*Again no relation to Mr Disney!!

Cora Jenkins awoke during the night to the sound of Edward slamming the
front door as he made for the governors house for an emergency meeting.
The chaos regarding the pirate threat was phenomenal. The ship's presence
was confirmed when the night watch had reported a "dark looking ship on
the horizon". Everyone was desperately preparing for the worst. She could
hear the noise before she had even opened the shutters. Men were trying
to barricade their homes and businesses; women were gathering enough food
together to last while they were stuck down in their cellars - purpose
built for this very situation. It had recently become law that every
house had to be able to provide safety and security for its residents in
the face of a pirate threat.

Small children were scampering around the streets having been woken while
their surroundings were still hidden in the clutches of the night and
thought that it was all a big adventure.

The sound of the children outside reminded Cora of her own kids. Astley
would want to go out and help the soldiers prepare for the pirates. If he
was allowed to do so, he wouldn't be guaranteed a place in a cellar. She
had to stop him!

Rising from her bed, Cora pulled on her robe as she raced down the
corridor to her son's room. She hadn't ran this fast in years, not since
she was on the ship, running along the deck and into the arms of. she
shook the memory out of her head. That ship was the past. Edward, the
children and Port Royal were the present and future.

Astley was gone!

The door banged uselessly against the wall. The bed tidy, neatly made up
just as the maids did it every morning. Astley had never gone to bed; he
obviously had no intentions of going to sleep. He must have been
listening at the top of the stairs when she had told Edward about the
pirates. He must have decided to help his friend Will Turner. Turner
would most certainly be helping the other men. He was a commoner and
would be required to by his boss, Mr Brown. Astley, however, was a boy of
fine parenting who should be safely hidden in a cellar along with the
other wealthy boys. He should never be exposed to so much danger. Cora
knew he wouldn't be able to cope.

*****

Alright, perhaps Astley had been desperately unhappy with his life but
surely he could have considered his poor mother's feelings. Anyone could
see that Mrs Jenkins was almost frantic with worry about her eldest son.
How could he cause his mother so much heartache when he loved her so
much?

Lucinda de Winter was sitting in a corner of the cramped cellar waiting
for Mrs Jenkins to give an order. She had been the only maid to go with
her mistress. The others had wanted to be with their own husbands and
children but Lucy had neither. All she had was two best friends in Astley
Jenkins and William Turner and they had both disappeared. She had known
that Will would have been summoned to the governor's house to await
instructions but she had assumed that Astley would be safe with his
parents, brother and sister. That said Edward wasn't here either. Of
course, he wanted a promotion to Commodore Jenkins so he was probably off
sucking up to the governor right now while his poor wife made herself
hysterical.

"Where are they? Don't they know I'm almost sick with worry? Where's
Astley?

Cora suddenly exploded from her side of the room. The other two children
had been playing quietly in the corner until they heard their mother's
violent outburst. The younger of the two, Alexandra, began crying herself
after she saw the state her mother was in. The elder, Bryant stood up and
puffed out his chest as he had seen his father doing.

"Lucinda, I demand that you fetch some cold water and a towel for my
mother!"

"Yes, hurry Lucinda!" Alexandra added her piece as she recovered from her
sobbing.

Lucy was nearly rolling around on the floor in laughter at the sound of
this. Little Bryant was only eight and his sister only five. They had
never called her anything but Lucy in their entire lives. She had spent
years playing with them when no one else would and yet here they were
trying to pretend they were a grown man and woman. She would have laughed
in their faces but considering the state Mrs Jenkins was in, Lucy thought
it best if she just went along with what they wanted.

Slowly she got up and moved towards the door to the supply room. Edward
had become extremely security conscious since the children were born and
had made sure that there were fresh supplies stocked into the cellar
every month. There should be plenty to entertain the children and
hopefully, something that would distract Cora from her missing child. As
she opened the door something clattered to the floor causing Lucy to
jump. As she shone her candle into the darkness the silvery metal tip of
a blunt dagger gleamed in the light. Thinking that it could be useful,
she pocketed it and continued with her search. The water and towels were
quickly identified and placed near the door ready to take them out but
surely there had to be something to stop Alexandra's snivels and keep
Bryant from acting like his snobby father. She searched until she heard
the voice of her youngest charge in the doorway.

"Aren't you coming? Bryant says mother is ill. She needs help now." Lucy
always marvelled at the totally calm way the little girl could deliver
the news. Considering the state she was in earlier it was almost
unbelievable that she could be so relaxed now.

"I'm coming!" Reluctantly she gave up her search for some form of
entertainment for the children and returned to her mistress. Upon seeing
her lying across the mattress Lucy knew that she had fallen asleep in
utter exhaustion.

Thankfully she settled the children on the other mattress and sat down to
fall asleep herself when there was a sharp rap at the door. Not wanting
to wake the others Lucy rushed to open the door to see Edward standing
before her.

"Hello Lucinda. Is all of my family here?"

"No Sir. Mister Astley is not here. Madam is very upset about it." Lucy
curtsied politely as her employer passed into the room. Edward only
thought for a moment before he made his decision.

"Go out and find Astley! I shall deal with my wife. Come straight back
once you have found him. Cora will be somewhat anxious to see that he is
safe." Upon hearing these words it became abundantly clear to Lucy
exactly how much he cared for Astley. He didn't care at all. For if he
had cared at all he would have searched for his wife's son himself yet
instead he had sent a female servant. He didn't give a damn whether
Astley and Lucy returned to the cellar or not. Well she would find her
friend and really annoy her boss by returning.

The streets were rapidly emptying as she made her way through town. Many
people stopped only long enough to offer her a place to hide. She had no
idea where to look for Astley and the offer of a refuge was very enticing
but she had declined them all. She had promised to find Astley and was
determined to do so. The only place she could think of looking was under
the bridge near the beach. It was a favourite hideout for them all and
she could only assume that he had gone there. The dark of the Caribbean
night was still around her and everything was eerily quiet. No one
patrolled the fort as per usual and no one single drunken man lurched
home from the public house. Even the bird seemed to have gone. The panic
was rapidly rising in her throat when she reached the bridge and began to
slide down the banking. Thankfully she could hear voices and knew that at
least she could take refuge with whoever turned out to be hiding here.

"I'll miss mother and of course Lucy but they're not enough to keep me
here. I hate this place and these pirates are my ticket out of here. You
can stay if you want but I am going!" Lucy recognised that voice and knew
that she had found her prey. By clearing her throat loudly she announced
her presence and watched carefully as the two young men turned to see who
it was that had joined them.

It was Will that was first to his feet and he quickly dragged her into a
hug.

"Please tell this idiot that he can't just abandon his life here?"

"Astley. Your mother is up at the house in floods of tears. She
desperately needs to know that you are safe."

"I'm very sorry for that but I can't stay here. I'll suffocate soon. I'm
leaving with the pirates and you can either come or you can stay." There
was a firmness in his voice that told them all that they could not
convince him to stay.

"Lucy, you should come too! You're just a servant girl here with no real
prospects. I'm sorry to be harsh but it's true. You'd have a much better
life out on the sea with Will and me."

"Who said I was going?" Will protested weakly. Lucy realised in that
feeble protest that Will would also give in and she would be left on this
island where she had no family and her only two friends would be off
exploring the world. Astley was scarily correct. She had no real
prospects; she would be a servant all her life. Just maybe she deserved
better.

"Okay, I'm coming!"