Kate slammed the secret door shut to prevent Jack from following her too
quickly and was given over to thick darkness.
But her eyes soon got used to the absence of light and with a combination
of touching, listening and seeing or rather suspecting she could make out,
that she had landed in a long slim hose-like tunnel with wooden walls and a
soft carpet, that devoured every sound. While she was feeling her way
towards the exit – at least she hoped there would be an exit on the other
side, after all Jack had taken this passage, too-, she wondered why her
father had neede a secret passage in his ship and more important why he had
never told her about it.
But maybe he hadn`t known about it at all, maybe Jack was right and this
was a pirate ship, and her father had bought it without knowing it. Cause
it was just unthinkable, yes ridiculous to think that Henry Sanders, the
most respectable, goodhearted, responsible man had been a pirate. She
snorted. Why was she thinking about that crap at all? Probably Jack just
wanted to irritate her, something he was very good in.
Jack was irritating, selfish, arrogant and shameless, completely unlike the
way she had always figured a pirate would be.
He was a thief, a scoundrel, a despicable creature, getting delight in
embarassing her, insulting her.
And yet everytime she was near to him, her body seemed to have a life of it
own. It drew her closer to him; the hairs of her arm erected, shivers were
racing down her spine and heat was colouring her skin at the same time.
Whenever his dark eyes pierced hers, she felt lightheaded as if she was
just about to faint; feeling his rough, salty lips on her skin had sent
fire through her veins, made her feel so alive.
She stopped, catching her breath. She had to stop thinking about this man;
this wouldn`t lead her anywhere.
Oh yes, an inner voice whispered inside her head. It would lead to
somewhere, to a place with sweated sheets, heated skin, naked souls.
No, she scolded herself. That was not an appropriate thought, not even for
her. Besides that was something she wanted to share with a man she loved,
she respected and admired, and whatever her body said, Jack definitely
wasn`t this kind of man.
She shook her head as if to chase these thoughts away and tried to focus on
what she should do now.
Something just didn`t seem to be right; why wasn`t Jack following her? Why
had he let her go? Sure, at first he had reacted instinctively, picking up
the locket, but she could have sworn he would pursue her. And yet no sound
was to be heard in her back.
Kate`s heart pounded inside her chest. Where was he? Was he waiting outside
for her? Or did he lock the exit and was still waiting inside her cabin
knowing she would have to come back?
What a fool she had been! Kate cursed inwardly. She had neglected the first
rule her father had taught her: Always know where your opponent is.
Kate sighed. It was too late now. She had decided to go for the exit and
she would just try her luck.
The darkness slowly became grey twilight, indicating the exit. She pressed
her hand against the wooden door and gave it a light push. Her heart made a
happy jump, when it swang open without a noise.
When she carefully peeked outside, an ocean of dazzling light overflooded
her, making it impossible to see anything.
"Kate, go back!" an excited voice, she recognized as George`s, shouted.
"Now, now, we`re so glad ye decided to join us at last." The shadow of a man fell over her and her heart seemed to stumble, when she recognized tangled hair, a moustache, a golden locket around his neck, and two familiar dark eyes sparkling with amusement.
"C`m on, Miss Sanders, we all `ave been waiting just for ye. And don`t think about going back. I locked the door on the other side. I`m not stupid, ye know? So would ye be so kind and come out now?" He stretched out his hand and knowing she was defeated for the moment, Kate took it, stepping out into the glaring sunshine, her head raised up high.
"Mr Sparrow," she said cooly. "I think you can let go of my hand now. I`m not likely escaping from this ship, am I?"
"No, ye aren`t, luv." Jack laughed throatily. "But as I know ye, ye`d try even though."
"That was almost a compliment, wasn`t it?" Kate tilted her head, unable to suppress a grin.
"Better don`t get used to it. So," he turned to his men. "We`re leaving."
"No, you are not." George broke free, started running and rammed his head into Jack`s stomach. Jack staggered back, gasped and loosened his grip on Kate`s hand just for a moment. But that was all Kate needed. She took advantage of the moment of shock, broke free and climbed up a mast, just high enough to be out of reach. Jack raised his hand and slammed his fist straight into the other man`s face, his action resulting in a high pitched scream of Florence. He immediately turned to her, indicating a mocked bow. "Melady, ye will teach this gentleman some manners, won`t ye? And please stop screaming." He rolled his eyes. "He`s not even bleeding." He pushed George towards two of his men. "Ye bilgerats better keep him back, or I`ll keelhaul ye, savvy?" He said sharply. The pirates both looked onto the ground, as if there was some treasure to find, and grabbed George`s arms tighter.
The blonde man, who had been guarding Kate`s cabindoor, stepped towards Jack, patting on his back. "What?" Jack swang round, glaring at him. The young pirate pointed above his head to the mast, Kate was sitting on. An amused smirk curled Jack`s lips. "So Sanders has taught her something after all." he murmured.
"Capt`n, shall I get her down?" the Pirate drew Jack`s attention back.
Jack shook his head and said aloud. "No, Andy." He stepped closer to the mast, looking up at Kate. "Ye can`t stay up there forever."
"Last time I was here for 6 hours." She giggled at the memory. Jocelyn had wanted her to dress up like a doll to attend to a dinner or ball – she couldn`t remember exactly what it was. Of course her father had noticed her high up on the mast, but he had`nt said anything. He had just put his finger on his lips and blinked at her, before he had gone to search for her somewhere else.
"Kate, get yer sweet arse down here, now!" Jack thundered, his eyebrows formed a triangle, indicating growing anger.
Kate shook her head again. "Nope. That`s not an option."
Jack swang round, stamped towards George, drew his dagger and held it so tightly under his chin, that a single drop of blood fell to the wooden deck. "I guess saving yer friend`s life is not an option either?" he asked bitingly.
"No, Jack, you can`t do that!" Kate`s voice sounded concerned.
"Get down!"
"Promise you won`t kill him."
"I`m counting till three." "Please Jack, you must promise." Her voice held an unmistakenly imploring tone now, which Jack pleased more than hearing the moans of any whore in Tortuga.
"One." Jack held one finger up.
"Jack!" Kate`s voice sounded shrill with panic.
"Two!" He held two fingers up.
"Please, Jack, promise! Swear by the code." Kate slowly descended the mast.
Jack sighed and rolled his eyes. This girl was driving him insane. He really would have to teach her what a true pirate was. But there would be time enough for that, so he could play nice just for once. "I promise."
Kate glided down the mast and hurried towards Jack. Jack put his dagger away and smiled grimly. "And now be a good girl and come with me." he said, grabbing her wrist not too softly.
"Yes." Kate said with lowered head, her lips hardly moving.
"What did ye say? I didn´t hear ye." She raised her head and looked straight at him, urging back the tears, that were welling up in her eyes all at once. Jack was impressed. The girl had spirit. He could see she was frightened to the core and yet she didn`t avoid his eyes. There was a serious determination in her look, telling him that she actually would follow him voluntarily, well almost voluntarily.
"I said I will come with you." Kate said firmly. "Under one condition."
What was that? Jack frowned. Did she actually dictate him her conditions? Almost against his will he heard himself say. "What condition?"
"You won`t harm my friends and will let them stay on this ship here."
"Kate, don`t be silly!" George shouted, before Florence covered his mouth with her hand.
"There`s no need for all of us getting trapped on a pirate ship." The blackhaired girl said. George looked as if he wanted to protest, but when Florence whispered something into his ear, he let his shoulders sink. "I guess, you`re right." He sighed, unable to meet Kate`s eyes.
"So," Kate said calmly. "What is your decision, Capt`n?"
Jack scrutinized her with a half unbelieving, half suspicious look. "Ye know that ye can`t demand anything, don`t ye?"
"It`s not a demand, it`s a plea." Kate said quietly.
"Ye`re begging me?" So there was indeed a way to bend Kathryn Sanders mind? Friends were her weakness? Good to know. Jack made a note in his mind.
"Yes, I am." Kate said stiffly, then her green eyes flashed. "And this will be the last time I`m asking you. Your decision please!" Impatience grew in her voice.
So goodbye to her submissive moment; here comes the stubborn age again! Jack smiled, reached out for her hand, leant over it and pressed a short kiss on it. "Who am I to deny a lady her plea?"
He turned to his men. "We`re leaving. Let these two stay on board of this ship."
And with these words he walked over to the rail, where a wooden plank led over the ocean to a ship with black seals. Kate casted George and Florence one final glance, before she followed Jack wordlessly.
"Kate, go back!" an excited voice, she recognized as George`s, shouted.
"Now, now, we`re so glad ye decided to join us at last." The shadow of a man fell over her and her heart seemed to stumble, when she recognized tangled hair, a moustache, a golden locket around his neck, and two familiar dark eyes sparkling with amusement.
"C`m on, Miss Sanders, we all `ave been waiting just for ye. And don`t think about going back. I locked the door on the other side. I`m not stupid, ye know? So would ye be so kind and come out now?" He stretched out his hand and knowing she was defeated for the moment, Kate took it, stepping out into the glaring sunshine, her head raised up high.
"Mr Sparrow," she said cooly. "I think you can let go of my hand now. I`m not likely escaping from this ship, am I?"
"No, ye aren`t, luv." Jack laughed throatily. "But as I know ye, ye`d try even though."
"That was almost a compliment, wasn`t it?" Kate tilted her head, unable to suppress a grin.
"Better don`t get used to it. So," he turned to his men. "We`re leaving."
"No, you are not." George broke free, started running and rammed his head into Jack`s stomach. Jack staggered back, gasped and loosened his grip on Kate`s hand just for a moment. But that was all Kate needed. She took advantage of the moment of shock, broke free and climbed up a mast, just high enough to be out of reach. Jack raised his hand and slammed his fist straight into the other man`s face, his action resulting in a high pitched scream of Florence. He immediately turned to her, indicating a mocked bow. "Melady, ye will teach this gentleman some manners, won`t ye? And please stop screaming." He rolled his eyes. "He`s not even bleeding." He pushed George towards two of his men. "Ye bilgerats better keep him back, or I`ll keelhaul ye, savvy?" He said sharply. The pirates both looked onto the ground, as if there was some treasure to find, and grabbed George`s arms tighter.
The blonde man, who had been guarding Kate`s cabindoor, stepped towards Jack, patting on his back. "What?" Jack swang round, glaring at him. The young pirate pointed above his head to the mast, Kate was sitting on. An amused smirk curled Jack`s lips. "So Sanders has taught her something after all." he murmured.
"Capt`n, shall I get her down?" the Pirate drew Jack`s attention back.
Jack shook his head and said aloud. "No, Andy." He stepped closer to the mast, looking up at Kate. "Ye can`t stay up there forever."
"Last time I was here for 6 hours." She giggled at the memory. Jocelyn had wanted her to dress up like a doll to attend to a dinner or ball – she couldn`t remember exactly what it was. Of course her father had noticed her high up on the mast, but he had`nt said anything. He had just put his finger on his lips and blinked at her, before he had gone to search for her somewhere else.
"Kate, get yer sweet arse down here, now!" Jack thundered, his eyebrows formed a triangle, indicating growing anger.
Kate shook her head again. "Nope. That`s not an option."
Jack swang round, stamped towards George, drew his dagger and held it so tightly under his chin, that a single drop of blood fell to the wooden deck. "I guess saving yer friend`s life is not an option either?" he asked bitingly.
"No, Jack, you can`t do that!" Kate`s voice sounded concerned.
"Get down!"
"Promise you won`t kill him."
"I`m counting till three." "Please Jack, you must promise." Her voice held an unmistakenly imploring tone now, which Jack pleased more than hearing the moans of any whore in Tortuga.
"One." Jack held one finger up.
"Jack!" Kate`s voice sounded shrill with panic.
"Two!" He held two fingers up.
"Please, Jack, promise! Swear by the code." Kate slowly descended the mast.
Jack sighed and rolled his eyes. This girl was driving him insane. He really would have to teach her what a true pirate was. But there would be time enough for that, so he could play nice just for once. "I promise."
Kate glided down the mast and hurried towards Jack. Jack put his dagger away and smiled grimly. "And now be a good girl and come with me." he said, grabbing her wrist not too softly.
"Yes." Kate said with lowered head, her lips hardly moving.
"What did ye say? I didn´t hear ye." She raised her head and looked straight at him, urging back the tears, that were welling up in her eyes all at once. Jack was impressed. The girl had spirit. He could see she was frightened to the core and yet she didn`t avoid his eyes. There was a serious determination in her look, telling him that she actually would follow him voluntarily, well almost voluntarily.
"I said I will come with you." Kate said firmly. "Under one condition."
What was that? Jack frowned. Did she actually dictate him her conditions? Almost against his will he heard himself say. "What condition?"
"You won`t harm my friends and will let them stay on this ship here."
"Kate, don`t be silly!" George shouted, before Florence covered his mouth with her hand.
"There`s no need for all of us getting trapped on a pirate ship." The blackhaired girl said. George looked as if he wanted to protest, but when Florence whispered something into his ear, he let his shoulders sink. "I guess, you`re right." He sighed, unable to meet Kate`s eyes.
"So," Kate said calmly. "What is your decision, Capt`n?"
Jack scrutinized her with a half unbelieving, half suspicious look. "Ye know that ye can`t demand anything, don`t ye?"
"It`s not a demand, it`s a plea." Kate said quietly.
"Ye`re begging me?" So there was indeed a way to bend Kathryn Sanders mind? Friends were her weakness? Good to know. Jack made a note in his mind.
"Yes, I am." Kate said stiffly, then her green eyes flashed. "And this will be the last time I`m asking you. Your decision please!" Impatience grew in her voice.
So goodbye to her submissive moment; here comes the stubborn age again! Jack smiled, reached out for her hand, leant over it and pressed a short kiss on it. "Who am I to deny a lady her plea?"
He turned to his men. "We`re leaving. Let these two stay on board of this ship."
And with these words he walked over to the rail, where a wooden plank led over the ocean to a ship with black seals. Kate casted George and Florence one final glance, before she followed Jack wordlessly.
