A few days later I was summoned into Jack's cabin. Right away, I knew something was amiss. Nobody was ever "summoned" into Jack's cabin. In fact, no one else ever went in it (except me, as my status on the ship was somewhere between crewmember and guest of the captain and I pretty much roamed wherever I pleased).

"Miss Elden, I have a proposition for you," He stated as I entered. His tone made me nervous.

"What sort of proposition, Jack?" I asked warily.

He took a swig of rum and settled back in his seat, resting his feet on the table. "I need you to steal a little something for me."

I'm not sure exactly what I expected to hear, but it certainly wasn't that. "I'm terribly sorry Jack, but I've sworn off stealing for a long time. I'm reformed now." That was a lie. I was fully planning on taking a good bit of Jack's swag with me when I was returned to land. I saw no point in stranding myself in a foreign city with nothing but the clothes on my back. (To my credit, I did feel a little guilty about this one. Jack was very kind, not to mention incredibly good looking.)

Jack just smiled, as if he could see through my façade. "Indeed ye are, Miss Elden."

"Why couldn't you just steal this little something yourself?" I asked.

"'Twould cause too much suspicion."

"So what exactly am I stealing?"

"A treasure map." Jack grinned.

"You have got to be joking. A treasure map? Isn't that a little cliché?"

Jack was beginning to look annoyed. "Has anyone ever told you that you ask too many questions? I need this map so I can find the cache of the most notorious rumrunner in the Spanish Main. I'm going to find him, and I'm going to kill him."

I wasn't quite sure how to respond to that. I was completely bewildered. "And just why is it so much less suspicious for me to steal this?"

"Because," said Jack, clearly enjoying my confusion, "you were his servant a little while back, an' if you can get yer job back, you'll be able to find the map and take it without anyone noticing."

Now I knew Jack was fooling me. It was an odd sort of prank, to be sure. "Very funny, Jack. But my only employer was Sir Dunnmore."

"Aye," Jack nodded.

"That's absurd! Sir Dunnmore is not a rumrunner," I replied, half laughing. Did he honestly think I was a fool?

"Are you sure?"

I stared at Jack, searching for some sign that he was lying. He stared back; there was no sign of laughter in his kohl-lined eyes.

"That's absurd..." I repeated, a little less convinced. "How are you so sure of this?"

"I've fairly sound evidence," Jack said darkly. I got the feeling this wasn't something he cared to talk about.

"And why do you—"

"What did I tell you about all those questions, Maggie? Now can you steal this map, or can ye not?"

"B'fore I can agree to this, I've one more question." Seeing the look on Jack's face, I quickly added, "Just one more! I promise! What would I get out of this, should I decide to do it? There's a lot of risk in it for me if I'm caught, you know."

"Let's just say that after this little venture ye shall have more than enough swag to ne'er 'ave to work for anyone ever again. Savvy?"

I smiled, imagining all that wealth. "Very well, Jack. I shall steal this map for you. What do I have to do?"

"Somewhere in that palace of 'is Dunnmore keeps a map showing where 'is cache is. I need you to go back to Dunnmore, pretend to be 'is little servant again, and when you find the opportune moment, find the map and take it."

"I see," I said slowly, thinking. It did sound exciting. I could see myself tip-toeing through the Dunnmore's dark mansion, swinging open a secret panel in the wall, and pulling out a large, tattered roll of parchment. I could also see myself being caught by an enraged Sir Dunnmore, and swinging lifeless from the noose the very next morning. I shuddered at the thought.

I must have looked a little nervous, for Jack said gently, "Don' worry, Maggie. I've avoided the noose more times than I can remember. I won't let anything 'appen to you."

He smiled reassuringly, and despite the knotted feeling in my stomach I had to smile back. He had the most amazing eyes, dark and mysterious but with a strange sense of humor. They were the kind of eyes you could get lost in, if you weren't careful. I wondered if there was ever a chance that—

"You alrigh' there, Maggie?" Jack interrupted my thoughts. I could feel myself blushing. How long had I just been sitting there?

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said. Jack probably thought I was the biggest idiot to ever find herself aboard the Pearl. "I think I'd better go." Before I can do anything else stupid, I thought.

"We'll be arrivin' in Port Royal in a few days!" Jack called as I left his cabin, reminding me of what I was doing there in the first place. Focus on the task at hand, I told myself. Despite Jack assurances, there was no way I could risk being caught again.