Usual disclaimers... but I'm plotting!
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Chapter 32 - The Going Rate
Jack paced around the main cabin, swallowing and glancing anxiously at the closed drapes. Muffled squeals of frustration could still be heard and occasionally Bessie could be heard bashing her feet against the bulkhead. He took a large swig of rum, leaving the bottle on the table, removing his weapons before slowly pulling back the drapes.
He looked at her as she glared at him, leaning against the doorway as he pondered his words. "If I told yer I loved yer, would yer believe me then?" Bessie's eyes narrowed as he walked towards her, perching in the edge of the bunk. "As soon as I can I'll set yer ashore, I promise Bessie," he sighed. "But I meant it when I said that it was too dangerous. In a few days Hughes will be dead, but there may be others. Until your father's treasure is found yer will get no peace, no safety, an' if yer are ashore then there is nothin' I can do t' protect yer." He pulled the gag from her mouth, pulling his finger back sharply as she went to bite him. "Not nice!" he chided.
"Not nice? Not nice is having you sit there and lie to me!" she retorted angrily.
"I haven't lied!" Jack protested.
"Sure," she replied sarcastically. "And the first words from your mouth were the truth? I don't think so! You lie as easily as you breathe!"
Jack undid the storm ties, slowly releasing her from his sash. He threw it to the other side of the cabin as she sat up, rubbing her wrists. "I meant what I said Bessie. It might have started out as a search fer yer father's treasure, but that isn't so important any more..." He stroked her cheek, smiling ruefully. "I'd ask yer t' marry me if I thought yer'd accept..."
"I'd sooner marry the Devil," she spat.
Jack shrugged, smiling to himself. "I thought that is what you called me?" he teased.
"I trusted you!" Bessie looked at him, shaking her head slowly. "I can't believe I actually trusted you!" Her distress was clear in her eyes.
"You can still trust me Bessie..." he began.
"I'll never trust you again," she retorted.
Jack looked at her sadly. "Just promise me then that yer'll not try t' hurt yerself then?" he asked, holding her chin in his hand, forcing her to meet his eyes. "Promise?" he pressed.
Bessie looked at him for what seemed an age before slowly nodding. "I promise," she said quietly, the fight and the anger gone from her.
"I've got to sort out droppin' off th' women," Jack apologised, rising. "Will yer be alright?"
"I'll survive," she said bitterly. "I always survive."
Jack sighed regretfully, leaving without further comment realising that whatever he said or did would probably only make things worse.
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Bessie watched him go, before leaving the side cabin and sitting by the stern windows, looking out at the sea through her tears. She had thought she could trust him, believing him to be different, but he was not. She was trapped, caught by a pirate who would not let her go until she gave him the treasure... and she genuinely did not know where it was. She wondered if Elizabeth knew of his deceit, or if she and her husband were in on it too - after all, had Jack not said that Will was a son of a pirate? For a moment she wished she could talk to Elizabeth, but she knew that Jack would never let her off the ship. Dejectedly she dragged a blanket from the bunk, curling up on the padded seat by the stern windows. She would work as she had promised, but she was damned if she was going to share his bunk.
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Jack watched as four of his crewmen returned from rowing the women ashore in the largest of the ships boats. He had waited until dark, giving them a lantern so that they could see to walk the short distance to Port Royal. Once free of them he intended to sail to the bay and wait for Jacob Bone to arrive. He would know that Jack would wait for him there and should at least be well enough by now to walk there. Once the boat was safely onboard he returned to his cabin, surprised to find it in darkness, the candle burnt out.
"Bessie?" he called softly, but he got no response. Assuming that she was asleep, he took off his clothes and wandered into the side cabin. "What the..." he gasped, stunned that she was not there. Frowning, he lit a fresh candle, realising that she could not have left the ship. A soft whimper caught his ear and he returned to the main cabin, spotting her next to the windows, curled beneath a blanket that was threatening to fall off her as she thrashed about in her sleep. She was obviously having a bad dream. Jack extinguished the light and walked across to her. "Bessie," he called. "Bessie..."
She woke with a frightened squeak, pressing herself against the window and as far away from him as she could, her eyes slowly registering his presence.
"Are yer alright?" Jack asked. "Yer looked like yer were having a bad dream?"
"I still am," she muttered sourly.
"Come t' bed Bessie," Jack tempted. "Yer can't sleep out here..."
"I can and I will," she retorted angrily. "Leave me alone!"
"Don't be daft," Jack smiled, reaching out to her.
"Daft?" she snorted derisively. "I may be daft, but at least I am not a lying, deceitful bastard of a pirate!" she hissed.
"That's not true!" Jack protested. "An yer can't sleep here!"
"Fine! I'll sleep on the floor then!" she spat, pulling her blanket about her and settling on the floor.
"Like hell yer will!" he cursed, grabbing her wrist and hauling her to her feet. He dragged her protesting through to the side cabin, throwing her on the bunk and blocking the doorway. "Yer sleep here!"
Bessie climbed off the bunk, trying to force her way past him. "Let me go!" she protested.
Jack shook his head. "No!" he argued. "Yer will listen t' me Bessie Masters an' yer will listen good!" Jack warned. "I meant what I said earlier! I've been lying to the crew, not to you!" Grabbing her arms he marched her backwards, forcing her to sit on the edge of the bunk. "I feared if they knew th' truth I'd be laughed off th' ship!"
"You wouldn't know what truth is if it bit you!" Bessie retorted.
"How's this fer truth?" Jack argued, grabbing her and forcing her back onto the bunk, holding her down as he kissed her. Feeling his body respond he pressed her hand to his groin. "See how much I want yer woman?" he asked.
"Go find yourself a whore!" she countered.
"If yer won't be m' woman then that is what yer will be!" Jack snarled, finally snapping. "Th' going rate is a shilling a poke... so I reckon yer are mine fer another forty seven times!"
"You..." Bessie gasped in disbelief. "You wouldn't!"
"Try me!" he threatened, pulling her shirt open. Buttons flew across the cabin and she suddenly burst into tears as he ripped it from her.
"Please, Jack" she sobbed. "Not like this..."
"Then what is it t' be Bessie - m' woman or m' whore?" Jack asked. Bessie looked at him, her eyes pleading, but he ignored her. "What's it t' be?" he pressed, feeling a louse when he saw her crumple.
"I'll be your woman," she cried tearfully, reaching to take her trousers off. He eased off slightly, allowing her to wriggle them to her ankles, kicking them to the floor. "Please don't hurt me," she whispered.
"Dammit Bessie!" he cursed, taking his shirt off and holding her to him. "All I want t' do is t' luv yer an' protect yer...please trust me!"
Bessie shook her head. "I can't," she explained. "You lie too well..."
"I'm not lying when I say I luv yer," Jack sighed, kissing her gently on the forehead. "Please Bessie, trust me again?" She just lay there, looking at him with tears running down her face. Regret filled his eyes and he settled down beside her, wrapping his arms about her naked body and pulling the blanket across them. "I won't touch yer Bessie if yer don't want me to," he offered, unsurprised when she did not answer him. He kissed her gently on the forehead again. "G'night luv," he muttered, shutting his eyes but not sleeping. He knew when he awoke they would be at the bay and he resolved to sneak into town to visit Will and Elizabeth. He needed to talk to Elizabeth in the hope that she could figure a way out of the mess that he was now in for he did not have a clue.