Revenge of the Fox

Chapter 17

Lieutenant Markson stood at the rail of the small sloop as it cut through the waves. Captain Hale came up beside him. "We're making good time," the Captain said. "It should take the Vixen four days to get to Nassau. It should only take us three as we're smaller and faster."

Markson looked at the older man. "So since they had a day and a half lead on us, we should be there less than a day after they get there, yes?"

"Aye," Hale said.

"So," Markson said, "what is this debt of gratitude that you owe Jack Sparrow?"

Hale grinned. "Are ye asking me as a Lieutenant of the Fort Charles garrison, or are ye asking me man to man?"

Markson grinned in turn. "As I'm out of uniform I'm asking man to man. Besides, when my superior at the Fort finds out that I've taken off on a free trading vessel without my troop, I might just find myself court martialed."

Hale laughed. "Well, if you rescue the Commodore's lady, he'll probably put a good word in for ye." He sobered and continued to speak. "Many years ago before I had me own ship, I hired on to a number of different ships for different things. I worked on merchantmen, pirate ships, rumrunners and smugglers. I wasn't real particular, just looking for a good spot and good companions. Did some whaling up north for a while, worked on the docks for a bit. Anyway, I'd signed onto a merchant ship at one point. We were sailing from Barbados up to Boston. Just south of the Antigua, we ran afoul of a pirate ship. The Black Pearl, in fact. The merchantman, well she wasn't built for speed, so we turned to fight. We put up as good a fight as we could, but not good enough. When I saw that we were losing, I called quarter quickly enough. No point in dying for someone else's money, eh? Well, the pirates rounded up all hands and herded us onto the main deck while they searched the ship for valuables. I was just waiting patiently, sure that we'd be allowed to go our way as soon as the pirates had taken all they wanted. We'd have to put into Antigua for new supplies, but well, that's the way of it. Only the pirates were a rowdier crew than I'd met before. They were baiting my Captain and his mate, almost daring them to resist. When the mate had had enough, he took a swing at one of the pirates. Well, they shot the man through the heart as he was standing there unarmed. Then they started in on the Captain again. I was shocked. It was as if they were looking for an excuse to kill us all where we stood. Well, their Captain heard the shot and he stormed up on deck and lit into the pirate who'd killed the mate. Young Captain Jack Sparrow that was. He shouted that pirate down and ordered him back to the Pearl, and then Jack ordered the man held in the brig until he had leisure to deal with him. It didn't please the other pirates much, but Jack stared them all down. Not much more than a lad he was, scarce five and twenty I daresay. Still the man had presence, even as young as he was. The pirates started back to their own ship, and I stepped forward and thanked Captain Sparrow for controlling his men as he did. I told him I'd done some sailing with the brethren, and we talked for a moment about different ships and all. Then as Captain Sparrow turned to follow his crew back to the Pearl, one of the pirates came up to me and pulled a pistol on me, saying I'd betrayed the brethren by signing onto a merchant ship and how he'd send me to Davy Jones locker for the deed. The man truly meant to kill me! Well Sparrow heard him and turned back. He pulled his own pistol and shot his own man before he could kill me.

"Everyone stared from the dead pirate to the young Captain standing there and no one knew what to say. Finally Jack Sparrow looked at my Captain, and apologized for the misbehavior of his men. He gave me a nod, then ordered the last of his pirates back to the Pearl. They cast off and left. I heard later that it wasn't much after that than the crew of the Pearl mutinied and left Jack marooned. I also heard he'd been picked up by some rumrunners. Well, I run into Jack now and then in Tortuga or Port Royal. We've shared rum or two and some stories, but I've never had the chance to pay him back for saving my skin like he did. It may even have been the last straw for him too. He was having trouble controlling his crew then and shooting his own man couldn't have helped much."

"I'm surprised he did it if it jeopardized his standing with his crew so much."

Hale shrugged. "He's a man who values the code too much. He'd rather die doing the right thing than live doing the wrong. If I can repay my debt to him by helping to save his lady, then I'll do it."

Markson clapped Hale on the shoulder. "You're a good man, Captain."

--

The ladies in the brig of the Vixen were beyond boredom. Elizabeth wished devoutly that she was either close enough to her two fellow prisoners to knock their heads together, or far enough away so she didn't need to hear them bickering any more. In desperation she'd asked Antonia to teach her some Spanish. Like most inhabitants of the Caribbean - even those in English colonies, she understood some Spanish, but she didn't speak it well. For a while Annamaria, whose command of the Spanish language was strictly of the waterfront variety, amused herself by teaching the other two some Spanish phrases that most ladies never even heard, much less knew the meaning of. But when Antonia failed to grasp the meaning of a particular phrase even after it had been explained to her, Annamaria started griping about sheltered noblewomen and high bred ladies again.

Finally Elizabeth said, "Anna, do you WANT Antonia to have experienced everything you did?"

Stung, Annamaria replied indignantly, "Of course not!"

"Then shut up!" Elizabeth snapped. "For your information, 'I' barely understood what you meant, and I'm a married woman. You should be glad that most women don't have to endure what you have, not get angry because some of us have been luckier than you."

After a long awkward silence, Annamaria spoke again. "I'm sorry. I can't stand being caged up.

Elizabeth said more gently, "And because you're afraid?"

Stung, Annamaria answered abruptly, "Who says I'm afraid?"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "If you aren't afraid, Anna, then you're an idiot. We're at the mercy of someone who is trying to kill those we love. Heaven knows what he plans for us, but I can't imagine that it's anything we should be looking forward to."

Antonia answered, "We're all afraid, Anna. You're afraid because you know very well what might lie ahead for you. I'm afraid because I don't, and the unknown is terrifying to me."

Elizabeth started to speak, but broke off as she heard light footsteps on the stairs. A moment later, Gwen hurried in. "I can't stay more than a second, I don't dare be caught here. Here," she shoved a hand into Annamaria's cell and dropped something into her hand. "They won't do you much good at sea, but when we make port you might find them useful. We're headed to Nassau. Should be there in three days. He plans on dropping you three off there and then heading to a small island south of New Providence. I don't know what he plans for me." At the sound of footsteps overhead, Gwen froze, then fled back up the stairs.

The three women looked at each other blankly. "What did she give you, Anna?" Elizabeth asked.

Annamaria smiled broadly. "Hairpins."

Antonia looked puzzled. "Hairpins? Why do you care about hairpins?"

Annamaria grinned at her. "Watch and learn." Inserting a pin into the lock, she felt around for a few minutes, then with a snick, the lock sprang open. Opening the door, she crossed the aisle and handed a pin to Elizabeth, then retraced her steps to give one to Antonia. "Interested in a class on lock picking, ladies?"

--

The Black Pearl anchored off the little island indicated on their map mid morning the following day. Once again, Will, Joseph, Jack and Norrington rowed out to the beach. "I just hope we don't find another dead body," Will said.

"So don't we all," said Jack absently, studying the map. "Looks like we go in that direction." After several minutes of walking, the men found themselves on a rocky bluff overlooking the beach. "Well, this is the spot," Jack said looking around. Again, it was Joseph who noticed the clue they were looking for. He lifted a few rocks to fully uncover a bottle that was wedged up against a large boulder. Picking up the bottle, he handed it to Jack, who pulled out the cork and shook out a rolled up piece of paper.

"My dear Captain Sparrow," he read aloud. "If you're reading this, it seems you're managing to keep up on my little treasure hunt. I'm greatly enjoying the company of your lovely wife; she is quite a charming lady. Your next port of call is San Andreas Island. You are to go to the village of San Mateo on the west coast. When you get there, pay a call on a gentleman named Ramon, who can be found at a tavern called The Fallen Angel. He will give you further instructions. As the time for our meeting draws near, I look forward avidly to seeing you again. As I am sure, are you. Yours most sincerely, Reynard the Fox." Jack looked up at the others. "I think I hate this man."

Joseph, who had noticed how Jack's mouth had tightened when he'd read the reference to Gwen, said "He wrote this letter before he kidnapped the ladies. The comment about Mrs. Sparrow is made only to offend you, Captain."

Jack smiled grimly. "I know. I still think I hate him, though."

"Well, let's get going. It'll take us probably two days to get to San Andreas from here," Norrington said, starting back down the bluff.

**Author's note** San Andreas Island is currently known as Andros Island. San Andreas is an older name, which I figured to be more contemporary with the story.