A Commodore

Walks In The Garden

           
It wasn’t long before Heather reappeared looking much different then
the first time he had seen her that day. Now her hair was done beautifully with
silver combs, she had on a dress that was a forest green color with white lace
and beautifully decorated, and simply lovely in a feminine way.

           
She walked with James in their garden, not even glancing at him as they
walked the path looking as bored as could be. Almost wishing they would hurry up
and make the rounds in the paths so she could retreat back into the house and he
could go away and leave her alone. 

           
“You look very stunning, Heather.” James complimented.

           
“Less offensive to the eye I’m sure.” She mumbled reaching out and
snatching a long piece of grass swinging it about before twisting it between her
fingers with a sigh. Norrington could see she wasn’t going to make this any
sort of easy for him. “If you were hoping to speak with my mother today, you
should have called this evening. She’s gone to tea at Lady Barton’s home.”

           
“You didn’t accompany her?” Norrington questioned thinking it odd
that her mother had left her at home instead of their going together. Heather
felt like he was prying into her affairs, and of all the people she didn’t
really feel like allowing to pry, he certainly was the top of the list.

           
“I don’t drink tea.” She said giving him a darting glance as she
tossed the grass away and continued to stroll with him along the pathway. James
arched a brow at her answer knowing that wasn’t in the least bit a true
statement, but definitely her way of slamming the door on his inquiring further
about her lack of participation of going to tea with her mother.

           
“Yes, tea isn’t exactly something to get terribly excited about I
suppose.” He said trying to buy some time while he figured out another way to
steer the conversation that he may continue on with his assessment. “Is there
something else that you would be more inclined to attend then afternoon tea that
would perhaps spark your interest?” He questioned.

           
“A hanging perhaps?” She answered rather abruptly. Norrington looked
at her as they walked not saying anything, not knowing what to say. Heather
looked at him seeing the expression on his face, and was more then happy to
oblige him with further expansion if it was what he required. “It’s always
so fascinating isn’t it. To watch a sea of humanity, acting as though
they’re horrified at the prospect of someone having their lives ended before
them as they swing at the end of a rope. But of course, they all attended the
appointment of the gallows to anxiously await, and dare not look away for fear
they miss the moment the trap door snaps from beneath the victims feet.”

           
James could see that she was trying to shock him with her graphic
description. No doubt one of her many tactics that may have worked with others
in the past, but wouldn’t work with him. He had actually seen, ordered, and
participated in countless hangings. “My dear Heather, I’ve never overseen a
hanging where a ‘victim’ was at the end of the rope. Each and every one of
the condemned more then earned their punishment. Make no mistake.” He said
with a satisfied smile.

           
Heather smiled as well hardly amused, “Rest assured Commodore, they
learned from their mistake by your punishment and shall not repeat their
offense. Will they.” James smile disappeared as he looked at her, Heather
glaring back into his eyes. She looked away and continued down the path.

           
“I think it’s much better not to give a degenerate criminal a second
chance to strike a second time and put an end to the danger he represents to the
law and mankind. Some ‘mistakes’ are not mistakes at all. They are willful
acts of malicious intent. Hardly mistakes.”

           
“Do you think that a thief that steals bread to feed his family should
deserve to die just as much as a thief that steals gold and jewels simply to
satisfy his greed Commodore Norrington?” She said with an annoyed sigh. He
didn’t answer not liking the way this conversation was going. She looked at
him, “Yet these two thieves when arrested are given the same punishment.
Death.”

           
“Both thieves broke the law, the law is in place for a reason. I am
bound by the law to carry it out as are all officials appointed by his
Majesty.” Heather looked at him with a dark look and yet another insincere
smile.

           
“It must be miserable. Not only not to be allowed to have ones own say
in his own actions, but not to take responsibility for them either.” James
steps slowed and came to a halt as Heather kept walking. Good lord, the woman
was a viper. Not only did she attack with her best moves, she went for the
jugular.

           
“Lady Heather, Commodore Norrington?” One of the maids from the house
had come down and both looked up to see her standing nearby. She looked a bit
sheepish having to interrupt them. Honestly, James was grateful for the
interruption, it couldn’t have come at a better time. He was starting to lose
his patients and it really was something he didn’t want to do with Heather on
their first meeting alone. “Your mother has come home and is waiting for you
and the Commodore in the sun room.”

           
“Thank you Patricia.” Heather said. The maid curtsied and turned
around hurrying back into the house. “I’m sure mother is horrified that she
wasn’t home when you called. We shouldn’t keep her waiting.” Heather
turned and started back up the path but Norrington stepped in front of her and
offered her his arm to escort her back to the house.

           
She looked into his eyes a moment, tempted to simply step around him
since he stepped into her way. Yet she knew her mother would want to see that
she and the Commodore were getting along, so she took his arm and they started
back to the house together.

           
It was easy to see, James assessment was definitely accurate on the main
point. His work was cut out for him.

 

Invitations

           
James sat with Lady Margaret in the parlor as she sat across from him
fanning herself after she had told him the news. The Commodore was rather
floored by what she had just told him, and couldn’t understand it.

           
“Well did she say why? I mean . . . apart from the obvious reason that
she wants nothing to do with our marriage?” He said leaning forward sitting at
the edge of the chair wanting a further explanation.

           
“She didn’t have to Commodore. I already know the reason she’s
rejected your invitation. I’m afraid that even though I’ve even demanded
that she go, she’s absolutely refused. She won’t budge on this even if she
was tied to a horse and dragged to the Officers Ball.” Margaret said closing
her fan and placing it in her lap twisting it between her hands.

           
“For heaven’s sake why?” He said having intended to announce their
engagement at the ball.

           
“She’s embarrassed because she’s unable to dance. I’ve tried to
tell her that I will have someone in to teach her, but she simply will not
listen to me. It is the one lesson that was never implanted into her upbringing.
Her father was to busy teaching her how to ride horses and handle weapons.
Dancing was simply one of the social graces that she did not learn.”

           
James sighed, “It’s nearly a month before the ball. There’s plenty
of time for a proper gown to be made, and there’s more then enough time for
her to learn a dance step or two. Has she never been to a dance before?” He
questioned.

           
“Never, I’m afraid. Her father was no help in this matter, he never
liked to dance himself and passed his dislike of the activity on to Heather,
never really giving her the chance to have the experience for herself. Taking
his word as gospel of course.”

           
“I could try my hand at teaching her, but I have a feeling she won’t
. . . .” He stopped a moment and arched a brow half smiling as he glanced at
Lady Margaret. “You know . . . I think I might just do that.”

           
“Do you think she would cooperate with you Commodore? I know she’s
been somewhat obstinate, and I apologize for her tongue. I do hope you don’t
take anything she says to heart. She can be rather cutting when she chooses.”

           
“So I’ve noticed.” He said under his breath before clearing his
throat. The commodore thought for another moment before he smiled, “Yes.” He
said looking at Lady Margaret. “A dance lesson.”

 

Left Feet

           
Heather sat in a chair with her arms crossed over her chest as she glared
at the window. “This is ridiculous.” She said with a furrowed brow. “No
one should be required to make such spectacles of themselves.”

           
“Heather, your manners.” Her mother reminded her. Pricilla looked at
Heather who gave a loud sigh of frustration and stood from her seat taking her
hand. “Now, try it again. Pricilla dances beautifully, and you must let her
lead. She’s only trying to help you, you know.”

           
“Mother . . . Pricilla is no more happy to be here in this room with me
then I am with her.” She said putting her hands on her hips

           
“Only because you’ve trampled on her feet like a Clydesdale horse for
the past hour, which wouldn’t be the case if you allow her to lead.” Her
mother said forcefully. Lady Margaret smiled at the woman. “Thank you so much
again for coming to try and teach my daughter today. I know it’s been rather
trying.”

           
“Not at all madam.” She said in a thick French accent with a nervous
smile trying to be gracious. “She is stumbling less now, no?” Pricilla
suggested trying to be encouraging, even though it seemed she was somewhat
horrified at how difficult this was.

           
“No.” Heather answered crossing her arms again looking away before
her mother could say anything.

           
“Yes actually I think your right. She is improving.” Margaret said
glancing towards Heather.

           
“I have an idea.” Pricilla said. “Perhaps it will help.” She said
walking over to the piano and picking up a scarf bringing it back folding it
over several times. Heather arched a brow watching her. Walking behind her, the
woman covered Heather’s eyes and tied the scarf in place blinding her. At
first Heather was about to take it off but Pricilla reached up gently moving her
hands away.

           
“You must learn to let your partner lead, Heather.” She said, “It
is the most important part of dancing. If you let your partner lead you, then
you will know where to go. You will feel where to go, and not have to worry.”
Reaching up she put her hands on her shoulders. “Now just relax and
breathe.”

           
She said trying to make her relax feeling the way she tensed as soon as
she couldn’t see, as though she was a cat who was being held over a bathtub of
water. “You rely on your eyes to much. In life you only trust yourself, and
you need your eyes to see all around you. But in dancing you do not dance alone,
you must trust the one your dancing with. You don’t need your eyes for
that.”

           
Pricilla stood behind her putting one hand around Heather’s waist and
taking her other hand holding it out at arm’s length, “Are you ready?”
Heather seemed very nervous, but she held tight to Pricilla’s hands with her
own not sure she wanted to move at all. Pricilla smiled finally having the
control that she wanted. “I promise, I won’t let you fall. Let me lead
you.” She encouraged.

           
“I didn’t intentionally step on your toes you know.” Heather said
in case this was some sort of revenge tactic, stopping again almost as if her
feet were clinging to the floor. Her mother watched patiently knowing that her
daughter had trouble giving up control of anything. She’d always been so
independent, even something as simple as this was going to be hard for her.

           
“Trust me. I promise not to lead you astray madam.” The woman said
with a smile holding her closer as she extended her arm again. It took a bit of
coaxing but slowly Heather’s feet started to move as Pricilla moved her about
the room. It was clumsy at first, like a child first learning to walk. Yet after
an hour or so, she was walking smoothly having learned to trust that her guide
wasn’t going to ram her into a wall or trip her over a chair.

           
Sometime during the session, the Commodore silently appeared at the door
and without a word Lady Margaret walked to stand next to him as they watched her
progress making it a point not to let Heather know he was there. By now, Heather
listened intently to Pricilla’s instructions along with the beat of the music
so that she knew what she was to be doing. For the first day, her progress was
coming along nicely. Once they managed to get her to stop fighting every step of
the way, they found she was a quick study.

           
The Commodore disappeared and took his leave before the lesson was over
and the blindfold removed so that Heather wouldn’t know that he had ever been
there. She was exhausted, and it went without saying that Pricilla had more then
earned her praise.

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