Usual disclaimers... blah!
Only one chapter today as I've been very busy in the gardens. And for those in the know, I've been caught up with Bessie... nudge, nudge.
Thanks for all the reviews as always... Linnie, do try to keep up dear!
You know, I am almost tempted to write a story about Eilis when she grows up... she is such fun! Another mad red-head causing chaos on the seas!
***
James sat moodily at the breakfast table, eating breakfast with the Turner family. Theodore smiled at him, chuckling to himself at the thought of his sister throwing the boy off the Black Pearl. She had always had a temper and he wished he had been there to see it.
Elizabeth waited until Billy and Eilis had gone to play, running out onto the beach to find a pirate to ambush, before cornering James. "Alright," she sighed. "Why were you thrown off the Black Pearl last night?"
James looked at her carefully, glancing across to Theodore. He chose his words carefully. "Because she didn't like the truth," he said.
"And what would that be?" Elizabeth prompted.
"That they are just pirates and that they will hang," he declared firmly. The resounding silence that greeted his statement made him feel uncomfortable, but he refused to waiver, knowing he was right.
Finally Theodore spoke. "You said that to Cat?" Theodore said in shocked disbelief. "After all she has done for you?"
"You're lucky she didn't keelhaul you!" Will said, stunned at the child's words.
"They may have conned my Uncle," he argued, "but I don't believe them!"
"About what?" Will frowned, pausing from helping Elizabeth gather the dirty dishes.
"About Port au Prince! It was them!" he replied defiantly.
"Then you won't believe any of us either if we were to tell you that the Black Pearl was sitting in the Bay - didn't move for over three weeks?" Theodore asked.
James snorted in disbelief. "Pirates don't sit doing nothing for that length of time!" he declared. "They've fooled you too!"
"James, the Black Pearl didn't move because Kitty was missing!" Will looked at him, wishing he would believe the truth. "Jack won't sail without her!"
"There was a black ship!" James countered. "A black ship with black sails! It had to be them!"
"That is what we are meant to believe," Theodore sighed. "But believe it or not, that ship was not the Black Pearl."
"You're all as bad as they are!" James rose suddenly, pushing his chair back and storming from the room and stomping down the beach.
Elizabeth watched him go sadly. "Do you think we should warn him about Eilis?" she frowned.
Theodore shook his head, laughing. "No, let the little sod discover it for himself!" He chuckled. "Although I hope he keeps his mouth shut around the rest of the children or the reaction might be interesting..."
***
"Ow!" James protested, his mouth filling with sand as the other children pounced on him. Perhaps it had not been a good idea to repeat his accusations within earshot of Eilis who had attacked him, screaming and calling him names he never knew existed. In desperation he had pushed her away, unwilling to get into a fight with a girl years younger than he was, but her sister had seen his retaliation and had waded into the fight herself - closely followed by Billy and Moses.
"You pushed her!" Richael shouted angrily. "You pushed Eilis!"
"She's a dirty little pirate!" He tried to spit the sand from his mouth, but Moses jumped on him, shoving his face back down.
"Nobody calls Eilis that!" he shouted.
"He said Kitty should hang!" Eilis cried, kicking him with her bare feet. Billy joined in.
James tried to stand, but found himself swamped under the weight of the other children as they threw themselves on him. Richael pulled his head back. "We owe our lives to Jack and Kitty!" she hissed. "As does Moses!"
James felt a sharp pain in his leg and looked around, realising that Eilis had bitten him. He gave a tremendous shrug, pushing off Billy and sending Richael and Moses flying. Scrambling to his feet he shook Eilis off and ran down the beach - desperately realising that superiority of age could be countered by superiority in numbers.
"After him!" Eilis screamed a blood-curdling yell and they chased him, determined to catch James and give him another beathing.
***
"D'yer think we should interfere?" Jack frowned, watching the fracas on the shore together with most of the crew, Catherine and James Norrington standing next to him.
"Leave him!" Catherine laughed. She had enjoyed Eilis' shout and knew that the girl would get revenge on James.
James Norrington stood beside them. "What do you think it was about?" he frowned.
"Eilis is a little pirate," Jack shrugged. "He probably opened his mouth..." He looked up as the four caught him again. "Uh-oh! Better go split them up..." Billy had managed to find a branch and was determinedly advancing on the prone James.
The two men climbed over the rail, Jack and James rowing to shore. "Break it up!" Jack shouted in his best Captain's voice, delighted to see all five children spring apart. "What th' hell is going on?"
"He pushed Eilis!" Richael accused, her eyes narrowing spitefully. "Nobody pushes my sister!"
"She kicked me!" James countered.
"You called me dirty!" Eilis shouted.
"A dirty little pirate!" James snapped back. "At least get it right!"
Eilis launched herself at him, screaming with rage. Jack caught her before she could reach him, holding her by her shirt several inches off the ground. "Let him be," he warned. "He can't help it if he's ignorant!"
"Jack!" James Norrington protested.
"He believes th' Governor!" Jack countered. "That's ignorance of the highest..."
Suddenly a voice interrupted the scene. "Jack!" Theodore shouted from the porch. "Jack!"
Jack looked at him, confused by his shout. Theodore was standing on the porch, pointing out to sea. He squinted in the light, eventually spotting a ship on the horizon - black sails clearly visible. "Bloody hell!" he cursed, grabbing James Schott and forcing him to look. "The only black ship, eh?" he snarled. "We soon will be!" James stood frozen with disbelief, suddenly realising that the attack might not have been the Black Pearl.
Theodore skidded to a halt next to him, strapping on his sword belt. "Let's go!" he declared.
"What about Charlotte?" Jack frowned, turning and running down the beach towards the small boat.
"Elizabeth will care for her!" Theodore said. "I want Lact!" He blinked in surprise as the Commodore started to help them push the boat off. "Sir?" he frowned.
"I'm coming too!" James Norrington jumped in, picking up an oar. "How can I be your witness if I don't?"
"Uncle?" James Schott cried in alarm from the shore. "Uncle - what about me?"
"Stay with Elizabeth!" he ordered. "And do as she says!"
"Captain?" Moses shouted, realising he had been left behind.
"Yer do th' same!" he replied. "An' try not t' beat James too much!" Jack watched the other ship on the horizon, clearly unaware of their presence. He was relieved to see that it had not been missed by those onboard. Already Catherine was shouting orders, clambering aloft with the crew to help unfurl the sails. As soon as their boat bumped against the hull, the three of them climbed up quickly. The boat was made secure and the anchor was raised. Jack echoed Catherine's orders, chivying the crew to greater speed. He wanted that ship! He wanted Louis Lact! He would not escape this time!
***
Only one chapter today as I've been very busy in the gardens. And for those in the know, I've been caught up with Bessie... nudge, nudge.
Thanks for all the reviews as always... Linnie, do try to keep up dear!
You know, I am almost tempted to write a story about Eilis when she grows up... she is such fun! Another mad red-head causing chaos on the seas!
***
James sat moodily at the breakfast table, eating breakfast with the Turner family. Theodore smiled at him, chuckling to himself at the thought of his sister throwing the boy off the Black Pearl. She had always had a temper and he wished he had been there to see it.
Elizabeth waited until Billy and Eilis had gone to play, running out onto the beach to find a pirate to ambush, before cornering James. "Alright," she sighed. "Why were you thrown off the Black Pearl last night?"
James looked at her carefully, glancing across to Theodore. He chose his words carefully. "Because she didn't like the truth," he said.
"And what would that be?" Elizabeth prompted.
"That they are just pirates and that they will hang," he declared firmly. The resounding silence that greeted his statement made him feel uncomfortable, but he refused to waiver, knowing he was right.
Finally Theodore spoke. "You said that to Cat?" Theodore said in shocked disbelief. "After all she has done for you?"
"You're lucky she didn't keelhaul you!" Will said, stunned at the child's words.
"They may have conned my Uncle," he argued, "but I don't believe them!"
"About what?" Will frowned, pausing from helping Elizabeth gather the dirty dishes.
"About Port au Prince! It was them!" he replied defiantly.
"Then you won't believe any of us either if we were to tell you that the Black Pearl was sitting in the Bay - didn't move for over three weeks?" Theodore asked.
James snorted in disbelief. "Pirates don't sit doing nothing for that length of time!" he declared. "They've fooled you too!"
"James, the Black Pearl didn't move because Kitty was missing!" Will looked at him, wishing he would believe the truth. "Jack won't sail without her!"
"There was a black ship!" James countered. "A black ship with black sails! It had to be them!"
"That is what we are meant to believe," Theodore sighed. "But believe it or not, that ship was not the Black Pearl."
"You're all as bad as they are!" James rose suddenly, pushing his chair back and storming from the room and stomping down the beach.
Elizabeth watched him go sadly. "Do you think we should warn him about Eilis?" she frowned.
Theodore shook his head, laughing. "No, let the little sod discover it for himself!" He chuckled. "Although I hope he keeps his mouth shut around the rest of the children or the reaction might be interesting..."
***
"Ow!" James protested, his mouth filling with sand as the other children pounced on him. Perhaps it had not been a good idea to repeat his accusations within earshot of Eilis who had attacked him, screaming and calling him names he never knew existed. In desperation he had pushed her away, unwilling to get into a fight with a girl years younger than he was, but her sister had seen his retaliation and had waded into the fight herself - closely followed by Billy and Moses.
"You pushed her!" Richael shouted angrily. "You pushed Eilis!"
"She's a dirty little pirate!" He tried to spit the sand from his mouth, but Moses jumped on him, shoving his face back down.
"Nobody calls Eilis that!" he shouted.
"He said Kitty should hang!" Eilis cried, kicking him with her bare feet. Billy joined in.
James tried to stand, but found himself swamped under the weight of the other children as they threw themselves on him. Richael pulled his head back. "We owe our lives to Jack and Kitty!" she hissed. "As does Moses!"
James felt a sharp pain in his leg and looked around, realising that Eilis had bitten him. He gave a tremendous shrug, pushing off Billy and sending Richael and Moses flying. Scrambling to his feet he shook Eilis off and ran down the beach - desperately realising that superiority of age could be countered by superiority in numbers.
"After him!" Eilis screamed a blood-curdling yell and they chased him, determined to catch James and give him another beathing.
***
"D'yer think we should interfere?" Jack frowned, watching the fracas on the shore together with most of the crew, Catherine and James Norrington standing next to him.
"Leave him!" Catherine laughed. She had enjoyed Eilis' shout and knew that the girl would get revenge on James.
James Norrington stood beside them. "What do you think it was about?" he frowned.
"Eilis is a little pirate," Jack shrugged. "He probably opened his mouth..." He looked up as the four caught him again. "Uh-oh! Better go split them up..." Billy had managed to find a branch and was determinedly advancing on the prone James.
The two men climbed over the rail, Jack and James rowing to shore. "Break it up!" Jack shouted in his best Captain's voice, delighted to see all five children spring apart. "What th' hell is going on?"
"He pushed Eilis!" Richael accused, her eyes narrowing spitefully. "Nobody pushes my sister!"
"She kicked me!" James countered.
"You called me dirty!" Eilis shouted.
"A dirty little pirate!" James snapped back. "At least get it right!"
Eilis launched herself at him, screaming with rage. Jack caught her before she could reach him, holding her by her shirt several inches off the ground. "Let him be," he warned. "He can't help it if he's ignorant!"
"Jack!" James Norrington protested.
"He believes th' Governor!" Jack countered. "That's ignorance of the highest..."
Suddenly a voice interrupted the scene. "Jack!" Theodore shouted from the porch. "Jack!"
Jack looked at him, confused by his shout. Theodore was standing on the porch, pointing out to sea. He squinted in the light, eventually spotting a ship on the horizon - black sails clearly visible. "Bloody hell!" he cursed, grabbing James Schott and forcing him to look. "The only black ship, eh?" he snarled. "We soon will be!" James stood frozen with disbelief, suddenly realising that the attack might not have been the Black Pearl.
Theodore skidded to a halt next to him, strapping on his sword belt. "Let's go!" he declared.
"What about Charlotte?" Jack frowned, turning and running down the beach towards the small boat.
"Elizabeth will care for her!" Theodore said. "I want Lact!" He blinked in surprise as the Commodore started to help them push the boat off. "Sir?" he frowned.
"I'm coming too!" James Norrington jumped in, picking up an oar. "How can I be your witness if I don't?"
"Uncle?" James Schott cried in alarm from the shore. "Uncle - what about me?"
"Stay with Elizabeth!" he ordered. "And do as she says!"
"Captain?" Moses shouted, realising he had been left behind.
"Yer do th' same!" he replied. "An' try not t' beat James too much!" Jack watched the other ship on the horizon, clearly unaware of their presence. He was relieved to see that it had not been missed by those onboard. Already Catherine was shouting orders, clambering aloft with the crew to help unfurl the sails. As soon as their boat bumped against the hull, the three of them climbed up quickly. The boat was made secure and the anchor was raised. Jack echoed Catherine's orders, chivying the crew to greater speed. He wanted that ship! He wanted Louis Lact! He would not escape this time!
***