For all that Jax's good-natured wheedling of the Commander amused the rogue for its sheer brazenness, she knew very well that Robert Murray was not a man to anger. He was a good man, but proud - and dangerous - and she could almost [i]hear[/i] the stiffening of his already ramrod straight spine with every jest Jax flippantly let fall from his lips. She doubted her lovely man would be any more pleased with her if [i]she[/i] slipped a blade between Jax's ribs, or let Commander Murray do the job himself. With little doubt, he would be just as vexed if the Fort Charles garrison officer was the one to deprive him of a damn good helmsman.

While her great uncle was otherwise occupied with the sailor who was seemingly less and less injured and more and more animated by the moment, Antoinette reached for her dear Robert's hand as he rode beside her. The gentlewoman smiled up at him softly, surreptitiously behind her lace veil, a smile that said those grey eyes were entirely for him at the moment though she said not a word. A smile that said while the boys might play together for a while, she would far rather pass her time with the attentions of the man beside her.

Antoinette gently squeezed the fingers of his hand, a promise for later that the soldier returned with a warm laugh. The way to the Parakeet was not terribly difficult or convoluted to find - this was Port Royal after all, not London. And Sir Greene was genuinely rapt with the conversation he had with this intriguing young man who, he knew from the moment he spoke, was in [i]no[/i] way a Navy man.

"Oh Master Jax, I am afraid I absolutely must beg your indulgence for another day. I should love to make the acquaintance of your young friend, but we truly [i]do[/i] have prior engagements to meet while my niece is here in Port Royal with us."

"And at any rate, a [i]former[/i] Admiral, simply an old man now who likes to talk far too much." Sir Greene patted the young man's knee, even as his niece turned toward him with genuine concern in her eyes. 

"We are here, Monsieur Jax. The Parakeet, yes?" Antoinette asked, indicating the inn over her shoulder - while the rogue's eyes narrowed with worry - a worry she did nothing to hide from Jax, though neither the erstwhile Commander nor the blind old man could see a thing. Her gaze flicked from Nathaniel, back to Jax once more meaningfully, an unspoken plea there not from the mask of the gentlewoman, but from the rogue within. Taking Robert's offered hand from the back of his horse, Antoinette slid from her side of the carriage seat to the ground to let Jax pass.

"And perhaps on the morrow then, if you would have a moment, kind sir?" she asked, the warm voice of Antoinette just a touch...[i] Strained.[/i] "You and your young friend? My Oncle Nathaniel does not live so far away that the walk should put you out so much, I should hope?"

Sir Greene smiled widely at his Antoinette's words, nodding his head slowly. "Of course! Oh, my niece - always with the brilliant notions. Yes, I should very much like to meet with you and your young friend if you've the chance, and the boy's parents do not mind. Any lover of the skies and the sea, young or old, can only make the very best of companions - do you not agree?"

"Oh!" The elderly man's smile widened and brightened, as that impish light flashed across his face once more. "Speaking of much younger companions? Master Jax, I do believe you should go in my stead this night to a dance with my dear Antoinette and Commander Murray. Of course bring whomever you see fit to accompany you - there should be drink, music and merriment beneath the stars."

Nathaniel clapped his hands together with delight. "Yes! What a positively [i]perfect[/i] solution - what do you say, Commander Murray?"

There was precious little Commander Murray [i]could[/i] say of course, beyond, "[i]Perfect,[/i] Sir Greene." 

Through teeth clenched in something that might have resembled a snarl far, [i]far[/i] more than a gracious smile.

Most days, Nathaniel Greene made peace with the fact of his blindness. But there were days, well [i]moments[/i] really, when he might have been sorely tempted to sell his eternal soul, [i]simply[/i] for the chance to see Antonia's face at times like this...