the door, and he sneaks an affectionate but chaste kiss upon her cheek (and it is more than worth it for the way her eyes light up) and then he is strolling down the long drive that will lead him out onto the road towards his own lodgings.
Except, he doesn't make it to the road, not even close. A voice calls him back, and he hears the swishing of fabric as she comes up to him.
He spins around stiffly, hands held behind his back again and posture as straight as a board. "Miss Adelaide."
"Please." She says, gentle. "Do relax. You have already done all the impressing you needed to." She smiles, and he nods once, attempting to at least appear as though he's done as she says. She goes on. "My only question – and I do hope you'll forgive me if I'm over stepping my bounds – my only question is why on earth have you lied to our dearest Imo?"
He's too startled to respond immediately. It must show on his face, for she goes on with a bit more urgency. "It is only that I can see the way you look at her. You adore her perhaps more, even, than she does you, and yet you have not told her the truth and she is such a sweet thing, so delicate, so if it is to protect her somehow I understand but…"
He stops her there, hand held up and brows furrowed. "Miss, please, I don't understand, what is it you think – how could you possibly…"
"How could I?" Now she looks a touch indignant. "The man to whom I expect I'll soon be betrothed is a lieutenant, you know. Sailors are in a class all their own, and I know one when I see one."
He relaxes a fraction. Alright. If that's all, well. "Forgive me. My lying to her wasn't – it is not a thing done out of some need to hide anything too terrible, as I suspect she would continue to care for me just the same. S'not in her nature, to be hateful or prejudiced."
"Then why do you not tell her the truth about you? If you care for her… It is just, she wrote of you so often, is so very fond of you, and if you believe she would still care for you…"
It's a damn good question. He thinks on it a moment, he really does, and tries to form his thoughts into words and then situate those words into sentences that make him sound more the gentlemen he's trying to become, all for his Imogene. "I suppose – I wanted to start anew. My life before this one was – it was hard. And I just haven't been ready to touch on it. But ye're right, Miss, and I intend to tell her. Perhaps even very soon."
Adelaide is quiet a moment longer, then nods. "See that you do. We were like brothers and sisters, all of us, when Imo stilled lived in England, so do not make the mistake of thinking no one will come after you if you do not take care with how you treat her heart."
He laughs a bit now, incredulous. "Miss Adelaide. I'm quite certain – I'd rather die than hurt her." The words slip past his lips without him really giving them permission to, but it's the truth.
She nods again, and smiles. "I believe you. You're a good man, Alexander Teague, I can just tell these things." She gives him the same shallow curtsy. "Good night."
"Good night." He replies, a little belated as she's already spun around and is gliding back up to the house.
.
They've gone to picnic in the gardens behind the mansion. It's a beautiful day, the sun shining bright and the breeze cooling the air pleasantly. Imogene looks a vision in a light summer dress, brightly colored and patterned with flowers. It's the first moment they've had relatively alone in as many days, with her cousins around. Of course, they are never alone in the truest sense, as Imogene almost always has a chaperone, but the woman given the task of keeping them honest is usually merciful enough to keep an eye out from a distance.
"Alex, is something the matter?" She asks, seeming out of the blue, eyes full of real concern as she looks at him.
"What would make you ask?"
"You're never so quiet as you have been these past days. It just – it makes me wonder whether you've something on your mind."
That's because there is something on his mind. Actually, there's a great many things on his mind, and the problem is he's starting to think it really may be time to tell her about them. Glancing in the direction of the patio where Imogene's chaperone has settled herself, he reaches out to scoop Imogene's hand up in his own. "Yes. Yes, there is something…"
"It's alright." She smiles, and squeezes his hand. "You can tell me anything. In fact, I very much wish you would."
"I haven't spoken of it much. What my life was like before I settled on Port Royal and met you."
Her eyes light up a bit. "No, you have not."
"It's just – you must promise to be open minded. You swear, you will try not to hate me?"
"Hate you?" She exclaims, eyes widening. "I could not hate you if I tried, Alex," she turns to him, urgent now, "you must know that. I could not."
He nods slow. "Alright. Perhaps I should start by telling you as much as I dare about my father because, really, that's where it all starts. See…"