Usual disclaimers... sob!
Last chapter for today!
***
Jack put his back to the sweeps, the Black Pearl again pulling clear of the English frigate. "He can't have any bloody water!" Jack muttered sourly to himself. "How can he sail with no bloody water!" The frigate had continued to chase them for a further week and Jack was frantic to return to Cape Town for Catherine and the others.
He looked up gratefully as the next group of men came to relieve them of the sweeps. His back was aching and he still had four hours at the helm before he could rest.
"Captain!" Oran shouted excitedly from the helm. "Captain! She's turning back!"
Jack ran up the stairs three at a time, dashing across the deck to peer at the frigate through his spyglass. Sure enough the frigate was slowly turning, her course taking her back to Cape Town. At last she must have been so low on water as to be unable to pursue them. "Ease off th' sweeps!" Jack ordered. "We'll run on just sails until we are sure she's turned b'fore headin' back ourselves - we've some crew t' pick up!" He stared up at the crows nest to see who was on duty. "Laisren!" he shouted. "Come an' take m' glass an' keep an eye on them until they disappear!"
"Aye Captain!" Evin Laisren climbed down to collect the spyglass before returning quickly to his lofty perch.
"I'll take th' wheel now Oran," Jack ordered. "Get some rest!"
"Captain," Oran nodded, heading below to his small cabin, knowing in four hours he would probably be at the wheel again. He prayed that the frigate had indeed turned for water for Catherine and Jean Claude were not only able to take the helm, they cooked too!
***
"Mr Johns!" Captain Lawes turned to the man that Lord Rashman had instructed him to extend every courtesy to. "Mr Johns! We have to turn back to Cape Town! If we pursue this ship any further we will be completely out of water!"
"Captain Lawes, Lord Rashman assured me of your every assistance in catching this pirate!" Jedidiah argued. "He cannot run much longer!"
"He managed to take on water at Cape Town - a luxury we have not had!" He took a step closer to the man. "I am ordering us to return immediately for water. I will not have a mutiny on my ship over this!"
"Of course you must do what you think best Captain," Jedidiah said smoothly. "You may drop me at Cape Town and I will make my own way from there after the pirate. I know his destination and will catch up with him eventually..."
"Your suggestion has merit," Captain Lawes acknowledged. "HMS Lincoln will be needed in Penang to keep the pirates there in check..."
"You have been most helpful," Jedidiah flattered, inwardly furious that handing Lord Rashman the stolen diamonds had only seen him as far as Cape Town. He would have to gain more finances before he could continue his journey and it was always a risky business.
His neutral expression remained only as long as it took to reach his cabin before being replaced by a furious scowl. "I'll get you Sparrow," he muttered. "I'll get you!" He wondered what Jeremiah would do when he discovered how he had been treated and whether he would back him... of course he would, he was family after all... wouldn't he? Jeremiah knew about his tastes and had never said anything before... and it was not as if a runaway slave was important anyway.
***
Jack was delighted when Evin reported that the frigate had indeed turned back and was no longer visible on the horizon. He allowed the Black Pearl to continue westwards before turning the ship in a slow arc back towards Cape Town. They would not hurry, but would find a quiet bay and walk a short distance to pick up the crew. He grinned with delight at the thought of getting his wife back soon - the ship and his bunk were too quiet without her.
***
"What do you mean?" Jack hissed angrily as he sat in the dingy tavern. Heads turned in their direction and he forced himself to take a deep breath and speak more quietly. "Dammit Jean Claude - this had better be good!"
"When we got here, Cenydd was already dead. As far as I've been able to discover he fell defending Kitty shortly before the troops came at us. Kitty obviously thought she was on her own and spun the Captain here a tale... she was using the name Duras." He looked across the table to Oran who nodded.
"So she was pretending to be French," he shrugged. "Why?"
"Probably to save her own skin - but whatever she said, he seemed to believe her. When Isaac and I got here we saw her walking onto an English merchant ship seemingly of her own free will," he explained.
"An' where exactly is Hallam?" Jack asked, one eyebrow raised as he waited for the answer.
"As far as I know, London!" Jean Claude said quietly. "I asked everywhere I could about the Thames Rose without raising..."
"Damn!" Jack cursed, rising from the table and heading for the door. Oran and Jean Claude ran after him.
"Captain?" Jean Claude asked worriedly. Something was clearly wrong.
"I know exactly where she'll be!" Jack snarled angrily. "An' th' bastard will pay!"
"How are we going to get to London?" Oran asked. "We can't exactly sail up to the docks in the Black Pearl!"
"We'll make berth somewhere neutral, Belgium or the like, an' I'll take passage across th' Channel t' England," Jack reasoned.
"But what about..." Jean Claude waved his hands, indicating Jack's rather distinctive clothes.
"I guess Mister Wells will have t' make an appearance again," Jack shrugged. "Shame about m' hair though..." He could see the doubt on their faces. "Kitty'd do it fer me... hell, she already has as both of yer know!" He climbed into the ships boat that they had hidden earlier, taking up one of the oars.
"Who do you want to go with you Captain?" Oran asked eagerly, hoping that Jack would pick him.
"Mister Wells always travels alone mate," Jack slurred. "Always alone!"
***
Okay ladies, you know the routine... reviews!
Ta!
Last chapter for today!
***
Jack put his back to the sweeps, the Black Pearl again pulling clear of the English frigate. "He can't have any bloody water!" Jack muttered sourly to himself. "How can he sail with no bloody water!" The frigate had continued to chase them for a further week and Jack was frantic to return to Cape Town for Catherine and the others.
He looked up gratefully as the next group of men came to relieve them of the sweeps. His back was aching and he still had four hours at the helm before he could rest.
"Captain!" Oran shouted excitedly from the helm. "Captain! She's turning back!"
Jack ran up the stairs three at a time, dashing across the deck to peer at the frigate through his spyglass. Sure enough the frigate was slowly turning, her course taking her back to Cape Town. At last she must have been so low on water as to be unable to pursue them. "Ease off th' sweeps!" Jack ordered. "We'll run on just sails until we are sure she's turned b'fore headin' back ourselves - we've some crew t' pick up!" He stared up at the crows nest to see who was on duty. "Laisren!" he shouted. "Come an' take m' glass an' keep an eye on them until they disappear!"
"Aye Captain!" Evin Laisren climbed down to collect the spyglass before returning quickly to his lofty perch.
"I'll take th' wheel now Oran," Jack ordered. "Get some rest!"
"Captain," Oran nodded, heading below to his small cabin, knowing in four hours he would probably be at the wheel again. He prayed that the frigate had indeed turned for water for Catherine and Jean Claude were not only able to take the helm, they cooked too!
***
"Mr Johns!" Captain Lawes turned to the man that Lord Rashman had instructed him to extend every courtesy to. "Mr Johns! We have to turn back to Cape Town! If we pursue this ship any further we will be completely out of water!"
"Captain Lawes, Lord Rashman assured me of your every assistance in catching this pirate!" Jedidiah argued. "He cannot run much longer!"
"He managed to take on water at Cape Town - a luxury we have not had!" He took a step closer to the man. "I am ordering us to return immediately for water. I will not have a mutiny on my ship over this!"
"Of course you must do what you think best Captain," Jedidiah said smoothly. "You may drop me at Cape Town and I will make my own way from there after the pirate. I know his destination and will catch up with him eventually..."
"Your suggestion has merit," Captain Lawes acknowledged. "HMS Lincoln will be needed in Penang to keep the pirates there in check..."
"You have been most helpful," Jedidiah flattered, inwardly furious that handing Lord Rashman the stolen diamonds had only seen him as far as Cape Town. He would have to gain more finances before he could continue his journey and it was always a risky business.
His neutral expression remained only as long as it took to reach his cabin before being replaced by a furious scowl. "I'll get you Sparrow," he muttered. "I'll get you!" He wondered what Jeremiah would do when he discovered how he had been treated and whether he would back him... of course he would, he was family after all... wouldn't he? Jeremiah knew about his tastes and had never said anything before... and it was not as if a runaway slave was important anyway.
***
Jack was delighted when Evin reported that the frigate had indeed turned back and was no longer visible on the horizon. He allowed the Black Pearl to continue westwards before turning the ship in a slow arc back towards Cape Town. They would not hurry, but would find a quiet bay and walk a short distance to pick up the crew. He grinned with delight at the thought of getting his wife back soon - the ship and his bunk were too quiet without her.
***
"What do you mean?" Jack hissed angrily as he sat in the dingy tavern. Heads turned in their direction and he forced himself to take a deep breath and speak more quietly. "Dammit Jean Claude - this had better be good!"
"When we got here, Cenydd was already dead. As far as I've been able to discover he fell defending Kitty shortly before the troops came at us. Kitty obviously thought she was on her own and spun the Captain here a tale... she was using the name Duras." He looked across the table to Oran who nodded.
"So she was pretending to be French," he shrugged. "Why?"
"Probably to save her own skin - but whatever she said, he seemed to believe her. When Isaac and I got here we saw her walking onto an English merchant ship seemingly of her own free will," he explained.
"An' where exactly is Hallam?" Jack asked, one eyebrow raised as he waited for the answer.
"As far as I know, London!" Jean Claude said quietly. "I asked everywhere I could about the Thames Rose without raising..."
"Damn!" Jack cursed, rising from the table and heading for the door. Oran and Jean Claude ran after him.
"Captain?" Jean Claude asked worriedly. Something was clearly wrong.
"I know exactly where she'll be!" Jack snarled angrily. "An' th' bastard will pay!"
"How are we going to get to London?" Oran asked. "We can't exactly sail up to the docks in the Black Pearl!"
"We'll make berth somewhere neutral, Belgium or the like, an' I'll take passage across th' Channel t' England," Jack reasoned.
"But what about..." Jean Claude waved his hands, indicating Jack's rather distinctive clothes.
"I guess Mister Wells will have t' make an appearance again," Jack shrugged. "Shame about m' hair though..." He could see the doubt on their faces. "Kitty'd do it fer me... hell, she already has as both of yer know!" He climbed into the ships boat that they had hidden earlier, taking up one of the oars.
"Who do you want to go with you Captain?" Oran asked eagerly, hoping that Jack would pick him.
"Mister Wells always travels alone mate," Jack slurred. "Always alone!"
***
Okay ladies, you know the routine... reviews!
Ta!