Yet again, usual disclaimers apply throughout this tale. If you recognise it, it probably belongs to the Mouse – else it is mine!

Chapter 9 – Family Revelations

The crew cheered when they returned, a brace of young feral goats between them. Joshamee Gibbs did not miss Catherine's blush though. She was aware that not all of the cheers were for the goats and was grateful that nothing more was said. "Ah well," he sighed "they're both respectable adults..." He stopped and looked at Jack. "Well, perhaps one of them is," he amended silently.

The feast was truly memorable, with the ship's watch rotated and everyone swam to shore, or floated their way in on a makeshift raft. The goats were spit roasted over a flame pit and Jack ordered a fresh barrel of ale to be opened as well as a number of bottles of rum.

Catherine sat a short distance from the men, not wanting to be so close to so many. She gnawed at a chunk of meat, wriggling her toes in the sand as she looked up at the stars. Despite the late hour, James' eyes were bright with wonder and delight at the spectacle.

"How am I going to explain this to your uncle..." Catherine sighed quietly to herself.

"Eh?" Jack glanced at her as he walked past before realising she had not been speaking to him. "Yer have never said who his uncle is, you know. Nor who yer brother is?"

She turned to face him, eyes distant in the firelight. "No, I haven't." She rose and walked a short distance away from him along the beach, hugging her arms about her in the chill evening air, wishing she still had her shawl that had been lost on the Lynn.

Jack followed. "So who is yer brother? Who is Jimmy's uncle..." He left the question hanging, until he could stand it no longer. Grabbing her arm he drew her to him. "Who?"

Catherine looked away, looked anywhere but at his face. "I cannot tell you..." she whispered.

"Who?" Jack demanded, suddenly worrying that he had become involved with a woman he realised he knew very little about. Catherine had told him why she was going to Port Royal, but she had not mentioned any names.

"Please Jack, you're hurting me..." she pleaded, but he did not release her. "Captain, please..."

Tears welled in her eyes, but Jack ignored them. "No, Missy, you'll tell me or you'll never get to Port Royal. I'll not have passengers that threaten the safety of my crew..." he warned.

"I am no threat..." she protested.

"No, but yer brother could be. Th' boy's uncle?" He drew her close. "Tell me!" he hissed angrily, "Or do I get Jimmy to tell?"

Catherine's face crumpled in defeat as he picked the one threat that she had no defence against. "My brother is Lieutenant Theodore Groves. He serves in His Majesty's Navy at Port Royal," she whispered.

Jack gaped, momentarily stunned, almost afraid to ask his second question. "An' Jimmy's uncle?" he pressed.

"Your word you will do him no harm?" Catherine faced him, tears running down her face, frightened but defiant. "Vow you will do him no harm!" Whatever the captain might do to her, she knew she had to protect James.

"You'd think that of me?" he sighed, surprised that she thought he could harm a boy barely five years old. "No, I'll not hurt 'im..." he assured her. "Trust me?"

"I..." she struggled, still clearly reluctant to do so.

"Tell me!" His grip tightened until he saw her wince in pain, but he had to know.

"James Norrington... Commodore James Norrington," she sobbed, struggling to free herself from his grasp.

"Norrington?" he gasped, dropping her arm in shock. Freed of his grip, Catherine fled into the night, sprinting into the darkness as fast as she could. "Kitty!" Jack called after her, but she did not stop and by the time it entered his mind to follow her she was already out of sight.

Jack stalked back to the fire, reaching for the nearest bottle of rum. The crew said nothing, and although they had not heard the conversation, Joshamee Gibbs looked at him reproachfully. Jack glowered back, realising how she had worked her way into their affections with her skill at cooking, even turning the superstitious Joshamee Gibbs. "Damn woman!" Jack cursed and grabbing one of the torches he stalked up the beach to look for her.

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He found her asleep several hours later, scrunched under the bushes to avoid his gaze. Indeed, he had only found her due to the glint of firelight from his torch reflected on her wedding ring. He sat down next to her, swigging rum as he watched her sleep, ashamed of the bruise he could clearly see on her wrist. So the child was James Norrington's nephew? It was no wonder she had been so reluctant to tell him but would he do anything about it now? No, he realised he could not tell the crew. James might be safe with a few of his more trusted men – Joshamee Gibbs, Ned Cotton, but the others? He did not know. James Norrington had hanged a lot of pirates in the Caribbean and her own brother, Theodore Groves, was already proving a wily adversary. He suspected that her husband had been naval too but other than a whispered name she had not mentioned him.

If he had known who she and the child were he would have ransomed them, but how could he ransom a woman who had given herself to him, albeit grudgingly the first time. Jack smiled, remembering she had not been so reluctant the second. For a moment he contemplated still ransoming the two of them, realising with delight how it would irritate James Norrington, but shook his head. No, he had given his word over her revelation and he would keep it, although it did not stop him worrying about the possible ramifications of his actions. Despite everything, he was surprised to admit to himself that he still wanted her, even more so after the second time and he knew that if he were to choose that path she would be lost to him forever. He sighed heavily. Well, you could not choose your own family, as he himself knew.

"You reek of rum!" Catherine complained from beneath the bushes.

"I'm sorry, Kitty," he sighed, turning to find her red-rimmed eyes looking at him cautiously. "I was wrong, but I'll not go back on m' word. I'll see you an' Jimmy to Nassau as soon as th' Pearl is fit to sail."

Catherine realised that he was not used to apologising, and that these words were the nearest she would ever get to one. "Thank you, Captain."

"What… not calling me Jack anymore?" He frowned, offering her some of his rum.

Catherine scrambled from beneath the bushes to sit beside him and took a cautious drink. "Your rum tastes foul too!" she complained.

"S'all I got," he shrugged, "but there's water by th' fire if yer prefer?"

"Thank you, but I'm fine," she replied.

Jack saw the shutters return, her hurt shielded in politeness. He sighed deeply, wishing she would smile and return to being the woman that had cried out his name with pleasure earlier that day. "What, no kiss'n'make up?" he teased.

"You don't give up, do you?" She looked at him uncertainly. "For crying out loud, my brother is your sworn enemy! What do you want from me?" she demanded.

"Just you," he replied quietly, all trace of his drunken slur gone from his voice as he saw tears sliding down her face.

"I'd have thought you'd have satisfied your curiosity earlier today…" she said bitterly.

He leaned closer, kissing her suggestively. "But I'm insatiably curious, luv" he smiled, "and I seem to remember a promise of three days such delightful curiosity..." He looked at her carefully. "Did I not please yer too?" he asked.

"I..." she blushed, unused to such frank talk.

"I'll take that as a yes then," he grinned, reaching for her shirt. "P'raps I can please yer this time as well..."

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