Usual disclaimers... but I'm plotting!
Last chapter for today girls!
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Captain Verde was unsure of being alone with such a fearsome man as Jeremiah Hallam, but he seemed courteous enough on their ride northwards. "The Turners settled here when they had to flee Port Royal," Jeremiah explained. "They are probably the closest friends of Jack Sparrows that you will find..."
Captain Verde paused his horse, staring at the bay before him. Even used as he was to beautiful places, it was stunning. Jeremiah rode across the sand to the house, dismounting and tying his horse to the railing of the porch, waiting whilst his companion did the same.
"Jeremiah!" Elizabeth said cautiously, wondering what he wanted and looking at the stranger with him.
"This is Captain Verde of the Bojador," Jeremiah introduced the man. "He claims to know where Catherine is..."
"What?" Elizabeth gasped in shock, her hand reaching to her face. She turned, calling back inside the house. "Richael! Richael! Get Will now!" Captain Michael Verde watched as a young girl sped off towards the other building a short distance from the house – clearly a smithy. "Come in, come in!" she beamed. "If you truly have news of Catherine then you are most welcome..." She led him into the house, but stood, smiling before Jeremiah. "This is family business," she explained. "I am sure you will find the porch chairs comfortable..."
Jeremiah shrugged ruefully. He had not expected to be allowed to listen anyway. "Of course," he smiled in return.
"I will send Richael out with some refreshments for you," she offered, watching Will run across the sand.
"What's up?" he gasped worriedly.
"Nothing!" Elizabeth assured him. "We might have found Kitty!" Ensuring that Jeremiah had a drink and some food, she led the way to the parlour. "Captain Verde," she smiled. "This is my husband Will... I believe Jeremiah said you knew where Catherine is?"
"Is Mister Hallam not sitting in?" the Captain wondered.
"Jeremiah always wants to know everything," Will smiled. "This is a family matter and does not involve him... but you were saying..."
"I should explain," Captain Verde said, accepting a drink from the tray that Richael carefully carried into the parlour. "I met the Sparrows when they were returning from America three years ago..."
"With Little Feather," Will reminded Elizabeth when she looked momentarily puzzled.
"Yes, the native," Captain Verde continued. "We were attacked and although we lost, I owe my ship and the lives of my crew to them..."
"And that is why you feel you owe them a debt?" Elizabeth asked.
"It must be some debt for a trader to brave Tortuga," Will whistled.
"Catherine Sparrow gave me a bag of gold that she had – it paid of my debts else I would have been ruined by the attack!" He sighed, remembering. "They sailed with the pirate that attacked me, heading here I believe... but I never thought I'd get the chance to repay her kindness!"
"And where exactly is Kitty?" Will pressed.
"There is a plantation owned by Patrick Waltham a few miles north of Charles Town... she is there!" He sipped his drink appreciatively. "I did not recognise her at first – her hair had been shorn and she was..."
"What?" Elizabeth gasped.
"Her hair had been shorn," he repeated, "and she was working as a servant from what I could see..."
"Did she see you?" Will asked.
Captain Michael Verde shook his head. "I do not think so," he said. "It took me two weeks just to place her – she looked so different... kind of... empty."
"Empty?" Will puzzled. "What do you mean?"
"I cannot explain it," he apologised. "It was as if she existed... but nothing more. That is why it took me so long to place her – she had been so full of fire on my ship."
Will and Elizabeth looked at each other, puzzled until stunned realisation made Elizabeth gasp. "Oh my God!" Her hands flew to her face in horror. "She thinks Jack is dead!"
"What do you mean?" Will frowned.
"Don't you remember... before they married? Jack was lost and everyone thought him dead... she grieved then but how do you think she would react now?" Elizabeth reasoned.
"If it wasn't for that damned letter!" Will raged, heading for the door, but Elizabeth held his arm.
"Leave Rose," she cautioned. "It is not her fault..." She turned to Captain Verde. "I thank you for your news Captain," she smiled, ensuring her grip on Will's arm did not waiver. "We will ensure that it reaches Jack as soon as possible..."
He looked in confusion at them, clearly not understanding the undercurrents within the house. "I will find Mister Hallam then and head back to my ship..."
"Thank you Captain," Elizabeth replied. "We will make sure that Jack knows the information has come from you... if you feel you owed any debt then it has been more than repaid. I am sure you must be eager to leave Tortuga..."
"Indeed Mistress Turner," he smiled, grateful for her understanding.
Glaring at Will to ensure he did not go after Rose, she released his arm, seeing Captain Verde from the house. "You are to take good care of this man Jeremiah," he insisted. "Jack would take it badly if he did not leave the harbour safely..."
Jeremiah's lips twitched in a smile. "Do you need a message sent to the Black Pearl?" he asked, prodding for an opening.
Elizabeth shook her head, knowing his question for what it was. "No, they should be back within a week or so... they will need fresh water. Just ensure that the supplies ordered reach us promptly and I will be most grateful..."
"Grateful enough to tell me?" he teased.
"Not that grateful..." Elizabeth laughed. "Goodbye Captain Verde, and thank you again for your news."
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You all know the routine... the more reviews I get the quicker you get updates... simple!
Ta!
Last chapter for today girls!
###
Captain Verde was unsure of being alone with such a fearsome man as Jeremiah Hallam, but he seemed courteous enough on their ride northwards. "The Turners settled here when they had to flee Port Royal," Jeremiah explained. "They are probably the closest friends of Jack Sparrows that you will find..."
Captain Verde paused his horse, staring at the bay before him. Even used as he was to beautiful places, it was stunning. Jeremiah rode across the sand to the house, dismounting and tying his horse to the railing of the porch, waiting whilst his companion did the same.
"Jeremiah!" Elizabeth said cautiously, wondering what he wanted and looking at the stranger with him.
"This is Captain Verde of the Bojador," Jeremiah introduced the man. "He claims to know where Catherine is..."
"What?" Elizabeth gasped in shock, her hand reaching to her face. She turned, calling back inside the house. "Richael! Richael! Get Will now!" Captain Michael Verde watched as a young girl sped off towards the other building a short distance from the house – clearly a smithy. "Come in, come in!" she beamed. "If you truly have news of Catherine then you are most welcome..." She led him into the house, but stood, smiling before Jeremiah. "This is family business," she explained. "I am sure you will find the porch chairs comfortable..."
Jeremiah shrugged ruefully. He had not expected to be allowed to listen anyway. "Of course," he smiled in return.
"I will send Richael out with some refreshments for you," she offered, watching Will run across the sand.
"What's up?" he gasped worriedly.
"Nothing!" Elizabeth assured him. "We might have found Kitty!" Ensuring that Jeremiah had a drink and some food, she led the way to the parlour. "Captain Verde," she smiled. "This is my husband Will... I believe Jeremiah said you knew where Catherine is?"
"Is Mister Hallam not sitting in?" the Captain wondered.
"Jeremiah always wants to know everything," Will smiled. "This is a family matter and does not involve him... but you were saying..."
"I should explain," Captain Verde said, accepting a drink from the tray that Richael carefully carried into the parlour. "I met the Sparrows when they were returning from America three years ago..."
"With Little Feather," Will reminded Elizabeth when she looked momentarily puzzled.
"Yes, the native," Captain Verde continued. "We were attacked and although we lost, I owe my ship and the lives of my crew to them..."
"And that is why you feel you owe them a debt?" Elizabeth asked.
"It must be some debt for a trader to brave Tortuga," Will whistled.
"Catherine Sparrow gave me a bag of gold that she had – it paid of my debts else I would have been ruined by the attack!" He sighed, remembering. "They sailed with the pirate that attacked me, heading here I believe... but I never thought I'd get the chance to repay her kindness!"
"And where exactly is Kitty?" Will pressed.
"There is a plantation owned by Patrick Waltham a few miles north of Charles Town... she is there!" He sipped his drink appreciatively. "I did not recognise her at first – her hair had been shorn and she was..."
"What?" Elizabeth gasped.
"Her hair had been shorn," he repeated, "and she was working as a servant from what I could see..."
"Did she see you?" Will asked.
Captain Michael Verde shook his head. "I do not think so," he said. "It took me two weeks just to place her – she looked so different... kind of... empty."
"Empty?" Will puzzled. "What do you mean?"
"I cannot explain it," he apologised. "It was as if she existed... but nothing more. That is why it took me so long to place her – she had been so full of fire on my ship."
Will and Elizabeth looked at each other, puzzled until stunned realisation made Elizabeth gasp. "Oh my God!" Her hands flew to her face in horror. "She thinks Jack is dead!"
"What do you mean?" Will frowned.
"Don't you remember... before they married? Jack was lost and everyone thought him dead... she grieved then but how do you think she would react now?" Elizabeth reasoned.
"If it wasn't for that damned letter!" Will raged, heading for the door, but Elizabeth held his arm.
"Leave Rose," she cautioned. "It is not her fault..." She turned to Captain Verde. "I thank you for your news Captain," she smiled, ensuring her grip on Will's arm did not waiver. "We will ensure that it reaches Jack as soon as possible..."
He looked in confusion at them, clearly not understanding the undercurrents within the house. "I will find Mister Hallam then and head back to my ship..."
"Thank you Captain," Elizabeth replied. "We will make sure that Jack knows the information has come from you... if you feel you owed any debt then it has been more than repaid. I am sure you must be eager to leave Tortuga..."
"Indeed Mistress Turner," he smiled, grateful for her understanding.
Glaring at Will to ensure he did not go after Rose, she released his arm, seeing Captain Verde from the house. "You are to take good care of this man Jeremiah," he insisted. "Jack would take it badly if he did not leave the harbour safely..."
Jeremiah's lips twitched in a smile. "Do you need a message sent to the Black Pearl?" he asked, prodding for an opening.
Elizabeth shook her head, knowing his question for what it was. "No, they should be back within a week or so... they will need fresh water. Just ensure that the supplies ordered reach us promptly and I will be most grateful..."
"Grateful enough to tell me?" he teased.
"Not that grateful..." Elizabeth laughed. "Goodbye Captain Verde, and thank you again for your news."
###
You all know the routine... the more reviews I get the quicker you get updates... simple!
Ta!