Seven months later and we were informed by Jem and his navigational skills that we would arrive at Albion, Jamaica in one week. I nearly vomited from happiness, or possibly from a rotten sweet potato I had consumed the night before. However, Pastor Pickering would not be joining us as he had died from the sweating sickness two months before. We were all there when it happened, he died as he went through life, silently. Hannah wept noisily, Mary prayed and I resisted the temptation to poke him with a stick, just to make sure he was actually deceased.

The body was embalmed and put in a large create and kept below deck for when we arrived to give him a proper burial. I felt a bit sorry for Jack, being cooped up down there with a dead body, but it couldn't be helped. I had deliberately not visited him since the morning I took his compass, mainly because Mary watched me like a hawk and partially for badness.

However, by the night before we were due to arrive, it was time to pay him another visit. I excused myself from dinner early, complaining of a headache, but instead of going back to Mary's cabin, I slipped into Jem's quarters instead. There was just enough light coming from the old oil lamp that sat on his desk for me to see. Unsure of where to start, I began pulling open random drawers and cupboards, hoping to find the keys that went to the brig. After ten minutes of looking I spotted them hanging of a nail beside his bed. I didn't know if they were the ones that I needed but they were better than nothing. I went to grab them but froze when I heard footsteps approaching. I ducked under the desk just as the door opened. I recognised Jem's boots thud into the cabin. I held my breath as he stopped. Then I heard someone call on him.

"What?" he said gruffly, followed by more shouts.

"Can't it wait?" he called, then, "Keep your hair on, I'm coming"

I let out a sigh of relief as he left again. I waited until his footsteps died away before springing into action and grabbing the keys. There was no one about on deck, so I slipped out of the cabin easily. I paused, rather pleased with myself, it was the most exciting thing I had done in months. I looked at the night's sky, then at the horizon. I could vaguely make out the land mass that was Jamaica and guessed that we would be there within an hour or two, I had to act quickly.

I found Jack sitting in his cell, picking disdainfully at the leftovers of fish he had been given for his evening meal. He must have heard the jangle of keys and my heavy breathing for he looked up sharply.

"Hello, stranger" he said, "Thought you'd forgotten about me"

"How could anyone forget about you?" I replied with a forced smile. I was uneasy, something was bound to go wrong or Jack would do something to disrupt my plan.

"Time for a swift exit?" he stood with a grunt and looked at me expectantly.

"Not quite" I told him, pulling my own weapons of the hook and hiding them under my skirts, Jack laughed as I did so, "We should be there in about an hour. But I'm getting you out now so I can be on deck when you escape-"

"-freeing yourself from any suspicion. You've thought of everything haven't you, Cruggy?"

"Basically. You'll just need to keep an ear out for when we arrive." I started trying the different keys, to see which one fit. I was very aware that Jack was watching me. I glanced up at him, "What?"

He had a look of amusement on his face, his gold teeth glinting at me, "Nothing. I was just thinking how unsavoury you look in that dress, you definitely suit your rugged togs better."

Jack was right but I didn't care. I was always glinting of sweat and dirty smudges appeared all over me with no explanation, teamed with sallow skin caked in powder to cover the scar and bad teeth, I was anything but ladylike. "So?" I said as the door swung open.

"But then again….", Jack stepped out of the cell and grabbed me roughly by the wrists and pushed me against the wall.

I didn't bother to resist, "What are you doing? Stop it, you'll mess up the plan."

"Ah, the shoe's on the other foot now, isn't it? My gadding about is making you lose control." Jack told me, his hot breath tickling my face.

I turned my head away, "Jack…"

"What's to stop me from shooting you, getting me compass back and clearing off right now? Or the both of us killing everyone on board, and sailing this blasted ship to Tortuga and selling everything for a tidy profit and disposing of Pastor Pickled over there?" He nodded in the direction of Pickering's coffin and then putting his face very close to mine and whispering in a seductive tone, "It would be ever so romantic."

He was playing with me, he knew none of those ideas were plausible and he wanted to see my reaction and test my feelings for him. As much as I wanted to have him then and there, I shook my head, "Don't be silly Jack."

I smile played on his lips for a second before he let go of me, "Playing it safe then."

"Can't afford the risk" I smiled back, "Now, you wait down here, maybe sit in the brig until you hear word of land. Then do what you do best"

He let out a chuckle and then asked casually, "Where's that ruby?"

"Hidden" I said, striding past him towards the steps.

"And my compass?"

"Hidden!" I sang heading up the steps, "You can have it back when you come and get me"

Apologies for the slow update, but I was on holiday and then a musical festival(will be hungover for a week) Just a short chapter this time but a longer one will follow. Review!