Usual disclaimers... humph!
***
Jack said nothing further about their conversation for the rest of the day and it was almost as if it had never happened. He would have been happier if his family had not known he was alive and suspected that his brother would delight in telling their father the news. Stephen had not been fooled although it seemed he had decided not to press the matter. If he ever saw his brother again though, it would be too soon.
He smiled as he saw Catherine walk quickly down the gangplank, Cenydd following her for protection. He knew that she hated wearing dresses for it meant she was unarmed and the sooner that they were back in the Caribbean and act as herself the better. She saw him looking and waved before speaking quietly with Jean Claude on the dockside. They were making ready to sail, but he had no worries that she would return in time. It was not as if he would ever sail without her.
Catherine walked quickly towards the small store that sold herbs, relieved to find it open and that the storekeeper had indeed been able to obtain what she wanted - especially the peppercorns.
"Merci Monsieur," she smiled, paying the man and heading back to the ship. She knew they were leaving that day and she was eager to be at sea again. "And the other item?" He handed her a small pouch and she peered carefully in it, nodding. "Thank you," she grinned and handed over a pouch of gold, secreting the second pouch carefully within her dress.
Cenydd took the lead, shouldering his way through the crowds until they reached the dockside, surprised to find their way blocked by a troop of Dutch soldiers. They approached and the lead man spoke quietly in French to Cenydd who stared at him blankly. Welsh and English he could cope with, but he did not speak French.
"It is as we were told!" the man cursed. "Pirates!" He drew his sword, a flicker of surprise in his eyes at the speed with which Cenydd matched him, pushing Catherine behind him. She realised that there was no way she could reach the Black Pearl, which was at the far end of the dock, nor could Jack see what was happening.
Cenydd suddenly staggered and fell. She screamed as strong arms wrapped themselves about her. "And what have we here?" the soldier asked in English. "A strange looking pirate!"
Catherine frantically tried to keep her head, her eyes drawn to the pool of blood nearly touching her feet. "Please Monsieur," he pleaded, keeping to French. "Please Monsieur do not hurt me!"
The man frowned. Clearly this was not the response he had been expecting. "Take her to the Captain!" he commanded. "The rest of you follow me!"
***
"Captain!" Tobias Pale shouted urgently. "Soldiers!"
Jack looked to the dockside, realising that the soldiers were heading directly towards them - and that by their numbers they meant business. "Raise th' gangplank!" he ordered. "Get us outta here!"
The soldiers started running, realising that they target had spotted them, but pistol fire halted their advance.
"Was anyone still ashore?" Jack asked urgently, glancing around worriedly.
Oran looked at him in dread. "Kitty and Cenydd!" he gasped fearfully. "They have not returned!"
"Captain!" Jean Claude shouted. "We have to get clear! We can come back quietly later - Kitty is enough of a pirate t' lie low!
"Captain!" Tobias shouted again. "That frigate has just turned Green Point!"
Jack's head whirled, spotting the dreaded outline of the English frigate that had been pursuing them for weeks. He cast an anguished look at the dockside, unable to spot Catherine. "Get us out of here Oran!" he ordered, knowing that they had to flee the frigate as well as the soldiers on the dockside if they were to stand any chance of returning for Catherine and Cenydd . "Weigh anchor an' man th' sweeps! We'll raise canvas when we're out of pistol range!"
The Black Pearl lurched into motion, leaving those on the dockside staring in amazement at her sweeps that enabled her to leave so easily. Soon as they were safe to do so, Jack ordered enough men from below to loose the sails and she sped desperately for open water. The frigate, despite having to be low on water herself, closed with them, trying to cut them off.
"Captain!" Oran called desperately. "Captain! Ready the port guns! She's going to try to take us!"
More men were dragged from the sweeps to ready their defence as Jack raced to the quarterdeck to take the helm. "Get to th' guns Booth!" he ordered, "We need every man an' then some!" He swung the wheel wildly keeping as close to the shore as he dared without grounding her. The frigate was a larger ship and he hoped that their draft was deeper.
"Fire!" he ordered, relieved to see that there was still enough men to be able to fire at least all of the portside guns once - even if they did not have enough skilled crew for a second shot. The frigate wheeled sharply to avoid their fire and the Black Pearl sped through the gap. "All hands to th' sweeps!" he ordered, and she fled for open water.
***
Captain van Nicobar looked at the woman before him. She showed no sign of understanding his questions when he spoke in English and kept her eyes to the floor, quietly shaking in fear. When English and Dutch got no response he asked one of his men that spoke French to try for him.
"What are we to do with you?" he asked, waiting whilst his man translated. "Are you French? What is your name for you do not look like an English pirate, but you were in their company?"
"Please Monsieur, I am no pirate," Catherine pleaded, biting her lip. "My name is Madame Catherine Duras and yes, I am French." She looked at him timidly. "Can I ask where I am?" She kept her eyes downcast, knowing she would have to play this one very carefully if she were to fool the Captain.
Captain van Nicobar was relieved to finally get a response from her but blinked in shock when her question was relayed back to him. "You are in Cape Town - the southernmost tip of Africa," he explained, surprised that she did not know.
"Oh," she said simply, looking around her with wide eyes. "You are not with him then... the Captain? Not English?"
"If you are referring to the man who commanded the ship you were on - no! Cape Town is Dutch and while we may accept any nation for water here but we do not accept pirates!" He watched her, frowning at her seeming delight of his comments. "If you are not a pirate, then what are you?"
"Monsieur... he... the Captain... he kept me as..." She looked downwards blushing. "He attacked the ship I was on last year and I have been... been his ever since." He coughed, uncomfortable with her revelation as she took a step towards him. "Please, does this mean I am free... free of him?"
"If what you say is true I doubt you will see the man or his ship again," Captain van Nicobar assured her. "Indeed when we went to question him he opened fire on my troops and fled the bay pursued by an English frigate..."
"A frigate!" she gasped.
"Yes, clearly this pirate is well known to them for they gave chase without stopping," he smiled reassuringly at her, cursing the delay caused by the need to translate his words. He reached out to her as she started to cry. "Can I get you to your family Madame?" he asked kindly. "Will there be people searching for you?"
Catherine sniffed. Her tears had not been false, but they had played to her advantage. "My family come from Calais Monsieur," she admitted quietly. "But I had been on the way to be with my husband in Martinique..."
Captain van Nicobar frowned. "There are no French ships within the harbour Madame," he apologised. "But I believe there is an English ship due to return home soon. I could speak with the Captain and see if he would deliver you safely to Calais..."
"That would be most kind of you Monsieur," she demurred, cursing that it would send her in totally the opposite direction to which she needed to go.
"I will arrange for accommodation for you here at the Fort whilst this is arranged. If there is anything you require, please ask the Sergeant here and he will see to it," he smiled.
"Merci Monsieur," she smiled, bobbing a small curtsey. If nothing else at least she would not hang and she could always make her way back to the Caribbean from there.
***
"Captain!" Jean Claude turned urgently to Jack, knowing he was torn at leaving Catherine behind. "Lower a boat and I will row ashore with a man and keep Kitty safe!"
"We cannot stop!" Jack argued, his face betraying his indecision.
"Cut a boat free and we will swim!" Jean Claude suggested.
"Yer forgettin' th' sharks!" Jack warned.
"No," Jean Claude said quietly. "But I am prepared to risk them!"
"As will I," Isaac added.
Jack frowned, looking at them carefully. "Take th' smallest boat," he ordered, "an' as much gold as yer will need t' ease things in town!" He rushed into his cabin, returning with a purse full of gold. "Don't drop this!" he cautioned. "We'll be back as soon as we can!"
"Oui Captain!" he grinned, shouting to any nearby crew to lower a ships boat. They looked at him in disbelief until Jack repeated Jean Claude's order. Isaac and Jean Claude saluted him before diving off the starboard rail, their departure watched in disbelief by those onboard.
"Captain?" Oran gasped.
"Keep 'er steady!" he warned. "We've a frigate t' outrun!"
"But..." he stuttered.
"It was their choice. We'll pick 'em up with Kitty an' Cenydd when we can!" Jack explained.
Oran nodded, glad that Catherine would not be alone in Cape Town with only a junior crewman for protection. If Jean Claude and Isaac could not protect her then nobody could.
***
***
Jack said nothing further about their conversation for the rest of the day and it was almost as if it had never happened. He would have been happier if his family had not known he was alive and suspected that his brother would delight in telling their father the news. Stephen had not been fooled although it seemed he had decided not to press the matter. If he ever saw his brother again though, it would be too soon.
He smiled as he saw Catherine walk quickly down the gangplank, Cenydd following her for protection. He knew that she hated wearing dresses for it meant she was unarmed and the sooner that they were back in the Caribbean and act as herself the better. She saw him looking and waved before speaking quietly with Jean Claude on the dockside. They were making ready to sail, but he had no worries that she would return in time. It was not as if he would ever sail without her.
Catherine walked quickly towards the small store that sold herbs, relieved to find it open and that the storekeeper had indeed been able to obtain what she wanted - especially the peppercorns.
"Merci Monsieur," she smiled, paying the man and heading back to the ship. She knew they were leaving that day and she was eager to be at sea again. "And the other item?" He handed her a small pouch and she peered carefully in it, nodding. "Thank you," she grinned and handed over a pouch of gold, secreting the second pouch carefully within her dress.
Cenydd took the lead, shouldering his way through the crowds until they reached the dockside, surprised to find their way blocked by a troop of Dutch soldiers. They approached and the lead man spoke quietly in French to Cenydd who stared at him blankly. Welsh and English he could cope with, but he did not speak French.
"It is as we were told!" the man cursed. "Pirates!" He drew his sword, a flicker of surprise in his eyes at the speed with which Cenydd matched him, pushing Catherine behind him. She realised that there was no way she could reach the Black Pearl, which was at the far end of the dock, nor could Jack see what was happening.
Cenydd suddenly staggered and fell. She screamed as strong arms wrapped themselves about her. "And what have we here?" the soldier asked in English. "A strange looking pirate!"
Catherine frantically tried to keep her head, her eyes drawn to the pool of blood nearly touching her feet. "Please Monsieur," he pleaded, keeping to French. "Please Monsieur do not hurt me!"
The man frowned. Clearly this was not the response he had been expecting. "Take her to the Captain!" he commanded. "The rest of you follow me!"
***
"Captain!" Tobias Pale shouted urgently. "Soldiers!"
Jack looked to the dockside, realising that the soldiers were heading directly towards them - and that by their numbers they meant business. "Raise th' gangplank!" he ordered. "Get us outta here!"
The soldiers started running, realising that they target had spotted them, but pistol fire halted their advance.
"Was anyone still ashore?" Jack asked urgently, glancing around worriedly.
Oran looked at him in dread. "Kitty and Cenydd!" he gasped fearfully. "They have not returned!"
"Captain!" Jean Claude shouted. "We have to get clear! We can come back quietly later - Kitty is enough of a pirate t' lie low!
"Captain!" Tobias shouted again. "That frigate has just turned Green Point!"
Jack's head whirled, spotting the dreaded outline of the English frigate that had been pursuing them for weeks. He cast an anguished look at the dockside, unable to spot Catherine. "Get us out of here Oran!" he ordered, knowing that they had to flee the frigate as well as the soldiers on the dockside if they were to stand any chance of returning for Catherine and Cenydd . "Weigh anchor an' man th' sweeps! We'll raise canvas when we're out of pistol range!"
The Black Pearl lurched into motion, leaving those on the dockside staring in amazement at her sweeps that enabled her to leave so easily. Soon as they were safe to do so, Jack ordered enough men from below to loose the sails and she sped desperately for open water. The frigate, despite having to be low on water herself, closed with them, trying to cut them off.
"Captain!" Oran called desperately. "Captain! Ready the port guns! She's going to try to take us!"
More men were dragged from the sweeps to ready their defence as Jack raced to the quarterdeck to take the helm. "Get to th' guns Booth!" he ordered, "We need every man an' then some!" He swung the wheel wildly keeping as close to the shore as he dared without grounding her. The frigate was a larger ship and he hoped that their draft was deeper.
"Fire!" he ordered, relieved to see that there was still enough men to be able to fire at least all of the portside guns once - even if they did not have enough skilled crew for a second shot. The frigate wheeled sharply to avoid their fire and the Black Pearl sped through the gap. "All hands to th' sweeps!" he ordered, and she fled for open water.
***
Captain van Nicobar looked at the woman before him. She showed no sign of understanding his questions when he spoke in English and kept her eyes to the floor, quietly shaking in fear. When English and Dutch got no response he asked one of his men that spoke French to try for him.
"What are we to do with you?" he asked, waiting whilst his man translated. "Are you French? What is your name for you do not look like an English pirate, but you were in their company?"
"Please Monsieur, I am no pirate," Catherine pleaded, biting her lip. "My name is Madame Catherine Duras and yes, I am French." She looked at him timidly. "Can I ask where I am?" She kept her eyes downcast, knowing she would have to play this one very carefully if she were to fool the Captain.
Captain van Nicobar was relieved to finally get a response from her but blinked in shock when her question was relayed back to him. "You are in Cape Town - the southernmost tip of Africa," he explained, surprised that she did not know.
"Oh," she said simply, looking around her with wide eyes. "You are not with him then... the Captain? Not English?"
"If you are referring to the man who commanded the ship you were on - no! Cape Town is Dutch and while we may accept any nation for water here but we do not accept pirates!" He watched her, frowning at her seeming delight of his comments. "If you are not a pirate, then what are you?"
"Monsieur... he... the Captain... he kept me as..." She looked downwards blushing. "He attacked the ship I was on last year and I have been... been his ever since." He coughed, uncomfortable with her revelation as she took a step towards him. "Please, does this mean I am free... free of him?"
"If what you say is true I doubt you will see the man or his ship again," Captain van Nicobar assured her. "Indeed when we went to question him he opened fire on my troops and fled the bay pursued by an English frigate..."
"A frigate!" she gasped.
"Yes, clearly this pirate is well known to them for they gave chase without stopping," he smiled reassuringly at her, cursing the delay caused by the need to translate his words. He reached out to her as she started to cry. "Can I get you to your family Madame?" he asked kindly. "Will there be people searching for you?"
Catherine sniffed. Her tears had not been false, but they had played to her advantage. "My family come from Calais Monsieur," she admitted quietly. "But I had been on the way to be with my husband in Martinique..."
Captain van Nicobar frowned. "There are no French ships within the harbour Madame," he apologised. "But I believe there is an English ship due to return home soon. I could speak with the Captain and see if he would deliver you safely to Calais..."
"That would be most kind of you Monsieur," she demurred, cursing that it would send her in totally the opposite direction to which she needed to go.
"I will arrange for accommodation for you here at the Fort whilst this is arranged. If there is anything you require, please ask the Sergeant here and he will see to it," he smiled.
"Merci Monsieur," she smiled, bobbing a small curtsey. If nothing else at least she would not hang and she could always make her way back to the Caribbean from there.
***
"Captain!" Jean Claude turned urgently to Jack, knowing he was torn at leaving Catherine behind. "Lower a boat and I will row ashore with a man and keep Kitty safe!"
"We cannot stop!" Jack argued, his face betraying his indecision.
"Cut a boat free and we will swim!" Jean Claude suggested.
"Yer forgettin' th' sharks!" Jack warned.
"No," Jean Claude said quietly. "But I am prepared to risk them!"
"As will I," Isaac added.
Jack frowned, looking at them carefully. "Take th' smallest boat," he ordered, "an' as much gold as yer will need t' ease things in town!" He rushed into his cabin, returning with a purse full of gold. "Don't drop this!" he cautioned. "We'll be back as soon as we can!"
"Oui Captain!" he grinned, shouting to any nearby crew to lower a ships boat. They looked at him in disbelief until Jack repeated Jean Claude's order. Isaac and Jean Claude saluted him before diving off the starboard rail, their departure watched in disbelief by those onboard.
"Captain?" Oran gasped.
"Keep 'er steady!" he warned. "We've a frigate t' outrun!"
"But..." he stuttered.
"It was their choice. We'll pick 'em up with Kitty an' Cenydd when we can!" Jack explained.
Oran nodded, glad that Catherine would not be alone in Cape Town with only a junior crewman for protection. If Jean Claude and Isaac could not protect her then nobody could.
***