The Captain's Treasure

Engaged

My eyes shot open, I woke from the vivid dream of my trip over from England. I'd been having this recurring dream for several days now and I was starting to think it was significant with what my life was to become. I sat up slowly in bed and grabbed my night robe from the chair next to my bed and threw it around my shoulders. I stood up and paced over to the jewellery cupboard in the corner of my bedroom and pulling open the bottom drawer. Lifting out a secret compartment, I made sure to listen out for anyone that may have been coming down the hallway. The compartment revealed the neck chain and ring that I had hidden from my father those ten years ago to save Thomas.

The more I thought of that day, the more I realised how strange it was that once we had made it to Montego Bay, Thomas had suddenly disappeared and I never heard of him or from him ever again, and was therefore unable to give back his chain. So I kept it to myself, hidden away until I remembered I still had it ten years later. I lifted it from the dusty compartment and brushed it off before placing it around my neck. I admired the gold carvings and its beauty. However I must have been too interested in the jewellery to notice my father pacing down the hallway. Instead I was met with heavy knocking at my bedroom door, startling me significantly.

"Rosella? Rosella?! Are you decent?" the knocking got harder and harder. I hurriedly tucked the chain into my nightgown as to avoid father seeing it.

"Yes! yes, come in!" I said breathlessly, pulling my robe tighter around my chest.

Once he received my permission to enter, father burst through the doors with two chamber maids in tow, one was my closest friend Penelope, however I called her Penny for short, as she called me Ella.

"You're still in bed at this hour Rosella? The morning is over!" father announced as Penny drew the curtains. The other chamber maid, Florence, was holding a large rectangular box, with a white ribbon wrapped around it.

"I brought you a gift Rosella, I had it shipped over from London." Father said as he pulled me closer towards him and the present in Florence's hands. She lifted the lid off to reveal a beautiful crimson lace dress and corset to match. My jaw dropped at the sight of its beauty.

"Oh father! It's beautiful... what's the occasion?" I teased, there was normally a reason, father only spoilt me when he wanted me to do something.

"No reason! Can a father not buy his daughter nice things every once in a while?" he smiled, a slight chuckle escaped his mouth, something that didn't happen very often. He was in a pleasant mood obviously.

"Well actually, I was hoping you'd wear it to the ball tonight..." he said, drifting off towards the end of his sentence. I knew there would be a catch!

"The ball? I had not heard of a ball tonight" I frowned in confusion, father had really sprung this one on me.

"Of course you know about the ball! The one to celebrate your engagement to lieutenant Porter... Or might I say, Commodore, now" he said shocked that I hadn't remembered, why would I? I was forced into it without a choice.

"Oh yes... that ball." the disappointment in my voice clearly obvious. "Must I really marry him father? Can I honestly not have a choice in who I marry and when?!" I asked holding the dress up against my body in front of the mirror.

"You were given choices Rosella. You rejected them all, so I chose for you." Father snapped impatiently. He always got so angry when I questioned him about my marriage arrangements, but I had a right to. Commodore Porter was a very lovely, polite man, but his interest in his job was merely to boss people about whenever he wanted. The authority had gotten to his head and it made him far too stuck up for his own good. The only reason he asked for my hand in marriage was because it made his social status better. I wanted to marry a man who would love me for me and what I believed in. He would share the same love for the sea as I and would be happy to take me around the world on an adventure, sailing from one corner of the earth to the other without any worries or fears of what our future will bring us. And when we have been to every place in the world, we will start a family and take them around the world with us once more!

My daydream was interrupted by my father clicking his fingers in my face.

"Rosella.. Rosella! Dear girl I wish you would listen to me when I talked to you" I grunted and went around behind the divider to change into my new outfit. After some struggling and a lot of breathing in, I was finally strapped into my beautiful new dress. "What do you think?" Father asked me hopeful.

"It's a little hard to breath!" I said gasping for air.. over exaggerating a little. "But it is truly lovely. Thankyou father" I continued, throwing my head around the divider and smiling at him.

"It's all the rage in London, apparently every woman is wearing one!" He replied, I could sense how pleased he was with himself in his voice, making me chuckle to myself, and Penny too.

"Well I'm sure everyone will think it looks lovely tonight at the ball, I'll make sure to tell them all that it was your gift for me!" I said, sounding a little to sarcastic. However it was clear that Father had not noticed the sarcasm. He gave a accomplished chuckle and left the room, allowing me to change and get ready for the ball that evening.