He's mine – mine I tell you! All right, maybe not… sigh
With thanks to Chelsey, PirateAurora, Boricua Sparrow, Mrs. Depp, RandomGal (I wondered where you had got to), beatlechicksteph, kissmysash, punkdpirate, Mrs Capt Jack Sparrow, A Depp Girl, Ginny (welcome back), Miss Sophia, Pendragginink (via email) and Hils.
Kissmysash, if you lovely ladies take the time and trouble to read and review my stories, then it is only right that I take the time to thank you all.
A Depp Girl, of course her name is Hillier. Jenny Wren is a small British bird and is used as a term of endearment.
I was saving all my published stories and reviews this week and realised that many of you have been with me for a long time, some since Another time, Another Place was first published – this chapter is for you XX
…
Chapter three: 'How many more's he goin' ter hit before he reaches me – you?'
Jenny leaned on the rail and watched as the natural harbour entrance to Tortuga drew closer. She hated coming back to the town, the memories of Valentine still fresh in her mind, but the Black Pearl had come across another pirate ship a couple of days ago that had been hit by an unknown naval vessel that had apparently let them go, and Jack had wanted to talk with other pirates to try and find out exactly what was going on.
'You all right, luv?' came Jack's voice from behind her.
'Yes, I'm fine,' she assured him, resting her head on his shoulder as he wound an arm around her.
'Stay on th'ship if ya like.'
'It doesn't really make any difference where I am,' she shrugged. 'Besides, I want to see if I can find Francine, let her know that Patience is actually married and has gone to Ireland for a while.'
'All right. Bisi can go with ya, he knows the way at least.'
'He should do,' Jenny chuckled, knowing that the black man had been a regular visitor to the whore when Patience had first entered their lives.
'Cap'n, will there be full shore leave?' Joshamee Gibbs enquired on behalf of the crew who were chomping at the bit for some leave.
'Aye Mr. Gibbs, full shore leave fer three days. But I want every man ter keep his eyes an' ears open for anything that might be of interest – not matter how trivial it may seem ter them, savvy?'
'Understood.' The quartermaster made his way below where the majority of the men were, to break the news and tell them of their captain's order.
'I suppose that goes for me as well?' Jenny asked.
'Of course - especially you, actually. Th'whores know more about what goes on than anyone else in this town, so find out what ya can off Francine.'
'All right,' she smiled, glad to be doing something useful. 'Would it be worth going to other ports, one that isn't necessarily a pirate port? You might pick up information that way too.'
'Aye luv, I was plannin' on doin' that after we've finished here.' Jack watched with admiration as his helmsman, Olabisi Ba, steered the ship into her usual anchorage; grateful of the day the man had come aboard The Black Pearl. He couldn't remember a better navigator at the helm, including himself.
'Bisi,' he called when the anchors had been dropped. 'I want ya to escort Jen ter Francine's… and back to th'ship, savvy?'
'Savvy, Cap'n suh,' the former slave grinned. 'Will I be able t'go back afterwards?'
'Of course ya can,' Jack winked. 'Just so long as Jenny is safely on board.'
'Don't worry Cap'n, I'll take good care of her.'
'I know ya will,' Jack smiled. 'That's why I asked.'
…
'Oo is it?' came a voice from inside the run-down house in the back streets of Tortuga.
'Jenny Sparrow, I'm a friend of Patience's.'
Sparrer? As in Jack?'
'Yes, I'm his wife.'
'His what?' The door flung open and Francine stood before Jenny, obviously dressed for work in a very low cut, sleeveless dress, her face powdered white and her lips scarlet red.
'Bisi!' she grinned, spotting him standing behind Jenny. 'What ya doin' 'ere then?'
'Escortin' Jenny,' he replied with a beaming smile.
'Ya mean ter tell me that Jack Sparrer is actually married?' she asked, turning her attention back to Jenny.
'Yes, and so is Patience – that is what I came to tell you.'
'Patience Riley? Married too? Oh gawd, I need ter sit down.' Francine scurried back inside and sat on a rickerty chair by the table. 'Ter that Shay I take it?'
'Yes, to Shay. They've gone to Ireland to meet his family.' Jenny took the liberty of inviting herself into the small room, Olabisi following behind.
'Where's that then – this Ireland?'
'A long way.' Jenny knew it wasn't worth trying to explain to Francine where it was. She doubted the whore would have any more idea than Patience had when the idea was first bandied. 'I bet she knows how far Ireland is now,' she mused, hoping that her friend was all right.
'In th'south?' Francine asked.
'No, thousands of miles across the ocean.'
'Bleedin' 'ell! What d'she want ter go there for?'
'I told you, to meet Shay's family.'
'She's bleedin' mad, if ya ask me. Look, I'm goin' ter work just now but I can offer ya a drink if ya like.' She scurried out of the back door and quickly returned carrying a beaker.
'Thank you,' Jenny smiled, accepting the cracked beaker of brackish water and drinking it as if it were fine wine. 'Have you heard any rumours about the Navy?'
'What sort o'rumours?'
'What their targets are, where they seem to be hitting hardest – those sort of rumours.'
'They're targettin' pirates – they always go after th'pirates, you should know that!' Francine replied, a little scornfully. 'An' they're hittin' ships all over th'place. Even Cap'n Kidd had a near escape just th'other week.'
'Do they have any new ships?' Bisi asked from his position, standing in the doorway.
'Th'Navy? Just one I think, belongin' ter that new Commodore fella.'
'So he's obviously getting them more organised than they were under Boothe,' Jenny mused aloud. 'Well, thank you for the drink.' She stood and placed the beaker on the table. 'No doubt Patience will be along to see you when she gets back.'
'Ta fer tellin' me. Appreciate that.' Francine looked at the gangly black man still standing by the door. 'Ya comin' round later?'
'Of course I am,' he grinned. 'Ya still at th'Tortuga Arms?'
'Where else?' she sighed.
'Goodbye, Francine.'
'Bye Mistress Sparrer,' she chuckled. 'See ya later, Bisi.'
…
Ned Cotton stood on the deck of the Black Pearl, tears glistening in his eyes. He shook his captain's hand then embraced Jenny, unsettling the parrot perched on his shoulder.
'Curse ye scurvy dogs!' the bird screeched as it flew up to the yardarm and safety.
'Goodbye Ned,' Jenny smiled sadly.
'Bye Cotton,' Jack added. 'Thanks fer everythin' ya've done fer every member of this crew.'
The mute nodded then turned away, giving a half wave to his crewmates before clambering over the side where Joshamee Gibbs and John Williams, two of his oldest friends, were waiting to row him to another pirate ship, the Stardancer, which had agreed to take him to Antigua and his daughter's house.
'Oh dear,' Jenny sighed, dabbing away a tear. 'I shall miss him.'
'I shan't miss th'bloody bird!' Jack exclaimed as the creature swooped mere inches above his head and landed on his master's shoulder once more.
…
Mid January'Another one? Sweet Jesus!' Jack swore as he faced Anamaria over a table at The Faithful Bride. 'How many's that he's hit now?'
'Five! Five bleedin' ships, Jack! Th'captains' an' crew hanged if they survived th'hammerin' they got. What th'hell are we goin' t'do?' the dusky skinned woman asked, taking a large swig of her ale. 'There's somethin' else, too.'
'Do I want ter hear it?'
'No, you especially don't want ter hear it. One of me crew saw this at St. John's in Antigua.' She took a piece of paper from a pocket in her breeches and put it down on the table in front of Jack.
'What?' He picked it up and turned it over, paling as he saw it was a general notice for the whereabouts of a one Luke Martin, former surgeon of the King's Navy, wanted for the murder of Captain Charles Gillette. A ransom of one guinea was offered for information as to his whereabouts.
'No…' Jack groaned, dropping the paper back on the table and cupping his face in his hands. 'I don't bloody believe this. I'll have to go ter Newcastle, let him an' Jen know.'
'So what are we goin' ter do, Jack? This new Navy man is too bleedin' good fer my likin'. How many more's he goin' ter hit before he reaches me – you?'
'It's likely he's just got lucky. We're just goin' ter have ter be aware that he ain't useless like th'last incumbant was, an' make sure we don't get hit. There is one good thing ter come out of all this – th'less pirates there are, th'more treasure fer you an' me, eh?' he grinned, raising his mug.
'Maybe,' Anamaria pondered thoughtfully. 'Maybe…'
…
'What!' Jack stared at Jenny, a slow grin spreading across his face. 'Are ya sure?'
'Yes, and Luke agrees. I'm pregnant,' she smiled, throwing her arms around him as he scooped her up, swinging her around.
'Put me down!' she laughed, feeling as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She had been terrified that she would not fall pregnant again, it having taken so long last time. But now, barely four months later, she was carrying Jack's child once more and the excitement coursed through her body.
'Jen,' he murmured, putting her down and staring deeply into her eyes. 'It'll be all right this time.'
'I know,' she smiled sadly, knowing that no matter how many children they may end up having, she would never forget her first child.
'But I have some bad news fer Luke,' Jack sighed. 'Where is he?'
'Up in his room. What's happened?'
'You'll know soon enough.' Jack crossed the kitchen floor and opened the door, calling up the stairs for Luke to come down.
'Jack! Hello. I take it Jenny has given you the good news?' the bespectacled man grinned.
'Yes, yes she has,' Jack smiled, sitting down at the table.
'What's wrong?' Luke asked, immediately sensing something was not right.
'This is what's wrong,' Jack sighed, pushing the piece of paper across the table towards his friend.
Luke frowed as he picked it up, then nodded his head slowly as he read it. 'I was half expecting this, especially given the apparent reputation of Commodore Beauchamp,' he said, handing it to Jenny to read.
'Oh dear God,' she swore, looking in panic from her husband to the man she considered a brother. 'What are we going to do?'
'Yer goin' to Ireland,' Jack informed Luke in a tone that brokered no arguments.
'I am? Why?'
'To get ya out th'way, obviously, an' ter warn Shay ter be careful on their return. One of th'crew can go with ya.'
'But they will surely still be looking for him when he returns,' Jenny put in.
'Hopefully not, they might have other things on their minds by that time.'
'Yes, like hunting down pirates,' Luke smiled grimly. 'I'll go on my own, you cannot afford to lose a trusted member of your crew for, well, it could be four or five months.'
'I can lose one man,' Jack assured him. 'I'll ask fer a volunteer. But you'll be leavin' within the next couple of days, savvy?'
'All right,' the former surgeon sighed, taking his glasses off and rubbing his eyes.
'One more thing, an' I can tell you now,' Jack smiled at his wife. 'Patience is pregnant, she could be due soon.'
'She's what?' Jenny exclaimed in shock.
'They didn't want ter tell ya, after…'
'Oh. Oh, that is wonderful news,' she beamed, her hand automatically going to her belly. 'There won't be too much of an age difference.'
'She shouldn't have travelled that distance,' Luke admonished. 'I'm surprised at Shay for making her do so.'
'He did offer countless times ter not go, but ya know how stubborn th'minx is,' Jack grinned.
'Well, I'd best start getting some things together.' Luke nodded briefly at Jack before exiting the kitchen. Thanks to Jack's generousity, he at least had some clothes to pack.
'How d'ya feel?' Jack asked once they were alone.
'I feel fine,' Jenny smiled, sitting on his lap. 'Better than fine actually.'
'Ya could really do with Luke stayin' here ter look after ya, ' he sighed, hugging her close. 'Damn!'
'Don't worry, I'll be all right.'
'One of th'men will be livin' here,' Jack decided, mentally going through who he trusted the most for the task.
'No, Jack. You're already going to be losing one crewman to go with Luke, you can't afford to lose another, not when you need to be alert.'
'If needs be, Luke can go on his own, I'd rather know you were safe.'
'But Jack…'
'No, my mind's made up,' he declared.
'It won't be fair on whoever you chose to have to stay on land with me all these months. At least rota it so they take it turns if you really must do this,' Jenny reasoned.
'I'll see but I'm not promising anythin', savvy?'
'Savvy,' she sighed, knowing when he had made his mind up, there was no shifting him.
'Who is it?' Jenny called as a rap sounded on the kitchen door.
'Only me, Jenny,' John Williams smiled, entering the room. 'Ah good, I was hopin' ter catch ya, Cap'n. Thought ya might like ter know, there's a ship sailin' fer Nassau Port tomorrow. I reckon Luke'd be able ter get to Ireland, or England at least, from there.'
'That soon? Right, I'll get th'men an' ask fer a volunteer ter go with him.'
'I'll hit th'taverns an' round those in there up, an' head back fer th'ship.'
'All right, Cookie. Sorry luv, I'm goin' ter have ter leave ya a while. Will ya tell Luke for me?'
'Of course I will. I'll see you later.' Jenny planted a kiss on Jack's cheek and headed up the stairs, knocking on the door of Luke's bedroom and entering when he beckoned her.
'There's a ship going to Nassau Port tomorrow. Jack is going to find a volunteer now.'
'At least the Navy are not based there,' he replied, shrugging his shoulders. 'Will you be all right?'
'Jack is going to get someone to stay with me the whole time. If they don't go mad with boredom, I'll probably go mad with having a drunken pirate to cook for and clean up after,' she sighed, rolling her eyes.
'You can't blame Jack. Not after what happened.' He picked up his knapsack, testing it for weight, then removed a couple of books from within before deciding it was a comfortable weight to carry any distance.
'I know. I can't even stay on board now - he won't let me, what with the new Commodore.'
'Now there I definitely don't blame him. It's dangerous times for pirates… sorry,' he apologised, pulling a rueful face at Jenny's worried expression. 'Look, Jack is the best there is and he has the fastest ship on the ocean. He'll be fine, that I'm sure of.'
'I know,' she smiled uncertainly.
…
