Heart of the Abyss (A Pirate's Tale)

Heart of the Abyss (A Pirate's Tale) - 6th Chapter

Chapter 6

Nobility against Piracy in the Face of Love

Catherine was, for the seventh time, was locked up in her room, as her father had the same dreadful visitor every morning for the past seven days: Admiral Gregson.

She met the admiral the day Jeremy escaped from Port Royal seven days past when he forced his way into Jeremy's home. She had just come out from the kitchen.

The admiral that day has just stepped in from the front door that was unhinged forcefully, and he was stumped to see her in her full glory.

"Why, it's the governor's daughter," Gregson remarked as if entranced. "What are you doing in a criminal's house at so early an hour?"

Though his words were courteous enough, his referral to Jeremy as a criminal summed up his conviction about him, which was "a pompous, witless and old git", as he looked severely old despite his young age, and this improved her already sullen mood.

"I came to visit my fiancé, but it seems he's not home," she replied in feigned innocence.

"Well, I'm afraid your father will soon have a different view on him," he said in the same pompous manner that irritated her further. The admiral then turned to one of his men. "Search the house. We do have two persons to arrest this day."

It turns out that Lady Cassandra was also tried behind her back, and she was convicted of being associated with a pirate, thereby condemning her of the same fate as Jeremy. However, the esteemed mistress was a step ahead of them all.

"There's no one else in this house!" one of the soldiers on the top floor shouted out.

"What?!" the admiral became red up to his temples with anger, but this mood turned sweet when he turned back to Catherine.

"M'lady, I suggest you return home," he said tenderly to her. " I'll send some of my men with lest that scoundrel Bloodrose turns up at the governor's mansion."

And from then on, the admiral came every morning to dine with her and his father, making himself look good and impressive to the governor. Her father, unfortunately, fell to the lies of the admiral's charade.

"Oh, yes you're right about him," Governor La Cruzette agreed with the foul things Gregson has been saying about Jeremy. "I never thought he would go so low as to acquaint himself with a pirate. He's a scoundrel through and through, and I fell for his lies! I even thought of marrying my daughter off to the likes of him!"

"Well, that certainly can be changed," the admiral hinted, even scratching his chin methodically to make it obvious.

"Well, you're a fine and honest man..." the governor appraised the admiral, and so great was Catherine's irritation to find that her father had picked up on Gregson's hint. From that day forward, a scowl became her permanent face for the last seven days so far.

To make things more complicated, she never went down to eat breakfast, luncheon or dinner, but asked that her meals be sent to her room, as she never wanted to see the admiral's face ever again.

The governor, eventually, had enough.

On the morning of the seventh day since her first meeting with the admiral, the governor went in her room along with her breakfast, his face fuming with anger.

"I will not tolerate this anymore!" he vented out to Catherine.

"What?" Catherine asked, her own fury coloring her tone.

"You have never acted this way before, yet look what you have done! You continue to stay here like some hermit refusing to be with the world!"

"Well then, kick Admiral Gregson out and you will see me downstairs again."