Usual disclaimers... blah!
OMG – the last four chapters.... well, technically five as I've brought the last chapter from the first story to sit at the end of this story... it makes more sense this way.
###
Elizabeth and Will looked in amazement at the large number of people coming ashore as they waited at the edge of the water along with everyone else from the house. The boats of the Black Pearl were full to capacity with a large number of black women and countless children. "Are we taking more in?" Elizabeth worried, but her eyes were drawn to the lead boat, rowed by Jean Claude and Isaac. It was Catherine! Eilis was jumping up and down with excitement, squealing with delight.
Elizabeth smiled as Jack helped Catherine from the boat, Rose stepping forward to embrace her. She was surprised to find Jack place himself before his mother, gently pushing Catherine towards her and Will.
"Mother." Jack put his hand on her shoulder, preventing her briefly from embracing Catherine. He led her a short distance from the celebrations. "I have some bad news for yer... Stephen is dead."
Rose looked up at him in horror, her face ashen. "You gave your word!" she protested.
"I kept m' word!" Jack countered. "I did not kill him!" He looked across to where Catherine was being hugged by Elizabeth, both of them in tears. "An' I think yer should hear what th' bastard did t' Kitty b'fore yer judge her..."
"Catherine killed..." Rose turned to look at her daughter-in-law in shock.
"He was at th' plantation when we attacked... I did not know..." Jack explained. He did not think that she needed to hear that if he had known then what Stephen had done to Catherine he would have ensured his death was long and painful. "If it any consolation, he did not suffer..."
"What did..." Rose began, unsure what to say or to do. Jack appeared to be back to his normal self, even if a little quieter.
"Th' bastard made her believe I was dead," Jack said. "I can only guess that he bribed th' guards t' say I'd been caught and th' next day he shows her a printed sheet announcing I've been hanged..." He looked back across the sand to Catherine. "She tried t' kill herself twice..." He sighed heavily. "It is only luck that she was alive fer me t' find!"
Rose looked at Catherine, still in tears, being hugged by Elizabeth, Will and everyone else on the beach in turn and then again.
"He told her you were dead?" Rose puzzled.
Jack nodded. "An' the sheet backed up his words. Fer eight months she has been forced t' work as a bondswoman, thinking me dead!" He looked at his mother, holding her gaze. "He broke her spirit totally, knowing what he said was a lie!"
Rose nodded slowly. What Stephen had done had been unbelievably cruel and she knew, however much she may have loved him, she could not defend him against such charges. "I'd like some time alone..." she said quietly.
"If yer wish t' return t' London, I would understand," Jack said. "I'd see t' it fer yer..."
Rose shook her head. "No,' she replied. "I have no life there now, but my grief for my son's death should not cloud the celebrations. I will come back later..." She kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you for telling me the truth," she said, "but please, just give me time."
Jack nodded. "I understand," he said, watching as she started walking along the beach away from the crowds. The other boats had offloaded the first of the women and children and already the youngsters were racing each other along the sandy shore. He turned back to the others, wrapping his arm securely about Catherine who was introducing Alice to Will and Elizabeth.
"Perhaps we could rig up some tarps or something... just temporary until everyone decides what they want to do..." Will suggested, realising in shock that there were fifteen women and a total of seventeen children.
"I'm sorry," Catherine apologised. "But I could not leave them..."
"It is alright," Elizabeth assured her. "Although we will have to find out what everybody can and cannot do... and find jobs for those we can!"
"Perhaps some of the crew could go into Tortuga to get some additional supplies Jack?" Will asked hopefully. "There are an awful lot of mouths to feed now..." He looked puzzled as Rose walked away from them down the beach. "What's the matter with Rose?" he asked, frowning.
"I killed Stephen," Catherine said quietly, "but I could only kill him once..."
Jack sensed she was about to cry again and pulled her round to face him, holding her tightly. "I think that is enough talk about him..." he warned, not wanting her to have to repeat what happened to her. "Why don't we head up t' th' shade of the porch an' I'll send fer supplies fer yer Will..."
"Thanks Jack," he smiled, turning to the women. "Come, you must all be thirsty," he said, leading the way until only Claire remained at the waters edge, watching as Jean Claude returned to shore.
###
As far as beach feasts went, it was definitely one of the strangest that the bay had ever seen. The crew of the Black Pearl had been warned that the women were totally off limits to them and that they were to at least try to behave themselves. Although Eilis was not the oldest child, she seemed to be the ringleader of the mischief and chaos that followed in the childrens wake. Elizabeth was stunned to have so many willing hands helping with the cooking.
Eventually the night calmed down and Will, Elizabeth, Catherine and Jack found themselves a quiet spot away from the fires where they could talk. The day had been tiring for Catherine and to Jack's amazement she merely put her head on his lap and fell asleep. "Guess she was more tired than she realised," he smiled, brushing her hair back from where it had flopped across her face.
"Perhaps it is for the best," Elizabeth suggested. "I did not want to ask Kitty what happened earlier..."
Jack looked down at his wife, smiling. "Yer were right," he said softly, ensuring his voice did not wake her. "Th' bastard had sold her into bondage t' a friend of his, but not b'fore telling her I was dead."
"But why did Kitty believe him?" Will puzzled. "Surely she would have doubted anything he said?"
"He was clever," Jack admitted. "He didn't show his face until after she believed. From what I can understand Kitty overheard some guards talking about a man bein' caught who kept asking about his wife an' laughin' that he'd come a long way t' hang..." He sighed. "An' then in th' morning he turns up with a properly printed sheet announcin' m' as being hanged!"
Elizabeth put her hands to her face. "That is horrible," she gasped. "No wonder she believed!"
"Aye," Jack replied. "She so believed that she tried t' kill herself twice b'fore she'd even reached the Americas!"
"The pact?" Elizabeth said quietly.
Jack nodded. "She tried t' refuse food an' drink but they forced her, an' the crew of th' ship only just stopped her throwin' herself overboard... it was too close..."
Suddenly Elizabeth gasped. "Will! We haven't told them!"
"Told them what?" he puzzled.
Elizabeth turned to Jack. "Theo came back, just before Captain Verde arrived. They found proof of the Governor's involvement with that ship and now he is dancing to their tune!" She smiled at Jack's delight. "We are holding a set of ledgers here and James has his signed confession safe somewhere at Port Royal," she said. "Apparently there is a pardon and a confirmation of your privateer status waiting to be dated at Port Royal whenever you want it... and you might be wanting to go to Port Royal very soon!"
"Why?" Jack frowned, wondering why Elizabeth was looking suspiciously happy.
"Theo's getting married," she grinned. "He took Charlotte and Kasia with him when he left... he is simply waiting for you to arrive before he can make an honest woman of her!"
"A wedding!" Jack matched her grin, raising his bottle. "I love weddings, drinks all around!"
###
OMG – the last four chapters.... well, technically five as I've brought the last chapter from the first story to sit at the end of this story... it makes more sense this way.
###
Elizabeth and Will looked in amazement at the large number of people coming ashore as they waited at the edge of the water along with everyone else from the house. The boats of the Black Pearl were full to capacity with a large number of black women and countless children. "Are we taking more in?" Elizabeth worried, but her eyes were drawn to the lead boat, rowed by Jean Claude and Isaac. It was Catherine! Eilis was jumping up and down with excitement, squealing with delight.
Elizabeth smiled as Jack helped Catherine from the boat, Rose stepping forward to embrace her. She was surprised to find Jack place himself before his mother, gently pushing Catherine towards her and Will.
"Mother." Jack put his hand on her shoulder, preventing her briefly from embracing Catherine. He led her a short distance from the celebrations. "I have some bad news for yer... Stephen is dead."
Rose looked up at him in horror, her face ashen. "You gave your word!" she protested.
"I kept m' word!" Jack countered. "I did not kill him!" He looked across to where Catherine was being hugged by Elizabeth, both of them in tears. "An' I think yer should hear what th' bastard did t' Kitty b'fore yer judge her..."
"Catherine killed..." Rose turned to look at her daughter-in-law in shock.
"He was at th' plantation when we attacked... I did not know..." Jack explained. He did not think that she needed to hear that if he had known then what Stephen had done to Catherine he would have ensured his death was long and painful. "If it any consolation, he did not suffer..."
"What did..." Rose began, unsure what to say or to do. Jack appeared to be back to his normal self, even if a little quieter.
"Th' bastard made her believe I was dead," Jack said. "I can only guess that he bribed th' guards t' say I'd been caught and th' next day he shows her a printed sheet announcing I've been hanged..." He looked back across the sand to Catherine. "She tried t' kill herself twice..." He sighed heavily. "It is only luck that she was alive fer me t' find!"
Rose looked at Catherine, still in tears, being hugged by Elizabeth, Will and everyone else on the beach in turn and then again.
"He told her you were dead?" Rose puzzled.
Jack nodded. "An' the sheet backed up his words. Fer eight months she has been forced t' work as a bondswoman, thinking me dead!" He looked at his mother, holding her gaze. "He broke her spirit totally, knowing what he said was a lie!"
Rose nodded slowly. What Stephen had done had been unbelievably cruel and she knew, however much she may have loved him, she could not defend him against such charges. "I'd like some time alone..." she said quietly.
"If yer wish t' return t' London, I would understand," Jack said. "I'd see t' it fer yer..."
Rose shook her head. "No,' she replied. "I have no life there now, but my grief for my son's death should not cloud the celebrations. I will come back later..." She kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you for telling me the truth," she said, "but please, just give me time."
Jack nodded. "I understand," he said, watching as she started walking along the beach away from the crowds. The other boats had offloaded the first of the women and children and already the youngsters were racing each other along the sandy shore. He turned back to the others, wrapping his arm securely about Catherine who was introducing Alice to Will and Elizabeth.
"Perhaps we could rig up some tarps or something... just temporary until everyone decides what they want to do..." Will suggested, realising in shock that there were fifteen women and a total of seventeen children.
"I'm sorry," Catherine apologised. "But I could not leave them..."
"It is alright," Elizabeth assured her. "Although we will have to find out what everybody can and cannot do... and find jobs for those we can!"
"Perhaps some of the crew could go into Tortuga to get some additional supplies Jack?" Will asked hopefully. "There are an awful lot of mouths to feed now..." He looked puzzled as Rose walked away from them down the beach. "What's the matter with Rose?" he asked, frowning.
"I killed Stephen," Catherine said quietly, "but I could only kill him once..."
Jack sensed she was about to cry again and pulled her round to face him, holding her tightly. "I think that is enough talk about him..." he warned, not wanting her to have to repeat what happened to her. "Why don't we head up t' th' shade of the porch an' I'll send fer supplies fer yer Will..."
"Thanks Jack," he smiled, turning to the women. "Come, you must all be thirsty," he said, leading the way until only Claire remained at the waters edge, watching as Jean Claude returned to shore.
###
As far as beach feasts went, it was definitely one of the strangest that the bay had ever seen. The crew of the Black Pearl had been warned that the women were totally off limits to them and that they were to at least try to behave themselves. Although Eilis was not the oldest child, she seemed to be the ringleader of the mischief and chaos that followed in the childrens wake. Elizabeth was stunned to have so many willing hands helping with the cooking.
Eventually the night calmed down and Will, Elizabeth, Catherine and Jack found themselves a quiet spot away from the fires where they could talk. The day had been tiring for Catherine and to Jack's amazement she merely put her head on his lap and fell asleep. "Guess she was more tired than she realised," he smiled, brushing her hair back from where it had flopped across her face.
"Perhaps it is for the best," Elizabeth suggested. "I did not want to ask Kitty what happened earlier..."
Jack looked down at his wife, smiling. "Yer were right," he said softly, ensuring his voice did not wake her. "Th' bastard had sold her into bondage t' a friend of his, but not b'fore telling her I was dead."
"But why did Kitty believe him?" Will puzzled. "Surely she would have doubted anything he said?"
"He was clever," Jack admitted. "He didn't show his face until after she believed. From what I can understand Kitty overheard some guards talking about a man bein' caught who kept asking about his wife an' laughin' that he'd come a long way t' hang..." He sighed. "An' then in th' morning he turns up with a properly printed sheet announcin' m' as being hanged!"
Elizabeth put her hands to her face. "That is horrible," she gasped. "No wonder she believed!"
"Aye," Jack replied. "She so believed that she tried t' kill herself twice b'fore she'd even reached the Americas!"
"The pact?" Elizabeth said quietly.
Jack nodded. "She tried t' refuse food an' drink but they forced her, an' the crew of th' ship only just stopped her throwin' herself overboard... it was too close..."
Suddenly Elizabeth gasped. "Will! We haven't told them!"
"Told them what?" he puzzled.
Elizabeth turned to Jack. "Theo came back, just before Captain Verde arrived. They found proof of the Governor's involvement with that ship and now he is dancing to their tune!" She smiled at Jack's delight. "We are holding a set of ledgers here and James has his signed confession safe somewhere at Port Royal," she said. "Apparently there is a pardon and a confirmation of your privateer status waiting to be dated at Port Royal whenever you want it... and you might be wanting to go to Port Royal very soon!"
"Why?" Jack frowned, wondering why Elizabeth was looking suspiciously happy.
"Theo's getting married," she grinned. "He took Charlotte and Kasia with him when he left... he is simply waiting for you to arrive before he can make an honest woman of her!"
"A wedding!" Jack matched her grin, raising his bottle. "I love weddings, drinks all around!"
###