Chapter 9: 1718 At London Port
London!
The closer the "Eagle's Wing" got to the pulsing heart of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, the more silent it got aboard and Jack knew this was not only due to the stunning sight the town offered to its visitors from the sea sailing upriver. The impressive silhouette built from the Houses of Parliament and the infamous Tower with its moats and all those stories it was surrounded by, was supposed to be one reason letting the men fell silent, but Jack knew it wasn't the actual reason which caused them to keep their breath. They all were pirates and what would happen to them, if this manoeuvrer would go wrong they did not have to imagine, they were able to witness it while having a look at the riverbanks.
All along the river lots of cages could be spotted wherein the mortal leftovers of caught pirates got displayed, who had not only been tortured and sentenced to death but who got also preserved in tar and who now served just a single purpose: As a warning to all those who were secretly or openly sympathizing with pirates and piracy and as a spectacle to the rest: Townspeople, sailors, merchants and all those, who felt summoned to name themselves honest and decent – some felt pure horror as they beheld the eerie sight, but to many it meant exhilaration and merriment.
Disgust got mirrored upon Jack's face and he turned his gaze away from those pitiable leftovers having once been human beings. He was young, that was an undeniable truth, but this did not make him a fool and even though he was just eighteen, as of the date, he had already been forced to witness many shapes and shades of cruelty. They had been one of the many reasons, why he took flight from Shipwreck Island the day when Patrick Swallow took him aboard the"Silver Stream".
Jack did not cherish an illusion: If anybody should get behind their masks as honest sailors, if any of them should get recognized as the ones they used to be, they would all end up within a cell and there would be no way out for them but one: The way up to the gallows, a short drop, a certain stop, a barrel filled with tar and finally a cage somewhere on the banks of river Thames.
He shivered at this thought tried to focus on the issue, which, in actual fact, led them here: Taking Elianor back to London.
And that was what they did...
While they still anchored within the bay of Tortuga, Elianor managed to hand a letter addressed to her father over to a merchant sailor, who also made berth within the heart of piracy. She asked her father to prepare their arrival, but there was no guarantee that the merchant and with him the letter had already reached the City of London somewhen earlier than the "Wing". So, it was not to foreclose that Elianor's father still wasn't in the know about their arrival.
"We can name ourselves lucky if they won't send a whole bunch of soldiers aboard to have them search the ship through from its keel up to its masts and to put us all together in iron to send us to the gallows!"
Jacobsen joined Jack at the helm and he replied: "Don't forget the courteous treatment they will grant us, mate. First of all lashes, brandings and torture, then the gallows, before, finally, we'll receive a refreshing bath inside a barrel full of tar and our own pretty cage with some kind of an extraordinary view about all around the place. Nice, isn't it..."
"Stop joking, Jack!" Jacobsen got shaken by horror. He wasn't able to avert his gaze from all those lifeless, preserved figures within the cages whereon crows started to peck: "If I imagine that we all could also end up like those poor devils over there..."
"It's not as far as", Jack answered, his gaze fixed on the berth he wanted to tie the "Wing" up to: "Believe me, if everything is going according to plan, we'll be back at sea soon."
"Yes, lad, if everything will go according to plan. If not we'll get stuck in town up till next Spring. By the way: Do you've a plan?"
"Not really, but I can tell you there's always a back door to get us out of a mess. If not, just tell yourself that you're glad to stay ashore whilst the heavy storms are troubling the sea during late Autumn and the whole Winter..."
"Maybe you're right, but what about the promise that you'll sail the 'Wing' back to Tortuga?"
"Mister Jacobsen, even Caithleen is aware of the fact that we won't get a chance of sailing her back, all too soon. We will discuss this issue as soon as we'll have taken care of the one we promised to care of. Savvy? And now, Sir, I want you take care of this old lady. I don't want her to break into smithereens just because we missed the opportune moment of taking her to her berth, aye?"
Jacobsen gave him a grin. He went back to the deck with a murmured 'Aye Captain' and started to drive the men on so that the "Wing" could finally make berth. The sails got reefed, and some of the men were busy tying them up while some other fellows ran to and fro at the quay to moor the lines to the berth the crew threw over to them. As soon as all this got done, the "Wing" let go the anchor with some tremendous rattling and the crew brought out the gangplank.
Jack grinned. He and Caithleen really made it! They took the "Wing" over to England. Together with not even half a crew, a pregnant young woman and a well skilled first mate.
Up till now, everything was going according to plan - if only he'd have had one...
"What's going on down there?"
Caithleen frowned and watched Jacobsen who flatteringly gesticulated and impatiently pointed at the ship and at the pier by turns. Opposite to him at the other side of the gangplank, just one step away from getting ashore, stood a man dressed in elegant but too often worn an therefore weathered looking clothes. Underneath his tricorn, he wore a wig and within his hands he held a tray he used to carry papers pinned to it around with. On a small console fastened to a wooden pile stood an inkwell with a quill inside. The man was a paper-shuffler, a person in authority – in short: He was the harbour master and there was obviously something Jacobson failed to succeed explaining to him.
"This, love", Jack stated: "is exactly the kind of trouble I would have loved to avoid, but as it seems it is also exactly the kind of trouble our dear companion Jacobsen is not used to. Let's join them and have a look ere he brings his pistol up to the fellow's brow and ere he will take care that they will sent us to where none of us really wants to get sent to..."
"I just hope you know what to do..."
"Caith, love, may I ask you something? Since we got to know each other, was there ever just the slightest reason to doubt me?" Jack cocked an eyebrow and gave her an inquiring look.
"I suppose, you won't want me to give you an honest reply, right, but, let me think. Wasn't there our encounter with this friend of you father? Seamus Finch..."
He dismissed her plea with a smile: "Not worth mentioning. We escaped, forgot that...?"
"You mean, Patrick got us out of that mess and had us scrub the decks of both ships for a whole week long as a reward for his help and to his personal pleasure."
"Negligibilities, love, just negligibilities and trifle. Not worth to still think about. C'mon, lass, I want to know what's really going on there..."
Jack sashayed over to join Jacobsen and the harbour-master while Caithleen followed him with a mix of resignation to fate, exhilaration and the know that it was best not to answer back getting mirrored within her eyes. When they reached the two men they just heard the harbour-master say: "You do not look like a man who sailed aboard a ship for just a few months. 'Many years' should be the term in this case, I would say. So, you should be perfectly well in the know about having to register your ship as soon as you moored it to the pier and that you are not till then allowed to go ashore."
"Stop that overblown gibberish, mate, no one's around to understand this, aye? I'm an old salt as you told me just a minute before, and I went ashore at many ports as you can guess, and I never heard anything stupid like that. So, just do us all a favour and step out of my way that the men can take their well deserved shore leave."
"I'm sorry. I'm acting just according to instructions..."
Before Jacobsen was able to give him a reply or, much worse, before he was able to do something to him which might possibly have been able to increase their trouble immeasurably, Jack and Caithleen joined the two brawlers: "Gents! Will you tell me what's wrong?"
His naive gaze and the undiscerning smile shown upon his lips made the harbour-master turn towards him and let him have a look at him from his bandana down to his boots and back before he asked frowning: "And who are you?"
"I'm no one less but the captain of this proud vessel, mate. As it were..."
The harbour-master looked at him, once again, then he held one of his hands in front of his mouth and pretended to cough while he tried to keep his containment and to hide a grin. Finally, he asked: "You are the captain, you say? Excuse me, young man, but what makes you believe in the idea you could be the captain of this ship? By your leave, you're still almost a child."
Jack raised a hand and pointed towards a somehow diffuse spot somewhere between them: "This, mate, is a factual error. I do not believe in being the captain of this ship, I know, I am the captain of this ship, and because I'm aware of this fact, it makes it an immense difference like you, for sure, will endorse, will you, eh?"
"For sure!" The harbour-master shook his head in confusion and had a look at his papers: "Be it as it may, you still have to register your ship."
"And you're really sure about this to be necessary? We're not in London to strike bargains or even roots. The only business which leads us here is to take a young lady back to her family, store fresh water and supplies, have as visit within either some taverns or some brothels..." Caithleen's elbow hit his side: "Ow! What was that for, love? Did I say that I would..."
"Would you please do me a favor, young man, and let us enlighten this case?" The harbour-master sighed.
"Pardon? Where did we stop?"
"The brothels!" The man answered through gritted teeth.
"Ah! The brothels! Is there one worth to have a visit at?" He gave Caithleen a grin and went on: "Not? Well, that's, in fact, not where we want to drop the lady as you can imagine."
"I already told you before that neither you nor your crew nor said dubious lady are allowed to step ashore as long as you won't tell me what ship it is you sail on, what bargain it is you want to strike in London and who you are..."
Jack rolled his eyes: "No bargains, mate, just dropping a girl with her family. Savvy?"
"What applies to you, Sir, also applies to your crew and every passenger aboard."
"Listen to me, mate, we stayed aboard this vessel for more than four weeks. We just want to..."
"Not until you..."
"Is everything in good order?" Elianor appeared on deck and to everyone's surprise she was dressed like an upper class lady. She even carried an umbrella with her to protect herself against the sun and she looked all innocent and vulnerable amongst the rough sailors.
Unnoticed and secretly, she gave Jack a wink and with a grin he turned towards the harbour-master, again: "Sir, I can really understand if you want to discuss this case together with us for a bit longer, but for I'm not in the know how long this 'a bit longer' is supposed to be, I want to come forward with a proposal, aye? We all stay aboard as long until this issue is cleared, but let at least this beautiful young lass leave the ship. Unless", he gazed at Elianor: "you want to take the responsibility if her child is going to let out its first cry right here on a gangplank which is possibly possible to happen every minute..."
Jack pointed at Elianor whose circumstances were highly visible, meanwhile. The more, because she wore a dress instead of her pants and shirt.
The harbour-master had a puzzled look at the foolhardy young man, then at the young woman. Finally, he asked: "What's your name, Miss?"
"Misses!" She corrected him: "Misses Elianor Turner."
The harbour-master nodded, much more mechanically than knowingly, and turned round exchanging some words with the guards standing beside the plank's left and right. While he was busy doing so, Elianor whispered into Jack's ear: "You know that I've still more than six weeks left, do you?"
"I do, love, but you will agree that this does not necessarily imply that he knows as well, eh?"
This time it was Jack who gave her a wink, when the harbour-master turned his attention back on them: "Madam Turner, I ordered these respectable men to take you to your family, immediately. If you might be so kind to advise us where this is supposed to be."
"Thank you, Sir." Elianor reached her hand out – more a real lady, now, than a fearsome piratess: "It is the house of Sir Edwin Cole. The weaving mill near the river. A little distance outside." Not only the harbour-master beheld her out of wide open eyes, even Jack and Caithleen exchanged a confused look. Slightly unimpressed by it, Elianor went on: "I would like to ask for another favour, Sir. As soon as this issue is settled, I would like to ask you to take my companions to my father's house as well. Immediately!"
The harbour-master winced when she gave him the name of her family: "I know the mansion of Sir Edwin, Madam Turner, of course, I do. I'll arrange everything necessary that your way home will be as comfortable as possible."
His eagerness and his keenness to please the young woman increased fulgurously and while he instructed the guards about what to do next, Jack nudged Caithleen: "Sir Edwin Cole?"
She grinned and replied: "Obviously, there is more than one sweet little secret Bill and Elianor hid from us. I would like to know if Pat and Rose knew..."
Elianor turned round and whispered: "It's nothing else but impoverished nobility. Poor but proud. The title only exists on paper, by now, but the good name of our family is still able to work wonders if necessary, even if, in fact, it's not worth the paper, any more, its written on. My father owns a mansion and a weaving mill near river Thames, but it barely leaves any profit. People are buying his work because they know him and, no, Pat and Rose never got to know, while my father, on the other hand, knows who you are..."
With it she smiled and entered the carriage the harbour-master did call for her.
Jack and Caithleen remained aboard still puzzled and confused, and right when Jack wanted to shout something after her, the harbour-master returned remembering the two of them: "Well then, for this issue is clear now we should start from the beginning. Means, what ship it is you sail upon and on which you obviously spent more than four weeks to get here. A lad like you, two women, a pertly first mate and about a dozen men."
"Well, I've to admit you're right about everything concerning my crew. We arrived in London after having had a crossing from the Caribbean..."
"The Caribbean? Pardon, young man, if I doubt you again, but how is it that you want me to believe that you stayed unchallenged within those pirates infested waters. It's impossible..."
Somewhere behind them, Jacobsen got a coughing fit and turned away.
"Something wrong with the man? No epidemic disease, I hope." The harbour-master eyed Jacobsen sceptically.
"Nothing to be feared, mate, but" Jack felt how his patience left him with every new sentence they exchanged: "to answer your question. It is possible to stay unchallenged. Even within the Caribbean. We're the living proof. We sailed from the Caribbean over to England. Here we are..."
"Then, this is your vessel?"
"Ahem, well...no! One could say I'd prefer to not come across its rightful owner for a while, if you can guess what's meant. I fear, she would feed me to the sharks with pleasure, at this very moment."
"Young man, no one is supposed to do anything like that to you right here and now. So, if you, please, would be so kind and tell me which name I shall register to my list."
Caithleen pushed an elbow to his side: "Do it!"
"Well then", Jack shrugged: "If it will please you, but I'm sure you'll not be willing to believe me."
"Just make a try."
"This is the 'Eagle's Wing'. We captured her within the bay of Tortuga to take Madam Turner back to England, who, how shall I name it, stranded there more or less unwillingly. You can still follow?"
"The 'Eagle's Wing'?" The harbour-master stared at Jack out of wide open eyes: "So, you want to tell me you went to Tortuga and stole the ship just to take the girl here?"
"Capture..."
"Pardon?"
"We captured her, the vessel, of course, not Madam Turner..."
"If it pleases you", the harbour-master shook his head: "Excuse me if I'm unable to believe this, but stories like yours are rather rare and your story seems to be that rare that it has to be true. So, it's really the 'Eagle's Wing'? No doubt about it?" Jack nodded and the other said: "Then, I'll register her name."
"Aye!"
"Well, I guess you're also in the know, then, about the fact that a not even small amount of money was advised as a reward for her. A prize might be the better term."
"Aye!"
"And you are willing to leave your vessel to the East India Trading Company in exchange for the prize."
"I am, mate", Jack ignored Caithleen's gaze telling him to remember the promise he made.
"Very well then. I will take care that Lord Reginald Beckett learns about it. He will welcome you himself within the next couple of days. So, may I ask you once again about your name."
"Jack Sparrow."
"Mister Sparrow..."
"Captain!"
"Pardon?"
"It's Captain Jack Sparrow."
"Captain Sparrow, then. You and your crew are free to go ashore as long as you want to. Your ship will be under survey of the East India Trading Company from now on and I will arrange a coach for you and your companion which will take you to Sir Edwin's mansion..."
"You are beyond belief, Jack Sparrow!" Caithleen sat opposite to him within the carriage which would take them to Elianor and her family and she faced him with a grin, still not quite sure about what he had in mind when he surrendered the "Wing" to the Company: "I would sell my soul to the devil for one single thought of yours."
"What, if I'm telling you that I'm all aware of what I want to do next?"
"How? By proving yourself to be totally daft?"
"Oh, admit it to me, love, that's why you love me, isn't it? Eh?"
Caithleen rolled her eyes: "Don't pride yourself on your pretty face! It could have gone wrong, right, and we all could have been on the way to the dungeons. What if someone finds out that Elianor is married to a pirate?"
"We'll have to come up with an idea, then, I guess. But, don't you worry, love. If everything goes according to plan, we will get back the 'Wing' soon and the latest with upcoming Spring we will be back at sea. And you will be her captain..."
"Oh no!" Caithleen made a repelling gesture: "I'm not meant to be her captain. You'll sail her back. Rosalind entrusted her to you."
"If she's still willing to listen to us after everything we did to her. I fear, she'll be in a very bad temper, and if she is, she'll send us down to Davy Jones' Locker. Together with her ship. And I think she'll enjoy it."
"I don't want to believe this, Jack. She loves you. You're the son she never had but always wished to have. I can do a lot, but, let's face it, in the end I'm just a girl and she always found a way to let me know. She wasn't herself in Tortuga and blindfolded by grief. I'm sure she will understand our reasons..."
"Supposedly, you are right, Caith, but most probably, you're not..."