Usual disclaimers. aarrgghhhh!
Practically done for Christmas though... it is a hard time of year to be a Mum! Next year I must be more organised!
***
Joshua Albany was pleased to see the strangers leave. Although they had been perfectly polite and respectable, he was sure they were not what they seemed. He had tried to sit near the three of them in the inn as they drank their ales the previous evening, the savage remaining in the stables, but their conversations had always frustratingly been just below his hearing. Even a quiet look at their horses had revealed nothing apart from some hard riding. The man, Duras, helped his wife to mount, revealing for a moment her lithe, muscled leg. As she smoothed her skirt, he thought he could glimpse the outline of a pistol strapped to her leg through the cloth of her dress. He stared, puzzled, only to be rewarded by a bright smile and a nod as she rode past him - no, he must have been mistaken for what decent woman would use such a weapon. He shrugged to himself as they disappeared from view, realising he would probably never know the truth... and not entirely sure that he wanted to.
***
They made good time now that they were on a proper trail, often managing to canter along the more level places. Catherine smiled at Jack's eagerness to get back to his beloved ship, feelings that matched her own and secretly impressed at his improving riding. Even her own riding had vastly improved with the lack of a saddle now proving little hindrance to her.
That night Little Feather and Oran took first watch, allowing Jack and Catherine to snuggle together beneath the furs, staring up at the stars in the sky. He wrapped his arms around her. "When we get back, I'll teach yer th' stars," he murmured, "an' t' navigate. You're above any crew now luv... even that sot Gibbs!"
"That's if I give you back the Captaincy... perhaps I'll keep it and make you my personal cabin boy!" she teased.
"Are yer sure 'bout that luv?" He kissed her, thinking he'd willing be her personal anything as long as he could have the Captaincy back. "Do I need t' negotiate?"
"Negotiations will have to wait... we are meant to be sleeping!" She smiled, kissing him back before resting her head on his shoulder. "And you know I'd never come between a man and his ship!"
"Promise?"
"Promise! Now go to sleep Jack!"
***
A few days later, just after noon, they reached the small trading town of Alexandria, the Potomac River stretching away south-eastwards into the distance. "Sell th' horses," Jack ordered. "We'll take passage down river on th' first boat we find!" He patted his bags happily. "Thanks t' Lact's generosity we can travel in style!"
"Generosity?"
"Well, he did have a lot of gold in his office luv," he grinned. "An' it would have been a shame t' leave it all there!"
"Pirate!" Catherine laughed. "You can buy me a new shift and boots then since mine have been ruined or lost thanks to..."
"Ssshh!" Little Feather warned. "There are men ahead!"
Jack smiled, thankful of Little Feather's sharp ears, guiding his horse protectively closer to Catherine as they turned the corner to find the gate just ahead.
"Halt! Declare yourselves!" The most senior looking of the guards blocked their way.
Jack rolled his expressive eyes, making Catherine smile at him. "I am Jack Duras, this is my wife Catherine and my companions Oran Booth and Little Feather of the Chickasaw tribe..."
"What is your purpose in Alexandria?" he demanded.
"We are seeking passage t' Yorktown if we can find a boat to take us." Jack spoke cautiously for the guard's attitude was hostile.
"Where have you come from?" His eyes narrowed suspiciously at the four strangers.
"Fort Cumberland..."
"What's with the savage?" He eyed Little Feather suspiciously, a sneer on his lips.
"Little Feather is a friend and our guide... look, is there a problem? I'd really like to find an inn for my wife before nightfall!" The guard took a long appreciative look at Catherine, until Jack rode across his view. "Is there a problem?" he repeated, anger creeping into his voice. Guard or not, nobody leered his wife like that!
"As long as you don't cause trouble there is no problem..." The gate guard threatened as he opened the gate allowing them into the town. "No problem at all!"
Jack ignored the man and followed his nose to the docks, finding a small inn overlooking the busy port. A myriad of little boats loaded and unloaded their cargoes. Leaving some of their bags in their room, Jack headed towards the shops. "Oran, Little Feather - find us passage on a boat to Yorktown - cabin if possible for Kitty, but deck'll do. Once you've sorted that, sell th' horses... sorry Little Feather, but we can't take them with us."
"It is okay Crazy Bird, I understand..."
"Aye Captain," Oran nodded. "And you?"
"I'll be helpin' Kitty with her purchases," Jack smiled, taking her hand in his. "So make sure that th' boat isn't leavin' for a week or so! We'll meet back here in a couple of hours..."
Oran nodded and headed towards the boats currently tied along the docks, Little Feather following closely. He paused, looking backwards at Jack and Catherine as they walked in the opposite direction, arm in arm. For a moment he shut his eyes, remembering when he had held her like that, a stab of jealousy through his heart. He loved her more than he should but knew that his feelings would never be returned as he would like. "Tortuga," he muttered to himself, "Just think of Tortuga!" He took a deep breath. "Let's find a boat," he suggested, quickly walking away from the subject of his gaze. Running Elk had been right - Catherine did have a hold over him, but she had absolutely no idea of it and that was part of why he loved her.
***
Jack was enjoying himself immensely. One of his greatest pleasures in life was spoiling his wife - and he was certainly doing that now. The seamstress busily took her measurements, assuring him that not one but two shifts in the most luxurious soft white fabric would be ready in three days. He also bought, ready-made, a number of equally nice shirts that she could wear with the leather trousers... although he had had to pretend that they were for him. He somehow suspected that the lady would be scandalised if he realised they were for his wife.
"Boots next?" He smiled, just able to see her toes beneath the hem of her dress.
She looked down at her dusty feet which were hardened by weeks of walking across rough country barefoot. "What do you think?" she retorted. A smile twitched across her face and then she burst out laughing, "Of course I want some boots! Sensible ones, not stupid ladies ones... savvy?"
He smiled at her, slipping his hand in hers they walked on, eventually finding a boot maker near the docks. Catherine giggled as the man measured her feet, promising a pair of boots within two days. She was really ticklish on her feet and fought like a spitfire if ever he tried to touch them. Mischief sparkled in his eyes as he watched, contemplating such an attempt that evening.
***
Oran and Little Feather quietly sat drinking ale at the inn, waiting for Jack and Catherine to return - eventually spotting her carrying a large bundle up to their room. Jack slipped into the booth with them. "What's happenin'?"
"We've sold the horses and sail in five days time." He slid a pouch of coins across the table. "I'm afraid it's a fur trader boat an' we'll have to sleep on deck, but it is the best there was that would take passengers.
Jack nodded. "Make sure we have somethin' t' keep Kitty dry an' we'll be fine..." He looked up, spotting Catherine as she returned from their room, putting his hands together in supplication, praying for rum. She headed to the bar, but he sighed disappointedly when she slid in beside him, placing two ales on the table.
"Sorry love, there was none! What was that about keeping me dry?" Jack explained what they had been talking about. She shrugged. "Home is home, as long as I don't have to swim I don't care how I get there!"
Practically done for Christmas though... it is a hard time of year to be a Mum! Next year I must be more organised!
***
Joshua Albany was pleased to see the strangers leave. Although they had been perfectly polite and respectable, he was sure they were not what they seemed. He had tried to sit near the three of them in the inn as they drank their ales the previous evening, the savage remaining in the stables, but their conversations had always frustratingly been just below his hearing. Even a quiet look at their horses had revealed nothing apart from some hard riding. The man, Duras, helped his wife to mount, revealing for a moment her lithe, muscled leg. As she smoothed her skirt, he thought he could glimpse the outline of a pistol strapped to her leg through the cloth of her dress. He stared, puzzled, only to be rewarded by a bright smile and a nod as she rode past him - no, he must have been mistaken for what decent woman would use such a weapon. He shrugged to himself as they disappeared from view, realising he would probably never know the truth... and not entirely sure that he wanted to.
***
They made good time now that they were on a proper trail, often managing to canter along the more level places. Catherine smiled at Jack's eagerness to get back to his beloved ship, feelings that matched her own and secretly impressed at his improving riding. Even her own riding had vastly improved with the lack of a saddle now proving little hindrance to her.
That night Little Feather and Oran took first watch, allowing Jack and Catherine to snuggle together beneath the furs, staring up at the stars in the sky. He wrapped his arms around her. "When we get back, I'll teach yer th' stars," he murmured, "an' t' navigate. You're above any crew now luv... even that sot Gibbs!"
"That's if I give you back the Captaincy... perhaps I'll keep it and make you my personal cabin boy!" she teased.
"Are yer sure 'bout that luv?" He kissed her, thinking he'd willing be her personal anything as long as he could have the Captaincy back. "Do I need t' negotiate?"
"Negotiations will have to wait... we are meant to be sleeping!" She smiled, kissing him back before resting her head on his shoulder. "And you know I'd never come between a man and his ship!"
"Promise?"
"Promise! Now go to sleep Jack!"
***
A few days later, just after noon, they reached the small trading town of Alexandria, the Potomac River stretching away south-eastwards into the distance. "Sell th' horses," Jack ordered. "We'll take passage down river on th' first boat we find!" He patted his bags happily. "Thanks t' Lact's generosity we can travel in style!"
"Generosity?"
"Well, he did have a lot of gold in his office luv," he grinned. "An' it would have been a shame t' leave it all there!"
"Pirate!" Catherine laughed. "You can buy me a new shift and boots then since mine have been ruined or lost thanks to..."
"Ssshh!" Little Feather warned. "There are men ahead!"
Jack smiled, thankful of Little Feather's sharp ears, guiding his horse protectively closer to Catherine as they turned the corner to find the gate just ahead.
"Halt! Declare yourselves!" The most senior looking of the guards blocked their way.
Jack rolled his expressive eyes, making Catherine smile at him. "I am Jack Duras, this is my wife Catherine and my companions Oran Booth and Little Feather of the Chickasaw tribe..."
"What is your purpose in Alexandria?" he demanded.
"We are seeking passage t' Yorktown if we can find a boat to take us." Jack spoke cautiously for the guard's attitude was hostile.
"Where have you come from?" His eyes narrowed suspiciously at the four strangers.
"Fort Cumberland..."
"What's with the savage?" He eyed Little Feather suspiciously, a sneer on his lips.
"Little Feather is a friend and our guide... look, is there a problem? I'd really like to find an inn for my wife before nightfall!" The guard took a long appreciative look at Catherine, until Jack rode across his view. "Is there a problem?" he repeated, anger creeping into his voice. Guard or not, nobody leered his wife like that!
"As long as you don't cause trouble there is no problem..." The gate guard threatened as he opened the gate allowing them into the town. "No problem at all!"
Jack ignored the man and followed his nose to the docks, finding a small inn overlooking the busy port. A myriad of little boats loaded and unloaded their cargoes. Leaving some of their bags in their room, Jack headed towards the shops. "Oran, Little Feather - find us passage on a boat to Yorktown - cabin if possible for Kitty, but deck'll do. Once you've sorted that, sell th' horses... sorry Little Feather, but we can't take them with us."
"It is okay Crazy Bird, I understand..."
"Aye Captain," Oran nodded. "And you?"
"I'll be helpin' Kitty with her purchases," Jack smiled, taking her hand in his. "So make sure that th' boat isn't leavin' for a week or so! We'll meet back here in a couple of hours..."
Oran nodded and headed towards the boats currently tied along the docks, Little Feather following closely. He paused, looking backwards at Jack and Catherine as they walked in the opposite direction, arm in arm. For a moment he shut his eyes, remembering when he had held her like that, a stab of jealousy through his heart. He loved her more than he should but knew that his feelings would never be returned as he would like. "Tortuga," he muttered to himself, "Just think of Tortuga!" He took a deep breath. "Let's find a boat," he suggested, quickly walking away from the subject of his gaze. Running Elk had been right - Catherine did have a hold over him, but she had absolutely no idea of it and that was part of why he loved her.
***
Jack was enjoying himself immensely. One of his greatest pleasures in life was spoiling his wife - and he was certainly doing that now. The seamstress busily took her measurements, assuring him that not one but two shifts in the most luxurious soft white fabric would be ready in three days. He also bought, ready-made, a number of equally nice shirts that she could wear with the leather trousers... although he had had to pretend that they were for him. He somehow suspected that the lady would be scandalised if he realised they were for his wife.
"Boots next?" He smiled, just able to see her toes beneath the hem of her dress.
She looked down at her dusty feet which were hardened by weeks of walking across rough country barefoot. "What do you think?" she retorted. A smile twitched across her face and then she burst out laughing, "Of course I want some boots! Sensible ones, not stupid ladies ones... savvy?"
He smiled at her, slipping his hand in hers they walked on, eventually finding a boot maker near the docks. Catherine giggled as the man measured her feet, promising a pair of boots within two days. She was really ticklish on her feet and fought like a spitfire if ever he tried to touch them. Mischief sparkled in his eyes as he watched, contemplating such an attempt that evening.
***
Oran and Little Feather quietly sat drinking ale at the inn, waiting for Jack and Catherine to return - eventually spotting her carrying a large bundle up to their room. Jack slipped into the booth with them. "What's happenin'?"
"We've sold the horses and sail in five days time." He slid a pouch of coins across the table. "I'm afraid it's a fur trader boat an' we'll have to sleep on deck, but it is the best there was that would take passengers.
Jack nodded. "Make sure we have somethin' t' keep Kitty dry an' we'll be fine..." He looked up, spotting Catherine as she returned from their room, putting his hands together in supplication, praying for rum. She headed to the bar, but he sighed disappointedly when she slid in beside him, placing two ales on the table.
"Sorry love, there was none! What was that about keeping me dry?" Jack explained what they had been talking about. She shrugged. "Home is home, as long as I don't have to swim I don't care how I get there!"