Jumping To Conclusions

A silly little one-shot that popped into my head after watching CotBP the other day ;)

Summary: Governor Swann overhears Will and Elizabeth, and immediately gets the wrong end of the stick. Silly little one-shot. Pre-CotBP. Rated for suggestiveness.

Governor Weatherby Swann let out a tired sigh as he returned home to his mansion one late afternoon. It really had been a trying day, what with the officials of Port Royal arguing to and fro about whether or not taxes should be raised; the rising numbers of pirate activity in and around Jamaica; and that Lord Dudley, or whatever his name was, boasting loudly about his youngest daughter becoming engaged to the Duke of such and such, and sending furtive glances at Governor Swann, as though daring to ask him why his daughter wasn't yet to be married. The pretentious windbag!

The Governor thought a good, stiff brandy would be just the ticket for a pick-me-up, and then perhaps a good book or maybe a short nap before dinner.

Where was Elizabeth, he wondered. She would normally come to greet him upon his return home, but so far, the Governor had not seen any sign of his daughter.

As he passed the drawing room door, Weatherby could hear muffled voices coming from behind the door.

"Are you sure we ought to be doing this right now?"

"Do not worry yourself. Nobody else is home... "

Governor Swann paused in the action of taking a book from the shelf, paying the voices no mind, until...

"Alright...how about...this?" followed by an appreciative "Ohhh... "

The Governor faltered, nearly tripping as he fumbled to catch his book before it hit the floor.

There were two people speaking - a man and a woman's. As he distinctly heard the female let out an appreciative murmur, followed by the man uttering a quiet chuckle, the Governor froze in shock. Honestly...you turn your back for five minutes and the servants are up to all kinds of... shenanigans. Well, not under this roof, they didn't...not if they wanted to keep their jobs. The Governor had a reputation to uphold, after all. He would not tolerate any...hanky-panky amongst his household staff.

As the Governor squared himself to go and reprimand the wrong-doers, he stopped with his hand on the doorknob, as he heard the speakers again.

"Ohh...yes... "

"Is that satisfactory?" the man asked.

"A little further... further... Down a bit. Oh, that's it, yes... "

Governor Swann stood rooted to the spot, appalled. Those were not the servants' voices at all...it was Elizabeth! And if he wasn't much mistaken, she was accompanied by Will Turner!

"Does that suit you, Miss Swann?"

"How many times, Will? Please...call me Elizabeth, but...oh..." She let out a contented sigh, "Yes, it does."

Weatherby could not stand this anymore. He would not let his only daughter become...despoiled by a lowly blacksmith!

"Oh, Will, that's wonderful!"

"Anything to please the lady... " followed by a small giggle from Elizabeth.

This was more than the Governor could bear anymore! He had to stop this...this...union. Right now. He burst through the drawing room door.

"NOW, SEE HERE, YOUNG MAN - ! I WILL NOT TOLERATE THIS - "

Governor Swann stopped in mid-sentence as his eyes fell upon his daughter, and Turner, who was balancing precariously on a small foot stool, holding up a large painting with an ornate frame against the drawing room wall.

"Father!" greeted Elizabeth with a bright smile. "I wasn't expecting you home so early."

The Governor stuttered. "I-I- I th-thought that - that - "

"Will was just assisting me with hanging your beautiful painting," said Elizabeth.

"We were hoping to have it up before your return home, Governor," smiled Will.

"Father, are you alright?" Elizabeth asked, her brows furrowing with concern. "You look like you have just received a shock."

The Governor gulped. He had never felt so embarrassed in all his life! He tried several times to come up with some sort of feasible, dignified excuse for his sudden and mortifying outburst. In the end, he thought it best that a hasty retreat would be the best solution.

"Well, I - I was just - I will just go and... Good day to you... "

Without a backwards glance, leaving a very bewildered-looking Elizabeth and Will, the Governor slammed the drawing room door closed, hurriedly picking up his dropped book with shaky hands.

Now, he really did need that good, stiff brandy!

Fin