Delightful Contempt

Chapter 5:

A/N: Okay Jack and Elizabeth are no longer able to deny that their feelings have shifted from contempt to something else. Will they finally admit that they’re falling in love? Feedback is greatly appreciated!

The boards creaked beneath her feet as she paced across them for what seemed like the millionth time that evening. Elizabeth was feeling quite conflicted. She found it increasingly hard to hold onto her feelings of hatred and contempt for a certain scoundrel pirate captain. How dare he make her feel anything other than utter dislike for him? Or rather how dare she have the gall to feel such ridiculous feelings for such a lecherous knave. Sighing she turned and paced across her tiny cabin once again as she continued to scrutinize her feelings for Jack Sparrow. How was it even humanly possible for her to….dare she say it……care for perhaps even love this man? No it was unacceptable, she would not allow herself to think such abhorrent things as this. She was simply confused that’s all. Yes that’s what this was….nothing more than mere confusion on her part. As if she, a governor’s daughter, could ever fall in love with such a scallywag like Jack Sparrow. The very idea was ludicrous.

“Ludicrous indeed. Who are you trying to convince missy?”

Her tea colored eyes darted to her left shoulder where she saw a miniature version of herself dressed in men’s clothing perched leaning back on her elbows in a very unladylike fashion. She shook her head. This was not good.

“Oh there’s no need to convince anyone of what is so obviously the truth. And that is that you absolutely loathe Jack Sparrow!”

Her eyes flew to her right shoulder to see another miniature version of herself this time dressed in a taffeta pale pink gown with lace accents adorning the sleeves and bodice. All the proper attire for a woman of her station in society. Perfect, now she was hallucinating.

“Go away….the both of you! You’re just my imagination!”

The pirate version of herself spoke. “If that were true Lizzie then why are we here? Just admit that you love the scoundrel already!”

Then the ladylike version of herself spoke up. “You will do no such thing! Declaring your feelings for such an unseemly scamp would be utterly absurd!”

“This is madness! Go away!” Elizabeth squeezed her eyes shut in an attempt to make the hallucinations of herself disappear. Now she was behaving as insane as Jack.

Her pirate self spoke up again. “ The longer you sit here and try to deny your feelings the more miserable you’re going to be. Besides it’s not like you have anything better to do.”

Her ladylike version immediately countered with a reply. “Don’t listen to such lunacy Elizabeth. You’re far too decent a woman to love a heathen such as Jack Sparrow. Besides what could he possibly have to offer a lady such as yourself?”

Her pirate self snorted before responding. “Lady indeed! You’re more of a pirate than he is! And you already know what Jack can offer…and then some.”

The ladylike version chimed in again. “Oh don’t be coarse! Think with your head not your hormones! He’s a thieving pirate for goodness sake!”

The pirate image quickly retorted. “He’s a thieving pirate and you’re a murdering wench….I’d say the two of you are a perfect match. One might even go so far as to say that the two of you deserve each other.”

Gritting her teeth she tangled her fingers in her hair before squeezing her eyes shut and shouting at the top of her lungs. “Oh would the two of you just shut up and leave me alone!”

Opening her eyes she glanced at her shoulders to see that the two miniature versions of herself had vanished. Sighing in relief her head turned sharply when the door to her cabin opened. There in the doorway stood Gibbs with a puzzled look on his face. “Who ye be talking t’ Miss Elizabeth?”

Her cheeks turned bright red as she cleared her throat to speak. “Oh um no one.”

“Ye feeling alright Miss Elizabeth? Ye look a bit tense.”

“Oh yes…yes I’m fine. Thank you Mr. Gibbs.” Knowing that she would only be plagued by more incessant chatter by the miniature versions of herself she decided that she had to find Jack and speak to him. No matter how much she despised the idea of it. “Mr. Gibbs?”

“Yes?”

“Might you know where Jack is?”

“Oh the Captain be in his cabin waiting for dinner Miss.”

“I see. Thank you.”

Gibbs nodded and then left her alone in her cabin. Yes she was going to do this. It was now or never. But first she wanted to wash and change into the dress that she kept stowed away in the small trunk at the foot of her bunk. Pouring water from the pitcher into the basin on her barrel turned night table she stripped out of her clothes and began washing. Once finished Elizabeth slipped into the sage green dress easily. Thank God it didn’t have a corset. This was just a plain maid’s dress she had taken from her father’s mansion before she had left so many months ago. The neckline was a low scoop fashion and there were cream colored lace accents adorning the ends of the elbow length sleeves, the neckline and the bodice. Remembering that she had no shoes other than her boots she sighed as she realized that she would just have to go barefoot to visit Jack. Running a comb through her tawny hair she fashioned it up into a loose knotted bun with a few wispy strands hanging down to frame her face and trail down the back of her slender neck.

Digging through the small chest she found the small vile of lilac scented perfume and dabbed a generous amount on the back of her neck, both her wrists and in between her breasts. Smiling at her reflection in the broken piece of a mirror she had managed to pilfer from one of their latest raids on a ship she nodded her approval at her appearance. Jack certainly wouldn’t expect a voluntary visit from her. And he certainly wouldn’t expect to see her in a dress. Taking a deep breath she emerged from her tiny cabin and headed towards the upper deck of the Pearl. Along the way members of the crew who were gathering in the galley took notice of her appearance. Ragetti made a gesture as if he were tipping an imaginary hat to her. Gibbs stared at her his mouth slightly agape. She smiled in satisfaction at their reaction. Elizabeth headed up the steps out of the galley and onto the main deck of the Pearl. Noticing Cotton was at the wheel she waved and smiled at him. Seeing the look of shock on the old man’s face as he waved back at her she covered her mouth to stifle the giggle that was trying to leak out.

Walking across the deck to Jack’s cabin she stood in front of it butterflies starting to stir in her stomach. Drawing a shaky breath she raised her hand and knocked on the door. Jack’s voice floated through the door to her. “Come in!”

Opening the door Elizabeth walked into the dimly lit cabin. “Jus’ put it on the table an’ get out.”

She smiled looking over to his bed to see him lying face down on it clad in nothing but his breeches. So he thought she was the cook bringing his dinner. “Jack?”

Hearing her voice he pushed himself up and glanced over his shoulder to see her standing in the doorway. What he saw took his breath away. There she was dressed in a dress instead of the unflattering men’s clothing he was so used to seeing her in. Jack scrambled to turn over and get into a sitting position on his bed. “Izzy……what a……pleasant surprise.”

“Is it?”

“It could be. That all depends on why yer here love.”

“Jack……we need to talk.”

He groaned before replying. “I thought as much. An’ what pray tell might we need t’ speak bout Izzy?”

“About what happened earlier today.”

“A lot of things happened earlier today love, could ye be more specific?”

“Jack! In my cabin.”

“Oh. What bout it? I gave ye a much needed paddling an’ then I made up for me roughness. What more needs t’ be said darling?”

“It’s not about what was said…….more like what wasn’t said.”

He swallowed hard as he rose to walk over to where she stood. The heavenly scent of her lilac perfume enveloped him. “Haven’t got a clue as t’ what yer talking bout Izzy.”

“Come on Jack, you know exactly what I’m talking about.”

“I do not. It’s a curious thing though Izzy…..jus’ why are ye wearing that dress?”

“I wanted to feel like a woman for a change.”

“Oh…..well I can make ye feel like a woman love.” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at her. She wrinkled her nose in distaste.

“Must you always be so filthy minded?”

“Part of me charm love.”

“Figures.”

“Care t’ join me for dinner Izzy?”

“Why should I?”

“Yer the one who insist that we talk. An’ ye do have t’ eat….so why not jus’ eat with me?”

“I suppose.”

“That’s a good girl…..now jus’ sit here an’ wait for me.” Jack ushered her over to the table and pulled out a chair for her to sit down. She sank down into the chair and was surprised when he pushed it in for her like a gentleman. He then hurried out of the cabin and down into the galley to find the cook. “Noah…..make dinner for two an’ bring it t’ me cabin. The lady has decided t’ dine with the captain this evening.”

“Aye captain.”

“Oh an’ one more thing…..bring up a bottle of wine as well.”

“Aye captain.”

Jack turned and headed back upstairs to his cabin where Elizabeth was waiting. So she wanted to talk did she? Oh he would oblige her desire for conversation temporarily. And then when he had plied her with quite enough wine he intended on getting her out of that dress and into his bed minus their usual name calling episode that generally preceded their trysts. Yes tonight was going to be far more pleasant than all the other times that he had bedded the little wench. But he had no intention of tipping his hand just yet. No he would decidedly not divulge any possible feelings that he may or may not have for her. At least not tonight. However he would more than gladly allow her to pour her heart out to him. This was going to be fun. Before the night was through he would hear just how she truly felt about him and then he would take her to bed like a gentleman instead of the pirate that he was.

A/N: Okay this is a short chapter. But the next chapter things are going to get intense between Jack and Elizabeth as they start to admit their true feelings for each other. Read and review!!