Usual disclaimers – pah!

Chapter Ten: 'Luck o'the devil you an' me have got, Mr. Valentine.'

'Mr. Valentine!'

Tobias Hoskins peered out of the entrance of the cave at the call and beckoned Samuel Taylor in. 'What's wrong?'

'Sparrow. His men killed th'others an' took the girl onto his ship,' he panted. 'They're comin' after ya.'

'Damn! How far behind?' Valentine demanded.

'About two miles or so, Sir.'

'Follow me,' he ordered the two men. 'And bring food. We'll be travelling for at least half a day.'

'Where to?' Hoskins stared at his employer with some astonishment.

'You don't think I would only have one bolt-hole, do you Toby? There is another one by the coast. We follow a river to it so we'll have water to drink at least.'

'We're going over the mountains?'

'Unless you want to face Sparrow's men, yes. Now move.'

The three men picked up sacks of food and hurried out of the cave, looking down the valley at their pursuers, who spotted them and started running up the hill.

'This way, quickly.' Absolon Valentine led the way around the foot of the mountain and into the thick woodland that ran along the crevice. He took them along a meandering path and then they started to climb, grappling at the ground as it rose steeply.

…

'Where th'hell have they gone?' Jonas Lowe peered through the densly populated woods, trying to spot moving figures.

'Well they're in there, so in there we go.' Shay uncocked his pistol and ran between the trees, looking this way and that, desperately searching for the fugitives.

…

'Don't keep looking back,' Valentine hissed angrily at Sam Taylor. 'Concentrate on where you are going and we'll get away from them quicker.' He stopped for a moment to get his bearings then ran to his left, indicating the other two to follow him.

…

'Up there!' Olabisi whispered loud enough for the others to hear and pointed up the mountain to where the men were running along the side of it and they all set off in pursuit, except Joshamee Gibbs, who reckoned his mountain climbing days were long gone, if they had ever been around at all and he sat himself on a rock, keeping watch for anything untoward.

…

'They're coming after us,' Hoskins hissed, pulling his pistol from its holster and uncocking it as he ran.

Valentine looked up the hillside. 'We make for that outcrop there. We should be able to hold them off.' The three men ran behind a large mound of rocks and peered around, readying their weapons.

…

'They've gone behind those rocks,' Bisi whispered, indicating with his pistol.

'Bugger,' Shay swore, knowing it would be difficult to get to them. He dived for cover as a pistol shot rang out and hit the ground just before him. 'Bastards,' he called, shaking his fist towards the outcrop. 'Come out an' fight like men.'

'Come up here and fight like men,' Valentine taunted, firing his pistol at the gangly black man who ran behind a tree, the rest of the crew doing the same.

'Create a diversion,' Jonas hissed as he worked his way sideways, running from tree to tree and hoping he would not be spotted.

'Yer just a coward, Valentine. Ye ain't get th'balls ter fight, ye get yer men t'do it for ye,' Shay called from behind his tree, watching as his mate inched closer up the mountain towards the rocks.

'Why sully my hands with the likes of you?'

'Are ye there Hoskins? I'm surprised Valentine hasn't killed ye yet.' The young Irishman provoked, hoping to get the man angry or fearful enough to make a mistake.

'Why would he do that? For that little tart? I don't think so,' Hoskins goaded.

'She's as good as dead anyway,' Valentine put in, laughing evilly and making Shay's blood run cold.

The crew of The Black Pearl started shouting and throwing rocks up towards their prey, anything to distract their attention from Jonas Lowe, Daniel Woods and Ben Watson, creeping up towards them.

'Bloody hell, Sir!' Hoskins cried in alarm as Jonas Low flew from the side of the outcrop, a little ahead of the others still scrambling up the rock face below him. His pistol fired, taking Samuel Taylor through the head. Daniel and Ben looked up in alarm, climbing as fast as they could

'Go!' Olabisi yelled and he and the rest of the men ran for all they were worth up the hillside.

Jonas grappled with Hoskins, frantically trying to draw his short sword from his belt and stumbling as Hoskins pushed him away. Valentine dived on the ground and rolled out of the way, then lined up his pistol and shot Jonas in the back as he went to lunge for Hoskins once more and the Pearl man fell to the ground.

'Come on!' Hoskins grabbed Valentine and dragged him to his feet, running back into the dense trees, dodging shots as they did and firing them by return, managing somehow to hold back the chasing men.

'Jonas!' Shay cried, as he rounded the rocks and saw his fallen friend, dropping to his knees as he reached him. 'Ye bastards!' he called. 'Ye'll pay fer this.'

'You will have to catch us first,' Valentine teased from somewhere up the mountain. He stifled a yell as the ground suddenly disappeared before him and he found himself falling and rolling down a slope until he came to rest near the bottom, a few yards away from Tobias Hoskins who was sitting up and gingerly testing himself for broken bones.

'Bloody hell, that was too close,' he breathed, chuckling wryly at his friend's grin.

'Luck o'the devil you an' me have got, Mr. Valentine,' Hoskins replied, looking up at the trees which covered them from view.

…

'Where th'bleedin' hell did they go?' Ben Watson wondered, looking around.

'Down there I reckon,' Daniel replied, nodding at the tree covered slope.

The men looked down the crevice, wondering whether to risk going down or not before deciding it would be suicidal. If the fall did not kill them, the men at the bottom of it would, if they were still alive.

…

Men paused outside taverns and brothels as they watched the crew of The Black Pearl carry their fallen mate through Tortuga and down towards the docks.

'Is Valentine dead?' someone called, but the crew carried on in silence. They did not know for sure and did not want to tempt fate by confirming it. They put the body of Jonas Lowe in a waiting boat and Shay, Joshamee and Daniel climbed in, the younger two men taking up the oars and rowing to their ship.

'What's happened?' Jack's voice came from the side. 'Is Valentine dead?'

'Don't know, Cap'n,' Gibbs replied heavily. Shay and Daniel climbed on board, but he threw the lines up and held on as the hauled the boat up to the deck and then climbed out and faced his captain. 'Apparently they either fell or jumped down a crevice. The men couldn't follow, not without ropes.'

Jack looked at the face of his fallen crewman and touched his forehead, sad that such a fine young man had lost his life. 'Still reckon yer safer in town,' he asked Patience who was looking at the dead man in horror.

'Jack…' Jenny chided, walking over to the girl and putting her arm around her.

'He's still alive, isn't he?' she whispered fearfully.

'The fall most likely killed him,' Jenny comforted, praying that it was true.

'Sorry Jack,' Shay apologised as he climbed out of the boat. 'Sorry Patience,' he smiled apologetically at the woman. 'They were tipped off. Jonas killed a man who had been with them but he was killed himself before we could go an' help him.'

'Which way were they going?' Jack asked.

'Up the mountain,' Dan put in. 'An' they seemed t'know where they were goin' too.'

'So he more than likely has another bolt hole,' Jack mused, stroking his beard braids, watching regretfully as the body was lifted from the boat and taken below by those who had been awaiting their return on board.

Patience watched them disappear below before turning on Jack, realising that despite his assurances, things were now much worse for her. 'Great! No home, no money, no job, no friends and now a bloody death sentence hanging over me! Thanks a soddin' lot Sparrow!'

'It could be worse,' Jack replied. 'An' that's Captain, if you please.'

'Oh yeah, I could be dead already. Th'anticipation is a killer!'

'That's enough,' Jack ordered, glaring crossly at her.

'I'm getting' off this damned ship right now.' Patience went to push past Jack but he held her fast and pushed his face into hers.

'Firstly, ya don't curse me ship. Secondly, you of all people should know how many men Valentine employed. D'ya really think yer goin' ter be safe off this ship. Too many people have died because of him. You are not goin' ter be another one.'

'What th'hell do you care, Sparrow?' she spat, deliberately missing out his title.

'That man,' he nodded in the direction the crew had taken the body. 'Gave up his life because of you,' he snarled, avoiding her question and taking a grim sense of satisfaction when Patience looked downcast, tears springing to her eyes.

She paused, looking up at him. 'I'm sorry for your man, but he gave his life for your feud. I merely told you where Valentine would be.'

'Fine. If that's th'way yer want it, get off me ship, now!' he snarled, pushing her away from him.

'Ah, Ja… Captain. I really don't think that is wise.' Shay took a hesitant step towards his friend then stopped at the look in his eyes. 'Valentine threatened her up on the mountain. He will have men looking for her.'

Patience blanched at this news and looked from one man to the other, fear written on her face.

'Why? His cover has already been blown an' he has more important things ter worry about, if he is still alive,' Jack growled.

'Is he th'sort of man ter let a betrayal like this go? Please Jack, let her stay on board.'

'She doesn't want to. Do ya missy?'

'I-I…' She looked from one man to the other then down at the deck. 'Could I stay on board until you find them dead or they are killed please,' she finally asked in a small voice.

'What was that? Didn't quite hear ya?'

'Jack, leave the girl alone. She has been through enough what with Hoskins, losing her house and job and now Valentine threatening her. Come on.' Jenny wrapped her arm back around the younger woman's shoulder and lead her down to the cabin, shooting a dark look at her lover as they passed him.

'Gibbs, organise some men ter go an' find out whether Valentine is dead or not. Daniel, ya can go with them ter show where it was, savvy?'

'Aye Cap'n.'

'Jack! What's happening?'

Jack rolled his eyes and cursed under his breath as the voice of Richie Page came from the side of the ship. 'We think we have killed Valentine but we have ter go an' check.'

'Why, are ya worried that he's going to rise from the grave,' he laughed as he climbed over the side and onto the deck.

'He fell down a slope that is too steep ter climb without rope. Some men are just goin' ter have a look.'

'Ah, I see. Well I've just come ter say that Bailey has itchy feet an' we're makin' sail soon.'

'So soon?' Jack enquired, a puzzled frown creasing his brow.

'Yeah well. He hasn't had a ship fer a few months, he can't wait ter start plunderin' again. 'Ya've got yer share o'the spoils so there's no point in hangin' around.'

'All right then.' Jack held out his left hand and shook the other man's. 'See ya around.'

'Yeah, no doubt our paths will cross soon. Good luck wi'findin' Valentine,' he called as he shinned back down to his boat.

'We'll find him if it's th'last thing I do,' Jack promised, saluting.

'No doubt I'll hear all about it when we next meet up,' Richie laughed as he rowed himself back towards Le Brestois.

'Aye mate, that you will,' Jack called. 'An' don't think I've forgotten what ya said ter th'Frenchies,' he thought darkly.

He turned to look at the group, consisting of John Williams, Davy Phillips, Dan Woods and Drew McCarrick, assembled to go and find the body of Absolon Valentine. 'If ya find his body I want ya ter run him through, just ter make sure,' he ordered them. 'And ya'd better do th'same ter Hoskins otherwise we'll never get any peace from th'minx, savvy?'

'Aye Cap'n, John assured him. 'We'll make sure they're dead, don't you worry.'

…

'Ya've got a nerve Page,' Job Bailey spat, through the bars of the brig. 'Mutineering my ship.'

'Your ship? Your ship? Don't make me laugh. All ya did was follow Sparrow ter Tortuga and drink yerself stupid on th'wine in the captain's cabin. I've been th'one givin' out th'orders. I was the one who made ready fer battle. I was the one who lead the men. You know it an' they know it an' that's why it is me they are followin', not you.'

'Yer scum, Page. Scum!'

'Maybe I am, but at least I'm sober scum,' he snarled, pushing his face to the bars.

'Where are we goin?' Bailey asked, feeling the movement of the ship beneath his feet.

'None o'yer concern. Not that yer goin' t'be around for too much longer anyway,' Page sneered, turning away from the caged man. 'Yer dead as soon as we get away from th'island.'

'Will ya have th'balls t'do it yerself? I doubt it. Ya never have liked ter get ya hands dirty, eh Page.'

'Shut up,' he shouted over his shoulder as he exited the brig.

'Fuckin' coward!'

…