Usual disclaimers... but I have a cunning plan!
Last chapter for today...
***
Davit Lucon had sailed brazenly into Tortuga, tied up his small boat and headed into town. It had been easy to get the stupid Auville woman to tell him where Groves had gone... well, after a little persuasion. And it had been even easier to get here. He looked around carefully, noticing any women that had small babies. When the time came to it he would forget subtlety and just snatch one once he had the Governor's granddaughter. No fancy plans this time, just nice and simple.
***
Jack insisted that Catherine sleep on board the Black Pearl too that night, and each night following, not knowing the men that had come with Jeremiah Hallam. He never trusted those that he did not know, especially where her safety was concerned. Each morning she was caught by Oran and each night she returned via the bosun's chair. As the days went by she found herself relegated to minding the babies on a blanket in the shade as the others worked... she did not mind for it was the only way she could help.
The carpenters had been working for three days when the mason returned with the stones for the hearths and the forge. Catherine smiled as she saw Will dash over to talk with the man, eager to be able to work again. Soon the tap tap of a mason's chisel was added to the sounds of the carpenters working.
"Can I have a story?" Eilis asked plaintively as she came and sat beside her. "Everyone is busy... and they say I'm too little to help!"
Catherine smiled, welcoming the company. "Of course Eilis." She looked around for inspiration, something that would catch the attention of a five year old girl, spotting Anamaria in one of the ships boats in the bay showing Theodore and Elizabeth how to set fish traps. "Well, perhaps I should tell you the story of my Grandfather and the Lobster Wars..." she began, leaning against the tree and letting her mind drift as she spoke as her memories took her back to the chill Hampshire winters she knew as a child.
***
Davit Lucon laughed to himself, amazed at how easy it had been to find Groves and the child. He had soon heard of a new home being built in the north of the island and had been hired on to help the mason who was desperate for anyone with strength to lift the stones. He walked closer but stopped in disbelief. It was her! The bitch that caused his brother's death - sitting here alone, undefended and by the look of her leg not able to defend herself either. He drew his pistol, his approach unnoticed.
"Give me the baby bitch!" he snarled.
Catherine looked up in shock on hearing the voice, not having heard him until he stood before her. "Lucon!" she gasped.
"At least you remember me," he sneered, "because I'll be the last face you see!" He raised his pistol. "Now give me the baby!"
Catherine put her arm protectively around Eilis who was shaking with fear. "Which baby?" she asked quietly, afraid of stating the obvious, but genuinely unsure which child he was after.
Davit glanced down, suddenly realising that there were two babies snuggled against each other. He crouched down, shoving his pistol hard against her stomach. "The Groves one," he demanded. "The Governor wants his granddaughter back!"
"So you were working with him," she spat angrily. "You traitorous bastard! Do you really think you will get off this island with her?"
"I'd be more worried about your own child!" He grabbed Eilis, holding her tightly to him, but she screamed in terror. Davit looked round in fear, realising already that people were starting towards them. He aimed his pistol at Catherine's head. "The baby!" he demanded, his thumb reaching to cock his pistol.
A shot rang out.
Davit dropped his pistol, staring in disbelief as his arm refused to obey him. Catherine reached for one of her crutches, bringing it crashing against his leg. He let go of Eilis in shock.
"Run!" Catherine shouted to her and she needed no second bidding, speeding across the sands to where she saw Jack approaching.
"I wouldn't be thinkin' of tryin' that again Lucon," Jack warned, accepting Jean Claude's loaded pistol in place of his spent one. "Next time I might not miss..." He cocked the second pistol, holding it aimed as he crossed the sands towards them to stand protectively next to Catherine.
Davit looked in horror as several more members of the crew approached. He jumped as he heard a click behind him. "And even if he did," Catherine threatened quietly, "I would not." She looked at him in disgust. "Did you really think I would be unarmed?"
Jean Claude crouched down next to her, carefully taking the pistol from her hands. "Do not kill him Kitty," he cautioned. "I think Jeremiah Hallam will want a word first..."
She shook her head. "He wasn't after Edan," she sighed, watching as her brother, Elizabeth and Anamaria dashed up the beach. Anamaria snatched Edan up from the blanket, holding him tightly. "He was after Charlotte..." She looked up at Theodore who was reaching for Charlotte. "And he was working for Spense!"
Theodore looked at the man, instantly recognising him. "You!" he gasped. "It was you at Port au Prince!" Davit Lucon just smirked. "Why you..." Theodore lunged at him, but was restrained by Isaac and Oran.
"Let him be," Isaac urged. "My father has ways of dealing with such scum!" Davit Lucon sneered at Isaac, not realising who his father was.
Jack nodded. "Take one of the horses," he ordered, "an' fetch yer father. Jean Claude - lock 'im in th' brig. He's not t' be harmed!" Jack turned, aware that the curious carpenters and mason had approached. "Nothing to see... back to work!" For a moment they stood there staring at him until he aimed his pistol at the nearest man. "I said sod off!" he threatened. They did.
Several crew members had forcibly disarmed Davit, tying his hands behind his back and gagging him. They marched him down to one of the ships boats, Jean Claude walking close behind. "Are you a man?" he asked quietly. "Or will you die squealing like your brother did?" Davit Lucon struggled to face his tormentor, eyes bulging over the gag. "I know it was you," Jean Claude smiled coldly. "You cost me my ship, and I will have my revenge..." He shoved Davit forwards towards the waiting boat, determined to make the man pay for every plank, every nail of his beloved Swallow.
***
Okay - that's your lot for now.
Many thanks for the reviews, especially for the new reviewers. Please keep reviewing... it really does make my day and also helps get the next chapters out faster (hint, hint)
Ta!
Last chapter for today...
***
Davit Lucon had sailed brazenly into Tortuga, tied up his small boat and headed into town. It had been easy to get the stupid Auville woman to tell him where Groves had gone... well, after a little persuasion. And it had been even easier to get here. He looked around carefully, noticing any women that had small babies. When the time came to it he would forget subtlety and just snatch one once he had the Governor's granddaughter. No fancy plans this time, just nice and simple.
***
Jack insisted that Catherine sleep on board the Black Pearl too that night, and each night following, not knowing the men that had come with Jeremiah Hallam. He never trusted those that he did not know, especially where her safety was concerned. Each morning she was caught by Oran and each night she returned via the bosun's chair. As the days went by she found herself relegated to minding the babies on a blanket in the shade as the others worked... she did not mind for it was the only way she could help.
The carpenters had been working for three days when the mason returned with the stones for the hearths and the forge. Catherine smiled as she saw Will dash over to talk with the man, eager to be able to work again. Soon the tap tap of a mason's chisel was added to the sounds of the carpenters working.
"Can I have a story?" Eilis asked plaintively as she came and sat beside her. "Everyone is busy... and they say I'm too little to help!"
Catherine smiled, welcoming the company. "Of course Eilis." She looked around for inspiration, something that would catch the attention of a five year old girl, spotting Anamaria in one of the ships boats in the bay showing Theodore and Elizabeth how to set fish traps. "Well, perhaps I should tell you the story of my Grandfather and the Lobster Wars..." she began, leaning against the tree and letting her mind drift as she spoke as her memories took her back to the chill Hampshire winters she knew as a child.
***
Davit Lucon laughed to himself, amazed at how easy it had been to find Groves and the child. He had soon heard of a new home being built in the north of the island and had been hired on to help the mason who was desperate for anyone with strength to lift the stones. He walked closer but stopped in disbelief. It was her! The bitch that caused his brother's death - sitting here alone, undefended and by the look of her leg not able to defend herself either. He drew his pistol, his approach unnoticed.
"Give me the baby bitch!" he snarled.
Catherine looked up in shock on hearing the voice, not having heard him until he stood before her. "Lucon!" she gasped.
"At least you remember me," he sneered, "because I'll be the last face you see!" He raised his pistol. "Now give me the baby!"
Catherine put her arm protectively around Eilis who was shaking with fear. "Which baby?" she asked quietly, afraid of stating the obvious, but genuinely unsure which child he was after.
Davit glanced down, suddenly realising that there were two babies snuggled against each other. He crouched down, shoving his pistol hard against her stomach. "The Groves one," he demanded. "The Governor wants his granddaughter back!"
"So you were working with him," she spat angrily. "You traitorous bastard! Do you really think you will get off this island with her?"
"I'd be more worried about your own child!" He grabbed Eilis, holding her tightly to him, but she screamed in terror. Davit looked round in fear, realising already that people were starting towards them. He aimed his pistol at Catherine's head. "The baby!" he demanded, his thumb reaching to cock his pistol.
A shot rang out.
Davit dropped his pistol, staring in disbelief as his arm refused to obey him. Catherine reached for one of her crutches, bringing it crashing against his leg. He let go of Eilis in shock.
"Run!" Catherine shouted to her and she needed no second bidding, speeding across the sands to where she saw Jack approaching.
"I wouldn't be thinkin' of tryin' that again Lucon," Jack warned, accepting Jean Claude's loaded pistol in place of his spent one. "Next time I might not miss..." He cocked the second pistol, holding it aimed as he crossed the sands towards them to stand protectively next to Catherine.
Davit looked in horror as several more members of the crew approached. He jumped as he heard a click behind him. "And even if he did," Catherine threatened quietly, "I would not." She looked at him in disgust. "Did you really think I would be unarmed?"
Jean Claude crouched down next to her, carefully taking the pistol from her hands. "Do not kill him Kitty," he cautioned. "I think Jeremiah Hallam will want a word first..."
She shook her head. "He wasn't after Edan," she sighed, watching as her brother, Elizabeth and Anamaria dashed up the beach. Anamaria snatched Edan up from the blanket, holding him tightly. "He was after Charlotte..." She looked up at Theodore who was reaching for Charlotte. "And he was working for Spense!"
Theodore looked at the man, instantly recognising him. "You!" he gasped. "It was you at Port au Prince!" Davit Lucon just smirked. "Why you..." Theodore lunged at him, but was restrained by Isaac and Oran.
"Let him be," Isaac urged. "My father has ways of dealing with such scum!" Davit Lucon sneered at Isaac, not realising who his father was.
Jack nodded. "Take one of the horses," he ordered, "an' fetch yer father. Jean Claude - lock 'im in th' brig. He's not t' be harmed!" Jack turned, aware that the curious carpenters and mason had approached. "Nothing to see... back to work!" For a moment they stood there staring at him until he aimed his pistol at the nearest man. "I said sod off!" he threatened. They did.
Several crew members had forcibly disarmed Davit, tying his hands behind his back and gagging him. They marched him down to one of the ships boats, Jean Claude walking close behind. "Are you a man?" he asked quietly. "Or will you die squealing like your brother did?" Davit Lucon struggled to face his tormentor, eyes bulging over the gag. "I know it was you," Jean Claude smiled coldly. "You cost me my ship, and I will have my revenge..." He shoved Davit forwards towards the waiting boat, determined to make the man pay for every plank, every nail of his beloved Swallow.
***
Okay - that's your lot for now.
Many thanks for the reviews, especially for the new reviewers. Please keep reviewing... it really does make my day and also helps get the next chapters out faster (hint, hint)
Ta!