Usual disclaimers... blah!
For those that wanted more Claire!
Apologies for the slowness of the update this time – my computer monitor dropped a resolution and I had to get my husband to reinstall everything in order so that I could see my Johnny Depp / Captain Jack pictures in all their perv-ection... and we all know how important that is, don't we girls!
Anyway, get those reviews in quick and there might be four or more chapters by the end of the week... I am on a roll at the moment and the "end game" is in motion!
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Claire d'Avenell looked in surprise at the small bay before her, the smoke from a number of chimneys drifting through the trees. Jean Claude came to stand beside her. "Where is this?" she asked, her eyes taking in the beautiful scene before her.
"Tortuga," he admitted. "Although the town is a good few hours walk away, so you do not get any trouble..."
"An' Will is a good swordsman... yer'll get no trouble!" Neither had noticed Jack come to stand beside them. "Yer can have two hours ashore Jean Claude, but then we have to leave."
"Leave?" Jean Claude turned to him in surprise. "Why?" Claire's face fell, unnoticed by either man. She had enjoyed her time on the pirate ship, surprisingly so, and was disappointed that it appeared she was to be left with strangers. Just as quickly, she masked it.
"I have some family matters t' take care of," Jack said. "Now that Mary is sorted I need t' go t' London..."
"Again?" Jean Claude looked at him in shock.
"Again," Jack confirmed. "Two hours Jean Claude!" He strode away, shouting orders to the rest of the crew that they would only be taking on fresh water and supplies.
Jean Claude ordered a ship's boat lowered, bringing Claire's belongings in their new trunk from below. "I hope you will like it here," he said. "When we get back from England I will be able to spend longer ashore, but the Captain wishes to be away quickly." He helped her down into the boat, held steady by Benedict Frazer and Lonan Kree, passing the babies and then the trunk down before climbing down himself. "Will and Elizabeth Turner live here," he explained as they headed to shore. "He used to be the blacksmith at Port Royal, and is a friend of the Captain." He smiled as he saw Billy and Eilis racing from the house to meet them. ""There is also the nephew of the Commodore, Catherine's Aunt and Charlotte - who would be half-sister to Nicolas..."
"And those two?" she asked, indicating the two excited children on the beach.
"That would be Billy - Will's son, and Eilis. She is a foundling. Her sister and her live here as well..." His expression darkened. "Their father and his crew were slaughtered by my brother... so there are more connections here than you may at first understand... He turned, jumping from the boat to help the others beach it before helping Claire from the boat. "Back you fiends!" he cursed, jumping as Eilis' wooden sword caught him on the thigh. "Ow!" He grabbed her by the collar. "We are only here for a few hours - play nice!"
"Yes Jean Claude," she pouted, swatting him again with her sword before running off, laughing manically. Claire chuckled.
He rolled his eyes, grateful to see Elizabeth standing on the porch. "This way," he said, leading her towards the house.
"More refugees?" Elizabeth smiled, studying the brunette woman at his side.
"Elizabeth, may I introduce Claire d'Avenell, wet-nurse to my nephew Nicolas and her son Martin." He indicated the two babies.
"She did it again?" Elizabeth gasped in shock. Claire noted her words without comment, her opinion of Mary dropping even further - if that were possible.
"It seems Mary has a habit of leaving her children," he agreed, "but I couldn't leave the child to be raised by his grandparents now - could I?"
Elizabeth's eyes rounded with horror at the thought of any child having to grow up in the Spense household. "You are most welcome," she smiled warmly at Claire who returned her smile. "This household is chaotic, but I am sure you will get used to it!"
"I am sure I will," she replied dryly, "when not being attacked by small red haired pirates!"
Elizabeth and Jean Claude laughed. She frowned, looking out at the Black Pearl. "Are Jack and Kitty not coming ashore?" Elizabeth puzzled.
"The Captain said something about needing to go to London - we leave in two hours," Jean Claude explained, watching as Benedict and Lonan spoke with Will, heading towards a shack where he knew stores were kept. Obviously Jack had spoken with him before they had left for New Orleans and arranged to have supplies ready for their return. He wondered what it was that Jack wanted all possible speed.
"London again?" Elizabeth worried. "Is that safe?"
"Maybe not," Jean Claude admitted, "but needs be as needs must..."
For a moment Elizabeth wondered if Rose knew, but decided against speaking. She turned to Claire. "Here, let me take one of those boys from you," she smiled. "You can have Theodore's old room, although we will have to find something for the boys..."
"Horton made a cradle onboard," Jean Claude offered. "I'll get it sent across."
"Thank you Jean Claude, that would be a help," Elizabeth smiled, taking his nephew from the wet-nurse. "Come, I will show you round..."
Jean Claude nodded politely to Claire. "Until later then Madame," he said. If Jack wanted supplies taken on quickly then he had better help.
"Merci Jean Claude," she smiled. "Safe journey..." She looked for a moment as if she wanted to say something else, but turned and followed Elizabeth into the house. Jean Claude watched both women go before turning towards the shack to help sort the supplies. He did not see either women again before the Black Pearl sailed.
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For those that wanted more Claire!
Apologies for the slowness of the update this time – my computer monitor dropped a resolution and I had to get my husband to reinstall everything in order so that I could see my Johnny Depp / Captain Jack pictures in all their perv-ection... and we all know how important that is, don't we girls!
Anyway, get those reviews in quick and there might be four or more chapters by the end of the week... I am on a roll at the moment and the "end game" is in motion!
###
Claire d'Avenell looked in surprise at the small bay before her, the smoke from a number of chimneys drifting through the trees. Jean Claude came to stand beside her. "Where is this?" she asked, her eyes taking in the beautiful scene before her.
"Tortuga," he admitted. "Although the town is a good few hours walk away, so you do not get any trouble..."
"An' Will is a good swordsman... yer'll get no trouble!" Neither had noticed Jack come to stand beside them. "Yer can have two hours ashore Jean Claude, but then we have to leave."
"Leave?" Jean Claude turned to him in surprise. "Why?" Claire's face fell, unnoticed by either man. She had enjoyed her time on the pirate ship, surprisingly so, and was disappointed that it appeared she was to be left with strangers. Just as quickly, she masked it.
"I have some family matters t' take care of," Jack said. "Now that Mary is sorted I need t' go t' London..."
"Again?" Jean Claude looked at him in shock.
"Again," Jack confirmed. "Two hours Jean Claude!" He strode away, shouting orders to the rest of the crew that they would only be taking on fresh water and supplies.
Jean Claude ordered a ship's boat lowered, bringing Claire's belongings in their new trunk from below. "I hope you will like it here," he said. "When we get back from England I will be able to spend longer ashore, but the Captain wishes to be away quickly." He helped her down into the boat, held steady by Benedict Frazer and Lonan Kree, passing the babies and then the trunk down before climbing down himself. "Will and Elizabeth Turner live here," he explained as they headed to shore. "He used to be the blacksmith at Port Royal, and is a friend of the Captain." He smiled as he saw Billy and Eilis racing from the house to meet them. ""There is also the nephew of the Commodore, Catherine's Aunt and Charlotte - who would be half-sister to Nicolas..."
"And those two?" she asked, indicating the two excited children on the beach.
"That would be Billy - Will's son, and Eilis. She is a foundling. Her sister and her live here as well..." His expression darkened. "Their father and his crew were slaughtered by my brother... so there are more connections here than you may at first understand... He turned, jumping from the boat to help the others beach it before helping Claire from the boat. "Back you fiends!" he cursed, jumping as Eilis' wooden sword caught him on the thigh. "Ow!" He grabbed her by the collar. "We are only here for a few hours - play nice!"
"Yes Jean Claude," she pouted, swatting him again with her sword before running off, laughing manically. Claire chuckled.
He rolled his eyes, grateful to see Elizabeth standing on the porch. "This way," he said, leading her towards the house.
"More refugees?" Elizabeth smiled, studying the brunette woman at his side.
"Elizabeth, may I introduce Claire d'Avenell, wet-nurse to my nephew Nicolas and her son Martin." He indicated the two babies.
"She did it again?" Elizabeth gasped in shock. Claire noted her words without comment, her opinion of Mary dropping even further - if that were possible.
"It seems Mary has a habit of leaving her children," he agreed, "but I couldn't leave the child to be raised by his grandparents now - could I?"
Elizabeth's eyes rounded with horror at the thought of any child having to grow up in the Spense household. "You are most welcome," she smiled warmly at Claire who returned her smile. "This household is chaotic, but I am sure you will get used to it!"
"I am sure I will," she replied dryly, "when not being attacked by small red haired pirates!"
Elizabeth and Jean Claude laughed. She frowned, looking out at the Black Pearl. "Are Jack and Kitty not coming ashore?" Elizabeth puzzled.
"The Captain said something about needing to go to London - we leave in two hours," Jean Claude explained, watching as Benedict and Lonan spoke with Will, heading towards a shack where he knew stores were kept. Obviously Jack had spoken with him before they had left for New Orleans and arranged to have supplies ready for their return. He wondered what it was that Jack wanted all possible speed.
"London again?" Elizabeth worried. "Is that safe?"
"Maybe not," Jean Claude admitted, "but needs be as needs must..."
For a moment Elizabeth wondered if Rose knew, but decided against speaking. She turned to Claire. "Here, let me take one of those boys from you," she smiled. "You can have Theodore's old room, although we will have to find something for the boys..."
"Horton made a cradle onboard," Jean Claude offered. "I'll get it sent across."
"Thank you Jean Claude, that would be a help," Elizabeth smiled, taking his nephew from the wet-nurse. "Come, I will show you round..."
Jean Claude nodded politely to Claire. "Until later then Madame," he said. If Jack wanted supplies taken on quickly then he had better help.
"Merci Jean Claude," she smiled. "Safe journey..." She looked for a moment as if she wanted to say something else, but turned and followed Elizabeth into the house. Jean Claude watched both women go before turning towards the shack to help sort the supplies. He did not see either women again before the Black Pearl sailed.
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