stowaway || j. norrington

1

curse of the black pearl

Frances Groves tore off the blue dress her maid had laid out weeks before.

Florence, a girl she'd grown up with, was having her engagement party. Frances wanted nothing to do with it. She had never been able to stand the girl.

Frances rummaged through her dresses and landed on a burgundy gown. It was better than the blue. Not as formal, but much prettier with her coloring.

She called her maid, Jane, back into the room to do her hair. Jane did so, silently. No matter how many times Frances tried to engage with her, Jane would never respond. She wasn't one for conversation. Frances always tried not to think about what Jane might be saying about her downstairs to the other servants.

There was no need for any coats in the Jamaican summer heat. Slipping on her shoes, she stepped onto the staircase and headed to the front door. Her brother Theodore was already there waiting for her. Florence's house was across town, so they had to take a carriage. Theodore helped her into the carriage and they headed off to the mansion.

Before Frances could even step out of the carriage, she was tackled by another woman. Elizabeth Swann, her best friend. Theodore tried to squeeze past the two women, but their dresses were blocking the carriage doors. He cleared his throat, and Elizabeth moved to the side.

"Sorry, Officer." She smiled apologetically. He held a hand out to help Frances down and they headed up to the doors of Florence's home.

"Please don't leave my side," Frances muttered to Elizabeth. "I don't think I can handle another one of Florence's parties."

Elizabeth agreed, grinning. "I hear Sarah is here. Let's go see her. Perhaps we'll run into some of your suitors," She teased. "Ooh, or a certain Captain."

Frances groaned. "Elizabeth..." She trailed off, sighing. Being nearly 22, Frances was of prime marriage age. Nearly past it, actually. Every day seemed to be filled with social calls and her father pushing for her to pick a suitor.

Frances's brother and father were both military men, which granted her the attention of many Navy soldiers. She didn't want to marry any of them. Well, most of them. Marrying a Navy man just for him to leave for months on end and possibly never return was too much for her to bear. She was already worried sick whenever her brother and father left, she couldn't afford to focus on another man quite yet.

Just as Elizabeth had predicted, they didn't even make it to Sarah before Charles Gillette pounced.

"Miss Groves, lovely to see you here!"

"And you as well, Lieutenant." Frances tried to smile. Lieutenant Charles Gillette was one of her least favorite men, if that wasn't rude to say.

"Please, call me Charles," He smiled, holding out his hand. She reached out to take it, and he kissed her knuckles. She could tell he was waiting for her to tell him to call her 'Frances', but she did not. He cleared his throat. "Well, would you like to dance?"

Frances had stupidly not expected Florence to bring dancing into her party, but it was an engagement party. Of course she would.

"Of course, Lieutenant." She wished she could say no. She caught Elizabeth's eye, pleading with her to help. Elizabeth just smirked and waved. Frances would've rolled her eyes if Gillette wasn't already dragging her to the dance floor.

Hardly anyone was dancing yet, so anyone watching would've seen the two of them as well as just three other couples.

Theodore was enjoying the situation far too much, laughing at Frances's misfortune. Gillette noticed none of this, only gazing at her. And certainly not at her eyes. Frances cleared her throat to draw his attention back up to her face. "So, Lieutenant," She began. "How is your sister? I know she was just recently married."