High Tide

Chapter 3


Aboard the HMS Relentless, Atlantic Ocean/Caribbean Sea

After what seemed like an eternity at sea, Jocelyn was thankful for the announcement that Port Royal was on the horizon. Despite her love of the sea, she was anxious to be back on land. Her stomach was in knots and the tension in her neck was giving her a devil of a headache. It was late spring and the weather was already unbearably hot. The humidity was causing her clothing to stick to her body and the thickness of the air made it difficult to breathe. The added confinement of a corset made matters worse.

Why did she agree to this? She could be in London right now, inside a cool salon sipping tea and eating biscuits. Who was she trying to fool? She’d much rather be at her family’s ancestral home, Sommer House, riding or fencing than gossiping with her neighbor’s daughters over tea. Good God, how would she ever be able to ride in this heat?

A knock at her cabin door pulled her attention away from her momentary lapse into self-pity. “Enter,” she said as she resumed repacking her trunk. Her maid, Sally, had fallen ill during the voyage as sea travel did not agree with her. Another maid had been offered to her by a fellow passenger but Jocelyn had declined. She had known Sally all her life and would not insult the girl by replacing her.

Jason peeked around the door as he opened it. “We’ll be docking in a few moments. Are you ready, Mrs. Norrington?”

Out of pure spite, Jocelyn picked up a pewter candlestick and hurled it at her uncle. “Must you torment me constantly?”

“Live for it, love. You look beautiful, by the way,” he said as he slipped inside the small chamber.

“Thank you, uncle,” she replied as she checked her appearance in the mirror tucked into the corner of the room. Her gown was a pale green silk that brought out the green in her eyes and accented the shades of red hidden in her brown tresses. The bodice was tightly laced and low cut, exposing a good deal of her bosom and creamy, honey-toned skin. The many hours she’s spent above deck had given her once fair skin a warm glow.

“Am I doing the right thing?” she asked quietly.

“Only you can know that, love. I simply set things in motion.”

“That’s not what I meant. Are we doing the right thing leaving England? I know that to even think it is foolishness, but what if John returned and we weren’t there?”

Taking his niece by the shoulders, Jason regarded her seriously. “Listen to me Jocelyn. Your brother is not coming back. If he were alive, he would have returned to us years ago. It’s been fifteen years. Let him go. Let yourself grieve.”

“I know, here,” she said, pointing to her head. “But here,” she said, placing her hand over her heart, “I just can’t let him go.”

“Give it time,” Jason said. “But for now, let’s not keep your husband waiting.”

“Of course,” she replied with false levity. Taking her uncle’s arm, she allowed him to lead her onto the deck where she saw Port Royal in all of its tropical splendor for the first time.

Jocelyn raised one hand to shield her eyes from the glare of the sun as she looked out at the city while the ship approached the dock. It was unlike anything she’d ever seen. There was at once energy and a sense of languor. As her eyes scanned the crowded shoreline, she noticed a tall gentleman, dressed smartly in a naval uniform. Standing next to him was a tall, elegant woman, who it appeared was newly with child. The two were speaking quite familiarly and any hopes that Jocelyn might have had were instantly dashed. The handsome man was obviously not her husband. It made little difference. She had married him sight unseen, as he had her. If there were any disappointment on either part, they would each just simply have to live with it.

Moments later, the ship had been secured at the dock and the gangplank was lowered. Jason appeared once again at her elbow. “Are you ready, love?” he asked as he took her hand and placed it in the crook of his arm.

“No, uncle. I am not alright. But I shall persevere. I made a promise. It’s time for me to keep it.”

Jason wasn’t at all certain he liked his niece’s attitude regarding her marriage. James Norrington was a respectable man with a sterling reputation. He’d grown somewhat stuffy over the years but Jason was certain that Jocelyn would see to that. The two were so obviously well-suited that he couldn’t resist a little match-making when he happened upon James last Christmas. He quickly tossed any notion of conventional courtship out the window when he realized that his old schoolmate was still heartbroken. ‘Course Jason couldn’t blame him. It’s not every day that a distinguished man like James gets thrown over for a pirate. Or was it a blacksmith? Didn’t much matter. The result was the same. One well timed wager then a wedding on the way. Rather well done of him, if Jason were to say so himself.

Now as he stood next to her, he reminded himself that everything would work itself out in the end. That is, if Jocelyn’s temper didn’t reassert itself at an inopportune moment. Horrible temper, that girl. But like her brother, she had an uncanny knack for being able to talk herself out of the stickiest of situations.

“Don’t worry, love,” he said at long last. “Or do we need to have a second discussion on what to expect on your ‘wedding night’?”

Slapping her uncle on the arm, Jocelyn colored visibly, a blush rising from the tops of her breasts all the way up to her cheeks. “Dear God, no,” she hissed. “Your first attempt was more than informative though I would much rather have forgone the discussion altogether.”

“Can’t have you ignorant of what’s expected, love. Though I understand it’s usually another woman who gives such advice.”

“Enough, Jason. Can you tell me if you see him anywhere?” she asked.

Jason quickly scanned the crowd, quickly finding the commodore in the company of a lovely young woman. “Ah, there he is,” he announced, waving an arm in the air.

“You’re making a spectacle of yourself, Jason. Behaving like that.”

“What of it? We’re not in London anymore or hadn’t you noticed?”

“What has that to do with it? You’re constantly hounding me about decorum and here you acting like an east end doxy.”

“How do you know about doxies?”

Smiling broadly, Jocelyn threw back her head and laughed. Her laughter, rich and throaty caught the attention of several men on the dock as well as that of the commodore. Her ocean eyes were glittering with mirth as she shook her head at her uncle.

“I’ll never tell,” she replied. “Where did you say he is?”

“There,” Jason answered, motioning in the direction of the handsome couple on the dock. “In the uniform. He’s a Commodore. Thought I told you that.”

“Perhaps,” she said absently as she observed her groom. “Who is the woman he’s speaking with? Do you know her?”

“No, I can’t say that I do. Let’s go say hello, shall we?”