Chapter 5
Grace followed Will up to the deck of the Interceptor. The warm Caribbean breeze tugged at her hair and dress as they walked to the back of the ship. There he is, Captain Jack Sparrow, Grace thought. The strange thing was, she couldn't remember if she even liked him or not. This is getting annoying. I guess I'm just going to have to decide whether or not I like people by getting to know them firsthand.
"So this lovely creature is the stowaway on my ship?" Jack said, making Grace blush a little. "What's your name, love?"
"Grace Morgan."
"You related to the famous Henry Morgan?"
"Um, not that I know of."
"How'd you get to be on this ship?" Jack wanted to know.
Grace hesitated. She hadn't had a chance to figure out who or what she was going to tell people she was.
"I ran away." It was a perfectly logical as well as truthful answer.
"From your husband?" Jack guessed assuming that's where her bruises came from.
"No, my father. I'm not married."
"Jack, don't you think that's enough personal questions right now?" Will asked, sensing they were on a touchy subject.
"So, where were you hoping to go, Miss Morgan?" Jack wanted to know.
Grace shook her head. "I don't know. I just needed to get away."
"Well, love, you picked a rather in-opportune moment to stow aboard this particular ship. Young Mr. Turner and I are rather pressed for time and any suitable port to leave you at is quite out of the way."
"Where are you going?"
"We are headed to Tortuga to pick up a crew because, as you can see, we're lacking."
"What are you doing after that?" Grace hated not remembering.
"We are on our way to rescue William's dearly beloved from the hands of a cursed pirate captain."
Jack's words sparked something and memories flashed through Grace's mind. Several scenes from Pirates came to her and she remembered most of the beginning of Curse of the Black Pearl up until the point that Will and Jack had commandeered the Interceptor. All she could remember were events, no specific details. She still wasn't sure how well she liked Jack. Grace now remembered Elizabeth as well and that it was her they were trying to rescue, but that was about it. She had a sneaking suspicion that she disliked Elizabeth, but she couldn't be sure.
Feeling slightly dizzy from her memory flashes, Grace grabbed the ship's railing.
"Are you all right?" Will asked, noticing she looked a little pale.
"Yes, I'm just not used to sailing," Grace made up an excuse.
"Have you ever sailed before?" Jack asked.
"No." Grace was surprised that she didn't feel seasick, but she wasn't about to complain.
"Maybe you ought ta go below and lie down for awhile while Mr. Turner and I discuss how to get you back on land," Jack suggested.
Grace was going to do just that, but stopped. Wait a minute. My wish to be in Pirates of the Caribbean has come true. I won't just be put ashore and wait to see what happens next. I want to be part of this.
"You don't have to take me to shore. I can help you," Grace told Jack and Will.
Trying to be polite, Jack didn't laugh, but Grace could tell he wanted to as he looked her up and down.
"Listen, love, not to be rude or anything, but about the only way you could really help is perhaps distracting the enemy."
Grace put her hands on her hips defiantly. "Don't let the dress fool you Captain Sparrow. I can use a sword." Where did that come from? It was out of her mouth before she realized it and it took a whole second more for her to remember that she'd taken fencing classes for four years and had always been quite good at it. Feeling confident again, she stared at Jack and waited for his response.
"You can use a sword?" he didn't seem to believe her.
"Yes, I can. If you want me to prove it, I will," Grace told him. "In a fair fight I can hold my own just fine."
"Jack doesn't fight fair," Will told her.
Jack gave him a dirty look. "All right, Miss Morgan, I'll take your word for it. If you want to go chasin' after cursed pirates with us, be my guest, just don't say I didn't warn you."
"I consider myself warned, Captain."
