They stood on the sand watching the sun set, Elizabeth in his arms. Less than 15 yards away stood her new maid Peggy, an older, stern woman who was determined not to let them have more privacy than they could possibly manage. Governor Swann didn't want them to do anything "imprudent" considering their wedding day was at least another 6 months off.

Will sighed and opened his mouth to answer then stopped as the voice in the back of his head warned him, "There are three questions, son, that all females will ask o' ye that ye mus' rarely answer with the truth: where were you las' night, what are you thinkin', and who was that whose name ye called out las' night. Either change the subject or lie, lie, lie. Ye'd be best off jus' changin' the subject; I seen ye lie an' 'tis mos' pathetic." Then again, he thought, Jack was always being slapped by women. How good could his record be? "I was just thinking about Jack, actually."

Elizabeth straightened and pulled away abruptly. "You were what?"

Will reached down and caught her hands in his to keep her from slapping him then spoke brightly. "I was just wondering if we should invite Jack to the wedding. Then again, which side of the church would he sit on? Yours or mine?"

Elizabeth gave him that look that said he wasn't much better at lying now than he had been 3 months ago when Jack Sparrow tried to make a pirate of him. "Oh, really? Well, maybe he won't be sitting on either side. James might have something to say about his presence here at Port Royal now that he's returned. That bloody pirate held him captive for almost 2 months. God knows what torture he put him through!"

Will nodded, "Yes, I hadn't thought of that. I just-Well, I just assumed that Jack should be invited. We are practically family, blood-brothers of a sort."

Will turned his left hand palm up to reveal the thin scar where the amber knife had sliced him open so his blood could mingle with Jack's before covering the coins and falling into the Aztec chest. The scar tingled slightly, a slight reminder of the burning agony it had caused him inexplicably a fortnight or so earlier. For several days he'd been nearly unable to use the hand thanks to the pain but there was nothing wrong that the physician could find so Will had resumed his work on the swords that had been commissioned, the nails and other household iron pieces that paid the bills, and the special sword he'd kept hidden from everyone.

"Your hand's still bothering you?" Elizabeth asked, her fingers moving across the palm reminding him of Jack's hand on his shoulder.

"Just a bit," He said and caught her hand in both of his. "Not enough to trouble with. Have you chosen the fabric for your gown?"

He let her launch into the details, the words washing by him like the ocean breeze, and smiled slightly, pretending to be listening just so they could stay near. He had loved her from afar for so long that loving her so close was miraculous to him. The voice intruded in the back of his mind, though. "But pirate's in yer blood, boy, and someday ye'll have to square with that. Can you sail under the command of a pirate? Or can ye not?" He reached out and stroked a few stray hairs back from Elizabeth's cheek but the eyes that he envisioned gazing back at him weren't hers. They were wickedly black and full of such a gamut of emotions and experiences that they were impossibly deep. He blinked and Elizabeth's brown eyes appeared, concern quite evident.

"Are you all right, Will? I asked you if you thought I should have a gown of silk or velvet."

Will shrugged, trying to pass it off as nothing, letting Jack speak for him. "Sorry, love, I just got distracted by yer-your skin—such softness. I leave all those decisions to you. I'm a blacksmith. Ask me if copper or iron is better for your cooking pot and that I can answer."

Elizabeth smiled at him and leaned forward to kiss him lightly on the lips. "You keep saying you're a blacksmith but I know a pirate when I see one. Oh, drat! Peggy's signaling that it's time to go. Will you be coming to tea tomorrow? The Commodore will be there. Maybe he'll talk about what pirate life is really like."

"You didn't get enough of it?" Will asked, his eyes slightly wary now that Elizabeth had invoked Norrington's specter. "It was a grand adventure but we need to settle into our real lives now, don't we?"

Elizabeth smiled and stroked his cheek. "If I keep my feet on dry land, Mr. Turner, why can I not let my dreams sail the ocean, hmmm?"

"I suppose there's no reason not to, my love," Will sighed and realized he had to go to tea now. He couldn't let Norrington spend any significant amount of time alone with the one he loved, could he? It could be disastrous. His hand stung suddenly so bad that he had to shake it. He looked at his palm but the scar remained the same. "I'll be to tea tomorrow, sweetheart. I love you. Pleasant dreams, my dear."

"Pleasant dreams to you, my pirate. I love you." Elizabeth answered and then started off to where Peggy waited impatiently. Will waved half-heartedly at the woman and received a vicious glare in exchange.

He watched Elizabeth walk away until he could no longer see the pale blue of her dress amid the crowd in the street. He turned back to the sunset and, for just a second, caught his breath as he thought he spotted a black ship with black sails against the horizon. A blink of his eyes, though, and she was gone.

Despite the happiness in his heart that he would finally be marrying the woman he loved, there was a ghastly sinking sensation in his gut. Unlike Elizabeth, he knew a pirate's life was brutal and, generally, short. Jack was an exceptional pirate, having lived to near two-score and looking as good as he did while drinking and suffering as much as he had. That was where Will's guts began to really squirm.

For the last two weeks, he'd dreamed every night of Jack Sparrow and the Black Pearl. When Elizabeth appeared in those dreams, she was giving her hand to James Norrington. They would then walk away. What disturbed him most about that was that his heart was absolutely aglow with happiness at the notion. The dream ended most nights with him taking the hand of a pirate and leaning down to kiss those demonically sensual lips through that damned beard.

He knew that most of society disapproved of men loving other men. In fact, there were even laws against it. That Jack Sparrow had been his father's long-time lover had come as a serious shock. To learn, further, that Jack had similar feelings for him was even more stunning. When Jack had gone over the edge of that parapet and been rescued by the Black Pearl, only Elizabeth's sweet lips on his, her warm fragrance in the air, her body pressed against him had kept him from weeping openly or throwing himself over the edge as well.

Last night, though, the hunger had gotten to him. He'd dreamt of not just kissing Jack. He'd dreamt that he shared Jack's life, his bed included, and there had been no feeling of regret or longing for Elizabeth. He turned his back on the ocean as the final degree of the sun's disk disappeared and headed back for the smithy. He had work to do. Work was good because if he worked enough, he fell into such a deep sleep that he had no strength to dream.

Elizabeth spread the samples of fabric across her chest as she stood before the mirror. She loved the way the silk looked on her but the velvet would be warmer. She hummed lightly as she moved about the room. Who knew there were so many shades of white? It had never occurred to her before.

One caught her eye, though. It was called "sail white" and reminded her of the sails on the Interceptor or the Dauntless. Something about the shine of it made her remember saying "as a wedding gift" and seeing James' handsome face against a backdrop of that color. At the time, she had sensed he was teetering, not quite decided, and that it was Jack Sparrow, offering his lecherous hands up to be manacled, who had finally pushed Norrington over the edge. She had understood it then. James had only thought he loved her. It was the pirate, though, that won his heart.

She had never realized that one man could fall so deeply for another. Of course, there was always speculation about pirates and sailors. Men had so much lust within them, what else could they do when at sea for months at a time? But a deep, emotional commitment between two men was unheard-of, she thought. Until she'd seen the look pass between James and Jack.

She had known, at that moment, that she would never be loved by James the way that scalawag was. She could only hope that his heart wasn't too broken by being jilted by the pirate. What other explanation could there be for Sparrow kidnapping the Commodore, keeping him for several weeks, then releasing him back here unharmed?

A knock at her door brought her out of her daydream. In her imagination, James Norrington knelt on one knee before her and asked for her hand in marriage. Will, of course, would have been devastated, perhaps even would have challenged James to a duel. Just in time, Jack Sparrow would sail in to take her away from both of them. Elizabeth shuddered with delicious horror at the thought. Despite her outward display, she truly did find the real pirate in her life most attractive--when he kept his mouth shut, that is.

"Miss Elizabeth?" The voice of Strella, the downstairs serving maid, called.

"Just a moment," Elizabeth sighed, set the fabric in her hand aside, and went to the door. "Yes?"

"Beggin' yer pardon, Miss, but yer father would like t' see you in his study, if you please?" Strella was unhappy that she had been reassigned to work the downstairs rather than to serve as Elizabeth's maid.

Elizabeth smiled at her. "Thank you, Strella, please tell him I'll be down in a moment. How are the plans for your wedding coming? It's three weeks, isn't it?"

Strella beamed. "Yes, Miss. Adam has been treatin' me like a queen. My mum and da bought me a beautiful gown to wear. O'course, nothin' so grand as yours will be but, still. I don't really want to leave yer employ but Adam says he'll need my help in running the dry goods. It sounds so nice."

"It certainly does," Elizabeth said and went to put her slippers on so that she would be properly dressed to enter her father's study. Strella went on down to relay her message.

The thought crossed her mind to slide down the banister when she came to the top of the stairs but she decided to be sensible and descend the stairs with nothing more than a spring in her step. When they returned from their adventure, Will told her that he would be shaving off the beard and mustache but she had begged him not to. She told him it made him look more mature. The reality was that it made him look more like a pirate.

She knocked lightly at the door of her father's study but didn't wait to be bid to enter. As she stepped into the room, she was stunned to see James Norrington there. He glanced over at her and smiled in genuine pleasure.

"Commodore?"

"Elizabeth," He took her hand then and kissed it, something he'd never done before. She turned to her father.

"You wanted to see me?"

"Yes, I did. I realize you are busy with your wedding plans and all but Commodore Norrington would like to speak with you. I shall cede the field to you both. If you need me, I'll be in the drawing room."

Weatherby Swann had noticed his daughter's look of stunned surprise when Norrington had taken her hand and kissed it with a feeling of hope in his heart. If James Norrington, using the techniques of pursuit that Jack Sparrow had taught him, could not woo and win Elizabeth's heart, he would simply take the girl to England with him when he left in a month. He stepped into the salon and closed the door though he hovered just outside it, hoping to hear something telling.

"Commodore, I heard about your-your kidnapping. It must have been dreadful for you," Elizabeth said, taking her hand gently from Norrington's.

James hesitated then smiled at her again. "There were moments, I admit, when I feared for my life. Overall, however, Captain Sparrow was a gracious, if uncivilized host. Honestly, I would hate to face him in battle but he is an honorable foe. In fact, he would not have released me if I hadn't saved his life."

"You saved his life? How?"

The expression on Elizabeth's face, the intense thirst for adventure, stirred Norrington's heart. He had her undivided attention now. He was not going to give that up. First, win Elizabeth, he told himself, then push Turner away. He regretted the deceit but he knew there was no other way. He launched into a carefully expurgated version of his story. Suddenly, the girl on the Sparrow was beautiful and Jack had been breathtaken by her. Anamaria shared Jack's bunk. He confessed to nearly falling for Jeannette, a tragic maiden in Trinidad. Finally, he relayed the tale of diving into the sea between two ships--a most dangerous place to be even when not engaged in battle—to save the life of his pirate host. When he finished, Elizabeth assaulted him with dozens of questions. They talked well past the dinner hour and it was only when the footman came in to extinguish the candles for the night that they realized it was near midnight.

"I didn't realize it was so late," Elizabeth said, rising. "You are coming to tea tomorrow, are you not, James?"

Norrington bowed with a crooked smile. "That invitation is impossible for me to resist. I will be most delighted to be here."

"I invited Will too. He was just talking about Jack this afternoon. He will be interested to hear your story as well." She said, her face glowing.

"Excellent," Norrington said, still regarding her pleasantly. "I will be happy to tell Mr. Turner what transpired. Now, my lady, I know that you are engaged but I should like to violate etiquette, with your permission?"

Elizabeth's eyes widened in curiosity. "Of course."

Without warning, James leaned in and kissed her, chastely, as he had Jack Sparrow the last time he'd seen him. When he drew back, she was staring up at him in total shock. He winked at her then turned to leave the room.

"C-Commodore!" Elizabeth gasped and he turned back at the sound, his eyebrows raised in inquiry. "You kissed me."

Norrington let a Jack Sparrow-like grin cross his face and nodded. "Yes, love, I did. Tomorrow at tea, then?"

Then he was gone without waiting for her response. Elizabeth sat down in the armchair in the dark study while her head swam. Something had changed James Norrington in a way that she was totally unprepared for. She, of course, knew that something had to be Jack Sparrow.

The ship rocked beneath his feet and he looked around. Here, again, on the Interceptor. Jack stood just a foot or two away, giving him that look of reluctance and soft pain, as though the words he was about to say hurt.

"I knew 'im. Probably one the few who knew him as William Turner , everyone else just called him Bootstrap or Bootstrap Bill." He returned to the wheel of the Interceptor.

"Bootstrap?" He heard himself say.

"Good man, good pirate," Jack turned to give him a look. "I swear you look jus' like him."

"It's not true. He was a merchant sailor; a good respectable man who obeyed the law," The protest came out of him as it always did but with much less conviction.

Jack did that head bobbing thing that meant he was exasperated then turned and growled, "He was a bloody pirate an' a scallywag!"

"My father was not a pirate," Will said quietly and stepped toward Jack. "But I am."

He grabbed Jack by the lapels and pulled him forward to receive his kiss. For a moment, Jack responded and he heard a soft moan from the pirate.

Then Jack broke away, glaring at him. "You don't know what yer doin', whelp. Yer playin' with fire here. Don't ask me t' turn back once ye've launched us on this course. Neither love nor ships work like that."

"So," Will heard himself breathe. "Set sails full."

The next he knew, Jack and he were in a bed. Jack's hard, hot body moved obscenely beneath him as he drove his manhood up into the pirate's body. "Easy, whelp, wait until the opportune moment . . ."

Will woke himself out of the dream as the orgasm ripped through him. He was laying in the small bunk in the back of the smithy, his face buried in his pillow. He'd worked until the wee hours of the morning but it hadn't helped. He pressed his left hand across the lower half of his face and his lips brushed the scar on his palm. For a moment, he could almost hear Jack, "Ah, love, I don't like t' see so much pain. 'Tain't right, whelp, 'tain't right a 'tall." He could hear Mr. Brown stirring in the smithy and knew he was getting up very late. He threw off the covers and began to yank on his clothing.

"Just shut up, Jack," He spoke softly but addressed the voice in the back of his head. "Just shut the hell up and leave me alone."

When he heard the laugh, he snatched up a cloth and bound it tight about his left hand. Just one day without that voice in the back of his head or those eyes appearing before him at the most inopportune times would be a blessing and a relief. He pulled on his stockings and shoes then went to join Mr. Brown.

Elizabeth woke with a gasp. She couldn't remember the entire dream but there had been a distinctly unpleasant edge to the feelings it evoked. The more she thought about it, the more she remembered that Jack Sparrow had featured prominently in it. There had also been a death. Whose death she couldn't recall. She decided she didn't want to remember and rose.

When she descended the stairs later, she was wearing a burgundy day-gown with white piping across the bodice and white lace on the sleeves. She joined her father at breakfast feeling somewhat melancholy. He noticed after a while, primarily because she wasn't smiling and chatting as usual.

"What's wrong, dear?"

She sighed. "Do you remember on the Dauntless?"

"Elizabeth, I thought we had decided not to discuss that."

"Father, please, I need to talk about this. It's got nothing to do with the pirates, I promise."

Swann smiled grimly and nodded. "Very well. What on the Dauntless?"

"Well," Elizabeth pursed her lips and frowned. "Do you remember what you said about the right decision made for the wrong reasons?"

Swann nodded. "Of course, my dear. 'Even a good decision if made for the wrong reasons can be a wrong decision.' You aren't having second thoughts about marrying Mr. Turner?"

Elizabeth smiled sweetly. "No, of course not. I just-James seems so different since he was kidnapped. As if-As if Jack Sparrow has taken over his soul! But that's impossible. It's just--troubling."

Swann reached over and patted her hand. "Trust yourself, my dear. If your heart says you belong with Will Turner, then do what you must. I'm certain James Norrington has several other prospective wives. He's handsome, charming and a commodore. Many women would be more than happy to share his life."

For a brief moment, Elizabeth felt an odd pang of jealousy. Of course, she knew that James would have to find another woman to be his wife but the thought hurt. She decided not to dwell on it though she couldn't put it entirely out of her mind. "I know. I guess I just regret that I had to hurt him. I do care for him on some level, I guess."

"Yes, that was regrettable," He murmured comfortingly then returned to reading the missives he'd received the day before, making a game effort to hide the smile that threatened to break across his face.

Elizabeth went about the rest of the day in much the same way as she always did. She went to visit some of the other wives and daughters of politicians or plantation holders in the morning then returned at noon to start the staff on preparing for the tea later. At a few minutes after four, there was a knock on the door. Hanson, the new butler, answered the door and escorted the Commodore into the drawing room. Elizabeth stood to greet him as another knock made Hanson return to the door. James approached with a pleased smile.

"Elizabeth, if I may be so bold, you look exquisite. Have you done something different with your hair?" James asked then leaned forward to brush his lips across her cheek.

An intake of air from across the room told her that Will had arrived. "Elizabeth?"

"Will, come join us. James is going to regale us with tales of his adventures aboard the Black Pearl," She said and reached for the blacksmith's hand to draw him into the little circle.

Elizabeth made herself comfortable on the settee where she could see both her guests and pour tea if necessary. Will and James each took one of the nearby upholstered chairs. James was smiling all the while he spoke, asking Will about the smithy and his plans then turning the conversation to Elizabeth and their wedding plans. Will started out looking bored then his mood progressed rapidly downward, his scowl deepening the more Norrington spoke. Elizabeth was too busy enjoying Norrington's adventures to notice. Will's mouth dropped open when James Norrington reached for Elizabeth's hand and held it as he spoke.

It didn't take long for Will to wish he'd brought his sword. Maybe I could cut out his tongue before I throw myself on the blade, Will thought darkly. Every other word out of his mouth is Jack this or Jack that. I never thought I'd learn to detest that name. The worst part was that he could see, in his mind's eye, Jack doing what James was telling them about. He could see Jack grinning wickedly at the shrewish woman's squawks or humming as he stood at the wheel of the Pearl. But underneath the story, he suspected he knew what Norrington wasn't saying. Norrington told them he had slept in the captain's bunk and Will assumed that Jack had slept there too. He nearly spilled his tea when Norrington spoke of rescuing Jack from drowning during a battle with a naval vessel. He tried to avoid listening when James Norrington told them that Jack had delivered him safely to the cove just a few miles from Port Royal.

Elizabeth kept smiling over at him every so often so he had to smile back. She glanced over at him expectantly when James finished his story. Will didn't realize he was done at first. After a moment, he smiled strangely and spoke. "Well, that was interesting."

"Interesting?" Elizabeth said, looking at Will searchingly. "Aren't you happy to hear that Jack is doing well?"

"Well," Will paused and heard a ghostly chuckle in the back of his mind. "Certainly. So, Commodore, what are your plans now?"

Norrington smiled. "My plans are to continue hunting pirates and find myself a suitable wife--preferably a beautiful one."

At that, he glanced over at Elizabeth. For Will, it was the last straw.

"I'm sorry, Elizabeth, but I have to go. I have work to do," Will stood and the others followed suit. "I'll see you tomorrow then?"

Elizabeth gave him a teasing look. "I'm not sure, Will. I may be receiving visitors for most of the day. How about you, James?"

Norrington bowed to her. "Unfortunately, my lady, I must attend to some business that has been building for a while. There's a Spanish privateer by the name of Moreno who is reported to be in the area raiding merchant vessels. My men and I will be shipping out tomorrow in pursuit of him. I probably should be going as well."

"Well, then, good-night to the both of you." She offered her hand to Will who lifted it to his lips and kissed it tenderly. When she offered her hand to Norrington, he drew her close, kissed her palm then tenderly stroked a hand across her cheek while gazing searchingly into her eyes.

"Good night, darling," He said then, with a smirk at Will, he turned and left the room.

Elizabeth turned back to him, a slightly dazed expression on her face. Will opened his mouth to say something then thought better of it. With an expression of resignation, he left the room.

He ended up leaving the mansion before Norrington. He was down the stairs when the voice reached him.

"Mr. Turner, I would like a word with you."

Will heard the voice behind him and groaned silently. Norrington hadn't done enough to him this evening? Making advances toward Elizabeth before his very eyes? Talking almost incessantly about Jack? As if he needed more reminders of Jack! He stopped and turned toward Norrington.

"Commodore, I would love to engage you in conversation but I do have work yet to do tonight. I-."

To his utter shock, the Commodore pulled his wig off and stuck it in his pocket. He ran his fingers through his hair then regarded Will with a serious look. "We need to talk, man to man, somewhere private."

Sensing that this conversation could change his life, Will sighed. "Where?"

They ended up at Norrington's home, a small, Spartan dwelling not terribly far from the fort. The Commodore lit some candles and a lantern. "Please have a seat. May I call you William?"

Will sat down on a bow back chair at the table. When he heard that name spoken aloud, the name Jack had used for him, his stomach twisted. After a moment, he replied. "Please, call me Will. I-William is someone else."

"I see," Norrington said and set a bottle of rum down with two tankards. He sat down in the chair opposite Will and poured them both some rum. "Who is William, if not you?"

"Please, Commodore, isn't it a bit late in the day to start a metaphysical discussion?"

"Call me James," Norrington said. "Try the rum. It's actually quite good compared to some of the swill Jack likes."

"Could you please stop talking about him?" Will thought he would explode if one more word about the pirate captain came from the Commodore's lips. "Honestly, you sound like you're in love with--him."

Their eyes met. After a minute, Norrington spoke. "And what would you say if I said I was?"

Will smiled oddly after a moment. "I'd say—I don't know. I-How could you leave him if you really love him?"

Norrington took a drink of rum and spoke quietly. "It wasn't easy. I had a major struggle with myself to admit that I could love a man, let alone that one. When I finally understood what he meant to me, it was a terrible blow to learn that he didn't feel the same way toward me. Oh, we might have been happy, had I been willing to give up my career. But he could never be mine in the same way, as I eventually figured out."

"Elizabeth?"

James chuckled flatly. "Believe it or not, Will, she's very much like him. That spirit, that sense of adventure in life, that passion--I can live without Jack if I can have Elizabeth for my own. I fully intend to win her from you, Will, if I possibly can. She loves you a great deal."

"Thanks for the warning," Will muttered bitterly.

"You're welcome," Norrington flashed a smile that was nearly Sparrow-worthy. "I apologize if speaking about Jack discomfits you, Will. The truth of the matter is that my time with him changed me profoundly. It is hard for me to imagine how much more joy my life could contain if I had just met Jack even a year ago. I know for a fact that Elizabeth and I would be married now."

"How can you be so sure?" Will said, raising his chin to glare at the officer.

"Because I learned from the master. Think about it this way, Will. Of those of us who all had contact with Jack Sparrow, how many of us detest him? Or even just dislike the man? Elizabeth speaks of him with disdain but I saw the look in her eyes when he was around."

Will nodded and shrugged. "I suppose you're right."

"Of course I am," James chuckled. "Hell, my friend, one of my officers is in love with him without having even met the man. That's disturbing because it shows just how powerful Jack Sparrow is. My question to you, Mr. Turner, is this: How do you feel about the good pirate?"

"He's my friend," Will responded immediately.

"He's more than that and you know it, Will."

"You're right," Will said after a moment. "He's also the only link I have to my father. I guess that makes him--family."

Norrington laughed softly. "So you admit he's more than just a friend to you."

Will nodded. "All right, you have me there. He's more than just a friend."

For several minutes, Norrington remained silent. Will realized that his hand felt better than it had in weeks the entire time he'd been in Norrington's presence. That puzzled him. Finally, the Commodore broke the silence.

"I didn't tell you the whole truth when I said I'd rescued Jack." James gave him a gentle look. "He hadn't just hit his head and fallen in the water."

"What do you mean?" Will's head came up, his eyes suddenly dark with concern.

"I mean that his injuries were more serious than just a bump on the head," Norrington drew a breath and obviously struggled to continue, a sight that was very alarming to Will. "Jack-he'd been shot, a hole blown through him. He nearly died."

Will's face paled and he swallowed hard. "I would never have known. I almost lost him and I'd--."

At the words, Norrington smiled ruefully and lowered his gaze. "There it is. And you didn't even touch your rum! It's a good thing no one needs to torture you for information, Will Turner. You have a fatal flaw in that love of yours for Jack Sparrow."

"But I love Elizabeth!"

Norrington shrugged. "Of course you do. Not to belabor the point, but loving one is not mutually exclusive of loving the other."

"You're lying," Will said. He stood and stepped away from the table. "You are lucky my sword is at home or I might call you out here and now. You've declared your intentions and-and your 'accomplishments'. I advise you to stay far away from me in the future, Commodore. And from Elizabeth as well."

Norrington looked up at him with a glint of amusement in his eyes. "What about Jack?"

Will started to speak then thought better of it. He spun on his heel and marched out the door.

For several minutes, the Commodore contemplated what he'd learned in the last few days. Jack Sparrow had feelings for him but they were nothing as deep as his feelings for one Will Turner. Will Turner had feelings for Jack Sparrow that were comparably deep although he refused to acknowledge them. Elizabeth Swann, lovely little minx that she was, might one day soon be his. And his own heart was out at sea on the Black Pearl. Caught between the whirlpool and the monster, James Norrington slammed the table with his fist. "Damnation!"