The three women congregated around the worn and rusty water pump, preparing themselves for a hard nights work. One with bright blonde hair cupped her hands to collect water to wash the dirt off her face, but she'd never be able to wash away the sins.

Even then, I couldn't help feeling envious of their tight, revealing dresses and ruby red lips. The way they could live life on a whim and not look back, for all they knew each second could be their last.

"Crispina!" came a bark from behind me, "Please stop dawdling and come here. We must return home before dark."

I snapped out of my trance and hurried after my husband, not wanting to get myself into trouble.

"You must be careful not to get yourself lost here. Every soul on this island is a sinner, bound to Satan himself!" Pastor Gregory Masters whispered harshly into my ear.

I kept my head down and stared at the dirt path that would eventually lead to our small secluded cottage.

"I won't get lost. I know my way around." I whispered

"I mean lost in a forest of temptation, my girl. You are the only one here that will help me to save the occupants of this wretched island from an eternity of damnation."

I swallowed and nodded, deciding that saying anything more could cause a sermon. It had been a stupid thing to say, we had been in Barbuda for over a year and I still wasn't trusted to go to the marketplace for supplies alone. Any other wife would have been punished for such insolence, but I was lucky to have married such a kind and caring man.

Upon arriving indoors, I helped Gregory off with his cloak and boots and began preparing a supper of bread and plantain. These were they only foods we could afford at the time as the ship carrying the missionary funding had become lost at sea, making us wait for the next one. The stove made the room very hot and strands of hair began to slip from my cap, I failed to notice this until he pointed it out to me as I served him his meal.

"Must I remind you that vanity is a sin?" he said as I laid the plate on the scrubbed wooden table.

"Sorry" I sat down opposite him and fixed it again.

As was ritual, we both bowed our heads in prayer.

"Thank you Lord for this bountiful meal and our good fortune to have such an almighty God. And please, give us strength to continue our humble mission here in Barbuda, to save these sinners from Satan's clutches. Amen."

I glanced up, "Amen."

We ate in silence, until Gregory spoke up, "I hear talk of more pirates arriving at the port. I have a feeling that the Lord is testing us. We shall visit it in the morning to see what can be done."

I nodded, "Yes."

He stood, "I shall be off to bed then." He walked over to my side.

I looked up into his scarred face. He had been one of the ones unfortunate enough to be struck down with small pox on the crossing from England. He only just survived.

He reached down stiffly and pecked my cheek. A dry and awkward gesture that meant a lot to him and very little to me. I cursed myself for being such a bad wife.

"Goodnight."

I sat for a while, staring into the unlit fireplace. Would there really be pirates? And if so, going down to the docks would be very dangerous. My eyes flitted to the box on the mantle and back again. I would ask to take the pistol with us to be safe.

I quickly cleared the dishes and took the oil lamp into the bedroom. Gregory was already fast asleep and snoring loudly so I tiptoed around the bed and changed into my starched white nightdress. Blowing out the lamp, I slipped into bed beside my husband and said a quiet prayer, asking to keep us safe.

It was a particularly hot night, so I had a lot of trouble sleeping. I tossed and turned for what seemed like hours and flung the covers off myself to try and keep cool. I eventually found a position comfortable enough to sleep in, when I thought I heard footsteps outside the house. I sat up, paranoid of a robber, and listened but I heard nothing. Going to lie down again, I stopped and decided that I definitely heard something a second time. I hesitated before deciding not to wake Gregory. I felt that with the pistol I would be safe enough.

I carefully slipped the pistol out of its leather case and gazed and the silver embellished handle. I had thought many times about selling it but I had always stopped myself, thinking about the promise I had made to my father before leaving for the Caribbean. Stay safe at whatever the cost.

Outside was pitch black, but the glow from the active town let my eyes adjust easily to the darkness. Finding nothing at the front I went to the back of the house, to the small plot of land where I grew the vegetables. For a while there was nothing, just the sound of drinking and whoring in the distance. Then I heard it, a rustling and mumbling in the bushes. I gripped the gun tighter, and took a step towards the noise. My heart began to beat in my ears and my breathing went shallow. I padded across the dry earth in my bare feet, wandering why I hadn't stayed in my bed where it was safe and warm.

I was right beside the bush with the source of the noise. I closed my eyes and swallowed and went to move a palm leaf out of the way when I was roughly spun around. The gun went off with a loud bang and the person who had startled me bent double, clutching their stomach.

"…..Crispina." Came a dry whisper.

My eyes went wide. It was Gregory. As I realised this, he slumped over and went quiet, his nightgown stained scarlett. I crouched beside him and grabbed his shoulders, trying to shake the life back into him "No. No!"

Two people popped up from behind the bush I had been investigating, a man and a woman. I looked at them, "I'm a dead woman." I muttered, I could see the gallows as clear as day.

The woman started to scream, "Murder! Murder!" and my hands took a life of their own. They pointed the gun at her and fired and she collapsed in a heap. I turned to the man now, and pointed the gun at him. His hands were in front of his chest in a defensive manner as he slowly stumbled out of the bush. I could tell he had been drinking.

"Now, let us take a moment to think about this." His speech slurred slightly.

I shook my head, "What do I have to think about? You will surly tell the authorities."

"To be honest, the authorities and myself, aren't the best of mates at the minute." His arms went down as he became more confident, "From one outlaw to another-"

"I'm not an outlaw." I said shortly

He nudged the woman's body with his foot, "What's this then? Kelp?"

I didn't answer and began to fiddle with the cross around my neck.

The man noticed this, "I can see this isn't something you like to do on a daily basis. So why add to the body count, eh?"

I looked up from Gregory's body and at him. He was right.

I let my hand drop to my side.

"That's it." He moved a bit closer and took the gun off me, took the last bullet out and handed it back to me.

He turned to leave, "Wait. What about me?"

He raised his eyebrows, "What about you?"

"I can't stay here."

He smirked, "Pretty quick on the uptake aren't you? Pray for forgiveness or something. It'll all work out."

He had me convinced for a moment, "I can repent until I'm blue in the face. It will not make any difference to the navy."

The man had stopped listening and was strutting off down the path to town.

I took one last glance at the bodies before running after him. "No! Please! You have to help me!"

"Why would I do that?" he kept walking as I caught up with him.

"Because I can have you washed of your sins." I said desperately.

"I've become quite close with my sins over the years. Pity to lose them now."

"Just get me away from here to a different port. Help me stow away onto a ship. Anything."

He stopped again and looked me up and down, I did not like how he was staring, "What do I get in return?"

I was suddenly very self-conscious in my nightdress and wrapped my arms around myself. "There is nothing I have to offer you, I spared your life. Isn't that enough?" I said limply.

I could tell he was thinking, "Alright then. But enough of your holier-than-thou speech. I don't need that. And only because I feel bad about destroying your Amaryllis bush"

I nodded eagerly, "What are we going to do then?"

"This just happens to be your lucky day. Y'see, I have a ship and a bloody good one as well."

I followed him down to the docks, and there waiting was the biggest and most beautiful ship I had ever seen.

He must have seen that I was impressed, "This" he gestured towards it "Is the Black Pearl. And you," he pointed at me, "Cannot sail on my ship looking like that. Wait here."

I watched as he disappeared into a nearby tavern. He returned a few minutes later with a bundle of clothing.

"Onto the ship." He looked a bit edgy as he pushed me up the ramp, "Quickly!"

Please tell me what you think! It gets better as it goes on, (I think so anyway). I worked really hard to make it as believable as possible because you know the way some people have electronic power showers on the Black Pearl etc.