Chapter Twenty-Five: Hispaniola



The ship sailed into harbor on the far side of Hispaniola. The presence of the Dauntless on the other side of the island could make the task of restocking a dangerous one, but the prevalent opinion among the crew was that the ship of the line would be staying put to provide assistance to the King's Ransom. That ship's docking at Tortuga was also a surprise. Normally, the pirates who, for all intents and purposes, ruled the island would never allow a ship with guardsmen aboard to dock. But money talks, and the supposition was that it had talked very loudly in Tortuga. The reward offered was a large one, and other monies had to have been spread widely to keep the King's Ransom where it was.


"Promise me you'll be careful," Rachel said as she kissed Jack goodbye.


"Course, luv," he replied with a grin. "No one's brought me in yet. Don't plan t'let anyone do it now. Savvy?"


"Sometimes I think you don't even know the meaning of the word careful," she said. "Don't make me have to come after you."


"Don't even think it, pet. You've got the baby to think of. I know it'll be hard for you, these next months, but stay here. Stay safe. The reward for you says unharmed but some of the takers may get a bit overzealous, if you catch my meanin'."


"And what about you?" she demanded. "Your poster said dead or alive."


"I've been avoidin' bounty hunters near half my life now, luv," he replied. "It's almost a habit by now. And, as I said before, no one's taken me yet."


She suddenly pulled his shirt open, exposing the two puckered scars left on his chest by one such attempt. "And what about these?" she asked. "These came much too close."


"You've got one of those yerself," he said, pulling her shirt aside to expose her own scar.


"That belongs to Claudia, not to me," she replied abruptly. "And it's not the same and you know it!"


"I suppose it's not, luv," he sighed. "And you can get as mad at me as you want if it'll keep you from worryin'."


"I'm not mad!" she shouted.


"Come here, Rachel," he said softly as he stepped forward and enfolded her in his arms. "I'll be back. I'll always be back. Watch the docks. Every time you see a shipment appear there, you'll know I was safe when I ordered it. And, after awhile, I'll appear there myself, and then it'll be but a short trip back to your arms."


"Just come back safe," she whispered.


Jarod cleared his throat as he came up behind them. "Don't worry, poppet," he said. "I'll keep him out of trouble."


"Thank you, Jarod," she replied. "I'll feel better knowing he's not alone. Both of you, be careful."


"That we will, lass," Jarod replied.


Jack stepped back and bowed slightly to Rachel before taking the rope ladder down to the boat waiting to ferry him, Jarod, Gibbs, and a few other crew members to the dock. She stood and watched him go, a single tear trickling down her cheek.


"He'll be back, mi friend," Annamaria said as she stepped up behind Rachel. "Ye know he will."


"I wish I did know that," Rachel replied. "It's hard to believe sometimes that I've only been here a little over a month. And other times it seems like I just arrived yesterday. Whenever I think I'm getting a handle on this place, something happens to throw me off. I don't know what I'd do if I lost him."


"I don't tink you'll be findin' that out anytime soon," Annamaria told her.


"You can't fool me, Anna," Rachel replied. "You're almost as worried as I am. Your speech betrays you. Your accent only gets that heavy when you're upset about something."


"Then mebbe we should try to distract each other, then. Let's go have one of my lady lessons. It'll at least keep our minds off worryin'."


"Okay. Maybe it will help to keep busy. But we'll have to skip on the dresses today. Jack doesn't want me in one this close to shore. He says it'll be harder to recognize me in breeches and shirt. Just one of the men, today."


"Let's go below. We can have something to eat and practice table manners. I'm still a bit rusty on some o' them."


"Then, if lessons are starting, please speak properly, dear," Rachel told her.


"Yes, ma'am," Annamaria replied. "Shall we go below, now?"


"But of course."


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The small boat pulled up to the dock and was quickly tied off. Gibbs took care of paying the docking fees and giving the crewmen their orders. His job for the day would be to organize the loading of the goods as they were delivered.


"You know what to do," Jack told him. "If there's any sign of trouble, get the Pearl out of here. Come back for us when you can."


"Aye, captain, but I'm hopin' it won't come to that," he replied.


"As am I," Jarod said. "But it never hurts to plan for the worst."


"That it doesn't. Watch yer backs, the both of ye. I wouldn't want t'have t'deal with Rachel should ye not come back."


Jack and Jarod left the docks, heading for the stockyards. Jack wanted to get the livestock they would need first. They weren't going to be actually delivered until tomorrow, but it would take time to get them all crated and ready to sail. Ordinarily, the crew made do with salted meats, with maybe a few chickens to start them out, but Rachel needed more than that to keep her and the baby healthy, so the ship's carpenter had boxed off an area of the hold for livestock. Jack ordered chickens, suckling pigs, several lambs, and another goat. Then they were on their way again.


Jack pulled up short as they passed a poster with his picture on it. It was a remarkable likeness. If fact, in all the time he'd been a wanted man, he'd never seen a more accurate depiction of himself. With a quick glance around, he pulled down the poster and rolled it up. It would make a nice souvenir one day, when this was all over.


The rest of the day went smoothly. Jarod had noticed a few people pointing here and there, but they never stayed in one place very long, and no one seemed to have the courage to try them. It was on their last stop of the day that trouble found them. And it was the last place they would have expected it.


Rachel had asked for wool and needles so that she could knit some things for the baby. Jack was happy to oblige, even if it meant a trip to the textiles shop, which was most frequently visited by the ladies of the town. Amid the stares of the young women present, Jack chose wool in several pastel shades and even asked several of the ladies for advice on what to buy to knit baby clothing.

"I'm afraid my wife is confined until the babe is born," he told them. "Poor thing's a little on the frail side. Very delicate."


"And a shame it is, too," Jarod added. "She's a very pretty girl and her condition just seems to have made her prettier. Absolutely radiant, she is."


"I only hope that carrying the babe isn't too much for her," Jack continued. "It would break my heart was anything to happen to her."


"Take heart, my friend," Jarod said. "I'm sure she'll be just fine."


"Oh, I'm sure she will, with such a devoted husband to look after her," one of the ladies told him.


The proprietress thought that it was absolutely charming for a man to be shopping for such things, and even gave him a slight discount. It was after they left that the trouble began. There were five young men waiting outside the store for their ladies to complete their business within. Having overheard some of the conversations of women leaving the shop, they decided to have a bit of fun with what they thought would be an easy mark. As Jack exited the shop, one of the young men snatched the package from his hands.


"Not a smart move, mate," Jack said as he turned toward the young man. "I'll be havin' my package back, now, if you please."


The young man gasped with surprise. "You!" he exclaimed. "You're that bloke on the posters!"


It was at that point that Jack noticed that all of them were wearing swords. Of course, the rasp of steel clearing its sheathing was an indication that was very hard to miss.


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Rachel and Annamaria went below to retrieve their breakfasts, but, given the nature of the lesson for the day, Rachel decided it would best be held in her cabin. She had taken to keeping the small table there ready for an impromptu romantic dinner. It was smaller than the tables in the dining hall, making it easier for Rachel to observe Annamaria's movements. It was also much more private, which was important if they were to keep these lessons secret. Rachel removed the china from her chest along with the silver and handed it all to Annamaria.


"I want to see if you remember how to set a proper table," she said. "The tablecloth and centerpiece are already in place, so you don't have to worry about those. Just put out the place settings for two."


Anna set the table and Rachel was pleased with the results. Anna was doing well in her studies. Soon she would be able to fit in almost anywhere she wished to go. They sat and began their meal. The table setting was really much too elaborate for their simple meal, but Annamaria needed to practice with a full setting so a full setting they had. Rachel played the part of the gentleman, as she didn't want to confuse Annamaria as to her role in a formal setting. She poured juice into their glasses, and held Anna's chair for her as a proper gentleman would.


"The main thing you need to remember," Rachel said, "is that you work from the outside in." She opened her napkin and placed it in her lap and Annamaria followed suit.


"That's one of the things I keep forgetting," Annamaria explained.


"Just watch those around you," Rachel told her. "Discreetly, mind you. Take your cues from them. Usually they will serve to remind you of anything you've forgotten. Try to never be the first or the last to begin your meal. Unless, of course, it's a meal for two, when you really will have to be one or the other."


They engaged in small talk as they ate their meal. That could be the hardest part for Annamaria if she were ever to attend a formal party ashore. Being at sea most of the time left her woefully ill prepared in the matter of current events. But the girl was quite bright and amazingly flexible. Rachel decided that she would probably be able to bluff her way along, it she ever needed to.


"Tell me about the baby," Annamaria said. "You never really told me what the seeress said."



Rachel smiled. "She knew the moment she looked at me. But there's really not much to tell. She told us that she could probably divine the sex of the baby, but we'd really much rather be surprised."


"I don't think I've spent any real time around a pregnant woman since I was but a girl. I'm glad you're to have a proper midwife. Whatever you do, don't go into labor at sea. I'd more than likely be left to handle the delivery and I'm not sure how I would go about it."


"I'll probably be going ashore sometime during my eighth month. I'm not looking forward to it."


"I doubt you'll be alone when you do. Most years, we take an extended shore leave for the Yuletide holidays. Many of the crew have families ashore and prefer to spend the holiday with them. And it's not the best time for piracy at sea. The ships running at that time of year tend to be well stocked, but they also tend to be well guarded and heavily armed. They run in small fleets as much as possible, several companies joining together for safety. It's best to avoid them altogether, so why not enjoy the holiday festivities ashore?"


"I'm so glad you told me that." Rachel smiled with relief. "I was expecting to be alone for the last month and a half as the rest of the crew put back to sea."


"You needn't worry about that. Tortuga is home for many of the crew, me included. And most of the others will be scattered about Jamaica and Hispaniola."


"And Jack? Where does he call home when he's not at sea?"


"I don't think he has a home outside of the Pearl. I've heard that he usually spends most of his holiday in the taverns."


"Not this year," Rachel replied with a smile.


Rachel stood to indicate that the lesson was over. They began to clear the table, putting the dishes into a basin to be carried to the kitchen to be washed. They left the basin where Jack's cabin boy would find it, knowing that he would see to it that they were taken care of.


"I need to go up on deck for a bit," Rachel said. "I want to see how the restocking is coming along."


"You want reassurance that Jack is safe, you mean," Annamaria replied. "Let's go. We can do some sparring up on deck. I've had my lesson. Now it's time for yours."


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Rachel was pleased to see the piles of crates and stacks of barrels beginning to accumulate on the docks. It was indeed reassuring to know that Jack had purchased these things and that he had been safe when he had done so. She sighed softly as she watched the crew loading the supplies into the boats to be transported to the Pearl. Restocking the ship was a major operation. The waters closer to the dock were too shallow to accommodate a ship as large as the Black Pearl, so everything would have to be ferried over, boatload by boatload. The hoist was prepared to lift the crates, sacks, and barrels onto the deck, from which they could be loaded into the hold. Every man aboard would be involved with bringing the supplies aboard and stowing them. Even Anna and she would be helping once things were in full swing. For now, though, they were just waiting for the boats to be loaded.


She heard the sound of steel on leather from behind her. "Draw your weapon," Annamaria told her.


She turned and drew her own sword, raising it into the defensive posture Jack had taught her. "I'm ready for you," she said.


"Good," Annamaria replied. "Jack wants you to practice your defense. You may need it if you should have call to leave the ship."


The two women sparred for the better part of two hours. By then, the hoist was busy lifting things onto the deck and the space they were taking up would soon be needed. Rachel took one more opportunity to check the shipments on the dock. She couldn't believe the amount of things there were to be loaded. She had known that it was going to be a big job, but the full enormity of it was only now sinking in as she looked at the mountain of supplies sitting on the dock. But the larger that mountain grew, the better she felt. Jack couldn't possibly be much longer now.


Rachel and Annamaria had been given the job of assisting the cooper with his inspections. Every barrel that came aboard had to be checked for leakage. The sacks of grains had to be checked for spoilage and holes. Nearly everything loaded had to be inspected before it could go below. The ship's quartermaster seemed to be everywhere at once. It was his job to see to it that the loading went smoothly and everything was stored in its proper place. The rest of the afternoon was so busy that Rachel had little time to worry.



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Jack and Jarod quickly moved to place their backs to one another. It had been a long time since they had fought together, but old habits die hard. Jarod winced slightly as he drew his sword. The injury to his side was not a bad one, but it was still fresh and an injury didn't need to be serious to be painful.


The young man who had just dropped Jack's package seemed to appoint himself spokesman for the group. He looked at Jack and the two pirates watched as he visibly puffed himself up.


"Look what we have here, my friends," he said. "This one has quite a handsome reward out for him. What do you say we collect it?"


"Are you sure you want to do this, gents?" Jack asked. "Five young popinjays against two seasoned pirates. I think the odds are against you."

"I think we can match you, "the young bravo said. "We've all been taking fencing lessons, and we're getting quite good."

"Did you hear that, mate?" Jack asked. "They've been taking lessons."

"Let's see what you've got then," Jarod told them.

The men began to circle around the two pirates, looking for an opening to strike. Jack casually let the tip of his sword waver, knowing that one ill-considered attack would lead to others. His feint worked as the man in front of him lunged for the opening. Jack quickly brought his blade back up, parrying the blow.

"Not bad," he said. "You almost got me there. But almost is not quite good enough."

"We've only just begun," his opponent replied. "I may still get you yet."

"I think not," Jack told him. "I've had a sword in my hand since I was younger than you are now. I've fought for my life more times than you can imagine. You don't really think you can take me, do you?"

"There are five of us to only two of you."

"Yes, but the two of us are professionals. Killers. Pirates."

Two of the young men broke at his confident demeanor and made very ill-planned attacks. Jack parried one and riposted, taking the man across the abdomen.

"First blood!" he cried. "You've proved your no coward, mate. Play it smart and concede defeat now. I'd hate to have to kill one as young as you."

Jarod took the other attack, parrying as he stuck out his foot. The other man's sword went flying as he tripped and went down on his arse.

"Come now," he taunted. "How can you expect to bring down the great Captain Jack Sparrow if you can't even hold on to your blade? Go on, now. Pick it up and try again."

The fight had begun to attract some attention and the young man looked around in embarrassment as he dusted himself off. He suddenly wasn't so sure this was a good idea. The pirate had bested him easily. And was now allowing him to retrieve his weapon. Perhaps what people said about the better part of valor and living to fight another day held true. He picked up his weapon, but was not too eager to rejoin the battle.

Jack turned back to the self-appointed spokesman of the group. "You want to try next?" he asked. "One on one, what do you say?"

The man paled at the thought of taking on the pirate captain all alone, but his pride would not let him back down. "Alright!" he cried. "One on one it is!"

The two of them separated off, giving themselves some space to maneuver. They began to circle one another warily.

"Nice footwork," Jack commented. "I bet you're top of your class."

"Yes, I am," the young man responded. "So kind of you to notice." He feinted to Jack's left, trying to draw him out of position.

"But your feints are a bit on the sloppy side. Did you really expect me to fall for that?"

They circled again, keeping their eyes glued to one another. Jack feinted to his opponent's right leg. The ploy worked and he quickly reversed his stroke, slicing along the man's left arm.

"There you go," he said. "That's how it's done. Now you have a souvenir. When yer old and gray, you can tell your grandchildren about the day you fought the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow."

"If you'd please, sir," the frightened young man began. "I'd like to ask you a question."

"Go right ahead," Jack responded. "Always happy to help enlighten our youth."

"Why haven't you killed any of us? It's becoming painfully obvious to me that you could have done so at any time. I thought you were a dangerous man, not to be crossed."

Jack smiled. "I am. Quite dangerous. But only when there's need to be. Sorry to tell you this, but you and your friends have just given my mate and me a bit of sport. I see no reason to kill you for that. I notice there are only two of you left now. I wonder where the others went. I'd advise you to take your leave, now. I'm afraid, as much fun as this has been, that the attention it's attracting may be detrimental to my health, if you catch my meanin'. I just may have to get serious if you take up too much more of my time."

The young man lowered his blade. "Thank you, sir, for the lesson," he said. Motioning to his remaining compatriot, he walked quickly away.

"We'd best be off," Jarod said. "This crowd is bound to attract unwelcome attention."

"Not without my package," Jack answered, reaching down to retrieve the bundle from the ground.

"Oh, oh," Jack said. "Perhaps we'd best make ourselves scarce."

Jarod directed his glance to where Jack was looking. His eyes took in the bright red coats of the King's Guard. There were nearly a dozen of them and they were headed right for them.

They fled down the street, keeping one step ahead of the guardsmen. As they turned a corner, they came to a gate in a garden wall. They were through it quickly, and closed it rapidly behind them. And all too soon after, the guards following them trooped by.