A Commodore

Stables

           
James pushed the door of the barn open and walked inside. He looked
around strolling through the isle way looking in each of the stalls before he
noticed some straw being pitched down from the loft into one of them. Arching a
brow he watched until he saw that the pitching came to a stop.

           
Heather walked to the edge of the loft looking down into the stall that
she had been pitching straw into and poured some grain into the bucket below not
even noticing that she was being observed before moving back into the loft.
Arching a brow James moved back to the ladder and made his way up into the loft.

           
Her hair was tied up in a cloth and she wore an old modest dress, and a
pair of gloves to keep her hands from getting injured or scratched while she
worked. She was filling another bucket with grain from the barrel. Then she
picked up the bucket and turned around to deliver it to another one of the
horses.

           
However, when she did she found herself starring straight at the
Commodore who was standing by watching her quietly. She holding the bucket down
next to her. “So shall I receive my reprimand now, or may I give your horse
his meal first.” She said putting her hand on her waist narrowing her eyes
slightly.

           
James crossed his arms sighing slightly, “Heather, what are you
doing.” He said simply.

           
“I would think that was obvious.” She said letting her hand drop as
she continued on her way carrying the bucket to the next stall and pouring the
grain into the bucket below.

           
“You know perfectly well what I mean. We have stable hands specifically
for this, to care for and look after the horses and animals. And on top of that
. . . you shouldn’t be out here at all.” He said outright if she was going
to be difficult about it.

           
She sighed and paused for a moment before shaking her head and starting
to walk back to the grain barrel. James stood there letting her walk passed him.
“I hate it when you do this and you know it.” He said in a low voice
starting to get annoyed.

           
Suddenly he found himself struck with the bucket she had been carrying.
Needless to say he was caught off guard and surprised. He turned around to see
that she had flung it had him from where she was standing. He was speechless and
just starred at her in disbelief not even knowing how to respond.

           
“You said they could wait! It wasn’t your intention to force them
upon me! That they could WAIT! Wait until I was ready could you . . . well now
we now just what sort of ‘man of your word’ you are don’t we!!” She
shouted.

           
She reached for a stable tool and started to pick it up, and James
realized that perhaps this could get a bit dangerous. It was already a bit
ridiculous. He quickly rushed over towards her and grabbed her wrists
restraining her making her drop the object. “Heather, what are you going on
about . . .” She started to claw at him now with her fingernails towards his
face. She was really upset, completely outraged at something but he didn’t
know what. “Alright now that’s enough! Stop it, just STOP IT!” He roared
at her shoving her against the wall pinning her arms against it. “Just what is
it your talking about? How do you think I’ve wronged you?” He demanded

           
She glared at him breathing hard from the efforts she had made. Heather
looked him dead in the eye, “You may consider my contract fulfilled, Commodore
Norrington.” She said through her teeth barely able to speak the words. “And
you’ll have your first child before the end is out.” Her stern and strong
demeanor crumbled half way through her sentence and tears came to her eyes. She
tore herself away from his grasp and rush away from him hurrying out of the loft
covering her face to stifle her cries.

           
James wasn’t sure at first if he had heard right, but then realized
what she had told him. He was stunned at the news long enough to let her go.
“Heather . . .” By the time he regained his senses and turned around calling
after her a second time, she had already disappeared.

 

Bad Timing

           
James ran to the house to find Heather, sorting things out in his mind as
he did. Now he was starting to put pieces together. She was afraid. Just like
she was about their marriage, just as she was on their wedding night. She was
terrified and that was why she had dismissed all of their servants from the
stables to have the place to herself and started to work to try and get her mind
off the fear. It’s why she was angry at him, because she blamed him for the
terror she was feeling. Then at the last, she broke down into tears, because she
realized that despite trying not to think about it, despite being angry and
trying to place blame, it came down to the fact that there was no running from
it, it was real and her reality. She had to face it. She was going to have a
baby.

           
Running to the front of the house he hurried through the front door and
started up the stairs when he heard a familiar voice. “Admiral Norrington!”
He stopped on the stairs wincing slightly. He turned around seeing Lord Beckett
standing in the doorway of the parlor.

           
“Lord Beckett. This is an unexpected surprise. But unfortunately it’s
the worst of times . . .” He glanced towards the top of the stairs, “I have
a matter that absolutely cannot wait” he said looking back at Beckett 
“. . . that I really must attend to immediately.”

           
“Really. That’s unfortunate. So have I.” James sighed glancing
upwards one last time before turning around descending the stairs once more
going into the parlor with Lord Beckett closing the doors behind them.

           
“Please, I must beg you to keep my promotion out of the conversation.
I’ve not been able to tell Lady Norrington yet.” He said.

           
“Really? I would think she would be overjoyed to hear of it.” He said
thinking it strange. Norrington really wasn’t interested in discussing
personal matters with this man, he just didn’t want Heather to find out
through him that he had been given the rank of Admiral.

           
“Shall we get down to business?” He said wanting to get this over
with.

 

Important Affairs

           
That night, after Beckett had finally departed, James made his way to
their bedchamber and went inside. It was quiet and a lamp was lit. He found
Heather laying across their bed having fallen asleep. She must have been quite
exhausted and crying on top of that only making it worse.

           
His mind had only really been half on the meeting that he and Beckett had
been having. Still irritated that Beckett couldn’t seem to understand that he
really needed to attend to his wife, that it was a seriously important issue
that needed to be addressed and couldn’t wait.

           
Slowly he walked around to the other side of the bed and sat down next to
her ever so carefully so as not to disturb or scare her, then he leaned over
looking down at her gently stroking the hair back from her face. Heather
breathed deeply as her eyes started to open and she looked up seeing him looking
back down at her.

           
“Hello darling.” He whispered gently.

           
She looked at him for a moment before sighing softly, “Are you angry
with me?” It was obvious that she felt foolish for the way she had acted
earlier, for the things she had said.

           
“No.” He answered touching her cheek wiping away a stray tear that
had still been residing there.

           
“You have every right to be.” She replied. Remember how she had
assaulted him and screamed at him wildly. He just wrapped his arms around her a
little and she put her hands on his shoulders looking up at him.

           
“Heather . . . when people have been married for a while, living
together and such they start getting to know each other. Know things about one
another that no one else does.” He whispered in a gentle tone, “I know your
afraid darling, but you needn’t be.”

           
“I’m not afraid.” She said in an even softer voice turning her eyes
away.

           
James looked at her a moment and half smiled, “Of course not.” He
said in agreement. Heather looked up at him into his eyes that he said it. It
was apparent that he knew how strong she was, and how much she hated to admit
she was afraid of something. And he would allow her to keep her pride. Yet, they
both knew the truth. That was enough to let her quietly, and in silence admit to
him that she was afraid . . . a little bit. “I am with you Heather.” He said
softly. “You’re not alone."