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

Chapter 31 – The Windward Passage

Andrea Marra stood beside Jack on the main deck as he watched Robert DeWitt reach his ship, the Santa Rosa. "What do we do then, Jack?" she asked quietly.

He smiled, assured that her use of his first name meant that the Leochek would sail with them, against both Francis Bailie and Robert DeWitt. "We'll take him due south of the Passage. No survivors, Andrea," he warned.

"And what is in it for me?" she pressed.

He shrugged. "I don't know… but who controls naval ships? Who issues pardons? I am sure somethin' can be worked to our advantage.."

"It could mean a war…" she worried.

Jack looked at her calmly. "If it's against Bailie then I've chosen a side, have you?"

She nodded. "South of the Passage, at dawn in two days. I'll have to leave tonight."

"Pearl will leave after the Santa Rosa. Keep him running to you…" Jack suggested.

Andrea nodded. "Captain."

"Captain," he replied, helping her down to her boat. He had ordered it tied to the opposite side of the Black Pearl so that Robert DeWitt would not see it, and her men rowed back to her ship, the Leochek. Almost immediately she reached her own decks, anchors were raised and sails unfurled.

Jack continued the leisurely restocking of the Black Pearl. Robert DeWitt was twitchy, watching from his decks whilst harrying his own crew to finish their own restocking. They sailed at midday, passing the Black Pearl as they left the harbour. Jack waved at him mockingly, knowing he was watching through his spyglass, taking pleasure at the thought of his temper.

Once the Santa Rosa was out of sight, Jack hurried his own crew to finish before dusk. "We sail with the evening tide. Make sure all are aboard an' ready or we'll leave without 'em!" he ordered.

88888

The Black Pearl was shadowing them. Damn! Sparrow was toying with him, and he knew it – but there was little he could do. Captain Francis Bailie had told Captain Robert DeWitt to watch the north for naval ships, and although the Black Pearl was not naval, she was opposing their plan, so he had to be warned. Robert DeWitt had left the ship at Môle Saint-Nicholas for a meeting with another conspirator, but his quartermaster, Peter Blaine, had been instructed to warn the Blessed Mae about Jack Sparrow, and that meant beating the fastest pirate ship in the Caribbean to Port Royal. He had set every sail possible, but still the Black Pearl was slowly gaining.

88888

"Dammit man!" Jack cursed the fleeing ship, standing on the quarterdeck of the Black Pearl. He stared at the Santa Rosa through his spyglass. "Is that as fast as you can go?"

Theodore stood beside him, Joshamee at the helm. "Do we push him…" Joshamee asked eagerly.

Jack smiled, gold teeth glinting. "We push him!" He strode forward to the rail, shouting down at the crew. "Haul on the main brace… an' run out the sweeps!" He turned to Theodore. "I guess it begins…" he sighed.

88888

Peter Blaine swore as the Black Pearl surged forward. Jack Sparrow had been playing with him, and had only now deployed the long oars, or sweeps, that his ship was notorious for. He watched, alarmed, as the gap between the two ships rapidly began to close.

"Sir?" His helmsman startled him. "Sir, ship ahead and closing!"

"Wha….". He swung the spyglass round, focusing on the approaching ship. The Leochek! Damn the bitch Marra for siding with Sparrow! "Ready the guns," he hollered in alarm.

88888