Usual disclaimers... guess I'll have to get used to that!
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Chapter 11 - Revelations
"What the..." Will cursed as he heard somebody banging on their door. It was the middle of the night and if the noise continued it would soon wake up young William, or Billy as he was affectionately known.
"Will?" Elizabeth stirred beside him. "What is it?"
"Visitors!" he sighed, glancing out of the window as he opened it. "Hang on!" he hissed down at the two shadows before turning back to Elizabeth as he pulled on some trousers. "It's Jack - get some clothes on!"
Leaving Elizabeth to put on her robe, Will stumbled down the stairs, grateful at least that Jack had ceased his banging. Blearily he opened the door, unsurprised to find Jack breeze airily past him as if it were nothing out of the ordinary to go visiting in the middle of the night. What did surprise him was the heavily pregnant young woman that he pulled through the door behind him.
"Jack?" Will frowned. "What the hell is going on?"
"I need Elizabeth!" Jack turned to him, fidgeting uncomfortably. "I have a problem..."
"Oh, I am problem now am I?" Bessie laughed bitterly, surprised at his attitude here. He was less sure of himself and she wondered who could have this effect on him.
"Will you let m' try t' sort this!" he hissed, looking up in relief as Elizabeth descended the stairs, a dressing gown wrapped securely about her body. "Elizabeth m' dear, yer look radiant!" he grinned.
"What trouble are you in this time Jack?" she yawned, blinking in disbelief as she saw the maid that her father had dismissed standing behind him.
Bessie took one look at Elizabeth and went white as she recognised the Governor's daughter. "Damn you!" she cursed. "Why did you bring me here?" She frantically tried to pull free of Jack's grasp, but he tightened his grip.
"Nah yer don't Bessie!" he warned. "We sort this out now!"
She slapped him angrily again. "I hate you!" she hissed, tears in her eyes as she struggled.
"Well," Will shrugged, "some things at least never change." He looked in amusement at Elizabeth who smiled. "You still have an extraordinary way with women Jack..." He turned to Bessie. "Please come through to the parlour before blood is spilled at least?"
Jack guided Bessie who was still struggling through to the small parlour, forcefully sitting her down on one of the comfortable chairs. He perched awkwardly on the arm of the chair next to her, his hand clamped on her arm. Elizabeth took the remaining chair and Will stood behind her. "Okay," she sighed. "Since it appears this could not wait until a more civilized hour, I suggest you start explaining Jack... now!"
"I..." he started, flustered. "I..." Bessie looked at him in surprise.
"What?" Elizabeth raised an eyebrow sceptically at him. "The great Captain Jack Sparrow lost for words?" She turned to Bessie. "I take it this is what you refused to tell Anthony?"
Bessie nodded. "I couldn't say, could I? If I had nobody would have employed me. I was lucky to find a job at the Grey Mare as it was..."
"You're working at the Grey Mare?" Jack interrupted angrily. "No way Missy! That ends now!"
"Oh right!" she retorted angrily. "And what would you have me do? Starve?"
"You're not working there!" Jack argued. "That isn't a tavern, it's a dive!"
"In a few weeks time it won't matter! I'll be out of a job anyway!" she cried.
Will had a feeling that the two of them had been arguing for quite some time, well before they even reached his house. "Hang on," he interrupted. "Jack, start at the beginning! How do you know Bessie?"
"Because she knows where Horace Masters' map is!" Jack explained.
"I don't!" Bessie protested. "How many times to I have to tell you that?"
"Jack, why should she know?" Elizabeth puzzled. She recognised the name but failed to see the connection to this young woman.
"She's his daughter!" Jack sighed. She had to know he reasoned for if she did not then nobody did and all of Masters' treasure would be lost for eternity... and that did not bear thinking about.
"How dare you!" Bessie hissed furiously at Jack, raising her hand to slap him again. He caught it.
"Twice in one day is enough fer any man Bessie," he grinned. "An' yer are in good company - Will 'ere is th' son of Bootstrap Bill Turner!" She looked doubtfully at Will. "Trust me," Jack assured her, "he is!"
"But I thought her name was Smith?" Will frowned. Jack looked at him with pity. "Oh," Will mumbled, blushing, remembering the numerous times Jack himself had used the surname Smith.
"What do you want us to do," Elizabeth sighed. "I take it the child is yours Jack?"
"It is..." Jack nodded. "But I can't be around much. Norrington is already getting suspicious as t' why I was 'ere so much last time... if he knows I've got a child then he'll just camp outside Bessie's door an' take me next time I visit..." He looked at Elizabeth beseechingly. "Yer a woman Elizabeth, yer've got a child an' know how these things work..."
"Midwives aren't cheap," Elizabeth sighed. "You know we live off Will's earnings!"
"I'll pay," Jack offered. "An' fer food an' everythin'..."
"I take it you are going to get married?" Elizabeth reasoned, frowning at the thought.
"What?" Jack gasped in horror.
"No way!" Bessie cried.
"But surely..." Elizabeth began, flustered. "Isn't that what all this is about?"
"I'd rather have my child called a bastard!" Bessie retorted.
Elizabeth looked at Bessie in puzzlement. "Will, perhaps you would take Jack to the kitchen to see if we have any rum," she suggested. "And stay there!"
Will nodded to Jack and the two of them quietly left the women alone. "Alright Bessie, what really happened... not Jack's version alright?"
Bessie slowly nodded. She knew she would have to have at least one woman there for her when she gave birth. The prospect terrified her, even more than the identity of her child's father becoming known. Haltingly she explained how Jack had found her, how her home had been destroyed and how she had fled to Port Royal. She said how he had tricked his way into her home, and how he had treated her, including how he got her drunk in order to sleep with her before disappearing with the Commodore chasing him. "He did not return until today..."
Elizabeth was angry, her eyes dark as she stormed into the kitchen. Bessie was rewarded to hear another hard slap land on Jack, Elizabeth's voice carrying through to where she sat. "That was the most disgraceful story I have ever heard Jack!" she raged. "I honestly never thought you would sink that low!"
"But... I..." he protested, arms waving as he tried to fend her off.
"It is not surprising she hates you, is it?" Elizabeth pressed, poking him in the chest with her finger. "Now you get back in there and you make it up to Bessie!" she ordered. "Apologise to her! Because if you don't I'll call for the watch myself!"
"Elizabeth! I..." he began.
"Now Jack Sparrow!" she hissed. "Now or by God I swear I will call them this very instant!"
Jack walked back into the parlour, shamefaced and stood before Bessie. Elizabeth followed closely behind him, trailed by a puzzled Will who was still trying to figure out if being slapped three times in one day was in fact a record for Jack. Bessie looked up at him.
"I'm sorry Bessie," he mumbled.
"I can't hear you Jack!" Elizabeth warned.
"I am sorry Bessie," Jack said more clearly. "I will make this up t' yer somehow..."
"Right," Elizabeth ordered. "If that is the worst of this settled tonight? You will see that Bessie has enough money and enough food to survive when you are not around!" She smiled down at Bessie. "If you need anything, come and see us," she offered. "Even if it is simply slapping Jack! Although right now I'd like to return to bed..."
Bessie smiled back at her, surprised at the kindness she had been shown. "Thank you," she smiled, reluctantly accepting Jack's offer of an arm to help her from the chair. Perhaps the future would not be as bleak as she feared. At least when she got back to her own home she could at last eat and seek her own bed for she was exhausted beyond reckoning.
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Chapter 11 - Revelations
"What the..." Will cursed as he heard somebody banging on their door. It was the middle of the night and if the noise continued it would soon wake up young William, or Billy as he was affectionately known.
"Will?" Elizabeth stirred beside him. "What is it?"
"Visitors!" he sighed, glancing out of the window as he opened it. "Hang on!" he hissed down at the two shadows before turning back to Elizabeth as he pulled on some trousers. "It's Jack - get some clothes on!"
Leaving Elizabeth to put on her robe, Will stumbled down the stairs, grateful at least that Jack had ceased his banging. Blearily he opened the door, unsurprised to find Jack breeze airily past him as if it were nothing out of the ordinary to go visiting in the middle of the night. What did surprise him was the heavily pregnant young woman that he pulled through the door behind him.
"Jack?" Will frowned. "What the hell is going on?"
"I need Elizabeth!" Jack turned to him, fidgeting uncomfortably. "I have a problem..."
"Oh, I am problem now am I?" Bessie laughed bitterly, surprised at his attitude here. He was less sure of himself and she wondered who could have this effect on him.
"Will you let m' try t' sort this!" he hissed, looking up in relief as Elizabeth descended the stairs, a dressing gown wrapped securely about her body. "Elizabeth m' dear, yer look radiant!" he grinned.
"What trouble are you in this time Jack?" she yawned, blinking in disbelief as she saw the maid that her father had dismissed standing behind him.
Bessie took one look at Elizabeth and went white as she recognised the Governor's daughter. "Damn you!" she cursed. "Why did you bring me here?" She frantically tried to pull free of Jack's grasp, but he tightened his grip.
"Nah yer don't Bessie!" he warned. "We sort this out now!"
She slapped him angrily again. "I hate you!" she hissed, tears in her eyes as she struggled.
"Well," Will shrugged, "some things at least never change." He looked in amusement at Elizabeth who smiled. "You still have an extraordinary way with women Jack..." He turned to Bessie. "Please come through to the parlour before blood is spilled at least?"
Jack guided Bessie who was still struggling through to the small parlour, forcefully sitting her down on one of the comfortable chairs. He perched awkwardly on the arm of the chair next to her, his hand clamped on her arm. Elizabeth took the remaining chair and Will stood behind her. "Okay," she sighed. "Since it appears this could not wait until a more civilized hour, I suggest you start explaining Jack... now!"
"I..." he started, flustered. "I..." Bessie looked at him in surprise.
"What?" Elizabeth raised an eyebrow sceptically at him. "The great Captain Jack Sparrow lost for words?" She turned to Bessie. "I take it this is what you refused to tell Anthony?"
Bessie nodded. "I couldn't say, could I? If I had nobody would have employed me. I was lucky to find a job at the Grey Mare as it was..."
"You're working at the Grey Mare?" Jack interrupted angrily. "No way Missy! That ends now!"
"Oh right!" she retorted angrily. "And what would you have me do? Starve?"
"You're not working there!" Jack argued. "That isn't a tavern, it's a dive!"
"In a few weeks time it won't matter! I'll be out of a job anyway!" she cried.
Will had a feeling that the two of them had been arguing for quite some time, well before they even reached his house. "Hang on," he interrupted. "Jack, start at the beginning! How do you know Bessie?"
"Because she knows where Horace Masters' map is!" Jack explained.
"I don't!" Bessie protested. "How many times to I have to tell you that?"
"Jack, why should she know?" Elizabeth puzzled. She recognised the name but failed to see the connection to this young woman.
"She's his daughter!" Jack sighed. She had to know he reasoned for if she did not then nobody did and all of Masters' treasure would be lost for eternity... and that did not bear thinking about.
"How dare you!" Bessie hissed furiously at Jack, raising her hand to slap him again. He caught it.
"Twice in one day is enough fer any man Bessie," he grinned. "An' yer are in good company - Will 'ere is th' son of Bootstrap Bill Turner!" She looked doubtfully at Will. "Trust me," Jack assured her, "he is!"
"But I thought her name was Smith?" Will frowned. Jack looked at him with pity. "Oh," Will mumbled, blushing, remembering the numerous times Jack himself had used the surname Smith.
"What do you want us to do," Elizabeth sighed. "I take it the child is yours Jack?"
"It is..." Jack nodded. "But I can't be around much. Norrington is already getting suspicious as t' why I was 'ere so much last time... if he knows I've got a child then he'll just camp outside Bessie's door an' take me next time I visit..." He looked at Elizabeth beseechingly. "Yer a woman Elizabeth, yer've got a child an' know how these things work..."
"Midwives aren't cheap," Elizabeth sighed. "You know we live off Will's earnings!"
"I'll pay," Jack offered. "An' fer food an' everythin'..."
"I take it you are going to get married?" Elizabeth reasoned, frowning at the thought.
"What?" Jack gasped in horror.
"No way!" Bessie cried.
"But surely..." Elizabeth began, flustered. "Isn't that what all this is about?"
"I'd rather have my child called a bastard!" Bessie retorted.
Elizabeth looked at Bessie in puzzlement. "Will, perhaps you would take Jack to the kitchen to see if we have any rum," she suggested. "And stay there!"
Will nodded to Jack and the two of them quietly left the women alone. "Alright Bessie, what really happened... not Jack's version alright?"
Bessie slowly nodded. She knew she would have to have at least one woman there for her when she gave birth. The prospect terrified her, even more than the identity of her child's father becoming known. Haltingly she explained how Jack had found her, how her home had been destroyed and how she had fled to Port Royal. She said how he had tricked his way into her home, and how he had treated her, including how he got her drunk in order to sleep with her before disappearing with the Commodore chasing him. "He did not return until today..."
Elizabeth was angry, her eyes dark as she stormed into the kitchen. Bessie was rewarded to hear another hard slap land on Jack, Elizabeth's voice carrying through to where she sat. "That was the most disgraceful story I have ever heard Jack!" she raged. "I honestly never thought you would sink that low!"
"But... I..." he protested, arms waving as he tried to fend her off.
"It is not surprising she hates you, is it?" Elizabeth pressed, poking him in the chest with her finger. "Now you get back in there and you make it up to Bessie!" she ordered. "Apologise to her! Because if you don't I'll call for the watch myself!"
"Elizabeth! I..." he began.
"Now Jack Sparrow!" she hissed. "Now or by God I swear I will call them this very instant!"
Jack walked back into the parlour, shamefaced and stood before Bessie. Elizabeth followed closely behind him, trailed by a puzzled Will who was still trying to figure out if being slapped three times in one day was in fact a record for Jack. Bessie looked up at him.
"I'm sorry Bessie," he mumbled.
"I can't hear you Jack!" Elizabeth warned.
"I am sorry Bessie," Jack said more clearly. "I will make this up t' yer somehow..."
"Right," Elizabeth ordered. "If that is the worst of this settled tonight? You will see that Bessie has enough money and enough food to survive when you are not around!" She smiled down at Bessie. "If you need anything, come and see us," she offered. "Even if it is simply slapping Jack! Although right now I'd like to return to bed..."
Bessie smiled back at her, surprised at the kindness she had been shown. "Thank you," she smiled, reluctantly accepting Jack's offer of an arm to help her from the chair. Perhaps the future would not be as bleak as she feared. At least when she got back to her own home she could at last eat and seek her own bed for she was exhausted beyond reckoning.