Usual disclaimers. bah humbug!
Last chapter today... maybe more later. Mulberry and I have been on a creative roll! Cheers mate!
***
Theodore Groves looked at his sister in disbelief as she walked into the lounge with Jack. "Cat!" he gasped. She was wearing tight leather trousers, feminine but sensible boots, and a richly embroidered waistcoat over a shirt of purest white cotton. Its sleeves were slashed to reveal her arms, her tattoo clearly visible. Her hair was plaited in a single sailor's braid... and she was armed with pistol and sword. "I'd have thought you would have dressed for the occasion?"
"I did Theo... these are my best clothes!" She sat as he held the chair for her, carefully moving her sword aside so it did not catch on the table.
"I can believe that!" Mary Groves snorted.
"Thank you Theo." Catherine ignored the comment, but only for a moment. "I wear trousers because I am a member of the Black Pearl and I am expected to defend my ship." She smiled sweetly, but the open hostility between the two of them sparked through the air.
Jack's lips twitched with a smile, watching Mary's face as Edmund Groves assisted his daughter-in-law to sit. Theodore sat and nodded to their servant to begin the meal, uneasy silence descending on the room.
"So..." he began, trying to get the conversation off on a safe footing and knowing his sister well enough to realise he was in dangerous territory. "So... where have you two been for the last year? Last we saw of you both was Cat flying down the stair to go and find you Jack?"
"Aye," Jack smiled, "an that she did. I was in a coal mine five hundred miles up th' Mississippi..."
Theodore looked surprised. "How did..." He paused as the servants returned to serve the first course, waiting until they had gone to continue the conversation. "How did Cat find you?"
"She went t' New Orleans an' eventually found where I was before freeing me..."
"Are you telling me that my daughter went into the French territories alone? The Black Pearl has been in the Caribbean these past months..." Edmund Groves spluttered, incandescent with rage.
"No, she went with Oran..."
"Oran?"
"Our helmsman Papa. He speaks French..."
"Our helmsman?" Edmund Groves looked at his daughter in disbelief...
"Kitty is m' second on th' Pearl," Jack shrugged. "Crew'll follow her anywhere."
"But Cat - you could have been hanged! The French territories are dangerous!" Theodore protested.
She shrugged. "Well, they nearly killed me twice, but they didn't catch me! Takes more than a few French to catch a Sparrow Theo!"
"I thought you were a Groves," he father interrupted sourly.
"So did I once Papa, so did I." She looked at her father sadly. "But I'm happier being a Sparrow..." Jack smiled as she glanced at him affectionately, before taking a deep breath and steeling herself to continue. "But that is enough of us, I am more interested to learn about what has been happening here..."
Theodore looked at his sister worriedly, unsure what to say. "Mary and I married in March. We would have waited, but had no word from the Black Pearl and no way of contacting you Cat..."
"And my furniture, my belongings that were in what was my home..."
"It still is your home Cat..."
"Is it Theo... when I need a dinner invitation just to be allowed inside the door? My belongings, the furniture - where are they!"
Theodore looked at Mary, unsure of his answer. "I gave them away to the poor," she shrugged. "They were all tatty anyway!"
Jack winced as Catherine's voice dropped to a whisper, for a moment even scaring Theodore. "Let me understand this... you gave away my possessions and my furniture without even consulting me... without even waiting to discover if I was still alive and replaced it with... this..." She waved her hand, encompassing the current décor of the room. "You had no right!"
She looked at Jack and for a moment he feared what she would do or say, but she rose, her chair scraping on the floor. "Thank you for the food Theodore, but I'd rather dine aboard our ship..." She turned, heading to the lobby, Jack close on her heels.
"Cat!" Theodore threw his napkin down, chasing after her. "Cat! Stop!" He caught her arm, pulling her to face him. "Cat, what is this about?"
"I warned you about her at the ball... a money grabber I said, eyeing the richest catch. Well, I guess you are that aren't you... although she was more interested in the Commodore at the time! I wish you well of her Theo, I really do - but I won't be coming back."
"Cat?" Theodore looked at his sister in shock that she felt that way about his wife. "Cat, please..."
She turned her back to him, finding herself staring into the angry eyes of Mary, her hand reaching out slapping her hard across the face. Catherine shrugged. "Guess I'll give you that." She smiled as she wiped the blood from her lip, noting the large gemstone on Mary's ring. "But I wouldn't be doing it again..."
"Mary!" Theodore gasped, placing himself between the fighting women as Jack took firm hold of Catherine.
"Kitty, we are leavin'!" Jack grabbed her firmly by the arm, leading her towards the door. He could see the servants clustered around the kitchen doorway and knew that this would be talked about for weeks.
"Alright! Alright!" Catherine shrugged off his hand, turning to her brother. "Theo, I'm sorry - you are my brother, I'll always love you and help you in any way I can, but she'll bleed you dry..." She glanced around the room. "I've seen more taste in a Tortuga whore-house," she sighed.
Mary sidestepped around Theodore, slapping Catherine again across the face.
Jack's face paled, looking in horror at Theodore. "Kitty... no!"
Catherine's action was reflexive, her fist curling as she punched Mary in the face, knocking her backwards into Theodore's arms. He looked at his sister in shock, forcibly restraining Mary as Jack grabbed Catherine. "I'll have you arrested for assault, pirate!" Mary screamed, losing even the remotest shred of decorum.
Catherine struggled to reach her, but Jack's grip was firm. "An' I'll have you done for theft, you bitch!" she retorted, smiling as she noticed a glimmer of fear in Mary's eyes.
Jack struggled to open the door, shoving Catherine forcibly down the steps. "Goodnight Theo, I'd like t' say it was a pleasure..."
Theodore nodded sadly, realising that his sister and his wife could not be allowed to meet again, never be allowed to meet again.
Jack smiled. "If it is any consolation mate, at least she didn't shoot her!"
***
Jack forced Catherine to walk down to the docks, his hand unyielding as he refused to release her. "I said enough Kitty..."
"Dammit Jack..."
"No!" He looked up, seeing several crew members walking towards one of the taverns. "Booth, Gibson... a hand fer a moment..." They looked at him in confusion, Oran's eyes wide with shock. Catherine had obviously been fighting and was obviously not there of her own free will - her pistol tucked into Jack's waistband. "I need two men t' row me an' Kitty back to th' Pearl... now!" She turned to argue with him again, but he whipped her arm around her back, pulling tightly until she winced. "I said no, Kitty!" She lashed out with her feet, trying to kick him, but he danced away from her attack. "Okay... that's it!" Wrapping his arms around her he threw her to his shoulder, turning to Oran and John. "I said now!"
Oran and John got back into their boat, sitting ready at the oars as Jack stepped into it, Catherine still wriggling furiously on his shoulder. He slid her from his shoulder, holding her tight against him, not releasing her for an instant, suppressing her struggles that were rocking the small boat. They soon bumped against the hull of the Black Pearl and Jack handed her to Oran.
"Don't let her go mate... an' watch th' feet!" Swiftly he climbed up onto the deck, reaching down to haul her forcibly on deck. "Thanks! Go enjoy yer drink!" his voice drifted down. They picked up their oars, wincing as Catherine exploded again out of their sight. This was one argument Oran was determined to be well clear of.
"You bastard Jack Sparrow, put me down!" Catherine shouted furiously. "Now!" She struggled more as he picked her up again, throwing her over his shoulder and down into the bowels of the ship. "You bastard... don't you dare! Jack Sparrow! Don't you bloody dare!" She paused, noting where they were. "No! Not the brig! Dammit Jack! No!" She hit the deck with a bounce, the door clanging shut behind her.
"Kitty, yer stay there 'til we leave port." Jack shook his head sadly. "This is me speakin' as Captain - cool it! I can't have yer killin' yer new sister-in-law now, can I?"
"Jack Sparrow!" Catherine grabbed for him through the bars, but he jumped back out of reach. "You bastard! Let me go!"
Jack looked at her for a moment, thinking she looked beautiful when she was so angry. But he couldn't run the risk of her taking a boat, or even swimming ashore, for a chance to get at Mary. "I'll send yer down some blankets," he offered, turning on his heel and climbing back up onto deck. Her insults followed his departure.
"Captain?" Gibbs stood before him, confusion in his eyes. "Captain... Kitty...?"
"M' wife will be remainin' in th' brig until we leave port Gibbs. She's t' have every courtesy except her freedom..."
"But..."
"That is an' order Gibbs! Make sure th' rest of the crew understand!"
***
Jack was not surprised the following morning to find himself summoned to the Commodore's Office to explain himself. He walked through the town, smiling quietly as he heard the shocking gossip that was all over the town about the catfight in the Groves household.
He was shown in quickly, surprised to find Theodore there already. He nodded to him before turning to the Commodore. "Okay, Norrington - I can guess what this is about..."
"Kindly explain your wife's actions Captain Sparrow." James Norrington was bemused by all of this and Theodore had not been able to explain it much other than his sister had been upset.
"Well, it wasn't Kitty... Mary started it - even last night Kitty would have walked away if she hadn't slapped twice..."
"The whole story... please!"
"Kitty was upset that Mary got rid of all of her belongings, and the furniture that was hers." He turned to Theodore. "She put a lot of her own money into that house and Mary just gave it away! Hell, she even had her shown the door earlier in the day... in what she should have been able t' consider her family home!"
James Norrington rubbed the bridge of his nose, feeling the start of yet another headache... and yet again it involved a Sparrow. "Now, let me see if I have this right... you return to Port Royal, Mistress Groves makes you leave the house, Mistress Sparrow is upset as her furniture and belongings have been given away without her knowledge..."
"Or permission..." Jack interrupted.
The Commodore frowned, silencing Jack. "Without her knowledge," he continued. "You are invited to dinner, the women argue, Mistress Groves slapped Mistress Sparrow..."
"Twice..." Jack interrupted again, refusing to have his wife made to look the guilty party.
The Commodore ignored him. "And in retaliation, Mistress Sparrow punched her... is that about correct?"
"Bit missing on the subtleties, but close enough..." Jack shrugged.
"Mary does not want to press charges for the assault..." Theodore offered.
"I cannot say that Kitty won't press charges for theft," Jack warned. "But I'm keepin' her in th' brig until we leave!"
"You've locked my sister up?" Theodore gasped.
"Well, would yer rather she swim t' shore and punch yer wife again?" He smiled as he saw the realisation dawn on Theodore's face. "Exactly mate! She fought me all th' way to th' docks and was still cursin' when I turned th' key..."
"And why exactly did Mistress Groves slap Mistress Sparrow?" the Commodore pressed.
"It probably had somethin' t' do with being called a money-grabbing bitch with less taste than a Tortuga whore house... but I could be wrong..." Jack smiled as he shrugged. "Although th' charge of theft does seem to float around yer household at th' moment Theo..."
"Those things were found in Kasia's room!" Theodore defended his wife, unsure exactly what Jack was insinuating.
"Strange that though, wasn't it? I never thought Kasia was th' type to be a thief... an' I've met a few in my time, trust me!"
"They were found in Miss Thiago's room..." the Commodore explained, "although she did protest her innocence."
"So how did they get there mate? Not many thieves are dumb enough t' stash things in their own room..." Jack let his words sink in, their implication dawning on the other two men. "If that is all Commodore I'd like to sail this morning... m' wife would like to be let out of th' brig and I believe I have a Frenchman to sink..."
"Mistress Sparrow will keep her word...?"
"On what? Taking out th' Swallow or chargin' Mary with theft?" He smiled as he noticed Theodore wincing - at least he would not be the only one facing an argumentative woman that night.
"I meant the Swallow!" James Norrington pressed.
"Well mate, if I ever get out of this office like, I might be able t' do somethin..." He grinned as Norrington dismissed him, nodding to Theodore as he left. He walked down into the town towards the docks, but paused for a moment before turning the other way. Perhaps he had enough time for a social visit to the smithy before he left - he hated to leave without seeing Will.
***
Last chapter today... maybe more later. Mulberry and I have been on a creative roll! Cheers mate!
***
Theodore Groves looked at his sister in disbelief as she walked into the lounge with Jack. "Cat!" he gasped. She was wearing tight leather trousers, feminine but sensible boots, and a richly embroidered waistcoat over a shirt of purest white cotton. Its sleeves were slashed to reveal her arms, her tattoo clearly visible. Her hair was plaited in a single sailor's braid... and she was armed with pistol and sword. "I'd have thought you would have dressed for the occasion?"
"I did Theo... these are my best clothes!" She sat as he held the chair for her, carefully moving her sword aside so it did not catch on the table.
"I can believe that!" Mary Groves snorted.
"Thank you Theo." Catherine ignored the comment, but only for a moment. "I wear trousers because I am a member of the Black Pearl and I am expected to defend my ship." She smiled sweetly, but the open hostility between the two of them sparked through the air.
Jack's lips twitched with a smile, watching Mary's face as Edmund Groves assisted his daughter-in-law to sit. Theodore sat and nodded to their servant to begin the meal, uneasy silence descending on the room.
"So..." he began, trying to get the conversation off on a safe footing and knowing his sister well enough to realise he was in dangerous territory. "So... where have you two been for the last year? Last we saw of you both was Cat flying down the stair to go and find you Jack?"
"Aye," Jack smiled, "an that she did. I was in a coal mine five hundred miles up th' Mississippi..."
Theodore looked surprised. "How did..." He paused as the servants returned to serve the first course, waiting until they had gone to continue the conversation. "How did Cat find you?"
"She went t' New Orleans an' eventually found where I was before freeing me..."
"Are you telling me that my daughter went into the French territories alone? The Black Pearl has been in the Caribbean these past months..." Edmund Groves spluttered, incandescent with rage.
"No, she went with Oran..."
"Oran?"
"Our helmsman Papa. He speaks French..."
"Our helmsman?" Edmund Groves looked at his daughter in disbelief...
"Kitty is m' second on th' Pearl," Jack shrugged. "Crew'll follow her anywhere."
"But Cat - you could have been hanged! The French territories are dangerous!" Theodore protested.
She shrugged. "Well, they nearly killed me twice, but they didn't catch me! Takes more than a few French to catch a Sparrow Theo!"
"I thought you were a Groves," he father interrupted sourly.
"So did I once Papa, so did I." She looked at her father sadly. "But I'm happier being a Sparrow..." Jack smiled as she glanced at him affectionately, before taking a deep breath and steeling herself to continue. "But that is enough of us, I am more interested to learn about what has been happening here..."
Theodore looked at his sister worriedly, unsure what to say. "Mary and I married in March. We would have waited, but had no word from the Black Pearl and no way of contacting you Cat..."
"And my furniture, my belongings that were in what was my home..."
"It still is your home Cat..."
"Is it Theo... when I need a dinner invitation just to be allowed inside the door? My belongings, the furniture - where are they!"
Theodore looked at Mary, unsure of his answer. "I gave them away to the poor," she shrugged. "They were all tatty anyway!"
Jack winced as Catherine's voice dropped to a whisper, for a moment even scaring Theodore. "Let me understand this... you gave away my possessions and my furniture without even consulting me... without even waiting to discover if I was still alive and replaced it with... this..." She waved her hand, encompassing the current décor of the room. "You had no right!"
She looked at Jack and for a moment he feared what she would do or say, but she rose, her chair scraping on the floor. "Thank you for the food Theodore, but I'd rather dine aboard our ship..." She turned, heading to the lobby, Jack close on her heels.
"Cat!" Theodore threw his napkin down, chasing after her. "Cat! Stop!" He caught her arm, pulling her to face him. "Cat, what is this about?"
"I warned you about her at the ball... a money grabber I said, eyeing the richest catch. Well, I guess you are that aren't you... although she was more interested in the Commodore at the time! I wish you well of her Theo, I really do - but I won't be coming back."
"Cat?" Theodore looked at his sister in shock that she felt that way about his wife. "Cat, please..."
She turned her back to him, finding herself staring into the angry eyes of Mary, her hand reaching out slapping her hard across the face. Catherine shrugged. "Guess I'll give you that." She smiled as she wiped the blood from her lip, noting the large gemstone on Mary's ring. "But I wouldn't be doing it again..."
"Mary!" Theodore gasped, placing himself between the fighting women as Jack took firm hold of Catherine.
"Kitty, we are leavin'!" Jack grabbed her firmly by the arm, leading her towards the door. He could see the servants clustered around the kitchen doorway and knew that this would be talked about for weeks.
"Alright! Alright!" Catherine shrugged off his hand, turning to her brother. "Theo, I'm sorry - you are my brother, I'll always love you and help you in any way I can, but she'll bleed you dry..." She glanced around the room. "I've seen more taste in a Tortuga whore-house," she sighed.
Mary sidestepped around Theodore, slapping Catherine again across the face.
Jack's face paled, looking in horror at Theodore. "Kitty... no!"
Catherine's action was reflexive, her fist curling as she punched Mary in the face, knocking her backwards into Theodore's arms. He looked at his sister in shock, forcibly restraining Mary as Jack grabbed Catherine. "I'll have you arrested for assault, pirate!" Mary screamed, losing even the remotest shred of decorum.
Catherine struggled to reach her, but Jack's grip was firm. "An' I'll have you done for theft, you bitch!" she retorted, smiling as she noticed a glimmer of fear in Mary's eyes.
Jack struggled to open the door, shoving Catherine forcibly down the steps. "Goodnight Theo, I'd like t' say it was a pleasure..."
Theodore nodded sadly, realising that his sister and his wife could not be allowed to meet again, never be allowed to meet again.
Jack smiled. "If it is any consolation mate, at least she didn't shoot her!"
***
Jack forced Catherine to walk down to the docks, his hand unyielding as he refused to release her. "I said enough Kitty..."
"Dammit Jack..."
"No!" He looked up, seeing several crew members walking towards one of the taverns. "Booth, Gibson... a hand fer a moment..." They looked at him in confusion, Oran's eyes wide with shock. Catherine had obviously been fighting and was obviously not there of her own free will - her pistol tucked into Jack's waistband. "I need two men t' row me an' Kitty back to th' Pearl... now!" She turned to argue with him again, but he whipped her arm around her back, pulling tightly until she winced. "I said no, Kitty!" She lashed out with her feet, trying to kick him, but he danced away from her attack. "Okay... that's it!" Wrapping his arms around her he threw her to his shoulder, turning to Oran and John. "I said now!"
Oran and John got back into their boat, sitting ready at the oars as Jack stepped into it, Catherine still wriggling furiously on his shoulder. He slid her from his shoulder, holding her tight against him, not releasing her for an instant, suppressing her struggles that were rocking the small boat. They soon bumped against the hull of the Black Pearl and Jack handed her to Oran.
"Don't let her go mate... an' watch th' feet!" Swiftly he climbed up onto the deck, reaching down to haul her forcibly on deck. "Thanks! Go enjoy yer drink!" his voice drifted down. They picked up their oars, wincing as Catherine exploded again out of their sight. This was one argument Oran was determined to be well clear of.
"You bastard Jack Sparrow, put me down!" Catherine shouted furiously. "Now!" She struggled more as he picked her up again, throwing her over his shoulder and down into the bowels of the ship. "You bastard... don't you dare! Jack Sparrow! Don't you bloody dare!" She paused, noting where they were. "No! Not the brig! Dammit Jack! No!" She hit the deck with a bounce, the door clanging shut behind her.
"Kitty, yer stay there 'til we leave port." Jack shook his head sadly. "This is me speakin' as Captain - cool it! I can't have yer killin' yer new sister-in-law now, can I?"
"Jack Sparrow!" Catherine grabbed for him through the bars, but he jumped back out of reach. "You bastard! Let me go!"
Jack looked at her for a moment, thinking she looked beautiful when she was so angry. But he couldn't run the risk of her taking a boat, or even swimming ashore, for a chance to get at Mary. "I'll send yer down some blankets," he offered, turning on his heel and climbing back up onto deck. Her insults followed his departure.
"Captain?" Gibbs stood before him, confusion in his eyes. "Captain... Kitty...?"
"M' wife will be remainin' in th' brig until we leave port Gibbs. She's t' have every courtesy except her freedom..."
"But..."
"That is an' order Gibbs! Make sure th' rest of the crew understand!"
***
Jack was not surprised the following morning to find himself summoned to the Commodore's Office to explain himself. He walked through the town, smiling quietly as he heard the shocking gossip that was all over the town about the catfight in the Groves household.
He was shown in quickly, surprised to find Theodore there already. He nodded to him before turning to the Commodore. "Okay, Norrington - I can guess what this is about..."
"Kindly explain your wife's actions Captain Sparrow." James Norrington was bemused by all of this and Theodore had not been able to explain it much other than his sister had been upset.
"Well, it wasn't Kitty... Mary started it - even last night Kitty would have walked away if she hadn't slapped twice..."
"The whole story... please!"
"Kitty was upset that Mary got rid of all of her belongings, and the furniture that was hers." He turned to Theodore. "She put a lot of her own money into that house and Mary just gave it away! Hell, she even had her shown the door earlier in the day... in what she should have been able t' consider her family home!"
James Norrington rubbed the bridge of his nose, feeling the start of yet another headache... and yet again it involved a Sparrow. "Now, let me see if I have this right... you return to Port Royal, Mistress Groves makes you leave the house, Mistress Sparrow is upset as her furniture and belongings have been given away without her knowledge..."
"Or permission..." Jack interrupted.
The Commodore frowned, silencing Jack. "Without her knowledge," he continued. "You are invited to dinner, the women argue, Mistress Groves slapped Mistress Sparrow..."
"Twice..." Jack interrupted again, refusing to have his wife made to look the guilty party.
The Commodore ignored him. "And in retaliation, Mistress Sparrow punched her... is that about correct?"
"Bit missing on the subtleties, but close enough..." Jack shrugged.
"Mary does not want to press charges for the assault..." Theodore offered.
"I cannot say that Kitty won't press charges for theft," Jack warned. "But I'm keepin' her in th' brig until we leave!"
"You've locked my sister up?" Theodore gasped.
"Well, would yer rather she swim t' shore and punch yer wife again?" He smiled as he saw the realisation dawn on Theodore's face. "Exactly mate! She fought me all th' way to th' docks and was still cursin' when I turned th' key..."
"And why exactly did Mistress Groves slap Mistress Sparrow?" the Commodore pressed.
"It probably had somethin' t' do with being called a money-grabbing bitch with less taste than a Tortuga whore house... but I could be wrong..." Jack smiled as he shrugged. "Although th' charge of theft does seem to float around yer household at th' moment Theo..."
"Those things were found in Kasia's room!" Theodore defended his wife, unsure exactly what Jack was insinuating.
"Strange that though, wasn't it? I never thought Kasia was th' type to be a thief... an' I've met a few in my time, trust me!"
"They were found in Miss Thiago's room..." the Commodore explained, "although she did protest her innocence."
"So how did they get there mate? Not many thieves are dumb enough t' stash things in their own room..." Jack let his words sink in, their implication dawning on the other two men. "If that is all Commodore I'd like to sail this morning... m' wife would like to be let out of th' brig and I believe I have a Frenchman to sink..."
"Mistress Sparrow will keep her word...?"
"On what? Taking out th' Swallow or chargin' Mary with theft?" He smiled as he noticed Theodore wincing - at least he would not be the only one facing an argumentative woman that night.
"I meant the Swallow!" James Norrington pressed.
"Well mate, if I ever get out of this office like, I might be able t' do somethin..." He grinned as Norrington dismissed him, nodding to Theodore as he left. He walked down into the town towards the docks, but paused for a moment before turning the other way. Perhaps he had enough time for a social visit to the smithy before he left - he hated to leave without seeing Will.
***