Ch.20 Raiding Party
Josephine awoke the next morning rather late. She sat up, stretched, and
chose a new dress, a pastel aqua color, and then combed through her hair.
She looked at her reflection and then divided her hair with a part down the
middle. She braided the top half of her hair on the sides and then wrapped
the braids around the remainder of her hair, forming a sort of elaborate
ponytail.
She walked up on deck and then below deck to the kitchen where she grabbed
a biscuit and an apple and then headed back down to the captain's (her)
cabin. She sat on the bed and then ate her food in silence.
She glanced around the cabin in disgust.
"Why is it so filthy here?" Josephine asked herself aloud.
She got up and brushed herself of, feeling unclean.
Sparrow appeared in the doorway.
"What is it, luv?" he asked her.
"Are there no bathing facilities on this ship, or cleaning crews?"
Josephine asked him.
"Well," he said moving towards her, "There is a bath down here, but I'm not
sure you would want to use it."
"And why is that?" She asked him.
"Well, it's unclean, and there are prying eyes around here," Sparrow said
moving closer to her.
Josephine remained silent.
"Of course I could help protect you from those prying eyes," Sparrow said.
He moved to put his hands around her waist.
Josephine batted his hands away and then turned and looked out the window.
"Forget I mentioned it," Josephine said.
Sparrow broke the silence.
"Our next raid is tomorrow night," Sparrow said softly.
Josephine turned and looked at him.
"Are you ready?" Sparrow asked her softly.
Excitement sparkled in Josephine's eyes.
"Yes," she whispered.
"Good," he said as he leaned forward. He kissed her on the cheek and then
walked out of the cabin.
"Finally, here is my chance," Josephine whispered to an empty room. "My
chance to escape!"
*** The rest of the day was spent uneventfully in the library, where Josephine was reading about the History of the Caribbean. That night as she went to bed, she reviewed her plan in her head: do her duty, pretend to forget something, and get left behind. They would be following the pirate's code; there was no reason it shouldn't work.
*** The next day came and went, and finally dusk approached. Sparrow came to Josephine's cabin. "Hello, luv," Sparrow said to her. Josephine turned her head away from the window. "What are you carrying?" Josephine asked him looking at the red bundle he was carrying under his arm. "Your.ah.costume," he said as he let it roll down. He held it out to her. It was a long red dress, in the latest style, with puffed sleeves down into an angular cuff. "And for what reason would I need a costume?" Josephine asked him, fingering the material. "Well, Jaclyn, it's for your job tonight," Sparrow said. "And that job would be?" "The diversion," Sparrow said. "And what does the diversion do?" Josephine asked. "Well, you see I have a person there who will make some trouble for you. All you have to do is play along-and be loud," Sparrow said. Josephine reached out and took the dress. "I love how you pirates are so careful," Josephine said sarcastically. "ANYTHING, could go wrong." "Not with you, luv," Sparrow said. "I have faith in you." He stepped away. "Tonight, when we call you, be ready to go," he said. Josephine watched as he walked away. She looked back at the dress. "At least I'll be leaving in style," Josephine thought.
*** The rest of the day was spent uneventfully in the library, where Josephine was reading about the History of the Caribbean. That night as she went to bed, she reviewed her plan in her head: do her duty, pretend to forget something, and get left behind. They would be following the pirate's code; there was no reason it shouldn't work.
*** The next day came and went, and finally dusk approached. Sparrow came to Josephine's cabin. "Hello, luv," Sparrow said to her. Josephine turned her head away from the window. "What are you carrying?" Josephine asked him looking at the red bundle he was carrying under his arm. "Your.ah.costume," he said as he let it roll down. He held it out to her. It was a long red dress, in the latest style, with puffed sleeves down into an angular cuff. "And for what reason would I need a costume?" Josephine asked him, fingering the material. "Well, Jaclyn, it's for your job tonight," Sparrow said. "And that job would be?" "The diversion," Sparrow said. "And what does the diversion do?" Josephine asked. "Well, you see I have a person there who will make some trouble for you. All you have to do is play along-and be loud," Sparrow said. Josephine reached out and took the dress. "I love how you pirates are so careful," Josephine said sarcastically. "ANYTHING, could go wrong." "Not with you, luv," Sparrow said. "I have faith in you." He stepped away. "Tonight, when we call you, be ready to go," he said. Josephine watched as he walked away. She looked back at the dress. "At least I'll be leaving in style," Josephine thought.