Usual disclaimers... pfft!
Last chapter today!
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Catherine was relieved to finally be back aboard the Black Pearl, the wind in her hair and her hand steady on the wheel as she stood at the helm. She smiled as she saw Jean Claude showing the wet-nurse around the ship, relieved that Mary appeared to unwilling to leave the sick bay. The less that she had to see that woman during the voyage back to Port Royal the better.
"Yer lookin' happy luv," Jack drawled, climbing up the stairs to stand beside her.
"I'm home," she sighed. "I'm never happy away from you..."
"Yer know how t' warm a man's heart," he smiled, wrapping his arms around her, placing his hands over hers on the wheel.
"I'd rather be warming your bunk," Catherine teased, slipping her hands from the wheel and turning to face him.
"I'll tell yer what," Jack suggested, leaning down briefly to kiss her, "yer get yer backside down t' th' galley an' help Cotton prepare dinner an' I'm all yours!" He kissed her again before moving one arm so she could escape his grasp. He swatted her bottom as she headed towards the stairs. "An' yer cookin' will be more than welcomed!"
She laughed as she walked towards the galley, unsurprised to find Ned Cotton already at work preparing the food. With a grin, she picked up another knife, needing no words from their long association. Yes, it was definitely good to be back home.
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Jack decided that the women should eat in his cabin, despite his hatred of Mary. He knew that she would refuse to eat with the crew and did not feel that he wanted to hear her complaining again. If it had not been that the cabin was too dark, it was that she did not have access to toilet facilities. Theodore had found a chamber pot, but that was not good enough, so he had graciously allowed her to use the private head in his quarters. He made sure though that Catherine's jewellery box was moved to the other side cabin, unwilling to trust Mary with the rubies. At least Catherine was wearing her pearls again. He watched from the helm as she carried through platters of food to the cabin, remembering when he had given them to her... the beach near to Nassau when he thought he would not see her again. So much had happened since then, good and bad. He shook himself, seeing Oran coming to relieve him at the wheel.
"You looked miles away Captain," he teased. "But you'd better get down to your cabin now or Kitty'll make you wish you were!"
Jack grinned, but handed the wheel to the Irishman quickly, taking the steps two at a time. He nearly collided with Mary and Theodore, who were just ahead of Jean Claude who was escorting the wet-nurse Claire, the two babies in her arms.
"Oaf!" Mary hissed angrily.
"Bitch!" Jack grinned in response. "Enjoying the journey are we, dear sister-in-law?"
"You are a heathen!" she snarled.
"You wound me..." he teased. "I'm a Christian! An' I thought yer liked pirates..."
"I'll see you hang!" she argued. "You and that bitch you call a wife!"
A shot rang out, the deck before Mary's feet splintering. Theodore jumped whilst Mary screamed in terror. Jack smiled - it looked as if Catherine had given up being subtle. The crew nearby chuckled. Jean Claude momentarily placed himself before Claire then realised what had happened. "Kitty!" he complained for he could see that the wet-nurse had been startled.
"Guess that is yer last chance Mary," Jack drawled. "Shut yer venomous little mouth or yer'll be in the brig the entire way!"
"You wouldn't dare!" Mary cried angrily.
"Try me..." Jack threatened.
"Bastard!" she sniped in response.
"Pretty language... but I warned yer! Kitty!" He turned to see her lazing against the door frame.
"Yes Captain?" A teasing smile flitted across her face - she knew what he intended and he could see she was practically begging to be the one to do it.
"Jack, you cannot!" Theodore gasped.
"It's m' ship," Jack drawled, nodding to Catherine. He turned to Mary. "I suggest yer go nicely..."
"Like hell I wi..." she began, her protest cut short by Catherine's fist. Before she could utter another sound, she was twirled around, her arm twisted sharply behind her back.
"Captain asked nicely," Catherine smiled, exerting just enough pressure to make Mary squeal with pain.
"Cat!" Theodore protested.
"Keep out of this Theo," Jack warned, smiling as his wife forced Mary below decks. He heard her shouting for someone to open the brig for her, returning a few moments later.
"Dinner everyone?" she asked, smiling happily as she breezed past them into the cabin.
"Was that really necessary Cat?" Theodore protested as he followed. "You could have killed her!"
Catherine laughed. "I was tempted," she admitted, "but if I'd seriously meant it, she'd be dead!"
"Yer can see to th' hole t'morrow!" Jack tried to scowl but he started to chuckle. "Relax Theo... th' bitch will be alive fer yer t' divorce!" He blinked, suddenly remembering Claire d'Avenell who was standing looking at the damaged deck with Jean Claude. He had momentarily forgotten she was there. "M' apologies Madame," Jack smiled. "Please come into th' cabin an' ignore m' happy family..."
"Family?" she puzzled. She knew that Theodore was Mary's husband, but the rest of the connections onboard were confusing to say the least.
"Catherine is the Captain's wife and Theodore's sister..." Jean Claude explained, placing the broken barrel he had been carrying down on the floor of the cabin. Jack could see that Jeremy Horton had been busy, fashioning a basic cradle for the babies.
"So Mary is your sister-in-law... my sympathies," she said dryly as she gently placed the babies into the cradle, settling them to sleep
Jack and everyone roared with laughter, his initial feeling that the French wet-nurse would get on well whilst onboard confirmed. He was pleased too that he had asked Jean Claude to escort her to the dinner - having a fellow countryman nearby appeared to be a comfort. She was sassy - he liked sassy. "Looks like you're outvoted Theo - she stays in th' brig!" He handed Theodore a bottle of rum, smiling as he started to chuckle as well.
"You are a corrupting influence Jack!" he accused, seating his sister at the table before sitting himself. He watched as Jean Claude performed the same courtesy for Claire, helping himself to a bottle of brandy on the table.
"Why thank yer Theo!" Jack grinned. "I'll take that as a compliment!"
Theodore rolled his eyes. He had not intended it as a compliment, and Jack knew that he had not. But the meal passed pleasantly without his wife's presence and he had the feeling that they would arrive at Port Royal all too soon for his liking. Briefly he considered remaining on Tortuga with the Turner household, but he knew he missed the life he had before. He was a navy man, always had been and always would be.
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Okay... if you want to see Mary returned to Port Royal then you know the routine... review my dears! Ta!
Last chapter today!
###
Catherine was relieved to finally be back aboard the Black Pearl, the wind in her hair and her hand steady on the wheel as she stood at the helm. She smiled as she saw Jean Claude showing the wet-nurse around the ship, relieved that Mary appeared to unwilling to leave the sick bay. The less that she had to see that woman during the voyage back to Port Royal the better.
"Yer lookin' happy luv," Jack drawled, climbing up the stairs to stand beside her.
"I'm home," she sighed. "I'm never happy away from you..."
"Yer know how t' warm a man's heart," he smiled, wrapping his arms around her, placing his hands over hers on the wheel.
"I'd rather be warming your bunk," Catherine teased, slipping her hands from the wheel and turning to face him.
"I'll tell yer what," Jack suggested, leaning down briefly to kiss her, "yer get yer backside down t' th' galley an' help Cotton prepare dinner an' I'm all yours!" He kissed her again before moving one arm so she could escape his grasp. He swatted her bottom as she headed towards the stairs. "An' yer cookin' will be more than welcomed!"
She laughed as she walked towards the galley, unsurprised to find Ned Cotton already at work preparing the food. With a grin, she picked up another knife, needing no words from their long association. Yes, it was definitely good to be back home.
###
Jack decided that the women should eat in his cabin, despite his hatred of Mary. He knew that she would refuse to eat with the crew and did not feel that he wanted to hear her complaining again. If it had not been that the cabin was too dark, it was that she did not have access to toilet facilities. Theodore had found a chamber pot, but that was not good enough, so he had graciously allowed her to use the private head in his quarters. He made sure though that Catherine's jewellery box was moved to the other side cabin, unwilling to trust Mary with the rubies. At least Catherine was wearing her pearls again. He watched from the helm as she carried through platters of food to the cabin, remembering when he had given them to her... the beach near to Nassau when he thought he would not see her again. So much had happened since then, good and bad. He shook himself, seeing Oran coming to relieve him at the wheel.
"You looked miles away Captain," he teased. "But you'd better get down to your cabin now or Kitty'll make you wish you were!"
Jack grinned, but handed the wheel to the Irishman quickly, taking the steps two at a time. He nearly collided with Mary and Theodore, who were just ahead of Jean Claude who was escorting the wet-nurse Claire, the two babies in her arms.
"Oaf!" Mary hissed angrily.
"Bitch!" Jack grinned in response. "Enjoying the journey are we, dear sister-in-law?"
"You are a heathen!" she snarled.
"You wound me..." he teased. "I'm a Christian! An' I thought yer liked pirates..."
"I'll see you hang!" she argued. "You and that bitch you call a wife!"
A shot rang out, the deck before Mary's feet splintering. Theodore jumped whilst Mary screamed in terror. Jack smiled - it looked as if Catherine had given up being subtle. The crew nearby chuckled. Jean Claude momentarily placed himself before Claire then realised what had happened. "Kitty!" he complained for he could see that the wet-nurse had been startled.
"Guess that is yer last chance Mary," Jack drawled. "Shut yer venomous little mouth or yer'll be in the brig the entire way!"
"You wouldn't dare!" Mary cried angrily.
"Try me..." Jack threatened.
"Bastard!" she sniped in response.
"Pretty language... but I warned yer! Kitty!" He turned to see her lazing against the door frame.
"Yes Captain?" A teasing smile flitted across her face - she knew what he intended and he could see she was practically begging to be the one to do it.
"Jack, you cannot!" Theodore gasped.
"It's m' ship," Jack drawled, nodding to Catherine. He turned to Mary. "I suggest yer go nicely..."
"Like hell I wi..." she began, her protest cut short by Catherine's fist. Before she could utter another sound, she was twirled around, her arm twisted sharply behind her back.
"Captain asked nicely," Catherine smiled, exerting just enough pressure to make Mary squeal with pain.
"Cat!" Theodore protested.
"Keep out of this Theo," Jack warned, smiling as his wife forced Mary below decks. He heard her shouting for someone to open the brig for her, returning a few moments later.
"Dinner everyone?" she asked, smiling happily as she breezed past them into the cabin.
"Was that really necessary Cat?" Theodore protested as he followed. "You could have killed her!"
Catherine laughed. "I was tempted," she admitted, "but if I'd seriously meant it, she'd be dead!"
"Yer can see to th' hole t'morrow!" Jack tried to scowl but he started to chuckle. "Relax Theo... th' bitch will be alive fer yer t' divorce!" He blinked, suddenly remembering Claire d'Avenell who was standing looking at the damaged deck with Jean Claude. He had momentarily forgotten she was there. "M' apologies Madame," Jack smiled. "Please come into th' cabin an' ignore m' happy family..."
"Family?" she puzzled. She knew that Theodore was Mary's husband, but the rest of the connections onboard were confusing to say the least.
"Catherine is the Captain's wife and Theodore's sister..." Jean Claude explained, placing the broken barrel he had been carrying down on the floor of the cabin. Jack could see that Jeremy Horton had been busy, fashioning a basic cradle for the babies.
"So Mary is your sister-in-law... my sympathies," she said dryly as she gently placed the babies into the cradle, settling them to sleep
Jack and everyone roared with laughter, his initial feeling that the French wet-nurse would get on well whilst onboard confirmed. He was pleased too that he had asked Jean Claude to escort her to the dinner - having a fellow countryman nearby appeared to be a comfort. She was sassy - he liked sassy. "Looks like you're outvoted Theo - she stays in th' brig!" He handed Theodore a bottle of rum, smiling as he started to chuckle as well.
"You are a corrupting influence Jack!" he accused, seating his sister at the table before sitting himself. He watched as Jean Claude performed the same courtesy for Claire, helping himself to a bottle of brandy on the table.
"Why thank yer Theo!" Jack grinned. "I'll take that as a compliment!"
Theodore rolled his eyes. He had not intended it as a compliment, and Jack knew that he had not. But the meal passed pleasantly without his wife's presence and he had the feeling that they would arrive at Port Royal all too soon for his liking. Briefly he considered remaining on Tortuga with the Turner household, but he knew he missed the life he had before. He was a navy man, always had been and always would be.
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Okay... if you want to see Mary returned to Port Royal then you know the routine... review my dears! Ta!