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Vignette: 'Diversions at Sea' (J/E - PG)
I wrote this a long time ago, a bit of my post-CotBP A/U that begins with Lost and Found (and Jealous, which is NC-17). ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
hereswith even edited this, but there was a question as to whether or not Elizabeth would actually know how to sew, so I never posted it. However, after reading the Aubrey-Maturin series, in which any self-respecting sailor knows how to "make and mend", and considering that she would at least have sewn samplers as a girl, I feel Elizabeth would certainly have the skill, and wouldn't be above practicing it, particularly as she's only beginning her transition from Will's lady wife, now widowed, to Jack's mate on the Pearl.
~ Diversions at Sea ~
Along with her enjoyment of Jack’s small library, Elizabeth took up sewing to pass the time. Not two days into the voyage, Jack walked into his cabin to find her sitting cross-legged on the sole in a billow of skirts, mending a rent in his coat.
“I must do something to earn my keep here,” she said, looking primly smug.
“Wouldn’t’ve thought you’d even know how – or have the patience!”
She raised her brows. “There are all manner of things you don’t know about me, Captain Sparrow.”
“So it seems, Mrs. Turner,” he replied silkily. “I’m quite willing to be enlightened, however.”
She blushed faintly, but only said, “Your sewing kit is woefully lacking. If I’m to fill the post of captain’s seamstress on this voyage I shall need more supplies.”
“We’ll be dropping anchor at Nassau before we head into the Atlantic. I’ll take you shopping.”
*
They dined at the governor’s home the night they arrived – a new governor, not the one Jack had bamboozled so finely all those years ago. This one was most obsequious to the now-revered privateer captain, and welcomed him and his lovely guest with food and drink of the finest.
“Bit of a fribble,” Jack said privately to Elizabeth, “but he means well.”
“He seems very kind, and looks a most fashionable gentleman,” Elizabeth remarked. “All that lace and embroidery!”
“Aye,” Jack said, dryly, and rolled his eyes.
*
Jack accompanied Elizabeth on her shopping expedition the following day, allowing her free rein in the choosing of materiel for her proposed avocation, though he eyed a few of her purchases with some misgivings.
“What’re all those bright colored skeins of threads for?”
“Not everyone dresses in such subdued tones as yourself.” She looked him up and down, and gave a gurgle of laugher, for though he might favor browns and blacks, and snowy white (aside from accessories), he was still the most piratically flamboyant privateer of her acquaintance.
“Hmmph.” He frowned at her levity, and his own foreboding.
*
His fears were fully realized in the coming weeks as they ventured out into the Atlantic. She quickly accomplished needed repairs, and then began a series of projects designed to enliven her surroundings.
“What the devil’re you doing with my shirt!” he exclaimed one afternoon.
She was again seated there on the sole, in a patch of sun, stitching away industriously. “It’s only blackwork! Like the governor’s shirt. Did you not notice his cuffs when we had dinner with him that night? I thought them excessively elegant.”
“Excessive. Aye, that’s the word, certainly.” Jack ground his teeth a bit, but had to admit (if only to himself) that the pattern she was using was rather pretty. “Just don’t get carried away, all right?”
“What? No colorful birds, or leafy vines, or flowers?”
“Good God, no!” His eyes narrowed. “P’rhaps, Mrs. Turner, I should discover some other engrossing diversion that will occupy your time, seein’ as you’re tempted to make mischief with my clothes.”
She looked up at him, all feigned innocence. “Perhaps you should, indeed, Captain Sparrow. I do enjoy a variety of activities, and somehow I feel sure you will think of something… interesting.”
~.~
hereswith even edited this, but there was a question as to whether or not Elizabeth would actually know how to sew, so I never posted it. However, after reading the Aubrey-Maturin series, in which any self-respecting sailor knows how to "make and mend", and considering that she would at least have sewn samplers as a girl, I feel Elizabeth would certainly have the skill, and wouldn't be above practicing it, particularly as she's only beginning her transition from Will's lady wife, now widowed, to Jack's mate on the Pearl. ~ Diversions at Sea ~
Along with her enjoyment of Jack’s small library, Elizabeth took up sewing to pass the time. Not two days into the voyage, Jack walked into his cabin to find her sitting cross-legged on the sole in a billow of skirts, mending a rent in his coat.
“I must do something to earn my keep here,” she said, looking primly smug.
“Wouldn’t’ve thought you’d even know how – or have the patience!”
She raised her brows. “There are all manner of things you don’t know about me, Captain Sparrow.”
“So it seems, Mrs. Turner,” he replied silkily. “I’m quite willing to be enlightened, however.”
She blushed faintly, but only said, “Your sewing kit is woefully lacking. If I’m to fill the post of captain’s seamstress on this voyage I shall need more supplies.”
“We’ll be dropping anchor at Nassau before we head into the Atlantic. I’ll take you shopping.”
*
They dined at the governor’s home the night they arrived – a new governor, not the one Jack had bamboozled so finely all those years ago. This one was most obsequious to the now-revered privateer captain, and welcomed him and his lovely guest with food and drink of the finest.
“Bit of a fribble,” Jack said privately to Elizabeth, “but he means well.”
“He seems very kind, and looks a most fashionable gentleman,” Elizabeth remarked. “All that lace and embroidery!”
“Aye,” Jack said, dryly, and rolled his eyes.
*
Jack accompanied Elizabeth on her shopping expedition the following day, allowing her free rein in the choosing of materiel for her proposed avocation, though he eyed a few of her purchases with some misgivings.
“What’re all those bright colored skeins of threads for?”
“Not everyone dresses in such subdued tones as yourself.” She looked him up and down, and gave a gurgle of laugher, for though he might favor browns and blacks, and snowy white (aside from accessories), he was still the most piratically flamboyant privateer of her acquaintance.
“Hmmph.” He frowned at her levity, and his own foreboding.
*
His fears were fully realized in the coming weeks as they ventured out into the Atlantic. She quickly accomplished needed repairs, and then began a series of projects designed to enliven her surroundings.
“What the devil’re you doing with my shirt!” he exclaimed one afternoon.
She was again seated there on the sole, in a patch of sun, stitching away industriously. “It’s only blackwork! Like the governor’s shirt. Did you not notice his cuffs when we had dinner with him that night? I thought them excessively elegant.”
“Excessive. Aye, that’s the word, certainly.” Jack ground his teeth a bit, but had to admit (if only to himself) that the pattern she was using was rather pretty. “Just don’t get carried away, all right?”
“What? No colorful birds, or leafy vines, or flowers?”
“Good God, no!” His eyes narrowed. “P’rhaps, Mrs. Turner, I should discover some other engrossing diversion that will occupy your time, seein’ as you’re tempted to make mischief with my clothes.”
She looked up at him, all feigned innocence. “Perhaps you should, indeed, Captain Sparrow. I do enjoy a variety of activities, and somehow I feel sure you will think of something… interesting.”
~.~
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His fears were fully realized in the coming weeks as they ventured out into the Atlantic. She quickly accomplished needed repairs, and then began a series of projects designed to enliven her surroundings.
“What the devil’re you doing with my shirt!” he exclaimed one afternoon.
Something about Jack walking in on Elizabeth sewing more and more, slowly taking up more and more of his space and feeling a little panicky about it all just makes me giggle.
Well done!
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He's wondering what he's gotten himself into at this point. *g* I'm so glad you enjoyed the scene, I had a lot of fun imagining and writing it. Thank you so much for commenting!
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Wonderful fic! :)
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I believe so! Thank you so much for reading and commenting -- I am so glad you enjoyed it!
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A NC17 would enliven a dreary winter day. LOL.......Yours, Nan.
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“Wouldn’t’ve thought you’d even know how – or have the patience!”
Oh, marvelous! I'm certain I've said this to you before, but I've always been of the opinion that while she *could* sew, she hated it, and that her sampler(s) would have had splodges of blood on the edges from where she'd blotted her finger sticks.
“What the devil’re you doing with my shirt!” he exclaimed one afternoon.
and
“Excessive. Aye, that’s the word, certainly.”
Bwahahahaha! Oh, Jack, you know you really like it. ;) Blackwork's an excellent choice on Elizabeth's part.
Absolutely lovely, every bit!
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I posted Lost and Found there in 8/04 but I don't think you were a member yet. Never posted Jealous there since it's NC-17. I am very happy to know you enjoyed them both! And I was so happy you ran across this, I believe it must have come out of that discussion we had about sewing, way back when.
I think this is very likely, when she was a girl, but here she's been happily married to Will for the last five years and has learned all sorts of things, including the fun of taking care of someone you love, and creating beautiful things.
Thank you so much for reading, and for your thoughtful comments.
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(Anonymous) 2010-01-22 02:00 am (UTC)(link)That's an interesting point you make about Jack's costume/wardrobe. I'd noticed in COTBP that the color scheme was that Port Royal and its untainted citizens had a mostly royal blue and gold coloring and the pirates had more earth tones mixed with a bit of sensual red here and there. Notice when Elizabeth is taken, she's given a red dress for example. It's so interesting that even though the majority of Jack's clothes are a bit conventional and dull in color, he is still one of the most flamboyant pirates out there, so easy to spot!
Ha ha, careful, Jack. It's hard to resist pretty clothes from a pretty seamstress!
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Thank you so much for your thoughtful comments!
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Too true, and yes, I did write about that a long time ago, in Best Intensions. Jack's transformation from too-pretty teen to pirate is fascinating to contemplate!
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He does. It's a different sort of relationship than she had with Will, not quite as smooth. But on the other hand, she's grown up, he's become slightly more civilized (not least through his association with James), and it just might be they're ready for something new. I'm so glad you enjoyed this and the other stories -- thank you very much for letting me know.
*hugs*