Usual disclaimers... but I'm plotting!

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Chapter 28 - The Captain's Cabin

Jack helped Bessie to a chair in the main cabin, ensuring that the blanket stayed around her. She turned her head, hearing a cat meow. "Daffodil?" Bessie gasped in surprise to see her cat sitting calmly by the stern windows, looking out at the water. The cat meowed and trotted across to her, purring around her ankles.

"Damn cat followed me back t' th' ship!" Jack explained. "Didn't have time t' take her back. She's a good ship's cat though - damned fine mouser!" He crouched before Bessie. "Let me see..." he said, carefully peeling back the blanket.

"No..." Bessie panicked, trying to hold the blanket to her.

"Bessie, I have t' wash them an' put some salve on, else th' marks will scar..." he explained.

"But..." she protested.

"Bessie..." Jack smiled reassuringly, gradually easing the blanket from her. He looked angrily at the marks, realising they were on her back as well. He stroked her cheek. "M' only regret is that I can only kill him once..." He held her eye. "Did he..." he asked warily, relieved when she shook her head. Bessie was his and he did not want any other man to have her.

"He just beat me then put me in that hole..." She shuddered, looking at him pleadingly. "Will you leave a candle lit tonight... please?"

Jack smiled, wrapping her in his arms. "I'll light a bleedin' bonfire if it'll make yer feel safe... savvy?" She nodded tearfully. "That's m' Bessie!" he grinned, slowly rising. "I'll go get th' salve an' some clothes fer yer," he said. "Don't worry, nobody will disturb yer... alright?"

Bessie smiled as she noticed him frowning at a large bruise on her cheek. "He hit me," she said quietly. "He didn't like it when I said my man would kill him..." She looked up at him suddenly tearful. "Jacob..."

Jack blinked, for a moment surprised that she had stood up to Hughes and how she had referred to him - her man. "Bones is fine," Jack assured her. "Elizabeth is patchin' him up an' we'll pick him up when we drop th' women off in Port Royal..."

"And what of me?" she asked cautiously.

"Yer are stayin' on th' Pearl Bessie," Jack said firmly. "I'll not have yer threatened like this again..."

"But I can't..." she protested.

"Yer will live onboard," Jack argued. "I can't protect yer in Port Royal an' it is clear now that I cannot even trust th' Commodore t' keep yer safe either! If yer want t' earn yer keep yer can help in th' galley... but stay yer will!"

Bessie nodded reluctantly. She could see that Jack would not be swayed and that any argument she might offer would be ignored.

"I'll be back in a moment..." Jack said, opening the cabin doors carefully and slipping out onto deck. He knew he had some dresses somewhere in the hold and determinedly rummaged through a number of chests until he found one that met with his approval. He jumped up the stairs two at a time, whistling to himself as he walked along the gun deck towards Ned Cotton's cabin. Henry Holt nodded to him as he entered the main stern cabin, beckoning him over.

"One of the women wanted to talk to you," he said quietly. "And from what I've heard they've reasoned that Bessie is your woman. She won't be able to go back to Port Royal..."

"Doesn't matter," Jack sighed. "Bessie's stayin' aboard anyway..." He turned, seeing Ned Cotton about to leave his cabin. "Cotton! I need some of that salve of yer's fer Bessie... th' bastard whipped her pretty bad..."

Ned Cotton nodded and walked back into his cabin, emerging a few moments later with a large pot of pungent smelling salve. Jack's nose wrinkled as he took the pot, lifting the lid cautiously. "Yer got anything t' make it smell nicer?" he frowned.

Ned mimed putting something behind his ears, dabbing with his fingers. "Perfume!" Jack grinned, before realising he had none onboard. "Damn!" he cursed. Ned shrugged, beckoning Jack to follow him. He walked to the galley, holding up a lemon. He held his hand out for the jar and quickly mixed some of the lemon juice in. Jack sniffed cautiously. "Ta!" He smiled, whistling happily as he returned to the cabin. The juice did indeed make it smell better, although he feared it would make the cuts sting.

He opened the cabin door quietly, surprised to find her sitting by the stern windows scratching Daffodil's ears. She jumped on hearing the door, but smiled when she saw it was him. "One more thing," he muttered, returning a few minute later with a bucket of sea water. "Let's get yer cleaned up," he smiled, locking the cabin doors and easing the remains of her undershift off. He led her to the side cabin that served as his private head, washroom and clothes store, finding a clean rag and washing her down, relieved that her legs seemed to be returning to life.

Bessie hissed in pain, the salt water stinging in the cuts.

"I've got some salve that will help," Jack explained, "but Cotton had t' scent it with lemons as it stunk!"

"But won't it..." she began.

"Yeah, I know it will probably sting too, but believe me you didn't want t' smell like it did b'fore!" Jack assured her. Gently he towelled her dry and, sitting her down again, began to rub the salve into her back. She gasped, trying to wriggle away but Jack held her firmly. "No Bessie... yer don't want these t' scar..."

Wincing with pain she sat there, her eyes filling with tears as she tried not to cry out. She shuddered as Jack came to face her, his hands pausing briefly as he reached for her breasts. Slowly she nodded, allowing him to rub the salve into her breasts and across her stomach. He smiled at her trust, eventually rising. "I could do that all day," he grinned, "but I suppose yer'd better get dressed."

"What am I to wear?" she asked worriedly, hoping that she would not have to resort to one of his old shirts and some trousers.

Jack smiled delightedly. "I've found yer a nice dress," he declared. "Unfortunately we've no undergarments, but yer'll be decent to th' eye at least..."

He held up the dress that he had placed over one of the chair backs, causing Bessie to gasp. "I can't wear that!" The dress was silk, smooth and shiny with lace around the collar and cuffs.

"It's this or go naked," he teased. "An' I think this will suit yer..." He stood before her. "Arms up..." He slid the dress over her head, the sky-blue fabric sliding gently against her bare skin. "If yer turn I will tie th' laces up fer yer..."

Slowly Bessie turned, marvelling at the fabric. Almost afraid to mark it, she touched it gently. "This is way too fine for me, Jack..." she whispered.

"Stay m' woman an' it'll be th' first of many," he tempted, leading her to the side cabin so she could see herself in the mirror.

"I..." she gasped. "I..." Bessie was speechless, throwing her arms around Jack's neck and hugging him.

"It's just a dress!" Jack protested, surprised by her reaction although he figured it was way finer than anything she had ever owned. "But it's still missin' somethin'..." He reached into a small stout box, concealing what he had taken from within. "This though will cost yer a kiss," he teased.

"I've already given you my word that I will come to you," Bessie blushed.

"Perhaps t'night yer can, but fer now I want a kiss an' this is yours..." She looked at him nervously. "Yer gonna have t' kiss me eventually," he smiled, leaning towards her. Timidly she kissed him, a quick peck on the lips before jumping backwards. "Nah Bessie, I meant a kiss like this..." Jack pressed her against the bulkhead, his mouth crushing hers as his tongue demanded entry to her mouth. Gradually her lips parted and his tongue met hers, teasing as he explored her mouth. "D' yer think yer can kiss me like that?" Eyes wide she cautiously responded, gradually gaining confidence from the delight in his eyes.

Eventually she broke away. Jack coughed. "Phew, guess you can," he laughed. "Which means this is yours..."

Jack fixed a something around her neck, a cold pendant nestling between her breasts. Her hand automatically reached for it as he turned her so she could look in the mirror. A dainty gold and pearl cross hung on a pearl necklace about her neck. Tears welled in her eyes and she kissed him again, more gently than before.

"Yer God hasn't left yer," Jack smiled, "an' neither will I..." He wrapped his arms about her, holding her to him. "Map or no map, yer are mine Bessie Masters!" he vowed.