Usual disclaimers... pfft!
###
June
The journey to Ostend had been uneventful, and the weather had been so much better than their last foray here Jack reflected, grateful that they had sailed around the north of Scotland in the summer. Their journey before, in the deep of winter, had been horrendous and he had been exceedingly grateful not to have had any damage to the Black Pearl. When they had reached Ostend, Catherine had shaved his beard and removed his beads and trinkets from his hair, placing them safely in her jewellery box before cutting his hair again - Mr Wells was reborn. They had left the Black Pearl safely anchored in the harbour at Ostend and taken passage anonymously on a trader, travelling as lightly as possible.
Jack smiled, glancing across at Catherine, her head resting sleepily on his shoulder as the coach bumped its tortuous way through the countryside surrounding London. Again, she wore a plain dress, but not the green, opting instead for the cream dress that Jean Claude had bought with its dainty embroidered bodice. Her pearl necklace and earrings had joined Jack's beads in the box, replaced with the simple pendant and silver earrings and her shoulders were shaded from the sun with her creamy shawl.
"Have you travelled far Mister Wells?" the man sitting opposite him asked. Arthur Pyle, a banker from London, was returning to the city with his wife from visiting her relatives in Canterbury and had joined their coach following the overnight stop. He and his wife, a plump, grey-haired woman who threatened at times to spill out of her dress had spoken non-stop during the morning, mainly to another gentleman who had been fortunate in only travelling until lunch and had not needed to travel further on the coach.
"From the Americas," he drawled, falling easily into his cultured American accent.
"What a long way!" Mildred Pyle gasped, her hands waving as she expressed her shock. For a moment Jack's eyes were caught by the rings on her fingers, professionally noting the quality of the stones. "And your wife travels with you?"
"I would not travel without her," he smiled, taking one of her hands in his.
"But it must be terribly dangerous for a woman?" Arthur said, his shock evident in his voice.
"No more than a coach ride through Kent," Jack shrugged, wondering what they would think if they really knew who he and Catherine were and that his wife was probably more dangerous than any highwayman they might encounter.
"You fear we might be robbed!" Mildred squeaked in shock, worriedly glancing out of the windows and clutching the stout box on her lap tightly. Jack wished he could peek inside the box, wondering if the contents were as tempting as what she wore visibly and cursing the need to maintain his façade.
"I am sure we are perfectly safe," Jack assured her, wishing Catherine would wake up. He started tracing circles with his thumb in the palm of her hand, wondering if she was feigning sleep to avoid their companions. "Are you alright dear?" he asked, smiling as she yawned.
"Are we there yet?" she asked hopefully, sighing as she looked out of the window and seeing only hedges, fields and a few houses.
"We went through Blackheath a while ago, so it shouldn't be much longer..." Jack smiled.
"You've been to London before?" Arthur pressed. "You clearly know the route."
"My business takes me many places," Jack evaded.
"And what is that?" Mildred asked, wide-eyed. "It sounds quite exciting..."
"Fine goods," Jack drawled. "Luxuries out, furs and such back..."
"Business is good I take it?" Arthur enquired, his eyes judging their clothes which, although a little dusty from the road, were clearly of quality if not of the latest design.
"Good enough," Jack replied, wishing the man would just shut up. He looked out of the window, relieved to see the outskirts of London clearly approaching. "Look my dear," he smiled to Catherine. "London!"
She leaned across him, smiling as he brushed her ear with his lips. "Will you take me to see the Abbey," she smiled. "I've heard it is very grand!"
"Not as grand they say as the alterations the King is having done at Buckingham House," Arthur chortled. "Now that will be truly impressive when it is done..."
"Really?" Jack asked, pleased to get the conversation onto a safer, neutral subject.
"Indeed," Arthur pronounced. "He bought it recently for the Queen, so that she could be more comfortable when in London... "
Jack winced as they went over a particularly bad pothole. "Comfort would be nice," he grimaced, pointing out landmarks to Catherine and effectively excluding the Pyles from his conversation. He felt the coach slow, the driver calling the horses to a halt outside of the Red Lion . "Here we are dear," he announced, gathering the small travelling case from beneath his feet. He waited for the others to leave before assisting Catherine from the coach. "Let's find you a nice inn for the night..." With only a cursory nod towards their travelling companions, he took her arm and headed confidently through the thronging crowd.
###
Frank Ossett looked in surprise at the woman across the street. It was her - it had to be! He had not forgotten the beautiful woman onboard the Thames Rose and cautiously followed her through the crowded streets. Noting the name of the inn, he headed quickly to the Waike household. Mister Stephen Waike would be interested, very interested in his news.
###
Jack wrapped his arms about her, holding her close in the unfamiliar room that they had hired at the King's Rest Inn. It was near enough to the family house to observe, yet far enough away to prevent accidentally meeting his family. He knew both of them were on edge, cautious of any possible danger - there would be no lovemaking until they were safely back onboard the Black Pearl. He blew out the candle. "I'll go look over th' place late t'night..." he slurred. "I'll slip out th' window but yer'd best stay here an' rest..." He knew the coach ride had tired her. "An' I'll show yer th' Abbey in th' morning!"
Catherine murmured her agreement sleepily, wriggling uncomfortably in her undershift. Only when he knew she was fully asleep did Jack ease quietly from the bed, pulling on his shirt and weapons before climbing out of the window. If he could get the letter tonight, all the better... they could head home in the morning.
###
Okay girls, that is all for today. I've the next chapters typed but unedited... so if you want them you have to review – savvy?
Ani! I saw that! Stop kicking the others in the queue... behave you bad poppet! ;)
###
June
The journey to Ostend had been uneventful, and the weather had been so much better than their last foray here Jack reflected, grateful that they had sailed around the north of Scotland in the summer. Their journey before, in the deep of winter, had been horrendous and he had been exceedingly grateful not to have had any damage to the Black Pearl. When they had reached Ostend, Catherine had shaved his beard and removed his beads and trinkets from his hair, placing them safely in her jewellery box before cutting his hair again - Mr Wells was reborn. They had left the Black Pearl safely anchored in the harbour at Ostend and taken passage anonymously on a trader, travelling as lightly as possible.
Jack smiled, glancing across at Catherine, her head resting sleepily on his shoulder as the coach bumped its tortuous way through the countryside surrounding London. Again, she wore a plain dress, but not the green, opting instead for the cream dress that Jean Claude had bought with its dainty embroidered bodice. Her pearl necklace and earrings had joined Jack's beads in the box, replaced with the simple pendant and silver earrings and her shoulders were shaded from the sun with her creamy shawl.
"Have you travelled far Mister Wells?" the man sitting opposite him asked. Arthur Pyle, a banker from London, was returning to the city with his wife from visiting her relatives in Canterbury and had joined their coach following the overnight stop. He and his wife, a plump, grey-haired woman who threatened at times to spill out of her dress had spoken non-stop during the morning, mainly to another gentleman who had been fortunate in only travelling until lunch and had not needed to travel further on the coach.
"From the Americas," he drawled, falling easily into his cultured American accent.
"What a long way!" Mildred Pyle gasped, her hands waving as she expressed her shock. For a moment Jack's eyes were caught by the rings on her fingers, professionally noting the quality of the stones. "And your wife travels with you?"
"I would not travel without her," he smiled, taking one of her hands in his.
"But it must be terribly dangerous for a woman?" Arthur said, his shock evident in his voice.
"No more than a coach ride through Kent," Jack shrugged, wondering what they would think if they really knew who he and Catherine were and that his wife was probably more dangerous than any highwayman they might encounter.
"You fear we might be robbed!" Mildred squeaked in shock, worriedly glancing out of the windows and clutching the stout box on her lap tightly. Jack wished he could peek inside the box, wondering if the contents were as tempting as what she wore visibly and cursing the need to maintain his façade.
"I am sure we are perfectly safe," Jack assured her, wishing Catherine would wake up. He started tracing circles with his thumb in the palm of her hand, wondering if she was feigning sleep to avoid their companions. "Are you alright dear?" he asked, smiling as she yawned.
"Are we there yet?" she asked hopefully, sighing as she looked out of the window and seeing only hedges, fields and a few houses.
"We went through Blackheath a while ago, so it shouldn't be much longer..." Jack smiled.
"You've been to London before?" Arthur pressed. "You clearly know the route."
"My business takes me many places," Jack evaded.
"And what is that?" Mildred asked, wide-eyed. "It sounds quite exciting..."
"Fine goods," Jack drawled. "Luxuries out, furs and such back..."
"Business is good I take it?" Arthur enquired, his eyes judging their clothes which, although a little dusty from the road, were clearly of quality if not of the latest design.
"Good enough," Jack replied, wishing the man would just shut up. He looked out of the window, relieved to see the outskirts of London clearly approaching. "Look my dear," he smiled to Catherine. "London!"
She leaned across him, smiling as he brushed her ear with his lips. "Will you take me to see the Abbey," she smiled. "I've heard it is very grand!"
"Not as grand they say as the alterations the King is having done at Buckingham House," Arthur chortled. "Now that will be truly impressive when it is done..."
"Really?" Jack asked, pleased to get the conversation onto a safer, neutral subject.
"Indeed," Arthur pronounced. "He bought it recently for the Queen, so that she could be more comfortable when in London... "
Jack winced as they went over a particularly bad pothole. "Comfort would be nice," he grimaced, pointing out landmarks to Catherine and effectively excluding the Pyles from his conversation. He felt the coach slow, the driver calling the horses to a halt outside of the Red Lion . "Here we are dear," he announced, gathering the small travelling case from beneath his feet. He waited for the others to leave before assisting Catherine from the coach. "Let's find you a nice inn for the night..." With only a cursory nod towards their travelling companions, he took her arm and headed confidently through the thronging crowd.
###
Frank Ossett looked in surprise at the woman across the street. It was her - it had to be! He had not forgotten the beautiful woman onboard the Thames Rose and cautiously followed her through the crowded streets. Noting the name of the inn, he headed quickly to the Waike household. Mister Stephen Waike would be interested, very interested in his news.
###
Jack wrapped his arms about her, holding her close in the unfamiliar room that they had hired at the King's Rest Inn. It was near enough to the family house to observe, yet far enough away to prevent accidentally meeting his family. He knew both of them were on edge, cautious of any possible danger - there would be no lovemaking until they were safely back onboard the Black Pearl. He blew out the candle. "I'll go look over th' place late t'night..." he slurred. "I'll slip out th' window but yer'd best stay here an' rest..." He knew the coach ride had tired her. "An' I'll show yer th' Abbey in th' morning!"
Catherine murmured her agreement sleepily, wriggling uncomfortably in her undershift. Only when he knew she was fully asleep did Jack ease quietly from the bed, pulling on his shirt and weapons before climbing out of the window. If he could get the letter tonight, all the better... they could head home in the morning.
###
Okay girls, that is all for today. I've the next chapters typed but unedited... so if you want them you have to review – savvy?
Ani! I saw that! Stop kicking the others in the queue... behave you bad poppet! ;)