Usual disclaimers... woe is me!

Now... you didn't think it would go smoothly... did you?

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Chapter 49 - Abduction

"Captain! Captain! The repair is not holding! We must find a safe harbour to make a proper repair..." the young midshipman gasped. Their encounter with the pirate had not gone well and they had been lucky that the HMS Coria was not already at the bottom of the ocean... but if the repair gave way further they soon would be.

Captain Robert Gillette snarled in frustration. "Best make for the nearest harbour then!" His pleasure at the title soured by the damage to his ship.

"Aye Captain," the young man acknowledged, turning to pass the order to the helmsman.

Robert Gillette pulled out his charts, carefully studying the coastline of Hispaniola for what would be the nearest safe harbour for them. They could limp in to Môle Saint Nicholas if luck was with them - it had a good natural harbour and he would be able to make repairs more easily. He knew in his heart that Theodore Groves would have had better luck on his first command. Two new ships, two new captains, their rivalry undimmed by promotion.

Sighing, he reached for his hat and walked out onto deck to stand next to the helm. Even if his first command had not been a success, he was still the Captain and would act as one.

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Bessie walked cautiously through the crowded morning market, trying to protect her stomach from the random knocks and bumps that were inevitable in such a crowd. Jack and the Black Pearl had been gone for two weeks already and she was slowly adjusting to her life without him. Henry had been wonderful - cheering her up with silly stories whenever he thought she was down and even offering to buy her another kitten when she had realised that Daffodil was still aboard the ship, forgotten in all the chaos of the house purchase.

Henry grinned at her, guiding her towards the flower merchant that she liked to buy from as Bessie liked having a simple vase of flowers in her bedroom. She looked like a flower that morning, he thought... no - a ray of sunshine with her white blonde hair and creamy yellow dress, her pregnancy giving her a contented glow that even the humidity could not dampen. A bunch of beautiful purple orchids soon gave a vivid splash of colour against her dress. "We need more milk," she said softly, "and perhaps some fresh fish for dinner?"

"Sounds good to me," he nodded. She was a good cook and he pitied his crewmates having to endure Ned Cotton's cooking now that she was not there to help him. "And then you'll have a rest?" He knew that she found the heat tiring. "Promise?"

"I promise," she smiled, narrowly avoiding two small children running unattended through the market. Resting in the shade suddenly sounded very attractive to her.

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It was her! He was certain - Bessie Masters! He had been seeing Victoria Chalk for a number of months prior to her abduction by Archibald Hughes and she had told him on her return with the other six girls how Jack Sparrow had held Bessie, how he had kept her in his cabin... and now she was not fifteen feet before him, heavily pregnant again. The white blonde hair was very distinctive, her pretty dress drawing a number of glances from men in the crowd as she shopped. He held back, looking to the men on either side of him. "I want that man and woman arrested and onboard before their absence is noticed," he ordered. "The man is a pirate - Sparrow's crew no doubt!"

"Aye Captain," the men acknowledged, drawing their swords quietly as they melted through the crowds. Robert Gillette drew his pistol waiting whilst his men moved to encircle their target. He had come ashore to purchase fresh supplies for his dinner that evening... he had not expected such a surprise.

"Good morning Miss Masters," he smiled, stepping before her as she turned in shock. He pressed his pistol to her stomach, cocking it. "You and your friend are not going to cause a scene now, are you..."

Henry snarled angrily. "You bastard!" he cursed, reaching for his own pistol. He had not seen the marines in the crowds of the market place but he quickly realised they were surrounded.

"Uh-uh," Robert Gillette tsked, his smile not matching his eyes. "I wouldn't want to have to harm the lady now... would I?" He moved closer to Bessie, smiling as she tried to backed away, bumping into one of his men. "I assume this is Sparrow's too?" He prodded her stomach with his pistol, forcing aside her hands as she tried to protect her unborn child, her flowers falling to the ground unnoticed.

"I don't know what you are talking about..." Bessie evaded, looking worriedly at Henry as one of the marines took his pistol and sword, another reaching for his belt dagger. "This island is not under English control - you have no authority here!"

"This is all the authority I need," he whispered, nodding to his pistol. He leaned closer, his breath on her ear. "Are you still Sparrow's whore Bessie?" he smiled - perhaps the damage to the HMS Coria could still reap some rewards. The Commodore would look favourably on whoever captured Jack Sparrow and he now controlled the perfect bait.

Surrounded by the marines and now weaponless, Henry slid his arm protectively around Bessie. He glanced about but realised that even if they could make a break for it, Bessie would not be able to run and he had no doubt that the Captain would shoot. "If you get a chance, go..." she whispered.

"Silence!" Robert Gillette snapped, pulling Bessie from Henry's arms and forcing her to walk ahead with him, his grasp bruising her arm with its force.

The marines forced a path through the crowds and they headed towards the docks. Henry was dismayed to see the English ship at the quayside - no chance of swimming to escape as they were escorted up the gangplank and onboard. She had clearly taken some damage recently - he hoped that the Black Pearl had been responsible.

"Take them to the brig!" Robert Gillette ordered, smiling to himself at the success of the capture.

"Captain?" One of the marines looked at him uncertainly. "Both of them Sir?"

"I said both!" he shouted, angry at having his authority questioned. "That woman is Sparrow's whore!" He pointed derisively at Bessie.

"Please," Bessie said quietly. "I am respectably married..." She put her hand on Henry's arm. "Let us go." She knew they would have no chance of escape once the ship set sail.

"Are you implying that the child you are carrying is not Sparrow's?" Robert Gillette sneered. "I find that hard to believe when your man here is likely one of his crew..."

Henry caught on quick to what Bessie was trying to do, interrupting when he could see her struggling. "My wife spent long enough trying to get free of that bastard!" he cursed. "Let her be!"

Robert Gillette's cold gaze turned on Henry, who met him eye for eye. "You are a pirate!" he accused.

"I am a merchant sailor!" Henry countered.

"Then why are you ashore?" he asked, his disbelief clear in his voice.

"I wanted to be with Bessie when she had our child," Henry explained angrily. "You have no authority on this island - let us go!" He wrapped his arm protectively around her, her own hands protecting her stomach as she eyed the pistol warily. She had lost the twins through violence and was terrified of the same happening here.

Robert Gillette sighed. "You know, for a moment I could nearly believe your story..." He walked up to Bessie, grabbing her left hand. "If it were not for this!" He held her hand up before Henry's face. "That is Sparrow's ring! I have seen it before - extremely closely!" He angrily remembered when Jack Sparrow had forced him from the HMS Dauntless, fooling all of Port Royal before commandeering the HMS Interceptor. Oh yes, he remembered that ring. He turned to Bessie, staring at her. "You may be married," he snarled, "but this is not your husband! Take them to the brig!"

He watched contentedly as they were taken below. The Commodore would indeed be pleased when he presented Sparrow's wife and not his whore to him. Sparrow's head was as good as in the noose already.