Hope everyone likes this. Just one more chapter to go and I'm afraid that chapter will be a tear-jerker too. But that won't be posted till tomorrow maybe. We'll see. Anyway, I have never seen a locket like the one I describe. I just made it up but if it does exist, awesome and I want one! LOL.
Saoirse was woken the next morning by hands patting her on her back and head gently.
"Don' wanna wake up, Cap'n Jack!" Two different giggles answered her and as she knew that Captain Jack didn't giggle and his voice was a lot deeper, she knew it must be her new brothers. Opening her eyes, she looked up at their faces. They were already dressed, their little brown waistcoats over white shirts that were tucked into brown breeches.
"Silly! He's still sleeping!"
"Alright, boys, leave Saoirse alone so she may get ready for breakfast." They scampered out of the room, giggling. "My goodness, I hope they didn't bother you too much, dear." Saoirse sat up and looked at her new mummy apprehensively. It would take some getting used to the idea that she had another mother. She could barely remember the first one but she still felt awkward calling Mrs. Miller Mum, Mummy or Mama. "Is there something wrong, dear?"
"I don't know what I should call you." Mrs. Miller selected a blue cotton dress from the clothes press and set it on the bed with a shift, a petticoat, stays and stockings with garters. Untying the bonnet, she sat on a low stool.
"I think it will come to you when you're ready. Until then you may call me Miss Rebecca." She turned Saoirse around and unbuttoned her nightgown, taking it off. Saoirse could hear her sigh and knew why she did so.
"They don't hurt anymore, Miss Rebecca." Even still, she jumped a little when Miss Rebecca's soft, cool fingers lightly traced the scars left from where her back had been whipped and healed.
"That's good, honey, but I just wish they weren't there at all." Miss Rebecca turned her around and helped her into her clothes much more easily than Captain Jack did and more gently than Uncle Cutler's maids did. When she said so, Miss Rebecca smiled as she led Saoirse over to a vanity and sat her on the stool.
"Well it seems he learned quickly. What was it like to make the passage without any other women?"
"I was scared at first but then Captain Jack and Mr. Turner were really nice so I wasn't afraid of them anymore."
"Unusual though, that your uncle wouldn't send you with a chaperone. Even if he was so cruel, I would think he'd care enough about his own image when he sent of his niece with no chaperone amongst a bunch of grown men."
"I don't think he wanted to lose any of his workers for me. He tried to kill me, Miss Rebecca. He came onto Captain Jack's ship and he was going to shoot me right here," Saoirse pointed to her chest, "But Captain Jack told him not to do it so they put me down and shot Captain Jack instead. I was so scared but he was alright."
"My goodness!" Miss Rebecca continued to brush Saoirse's red hair into a ponytail, tying it off with a bow before tying her bonnet on top. "You've had quite a life so far, Saoirse. I hope from now on it will be a happy one." Looking up, she couldn't help but get defensive.
"I was happy with Captain Jack, too!" Miss Rebecca smiled as she stroked Saoirse's cheek with her fingers.
"Oh, I'm sure, honey. I was speaking of your life before you ended up on Captain Jack's ship."
"Oh. I'm hungry." Miss Rebecca lifted her down from the stool and took her hand to lead her down to the dining room. When they were halfway down the steps, someone knocked on the door.
"I'll get it!"
"Seamus, we do not run in the house, nor do we yell." He bowed his head, repentant.
"Yes, Mum." With more decorum, the ten year old answered the door and opened it up wider. "Mr. Turner, Mum, and he wants to talk to Captain Jack. Shall I wake him?"
"I want to!" Saoirse begged. Miss Rebecca smiled.
"Let's let Saoirse wake him, Seamus." When the boy seemed about to protest, she looked him in the eye. "She won't be seeing him again once he leaves, let's let her have as much time as possible with him."
"Yes, Mum." Saoirse ran up the stairs, slowing when Miss Rebecca reminded her there was no running in the house.
Captain Jack's door was slightly open so she pushed it some more until she could slide in. The bed was too high for her to climb and there was no stool, but there was a trunk at the end of the bed. Climbing on that, she then climbed onto the bed. Captain Jack was on his back, snoring with one arm out to the side, the other draped over his face to block out the sun. Crawling towards the pillows, she stared in awe. She'd never seen him asleep, other than the time he got shot and she hadn't really been able to see him much because everyone was huddled around him until he woke up. Kneeling by his shoulder, she patted him lightly.
"Captain Jack! It's time to wake up!" He didn't move so she tried again. "Come on, Captain Jack! It's morning, silly!" He still didn't move so she tried to think of how to wake him up. A small part of her told her to sit on his tummy but another told her that would be wrong. Still…Biting her lip, hoping he wouldn't get mad at her, she crawled towards his waist and sat on it like one would a horse, leaning forward with her hands resting on his chest.
"Come on, Captain Jack! You need to wake up! Mr. Turn-ACK!" A hand came up from behind her and started tickling her side fiercely. In a split second she found herself on her back on the bed with Captain Jack kneeling next to her and tickling her sides mercilessly. Legs kicking in the air, she knew her new Mummy and Daddy would be upset if they saw her like this so she tried to get away. "Stop!"
"This is what ye get for wakin' me up, lass!" He sounded angry but she knew him well enough now to not be frightened, especially when all he was doing was tickling. Eager to play along, Saoirse reached out and tried to tickle him back but her arms were too short and she couldn't reach his belly so she tried tickling his arms. He laughed! Saoirse kept tickling his arms to make him laugh some more. When she was laughing so hard that she couldn't breathe, he stopped and grinned down at her.
"Wh-what're you smilin' about?" He slid onto the floor and winked at her.
"You're sweet li'l laugh, darlin'. Just about the best sound there is, I believe." Saoirse blushed as she sat on the side of the bed and watched him put his boots on and then his coat and hat.
"Really?" He came to the side of the bed and picked her up. Saoirse expected him to put her down but instead he lifted her into the air and spun her around first. He'd never done that before, no one had and she loved it. When he put her down, she held his big hand in hers, wishing he didn't have to leave, ever.
"Really, really. Now let's go get somethin' to eat, aye?" She smiled.
"Aye! Oh! Mr. Turner came to see you! He looked pretty serious." Captain Jack nodded.
"Alright, well then I need you to go into the dining room and tell Mrs. Miller I'll be in soon, alright?" She nodded and hurried into the room where they ate the night before.
"Ah, there you are." Her new Mummy smiled at her over the cup she was pouring and setting at the seat Saoirse sat at the night before. Her new Daddy came and lifted her onto the seat, patting her head when she was seated. Across the table, Seamus scowled at her.
"You took too long!" Saoirse pouted when Seamus scowled at her but before she could get upset, her new Mummy scolded Seamus.
"Young man that was not necessary. Apologize at once!"
"Sorry Saoirse."
"Where is Captain Jack?"
"He and Mr. Turner are talking about something but he told me to come in here and he told me to tell you he's coming soon." Saoirse looked in the cup and frowned when she saw a thick brown liquid inside.
"What's that?"
"Saoirse! You've never drank chocolate before?" She shook her head.
"Captain Jack gave me some chocolates once, but I ate them, I didn't drink them. Is it good?" The boys both nodded excitedly.
"Try it!" She reached for the cup but her new Daddy stopped her.
"After we say grace, Saoirse." She put her hands in her lap obediently.
"Yes sir." Just as she did that, Captain Jack came in.
"Sorry bout that, somethin's come up."
"You don't have to leave now do you?" Scooting past her chair, he sat down and rubbed her back.
"Not to worry. I can stay till noon, but then we must set sail for Nassau." Everyone let out a large sigh of relief except Saoirse who felt tears burn her eyes. She'd been hoping he'd stay longer! Once more she felt his hand on her back, rubbing circles on it.
"No tears, love, or I won't give ye the li'l birthday present I ordered and had Mr. Turner pick up for me." Saoirse forced a smile on her face before everyone bowed their heads in prayer. Her new Daddy lead the prayer, giving thanks for the food and thanking the Lord for the new addition to the family.
"Who is it?" They all laughed.
"You, silly!" Giggled Craig. Saoirse blushed.
"May I say something to God?" They looked at her with surprise, but nodded.
"Yes you may."
"Thank you, God, for helping Captain Jack find me a good family and thank you for Captain Jack to keep me safe until we got here." Saoirse blushed when she was done but when everyone said "Amen" she knew they approved.
"That was very well spoken, Saoirse. You're not a heathen, after all. Where did you learn to pray?"
"I heard Tommy on the ship pray sometimes, and from the day before this day when you prayed."
"Fast learner, this one is," Captain Jack remarked, taking a bite of his Johnny cake. "Better watch out, lads. Once she gets a proper education, she'll be keepin' you on your toes." They laughed.
"We'll see."
After breakfast, the maids came in to clean up and Saoirse saw their dark skin and panicked, tugging on the sleeve of Captain Jack's coat.
"They're not slaves, are they?" He smiled and gave her hand a squeeze as he leaned over to whisper to her.
"No, love. They're servants. Servants are paid and treated more fairly than slaves are." Saoirse sighed with relief. Her new Mummy invited everyone into the parlor next, where she served tea and some little cakes. She noticed as she ate a cake that Captain Jack kept checking the time.
"What's wrong?"
"Just want to be sure I don't leave too late. I told Mr. Turner to ready the ship to depart at noon so I want to be sure I'm there early enough to make sure everything's ready." Saoirse put her cup of milk down and hurried over to him, climbing into his lap.
"I don't want you to go!" Captain Jack sighed.
"Sorry, but I 'ave to this time, love, but I have something for you."
"You've already given me so much, Captain Jack!" He smiled.
"Then one more thing won't hurt." Saoirse watched as his brown hands reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a box. Inside was a little pillow with a little shiny metal leaf with three petals. "It's a necklace. It's big enough for your li'l neck now but you may need a longer chain for when you're older."
"Why is it a leaf?"
"It's a shamrock, love. It's the symbol of Ireland. I bought it when we bought yer dresses but I wasn't able to get it engraved till we got here." He turned it over. "Look, it says, 'for my little friend, Saoirse, Captain Jack.' Would ye like me to put it on?" Saoirse nodded and sat still while he fastened the necklace behind her neck. When he was done, he opened it. "You can put pictures inside of it, too." When he closed it, she looked down and saw a rock in the middle of the shamrock, where the petals met.
"Why is there a rock?" Captain Jack smiled, a funny smile that looked happy and sad as he held the shamrock between his fingers and rubbed his thumb over the stone.
"That's marble, love. Connemara marble, to be exact. Pretty, innit?" She nodded.
"Very pretty." Saoirse leaned against his chest and held the locket in her palm while she listened to Captain Jack's heartbeat under his waistcoat.
"Am I really your friend?"
"Of course! Don't you want to be friends?"
"I didn't know grown ups liked to be friends with children." Captain Jack hugged her and whispered something in her ear that made her giggle.
"I ain't like most grown ups, sweetheart." When someone knocked and her new Mummy went to answer it, Captain Jack said somethin' else. "Come to think of it, you're only five and one of m' best friends in the world." Saoirse hugged him tightly.
"You're my best friend ever, Captain Jack, even if you are-however old you are." He laughed as he hugged her back and kissed her. With a smile, he held up his right pointer finger and holding her hand, did the same with her right pointer finger. Pressing them together, he smirked.
"Best friends?" She smiled and pressed her finger harder against his.
"Best friends forever!"
"Captain! Ye 'ave to come now! Time to go!" Mr. Turner's urgent, alarmed voice made Captain Jack jump and Saoirse was instantly put down on the ground as he stood up and grabbed his hat. Not ready to say goodbye so suddenly, she threw herself at his legs and sat on his foot.
"No! You can't go yet! It's not time to go!" He tried to walk to the front door with her attached.
"Aw, love, please let go! I don't wanna leave this soon either but I 'ave to, darlin'." Saoirse tightened her hold on his leg.
"No! Please! I don't want you to go! You're my best friend! I love you, Captain Jack! Don't you love me?" Mr. Turner stooped and pulled her off of Captain Jack's leg before running off to the ship. She was about to attack it again when her new Daddy picked her up.
"Of course I love ye, pet. That's why I 'ave to go now! You'll understand when you're much older." With one last kiss to her cheek, he ran off towards the docks. Saoirse squirmed so much that her new Daddy had to let her go, lest he drop her and she tried to run after Captain Jack but her new shoes made her feet hurt and he ran so fast that she couldn't keep up and finally collapsed, sobbing on the dirt road.
"P-p-please come ba-a-ack! I don't wan' say goo-goo-goodbye! Please stay! Don't g-g-go!" Saoirse knew she was getting her dress dirty but she didn't care. It didn't matter. She was so exhausted with her sobbing and tears that when her new Daddy picked her up and carried her back to the house, she didn't fight him. She let him hold her and kiss her forehead and cheeks like Captain Jack did but it wasn't the same because her new Daddy's face was smooth and didn't have hair on his lip or his chin.
Once inside, they carried her up to her room where she was changed back into her nightgown and put to bed. Clutching Rogan and Jacqueline (just thinking of why she named the doll that got her sobbing anew), Saoirse relaxed finally, hoping that when she woke up she'd find it was all a bad dream and Captain Jack was still in the guestroom and when he woke up he'd say he was going to buy a house and stay nearby forever. Those thoughts were what finally got her to sleep as she held her stuffed friends with one arm and held her new locket in her other palm.
FYI:
The "Best friends" thing was inspired by something my uncle and I used to do when I was little. The locket part was sort of inspired by the Movie "Annie" (and the Connemara marble part inspired by one of PirateCat's stories) Like her I'm Irish and love all things Irish which is of course why I made Saoirse be Irish.