Chapter 8
Grace couldn't decide which was worse; being out in the streets or in the tavern. The tavern. She felt trapped in the enclosed area with so many people around her and with no fresh air, the smell of rum was overpowering. Just keep your cool until Jack's finished. You've got a sword and Will is right beside you. You know he won't just stand by and do nothing if one of these crazy, drunken, hooligans realizes you were a girl.
Jack walked passed them from a trip to the bar for rum and paused next to Will.
"Keep a sharp eye."
"Jack, how long will we be here?" Grace wanted to know.
"Patience, love."
Grace clenched her fists. If Jack wouldn't have been on the other side of Will and already on his way to a table where Gibbs was, she would have slapped him.
"Next time," she vowed.
As Jack sat down, Grace and Will watched the other tavern guests suspiciously. Grace really started to regret not doing more to disguise herself as a man. After a few minutes, a short old man suddenly stumbled out of the rowdy crowd and stopped in front of Grace.
"Have a drink with me, lad," he said in a slurred voice.
Grace turned her head away from his alcohol saturated breath and shook it. The man squinted at her as he swayed back and forth.
"Yer no lad," he realized. He turned back to the room shouting, "Hey boys! He ain't—"
Grace yanked out her sword and had it at his throat before he could finish. Grace heard Will's sword leave its scabbard as well. Everyone seemed to stop and look at them.
"Not a word," Grace warned the man in a low voice, keeping her head down in hopes that no one else would notice she was a woman.
The man slowly backed away and everyone else returned to their wild partying. Grace and Will glanced at each other as they slipped their swords back into the scabbards. The way Will looked at her confused Grace a little. Was it a bit of admiration? She was clearly different from any woman he'd ever met.
Will took his eyes from her and looked around the tavern.
"Maybe you should stand on the other side of me where no one can see you as well."
Grace nodded and stepped around him, grateful for his suggestion. She leaned back against the wall and sighed. This is exactly the kind of behavior I ran away from. Grace tried to ignore it by studying and fiddling with one of the metal buttons of her coat. Her attention was suddenly drawn back to Will when she noticed him looking into the room Jack was in, obviously listening to Jack and Gibbs talking. Grace glanced in there too.
"That is the child of Bootstrap Bill Turner. His only child, savvy?" Jack said.
Grace looked away so they wouldn't catch her watching them, but she kept listening.
"Is he, now?" Gibbs replied with interest. "Leverage says you. I think I feel a change in the wind, says I. I'll find us a crew. There's bound to be some sailors on this rock crazy as you."
"One can only hope. Take what you can . . ." Jack raised his mug and slamed it with Gibb's.
"Give nothing back!"
They drained their mugs and slammed them back down on the table.
What is he up to, Grace wondered.
After a few more drinks, Jack and Gibbs got up and they finally left the tavern to Grace's utmost relief. She was so glad to leave the city and be aboard the Interceptor again. Exhausted by the days events, Grace gladly climbed into a hammock to sleep. Before her eyes closed, they drifted over to Will. He was getting ready to sleep at the opposite end of the cabin to give her space and some privacy. He's such a gentleman, Grace thought having known some real jerks in her life. She sighed and pulled her eyes away right before Will cast a glance in her direction. You're just going to have to get over him, Grace, unless you want to go day after day wishing for something you can't have. He's known you for less than a day and is already in love.
