Usual disclaimers. blah!
This is the very last chapter I am uploading today. I literally have nothing more typed! Hopefully I might have more by the weekend. housework willing!
***
Catherine did not wake until the following morning when Paul Fécamp tapped quietly on the door. Oran laid his fingers on her lips, warning her to be silent. She nodded in acknowledgment. "Come in Paul."
Paul Fécamp poked his head around the door. "Will you be coming down Oran, or do you want breakfast brought up?" He smiled, spotting that Catherine was awake. "Ah, Catherine - I am glad you are feeling better."
Wrapping Oran's shirt tightly around her she tried to speak, but gave up only managing a croak.
"Ssshhh!" Oran hushed. "Your throat is very bruised - give it time." He turned to Paul. "I am not leaving her alone today - you will have to manage without us."
"That is alright Oran. Jean Claude will see that his crew helps where necessary. I will send something up." He shut the door quietly behind him.
"How do you feel today?" Oran looked at her closely - at least her colour was better this morning. "Here, let me look at that wound. you lost a lot of blood" Gently he unwrapped her bandages, relieved to see that it was already scabbing.
"I'll live," she croaked. "Least th' blade was clean." Grimacing in pain she sat up slowly. "When do we leave?"
"Not until you are fully healed Kitty. it's a good 500 miles up river." He paused, hearing footsteps at the door. One of the crew of the Swallow knocked, opening the door with a large bundle of clothes in his arms. Luc Narbonne, balancing a tray of food entered as well.
"Captain wishes to apologise Madame for Arnaud - he hopes some of these dresses might fit you as yours was ruined." His eyes dropped to the cut and bloodied dress and shift that Oran had just shoved in the corner as he walked over to the table, carefully putting the tray down. His eyes widened as he looked at her bruised face and neck that had been hidden by her hair the night before. He shuffled his feet, uncomfortable with what had happened to her. "Sorry Madame." He hurried the other man out of the room, shutting the door quickly behind them.
Oran wandered over to the pile of dresses, holding one up for her to inspect. It was brand new, small specks of chalk still showing on the seams. He held a second, a third, and then a fourth. At the bottom of the four dresses was a beautifully soft white shift. "These are all new Kitty!" he gasped. "Either the Swallow hoards dresses for short women or he has actually bought these! I think Lact is feeling guilty!
***
Oran forbade Catherine to get out of bed for a few days, determined to give her wound the very best chance of healing. She had chafed at the inactivity although she knew that they could not leave yet - but at last he declared her wound well enough to allow her to get dressed. He helped her out of bed, a measure of the trust now between them that she stood before him stark naked.
His eyes fell on the cauterized scar on her back, his fingers tracing the outline. Although he had been onboard when she had been injured, nobody but Jack, Cotton and possibly Theodore had seen her scar. "Arms up." he whispered, helping her slide the soft shift over her head. She winced as the healing flesh pulled.
"What are you going to tell Fécamp?" she asked, her voice still a little raspy. "We need to leave soon." She turned to face him, lacing up the front of her shift.
"I'm hoping to use Lact's guilt against him," Oran smiled. "I'll say you don't want to stay in New Orleans after. after. you know." He looked away, unable to meet her eyes. "Perhaps he'll believe we want to start a new life on the frontier?"
Catherine nodded. "Makes sense - try it!"
Oran held up two of the pretty dresses for her to choose. "Which one?"
"The green, please." Her hand touched the fabric, shocked to realise it was silk. She gasped. "Silk!"
Smiling, Oran helped her into the dress, spinning her round to lace her up. "Like I said, he is feeling guilty."
Her face clouded. "What about."
"Lucon is locked in the brig aboard the Swallow. Don't worry, I'll deal with him before she sails. unless you want to kill him yourself?"
She shook her head. "Much as I would like to, it might look wrong."
He nodded. "I'll see if Lact will get somebody to row me across today."
"If you can, note their cannon and any other weaponry - it might be useful later."
"Okay. are you ready to face them?"
She smiled, brightly and a little falsely. "Hey, this is me! And in silk I could face the world!"
Catherine took his arm, allowing him to lead her down the stairs. The bar hushed as she entered, but soon numerous welcoming calls greeted her. She suddenly felt very sad - these men had taken her to their hearts and yet she was plotting to blow up their ship and probably kill them. If it was not for Jack she would have packed her bags and gone home there and then. Jean Claude Lact rose from his table, walking over to greet her.
"Madame Catherine, I am so glad to see you recovered. and green is most definitely your colour!"
"You are too kind Captain, although I hope Paul has an apron for I should help him in the kitchen."
Hearing the noise, Paul Fécamp came into the bar. "Ah, Kitty! You are better? No. I do not wish you to help me today - rest, take it easy until you feel ready. I have plenty of conscripted help in the kitchen!"
She found herself seated at Lact's table, wedged cozily between him and Oran. Wine was brought to the table by some of the crew who were helping in the bar.
"Captain Lact," Oran asked cautiously. "I was wondering if I could ask your advice?"
"Mmmmnn, what?"
"You've just returned from up the river. what is it like? I hear that a man can make a good living for himself there. is it true?"
"I thought you had settled here?"
"Since the. well, you know." he held Catherine's hand, "we've been thinking of moving on. The memories here are no longer happy."
"Frontier life can be rough with the Indians and all, but it can be a good life." He paused, looking at them as if considering something. "I tell you what, I have a brother near Fort Assumption who runs the family mining business. I feel responsible for what has happened here. I could write you a letter of introduction. I am sure either the Fort Commander or my brother would employ you."
"How far is it?" Catherine croaked, leaning against Oran as he placed his arm around her shoulders.
"About 500 miles."
She sighed. "It must cost a lot to travel that far. Do many ships go there? Would we be able to work our passage?" Although they had enough gold secretly hoarded to get them out of most problems, she didn't want to use it unless absolutely necessary - plus they would not be able to explain it with their current status.
"I know a few people. I'll ask around. Somebody might be willing to take you as a favour." He frowned. "Does Paul know about this?"
Oran shook his head. "We wanted to find out about it first. If it was out of our reach then there was little point mentioning it to him."
"Tell him tonight," Lact advised. "He won't take it well, but it will be worse if he thinks you have hidden it from him."
***
Thanks for all the reviews. it is so good to know you are all still with me! {hug}
This is the very last chapter I am uploading today. I literally have nothing more typed! Hopefully I might have more by the weekend. housework willing!
***
Catherine did not wake until the following morning when Paul Fécamp tapped quietly on the door. Oran laid his fingers on her lips, warning her to be silent. She nodded in acknowledgment. "Come in Paul."
Paul Fécamp poked his head around the door. "Will you be coming down Oran, or do you want breakfast brought up?" He smiled, spotting that Catherine was awake. "Ah, Catherine - I am glad you are feeling better."
Wrapping Oran's shirt tightly around her she tried to speak, but gave up only managing a croak.
"Ssshhh!" Oran hushed. "Your throat is very bruised - give it time." He turned to Paul. "I am not leaving her alone today - you will have to manage without us."
"That is alright Oran. Jean Claude will see that his crew helps where necessary. I will send something up." He shut the door quietly behind him.
"How do you feel today?" Oran looked at her closely - at least her colour was better this morning. "Here, let me look at that wound. you lost a lot of blood" Gently he unwrapped her bandages, relieved to see that it was already scabbing.
"I'll live," she croaked. "Least th' blade was clean." Grimacing in pain she sat up slowly. "When do we leave?"
"Not until you are fully healed Kitty. it's a good 500 miles up river." He paused, hearing footsteps at the door. One of the crew of the Swallow knocked, opening the door with a large bundle of clothes in his arms. Luc Narbonne, balancing a tray of food entered as well.
"Captain wishes to apologise Madame for Arnaud - he hopes some of these dresses might fit you as yours was ruined." His eyes dropped to the cut and bloodied dress and shift that Oran had just shoved in the corner as he walked over to the table, carefully putting the tray down. His eyes widened as he looked at her bruised face and neck that had been hidden by her hair the night before. He shuffled his feet, uncomfortable with what had happened to her. "Sorry Madame." He hurried the other man out of the room, shutting the door quickly behind them.
Oran wandered over to the pile of dresses, holding one up for her to inspect. It was brand new, small specks of chalk still showing on the seams. He held a second, a third, and then a fourth. At the bottom of the four dresses was a beautifully soft white shift. "These are all new Kitty!" he gasped. "Either the Swallow hoards dresses for short women or he has actually bought these! I think Lact is feeling guilty!
***
Oran forbade Catherine to get out of bed for a few days, determined to give her wound the very best chance of healing. She had chafed at the inactivity although she knew that they could not leave yet - but at last he declared her wound well enough to allow her to get dressed. He helped her out of bed, a measure of the trust now between them that she stood before him stark naked.
His eyes fell on the cauterized scar on her back, his fingers tracing the outline. Although he had been onboard when she had been injured, nobody but Jack, Cotton and possibly Theodore had seen her scar. "Arms up." he whispered, helping her slide the soft shift over her head. She winced as the healing flesh pulled.
"What are you going to tell Fécamp?" she asked, her voice still a little raspy. "We need to leave soon." She turned to face him, lacing up the front of her shift.
"I'm hoping to use Lact's guilt against him," Oran smiled. "I'll say you don't want to stay in New Orleans after. after. you know." He looked away, unable to meet her eyes. "Perhaps he'll believe we want to start a new life on the frontier?"
Catherine nodded. "Makes sense - try it!"
Oran held up two of the pretty dresses for her to choose. "Which one?"
"The green, please." Her hand touched the fabric, shocked to realise it was silk. She gasped. "Silk!"
Smiling, Oran helped her into the dress, spinning her round to lace her up. "Like I said, he is feeling guilty."
Her face clouded. "What about."
"Lucon is locked in the brig aboard the Swallow. Don't worry, I'll deal with him before she sails. unless you want to kill him yourself?"
She shook her head. "Much as I would like to, it might look wrong."
He nodded. "I'll see if Lact will get somebody to row me across today."
"If you can, note their cannon and any other weaponry - it might be useful later."
"Okay. are you ready to face them?"
She smiled, brightly and a little falsely. "Hey, this is me! And in silk I could face the world!"
Catherine took his arm, allowing him to lead her down the stairs. The bar hushed as she entered, but soon numerous welcoming calls greeted her. She suddenly felt very sad - these men had taken her to their hearts and yet she was plotting to blow up their ship and probably kill them. If it was not for Jack she would have packed her bags and gone home there and then. Jean Claude Lact rose from his table, walking over to greet her.
"Madame Catherine, I am so glad to see you recovered. and green is most definitely your colour!"
"You are too kind Captain, although I hope Paul has an apron for I should help him in the kitchen."
Hearing the noise, Paul Fécamp came into the bar. "Ah, Kitty! You are better? No. I do not wish you to help me today - rest, take it easy until you feel ready. I have plenty of conscripted help in the kitchen!"
She found herself seated at Lact's table, wedged cozily between him and Oran. Wine was brought to the table by some of the crew who were helping in the bar.
"Captain Lact," Oran asked cautiously. "I was wondering if I could ask your advice?"
"Mmmmnn, what?"
"You've just returned from up the river. what is it like? I hear that a man can make a good living for himself there. is it true?"
"I thought you had settled here?"
"Since the. well, you know." he held Catherine's hand, "we've been thinking of moving on. The memories here are no longer happy."
"Frontier life can be rough with the Indians and all, but it can be a good life." He paused, looking at them as if considering something. "I tell you what, I have a brother near Fort Assumption who runs the family mining business. I feel responsible for what has happened here. I could write you a letter of introduction. I am sure either the Fort Commander or my brother would employ you."
"How far is it?" Catherine croaked, leaning against Oran as he placed his arm around her shoulders.
"About 500 miles."
She sighed. "It must cost a lot to travel that far. Do many ships go there? Would we be able to work our passage?" Although they had enough gold secretly hoarded to get them out of most problems, she didn't want to use it unless absolutely necessary - plus they would not be able to explain it with their current status.
"I know a few people. I'll ask around. Somebody might be willing to take you as a favour." He frowned. "Does Paul know about this?"
Oran shook his head. "We wanted to find out about it first. If it was out of our reach then there was little point mentioning it to him."
"Tell him tonight," Lact advised. "He won't take it well, but it will be worse if he thinks you have hidden it from him."
***
Thanks for all the reviews. it is so good to know you are all still with me! {hug}