Chapter 33: Alone on Board
Port Georgia, as it was called, reminded Will (Sr.) of Port Royal, though without the pompousness. Jack had declined to leave the ship, as had Jamie and Louisa. Ranger, and Gibbs also decided to stay, though no one knew for what reason. Maria had gone with Isabelle and Will (Jr.) as an escort/supervisor (according to Jack). It left time for Jack and Ranger to do some more talking, to let rise some answers to questions neither seemed game enough to bring up.
"Ye were the one who shot that big guy," stated Jack. Ranger didn't bother to deny, or excuse it, "I wasn't sure if ye'd seen my face - especially after ye didn't seem t' recognise me when ye broke down th' wall." Jack shook his head, "I knew ye, but the way I figured, I'd already promised t' get ye out, an' since ye hadn't shot *me*, ye couldn't have been all bad. But why did ye shoot him? It wasn't your fight."
Ranger didn't banter, he cut straight to the chase and answered, "He took Maria, on behalf o' Morgan, after I saved his life." Jack nodded, "Aye, fair 'nough. But what will ye do if I tell ye Maria can't stay on th' Pearl for the whole journey?" Ranger glanced at Jack, suspicion brewing, "I'd want t' know why, an' I'd want t' know what would be done abou' her." Jack's opinion of the pirate rose several notches. "I've arranged a safe passage to our... well, Bootstrap's... Port base. She'll be quite safe along th' way, an' she'll be well taken care of once she gets there, that much I can promise ye. If ye feel ye must go with her, then you're free t' leave, but ye won't get t' the base, an' ye won't have Maria under my protection, savvy?"
Ranger didn't have to think about it for too long before he made up his mind. "So long as I have your oath that no harm will come t' her, then send her. But if any harm comes to her, then I will not be responsible for my actions against ye, Cap'n." Jack grinned, "I wouldn't have it any other way, Ranger. 'Sides, I don't intend t' let any harm come t' her. I'va half a mind t' arrange passage for Bella an' Louisa, too," he added, mostly to himself. Ranger didn't change his gaze, "Why don' ye, then?" he asked, causing Jack to laugh. "Knowin' what I do about them, they'd be more likely t' swim after us than do as they're meant an' stay behind!"
*****
Jamie and Louisa hadn't, as was their usual fashion, retreated to the crow's nest, choosing instead the cabin shared by Louisa and Isabelle. They could hear if anyone knocked on the side of the ship, the signal for the ladder to be lowered, and Jamie was sure that his father knew enough of Louisa's sleepless nights to leave them be. Jamie knew the only sleep Louisa had been having was when she fell asleep in the crow's nest with him every night. And besides, the door was locked from the inside to stop anyone getting in.
Louisa had enough of her mother's stubborn streak to protest at 'being protected', but she did admit that it was easier to sleep when Jamie was with her. At that moment, Louisa was asleep, curled against Jamie, her arm slung across his chest. To the casual observer (which, of course, neither wanted!) it would appear she was relaxed, but Jamie knew better - she held onto him so tightly that her knuckles were almost white, and her arm was so tense that she had goosebumps.
Occassionally she would mutter something, but Jamie was so close to sleep himself, he didn't catch what she said, and by the time he was alert, he had to think back and remember if she'd even said anything at all. Louisa wasn't the only one who needed sleep - Jamie had had even less than her during the course of the past few weeks, and he suspected he'd have just as little during the weeks to come, unless Louisa faced the fear that was gripping her. Settling himself back down, he drifted into his usual half-slumber, keeping an ear open for the arrival of the crew.
Isabelle couldn't help but worry about Louisa. Once she'd known for certain about Louisa's night walks, she'd told Jamie because she'd known Will (Jr.) would worry too much, but it hurt to hold such a secret against her friend. Leaving her brother and Louisa on the Pearl together was a way of ensuring that Louisa would get some of the sleep she needed, but Will had taken a lot of convincing. "She may be your sister, Will, but ye can't treat her like a baby all her life, an' yours. 'Sides, ye know she trusts Jamie as much as she does you, but she doesn't need family treating her like an invalid at the moment," she'd said gently, pushing him towards a boat.
Severly affronted, he'd complained, "I don't care who she trusts, she's my *sister* Isabelle! Would Jamie voluntarily leave *you* with *me*? Especially if he thought..." Isabelle silenced him with a laugh, "I didn't say ye'd be leavin' her *voluntarily*, ye blazon fool! I'm the one insistin' here, am I not?" Pausing, she and Maria maneuvered Will into the long boat (Maria hit him over the head with a broken oar!). "And as for Jamie leaving me anywhere - I stay, an' he doesn't have a choice in the matter!"
By the time Will had recovered his senses, the three were already heading towards the shore. By the time they reached it, the two girls had managed to get Will to row, but he couldn't for the life of him think how.
The port was nice enough, about the same as Port Royal, but without so much of the hustle and bustle. The main street boasted heavily packed dirt roads, food stalls, permanent horse rails and troughs, not to mention a strong, well-built blacksmithery, complete with barrels of alcohol out the front. To top it off, a natural river ran parallel to the ocean on the other side of the town, and was a haven for paddle steamers, wood floats, and smaller, personal boats. There was more activity on the riverside than the ocean.
Maria loved the place, as did Isabelle, and Will found it all he could do to keep up with the two girls as they ran from place to place. When they ran into the senior Will, the younger found a chance to have a rest. "Been behavin'?" asked Will (Sr.), and although the question was aimed at Isabelle, it was his son who answered, "No use askin' her, Da; she's been behavin' worse than Maria!" Isabelle punched him in the arm lightly, before asking, "Where's Da? Didn't he come over?" Will (Sr.) shook his head. "He stayed on board, an' all but threatened t' kill me if I were t' stay too. Actually, come t' think of it, he *did* threaten me!"
When the three left the captain to himself, Isabelle turned to Will with a laugh, "Y' see? Da's on the ship, so what could they get away with?" Will raised his eyebrows, "Knowin' that my sister's there with nary more than ye brother an' father doesn't gi'e me much courage, Isabelle. Jack would probably turn a blind eye t' anything Jamie'd do." Isabelle stayed silent for a moment, before answering with a grin, "Aye, he probably would!" Needless to say, Will wasn't impressed.
Port Georgia, as it was called, reminded Will (Sr.) of Port Royal, though without the pompousness. Jack had declined to leave the ship, as had Jamie and Louisa. Ranger, and Gibbs also decided to stay, though no one knew for what reason. Maria had gone with Isabelle and Will (Jr.) as an escort/supervisor (according to Jack). It left time for Jack and Ranger to do some more talking, to let rise some answers to questions neither seemed game enough to bring up.
"Ye were the one who shot that big guy," stated Jack. Ranger didn't bother to deny, or excuse it, "I wasn't sure if ye'd seen my face - especially after ye didn't seem t' recognise me when ye broke down th' wall." Jack shook his head, "I knew ye, but the way I figured, I'd already promised t' get ye out, an' since ye hadn't shot *me*, ye couldn't have been all bad. But why did ye shoot him? It wasn't your fight."
Ranger didn't banter, he cut straight to the chase and answered, "He took Maria, on behalf o' Morgan, after I saved his life." Jack nodded, "Aye, fair 'nough. But what will ye do if I tell ye Maria can't stay on th' Pearl for the whole journey?" Ranger glanced at Jack, suspicion brewing, "I'd want t' know why, an' I'd want t' know what would be done abou' her." Jack's opinion of the pirate rose several notches. "I've arranged a safe passage to our... well, Bootstrap's... Port base. She'll be quite safe along th' way, an' she'll be well taken care of once she gets there, that much I can promise ye. If ye feel ye must go with her, then you're free t' leave, but ye won't get t' the base, an' ye won't have Maria under my protection, savvy?"
Ranger didn't have to think about it for too long before he made up his mind. "So long as I have your oath that no harm will come t' her, then send her. But if any harm comes to her, then I will not be responsible for my actions against ye, Cap'n." Jack grinned, "I wouldn't have it any other way, Ranger. 'Sides, I don't intend t' let any harm come t' her. I'va half a mind t' arrange passage for Bella an' Louisa, too," he added, mostly to himself. Ranger didn't change his gaze, "Why don' ye, then?" he asked, causing Jack to laugh. "Knowin' what I do about them, they'd be more likely t' swim after us than do as they're meant an' stay behind!"
*****
Jamie and Louisa hadn't, as was their usual fashion, retreated to the crow's nest, choosing instead the cabin shared by Louisa and Isabelle. They could hear if anyone knocked on the side of the ship, the signal for the ladder to be lowered, and Jamie was sure that his father knew enough of Louisa's sleepless nights to leave them be. Jamie knew the only sleep Louisa had been having was when she fell asleep in the crow's nest with him every night. And besides, the door was locked from the inside to stop anyone getting in.
Louisa had enough of her mother's stubborn streak to protest at 'being protected', but she did admit that it was easier to sleep when Jamie was with her. At that moment, Louisa was asleep, curled against Jamie, her arm slung across his chest. To the casual observer (which, of course, neither wanted!) it would appear she was relaxed, but Jamie knew better - she held onto him so tightly that her knuckles were almost white, and her arm was so tense that she had goosebumps.
Occassionally she would mutter something, but Jamie was so close to sleep himself, he didn't catch what she said, and by the time he was alert, he had to think back and remember if she'd even said anything at all. Louisa wasn't the only one who needed sleep - Jamie had had even less than her during the course of the past few weeks, and he suspected he'd have just as little during the weeks to come, unless Louisa faced the fear that was gripping her. Settling himself back down, he drifted into his usual half-slumber, keeping an ear open for the arrival of the crew.
Isabelle couldn't help but worry about Louisa. Once she'd known for certain about Louisa's night walks, she'd told Jamie because she'd known Will (Jr.) would worry too much, but it hurt to hold such a secret against her friend. Leaving her brother and Louisa on the Pearl together was a way of ensuring that Louisa would get some of the sleep she needed, but Will had taken a lot of convincing. "She may be your sister, Will, but ye can't treat her like a baby all her life, an' yours. 'Sides, ye know she trusts Jamie as much as she does you, but she doesn't need family treating her like an invalid at the moment," she'd said gently, pushing him towards a boat.
Severly affronted, he'd complained, "I don't care who she trusts, she's my *sister* Isabelle! Would Jamie voluntarily leave *you* with *me*? Especially if he thought..." Isabelle silenced him with a laugh, "I didn't say ye'd be leavin' her *voluntarily*, ye blazon fool! I'm the one insistin' here, am I not?" Pausing, she and Maria maneuvered Will into the long boat (Maria hit him over the head with a broken oar!). "And as for Jamie leaving me anywhere - I stay, an' he doesn't have a choice in the matter!"
By the time Will had recovered his senses, the three were already heading towards the shore. By the time they reached it, the two girls had managed to get Will to row, but he couldn't for the life of him think how.
The port was nice enough, about the same as Port Royal, but without so much of the hustle and bustle. The main street boasted heavily packed dirt roads, food stalls, permanent horse rails and troughs, not to mention a strong, well-built blacksmithery, complete with barrels of alcohol out the front. To top it off, a natural river ran parallel to the ocean on the other side of the town, and was a haven for paddle steamers, wood floats, and smaller, personal boats. There was more activity on the riverside than the ocean.
Maria loved the place, as did Isabelle, and Will found it all he could do to keep up with the two girls as they ran from place to place. When they ran into the senior Will, the younger found a chance to have a rest. "Been behavin'?" asked Will (Sr.), and although the question was aimed at Isabelle, it was his son who answered, "No use askin' her, Da; she's been behavin' worse than Maria!" Isabelle punched him in the arm lightly, before asking, "Where's Da? Didn't he come over?" Will (Sr.) shook his head. "He stayed on board, an' all but threatened t' kill me if I were t' stay too. Actually, come t' think of it, he *did* threaten me!"
When the three left the captain to himself, Isabelle turned to Will with a laugh, "Y' see? Da's on the ship, so what could they get away with?" Will raised his eyebrows, "Knowin' that my sister's there with nary more than ye brother an' father doesn't gi'e me much courage, Isabelle. Jack would probably turn a blind eye t' anything Jamie'd do." Isabelle stayed silent for a moment, before answering with a grin, "Aye, he probably would!" Needless to say, Will wasn't impressed.
