Curse disclaimers and curse the bloody oscar academy – grrrr!
KK, thank *you* for reviewing. It's always appreciated
Caffeine fairy, I never thought of that, but poor Eb does get a lot of bad things happen to him. I'll have to make it up to him somehow.
Hils, yep, trust men to go and screw things up!
Linnie, tut tut, no review for chapter 32! Stop doing your schoolwork :p
Sakhara291, I have to say the tone of your review hurt and disappointed me somewhat. Nowhere in the previous chapters did I give the impression that they were going somewhere else, and I really don't appreciate being called names.
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Chapter 33
The crew was leaning over the side of the ship, shouting and calling to them as the boat approached the hull of the ship. A couple of ropes came over and Cotton and Moyles secured them to the boat and they all clung on as the crew hauled the boat up. Many hands reached in and gently took Jack out of the boat and carried him down to his cabin, Mr. Cotton following very closely behind. Maddy stayed kneeling in the boat for long minutes after the others had vacated it, too dazed to move. Tom came over and shook her gently and helped her out, then led her to the cabin where Mr. Cotton was busy cleaning up Jack's wound properly. He glanced up at Maddy and Tom as they entered the cabin, an indiscernible look in his eyes, then went back to his task, pouring copious amounts of rum over and into the wound. Maddy crossed to the bunk and knelt down on the floor, where she stayed for many hours, caressing Jack's face and whispering to him.
Tom had taken the decision to set sail as soon as Jack was aboard, making for Freetown, figuring that Will had got two ships with which to make his own way there. Tom agonised whether to send word to Will and Esme Davies, but decided that whoever had attacked Jack and the others, might try to attack the ship as well.
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Will looked around sharply at the words of one of his crewmen, talking about an altercation the previous evening. It was the mention of George Kelly that had grabbed his attention and he walked over to the man. 'What news is this?' He asked, suddenly feeling uneasy.
'Kelly was attacked and killed on a lane out of town sir. Apparently, there were others with him and whether they attacked and killed him, or whether they were all attacked, I dunno, but there's no sign o'that friend of yourn.' Will looked across the deck of his ship, The Thistle, out over the bay, wondering if The Black Pearl was still anchored.
'I think I want to get the feel of the ship Mr. Brown, make ready to set sail. We're not going far, just out to sea and back.' Will went to his helmsman, David Masterton, as told him to sail about five miles out, ignoring the curious looks from the man.
'Will you be wanting both ships out Captain Turner?' Matthew Brown hated breaking in new captains.
'No, just this one.' Will leaned over the port rail as the anchors were hoisted, enjoying the feel of *his* ship moving slightly, then turned and watched his crew at work, as the ship started move towards the open sea. Ten minutes later they had rounded the headland, but when Will looked out onto open sea, he saw no sign of The Black Pearl anywhere. He sought out the crewman, who had told him about Kelly and asked him to tell all that he knew.
'Well, nothing much to be honest wi'ya Captain. Only that Kelly had gone to the old farmstead just on the edge of town, with a group of companions, an' Kelly were found dead this morning, wi'no sign o'Captain Sparrow, or his ship by the look o'things,' he said, nodding out to the cove, where The Pearl had been anchored.
'Jack wouldn't take off without telling me. Not unless there was a bloody good reason,' Will thought, worry creasing his brow. 'Is murdering Kelly reason enough? No, Jack wouldn't kill anyone in cold blood.' Will felt confident that there was more to this than met the eye. 'So where would Jack go? Will mused, smiling as the answer came to him, 'Freetown. He wouldn't leave like that, not without saying goodbye at least.' He made his way to the helm and told Masterton to take the ship back to port.
'Why sir?' Matthew Brown had heard the conversation about Kelly and had started to get suspicious about what sort of business William Turner would be running.
'Because we are leaving for Freetown as soon as we can, that's why. I will give the men time to say goodbye to their families and get enough stock on board both ships to get us to Freetown.' Will noted the hesitation in the man's eyes, and glared at him. 'Mr. Brown, I'm not a hard taskmaster, and I know this is my first command, but I would appreciate not having my orders questioned. Now, I would be grateful if you would take command of The Rose, I shall have Masterton as my quartermaster for now.' Matthew Brown nodded, then went about his tasks, feeling quite impressed with the young man's authority, even if his motives were questionable.
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'Maddy, Maddy, come on now, ya need to rest properly.' Eb hooked his hands under Maddy's arms and hoisted her to her feet.
'You're a fine one to talk Eb Tucker,' Maddy murmured, too tired to talk louder.
'I'm all right now Maddy, but Jack will need you to be strong when he wakes, an' how're going to be strong if ya don't rest proper? I'll get some o'the men to set up a cot beside Jack, so ya don't have ter leave him, now come an' get some fresh air while they're doing it. Ya need some food too woman.' Eb led Maddy firmly out of the cabin and up the stairs, sitting her on a barrel as the other men fussed over her. Tom brought some food over and watched her like a hawk, making sure she ate at least some of it. Maddy stole away back to the cabin as soon as Eb's back was turned and shoved the cot so that it was right next to the bunk, and Jack. She lay watching his chest rise and fall with shallow breaths until her eyelids became too heavy too keep open, and she soon drifted off into a deep sleep.
Eb pretended not to notice Maddy as she went back to the cabin, but watched her back as she disappeared down the stairs, sighing to himself. 'Mr. Cotton, a moment please.' Eb took Cotton's arm and led him to a quiet corner of the deck. 'Has Jack got a chance?' He looked into the mute's blue eyes, trying to read the answer there. Mr. Cotton shrugged ruefully, indicating with his hands, that he thought Jack had an even chance. 'Bloody hell,' thought Eb, 'What am I going ter do if Jack dies?' He turned and looked out over the horizon, scanning for the island of Grand Bahama, which Freetown was situated. 'I hope Will realises where we are and turns up soon,' Eb muttered aloud, forgetting Cotton was still next to him, until he saw the older man nodded in agreement.
KK, thank *you* for reviewing. It's always appreciated
Caffeine fairy, I never thought of that, but poor Eb does get a lot of bad things happen to him. I'll have to make it up to him somehow.
Hils, yep, trust men to go and screw things up!
Linnie, tut tut, no review for chapter 32! Stop doing your schoolwork :p
Sakhara291, I have to say the tone of your review hurt and disappointed me somewhat. Nowhere in the previous chapters did I give the impression that they were going somewhere else, and I really don't appreciate being called names.
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Chapter 33
The crew was leaning over the side of the ship, shouting and calling to them as the boat approached the hull of the ship. A couple of ropes came over and Cotton and Moyles secured them to the boat and they all clung on as the crew hauled the boat up. Many hands reached in and gently took Jack out of the boat and carried him down to his cabin, Mr. Cotton following very closely behind. Maddy stayed kneeling in the boat for long minutes after the others had vacated it, too dazed to move. Tom came over and shook her gently and helped her out, then led her to the cabin where Mr. Cotton was busy cleaning up Jack's wound properly. He glanced up at Maddy and Tom as they entered the cabin, an indiscernible look in his eyes, then went back to his task, pouring copious amounts of rum over and into the wound. Maddy crossed to the bunk and knelt down on the floor, where she stayed for many hours, caressing Jack's face and whispering to him.
Tom had taken the decision to set sail as soon as Jack was aboard, making for Freetown, figuring that Will had got two ships with which to make his own way there. Tom agonised whether to send word to Will and Esme Davies, but decided that whoever had attacked Jack and the others, might try to attack the ship as well.
**********
Will looked around sharply at the words of one of his crewmen, talking about an altercation the previous evening. It was the mention of George Kelly that had grabbed his attention and he walked over to the man. 'What news is this?' He asked, suddenly feeling uneasy.
'Kelly was attacked and killed on a lane out of town sir. Apparently, there were others with him and whether they attacked and killed him, or whether they were all attacked, I dunno, but there's no sign o'that friend of yourn.' Will looked across the deck of his ship, The Thistle, out over the bay, wondering if The Black Pearl was still anchored.
'I think I want to get the feel of the ship Mr. Brown, make ready to set sail. We're not going far, just out to sea and back.' Will went to his helmsman, David Masterton, as told him to sail about five miles out, ignoring the curious looks from the man.
'Will you be wanting both ships out Captain Turner?' Matthew Brown hated breaking in new captains.
'No, just this one.' Will leaned over the port rail as the anchors were hoisted, enjoying the feel of *his* ship moving slightly, then turned and watched his crew at work, as the ship started move towards the open sea. Ten minutes later they had rounded the headland, but when Will looked out onto open sea, he saw no sign of The Black Pearl anywhere. He sought out the crewman, who had told him about Kelly and asked him to tell all that he knew.
'Well, nothing much to be honest wi'ya Captain. Only that Kelly had gone to the old farmstead just on the edge of town, with a group of companions, an' Kelly were found dead this morning, wi'no sign o'Captain Sparrow, or his ship by the look o'things,' he said, nodding out to the cove, where The Pearl had been anchored.
'Jack wouldn't take off without telling me. Not unless there was a bloody good reason,' Will thought, worry creasing his brow. 'Is murdering Kelly reason enough? No, Jack wouldn't kill anyone in cold blood.' Will felt confident that there was more to this than met the eye. 'So where would Jack go? Will mused, smiling as the answer came to him, 'Freetown. He wouldn't leave like that, not without saying goodbye at least.' He made his way to the helm and told Masterton to take the ship back to port.
'Why sir?' Matthew Brown had heard the conversation about Kelly and had started to get suspicious about what sort of business William Turner would be running.
'Because we are leaving for Freetown as soon as we can, that's why. I will give the men time to say goodbye to their families and get enough stock on board both ships to get us to Freetown.' Will noted the hesitation in the man's eyes, and glared at him. 'Mr. Brown, I'm not a hard taskmaster, and I know this is my first command, but I would appreciate not having my orders questioned. Now, I would be grateful if you would take command of The Rose, I shall have Masterton as my quartermaster for now.' Matthew Brown nodded, then went about his tasks, feeling quite impressed with the young man's authority, even if his motives were questionable.
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'Maddy, Maddy, come on now, ya need to rest properly.' Eb hooked his hands under Maddy's arms and hoisted her to her feet.
'You're a fine one to talk Eb Tucker,' Maddy murmured, too tired to talk louder.
'I'm all right now Maddy, but Jack will need you to be strong when he wakes, an' how're going to be strong if ya don't rest proper? I'll get some o'the men to set up a cot beside Jack, so ya don't have ter leave him, now come an' get some fresh air while they're doing it. Ya need some food too woman.' Eb led Maddy firmly out of the cabin and up the stairs, sitting her on a barrel as the other men fussed over her. Tom brought some food over and watched her like a hawk, making sure she ate at least some of it. Maddy stole away back to the cabin as soon as Eb's back was turned and shoved the cot so that it was right next to the bunk, and Jack. She lay watching his chest rise and fall with shallow breaths until her eyelids became too heavy too keep open, and she soon drifted off into a deep sleep.
Eb pretended not to notice Maddy as she went back to the cabin, but watched her back as she disappeared down the stairs, sighing to himself. 'Mr. Cotton, a moment please.' Eb took Cotton's arm and led him to a quiet corner of the deck. 'Has Jack got a chance?' He looked into the mute's blue eyes, trying to read the answer there. Mr. Cotton shrugged ruefully, indicating with his hands, that he thought Jack had an even chance. 'Bloody hell,' thought Eb, 'What am I going ter do if Jack dies?' He turned and looked out over the horizon, scanning for the island of Grand Bahama, which Freetown was situated. 'I hope Will realises where we are and turns up soon,' Eb muttered aloud, forgetting Cotton was still next to him, until he saw the older man nodded in agreement.