That perfectly placid expression on her exquisite face changed not an iota, no more nor less than sweetly content - or perhaps just a touch pleasantly confused - as [i]Capitaine[/i] Lightfoot spoke of catching silverfish this night. How quaintly these strange folk talked here in Port Royal, but the well-traveled Antoinette was equal to it all of course, with all the aplomb worthy of a gentlewoman.

But the rogue's stomach flipped, likely only kept in its proper place by this ridiculously tight corset. Oh, she suspected the private conversation between Robert and Thomas did not bode well, but she had [i]no[/i] idea the matter would turn so dire, so quickly. She took an overlong sip of her wine, all the better to wet her suddenly dry tongue. Oh, she'd gotten Thomas' message, loud and clear yet again. But damn it all - this entire venture was going straight to hell -

And then it took a turn straight to the lowest circle of the Abyss, or perhaps one lower than even Dante could have envisioned? Antonia watched, stunned and not even bothering to hide that fact, as Nicolette bolted from their small gathering, wide-eyed and terrified, without a word for a single one of them. Jax, being perpetually Jax-like of course, made some small jest, tapping her shoulder lightly as if to invite her to a game of tag one fine, future day. But there was no hiding the confusion in his eyes either, and the rogue could read the bewilderment on his face writ large as he turned to follow. 

Antonia could spare only a helpless glance to Thomas, the slightest shake of her head to tell him she hadn't the least idea what could have possibly sent Nicolette running, as if she had the very hounds of Hell at her heels. But the Commander had been in the process of greeting a newcomer to their party, and the rogue forced the masque of Antoinette to return her attentions to the man whose company she was meant to be engaging this night.

"Captain Poutreau, so glad you could make it tonight... " The British officer's voice trailed off as he too followed Nicolette's flight, and the helmsman's chase. 

"Well, that was... [i]Unexpected."[/i]

Commander Murray smiled mildly, no more than an upward tilt of a single corner of his mouth. His dark gaze turning toward Thomas with a sardonic little tilt of his head. "Well, I imagine we should not lose all sense of propriety - that simply would not do. Captain Rene Poutreau, this enchanting lady on my arm is Miss Antoinette Greene; and the gentleman here would be Captain Thomas Lightfoot, a very old and [i]dear[/i] friend of mine."

"Remind me again Thomas, what was it we were only [i]just[/i] discussing? Your 'privateer' crew... Wait! It will come to me... Loyal, yes? Fearing neither the roar of a cannon, nor the musket of a soldier and... And... Undeterred by stone walls and royal anger? That [i]was[/i] a more-or-less perfect paraphrase, was it not?" 

He chuckled warmly, shaking his head. "So tell me Captain Lightfoot, what was it that just sent your First Mate to flight? The wine? Sugar plums and petit fours? Oh! I have it! The flower arrangements!"

It was all Antonia could do to titter politely, as if she had not the least idea what joke was being made, but was simply too polite not to at least seem amused. All she could do indeed, to keep her arm entwined in the Commander's without snapping it up behind her dear Robert's back, and burying one of her innumerable hidden blades to the hilt in his neck.

Or in the swarthy French Naval captain. A slow, ugly suspicion was dawning on Antonia, the rogue who heard much, the spider who listened far, far more than she ever spoke.

"First Mate?" [i]Capitaine[/i] Poutreau's eyes followed after [i]la putain[/i] with a grim smile and an incredulous shake of his head. His thickly accented English fairly dripped with contempt, though the smarmy grin never left his thin lips. "You [i]monsieur[/i], made a [i]woman[/i] your First Mate?" The Frenchman snorted his derision with a laugh. 

"Did no one ever tell you, that women have no place aboard a proper ship? What manner of vessel do you captain then, that should take on such... Such... [i]Baggage?[/i]"