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| Evening Entertainment; Gillette (either one) | |
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| Topic Started: 8 Jun 2008, 10:41 PM (384 Views) | |
| Lizzie | 8 Jun 2008, 10:41 PM Post #1 |
Deckhand
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Elizabeth caught herself fiddling with her quill, tickling her chin with its feathered end. She immediately stopped it, annoyed that one man could get on her nerves like this - for she couldn't deny that Lieutenant Gillette (Commander nowadays) was the cause of her agitated state - and he wasn't even here yet. There was truly no one else who could irritate her as Gillette did. The man had no manners whatsoever, nor respect for his betters. He made no secret of it that he disliked Elizabeth, and that alone was reason enough for her to dislike him even more in return. Unfortunately, she didn't think anyone else could help her. Commodore Norrington had disappeared, run away as a result of some vague charges that Elizabeth hadn't been able to learn in any detail, but which she was confident couldn't have held up in any court. (For all her ambiguous feelings towards Norrington, she had never once doubted that he did his job dutifully and more than adequately, better than the likes of Gillette could ever manage it.) Even ignoring the doubtful consequences, it was not like Norrington to run. Elizabeth couldn't help wonder whether she had played some small part in this; she knew that her rejection had left Norrington shaken, and although he had seemed to cope, she couldn't bear the thought of being even partly responsible if he had done something uncharacteristically stupid. She was worried. She was curious. She wanted desperately to know where Norrington was, but no one had been able to tell her. The only one left who might know - horrible as it was to have to face the man - was Gillette. With renewed resolve, Elizabeth grabbed the quill a little firmer and wrote a brief, sufficiently vague note to Gillette, inviting him to dinner at the Swann residence. She could have gone to visit Gillette, of course. She could have gone to the fort or his ship - wherever he was - but he would have brushed her off, using some minor task or his duty in general as an excuse. Elizabeth refused to give him the satisfaction. He could hardly refuse an invitation to the governor's mansion, however. That the governor happened to be out visiting a friend at his plantation that very evening was just Gillette's loss. Let him dare leave after finding that out; Elizabeth would ensure he never heard the last of it. Of course, that might not stop him... but Elizabeth had to take the chance. A servant was rung, the letter sent off to be delivered at the fort. The die was cast, and Elizabeth prepared herself for an exhausting evening. |
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| Royal Navy & Marines | 9 Jun 2008, 05:51 PM Post #2 |
Master of Puppets
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"You've got to be joking..." Gillette said, dumbstruck. In fact, it was pretty much the only thing he could say, once he had opened the letter and read it. He read it over again for good measure, the urge to repeat himself annoyingly persistent. "Is this a joke?" he asked, the servant shifting uncomfortably under his glare. A quick shake of his head from the servant confirming that the letter was in fact genuine did nothing to make anything better for the Captain. An invitation to the Governor's mansion for dinner. He had little enough time to spend speaking with the man and appraising him of the situation--although the man would certainly be in his rights to demand that given how suddenly things had changed for the worse when St Montgomery took over. He hardly would have been surprised either, if the Governor did demand to speak to him to be appraised. He'd been Norrington's right hand man for years--first officer on the Dauntless until his promotion, and he had a better idea than most about what was going on. Ironic how true that was given Norrington's disappearance as well. But this...it was completely out of line. Uncalled for. Improper. Sadistic. If there was a God, he was clearly cruel and vindictive, with a twisted sense of humour in order to force this upon him--dinner, at the Governor's mansion...with Elizabeth Swann. Words...words could not adequately describe his contempt for the woman, nor could they describe his surprise and dismay at the fact that there was no way he could back out of going to this dinner. He could feign illness...beg off from going that way, were it not for the fact that he had already met with several of the more elite of society today, trying to solve a dispute between them and the Navy--naturally one that St Montgomery had aggravated further. Not that he thought he himself had done a brilliant, or even fair job of resolving it. Next time, it would be Teddy's turn to handle them. But he was the picture of health when he spoke with them--scarcely twenty minutes ago. He'd have to find a way to develop a pounding migraine in order to avoid attending. What was more puzzling though, was why Elizabeth wanted him to attend this dinner--and he knew it was her because he could tell her writing. Norrington had always kept every scrap of her writing to him, and Gillette had seen those often enough to tell her writing. But she disliked him, and he quite disliked her to put it mildly. He couldn't even stand in the same room as her without some sort of questioning of her honour taking place, or some snide remark about her coming out. His curiosity though, was getting the better of him. He wanted to know why she invited him, and the only way to know was to go. If it became too horrid, he could still beg off with a headache. "Tell her I'll be coming," Gillette said to the servant, who left, soon as he'd gotten his answer. "Against my better judgment," he added quietly. Oh, Groves was going to have a field day when he heard about this... <<><<>><>> Gillette brushed at his coat, trying to knock off of it the dust that was rampant in Port Royale during the dry season. He finally gave up...he knew he should have worn his dress uniform, but he couldn't be bothered to wear it for her. Nothing for her satisfaction. He'd come, but he wouldn't enjoy it. He knocked on the door, tapping his foot impatiently while he waited for the butler to answer. The sooner this thing started, the sooner he'd be done with it. The man answered fairly quickly, and allowed him in, saying it would only be a moment before he could meet with Miss Swann. He wondered if Mr Turner would be present...or her father. If neither of them were, he hoped very much that word of this would not get out. The last thing he needed for his reputation was people thinking that he was attempting to move in where Norrington had left off. As if. |
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| Lizzie | 11 Jun 2008, 10:07 PM Post #3 |
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Deckhand
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The butler came to Elizabeth's room to inform her of Gillette's arrival. As soon as the door was closed again, Elizabeth sighed, looking away from her reflection. Why was she even bothering to make herself pretty? It was only Gillette, and she really didn't want him to get the wrong impression. (Not that he would respond to perceived avances, but she wanted to avoid eliciting his snide remarks.) She had chosen a relatively plain dress (greyish green and not much decorated) for that very reason - but when it came to her hair, it was such a habit to fuss with it and make it look stylish and nice. As if Gillette would appreciate it... Still, she could hardly make herself look like a fishwife who didn't take care of her appearance just to please him. That was the problem with Gillette: he would find fault with what you did, no matter what you did. Well, finished or not, this would have to do. Elizabeth didn't want to keep Gillette waiting, fearing that he might change his mind and leave. If he would ask to see her father before she got him at the dinner table - if he would find out that dinner was only to be the two of them - there was a good chance of that. Leaving her brushes and other paraphernalia for Estrella to put away, Elizabeth hurried to the stairs, which she descended with deliberate lack of haste. Soon, she could see Gillette standing in the hall below, though she tried not to look at him until it could no longer be avoided. Heaven forbid she look interested in any way. She only wanted information - but it was a bad idea to let Gillette know even that much right now. "Captain," Elizabeth greeted when she was only a few steps from the bottom of the stairs. She wasn't being quite as cool as she might have been, trying not to offend Gillette while not grovelling for him either. She couldn't completely ignore the way she felt towards him, even if it would have been wise to; she couldn't betray her feelings like that. "How good of you to come. Would you mind terribly if we go straight to the dining room? We've had an early luncheon, and it's starting to catch up with me." In truth, Elizabeth was anxious to get Gillette sitting at a table, which seemed to make him less likely to leave - and the sooner they got this over with, the better. Neither of them would like this, which gave Elizabeth some satisfaction; she was entering into this of her own free will, at least, while Gillette was the one merely walking into the trap set out for him. In that way, if no other, Elizabeth had the upper hand, and she repeated that knowledge in her mind to rid herself of the traces of intimidation she couldn't help feel whenever Gillette was around. She might be alone with him, but this was her house; she might be young, but she was miles above him in position. She was in charge of this meeting, and he had better not forget it. She had survived undead pirates; she could certainly survive a snarky captain. |
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| Royal Navy & Marines | 12 Jun 2008, 08:02 PM Post #4 |
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Master of Puppets
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"How good of you to come. Would you mind terribly if we go straight to the dining room? We've had an early luncheon, and it's starting to catch up with me." "Indeed, Miss Swann," Gillette said, a edge to his voice, "we should proceed immediately then. It would hardly do for you to faint and require the assistance of several marines and a pirate to get you back and into the fray." He turned from her, not so that he wouldn't see her reaction--he wouldn't have minded, but rather so that his smirk would be less visible. Not that she would have missed it--she should be used to his baiting comments by now. It was after all, the very least he could do to avenge her insult to James. He may have been willing to play at being a better man, and letting her go but Gillette never felt the need to act the better man. It was much more entertaining to speak as he wished, and perhaps, just that much better to be honest. Even if it was brutally honest. He almost wished that he had added the phrase "and the Commodore," to what would have been needed to rouse her back to consciousness, however the last thing he needed now were images of St Montgomery courting Elizabeth. She may be uncaring, cruel, vain, and entirely self-centered, but he wouldn't wish St Montgomery upon her. Maybe after tonight's dinner might. "I do hope that there is a reason for tonight's dinner, being in command of a ship leaves me with many duties, some of which I could be doing--" Gilletet stopped when he realised one important individual was missing. "Where's the Governor? Has he taken ill? Isn't he coming?" Edited by Royal Navy & Marines, 12 Jun 2008, 08:02 PM.
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| Lizzie | 15 Jun 2008, 10:01 PM Post #5 |
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Deckhand
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((Teehee... St Montgomery and Liz. That would be fun. I don't know who I'd pity more. Well... Liz, eventually.)) "we should proceed immediately then. It would hardly do for you to faint and require the assistance of several marines and a pirate to get you back and into the fray." It had started already. Elizabeth bit her lip, refusing to say anything because she knew it wouldn't be wise - and she didn't know what to say in reply anyway, other than to generally question Gillette's honour, which wouldn't do her any good. If Gillette cared what people thought of him, he wouldn't act the way he did. He truly didn't seem to care, which was not only frustrating because it kept him from treating Elizabeth the way she felt she should be treated, but also made her rather jealous. People might think her a fickle woman (or, worse, a fickle girl) who acted upon her every whim, but she felt she conformed to all written and unwritten rules most of the time. Usually, she was proud and happy to, but even so she often wished she wouldn't have to. It would be wonderful to be free to do whatever you wanted no matter what people might think. If nothing else, it would make doing the right thing far more satisfying. After all, what value did doing the right thing have if one felt forced to act that way? When Gillette whined about the other, more important things he could be doing instead of attending this dinner, Elizabeth took advantage of the fact that he wasn't looking at her and rolled her eyes. He had to eat anyway, didn't he? If fulfilling his duty depended on a little more spare time in the evening, he had clearly put off doing whatever it was he needed to do for too long - not that it would surprise her in the least if he had. "Where's the Governor? Has he taken ill? Isn't he coming?" Feeling her stomach clench, Elizabeth forced herself not to look away or show any other signs of guilt - not so much as a blink. "I'm afraid my father was called away to a business dinner with Mr. Oakley, and couldn't in good conscience refuse the invitation, considering the turbulent state of affairs Port Royal finds itself in." Marching on resolutely to the dining room, Elizabeth refused to look at Gillette, afraid of what she'd see; the next couple of seconds would decide if she'd even get a chance to find out what she wanted to know. She just hoped she could keep Gillette from leaving. "However, I shall be glad to entertain you. Naturally there is indeed a reason for tonight's dinner. If you'd care to take a seat, I shall fill you in presently." Elizabeth stopped at the open door of the dining room, turning around to see what Gillette would do. Her tone of voice made little secret of it that she was anything but glad to entertain Gillette; there was no point in hiding what Gillette already knew. Besides, focusing on her irritation at having to go through this would hopefully make her seem less insecure and desperate for information. Eventually she would probably have to soften her stance, but Elizabeth was trying to postpone that moment as long as she could, knowing how Gillette would take advantage of it. She would entertain Gillette all right, but she hoped she could avoid becoming the entertainment. |
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| Royal Navy & Marines | 18 Jun 2008, 03:36 PM Post #6 |
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Master of Puppets
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"I'm afraid my father was called away to a business dinner with Mr. Oakley, and couldn't in good conscience refuse the invitation, considering the turbulent state of affairs Port Royal finds itself in. However, I shall be glad to entertain you. Naturally there is indeed a reason for tonight's dinner. If you'd care to take a seat, I shall fill you in presently." Gillette's mouth tightened in anger. He stood up, pushing the chair back with his movement, and he placed his hands, palms down, onto the table. He fixed his hardest glare upon Elizabeth, furious that she would deceive him so. "I've though many low things of you, Miss Swann, but never once did I think that you would lure me here under false pretenses," His brown eyes drilled into her, "Clearly, I shall have to reevaluate my opinion." He was ready to leave, so great was his anger, but battling with it was a curiosity--not only for why she asked him here, but for why she would go to such lengths to not mention that her father would not be here, and without the presence of Mr Turner. His eyes abruptly went wide as a reason for the lack of the presence of the latter suggested itself to him. As well as for why she would be secretive about the cause of their meeting. But...no, that could not be. They hated each other! Norrington had been a smart match, and perhaps now Elizabeth was regretting her hasty, and rather ill-informed decision on her to-be husband--Norrington was a man who any should dream of marrying. Something with which Gillette would fully agree. Norrington had rank, independent wealth, the fast track for a flag rank, and a voice that would...well, best not be going there. Now..she might just be looking at Gillette as a replacement for Norrington. Gillette didn't mind standing in the man's shadows, and while he was not as fond of using the man's coattails to receive his promotions, he was not about to be second choice for his former fiancee. Especially if that person was Miss Swann. "You'd better start speaking quickly, Miss Swann," he said, his voice low. If she said one word even remotely related to marriage, or anything domestic, God help him, he'd say some things for which she surely would demand his commission. |
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| Lizzie | 19 Jun 2008, 09:34 PM Post #7 |
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Deckhand
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"I've though many low things of you, Miss Swann, but never once did I think that you would lure me here under false pretenses," His brown eyes drilled into her, "Clearly, I shall have to reevaluate my opinion." Elizabeth emitted an indignant sound, then clenched her jaw, determined not to respond in kind to Gillette's nasty comments, wanting to be the better person - and trying not to give him an excuse for leaving, though she wondered if that wasn't already a lost cause. Let this blow over, no accepting the bait, count to ten... Elizabeth was already at twenty, and it didn't do her any good, her nails digging into the palms of her hands with such force that they almost drew blood. She hoped her face wasn't as red as its temperature suggested. "You'd better start speaking quickly, Miss Swann." Oh, he wanted her to speak, did he? This was decidedly one of those cases where one had to be careful what one wished for. Elizabeth did not lose her temper, of course, nor did she stoop to Gillette's level - though she veered close. Every word she spoke was like an icicle, broken off and thrown at Gillette with the pointy end first. "I hardly think that an invitation to dinner classifies as luring someone under false pretenses when there is indeed dinner to be had. I shouldn't think it would harm your reputation to have dined at the governor's mansion either, especially when everyone remotely civilized wouldn't dream of inviting you over for anything if they could avoid it." A small exaggeration, perhaps, but largely true. Gillette's attitude didn't make him popular. It may have been the truth, but it wouldn't help Elizabeth get what she wanted. So much for her pride... She glanced at the table, already embarrassed by what was about to come. Still, she'd have to come clean, or Gillette wouldn't tell her anything. "Nevertheless... there is something I would like to talk to you about." She sat down, looking tired. Her emotions were somewhat exaggerated; the save-me-I'm-a-helpless-woman act that she didn't even know she did, being in a way brought up like that. "Believe me when I say I would have preferred to enlist someone else's help, but I've tried everywhere else. I have nowhere else to turn." She looked up at Gillette, trying not to look too defeated while not looking too sure of herself either. It was almost a challenge she gave him to be as rude as he always was while she was this vulnerable - sure to work on every other man, but dubitable when it came to Gillette. Elizabeth didn't have many other options, though, and again it was more instinctive behaviour than actual plotting. "I know you disapprove of my breaking my engagement to James. But, regardless of what you think, I have always cared for him a great deal. Now that he is gone..." Elizabeth's eyes drifted away from Gillette, no longer willing, if indeed able, to look at his always ridiculing, ever-judging face. What had she been thinking?! He would never help her, and now she had made a fool of herself in front of him. |
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| Royal Navy & Marines | 30 Jun 2008, 07:51 PM Post #8 |
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Master of Puppets
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"I shouldn't think it would harm your reputation to have dined at the governor's mansion either, especially when everyone remotely civilized wouldn't dream of inviting you over for anything if they could avoid it." Gillette raised his eyebrows involuntarily. All right, that one he would have to grant Elizabeth. Of course, why would he ever want to have dinner with the sorts of people that were often classed as civilised? If talking mindlessly about the weather, stock options in companies, and how pretty some fool's simpering daughter was and how she might make a good wife, then he wanted nothing to do with civilisation. So much more fun anyway to make snide remarks to a few select individuals and watch them try to keep a straight face, or better yet, announce them where everyone could hear, and watch all manner of people adopt the most appalled looks ever. "Believe me when I say I would have preferred to enlist someone else's help, but I've tried everywhere else. I have nowhere else to turn.""Believe me when I say I would have preferred to enlist someone else's help, but I've tried everywhere else. I have nowhere else to turn." Gillette snorted. What? No Sparrow? Oh, that's right! He thought, He's a pirate off busy doing his own thing--doesn't care a bit about you lot, no matter how much you may think him a "good man." Honestly, no surprise there. So why was everyone honestly surprised at those things? "I know you disapprove of my breaking my engagement to James. But, regardless of what you think, I have always cared for him a great deal. Now that he is gone..." Gillette sighed, not impressed at all. Did she really think that playing at being sorry for her actions was going to impress him at all? Evoke some sympathy from him? Make him actually forgive her? He never pegged as being much bright beyond manipulation, but this was a really pathetic showing for manipulating him. There were just some lies that never flew, and this was one of them. "Please, Miss Swann, spare me the act. I'm not interested in whatever you are trying to convince me that your feelings are for James. As far as I'm concerned it's entirely your fault that all this has happened, and your fault entirely that he's now gone. You started everything that's led to this." He hadn't meant to go that far. To say all that much. It was his personal view on the matter--and the fact that he hadn't meant to say that had nothing to do with politeness at all, it was just not something he wanted to discuss with her. |
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| Lizzie | 2 Jul 2008, 07:47 PM Post #9 |
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Deckhand
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Wallowing in pity for James and self-pity as she was, Elizabeth was almost not expecting Gillette to reply. She had all but admitted defeat to herself; it was surprising to see he was still there, and talking. A good surprise, however, it was not. "Please, Miss Swann, spare me the act. I'm not interested in whatever you are trying to convince me that your feelings are for James. As far as I'm concerned it's entirely your fault that all this has happened, and your fault entirely that he's now gone. You started everything that's led to this." Elizabeth's mouth became an O-shape, her equivalent of a jaw dropping. Coming from anyone else, the words would have saddened her. Coming from Gillette, they infuriated her at least as much as they hurt. How dared he? Just because she blamed herself didn't mean that anyone else had that right. No one could speak to her like that - no one! Perhaps she should have expected it from Gillette - no, she definitely should have expected it from Gillette - but she had presumed he was at least gentleman enough to leave some things alone. A stupid mistake. Gillette was neither gentle nor man; he was little more than an animal - a monkey dressed as a person. If one were to take everything that could be wrong with a person and mix it all up, Gillette would be the result. It wasn't surprising that such a person existed, but that he was a countryman, and an officer of His Majesty's Royal Navy - that defied explanation. Livid, Elizabeth began circling the table to get to him. "I have done no such thing!" she shrieked, lying in self-defense and hating how that made her feel, even if it was the only thing she could reasonably be expected to do. She believed her own interpretation of how things had happened - the one that she had told herself a million times, and was about to share with Gillette - but that didn't mean she didn't still feel responsible. "I accepted James' proposal, and I would have married him. If Will hadn't saved Jack from his hanging - if I hadn't needed to step in to prevent the deaths of men who didn't deserve dying - I would have married James and been a good and loving wife." She would have withered away, perhaps, become miserable from not having Will around, but she would never have cheated on James - never! She believed that with all her heart. Fortunately, since she hadn't married James, her loyalty and self-respect hadn't been tested even more than they had been by the engagement. "If you," Elizabeth continued, conveniently lumping together Gillette and every other law-abiding citizen, "hadn't been so intent on hanging Jack, none of this would have happened. If I am to blame for how fate decided to shape James' life, so are you." How wonderful it felt to blame someone else for a change - especially Gillette! Elizabeth didn't really blame him, of course - not for James' disappearance, at least - but for a moment she could not blame herself, and believe that everything really had been just fate, bad luck for a man who deserved better. Standing right in front of Gillette, Elizabeth glared up at him, feeling much like a kitten facing a Great Dane - but dammit, she was prepared to use her claws. "I want to know where James is," she said, staring into Gillette's eyes and forcing herself not to blink. "I want to help him." |
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| Royal Navy & Marines | 2 Jul 2008, 09:20 PM Post #10 |
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Master of Puppets
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The moment Elizabeth started moving around the table towards him, Gillette got the distinctive feeling that he might have gone perhaps a bit too far for Elizabeth to handle, and that she was ready to pounce on him for it. Maybe not pounce per say, it didn't look possible in whatever that hideous sack of an outfit was that was supposed to pass for women's fashion these days, but she looked like she was ready to do something to him. Slapping seemed very likely. He kept an eye on her hands to make sure they didn't start making the right motion for hitting him. He took a couple steps back as she came too close for comfort, careful to make sure that there was enough space between them, that should he need to dodge he could step back and then make a break for the door. Or window. But slapping or whatever physical reaction he might have feared didn't come to pass, instead she relied on that so womanly of offensive traits--her voice. "I have done no such thing!" "Oh, good God!" He responded, clapping his hands over his ears. That was shrill enough that he might never be able to recover his hearing--he'd rather stand next to a hundred guns firing off at the same moment than listen to that voice shriek like that again. How could women stand to even make a sound like that? Were they immune to the damage their own voices wrought? And in typical womanly fashion, the little vixen had to continue on, first sorting out her defense, and then turning to the offensive. "If you, hadn't been so intent on hanging Jack, none of this would have happened. If I am to blame for how fate decided to shape James' life, so are you." "Me?!?" Gillette said, raising his own voice, not caring that it was improper to raise one's voice to a lady. She sure as hell wasn't a lady, so no need to observe that rule. "If I had not been so intent on my duty, Miss Swann, pirates would have overrun this port long ago and this would cease to be an issue!" Oh, she was so infuriating! He normally had a good enough hold on his temper, but when she had to show up, and be all annoying, trying to act the part of the goddamn hero of the story, it made his blood boil. Of all the insane, bloody stupid things he had to do for his duty-- "I want to know where James is, I want to help him." Oh, of course! Gillette laughed, "Oh, so I see. You just can't be out of the loop can you? You just can't stand to know that I might know something you don't. You think I know where James is? Even if I did, you'd be the absolute last person I'd tell. You think that the matter of a court martial is just something you can help? I have news for you, Miss, that court martial never would have happened if it weren't for you--you and your ridiculous obsession with pirates. Between you and Sparrow you two have done more damage, not just to James, but to this entire town than any history can possibly recount!" |
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| Lizzie | 6 Jul 2008, 12:45 AM Post #11 |
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Deckhand
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((I can edit out the last bit, if that's more convenient. I imagine it can get in your way, in which case just pretend it isn't there. But without that bit, this felt incomplete and... too uncompromisingly offensive, maybe, losing sight of the target - for now. With a reply, that's going to change anyway, though, so just let me know.)) Gillette backed away a little - so very satifying to see that he was afraid of her in some small way - and for a moment Elizabeth could believe she was on the winning side. A battle won, if not the war. The war was still undecided, and arguably always would be. Was Gillette seriously covering his ears to avoid hearing her now? The man was truly a five-year-old mentally - and physically as well, likely as not. An overgrown baby, like so many men. That was one fault that nobody could ascribe to James, though Elizabeth hadn't really thought about it before. But then, there were so many things that she hadn't thought about before. Her recent adventure - if such an experience could be described with such a positive term - had given her a taste of reality as well as a sense of what truly mattered, and she felt it had matured her. Gillette laughed - when didn't he laugh at her? Always making bitter fun of everyone else, by word or smirk or laughter. What a horrible way to live one's life - and to think she had been almost jealous of Gillette's uncaring attitude! She almost felt sorry for him, leading such an empty life - but it was of his own making, and she wouldn't pity her tormenter. If he was so intent on making her miserable, he could bloody well make himself miserable in the process. "I have news for you, Miss, that court martial never would have happened if it weren't for you--you and your ridiculous obsession with pirates. Between you and Sparrow you two have done more damage, not just to James, but to this entire town than any history can possibly recount!" "Jack has done nothing worse than safeguarding his own life - at nobody's expense. The only loss related to his visit was that of the Interceptor, and it was Barbossa's fault that she was sunk, not Jack's. Not to mention that if certain people had done the duty they claim to value so highly, they wouldn't have simply handed over the Dauntless to a lone pirate and a blacksmith's apprentice, and the Interceptor would never have been lost." Elizabeth didn't know the details of what had happened, but she knew Gillette had been aboard Dauntless while James wasn't, making Gillette the man in charge during that altercation. Determinedly keeping her voice low and calm now, she added coolly: "And you claim I am responsible for James' court martial?" It was the end of the game, of course; Elizabeth would never get any information out of Gillette now. It wasn't as disappointing as she would have thought. She no longer believed that he knew anything of value, and he certainly wouldn't have told her if he did - not even if she had been on her best behaviour. If one had to throw in one's hand, one might as well throw it in the opponent's face. "I have no illusions about making a court martial simply disappear. But perhaps some money, and directions to potential allies along the way..." Whatever way that was... Elizabeth was more frustrated than angry now; it was horrible to think of James being out there somewhere, trying to surving in a place where nobody would ever recognise him, which would be terrible whether it was a foreign city or a settlement so small or degenerate that it might not even be on a map. Why was she still explaining to Gillette what she wanted to do when it would never happen anyway? She shot him a glare, more because she was annoyed with herself than because she hated him - not that she didn't. "Just because you are willing to let James rot away somewhere far from civilisation, that doesn't mean that I am too." |
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| Royal Navy & Marines | 7 Jul 2008, 05:46 PM Post #12 |
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Master of Puppets
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(No worries--I think that last bit is perfect, and a perfectly valid point--and even better, it gets Gillette seriously ticked off. And Angry!Gillette + Angry!Liz = boundless fun and opportunity hott makeup se...well, maybe not that.  Anyway, I took some liberties, if it doesn't work--tell me and I'll change it.)"Not to mention that if certain people had done the duty they claim to value so highly, they wouldn't have simply handed over the Dauntless to a lone pirate and a blacksmith's apprentice, and the Interceptor would never have been lost." The urge to grab Elizabeth by the neck and throttle her was very overpowering, especially with her last insult to his honour. Was she truly so pathetically blind and stupid? If this was her way of getting him to help her--of getting answers, then he was through. "And you claim I am responsible for James' court martial?" "How dare you speak of what you do not know," Gillette said, "If I hadn't surrendered that ship your fiance would be dead now, Sparrow too, and several of my men as well. There was nothing to be gained from fighting that battle then--once more men arrived there was a higher probability that they would surrender without fighting. Of course, I realise that that is quite a novel idea to you, you and Turner both so rash and used to barging in first without bothering to think through what the consequences may be." Oh, how like Turner she was in that regard. Or perhaps how like her, Turner was. A whole childhood of her's wasted on those cheap novels about pirates, and spent doing things that she shouldn't, and she went, making decisions in seconds, and discarding people and things that she had no idea of their worth. So like a child was she--she had a good toy, plaything for her, used only until she could discard it to play with another. "I have no illusions about making a court martial simply disappear. But perhaps some money, and directions to potential allies along the way..." Gillette shook his head, "If that were the case your father would have already attempted it, Miss Swann, besides, it is impossible to buy off the entire board of Admiralty. The regulations are there for a reason--if a ship is lost there is a court martial. You could be the First Lord Montagu himself, and not be able to prevent it. But you're not, you're a woman." "Just because you are willing to let James rot away somewhere far from civilisation, that doesn't mean that I am too." Gillette's mouth tightened. How dare she! It was one thing to question his actions on the Dauntless, though his goal was admirable there, there was no doubt it helped to set into motion events that were less than favourable for everyone, but for her to actually suggest that he cared not a whit for James and what he was going through was plain outrageous. He was certain, no, he knew, that he cared far more about James than Elizabeth did. He loathed the fact that James had been forced to lower himself to the position of being a spy for a man as unscrupulous and corrupted as Lord Beckett, and the last thing he really wanted was to be forced to keep the men from killing St Montgomery with his absence. He was half tempted to join them in killing him on some days, but, oh, it made him so furious that she could even dare to state such a thing to him! And he'd be damned if he were about to defend his actions to her. She was not worth his time. "If that is all, Miss Swann," he said, a definite edge to his voice, "I'll be leaving presently. Some of us actually do give a damn about others, and right now I need to make sure that St Montgomery doesn't cause another mutiny." |
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| Lizzie | 12 Jul 2008, 04:34 PM Post #13 |
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Deckhand
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"If I hadn't surrendered that ship your fiance would be dead now, Sparrow too, and several of my men as well. There was nothing to be gained from fighting that battle then--once more men arrived there was a higher probability that they would surrender without fighting." Couldn't the man admit he was a coward? Wasn't Jack's death - and Will's too, for that matter - exactly what he wanted, and what he was hoping to achieve in the long run? 'Surrender' indeed... And why should they have surrendered, when it would only bring them certain death? Gillette didn't care about those lives, and Elizabeth doubted he cared very much for those of his subordinates, except that losing them would reflect badly upon him. No, it was only his own life he had been concerned about; she was sure. That what Gillette had done happened to be what she would have wanted him to do, for Will's sake (and Jack's too), didn't change the fact that it had been wrong for him to do so. Or at least it was wrong for him to do so and then pretend to be some sort of hero. "The regulations are there for a reason--if a ship is lost there is a court martial. You could be the First Lord Montagu himself, and not be able to prevent it. But you're not, you're a woman." What Gillette's problem with women was, Elizabeth couldn't imagine, but she pitied whoever would become his wife. Nothing could be worse than having Gillette for a husband. Sometimes Elizabeth wondered whether her being a woman was the sole reason why Gillette hated her, but if it was, that didn't make her feel any more forgiving. "If that is all, Miss Swann," he said, a definite edge to his voice, "I'll be leaving presently. Some of us actually do give a damn about others, and right now I need to make sure that St Montgomery doesn't cause another mutiny." For once, Gillette's insults missed their target. Elizabeth knew she cared deeply about others, and she was pretty sure that Gillette didn't. No slurs of his on this topic could offend her. As she had expected, he wasn't staying any longer - well, so be it. It was a shame that he left of his own accord before she'd had a chance to send him away, but she was happy to be rid of him either way. "Yes, that is all, Captain. There will be no need for you to stay for dinner. I seem to have lost my appetite." After giving Gillette a look of utter disdain, Elizabeth whipped around and stalked out of the room, determined to have some part in the ending of this meeting too. Fin Edited by James Norrington, 6 Aug 2008, 07:14 PM.
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4:02 AM Jul 30
