Master and Commander

Doudle's Adventure - Chapter 4

Doudle and Paloma stood locked eye-to-eye.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"¿Quién es usted? " she asked.

"Blimey, you're beautiful," he smiled at her. She was slender with raven black hair and liquid brown eyes. "My name is Michael. What's yours?" he asked again as he held out his hand to her.

Screaming she started to run but he was quicker than her. Grabbing her around the waist he muffled her screams with his other hand around her mouth. They struggled for a moment but he was stronger and held her tightly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you but scared the bloody 'ell out of me. No! No! Please don't run away. I thought I was alone," he pleaded with her trying to calm her down.

She glared back at him terrified, wide eyed and breathing hard, almost gasping. Bluish-green eyes looked at her from underneath a shock of blonde hair. His skin was tanned and his arms were strong, like a man who did physical labor. Was this one of the men who kidnapped her father? Was he going to kidnap her? Or kill her? She wished now she had brought Cortez along with her.

Trying to figure out a way to communicate with her he saw the leather bags and the yoke lying on the ground.

"Oh I say, did you come for water? Water?" he motioned towards the pond. "Water? Water?"

At first she didn't understand until he began motioning back and forth from the water bags and the pond. Then she realized he was trying to talk to her.

"Aqua," she replied.

"Ah-ga," he tried to imitate her word.

"Aqua."

"Aqua."

"Si, aqua," she nodded when he said it right.

Reaching for the water bags and the yoke he helped her stand up and moved her toward the pond. Figuring his actions would speak louder than words he wanted to show her he meant her no harm, he helped her fill the leather bags and put them on the ends of the yoke. Making sure she could balance them across her slim shoulders he smiled at her.

"You are so beautiful," he complimented but all he received from her was a blank stare. Waving her away she began to walk down the path she had originally come. Breaking out in a run she disappeared into the trees.

"She's probably got family and they might not be very understanding," he spoke to himself as he watched her leaving.

After a short distance Paloma stopped and looked behind her. The man had been watching her but now he turned away from her and moving back towards the pond. His clothes were strange, unlike anything she'd ever seen before. Was he French or English? She had to know. Squaring her shoulder she walked up to where he was.

"Tengo una pregunta!" she spoke in a strong voice.

"What the ...!" Startled, he shrieked and spun around to face her, ready to fight if necessary. His foot slipped and he fell back into the pond. Sputtering and gasping he crawled back out. "Lady, who the 'ell are you?"

"¿Dónde está mi Padre?" she demanded.

"I don't know what you're saying!" he replied, wiping the hair out of his face.

"¿Dónde está él?" she continued to press him.

:Lady, I don't know what you're saying!" he yelled, irritated. "I only speak English"

"¿Inglés? ¿Es usted inglés? " she gasped in disbelief.

"Ingles?" he muttered the word to himself trying to understand. "Ingles? Ingles – Oh, English! Oh, I say, yes! Yes, I'm English -erm, Ingles!"

"¡La madre de Dios! ¡Usted es de Inglaterra!" she gasped, her eyes wide with excitement and then turned running ack down the path to get her brothers.

Doudle watched her, shaking his head confused. "Women! They're all the same. Just when you think you're getting somewhere with them they run off. Well, I'm sure she'll be bringing back some visitors so I'd better be ready. Bloody 'ell, I'm all wet again."

Unclothing he began to wring out the water from his clothes but kept watch in the direction the girl had gone.