Usual disclaimers... blah!
Okay... we are having to leave Jack and Kitty for a while to catch up on what is happening elsewhere. If I get enough reviews I will upload two more chapters early next week... Port Royal chapters, if you get my drift... savvy?
Two brief replies to reviews:
Pendragginink - he went to the Commodore for the wine... Norrington did say to see him for anything. Redmond - James Schott is still in Port Royal... but the adventures of an 11 year old boy aren't that exciting. He will be in a later chapter though... never fear!
***
Davit Lucon stared at the woman carrying the child he had discovered was the Governor's granddaughter in frustration. The damned man had not said the child was so young and he now knew that he would have to take the nurse as well as the child. He worried that later the woman would be able to identify him. This was not going to be as easy as he had previously thought for there was no way he could simply snatch the child without the woman as it would not survive the two or three day journey back to Port Royal
For a moment he sat there, just watching as the woman shopped for vegetables at the market and wondering if an opportunity might arise. His mind drifted as he thought... until his eye was caught by the sight of a young native woman begging for food, a young baby in a sling before her. A feral smile lit up his features as the beginning of a plan formed in his mind. Perhaps it would not be so hard after all.
***
"You want me to do what Sir?" the young woman frowned, unsure exactly what the man sitting opposite her was proposing, but certain that it involved money for her and her child.
"My sister's husband has left her and taken their baby with him. She is devastated and longs for her little girl back... if only I could get her from the whore that he has set up home with I could return her to my sister..." Davit spun his tale convincingly, smiling as he realised she believed him.
"But what is it you want me to do... I do not understand?" she continued uncertainly.
"The child is still at teat," he explained. "And the journey home would take too long without somebody to nurse her - perhaps you Rosalie. I would willingly pay you to care for her and nurse her on that journey." He smiled graciously. "Who knows, perhaps my sister would keep you on in gratitude once we reach Port Royal..."
"She would employ me?" she gasped, brown eyes wide in shock. Things had been hard for her since her man had died two months ago and she had been unable to find anyone willing to employ her with such a young child in tow.
"I am sure she would Rosalie," Davit smiled, knowing that he had her. These natives were all the same he laughed to himself, give them some food and spin them a line and they would follow you anywhere. "All I need you to do is to hold the child when I get it from the whore and walk with me to the docks. Do you think you can do that for me?" he continued, no sign of his contempt in his voice.
"Aye Sir, I can," she assured him, desperately eager to please him.
He quietly slid some money across to her. "Buy yourself something to eat and be back here when the market opens tomorrow." He rose, eager to ready his small boat. "Don't be late!" he warned.
***
True to his prediction the wet-nurse returned to the market early the next morning to buy fresh produce for the day. He watched as she turned into one of the many side alleys in order to cut from one street to another. Silently he followed, creeping behind her as he drew his knife and stabbed her hard in the back, his hand over her mouth to stifle any sudden screams. The blade slid smoothly between her ribs and he grinned as she slumped, satisfied that he had not lost his touch.
Quickly he removed the baby from the sling, holding it awkwardly. Charlotte was awake and was bawling her distress loudly. "Shut up!" he hissed at her, hurrying out of the alley towards where Rosalie waited. He roughly handed her the child. "Move!" he ordered.
Rosalie looked at the man uncertainly. He did not treat the child as if she was his niece and she wondered if he had any experience at all with young babies. "What..." she gasped when she saw bloodstains on the child's clothing.
"Move!" he urged, forcing her towards the docks. The market was busy and the body would not remain undiscovered for... too late! A high-pitched scream echoed from the alley he had just left.
"Sir," Rosalie protested. "Please, what have you done?" The man before her bore little resemblance to the affable man who had paid for her lunch the day before.
"Move it you stupid bitch!" he cursed. "Or I'll give you some of the same!"
Rosalie's eyes widened in horror as she saw the bloody blade, realising that he would carry out his threat with little thought or cause. Frightened she walked towards the docks, aware of the knife at her back as he forced her to carry both babies through the crowded streets.
"Stop!" he hissed suddenly, aware of some soldiers walking towards them. Rosalie turned to speak but he had melted away into the crowd, fearful of being addressed by the soldiers. She, however, had no such fear and walked quickly towards the men. She did not know what the man had done, but he frightened her and she was determined to be free of him.
"Excuse me," she called across to the soldiers, relieved when they walked towards her. "Excuse me, but are you searching for a baby?"
"Why yes," the older of the two men said frowning. "How did you know?"
"Because I think this is the baby Sir," Rosalie said quietly, bursting into tears. "There is a man with a knife that made me take her..." She looked around worriedly. "Will you keep me safe from him," she pleaded.
"I think you'd better come with us," the soldier said as they escorted her back towards the town and the small fort.
"Thank you Sir," she replied. "Thank you."
***
Davit Lucon watched from the doorway, deep in shadow, as the woman spoke with the soldiers. "Damn!" he cursed, realising that she was returning with them and had probably told the two soldiers about the baby. He had been so close, so very close but now he would have to start planning all over again. He would strike again tonight at the inn and take whatever new woman Groves employed. To hell with being subtle - he wanted his five hundred gold and he wanted it now.
***
Theodore Groves paced anxiously outside the Captain's small office. All that he had been told was that Etta had been killed and that his daughter was missing. A child's wailing caught his ear and he turned to see a thin native woman carrying two babies being escorted towards the office.
"Have you..." he began, dashing forward.
"Mister Groves?" the soldier asked.
"Yes," Theodore confirmed. "Have you found Charlotte?"
The thin native woman walked forward. "Is the little girl yours Sir?" she asked timidly, afraid now that she would be in real trouble. Theodore nodded as she handed Charlotte over to him. "I'm sorry Sir," she apologised. "I did not know he would kill..."
"I think the Captain's office is the place for such discussions," the older soldier warned, rapping smartly on the heavy wooden door. A muffled acknowledgment echoed from within and he opened the door cautiously. "Mister Groves and the woman involved in the child snatch Sir," he informed, bustling all within the office.
Theodore barely glanced at the man, so relieved to get his daughter back that little seemed to matter. Eventually he realised that the elderly Captain was talking to him. "I'm sorry," he smiled. "What did you say?"
"I said that perhaps the woman here can answer some questions before we throw her in jail!" Captain Isadol repeated.
"Jail!" Rosalie wailed. "No Sir, please! I did not know anything!" she begged.
"You were found with an abducted child, blood from her wet-nurse staining her clothes!" the Captain argued.
"She did approach us willingly Sir," the soldier offered in her defence. "It appears that the man involved was the one that carried out the murder..."
The Captain looked at her, bridging his hands as he thought. "Well, perhaps you had better tell us what you know and then we will decide what to do with you," he suggested.
"Please Sir, I didn't know he intended to hurt anyone. He said that the child was his sister's and that the father had taken her from Port Royal. He only wanted me to wet-nurse her until he got her there..." Rosalie explained.
"Port Royal?" Theodore interrupted. "He definitely said Port Royal?"
"Yes Sir," she replied earnestly. "He said his sister would employ me..." She looked at the Captain, her eyes wide - pleading and clearly terrified of what she had gotten into.
"Mister Groves, do I understand from your expression that you suspect somebody of this?" Captain Isadol asked.
Theodore shrugged. "Since Port Royal was mentioned I have a strong suspicion, but he would not be able to come himself. He has probably employed somebody to snatch Charlotte."
"Who?" the Captain pressed.
"The Governor - Thomas Spense. He is Charlotte's grandfather..." Theodore began.
"Surely you cannot suspect the Governor of Jamaica?" the Captain gasped in shock.
Theodore tried to explain. "The Governor does not like my family Captain and blames them for the disappearance of my wife - his daughter..."
"Your family..." Captain Isadol interrupted.
"My sister and her husband - Catherine and Jack Sparrow," he continued.
"Sparrow!" Rosalie went pale. "Forgive me Sir, don't tell the pirate Sir!" she begged, truly frightened.
"Silence!" Captain Isadol shouted, determined to try to make sense of the situation. He looked at Theodore, his expression calculating. "It would appear you have an interesting family Mister Groves," he said quietly. "And whilst we do not concern ourselves overly with what happens outside of Port au Prince, we will not have your English feuds bringing murder to our streets." He turned to Rosalie. "You will provide us with a description of the man and we will see if he can be found. In the meantime you will be held in jail as an accessory to this crime."
"But I didn't..." she protested.
The Captain cut her off with a look. "This man has killed before and you are the only witness that can link him to the abduction. Your word could hang a man..." he cautioned. "I have yet to decide if you are innocent or guilty - but regardless, jail will be the safest place for you."
"Yes Sir," she agreed quietly, not having considered that the man might try to kill her too.
"Mister Groves, until this man is caught I suggest you are on your guard. Do not go out unless you have to..." he advised.
"I have to find a new wet-nurse for Charlotte," Theodore sighed, "although I don't know where..."
"I would care for her Sir," Rosalie offered.
"You?" the Captain stared at her in disbelief. "You are going to jail!"
"Please Sir," she looked at Theodore pleading. "Let me make things right... I did not know, I swear!"
"No!" the Captain ordered, nodding to the nearest soldier. "Take a description of the man involved and then escort this woman to the cells."
"But please," Rosalie wailed as she was led away. "I did not know, please Sir, believe me!"
The door shut behind them and her pleas were muffled. The Captain looked at Theodore. "You may find somebody to wet-nurse your daughter down by the docks. A lot of the poorer families congregate around there. Otherwise I suggest buying a goat and trying one of those bottle things that some women use."
"Thank you Captain," Theodore smiled gratefully as he left, leaving the small fort as quickly as he could and heading towards the docks. But however hard he tried, and whoever he asked, nobody was prepared to be wet- nurse to Charlotte. News of the fate of Etta had reached them and they were too frightened in case the man came back and for the same thing to happen to them. Disheartened he managed to buy a bottle and he headed back to the small inn that he was staying at. The landlady, Mistress Auville, was a kindly woman and gave him some milk, demonstrating to him how to feed her.
"When you need to, bring her down and I'll show you how to change her," she offered.
"Change..." Theodore's eyes widened in horror. He had not even thought of that end of things. "Um, thank you," he gulped.
She laughed. "New to this, aren't you. Nevermind, it gets easier. Trust me, I've had seven myself!"
"You wouldn't..." Theodore began, hopefully.
"No Mister Groves! I have enough to do with running this place," she smiled. "But I'll give you pointers whilst you need them." She sniffed. "And I think it is about time you were shown the first one..."
***
Theodore lay quietly in his room, Charlotte beside him in her small cot. Changing a child had definitely been an eye opener and it had only taken him six attempts to get the nappy to stay on when he picked her up. At least she was asleep now, clean and fed, sleepily content in her little baby world. He shut his eyes, allowing himself to join her...
***
Okay... we are having to leave Jack and Kitty for a while to catch up on what is happening elsewhere. If I get enough reviews I will upload two more chapters early next week... Port Royal chapters, if you get my drift... savvy?
Two brief replies to reviews:
Pendragginink - he went to the Commodore for the wine... Norrington did say to see him for anything. Redmond - James Schott is still in Port Royal... but the adventures of an 11 year old boy aren't that exciting. He will be in a later chapter though... never fear!
***
Davit Lucon stared at the woman carrying the child he had discovered was the Governor's granddaughter in frustration. The damned man had not said the child was so young and he now knew that he would have to take the nurse as well as the child. He worried that later the woman would be able to identify him. This was not going to be as easy as he had previously thought for there was no way he could simply snatch the child without the woman as it would not survive the two or three day journey back to Port Royal
For a moment he sat there, just watching as the woman shopped for vegetables at the market and wondering if an opportunity might arise. His mind drifted as he thought... until his eye was caught by the sight of a young native woman begging for food, a young baby in a sling before her. A feral smile lit up his features as the beginning of a plan formed in his mind. Perhaps it would not be so hard after all.
***
"You want me to do what Sir?" the young woman frowned, unsure exactly what the man sitting opposite her was proposing, but certain that it involved money for her and her child.
"My sister's husband has left her and taken their baby with him. She is devastated and longs for her little girl back... if only I could get her from the whore that he has set up home with I could return her to my sister..." Davit spun his tale convincingly, smiling as he realised she believed him.
"But what is it you want me to do... I do not understand?" she continued uncertainly.
"The child is still at teat," he explained. "And the journey home would take too long without somebody to nurse her - perhaps you Rosalie. I would willingly pay you to care for her and nurse her on that journey." He smiled graciously. "Who knows, perhaps my sister would keep you on in gratitude once we reach Port Royal..."
"She would employ me?" she gasped, brown eyes wide in shock. Things had been hard for her since her man had died two months ago and she had been unable to find anyone willing to employ her with such a young child in tow.
"I am sure she would Rosalie," Davit smiled, knowing that he had her. These natives were all the same he laughed to himself, give them some food and spin them a line and they would follow you anywhere. "All I need you to do is to hold the child when I get it from the whore and walk with me to the docks. Do you think you can do that for me?" he continued, no sign of his contempt in his voice.
"Aye Sir, I can," she assured him, desperately eager to please him.
He quietly slid some money across to her. "Buy yourself something to eat and be back here when the market opens tomorrow." He rose, eager to ready his small boat. "Don't be late!" he warned.
***
True to his prediction the wet-nurse returned to the market early the next morning to buy fresh produce for the day. He watched as she turned into one of the many side alleys in order to cut from one street to another. Silently he followed, creeping behind her as he drew his knife and stabbed her hard in the back, his hand over her mouth to stifle any sudden screams. The blade slid smoothly between her ribs and he grinned as she slumped, satisfied that he had not lost his touch.
Quickly he removed the baby from the sling, holding it awkwardly. Charlotte was awake and was bawling her distress loudly. "Shut up!" he hissed at her, hurrying out of the alley towards where Rosalie waited. He roughly handed her the child. "Move!" he ordered.
Rosalie looked at the man uncertainly. He did not treat the child as if she was his niece and she wondered if he had any experience at all with young babies. "What..." she gasped when she saw bloodstains on the child's clothing.
"Move!" he urged, forcing her towards the docks. The market was busy and the body would not remain undiscovered for... too late! A high-pitched scream echoed from the alley he had just left.
"Sir," Rosalie protested. "Please, what have you done?" The man before her bore little resemblance to the affable man who had paid for her lunch the day before.
"Move it you stupid bitch!" he cursed. "Or I'll give you some of the same!"
Rosalie's eyes widened in horror as she saw the bloody blade, realising that he would carry out his threat with little thought or cause. Frightened she walked towards the docks, aware of the knife at her back as he forced her to carry both babies through the crowded streets.
"Stop!" he hissed suddenly, aware of some soldiers walking towards them. Rosalie turned to speak but he had melted away into the crowd, fearful of being addressed by the soldiers. She, however, had no such fear and walked quickly towards the men. She did not know what the man had done, but he frightened her and she was determined to be free of him.
"Excuse me," she called across to the soldiers, relieved when they walked towards her. "Excuse me, but are you searching for a baby?"
"Why yes," the older of the two men said frowning. "How did you know?"
"Because I think this is the baby Sir," Rosalie said quietly, bursting into tears. "There is a man with a knife that made me take her..." She looked around worriedly. "Will you keep me safe from him," she pleaded.
"I think you'd better come with us," the soldier said as they escorted her back towards the town and the small fort.
"Thank you Sir," she replied. "Thank you."
***
Davit Lucon watched from the doorway, deep in shadow, as the woman spoke with the soldiers. "Damn!" he cursed, realising that she was returning with them and had probably told the two soldiers about the baby. He had been so close, so very close but now he would have to start planning all over again. He would strike again tonight at the inn and take whatever new woman Groves employed. To hell with being subtle - he wanted his five hundred gold and he wanted it now.
***
Theodore Groves paced anxiously outside the Captain's small office. All that he had been told was that Etta had been killed and that his daughter was missing. A child's wailing caught his ear and he turned to see a thin native woman carrying two babies being escorted towards the office.
"Have you..." he began, dashing forward.
"Mister Groves?" the soldier asked.
"Yes," Theodore confirmed. "Have you found Charlotte?"
The thin native woman walked forward. "Is the little girl yours Sir?" she asked timidly, afraid now that she would be in real trouble. Theodore nodded as she handed Charlotte over to him. "I'm sorry Sir," she apologised. "I did not know he would kill..."
"I think the Captain's office is the place for such discussions," the older soldier warned, rapping smartly on the heavy wooden door. A muffled acknowledgment echoed from within and he opened the door cautiously. "Mister Groves and the woman involved in the child snatch Sir," he informed, bustling all within the office.
Theodore barely glanced at the man, so relieved to get his daughter back that little seemed to matter. Eventually he realised that the elderly Captain was talking to him. "I'm sorry," he smiled. "What did you say?"
"I said that perhaps the woman here can answer some questions before we throw her in jail!" Captain Isadol repeated.
"Jail!" Rosalie wailed. "No Sir, please! I did not know anything!" she begged.
"You were found with an abducted child, blood from her wet-nurse staining her clothes!" the Captain argued.
"She did approach us willingly Sir," the soldier offered in her defence. "It appears that the man involved was the one that carried out the murder..."
The Captain looked at her, bridging his hands as he thought. "Well, perhaps you had better tell us what you know and then we will decide what to do with you," he suggested.
"Please Sir, I didn't know he intended to hurt anyone. He said that the child was his sister's and that the father had taken her from Port Royal. He only wanted me to wet-nurse her until he got her there..." Rosalie explained.
"Port Royal?" Theodore interrupted. "He definitely said Port Royal?"
"Yes Sir," she replied earnestly. "He said his sister would employ me..." She looked at the Captain, her eyes wide - pleading and clearly terrified of what she had gotten into.
"Mister Groves, do I understand from your expression that you suspect somebody of this?" Captain Isadol asked.
Theodore shrugged. "Since Port Royal was mentioned I have a strong suspicion, but he would not be able to come himself. He has probably employed somebody to snatch Charlotte."
"Who?" the Captain pressed.
"The Governor - Thomas Spense. He is Charlotte's grandfather..." Theodore began.
"Surely you cannot suspect the Governor of Jamaica?" the Captain gasped in shock.
Theodore tried to explain. "The Governor does not like my family Captain and blames them for the disappearance of my wife - his daughter..."
"Your family..." Captain Isadol interrupted.
"My sister and her husband - Catherine and Jack Sparrow," he continued.
"Sparrow!" Rosalie went pale. "Forgive me Sir, don't tell the pirate Sir!" she begged, truly frightened.
"Silence!" Captain Isadol shouted, determined to try to make sense of the situation. He looked at Theodore, his expression calculating. "It would appear you have an interesting family Mister Groves," he said quietly. "And whilst we do not concern ourselves overly with what happens outside of Port au Prince, we will not have your English feuds bringing murder to our streets." He turned to Rosalie. "You will provide us with a description of the man and we will see if he can be found. In the meantime you will be held in jail as an accessory to this crime."
"But I didn't..." she protested.
The Captain cut her off with a look. "This man has killed before and you are the only witness that can link him to the abduction. Your word could hang a man..." he cautioned. "I have yet to decide if you are innocent or guilty - but regardless, jail will be the safest place for you."
"Yes Sir," she agreed quietly, not having considered that the man might try to kill her too.
"Mister Groves, until this man is caught I suggest you are on your guard. Do not go out unless you have to..." he advised.
"I have to find a new wet-nurse for Charlotte," Theodore sighed, "although I don't know where..."
"I would care for her Sir," Rosalie offered.
"You?" the Captain stared at her in disbelief. "You are going to jail!"
"Please Sir," she looked at Theodore pleading. "Let me make things right... I did not know, I swear!"
"No!" the Captain ordered, nodding to the nearest soldier. "Take a description of the man involved and then escort this woman to the cells."
"But please," Rosalie wailed as she was led away. "I did not know, please Sir, believe me!"
The door shut behind them and her pleas were muffled. The Captain looked at Theodore. "You may find somebody to wet-nurse your daughter down by the docks. A lot of the poorer families congregate around there. Otherwise I suggest buying a goat and trying one of those bottle things that some women use."
"Thank you Captain," Theodore smiled gratefully as he left, leaving the small fort as quickly as he could and heading towards the docks. But however hard he tried, and whoever he asked, nobody was prepared to be wet- nurse to Charlotte. News of the fate of Etta had reached them and they were too frightened in case the man came back and for the same thing to happen to them. Disheartened he managed to buy a bottle and he headed back to the small inn that he was staying at. The landlady, Mistress Auville, was a kindly woman and gave him some milk, demonstrating to him how to feed her.
"When you need to, bring her down and I'll show you how to change her," she offered.
"Change..." Theodore's eyes widened in horror. He had not even thought of that end of things. "Um, thank you," he gulped.
She laughed. "New to this, aren't you. Nevermind, it gets easier. Trust me, I've had seven myself!"
"You wouldn't..." Theodore began, hopefully.
"No Mister Groves! I have enough to do with running this place," she smiled. "But I'll give you pointers whilst you need them." She sniffed. "And I think it is about time you were shown the first one..."
***
Theodore lay quietly in his room, Charlotte beside him in her small cot. Changing a child had definitely been an eye opener and it had only taken him six attempts to get the nappy to stay on when he picked her up. At least she was asleep now, clean and fed, sleepily content in her little baby world. He shut his eyes, allowing himself to join her...
***