Misconception

Chapter 3

Weeks later…

Isabella groaned as she quickly hurried to the back room of the tavern that was used as a kitchen. She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes. She couldn’t keep doing this anymore. She had to find a way to stop running into him. He was clever. He might be a drunkard but he was an intelligent one. He was going to figure out it was her.

His visits had started becoming far more regular the past weeks. He would stay on land for a couple of days and he would spend most of his nights at the tavern. He would drink, look around the tavern intently as if he was looking for something and then he would either retire upstairs with one of the girls or fall asleep on his table.

Isabella had managed to avoid him while he was there but she had started running out of excuses to leave the room as soon as he had entered with his mates or sometimes alone.

Madame Angelique was starting to get suspicious and she had to find a way to avoid him without being obvious.

His visits caused Isabella extreme annoyance and anger combined with something that she couldn’t name. Whenever she saw him she wanted to do and say many things but she had to bite her tongue and remain away. She had the urge to hurt him, really hurt him but then she would catch him smiling and she would falter as her stomach would flatter in the most peculiar way. He had taken something that she wanted to give on her own and she could never take it back. She didn’t know what she felt anymore and even though she knew that she should resent him for what he did she couldn’t completely hate him. She had thought of putting something in his drink that would cause bodily harm but she knew that she could never really hurt anyone. After all he hadn’t really been aware of his actions that night. That was no excuse though and she knew it.

She stifled a sigh and rubbed her eyes as her head started pounding.

“Bella?” Rose asked as she entered the back room and Isabella jumped.

“Oh, it’s you. Yes?” she said as she pushed away from the wall and smiled nervously at the other woman.

“What are you doing back here? There’s no one at the bar.” Rose said as she looked at her with suspicion.

“Oh, I’m going. Sorry. I just needed a moment. The smoke made my eyes water is all.” Isabella smiled as she moved past Rose and slid behind the bar again.

“Where have you been, lass?” Madame Angelique asked and Isabelle gulped.

“The smoke hurts my eyes lately…Sorry.”

“Oh. You missed the show.” Rose said as she appeared from the back room and leaned against the counter next to the Madame.

“Show?” Isabella questioned.

“Hmm. Jack Sparrow was here asking for the same girl again.” Rose smirked.

“What girl?” Isabella’s heart started hammering in her chest as the Madame chuckled.

“He has the impression that he slept with a girl here that smells distinctly of vanilla. He says that he doesn’t really remember but she had a peculiar eye color that obviously has him captivated.” The Madame finished.

“Oh?’ Isabella cleared her throat.

“And he asked to see all the girls.” Rose added with a chuckle.

“And he claimed that the girl was a virgin. A virgin. In my business? It would ruin my reputation.” Madame Angelique snorted.

“Why?” Isabella questioned and the Madame paused.

“Because virgins do not know what to do. Customers won’t come back.” She replied simply.

“Sparrow would obviously.” Rose chirped in and the two women laughed again while Isabella’s cheeks flushed. She busied herself with cleaning the counter while the two women changed the subject and started talking about new dresses and corsets for the girls.

**********************************

Isabella took a deep breath and knocked on Angelique’s door. A moment of silence passed before she was allowed to enter the room.

“Oh, Bella! Come, come. I have a new book that you’ll love. They just brought it to me from London.” Madame Angelique said as she shifted in her chair. Isabella shut the door and approached the older woman cautiously.

“Um…I love the binding.” Isabella commented and the Madame smiled, “Can I ask something of you?” Isabella asked.

“Of course.” The Madame said as she flipped through her book, her glasses placed firmly on her nose.

“Can I please stop working at the bar at nights?” Isabella blurted out and the Madame paused and looked up at her slowly.

“May I ask why?” Angelique asked as she shut her book.

“I just… I just don’t like it there. I…it makes me uncomfortable.” Isabella said softly and the Madame sighed.

“But we need help at the bar.” She said and Isabella bit her lip.

“I’ll do all the other jobs…Washing, cooking besides the chores I already do. Just please relieve me of that one.” Isabella said in earnest and the Madame regarded her with interest.

“Why would you do that, Bella? Staying at the bar is far easier than washing, cooking and cleaning all the rooms. Why do you want to take over all those chores?” she asked and Isabella shifted nervously.

“I don’t like the bar. That is all. Will you please let me do this?” she said in a strong voice and the Madame chuckled.

“You have no desire of seeing other people?”

“People? No, not this kind of people, Madame. I am sorry but drunken men and women of questionable ethics are not what one would call proper company.” Isabella almost snapped and the Madame’s eyes widened while they shone with secret appreciation.

“It is better than no company, don’t you think?” Angelique said and Isabella pursed her lips.

“No. I don’t.” she shook her head as she clenched her fists.

“Hmm…” the Madame looked at her intently before she broke into a smile, “Oh, fine. Do whatever you want. Annabelle can stay at the bar and you can take over all the other chores.” She relented and Isabella breathed a huge sigh of relief.

“Really? You will let me?” she asked the older woman in earnest.

“Yes, I will even though I do not understand you, girl. Did something happen that I am not aware of?” Madame Angelique asked her seriously, “Did anyone bother you?”

“No.” Isabella said quickly, “I simply do not like it.” She continued while shaking her head.

“Alright…So, you want the book or shall I read it first?” Madame Angelique asked while waving the book in front of Isabella.

“Um…I read quickly.” Isabella said while looking longingly at the book.

“Then you can have it.” The Madame said and Isabella took it from her hands, “Just be sure to give it back to me. I tend to forget.”

“Of course. Thank you. Goodnight.” Isabella beamed, satisfied with the outcome of the conversation before she walked out of the room.

“What a strange child…” Madame Angelique murmured before she started getting ready for bed.

**********************************

Annabelle groaned as she dumped a basket of newly washed clothes next to Isabella’s feet.

“More?” Isabella asked with a sigh.

“Yes. Last basket. It’s only six in the morning and look how many clothes we have washed. We need to sleep more.” Annabelle whined and Isabella nodded.

“I know…I only got three hours of sleep last night.”

“I got four but it’s not enough. I have to go make breakfast. The girls will wake up soon.” Annabelle called before she turned and walked back inside the tavern.

Isabella looked at the clothes that needed to dry and groaned before she started working again.

After half an hour she was done and she took all three baskets before she walked back inside. Once she had dumped the baskets in the washroom she walked up the stairs to get to the girls’ rooms. She knew Rose was already up because she was taking her coffee in the kitchen.

She seems depressed again. She thought to herself as she pulled a ribbon from her bodice and pulled her hair back in a ponytail.

Exactly like me.

“Ow!” she exclaimed when she collided painfully with a hard chest.

“Sorry. Didn’t see you there, love.” A quite familiar voice drawled and she froze, not daring to look up. She knew that Jack Sparrow was staring at her for she could feel his eyes on her.

“That’s okay.” She said quietly as she looked at him from beneath her eyelashes. He had an odd look on his face as he regarded her.

“Do I know you, love?” he questioned and she felt her hands sweating as he reached over and tried to grasp her chin in his roughened hand. The moment she noticed the movement though she flinched back as if he’d struck her and she inhaled sharply through her nose. Jack’s hand froze in midair as she pulled back from his grasp and he frowned deeply as he tried to peer into her eyes. She wouldn’t make eye contact with him though and he lowered his hand.

It seemed like a century until she had the courage to speak out loud again and when she did her voice was hoarse and choked.

“I don’t think so. Excuse me.” She quickly excused herself and sidestepped him, ignoring his vain attempt to grasp her arm. She picked up her pace and entered Rose’s room, slamming the door behind her while the pirate remained staring after her with great confusion.

“Do I know her from somewhere…?” he murmured before he slowly resumed walking.

Isabella leaned against the door and looked at the room that had started it all. She cringed at the memory and closed her eyes, breathing deeply, trying to calm herself while she listened to his retreating footsteps. It took her two full minutes to reopen her eyes and when she did they shone with determination.

“I have to get out of this place.” She whispered as she clutched her hand over her wildly beating heart.

End of chapter 3