Yet again, usual disclaimers apply throughout this tale. If you recognise it, it probably belongs to the Mouse – else it is mine!
Chapter 4 – Whispered Introductions
Dawn came and went the next day, as did noon, before Ned Cotton ran from the main cabin, gesturing wildly for Jack. Joshamee Gibbs grabbed the wheel as Jack jumped the stairs three at a time before diving into his cabin, braids and beads flying. They were awake – both of them – but the boy looked terrified. He took one look at Jack and started to scream.
"Too loud, young sir, too loud!" Jack put his hands to his ears, wincing. Loud noises did not sit well with him after so little sleep. The woman, to his gratitude, weakly struggled to sit and pulled the child to her.
"Sssshhh James." Her voice was a mere whisper, husky, as if she had forgotten how to use it. She faced him defiantly, but her eyes were terrified as she bit her swollen lip. "Is this another pirate ship, Captain?" she whispered, assuming that this man, although he did not look it, was the Captain. And a pirate. He certainly dressed to give that effect. His hair was long and dark, beaded and braided, contained by a rather dirty red bandanna. His breeches were faded blue, tucked into brown boots and his shirt might have once been white in a previous life.
Jack was delighted that she had called him captain without any prompting and that meant a lot to a man forever going through life reminding people of his rank. "Aye Missy, that it is," he grinned proudly. "But yer are safe with us, we'll not harm women or children on this ship..." He frowned and took a step closer to her, from her looks she had clearly been beaten, if not worse. Her reaction to that one step confirmed his fears. She blanched and pressed herself against the bulkhead, as far away from him as she could, visibly shaking in terror.
"I meant what I said, Missy. We will not harm yer or th' boy, I promise," he repeated.
"What worth is a promise from a pirate, Captain?" she whispered, holding the child to her as if he were a shield.
"Dammit woman! I won't harm you!" he cursed, walking up to the bunk. Slowly drawing his pistol he was amazed that she could pale further. He sighed in exasperation, handing the pistol to her. "If I break m' word then yer can shoot me... all right?"
Jack walked back towards his chair, and froze, surprised as he heard her cock the pistol. Not many women knew how to handle such a weapon and he wondered for a panicked moment if he had miscalculated. Slowly, deliberately, he turned to face her, leaning against the door frame to his side cabin.
Her hand was shaking and she was having difficulty holding his pistol in her bandaged hands. She held his eyes even though she bit her lip in doubt. It was a revealing gesture he thought, smiling. Eventually she spoke. "Why should I trust your word, Captain..."
"Sparrow, Captain Jack Sparrow, luv," he smiled, "an' it's either trust me or shoot me." He paused. "Although I'm not too fond of th' second option if yer get m' drift? Savvy?"
"Where is Sarah?" she asked quietly.
For a moment, her change of subject threw him, but then he realised she meant the baby. "Yer babe's body is safe, but we will have t' consign her to th' sea soon... I'm sorry..."
His courtesy disarmed her, quite literally as she uncocked the pistol, laying it carefully down. "I understand. Thank you, Captain…" she sighed, "but Sarah isn't my child and neither is James. I am merely escorting them to their uncle at Port Royal. I seem to keep running into pirates..."
"Aye, it's a terrible hazard in these waters, Missy..." he grinned.
"Please, Captain, my name is Catherine, Catherine Reyes. I think I am a bit too old for all this Missying," she sighed.
"Whatever yer say, luv. I'll send Cotton in t' see t' you. He's our ship's doctor – so yer can trust him too. Try not to shoot him." He winked at her and left the cabin.
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