Chapter eleven: A day in the market-place
Coralie and I became fast friends...something that displeased Jack. Whenever Coralie and I were together in a room, Jack would hightail it out of there, and go down a bottle or so of rum. Will was very polite and almost stiff at first towards me, but the more we were around each other, the more he loosened up, and soon we were friends also...cracking jokes and having a fun time. The only person who seemed not to be having a good time, was of course, Jack. He was the biggest kill-joy out there.
"Why dont you come to the market place with me?" Coralie asked one morning, a shy Anne, who was just learning to walk clinging to her skirts.
Coralie had her hair up in a tight and becoming coiffe, and was wearing a rust colored gown with seed pearls that went all the way up her long sleeves and down the front of the dress that suited her well. I damned her skinny-ness after just having a baby...True, I had curves, and was taller than her, but I still would have liked to be as skinny as her. I was dressed in a light blue taffita gown with black bells sleeves, and a skirt that opened up to reveal a cream colored petticoat. My black hair was piled high onto my hair, and I had sampled a bit of Jack's kohl, that accented my green eyes quite well. My hair-style made my bone structure more predominate, and I liked the look.
"Sure, I need to get some more clothes...Im becoming fat. And new hair combs...most of mine are broken, save for the ivory ones that are in my hair right now. Plus other random things." I grabbed up my money pouch and strung it around my wrists. We walked into the nursery and I picked up George who was too cute to leave behind with the nanny. I loved cooing over his plump little face, and rosy features that matched Will's so unncannily. But at the same time, holding him made me ache for the daughter I never had to hold in the middle of the night if she cried, or show off proudly in the market-place. We decided not to take the carraige, but walk to the town square because it was such a nice day.
I loved the Carribean. It was sooooo much better than India, or England. The winter was the best part, because the days were nice and cool, and all you need was a shawl...if that. I fussed around with George's foot as we walked into the heart of the square, and when Coralie suddenly stopped, I looked up.
"What is it?" I asked curiously as she stood there, stark still, eyes wide, and anger and fear clearly written across her face. I looked around to see the cause of Coralie's odd behavour. She was usually calm and collected, hardly ever showing a negitive emotion.
There, about five yards away was a pretty blonde woman staring coldy at Coralie. She wasn't that tall, and was wearing a very ragged gown, her hair in a giant tangle.
"Elizabeth," Coralie whispered, then protectively clutched Anne to her. Sensing her emotions, I held George closer to me. I thought about grabbing up Anne and running away, but then realized I was probably the most dealiest woman in the world...I could easily beat a woman who looked like a street urchin. The woman was Elizabeth walked to us, sneering.
"Lets play a game called guess the father. Hmm. I think the girl is Jack's, and the boy is Will's. I know this bitch isn't the mother because none of the kids have black hair...Who is she, the nanny, or one of your lover's lover?" She asked, a mean smile on her face.
"Get away from me and my children." Coralie snarled. I nudged her, and handed over George. Coralie gratefully took him, and held him tight in one arm, Anne in the other.
"Who are you calling a bitch?" I demanded in a light mocking tone. "For your information, my name is Jezebel...maybe you have heard of me? And I am telling you now, if you so much as pluck a hair from either one of these childs' heads...I shall kill you." At those words, I pulled out the dagger that was carefully hiden in a secret like pocket in my gown, and put it up to Elizabeth's throat.
"Do I make myself clear, Elizabitch?" She nodded, gulping, but still glared up at me.
"You'll be sorry, Jezebel from Hell," She spat after I lowered the dagger and she stepped back, her courage regained. "Just wait." She threatened, and walked away hautily.
"She used to be the most wealthist woman here in Port Royal. After her father, the govener died, she really went down hill." Coralie said finally, after we watched Elizabeth walk away out of sight. We continued our shopping and I bought a few things. I became a bit worried because I needed gowns that were almost four inches wider than my old ones. I bought five gowns, and a couple sets of hair combs. As well as bath oils and a book by Martin Luther, a radical of the 1500's.
That night dinner was quite lovely. For once Jack was joining in on the conversations, and made a few jokes. We talked about my new book, which it turned out, that not only did Coralie read it, but so did Will, and surprisingly, Jack. We debated Luther's veiws on reliogion, and heavily discussed if he was part of Anne Boleyn's downfall or not. I also found out that Coralie was distantly related to the Boleyns and Howards. It was facinating to me that I knew someone who shared a bit of blood with the most scandalous woman in Christindom at that time.
We were in the middle of laughing over the fact that if Jack and I had a kid, and he or she married one of Coralie and Will's kids, my grandchildren would have a bit or royal blood in them, when there was a series of poundings on the front door. Instantly I knew what and who it was. Elizabeth's words echoed in my head; "You'll be sorry, Jezebel from Hell. Just wait." But before I could react, a number of military men came storming into the dinning room, and seized me by the arms. They yanked me up from my seat and dragged me out kicking and screaming. The others were held back by the rest of the men, and so they couldn't come to my rescue. I was thrown into a police buggy and locked into the back, then they drove away and down the lane to the jail. I couldn't believe that I, Jezebel, had been finally been captured. It had been such a long time, and I became careless, and reckless. I vowed at that moment that I would get out of this, kill Elizabeth(or seriously mame her) and be more careful. I knew I would stand trial. Too bad I believed in what Bill Shakespear said..."Lets kill all the lawyers, kill 'em tonight." Other wise, I could win the trial leagally. Ah well, Im a natural born killer. I needed to kill to be sane.