Usual disclaimers... never mind!
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Jack sat, booted feet on the table as he studied Louis. For all the trouble he had caused he was not much of a man. Catherine had said that some women would consider him handsome the night before, before vowing that it was only braids and beads that turned her on. "So speak," he ordered, grateful that James Norrington would hear what he had to say.
"Spense wanted you to hang," he shrugged. "Although it was Mary's idea to build a ship..."
"And who financed it?" James Norrington pressed.
"Spense and somebody called Roseridge I think... said he knew a woman with money and a grudge..." Jack and James Norrington exchanged a knowing glance, remembering the previous incident with the Roseridge family and their involvement with DeWitt and the pirates that had raided Port Royal.
"And the fire?" he asked.
Louis looked at Catherine, smiling. "I had to cover up the death of the old fool somehow..." he replied.
"Papa?" Realisation dawned on her face and she lunged for him. "You bastard!"
"Kitty!" Jack grabbed her, desperately holding her tightly even though he knew it must be hurting her side. He was grateful that she was not armed, else Louis might have been already dead.
"Let me go Jack!" she cursed, struggling and kicking, desperate to reach Louis. He took a step backwards, bumping against Jean Claude.
"No way Missy!" he sighed, forcing her out of the door. He looked up, spotting Theodore sitting quietly by the stairs.
"Jack?" He blinked, looking at his sister in shock. "Cat?"
Jack handed his wife over to Theodore. "Keep hold of her an' don't let her go!" he warned, holding her chin and forcing her to look him in the eyes. "Calm down," he pleaded, kissing her briefly. "We agreed he'd hang an' hang he will!"
"But... but..." she protested, tears filling her eyes.
"Oh Kitty..." He took her back in his arms, holding her and stroking her hair gently.
Theodore looked on in bafflement. "What the..." he asked.
"It appears yer father was dead b'fore th' fire," Jack explained, realising he could not leave Catherine. She had been able to cope with his death when she had thought it accidental, but now that it was revealed as murder it was a different matter. He nodded back towards the cabin. "Can yer return an' keep an' eye on m' interests?" Jack asked.
Theodore looked at his sister. He felt like joining her, ranting, raving, sobbing but it would not be proper. Maintaining his careful expression he sighed. "Of course Jack," he said quietly, placing his hand on Catherine's shoulder. "I'll be out when I can..."
His return was greeted with some surprise within the cabin. "I'm here as Jack," he said, sitting slowly at the table. He looked at Louis. "You know you should not have killed my father," he sighed. "Cat was one of the few who would have pleaded leniency for you... now she votes for the sharks too!"
"It wasn't my fault!" Louis protested. "The old fool saw us!"
"You and my wife you mean?" Theodore said, sighing when Louis nodded. "Well, shall I tell you what is going to happen to you now Louis? Would you like that?" Cautious eyes regarded him. "I am going to have you sent back to the brig where Jeremiah here will visit you later with some very talented men he knows... and as soon as he is satisfied with your screams you will die."
"How?" Louis asked warily, looking around the cabin at his captors.
Theodore just smiled. "Take him back to the brig Jean Claude," he instructed. "And keep him clear of Cat - for his own safety!" Jean Claude nodded, pushing his brother out of the doors.
"I'll be off too then," Jeremiah said, walking towards the doors. "I'll be back tomorrow..." He paused briefly. "Norrington," he nodded, pushing the doors open and striding out onto the deck.
"Jeremiah," Theodore acknowledged as the cabin slowly emptied until just he and the Commodore remained. "Well, was that enough information for you to help Jack and Catherine?" he asked.
"He did volunteer the information freely," James Norrington conceded. "But to take the Governor I will need more proof than that... paper evidence that he cannot explain away." He smiled. "But I will try to find such evidence, you can be assured of that."
"Once we have Mary I will return," Theodore offered. "I think you will need somebody loyal..."
"I cannot offer you a ship," James Norrington sighed.
"I'd be little use at sea," Theodore smiled.
The Commodore nodded. "I am sure I can find an opening on my staff," he agreed.
"And I will need to be at Port Royal for Charlotte, especially after I divorce Mary..." he reminded James.
James Norrington smiled. "I don't think that will go down well with the Governor," he said wryly, beginning to think that riling the Governor was sounding more and more fun.
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Jack ordered a guard kept on the brig. He did not trust Catherine with Louis onboard and conspired with Theodore to find her as many chores as he possibly could throughout the day. He was relieved that she only tried to get past the guard once, but would have been disappointed if she had not tried at all. Jack wrapped his arms about her as she started picking up plates from the trestles following the evening meal. "No yer don't luv," he drawled. "Th' men can do that t'night..." He slapped her bottom, aiming her towards the deck, weaving in front of her to block her from heading down the stairs. "Up!" he ordered.
"Jack!" she protested, pewter plates and wooden bowls still in her hands.
"Yer side isn't troublin' yer... is it?" Jack asked worriedly.
"No... it's fine..." Catherine ventured, nervously watching him as a broad grin spread across his face. "But..."
"I'll count t' five then I'm throwing yer over m' shoulder," he threatened. "One... two... three..." He frowned as she did not move, ignoring the chuckles from a number of the crew. "Four..." He smiled to himself as she started to look uncertainly at him. "Four an' a half..." he teased. "F... five!"
He darted forwards, causing Catherine to squeal with surprise, dropping the crockery in her hands as she fled up the stairs. Jack paused, turning to Theodore. "See yer in' th' morning," he grinned, racing after his wife, only just catching her as she turned to shut the cabin doors. "Nah luv," he smiled. "I don't belong on th' outside!"
Catherine looked up at him, laughing. "Damn," she cursed, a smile on her face. "And there I was hoping for a quiet night!"
Jack turned the key in the lock. "We can if yer like," he said, "if yer side is hurting too much?" Gently he unbuttoned her shirt, peeling off the bandage on her side. "I'll reapply some of Cotton's salve fer yer..." he offered.
"Thank you." She stood on tiptoe, kissing him.
Jack frowned. "No fun fer yer t'night," he cautioned, noticing that her side was still weeping more than he had hoped - he should not have teased her and she should not have ran. "An' I want yer t' rest fully until we leave... spend time sleeping or whatever. Yer must let this heal!" He carefully reapplied the bandage. "An' that is yer Captain as well as yer husband speakin'..." He tilted her face upwards, looking affectionately at her. "Savvy?"
"Aye Jack," she smiled. "Savvy." She slipped off her trousers, smiling as Jack undressed too and followed her towards their bunk. "But you can still hold me... please?"
"Of course luv," he smiled, sliding beneath the blanket next to her and wrapping his arms about her. "It's always a pleasure t' hold yer..." he kissed her on the nose. "An' I've a lifetime of lovin' t' look forward t' Kitty... so yer just get better."
"Aye Captain," she teased, snuggling against him as she settled down to sleep, shutting her eyes as she rested her head on his chest. "Whatever you say..."
Jack kissed her again. "G'night luv," he murmured, stroking her hair as she fell asleep. He was not long in joining her.
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Jack sat, booted feet on the table as he studied Louis. For all the trouble he had caused he was not much of a man. Catherine had said that some women would consider him handsome the night before, before vowing that it was only braids and beads that turned her on. "So speak," he ordered, grateful that James Norrington would hear what he had to say.
"Spense wanted you to hang," he shrugged. "Although it was Mary's idea to build a ship..."
"And who financed it?" James Norrington pressed.
"Spense and somebody called Roseridge I think... said he knew a woman with money and a grudge..." Jack and James Norrington exchanged a knowing glance, remembering the previous incident with the Roseridge family and their involvement with DeWitt and the pirates that had raided Port Royal.
"And the fire?" he asked.
Louis looked at Catherine, smiling. "I had to cover up the death of the old fool somehow..." he replied.
"Papa?" Realisation dawned on her face and she lunged for him. "You bastard!"
"Kitty!" Jack grabbed her, desperately holding her tightly even though he knew it must be hurting her side. He was grateful that she was not armed, else Louis might have been already dead.
"Let me go Jack!" she cursed, struggling and kicking, desperate to reach Louis. He took a step backwards, bumping against Jean Claude.
"No way Missy!" he sighed, forcing her out of the door. He looked up, spotting Theodore sitting quietly by the stairs.
"Jack?" He blinked, looking at his sister in shock. "Cat?"
Jack handed his wife over to Theodore. "Keep hold of her an' don't let her go!" he warned, holding her chin and forcing her to look him in the eyes. "Calm down," he pleaded, kissing her briefly. "We agreed he'd hang an' hang he will!"
"But... but..." she protested, tears filling her eyes.
"Oh Kitty..." He took her back in his arms, holding her and stroking her hair gently.
Theodore looked on in bafflement. "What the..." he asked.
"It appears yer father was dead b'fore th' fire," Jack explained, realising he could not leave Catherine. She had been able to cope with his death when she had thought it accidental, but now that it was revealed as murder it was a different matter. He nodded back towards the cabin. "Can yer return an' keep an' eye on m' interests?" Jack asked.
Theodore looked at his sister. He felt like joining her, ranting, raving, sobbing but it would not be proper. Maintaining his careful expression he sighed. "Of course Jack," he said quietly, placing his hand on Catherine's shoulder. "I'll be out when I can..."
His return was greeted with some surprise within the cabin. "I'm here as Jack," he said, sitting slowly at the table. He looked at Louis. "You know you should not have killed my father," he sighed. "Cat was one of the few who would have pleaded leniency for you... now she votes for the sharks too!"
"It wasn't my fault!" Louis protested. "The old fool saw us!"
"You and my wife you mean?" Theodore said, sighing when Louis nodded. "Well, shall I tell you what is going to happen to you now Louis? Would you like that?" Cautious eyes regarded him. "I am going to have you sent back to the brig where Jeremiah here will visit you later with some very talented men he knows... and as soon as he is satisfied with your screams you will die."
"How?" Louis asked warily, looking around the cabin at his captors.
Theodore just smiled. "Take him back to the brig Jean Claude," he instructed. "And keep him clear of Cat - for his own safety!" Jean Claude nodded, pushing his brother out of the doors.
"I'll be off too then," Jeremiah said, walking towards the doors. "I'll be back tomorrow..." He paused briefly. "Norrington," he nodded, pushing the doors open and striding out onto the deck.
"Jeremiah," Theodore acknowledged as the cabin slowly emptied until just he and the Commodore remained. "Well, was that enough information for you to help Jack and Catherine?" he asked.
"He did volunteer the information freely," James Norrington conceded. "But to take the Governor I will need more proof than that... paper evidence that he cannot explain away." He smiled. "But I will try to find such evidence, you can be assured of that."
"Once we have Mary I will return," Theodore offered. "I think you will need somebody loyal..."
"I cannot offer you a ship," James Norrington sighed.
"I'd be little use at sea," Theodore smiled.
The Commodore nodded. "I am sure I can find an opening on my staff," he agreed.
"And I will need to be at Port Royal for Charlotte, especially after I divorce Mary..." he reminded James.
James Norrington smiled. "I don't think that will go down well with the Governor," he said wryly, beginning to think that riling the Governor was sounding more and more fun.
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Jack ordered a guard kept on the brig. He did not trust Catherine with Louis onboard and conspired with Theodore to find her as many chores as he possibly could throughout the day. He was relieved that she only tried to get past the guard once, but would have been disappointed if she had not tried at all. Jack wrapped his arms about her as she started picking up plates from the trestles following the evening meal. "No yer don't luv," he drawled. "Th' men can do that t'night..." He slapped her bottom, aiming her towards the deck, weaving in front of her to block her from heading down the stairs. "Up!" he ordered.
"Jack!" she protested, pewter plates and wooden bowls still in her hands.
"Yer side isn't troublin' yer... is it?" Jack asked worriedly.
"No... it's fine..." Catherine ventured, nervously watching him as a broad grin spread across his face. "But..."
"I'll count t' five then I'm throwing yer over m' shoulder," he threatened. "One... two... three..." He frowned as she did not move, ignoring the chuckles from a number of the crew. "Four..." He smiled to himself as she started to look uncertainly at him. "Four an' a half..." he teased. "F... five!"
He darted forwards, causing Catherine to squeal with surprise, dropping the crockery in her hands as she fled up the stairs. Jack paused, turning to Theodore. "See yer in' th' morning," he grinned, racing after his wife, only just catching her as she turned to shut the cabin doors. "Nah luv," he smiled. "I don't belong on th' outside!"
Catherine looked up at him, laughing. "Damn," she cursed, a smile on her face. "And there I was hoping for a quiet night!"
Jack turned the key in the lock. "We can if yer like," he said, "if yer side is hurting too much?" Gently he unbuttoned her shirt, peeling off the bandage on her side. "I'll reapply some of Cotton's salve fer yer..." he offered.
"Thank you." She stood on tiptoe, kissing him.
Jack frowned. "No fun fer yer t'night," he cautioned, noticing that her side was still weeping more than he had hoped - he should not have teased her and she should not have ran. "An' I want yer t' rest fully until we leave... spend time sleeping or whatever. Yer must let this heal!" He carefully reapplied the bandage. "An' that is yer Captain as well as yer husband speakin'..." He tilted her face upwards, looking affectionately at her. "Savvy?"
"Aye Jack," she smiled. "Savvy." She slipped off her trousers, smiling as Jack undressed too and followed her towards their bunk. "But you can still hold me... please?"
"Of course luv," he smiled, sliding beneath the blanket next to her and wrapping his arms about her. "It's always a pleasure t' hold yer..." he kissed her on the nose. "An' I've a lifetime of lovin' t' look forward t' Kitty... so yer just get better."
"Aye Captain," she teased, snuggling against him as she settled down to sleep, shutting her eyes as she rested her head on his chest. "Whatever you say..."
Jack kissed her again. "G'night luv," he murmured, stroking her hair as she fell asleep. He was not long in joining her.
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