Usual disclaimers... pah!

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Chapter 17 - On The Black Pearl

After taking her some water and making sure she was comfortable, Jack left Bessie to sleep. He could see how tired she was and quietly climbed up to the quarterdeck where Joshamee Gibbs was at the helm. Joshamee looked around, ensuring nobody was nearby. "So that's Horace's daughter. She takes after her mother luckily!" he said in a hushed voice. "Pretty little thing - needs more meat on her though!"

"She'll fill out with age and regular meals," Jack smiled, laughing quietly to himself as Joshamee's thoughts echoed his own.

"How are you going to keep her safe until you figure out where the gold is though?" Joshamee puzzled. "It could take years!"

"Protectin' her will be a worthwhile investment..." Jack began.

"In more ways than one!" Joshamee chuckled, giving Jack a sly glance as spoke, wondering if Jack's head had been turned by the maid.

Jack did not notice, pondering his options. "It might be worth it..." he mused quietly. "We have t' get her t' trust us, t' blinker her eyes to th' truth. As long as we have her an' others will have little chance at the gold..." he evaded.

Joshamee looked at Jack astutely, realising his mind was elsewhere. "Another child would bind her to us..." he ventured.

"Perhaps..." Jack's teeth glistened as he grinned in the darkness. "Mixing business an' pleasure can be so desirable..." he chuckled, thinking to himself that when Bessie was better he most definitely would mix business with pleasure. He nodded to Joshamee, leaving him at the helm as he quietly walked down the stairs to the main deck and his cabin.

Joshamee smiled quietly to himself as Jack disappeared from view. Others might be fooled, but he had known Jack for years and he was clearly serious about the young woman if he was considering trying for a child again, however much he tried to make it sound otherwise.

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Jack was surprised to find Bessie still awake when he entered, pressed up against the bulkhead and as far away from the doorway to the side cabin as possible. She squeaked as he pulled back the heavy curtain. "It's alright," he smiled, even though he knew she could not see him clearly. "It's just me Bessie..." He sat on the edge of the bunk, quickly removing his shirt and waistcoat, throwing his boots in the corner before settling next to her. He slid an arm around her, pulling her to him. "Yer can sleep now... I'm here..." he said softly, smiling as she laid her head on his chest

"Thank you," she whispered as he gently brushed the strands of hair away from her face.

He frowned, realising that what had started out as a search for a map had found a different and unexpected treasure - one he did not intend to give up. For a while he held her, watching as she slowly fell asleep, wondering which island would be safest for her to live on and for him to visit. He resolved to look at his charts in the morning - wherever she was to live would take some planning.

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Jack woke early, briefly surprised to find a warm body snuggled against him in his bunk. He rarely brought women onboard and it took him a moment to realise it was Bessie. He looked down at her, still asleep, her face half-obscured by her pale blonde hair. He lay there, listening to the creak and groans of the ship as she sailed northwards towards the Windward Passage, his trained ear listening for any noise out of place. But all was as it should be and he allowed himself the luxury of just laying there. They would reach the spot he wanted by dusk if they ran into no problems, which would be convenient for he did not want the crew to see his face as the bodies of the babies were laid to rest. He had never contemplated a family, one that he knew was truly his before and he had found the feeling strange. It was possible that he had a few children, perhaps more than a few, scattered around the world born to various whores he had been with. Bessie had been the only woman he had been able to be sure that the children were his - and now they were dead. He tensed, thinking of Hughes and the vengeance that he would have on him... for he would die, he had promised himself that.

"What now then Captain?" a voice asked quietly.

Jack jumped, not having realised Bessie was awake. "I thought yer were callin' me Jack?" he prompted.

Bessie looked up at him. "What now then Jack?" she corrected.

"It'll take us t' dusk t' reach th' Windward Passage," Jack said. "We'll lay th' babies t' rest then." He brushed the hair from her face. "Yer can stay in th' cabin if yer like, or stay beside me on deck. Nobody will bother yer."

"I'd like to see your ship," she said quietly.

Jack beamed with pride at the chance to show off the Black Pearl. "Well if yer want t' slip yer dress on I'll show yer th' galley an' we can eat..." She nodded and Jack climbed out of the bunk, giving her the space to climb out herself. "'Ere," he handed her the dress that she had folded neatly the previous night and placed on the floor, helping her into it. He dressed quickly himself, strapping on his sword belt and tucking his pistol into his sash. He smiled reassuringly at her as she stood before the cabin doors, his hand reaching for the key. "Yer'll be fine Bessie, trust me..."

"I'm beginning to..." Bessie admitted, smiling briefly.

"That's m' girl!" Jack grinned, sweeping her through the doors and out onto the deck. A few curious stares marked their passage but apart from the occasional "Captain" or "Miss" no comments were made. Ned Cotton was on duty in the galley and handed two bowlfuls of the hot oaty breakfast to them.

"Thank you," Bessie said quietly, a little surprised when the man only nodded.

Jack took her by the arm, leading her back out onto the deck. "Cotton can't speak," he explained. "Th' authorities cut his tongue out..."

Bessie gasped in shock. "That is terrible!"

"Only marginally more than his cookin'," Jack joked. "Yer should stay onboard an' we'd all eat better!"

"I'm not cut out to be a pirate," Bessie smiled, following his lead as he climbed up the stairs to the quarterdeck. A pirate she did not know was at the helm, his hand easy on the wheel.

"Miss," he nodded. "Captain, will you be wanting the helm?"

"Nah," Jack replied, shaking his head. "Just 'ere fer th' view..." He sat on a barrel, offering Bessie his lap and they sat silently watching the ship as they ate. When they had both finished Jack turned to the other pirate. "Take these t' the galley Barker," he ordered, holding out the empty bowls, "an' I'll take th' helm fer a while..." He patted Bessie's bottom, rising when she was off his lap and walked towards the wheel. Bessie sat down again on the barrel.

"Aye Captain," Paul Barker nodded, taking the bowls. "Miss," he nodded again before handing the wheel to Jack and disappearing towards the galley.

Jack waited until he was out of earshot before turning to Bessie. "Well," he said, his hand caressing the wheel affectionately. "What d' yer think of her?"

Bessie looked around the ship, pondering her answer. "She is bigger than I thought," she finally admitted. "And fast, although I am not much of a judge of ships..."

"She's th' fastest in th' Caribbean!" Jack boasted, his pride in his ship clear in his voice. "Not even th' Dauntless can catch us!"

"I'm glad," Bessie said quietly, staring out across the rail to the sea. For some reason the idea of the eccentric Captain hanging upset her. She glanced across at him, wondering if he would be true to his word about protecting her, wondering if she could really trust him.

He looked across at her, the wind blowing her hair about her face. "Come 'ere a minute," he said, gesturing her to his side. He wrapped his free arm about her as she stood next to him. "Th' only way to appreciate th' Pearl is at th' helm - so stand with me a while," he grinned, allowing his hand to wander up and down her side.

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