Chapter 6
Breakfast aboard ship proved to be a bowl of porridge and a hard ship's biscuit that almost broke Billy's teeth. He gave up trying to chew it after fifteen minutes and finished the porridge instead.
After eating he went up on deck, and explored it more thoroughly. Jack Sparrow was nowhere to be seen, but his crew were friendly towards Billy and quite happy to explain the workings of their vessel. He was taught how to coil a rope, and stood at the helm for a few moments imagining himself steering the Black Pearl through stormy seas.
By mid-morning, Billy was becoming curious as to where the captain could have got to, and he dared to ask Marty. The sailor was perched on a barrel watching his crewmates at work and cradling his broken arm.
"You'll see!" he said, mysteriously.
It was clear no further answers were to be forthcoming, but Marty took pity on Billy and for the next while taught him how to tie a variety of useful knots. Billy, cross-legged on the deck, was intent on mastering the tricky slippery clove-hitch when a pair of shiny boots planted themselves in front of him. He looked up - and his jaw dropped.
Jack Sparrow had appeared on deck, but this was not the same Jack Sparrow that Billy had said goodnight to the evening before. This Sparrow was transformed, in a clean dark suit of breeches and jacket, a shirt with very little embroidery, and a plain black hat on his head. He had tied back his braided hair and concealed its trinkets beneath the hat, and taken out the braids in his beard. Even his face looked different, and after a moment's staring Billy worked out that the pirate had taken off the black smudges of kohl beneath his eyes.
"What d'you reckon?" asked Sparrow, grinning broadly and rather spoiling the outfit with his gold teeth.
"You look like Papa on Sundays," Billy said.
"Perfect!" exclaimed Sparrow. "Just the effect I was after."
"But why are you dressed like that?" Billy said.
Sparrow adjusted his hat. "Because I'm takin' you home, lad, and without that handy little cart of your father's I've got to go incognito, savvy? This way hopefully if we run into a Marine he won't spot I'm a pirate."
"Better not smile, then, Captain," broke in Piper, coming up from below decks. "Unless you'd like me to pull those teeth out for you?"
Shaking his head, Sparrow touched one of his sparkling molars. "No ta. You'll be ready, then, doctor?"
"You're coming too?" Billy asked Piper. The doctor was dressed in a jacket that was as sombre as Sparrow's, and was carrying a small bag.
"Yes, I am. I need supplies. Captain Sparrow won't let me go ashore alone - seems to think I'll try and escape - but has allowed me to accompany him on this visit."
"And before you get any ideas about tryin' to escape," Sparrow added, "I'm not weaponless, mate."
Piper smiled, ruefully. "I hardly thought a pirate would venture ashore without a weapon, Captain Sparrow."
Billy got to his feet, and handed the short bit of rope he had been knotting back to Marty. The men had been busy lowering one of the Pearl's boats, and Sparrow, followed by Billy and Piper, climbed down a ladder into it.
Once ashore Sparrow led the way towards Port Royal, Billy trotting to keep up with the longer legs of the two men. Sparrow was busy talking to Piper, gesticulating as he did so, the doctor responding with curt nods.
To Billy's surprise Sparrow did not take them to the Turners' house, instead taking a turning earlier on and leading them down a quicker route into Port Royal itself. As the first dwellings came into sight, the pirate captain paused.
"Now, Billy lad, there's summat I want you to do, all right? If we're stopped by anyone, you don't know me and the good doctor. We asked you for directions to the blacksmith's, and as you're the blacksmith's son you offered to take us there. Savvy?"
"All right," Billy said, hoping they would not be stopped.
"Good lad." Sparrow gave him an encouraging smile, and the doctor sighed deeply.
"Captain, need I remind you to keep your teeth hidden?"
"No," said Sparrow, but he closed his mouth and squared his shoulders, altering his stance so he no longer looked like the pirate captain he was. Instead he became an ordinary man - perhaps a merchant, or maybe a well-to-do shopkeeper.
They passed into the town, Billy walking by the men's side as it he was leading the way. He had the feeling though that Sparrow knew the route to the blacksmith's shop as well as he did. The town was busy with its people going about their business, and Billy felt a frisson of excitement run through him when he thought that he was walking the street in the company of a pirate and a pirate's captive.
"There's the apothecary's," said Piper, as they walked past it.
"Later," Sparrow said, quietly. "Never fear, doctor, we'll get your stuff."
Billy saw the wooden sign swinging over the blacksmith's shop, which stood open to allow the bright day to enter into the dark room. He pointed.
"There, sir, that's the smithy."
"Thank you, young man," Sparrow said, surprising Billy again by the way he had smoothed out the rough edges from his voice. "Is your father at work, do you think?"
"He usually is at this time," Billy returned, suppressing a giggle at the act the pirate was putting on. He led the way into the shop, and burst out, "Father!"
Will Turner looked up from the rack of new swords, where he was demonstrating the balance of a blade to a pair of smartly-dressed customers. "Billy!" he said. "But where …" His gaze took in Billy's companions, and he frowned very slightly, but recovered quickly. "Good morning, gentlemen," he said. "I will be with you very shortly."
"Take as long as you need, good sir," said Sparrow, bowing in Will's direction. He and Piper crossed to a display of daggers and bent to examine them.
Billy crossed the room to his favourite spot on a high stool by the counter, and settled down to watch what would happen next.
Over by the swords, Will dealt as quickly as he could with his first customers - evidently they had almost made their choices, and both men walked out having placed orders for new weapons. Will turned now to the newcomers, eyebrows raised.
"I must say, if Billy hadn't been with you," he said, "I wouldn't have recognised you."
"You mean you did recognise me?" Sparrow looked disappointed. "Pity."
"I don't think the suit's quite you, though," Will continued.
"That, my dear William, is the whole point," said Sparrow. "Not to look like me. In case of commodores. Now, as you'll see, I've returned your son in one piece."
Will nodded, and sent Billy a warm smile.
"In return," said Sparrow, his voice becoming silky-smooth, "I was hoping you'd find it in yourself to loan me those bits and bobs I wanted."
"What!" Will folded his arms, and Billy saw his father swiftly growing exasperated with the pirate. "No. I said I couldn't, and I mean that."
"Why not, Mr Turner?" asked Sparrow. He waved his arm around the forge. "There's one of you, and all manner of tool here."
"You won't bring them back," said Will. "My answer's no, Jack."
For a few seconds, Billy thought Sparrow would fight for what he wanted, but the moment passed. The pirate shrugged, apparently giving in. "Very well. We'll make do. Well, having delivered young Billy back t' you, Mr Piper and I ought to be making shift to get back to the ship. Oh aye - Mr William Turner, blacksmith; Mr Andrew Piper, surgeon."
He made for the door, Piper following. "Master Turner, should you ever decide to go to sea, there'll be a spare hammock for you. Remember where you come from."
With a smile that had an edge to it, Sparrow and the doctor were gone. Will sighed deeply. "He's impossible," he said. "How was it, Billy?"
Billy climbed down off his stool and began to tell his father about his time aboard the Black Pearl. He was mid-way through an excited account of his climb up the mast when the doorway darkened and Commodore Norrington, resplendent in his blue uniform, entered. Billy broke off talking, and Will wiped his hands on a rag and went to greet the distinguished visitor.
"Mr Turner. Billy."
"Commodore," said Will. "I hope everything is well?"
"Indeed," said the commodore, with his usual brevity. "I have come to enquire as to the progress of the rapiers I ordered."
"Two are complete," Will said, "the third requires polishing, and the fourth is halfway along. They'll be ready in time, sir."
Norrington gave one of his brief smiles. "Good. I knew I could rely on you, Mr Turner. How is Mrs Turner?"
Billy remembered Jack Sparrow telling him that his mother had been briefly engaged to the commodore, and suddenly Norrington's frequent and solicitous enquiries after Elizabeth's health made more sense.
"She's well, thank you," said Will.
"I am pleased to hear it," Norrington said. "Well, I will not keep you, Mr Turner." He nodded kindly at Billy. "Before I go, however, I had a report that the Black Pearl was seen off the coast last week," he said. "Could I remind you that it is your duty to inform the fort if Jack Sparrow should attempt to contact you?"
Assenting with a nod, Will met the commodore's eyes. "I shall."
"Thank you. Good day, Mr Turner."
When Norrington was gone, Billy looked at his father. "You wouldn't tell him about Captain Sparrow, would you?"
Will put his hand on his son's shoulder.
"No, Billy, I wouldn't." He took off his leather apron. "Come on, we should be getting home - your mother will want to hear all about last night."
He found the keys to the shop and closed the door, hanging the neat wooden 'Closed' sign outside. Together, father and son made their way along the street, talking all the way. Neither noticed the neat man in the doorway of the apothecary's, watching them intently with a slight smile on his face.