Plundering of the Heart

Thank you all for your oh so nice reviews! I appreciate them!

Warning: This chapter has some mild ‘violence toward women.’

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 15

Elise’s eyes fluttered open in the darkened room and a throbbing pain shot through her head. She
tried to press her hand to her forehead to rub it but realized she was bound to a bed. A lantern
cast a pale glow over her yet didn’t give off enough light to really see around the room but she
was very much mistaken if she weren’t aboard a ship. She felt the waves lulling her into a false
sense of security as she pulled uselessly against the irons and groaned at her own stupidity.

She remembered everything right up until Andrew had hit her with the butt of the gun when she
had felt herself falling as she had blacked out. She had been slipping in and out of consciousness
for quite a long time now and was pretty sure that Andrew must be slipping her something to
keep her docile. I wonder how long I’ve been gone. Has James has noticed I’m missing yet, she
asked herself as she tried to push her fear away.

James, she thought suddenly. What was he going to say about this? He was going to be very
hurt and angry when he found her gone. How long would it take for him to realize that she
wasn’t coming back, not because that was her choice but because she’d been taken?

She knew what he would think when he read that note. I’ve gone to Andrew’s for help. Why
hadn’t she worded it better? Made it more clear that she was going to Andrew’s house for the
sole purpose of plundering. She’d made it sound as if Andrew could be more help to her than
James could. She sure she had wounded his pride.

What if she’d hurt him so badly that he wasn’t going to come after her? After all, he had no
obligation to her. There had certainly never been any words of love spoken between them.

Even as she thought it she knew it was ludicrous, he wouldn’t leave her to Andrew’s mercy. She
had no doubt of his integrity and duty but did she want him coming for her because she was Lord
Gold’s daughter or because the thought of life without her seemed empty? Without any
hesitation she knew she wanted the latter. She couldn’t pinpoint the exact time but somewhere
along the line she had fallen completely and hopelessly in love with Commodore James
Norrington. Yet she was clueless in his own regard.

Andrew’s words came back to haunt her and fill her with doubt. He couldn’t give two straws
about you. Just because she was in love with him did not necessarily mean he reciprocated.
Truth be told he’d done nothing to make her suspect any emotion akin to love.

In fact, he’d actually told her when they first met that he didn’t have the time nor inclination to
form an attachment. What if he’d reverted back to that mind set? She tugged fruitlessly on the
bonds and gave a frustrated sigh at that depressing thought.

“Look at you. Don’t you look utterly wanton. Breath heaving. Breasts thrusting against the
fabric of your dress. Hands locked above your head as if waiting for your eager lover.” Came
Andrew’s chilling voice from the doorway.

“I hope you don’t mean yourself.” Elise spat as she tried to sit up but the chains were not long
enough to allow that much movement.

“In twenty-one years you have never willfully shown me any kind of affection.” Andrew replied
as he approached the bed.

“Some people just can’t take a hint, can they.” She said, eying him warily as he sat down next to
her.

“There was a time when I wouldn’t even dream of touching you, you had no womanly features
and were straight as a stick, quite plain. When I was changing you from the navy clothes to your
dress, well it’s hard to believe you are even the same woman. Curvy and lush.” He said, running
a hand down her cheek.

Elise shuddered in disgust and turned her head as she ordered “You’re despicable. You have no
right. Don’t touch me.”

“No right? Oh my dear fiancé, I think I do.” He bit back as he splayed his fingers across her flat
stomach.

“Stop it Andrew!” Elise shouted.

“I bet you didn’t say no to the Commodore. You talk about him when you dream you know.”
Andrew snarled.

“The Commodore is a perfect gentlemen who would never force himself where he was neither
wanted nor desired.” She shot back as she blushed hotly.

“Well we can’t all be as proper as Commodore James Norrington, now can we?” Andrew said as
he ran his hand up over her full breasts.

“Your touch sickens me. Get off of me you bastard!” She cried, wedging her feet against his
stomach and kicking with all her strength.

She watched as he went flying backwards and hit his head against the wall, momentarily dazed.
“Why you little... How dare you?” He said angrily as he came at her with his palm raised.

Andrew slapped her hard across the face and had drawn his hand back again to do it again when
a knock on the door interrupted him.

“What?” He yelled.

Elise breathed a sigh of relief and blinked back the tears that were stinging her eyes. She did not
know he could hit so hard.

“Pardon me sir, but we’ve reached target in Tortuga.” A simpering man said from the doorway.

“Very well. Now get out.” Andrew said cruelly.

“Tortuga? How many days have I been out?” Elise asked.

“Time to go darling.” Andrew said, ignoring her question and moving to unlock her chains. The
second she was free he pulled the pistol from his waistcoat and trained it back on her. “Don’t do
anything foolish either.”

Elise sat up and every muscle in her body began to protest. She must have been here a long time.
She rubbed her wrists were they had been manacled and looked down to find them red and raw.
Andrew clasped a hand on her forearm and yanked her up unceremoniously.

“I said go.” Andrew shouted crassly and poked her menacingly with the barrel of the gun.

“Ouch. Andrew you’re hurting me.” She cried.

He grabbed a handful of her hair and wrenched her head back so that she was look at him. She’d
never seen his eyes look more hard or cold and she felt a terror she hadn’t expected chill her.
“Walk or I’ll hurt you in ways you could never imagine.”

Elise’s eyes widened in shock when he pushed her forward but she forced her feet to keep going.
He led her outside and she raised her hand to shield her eyes from the onslaught of sunlight,
again making her wonder just how many days had passed since he’d taken her. He guided her to
the starboard side where another ship was anchored not more than forty feet away.

She noted the jolly roger immediately and that they were linked together by a gang plank and she
eyed him nervously.

“No jumping or I’ll shoot you. Go on.” He urged.

Surely he did not mean for her to cross to the other ship on that slender piece of wood.
Obviously her look said as much because he barked “Do it.” And jabbed the pistol in her side so
hard she was certain it would bruise.

Elise glared daggers at him but stepped up timidly and focused on the man on the other ship,
determined not to look down, as she forced one foot in front of the other with Andrew directly
behind her.

The man was eying her licentiously as she crossed to the pirate ship. He ran a hand through his
long black hair and she noticed his many tattoos lining his arms. When she finally reached the
end he clasped two hands round her waist to help her down and set her on the deck, his dark
brown eyes focused in the most obvious manner on her breasts.

She crossed her arms over her chest and looked away pointedly when her eyes fell on Captain
Little.

“Little!” Andrew bellowed and watched impatiently as the man scuttled over to stand in front of
him.

“Sir?” Little practically whimpered.

“You assured me she was dead.” He said with contempt.

“Thought she was. Left her bloodied up pretty badly we did. Then we blew Gold’s Red Angel to
bits.” Little replied, bouncing nervously on his heels.

“I’ll deal with you later. Lock her in the brig.” Andrew ordered and shoved her roughly away
from him before he stalked off.

“I’ll take her mate. Need me some more rum anyway.” The man who had been staring so lewdly
at her volunteered. He pulled a cutlass from his belt and indicated her forward.

She moved in the direction he had pointed but felt his gaze raking over her from behind. “Who
are you?” She managed.

“I’m Captain Jack Sparrow, love.” He replied, following her down the stairs.

Elise closed her eyes against hearing that word. James called her love and it sounded wrong
coming from anyone else’s lips.

“Listen, whatever Andrew is paying you I’ll match it.” She said desperately when they reached
the dark cells below deck.

“I see no profit in it for me. I already have Devereaux’s money.” Sparrow answered.

“I’ll double it. Surely you know who I am.” Elise pleaded.

“Of course I know who you are Lady Elise. And so does that gent right there. Come on love, in
you go.” Sparrow said as he opened the brig door and immediately closed it when she stepped
inside.

“Captain Sparrow please...” She began but he was already walking away.

“Elise?” Came a rasping voice from the corner.

She eyed the scraggily looking man a moment, taking in his haggard appearance. The matted
hair, the dirt smudges, the untamed beard growth until her eyes met his blue eyes. Eyes in the
exact same shade and intensity as her own.

“Daddy?” She whispered in relieved disbelief.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Question-I’ve had several reviewers tell me that they were worried that Elise was going to be a
Mary Sue and were relieved to find she wasn’t. Who/What the heck is a Mary Sue? I take it that
it’s a bad thing........