DISCLAIMER: No, I don’t own any characters of Pirates of the Caribbean, they are all Disney. As for Jennifer, Emily, and Evelyn they are all MINE.

Also, here’s a WARNING (no, no smut…at least not yet), there will be some ‘our uncle Beckett is a butt face and hasn’t visited his injured niece’ stuff going on here, so CB fans you have been warned!

Chapter 16: Returning and Maturity

Jennifer Ashby walked quietly into her sister’s hospital room, quietly closing the door behind her. She was still holding onto Evelyn Beckett’s reticule, which now seemed so heavy in her hands despite it being incredibly light for someone such as Evelyn. Jenny didn’t know why it felt so heavy, it just did.

“Jenny?” she looked up to meet Emily’s concerned gaze, only to shrug and look back down. “Jenny, what happened?” the elder Ashby took a few breathes before settling herself down into a chair opposite her sister and uncle.

“Evelyn Beckett was in a carriage accident—“

“Jolly good then!”

“Emily!” Jenny and James said in unison shock. True, any Beckett was a monster and a pain to deal with, but actually being pleased that someone was hurt was just out of line—for anyone. Jenny narrowed her eyes, and lowered her voice, and Emily knew she was in for it.

“Emily, carriage accidents are bad. People die from carriage accidents. Emily,” she said slowly, as if she was talking to a child, paused as she leaned towards her sister intently, “she’ll probably die. And if she miraculously survives, she’ll most likely be crippled for the rest of her life. Shunned. Disgraceful to her family. Do you understand?” Emily rolled her eyes.

“Yes, I understand, but it’s not like her uncle can’t pay—“

“He’ll most likely put her off on the streets if she survives.” Jenny said quietly. Both girls became silent, which is before they both looked up at James with serious eyes. “Uncle James, would you put us out into the streets if we were to suddenly become crippled?” Jenny asked.

“Of course not, that would be the very dead last thing on my mind. I’d be more concerned if you girls were going to make it through the night than worry about throwing you out into the street.” This satisfied the girls as they all turned their attention to the reticule now sitting on Emily’s bed.

“What do we do with it?”

“Obviously we need to return it…”

“But she’ll probably die anyways! Let’s raid it!”

“NO!”

“What?! It’s true!”

“Emily, she’s not dead yet, how can you think such a thing?!” Emily, giving up with this conversation, leaned back against her pillows and stuck out her lower lip in full pout mode, and much to her disappointment, she was being ignored as her uncle and sister tried to figure out when they should return the reticule back to Evelyn.

“We can’t return it to her now, she’s probably sleeping, or worse…” Jenny didn’t finish her sentence, secretly wishing that Evelyn wasn’t dying. Who knew? Maybe Evelyn would have a change of heart and become pleasant for once.

“I completely agree with you. However, we can’t have it for too long because then it would look like we are trying to keep it.”

“But what if she does die? That means we have to call on Lord Beckett!” Emily blurted out from where she lay, and all three of them froze as the thought dawned upon them.

“Well…how about this. I shall simply return it to Miss. Beckett in a short while, completely alone. It might do her comfort to have someone her own age with her…” Emily snorted. Yes Jennifer, let us see how well she handles you. She has nothing but wonderful thoughts about us…

Sometimes it was a good thing Jenny couldn’t tune into Emily’s thoughts.

XXXXX

After quickly refreshing herself up, Jenny walked with a determined stride towards Evelyn Beckett’s room. As Emily would put it, she was walking towards “Hell.”

“Oh this is ridiculous. She’s probably not even conscious.” Jenny muttered under her breath as she approached the door. She was about to knock when the door opened, and an exhausted looking young lady stepped out, clearly lost in her own little world, bumped straight into Jenny who made a small ‘oof’ sound.

“Oh! I am terribly sorry, I didn’t see you standing there…I was in my own little world.” The young lady apologized, her face turning a deep shade of red.

“Please, don’t trouble yourself; I…can understand what it is like when a loved one is on the line.” The young lady nodded in agreement. Then suddenly, her eyes widened, and she looked Jenny straight in the eye; leaving Jenny to guess that she was somehow related to the Becketts’.

“Forgive my rudeness, but I do believe that we’ve never met. I am Marcella Beckett…er…Evelyn’s younger sister.” Marcella said with a curtsey. Jenny inclined her head before finished the introductions.

“Pleased to meet you Miss. Beckett. I am Jennifer Ashby, George Ashby’s eldest daughter…”

“Excuse me for prying, but why are you in the Caribbean? Your father isn’t here…is he?” Jenny shook her head.

“No, actually, we, as in my younger sister Emily and I, are here visiting our uncle, Commodore Norrington.” Marcella got an odd look on her face, and Jenny immediately regretted telling Marcella about James.

“I’ve heard a great deal about your uncle at Uncle Beckett’s manor…” she trailed off but one look at Jenny quickly sent her to reassure her, “…but if it makes you feel any better…” she paused and lowered her voice, signaling to Jenny that Evelyn was indeed awake. “I don’t believe a word of it. I’ve gone around town and port, and I have heard nothing but wonderful things about your uncle. Granted, Governor Swann doesn’t favor him much, and I don’t know why—“

“Marcella, who are you talking to out there?” the voice could only, naturally, belong to Evelyn. Marcella’s face paled.

“Tell her she has a guest…wait; do you think she’ll see me without being arrogant?” Jenny asked quickly, trying desperately not to delay Marcella’s answer. Marcella looked panicked for a moment before shaking her head, her way of gaining what little control she had with the situation.

“Marcella.” Evelyn was an impatient person.

“Just a moment, if you please.” Marcella said quietly to Jenny before she opened the door, and with as much elegance she could possibly manage, managed to report that Evelyn had a guest.

“Well send them in.” Evelyn snapped. Marcella came back and motioned for Jenny to enter the room. Taking a deep breath, and duly noting how much sanity she had, Jenny entered the dimly lit room. In all honesty, the room did not smell all that terrible, Jenny concluded as she stepped to the foot of the bed. Evelyn was lying down, awake, and wrapped in several bandages…and she looked like she was in intense pain. She turned her head and opened her mouth to welcome her guest, but stopped suddenly with her mouth hanging open at the sight of Jenny.

“What do you want?” she spat, and it took Jenny all of her self control of chiding Emily on her behavior, not to do so with Evelyn. This was going to be a civil meeting if Jenny had anything to say about it.

“I believe that in the rush to get you to a room and start working on you, the staff dropped this on the floor.” Jenny held up the reticule and Evelyn gasped.

“How did you come across it?”

“Is it yours?” Evelyn nodded. “We heard the commotion and when I went to investigate, it was right there on the floor in front of me. I also talked to a nurse who confirmed it to be yours.” Ever so slightly switching gears, Evelyn’s tone of voice changed and Jenny couldn’t believe that this was the same girl who was so nasty on the journey to Port Royal, let alone related to Lord Beckett.

“Marcella, could you get that for me?” Evelyn asked sweetly. Marcella looked stunned; at either the request, the tone of Evelyn’s voice, or both….Jenny couldn’t tell. Complying, she came forward, offering to take it from Jenny’s hand. Jenny handed it over, never taking her eyes off of Evelyn, who also was scrutinizing her up.

Jenny didn’t understand Evelyn. Granted, Marcella was her sister and she probably had somewhat of a soft spot for her….but it almost seemed to Jenny that there was no easy living with Evelyn. An awkward silence filled the air as Marcella gave Evelyn her reticule. Neither Beckett would look at each other, Evelyn stubbornly looking down at the bed sheets, not wanting to have to thank Jenny for her services. Marcella looked at Jenny and smiled weakly. Jenny cleared her throat.

“I suppose I should get going, Emily will be wondering what is taking me so long…”

“Does the Commodore have it in him to be at your sister’s sick bed, Jennifer?” Evelyn asked with no trace of rudeness in her voice.

“Yes, he cares very much about our welfare…he was very concerned for Emily last night. I don’t think he slept much at all…why do you ask? I have no doubt that your uncle will dote on you when you return to his estate…” she trailed off, noticing the look on both girls’ faces.

“Uncle Cutler hasn’t arrived yet.” Marcella said quietly. “Do you think he even cares about you, about me?”

“Uncle Cutler is a busy man Marcella, he doesn’t have time to come and visit me here.” Evelyn snapped. Marcella shrunk back. Thinking that it was high time that this visit come to a close, Jenny smiled graciously.

“I think I shall take my leave…again. Thank you for your time Evelyn, Marcella. I do hope that nothing was stolen from your possession in the short time frame that your reticule was out of your hands. Good day.” Jenny finished with a stiff curtsey and quickly departed. She rushed back to Emily’s room, replaying the last conversation before she hastily departed. So Beckett hasn’t visited his niece.

She wasn’t really surprised. Even though she had never met Lord Beckett, from what she had heard around town, what little information she had managed to receive from Elizabeth and from the plain observation on Evelyn’s continuous boasting, Lord Beckett didn’t strike her as the type of man to come visit his niece, despite her condition in the infirmary.

She had reached Emily’s room and knocked. She entered the room at Emily’s call and she finally realized that how tired she really was. She looked around the room and panic overtook her. James was gone.

“Jenny what took—“

“Where’s Uncle James?” she sputtered. Emily looked puzzled for a moment before her face cleared and she smiled.

“Have no worries sister, Uncle James went to get our carriage and to sign me out. He’ll be back in a few minutes. Anyways, what took you so long with Evelyn? Don’t tell me she offered you tea!” Jenny snorted.

“Yes, Evelyn Beckett offered me tea and crumpets and we had a jolly good time.” She said sarcastically. “But she’s wrapped up good, but still prideful none the less. According to both her and Marcella, Beckett hasn’t visited Evelyn yet.” All was silent as Emily absorbed this bit of news. Finally she spoke.

“Did she even thank you for returning her reticule?” she asked quietly. Jenny shook her head. Emily’s eyes narrowed, and her body went rigid. For a brief moment, Jenny thought that Emily was going to have another outburst. But it never came. Emily let out a huge breath, still rigid.

“Well, she’s not worth our time. If she can’t even thank you for returning her reticule in the condition that you found it in—and I’m assuming that you didn’t steal anything, she should be grateful. I have the feeling that some of the staff here are more than willing to pick pocket someone’s purse while they are indisposed and unable to protect it as they normally would.” Jenny could only gape at her sister, surprised at the show of maturity that her sister had just performed.

“Jenny, why are you ogling at me? Do I have something on my gown? I know it’s a wretched piece of clothing, but it’s the only thing that the infirmary had…I couldn’t very well leave wearing what I came in last night.” Jenny shook her head, bemused.

“I say Emily, one day you’re are full of drama, fall down some stairs hit your head and the next day you act as the mature young lady that you ought to have been for the past few years!” Emily smiled feebly.

“Yes, Uncle James commented on that, and I told her that I have decided that it’s about time that I change my attitude on the way of life…when I asked Elizabeth if she think I would get a suitor, I asked her to point out flaws that I had and she—timidly of course—told me that I should maybe draw less unwanted attention to myself and act dignified…”she trailed off, frowning. “…apparently I’m a very good actress. She told me that I could push my…child-ness acting days behind me. I am a young lady you know; I’m only three years younger than you.” Footsteps were heard outside the slightly opened door and someone knocked quietly, trying not to move the door.

“Uncle James?” the door opened and James poked his head in. He looked tired and Jenny had even more evidence that her theory was correct—either James didn’t sleep at all or he got very little sleep. And that little bit of sleep that he did possible get wasn’t very benefiting.

“The carriage is here and Emily, you are signed out. Are you girls ready to go?” Emily did a quick scan of the room, and seeing that she had gathered what little of her things that she had the night before, she nodded. Jenny and James didn’t even bother gathering anything when they had left the night before; they had remained with Emily the entire duration of the night.

As they walked into the bright Caribbean sunshine and out and away from the confining infirmary walls, Emily felt free again. She felt energized and light. She felt as if she could do anything. As she watched Jenny being aided into the carriage by James, a thought struck her. She could do something…for both James and Jenny. She had James wrapped around her little finger…to a degree, which was all that she would need. And besides, it would help clear that big, large ballroom that Lord knows what is residing in it…

Yes, Emily thought to herself as James helped her into the carriage, this could work. I can get James and Elizabeth together and maybe find someone for Jenny…she stole a quick glance to her sister next to her. Jenny sat gazing out the carriage window, the sunlight slightly silhouetting her figure. Jennifer would be a challenge, but not impossible if she was swayed in the right direction. She never let on to Emily her true feelings on such matters and Emily was sure she could crack the protective barrier around her sister’s thoughts.

She smiled to herself as the carriage lurched before started moving. This should be fun.

A/N: So, there you have it, chapter 16. Chew on that for a while, during which I’ll go get some food…

On another side note, I don’t know if the whole ‘we’ll shun you and put you out onto the street because you’re suddenly crippled’ thing is true, if it’s not, or anything else historically incorrect, I beg you, please let me know (in a nice way)