Yet again, usual disclaimers apply throughout this tale. If you recognise it, it probably belongs to the Mouse – else it is mine!
Chapter 74 - Heading South
Two days later the Black Pearl slipped quietly away from Port au Prince, five new crew members gradually learning their places. The crow's nest was manned and every crew member scanned the horizon anxiously, expecting an attack that did not come. At night Jack ordered the lanterns shuttered and the ship sailed in darkness apart from the light of the moon. If any ship wanted to trail them he was going to make it as difficult as he possibly could.
But, however crafty he was, sails were spotted on the horizon the next morning as another ship pursued them. Jack strove to make out the ship through his spyglass. "The Giant's Fist is flying red!" he announced to the crew. "Do we take 'em?"
A chorus of "Aye" echoed around the ship, so Jack swung the wheel again, turning to face their attacker as before. "Load the cannons an' get ready t' board!" he ordered. "Let's get th' bastards!" Jack muttered to himself, indignant at being attacked again.
"Kitty!" Jack beckoned her to the wheel. "Kitty, I want yer t' stay on the Pearl." She started to argue. "No, hear me out! We are bigger, higher - an' your pistol is deadly! Stay here an' shoot down on them!"
"But…" she protested.
"Do you want me t' make it an order?" He smiled. "Your shoulder still isn't fully healed luv… give it time."
She nodded, knowing he was right, before running to get her pistol and a good supply of powder and shot.
The distance closed rapidly as the bow cannons of both ships roared into life. Jack pressed the attack, closing to boarding distance. Most of the crew swung over to the other ship, pistols loaded and swords ready.
Jack smiled as Catherine started picking the pirates off, one by one - especially those that got too close to him. "M' guardian angel," he laughed to himself as he slashed another pirate across the throat before diving forward in search of another target.
The crew of the Black Pearl fought viciously and soon most of their opponents lay dead or dying. A few dropped their swords and pleaded for mercy - but found none. Any man who sailed under the red should know what to expect. Then, as suddenly as it began, all was quiet. The Black Pearl had lost only seven men, two of whom were the new recruits.
Jack walked across to Joshamee. "Check th' ship - ensure everyone is dead. Take what we want, an' the red, then fire the ship!" He swung back across to the Black Pearl, staggering as he landed in an embrace from Catherine. "Hey, I'm all right! Just a few nicks - honest!" He kissed the top of her head. "As if anything could have gotten past yer pistol!" He bent down to kiss her lips.
"Cap'n! Kitty!" Joshamee shouted from the other ship. "Cap'n! Tuscane had hostages in th' brig. I think you an' Kitty should come over!"
"Hostages?" Jack gasped in disbelief. "What th' hell was Tuscane doing flying a red with hostages?" He held Catherine tightly to him as they swung across together. "Show me!"
Joshamee Gibbs led them down and down again to the brig, where three women and a number of small children were sitting sobbing in fright. One of the cannonballs from the Black Pearl had smashed through the hull nearby, luckily missing them. They pressed themselves to the back of the brig upon seeing the pirates.
"Jack, Joshamee, you are scaring them - go away!" Catherine shooed them away. "Please, you are safe now." She unlocked the brig. "But you are going to have to come with me as we are firing this ship…"
"Who are you?" the older of the women asked.
"Your names - and quickly! I've no wish to be down here when they start the fire!" Catherine insisted.
"But you are the ones that attacked us!" the woman protested.
"No, this ship attacked ours. They are all dead and this ship will burn! Look, whoever you are, we do not harm women or children, you have my word." Catherine smiled reassuringly. "Please, we must hurry!" she urged.
The woman stared at her, considering. "My name is Rosamund Spense, these are my children and their nanny."
"Spense - as in the new Governor?" she gasped.
She nodded. "Will you ransom us too?" she sighed dejectedly.
Catherine shrugged. "That is up to the captain." She looked at the children. "Best bind their eyes, it's not pretty above…"
Taking fabric from their petticoats, the women led and carried the children up onto the deck - gasping at the sight. The youngest of the three women, one of the daughters she assumed, paled but carried on. Catherine handed the child she carried over to one of the crew. "The men will take you across. Give them the children, it is quite safe," she urged. Rosamund Spense looked doubtful, but a tendril of smoke changed her mind. When all seven hostages were safely across, Catherine swung across herself with a little help from Ned as her shoulder was still too weak for her to do so alone. "Please, come into the cabin…"
She smiled up at Jack as he took the wheel. "Run out the sweeps Gibbs an' get us away from here!" he shouted.
Only when they were well clear of the burning ship did Jack hand the wheel to Oran and go down to his cabin. Catherine and the women were sitting quietly drinking tea whilst the children ate some fruit that she had found for them. He blinked in surprise at the cosily domestic scene that he faced in his normally masculine cabin.
"Kitty?" he frowned.
"Jack, may I introduce Rosamund Spense, her children Mary, Lydia, Peter, Martha, Dorothy, and their nanny Kasia," she smiled.
"As in…" His eyes widened.
"Yes, as in the Governor," she sighed.
Jack rolled his eyes. "Just bleedin' great Kitty!" he cursed. "Every pirate wants us dead an' now I'm nursemaid to th' Governor's family!" He sighed. "All right! Yer know we've no time t' ransom them so we'll just have to trust to the truce flag again, won't we!" He grabbed a few personal items. "Guess I'm sleepin' with th' crew t'night." He stomped out, muttering about being ganged up on.
"That was the captain?" Rosamund gasped in shock, having mistaken the older man, Joshamee Gibbs, for the captain whilst below in the other ship's brig.
"Yes, my husband." Catherine smiled. "Captain Jack Sparrow, and this is the Black Pearl, Mistress Spense."
Ned Cotton brought some blankets and the women and children settled down for the night and the Black Pearl sailed with shuttered lanterns towards Port Royal.