Before he had finished crossing the entrance, James heard the enthusiastic string of loud babble echoing from the drawing room.
Hearing his son's lively screeches after such a long while, managed to put a small smile on his lips, making his way towards the source of the noise. He discovered his wife resting in one of the cushioned armchairs by the table, bouncing their son on her lap as she made odd faces at him.
The sight of the large smile on her beautiful face mesmerized him, leaving him staring at her for a very long moment. Only a few weeks had elapsed since he'd left Port Royal, but it felt like it had been much longer since the last time he'd seen them.
"You have become even more beautiful during my absence, Love." he declared quietly.
Elizabeth's motions ceased, gaze rising at the sound of his voice. Her expression transformed into an even wider grin when her eyes locked with his. Instead of offering him a response, her eyes fell to their child, picking Casey up in her arms and turning him so he would face in his direction.
"Look, Darling!" she enthused with a at the baby as she pointed in his direction. "Who is that, Casey?"
Leaning forward, determined little hands reached in his direction as large eyes lit with recognition.
"Dahh!"
James' deteriorated mood improved significantly at his child's eager reaction to his presence.
"That's right! Father is home!" his wife continued to encourage, giggling softly when the child standing on her legs began pushing persistently against them, making her frame shake a little as she held firmly onto the flailing body.
Finally crossing the arch of the entrance, he moved towards them only to kneel in front of Elizabeth, easily finding his child's eyes.
He'd been home only once since his return from their expedition to Saint Christopher, and it had been at dawn, with the explicit purpose to procure some clean clothes. He had found her wife and child sleeping soundly on their bed, and after all the sleepless nights during Casey's firsts months of life, he had not dared risk disturbing them. So he'd left the room after barely a glance at them.
"And you grew bigger," he praised with pride, marvelled -and a little saddened- by the notable difference in his size.
Pressing his lips to the top of the dark blonde head, his fingers reached to stroke some stray locks that had grown longer as well. He truly enjoyed his child's hair, it was the exact same shade of golden brown as Elizabeth's, and just as soft to the touch.
The many weeks spent without being able to see them had felt like too long, but seeing the pass of time so clearly made him feel somehow regretful. He would never admit it to anyone but Elizabeth, but since Casey had been born, James began to avoid leaving the island on long voyages unless his presence was truly required. And it was a little unexpected for him to learn that only a very small part of him felt some guilt over that decision.
His son's light eyes watched him with interest before his nose furrowed in concentration, parting his mouth wide as he tried to speak.
"ehoo"
"Yes. Hello." he greeted with amusement, patting his curls affectionately for the attempt, which prompted the child to fall back down on top of his mother's heavy skirts and start moving his feet vigorously.
"Calm down now." he directed evenly, holding onto the lively feet and stroking his bare toes with care, "Otherwise you might injure your mother."
Picking one of the dozen of toys littering the rug at their feet, waving it in front of Casey's face in an effort to divert his actions. The offering was quickly accepted, only for the pitiful thing to be placed inside a voracious mouth.
A soft rasp of a throat called his attention upwards, to the lovely woman looking down at him. The smirk adorning her mouth was expectant, and so was the raise of her eyebrow. "Are you not planning to greet me as well, Dear? I will become terribly jealous." she warned with jest, lowering her face towards him in a clear demand.
"Please forgive my carelessness, my Lady." he asked, using a hand to bring her jaw closer while the other supported his weight on the sofa, allowing him to reach her more comfortably.
Their lips brushed against each other a few times before he felt her fingers sink in the hair at the back of his head, pushing him against hers more firmly.
"I've been waiting for you. Most patiently." she complained lowly against his mouth before returning to her caress.
Her candid declaration made his mouth pull upwards involuntarily as a foolish sense of pride rose in his chest
He allowed himself to relax into her hold, kissing her back with an unhurried pace, simply wanting to enjoy the sensation of having returned to her side. The familiar touch of her heavenly mouth felt better than anything else, but eventually, they had to separate and his eyes had to open.
Loving eyes stared at him with a with a twinkle as her soft breath fanned over his face and her thumb slid under his jaw.
"You are thereby forgiven." she declared with cheeks coloured a lovely pink.
An unexpected grunt came out of her nose when their child began wiggling impatiently from within the narrow space between them. And as she adjusted him back into her lap and placed a kiss to the top of her head, Elizabeth pulled Casey's deeper into her embrace to peek at his face with attention. "What's wrong, Darling?"
Instead of looking at either of them, their son was staring down at the floor with an admirably deep frown of concentration, leaning forward as he tried to reach down with a pair of very short arms and a rather demanding cry.
"bahehh!"
Following the direction of his son's disgruntled stare, James realized that his precious toy now laid down on the carpet, likely a result of their fumbling.
"My apologies, son." he offered with a smirk, once more picking his adored and returning it safely to the impatient hands stretched his way, "Here you are."
They watched as Casey quickly grabbed the thing, squeezing it tightly to his chest before burying his face in it.
Elizabeth simply laughed, gently brushing a stray lock of hair away from their child's forehead.
"You'd think we were trying to steal it from him." she observed with mirth, a small wrinkle appearing on her nose as she added, "With such a questionable appearance. I can't understand why he favours it so much."
He reached for one of the oddly shaped legs of the horse his wife had spent great efforts into sewing together with the finest of cloth. As his fingers fiddled with the soft fabric, he smiled.
"I can."
One of her fingers raised to trace the length of his jaw before settling under his chin. The distracting caress of her hand had him readily complying, finding his wife watching him with a fond expression.
"I truly am relieved you've returned." Her voice was as affectionate as her touch, but it quickly acquired a playful quality as she added, "Your son's temper has proved quite unrelenting over the last week. Hopefully a change of sights will help us tame him."
Unfortunately, he was reminded of the inevitable matter that they needed to discuss, momentarily turning his attention to the entrance when he noticed a couple of the maids moving on the hallway.
Feeling decidedly less jovial, James stood with a resigned sigh, holding his hand out for her.
"Can I have a word with you?" Not wanting to risk any of the employees overhearing them, he requested in a softer voice, "In private?"
The request seemed to awaken her curiosity, turning her gaze questioning as she gave him a nod, securing Casey to her hip before grabbing his hand and accepting his help to stand.
She allowed him to guide her to the study without protest. Crouching to put Casey on the floor and let him crawl around the room, her hands absently brushed her skirts before returning her focus to him. "Can I ask what is this matter that you must speak of that requires such high level of secrecy?" Even as she teased him with a soft tilt of the head, her clever eyes regarded him with sharp focus, "May it possibly be related to the galleons currently moored at bay? Are you perhaps working on building yourself a fleet, Admiral?"
Elizabeth had been expecting him to laugh, but she watched her husband lean back against the edge of the desk with a troubled look instead.
"You've visited port today?"
Even while feeling mildly confused, the corner of her mouth raised shrewdly as her eyes rolled a little. "I had no need to do so." she informed him.
"Considering your decision to delay your return home after returning," Dissatisfaction should have been evident on her face as she spoke, but she decided not to chide him further than that for it. "And the insistence of Miss Wotton. I decided to attend a gathering this morning, and the ladies were much too eager to volunteer the information."
A low hum of understanding grumbled in his throat, but James did not appear particularly keen on inquiring about the gathering, choosing to let his frown deepen.
"Those ships are not part of His Majesties' fleet." he said curtly, and before giving her the time to become confused, he continued without preamble, "They belong to The Company."
"The Company?" Her features sharpened, mood sobering as she clarified with deliberate slowness, "The East India Trading Company?"
When James offered a nod of confirmation, her mind hurriedly demanded a new answer. "On whose command?"
She had not needed to wait for a response at his grim look, features rearranging into a furious scowl once the unpleasant news were delivered.
"What is that man doing here again!?"
The growl was accompanied by the flaring of her nostrils and tight clench of her hands into fists at her sides. Unable to contain herself for long, she turned on her heels and began pacing the room.
"This is an outrage! How dare he come back? Does the man lack all sense?"
Elizabeth's voice was significantly higher than normal, a clear sign of her fury. So he watched silently as her feet continued carrying her with quick, agitated steps and brusque gestures; waiting for her tempter to lessen before attempting to speak.
Taking a sharp breath, her feet stopped mid-stride, shaking her head before returning her focus to him.
"Why has Beckett returned to Port Royal?"
The effort to keep her composure was there, but he recognized the ire rapidly simmering just beneath the surface.
"It seems he has become Lord Beckett." James announced, unable to resist the sardonic smirk that formed on the corner of his lips when her eyes rolled to the side with a short huff, unimpressed with the news of the man's new title.
"I truly couldn't care less how that man chooses to stimulate his own ego." Her scathing remark was accompanied by a disdainful narrowing of the eyes. "And it is decidedly not what I asked, James." she reminded him impatiently.
"If you are seeking answers, it might benefit you to give me enough time to speak, Love." he suggested gently.
Her lips pouted harder as her arms crossed, "There is nothing amusing about this, James." But after letting out a harsh exhale, her back falling heavily against the bookshelf, words regaining some measure when she spoke again, "You've already spoken with him, haven't you? Then you must know what the malicious bastard wants."
"Apparently, that would be me." he informed her, still finding some humour over the situation.
Elizabeth, however, did not share his amusement.
"What!?"
Despite looking prepared to brandish a sword, the indignation in her voice made a true smile draw on his lips. In less than a heartbeat his wife's expression had shifted from bewilderment to worry, pushing away from her place and hurrying to his side, grabbing onto the sides of his neck as her eyes examined his face with a frown.
"Are you telling me he intends to seek your imprisonment?" she hissed, appearing truly agitated. "If that man so much as voices something against you, I promise to teach him exactly where he can..."
"Elizabeth." he called, reaching for her arms to keep her still. The grip of her fingers eased, but she was still watching him anxiously, shoulders straightening in the way they always did when she was preparing for a confrontation.
"I apologize for my rash and thoughtless words. But our encounter was not violent in nature."
Covering her hand with his, their fingers laced together, moving from his face down to rest at his lap. His thumbs ran over her knuckles in an effort to help tranquillize her, however, the words he'd been avoiding could no longer be neglected.
"The reason for his presence on the island is to seek my assistance with a situation that recently presented around our territory at the Greater Antilles."
"...Cutler Beckett came to ask your for help?" she repeated with a suspicious narrowing of her clever gaze, ignoring the rest of the information he provided.
Threaten, was a more precise assessment.
Regardless, it certainly would appear like an implausible event. It was natural for Elizabeth to feel doubtful.
"Yes."
Although the notion had caused her momentary confusion, she recovered quickly and boldly showed her anger. "Coming back and presuming to have the right to ask for help after what he did? How shameless is he!? "
"I promise to explain it all in detail once I return."
"Return?"
Her eyes widened with understanding when his grimace deepened. Letting go of him, she took a few steps back, looking at him with incredulity.
"You are going to help him!?" she demanded, clearly as frustrated as he felt. "He locked me in a cell!"
He was aware of that, yet, he could not allow himself to join in her ire.
"I have my obligations, Elizabeth."
"I cannot believe you!"
"It should not take me longer than a couple of weeks."
He heard an actual rumble from deep within her chest at the word 'weeks.'
"Why would you..!?"
Her features abruptly eased and her eyes glanced down. Following her gaze, they found Casey had crawled back to her side and was now pulling on the hem of her dress with an upset pout.
Elizabeth was quick to rearrange her features into a gentle smile, lifting the child off the floor and kissing his cheek.
"Did I startle you? I'm sorry, Darling. Momma was being much too loud." she cooed apologetically, allowing her voice to become sweet and loving as she nuzzled her nose against his.
Casey immediately regained his lively disposition and smiled at her, curling his body against her chest.
A few, long moments passed before she eventually spoke again.
"I don't understand, James." she confessed softly, not looking at him but at Casey.
The sigh that escaped his lips as he stood was heavy and resigned.
When her attention finally returned to him, he saw disappointment and a hint of betrayal inside her eyes, and the hurt in them made his own chest throb uncomfortably, causing him to reach for her cheek. He was sincerely grateful that she did not shied from his touch.
"It seems that having secured a royal charter from His Majesty has provided him with all the certainty he could need to make such demands."
The reminder awakened the pounding throb from earlier, which he attempted to dispel by rubbing the tight spot between his eyebrows.
"Beg your pardon?"
"After invading our docks with his troops, the man presented me with a 'License to develop the Caribbean as the representative of the King.'"
"...The King granted Beckett governing powers over Port Royal?"
Her complexion went so pale at the notion that he held onto her waist for fear she might stumble.
"No." he assured with a steady voice. "But he has granted The Company control over all English transactions on the Caribbean."
"That fat, greedy..."
"Elizabeth." he interrupted her sternly before she could finish blaspheming against their King.
Her lips tightened and her eyebrows pulled together, but she did not attempt to challenge him, simply staring at him with the same unhappy indignation that she showed whenever she thought a great slight had been committed against her; like when Casey showed the minimal preference for his arms instead of hers.
"I don't find the situation any more agreeable than you do." he confessed softly, although an effort for his expression not to betray his own displeasure was made. He could sense how frustrated she felt by the way her palm continued a restlessly pattern over Casey's back.
"Elizabeth, you know being away from you both is never my wish." he whispered to her, stroking the soft locks framing her face with rapture adoration. "But it will be best for us if I comply."
Her mouth pursed in thought as she looked at him and then down at their son, regarding them intensely before abruptly suggesting, "Then perhaps we could accompany you there instead."
Not considering that she might present him with such idea was entirely his oversight.
But why did she always have to think of the most concerning plans?
"No."
"James," she called for him, and although her demeanour had subdued, it was rapidly regaining heat. "You promised."
She was right. He had promised her.
"We will be heading to Nassau." Knowing that his next words would not be taken kindly, he continued "So I cannot allow you to follow."
Her reaction was exactly what he would have expected.
"Allow? " she repeated indignantly, glaring at him.
Overcome by his own irritation over the situation, he glared back with the same vexed scowl.
"Yes. Allow. I am still the captain of that ship, and your husband as well."
The surprise caused by his harsh response made his wife's anger lessen, but she persisted after taking a moment to recover.
"We had already agreed to go together once you returned from Saint Christopher."
"It's dangerous."
"No it is not. Nassau is one of our colonies."
"One that has been plagued with pirates until a few years ago."
They were both aware that most pirates inhabiting the island had been chased out of the city after the arrival of Governor Rogers. But he still didn't want to bring her wife and son to such a questionable destination.
"And until you arrived here, so was Port Royal!"
He could not be certain whether the remark was meant to defy or praise him. But he had not time to decide as her expression turned determined, lifting their son in the air and bringing him very close to his own face.
"Look at his face! Are you really going to tell our son that you refuse to take him along for his very first voyage like you promised him to?" Her tone had turned pleading, pitying even, obviously seeking to elicit his guilt.
Casey was staring at him with attentive round eyes, but did not appear at all contrite by the possibility of being excluded from said voyage, continuing to suck on his hand.
Leaning over the child's head, his stare moved to his wife, offering her an unimpressed raise of an eyebrow.
"He is resilient. I'm sure he will ultimately recover from the shock." he noted with some humour before taking the child from her.
She relented her hold without objection, but her expression turned disappointed.
"I've been expecting this journey since the day you left."
The sincere dejection in her voice left him feeling like a truly terrible husband.
He was aware of how long she had been waiting for the opportunity. Since their son was born the year prior, the occasions in which she had been able to accompany him were few and far in between, it was the reason why he had hasted to finish his pending work after returning. And that man had managed to ruin that for her with his mere presence.
"Love," he pleaded apologetically, breaching the small distance that had formed between them and bringing her close to his body with the aid of his unoccupied arm, keeping Casey close to his chest with the other. "It really won't take me too long. Just this time please." he tried, placing a careful kiss on her forehead.
Elizabeth did voice a response, but allowed him to hold her tight, letting her body relax as her arms returned the embrace.
"I really will return as swiftly as possible."
Yet, he didn't dare to make another promise this time. The strength of his arms was the only true comfort he could provide in that moment, and he hoped it was enough.