During the next five years, the same battle raged in the Kingsley household, always ending with someone stomping off, furious.
When Rose was fifteen, her mother and Amos were sure they had won; Rose was a very pretty young woman with long reddish-brown hair, and a sweet disposition, at least when her parents were around. She walked, talked, and dressed like a young lady. She even had a few suitors, all of which she deeply loathed. Her mother didn't seem to notice this slight detail, whether by her own choice, or through pure oblivion Rose was unsure.
One evening in July, while her parents were out, Rose decided that she wanted to go for a walk in town.
Strolling along, she did not notice the drunken pirate tailing her. When he had caught up to her, he walked casually up behind her, put a pistol to the side of her head, and said gruffly, "Give me all yer valuables, an' be quick about it!"
Rose began to give him her jewellery, wondering what her mother would say, when she heard a voice call out, "Come now, is that any way to treat a lady?"
This bought her enough time to disarm the wretch, reclaim her pearl earrings, and point the pistol at the pirtate's forehead. The man who had called to the drunk, stood staring at her, shocked that she was able to disarm her attacker so easily.
"What are you looking at?" she said rather rudely. "It was no amazing feat, he's drunk."
The drunkard shrugged, got to his feet, and staggered off down the street, muttering to himself, "Last time I try to rob a dame.''
"I'll keep the pistol, thank you." Rose called after him, and then turned to thank the man for distracting the pirate. But he was gone and she hadn't seen which way he'd went. It was getting late, and she did not want her parents to catch her out, so she went home quietly, clutching her new pistol.
When she got home later that night, she wrapped her pistol in a bandana and hid it in the back of her bedside table. Despite what had happened to her earlier that evening, she couldn't help wanting to go back, in fact she found it very exciting.
The next time her mother and stepfather went out, she did go back, this time making sure she dressed poorly, as not to attract unwanted attention.
Bringing her pistol for protection, Rose made her way down the same dirty street that she had walked on her last little 'adventure'. At the end of the street, she turned right and entered a pub called The Faithful Bride, and ordered a bottle of rum, just to be daring.
The old bartender looked at her, raised his eyebrows and asked, " 'Ave ya been here b'fore lass?"
"No," she said, puzzled, "I've never been here in my life."
"Oh," he said, looking confused. "Thing is, ya look awful familiar."
Rose shrugged, and the old man went on, "Maybe I know your father, does he come here often?"
He handed her another bottle of rum, as she had already downed the first.
"I wouldn't know," she said casually. "I've never met the man, for all I know he's dead."
"Oh." Said the bartender apologetically.
Just then a loud group of laughing seamen burst through the door of the tavern.
"What can I get for you lads?" the old man bellowed over the hubbub of the men.
"Shut up you pack of scurvy dogs!" shouted a very familiar voice.
The man Rose had seen only a few days before stepped forward and said, "Drinks all around if you please, Sir." The bartender smiled. "Hello Jack, how's life been for ya of late?"
"Fair enough Pete," said Jack, sitting down at the bar next to Rose.
"Jack," Rose began, but he cut her off.
"Wait, wait, do I know you?" He asked, bewildered.
Rose laughed, "Perhaps you'd recognise me better like this." She put her pistol to the side of her head.
He laughed, "Ah, yes, the one getting robbed. I remember now. Where did you learn to defend yourself like that?" he asked her.
Rose shrugged modestly, "I don't know, it just comes naturally I suppose."
Jack raised his eyebrows and fiddled with a piece of his beaded hair. "What are you doing in a bar like this anyway?" He questioned her in an amused tone.
"A bar like what?" She laughed bitterly, "Why shouldn't I be in a bar, is it because I'm a woman?"
"Not so," Jack found her indignant attitude funny. "There are plenty of women in here." He gestured towards a black woman seated nearby. "Take Anna-Maria for example she's a member of my crew."
"Only 'cause he was too scared to tell her she couldn't be," said a pirate, choking with laughter.
"That's not the point." Said Jack, agitated at the man's remark. "The point is that...that...oh! You made me forget my point!" Jack shoved the man off his barstool.
"You wanted to know what I'm doing here?" Rose giggled, having had a bit much to drink. "I'm here because it feels right, I feel at home here." And with that conclusion she downed the last of her rum.
