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

Chapter 10 – Nassau Port

It was not until early morning, just after dawn, when they returned to the fire, it's embers glowing sullenly as Joshamee Gibbs tried to encourage it into life. "Morning Captain, Kitty."

"Morning Joshamee," Catherine smiled quietly as she checked on James who was curled up asleep in some blankets near one of the fires.

"Been asleep all night," Joshamee said, "and no problem at all! Zeke's been cooking breakfast if you two are hungry..." He headed towards the largest fire where a pot was suspended over the fire, intent on his own breakfast.

Catherine sighed, relieved that James had not seemed to miss her. The last thing she wanted was having to explain her absence to him. She caught Jack staring at the child, studying James intently as if he could spot the resemblance to the Commodore. She looked at him cautiously, biting her lip, afraid that he would say something, frightened of what the pirate in him was contemplating.

He caught her eye, shrugging wryly. "I keep m' word Kitty," he said quietly ensuring that they were not overheard. "I've never broken an accord."

She nodded as she knelt down to wake James. "Wake up, sluggard," she whispered. "It's breakfast time!" James blinked, slowly waking up. His eyes took in the beach and the pirates sitting around the fire. She helped him up and led him towards the fire, aware of Jack's eyes following her.

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After breakfast Jack ferried them back to the Black Pearl on the makeshift raft. He needed to check on the repairs even though he knew it would take a number of days before they were complete. When James was playing with the macaw, Jack cornered Catherine in the cabin as she changed back into her grey dress.

"Yer look better out of it," he grinned at her from the doorway of the side cabin.

"Captain!" she cried, shocked that he had been spying on her. "How dare you!"

Jack pouted. "It's my cabin, or at least it was th' last time I checked." He walked closer, putting his arms around her as she stood in her undershift, kissing her neck. "Should I lock th' doors?" he whispered, walking her from the side cabin and then back again so he could reach the lock without either the need to release her or to stop kissing her.

"Captain!" she protested, backing away, or trying to, as he kissed her again, more deeply, until she was pressed back against the bunk.

"I always figured a mattress was more comfortable than th' ground," he grinned, sliding her undershift from her shoulders. "An' I thought yer'd agreed t' call me Jack?" He leaned down, kissing her again, delighted to see her body respond to his touch.

"Please, Jack, I..." she continued, but his mouth stifled her protests as he wriggled from his breeches, keeping one hand wrapped around her.

"I most definitely do intend t' please Kitty," he grinned, scooping her into his arms and dropping her playfully on the bunk before quickly clambering up to join her. "Most definitely," he murmured, his kisses gaining in urgency as he felt her reserve melt, her body moving against him. "As you please me..."

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Catherine was surprised to find herself alone when she awoke and she quickly slipped from the bunk and slid her undershift on. At any moment she expected Jack to return and repeat his attentions, but she managed to get fully dressed without him putting in an appearance. Awkwardly she struggled with her laces until she considered herself to be respectable. Quietly she left the cabin, shutting the doors firmly behind her, only to find herself face to face with the tall dark form of Zeke Jones.

"Ah there you are Kitty!" he smiled warmly. "I was looking for you to help in the galley..."

"I was just getting changed," she explained, flustered, cursing the guilty blush that crept into her cheeks.

Zeke smiled knowingly. He had seen the captain have that effect on more women than he cared to remember, although none that Jack had taken to his bed had helped on board afterwards. He bit his tongue, refraining from making any comment. Catherine was not the type one usually found in Jack's company and he would not embarrass her further. "Come on then, I've a sack full of vegetables that need preparing..." he said kindly.

She smiled at him, thankful for his tact and if her hand shook in memory of the morning whilst she chopped the vegetables, he made no comment.

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Nothing was said about her absence, nor the frequent absences throughout the following days, and the crew knew better than to make any comments. Jack seemed determined to spend as much time alone with Catherine as possible and the crew conspired with him to keep James occupied. Although Jack would have liked to delay her further, he had given his word and the day finally came when the Black Pearl was fully repaired. Jack reluctantly had given the order to sail towards Nassau, hoping for some naval intervention that would cause them to sail in the opposite direction, but to his disappointment they reached the small bay safely.

Catherine had said her goodbyes to the crew earlier, so Jack rowed her ashore himself in one of the freshly repaired ship's boats that had not been lost in the storm. She was dressed in her mended dark grey mourning clothes, James in his black. Jack walked a short distance along the beach with them.

"You know you could stay..." he smiled, twirling a stray tendril of her auburn hair between his fingers.

"But you know I cannot. I'm sorry Jack." She leaned across and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you, for everything. In a strange way I will miss you."

"P'raps I'll sneak t' Port Royal an' visit yer," he teased, smiling as he handed her a small purse of coins.

"Don't you dare!" she gasped. "They'll catch you!"

"Takes more than a few marines t' catch me," he grinned. "After all, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow!"

"But it is too dangerous!" Catherine protested. "Please promise me you won't!" she begged.

Jack's lips twitched with humour. "I might think it worth th' risk," he grinned. "But th' Pearl cannot sit at anchor too long here. Nassau is an hour or so walk along th' beach that way. Yer should find a few ships heading t' Port Royal there." He paused. "Close yer eyes... go on, trust me."

"You know the answer to that Jack - to a point, and no further!" she teased, but shut her eyes anyway

Jack pulled a necklace from his pocket, a beautiful string of creamy pearls, sliding it over her head. "You must wear these or they lose their lustre..." he warned.

Her fingers reached to the necklace as she opened her eyes. "I will," she gasped in surprise at his gift, standing on tiptoe to kiss him on the lips. "Thank you, Jack..."

Jack smiled, tousled James' hair and turned, walking slowly down the beach. Only when he reached the boat did he look back, watching regretfully as Catherine and James walked in the other direction. Sometimes it was inconvenient being a man of your word he mused.

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Year 1 - Mid-October

Nassau was not large, used as she was to the expanse of Portsmouth Harbour, but was still large by Caribbean standards. The town was crowded around the port and all roads were watched by marines.

"Halt, declare yourself," a stout guard shouted as they approached.

Catherine had forgotten how stilted English manners could be. She sighed deeply, almost reluctantly, before resigning herself to resuming her earlier life. "Excuse me, is this Nassau?"

The guard nodded. "It is Miss..."

"I am Mistress Reyes and this is my charge, Master Schott. We were on our way to Port Royal when our ship was attacked by pirates..."

"And how did you get here?" he demanded.

"Luckily some kind sailors saved us and put us ashore here," she explained, hoping no further explanation would be needed.

A second guard advanced, thin with suspicious eyes scanning the bushes. "So why didn't these kind sailors take you directly into port?" he sneered.

"Probably because they were pirates too! Now, I'm tired, the last six weeks have been hell, and if the truth isn't good enough for you then kindly fetch your Sergeant," she snapped.

The first guard looked at her in amazement, not used to being answered back, especially by a woman. He ran to a small building a short distance along the road. "Sergeant!" he cried.

The sergeant was fat with greying hair. His eyes were bloodshot and she could smell the stench of stale ale on him from where she stood. The marine talked quietly to him. He turned, staring at her. "What ship?" he demanded.

"Which ship, Sergeant? The ship I was on, the one that sunk the ship or the one that rescued us?" She was tired, thirsty and had had enough – to hell with manners!

"All!" He thrust a none too clean finger at her. "And none of your sass, Madame!"

"We were on the Lynn, she sailed from here a number of weeks ago. She was sunk by the Blessed Mae just north of the Windward Passage..." Catherine paused, a smile forming on her lips.

"And the final ship?" he pressed.

"The final ship was the Black Pearl," She smiled at the panic in the man's eyes as she mentioned the Black Pearl. Jack was right about his ship's reputation and she now understood why he had told her to mention his ship if she had to. He was obviously a well-known pirate in these waters, even if she had never heard of him before. "Now Sergeant, may we enter Nassau or do I have to work my way up your chain of command until somebody will let me in?"

He waved her through the gate. "How long ago did you leave the Black Pearl, Mistress," he demanded. "And what was her heading?"

Jack had warned her to expect such questions and had told her to answer truthfully for the Black Pearl would have sailed as soon as Jack returned to the ship and, although probably not even in the area still, he enjoyed nothing more than riling the authorities. "About two hours ago, Sergeant" she smiled. "But I couldn't tell you their heading as Captain Sparrow did not tell me his plans." The man was eager to get away to tell his superior the news, but she detained him, placing a hand on his arm. "Could you tell me a decent, clean inn? Both my charge and I are tired and hungry."

"Blue Dolphin is about the best round here," he grunted in reply. "Expensive though..."

"Thank you." Taking James' hand she walked into Nassau Port to find the inn.

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