The Likes of You
The shells crack under our shoes
Like punctuation points
the planets bend between us,
And a hundred million suns and stars.
The sea filled in this silence
before you said those words.
And now even in the darkness
I can see how happy you are.
-The Planets Bend between Us by Snow Patrol-
Hours had dwindled like wildfire, burning his fingers with the desire to trample through town on a quest to pull her from the grasp of whoever had so placed his claim on her since he'd been gone. He sat in the kitchen with Elizabeth and little Jack; peeling at all kinds of beans and rice, aimlessly letting his mind and eye wander about the room.
It wasn't until Elizabeth had watched him rip angrily at what must have been the hundredth basil leaf that she moved her hand across to steady his hand on the table.
"Jack."
He looked up at her, realizing what he'd been doing to all of her herbs.
"Oh, sorry."
She understood what he had seen and why it must have been rotting his mind away just thinking about it, for Elizabeth had all of the information of the household, she knew the rumors and the secrets, even those that hadn't been told to her. She could see what had bothered not only Jack all afternoon, but Eva for nearly two years.
"Never would have expected to find you so beaten to death with jealousy."
She smirked and went back to stirring a bowl of rice, as little Jack sat dropping each of the leaves his Uncle Jack had torn apart into her mixing.
"Ye always were an imaginative woman, Liz."
"Are you telling me I don't see what's before me at this table?"
He just looked at her with a tight, shuddering gaze.
"I saw him too, from the kitchen window."
Here she saw his glow deepen, his eyes growing fiercer again.
"Wot's his name?"
"Daniel Bryant. He's a cotton merchant's son from London."
"A pretty lad, eh?"
She laughed lowly at his assumption, one she too had thought upon first meeting him herself.
"He's quite different from most of the people here, yes. But his business is growing well, despite it. He brings with him the softest linens, all the way from Egypt at times."
Jack's lip turn up annoyingly, less than concerned with what he did, only what his intentions were.
"Teague must ave' gone wholly daft since th' last I was ere'. Letting th' British trade system run amuck through town? That's a prize move on is' part."
"It's only one man, Jack."
"Need I remind ye, it starts with one man, Liz'beth."
She knew he was right, for he spoke of what he'd seen, what even she had seen. They'd been through terrible British activity together, and survived, almost all of them. She stroked back on her son's unruly, black hair for a moment, suddenly cringing over what had been free acceptance for Eva's admirer prior to Jack's return and breakdown of the situation.
"You don't think he means harm to us, do you?"
She whispered this lowly as he glanced up, aware of the fear he'd put in his friend without intention.
"No," he shook his head with a warm smile, "Th' Cove is fine."
When he saw her breathe better and help little Jack down from his chair to wash up, he stood too and followed them toward the counter's edge. He leaned and watched as she rubbed the boy's green hands with a warm rag, remembering a million different times he had been propped on that same counter as a boy, and had his muddy, sandy hands wiped clean by his own mother.
"Ow' old is this fancy brute then?"
Elizabeth cleaned her son, but couldn't help but laugh at the way he continued to make mention of the man in question.
"Mr. Bryant is twenty-nine, I believe."
Jack couldn't help but wince at this, with both humor and interest in comparison to his own uncertain age.
"An' I suppose he and Eva ave' formed quite an' attachment t' one another?"
"He certainly has bound himself to her. But I doubt much of Eva's interest in him."
His ears buzzed with the slight hint of assumption, good assumption in Lizzie's voice.
"Wot' do ye doubt?"
"I doubt she's as fond of him, as he seems to be towards her. Mr. Bryant will surely ask her hand in marriage one day soon, there I cannot doubt, but in Eva's response I easily find myself doing so. Although she's brilliant with children, she's not keen in such frivolities as courting or marriage."
Jack's heart raced with something he couldn't quite explain to even himself. He didn't know how he felt about Eva, except that she haunted his every thought day and night, and that she was single handedly, the most fascinating creature to have ever crossed his accidental path. But knowing from Elizabeth, the one who he knew had an eye for everything on this spit of wreckage land, that Eva's heart did not lie anywhere near where this Mr. Bryant's interests did, only made him smile faintly before he turned out of the kitchen, claiming he needed rest before supper.
Daniel walked her about the town for hours, far more than she would have liked having known Jack was back, but she couldn't deny him the relationship they had formidably built already. She didn't love Daniel by any means, but he cared and loved for her, and had promised to do so till then end of time. He had the means to support her well, with anything she could ever need or want, and it was a safe bet with him. He was handsome, a man who had come to easily charm most of the young girls on Shipwreck island since his initial visit thirteen months before. And although he could have any young woman in his marriage bed by the year's end, he had chosen her by a chance meeting in the market on day. Since which, he hadn't stopped treating her like a queen.
They careened in a few shops, where he bought her a few fine pieces of jewelry and silks, something he often did when they walked about through town. He made sure she knew exactly what he had to offer and what he planned to do for her, forever.
Daniel walked her back toward home when the sun began to sink to an orange, and Eva had asked him to join them for dinner out of kindness and much needed respect. He agreed, leaving her with her packages of finery and a sweet kiss at the corner of her mouth, before turning back towards his own home to wash up and get ready. She watched him for a short moment, and then moved inside of the house, exhausted and wishing she hadn't granted him the invitation.
Elizabeth caught her in the parlor with her packages, "I dare say Mr. Bryant is the only reason Shipwreck even has a proper economy."
Eva laughed at her and slouched into an aged armchair, tearing her shoes off and sighing. "That's most likely due to the fact that this town is built upon the lovely art of looting."
"A lovely one, indeed. If only he knew you could pillage and plunder with the best of them."
"Do you not think he assumes as much, living under the roof of pirate infamy?"
Elizabeth shook her head as she poked at the fireplace a moment.
"Daniel Bryant is a fine businessman, but common sense does not bequeath him."
Eva giggled out loud, accepting it as the truth she herself knew, and then twisted her hair in spindles about her finger as she suddenly realized something and sat up.
"Speaking of infamous raiders, what became of Jack?"
She looked about for a moment before following Elizabeth back into the hall, eagerly.
"He said he was going to rest before dinner."
"Oh." Her head fell in defeat as she glanced down the long corridor toward both her and his rooms.
Lizzie grinned at her and placed her hand sisterly on her shoulder. "How soon you forget the man doesn't sleep, darling Eva."
At this her eyes lit up again, knowing the fact to be absolute truth, one she had seen for herself long before. She smiled to Elizabeth and turned down the jetting, candlelit hall, creeping along on her bared feet toward the doorway of Jack's room. She'd spent more time in his room during his leave that she often spent in her own, for she always felt safer in it for some reason.
Her hand moved in a tiny fist up to the rough oak, ready to knock, but she stopped herself, thinking better of it. A wicked grin curled on her lips and she very carefully turned the knob instead, pushing on the silent door to slip inside of the darkness she had seen from underneath the crack. She could hardly make out anything, with the curtains drawn shut unlike the morning before his arrival, and no candles burning within. Eva wondered shortly if Elizabeth had tricked her into thinking he was here, when really he was out on the town with curvy company. She didn't think Lizzie could be that cruel, and hope in her friend's trust was restored when she finally could make out a lone figure at the opposite end of the room, standing with his back turned, looking out of a sliver of open drapery.
Eva smiled wide and tiptoed closer, trying her best to hold back on jumping at him or shouting his name out. The nearer she got, the stronger the scent of him filled the open space, with spices and wind-blown sweat, salt water and rum. It mixed over her head and through her senses until she felt weak in the knees and found herself falling toward him, her arms coming about to finally wrap around his waist from behind. She felt the muscles in his back leap when she touched him, and rove her hands softly against his dirty shirt to land together on his mid stomach, pressing through his shirt. She rested her cheek into the tense blades of his shoulders, breathing in all of him.
Jack had been unwarned before this consumption and he couldn't have asked for it any better. He hadn't heard her come in, with his eyes focused primarily on the activity of the low alleys of drunks and wenches below his room. He stood contemplating why he didn't care for travelling out into the chaos himself, and why he couldn't bring himself to find company and heavy drink for once. And then, when he felt those two familiar, delicate hands weave about his body, he knew exactly why that was.
Neither of them said a word, they only stood locked together, with Eva pressing his back into her face and chest desperately, while Jack covered her hands on his stomach with his own, brushing over her faint veins and knuckles. At any point he felt he could have taken advantage of her initiative and pushed her toward his long since used (or rather by his knowledge) bed, and commit himself to her for the rest of the night. But because the image of her yellow haired suitor continued to distress him, he simply let her be and stood tangled up in her arms for a long time, utterly silent.
It wasn't until he felt Eva's hands finally moved slightly beneath his to caress the muscles in his chest and stomach tenderly, that he also heard her speak softly and quickly.
"Thank you for keeping your promise and for the book, Jack. I missed you terribly."
He responded with nothing, for he could hardly think to breathe. He let her sigh once more as she lifted her head from his back, released her hold on his waist, and then moved away to the door again. He couldn't even bring himself to turn and watch her leave. All he could do, was count the seconds it took her to leave him and the room, and count the steps it took her to do so.
It wasn't that long at all, which felt better than he could have imagined. She was close to him again, so close that mere footsteps could bring him to her at any time he wished. He thought for a short moment, with a smile, about the book she mentioned, the one she had so taken to and he had gifted her with in secret. The book on Grace O'Malley, the woman he sensed she took as her heroine. The thought of it and of her altogether filled him with nothing but excitement and he admitted to himself, to her in a peaceable whisper through his mind, "Not as much as I missed th' likes of ye, Eva love."
A while passed before Elizabeth began setting the large dining table with a few of the other women in the house, and in which time Eva remained in her room dressing, Jack in his thinking and not worrying about impressing anyone to eat, and Teague in his study with little Jack, teaching him of the Cove's outer reefs and the dangers of having sailed through them with a blind man before.
Daniel arrived at a timely hour, just before the meal was to begin, and he joined Teague in the dining hall to speak to him of his plans for Eva, ones Teague had been waiting for. He knew how the merchant felt for the newest addition to his ever growing family, but he wasn't sure how he felt about all of it himself. Eva was different than Elizabeth and the other girls he took care of, they all desired marriage and families first and foremost, while she was much like himself, much like Jack in that she was concerned merely with freedom and limitless boundaries. Eva wasn't one to be tied down easily, but he accepted the young man's ideas and offerings of marriage with his blessing despite it. For he knew in his heart, that Eva's response would be what stopped Daniel Bryant from truly having her anyway.
Jack came to the table minutes later, greeting Daniel with a handshake and careening eye but little words, as he slumped into a chair at the opposite head of the table from his father. Elizabeth got little Jack situated in a chair beside his Jack himself, while Daniel took his place beside her son and close to Teague for continued discussion. Eva didn't emerge for a bit of time longer, but when she did, the room suddenly stopped.
Jack and Daniel both stood from their chairs simultaneously as she stood with a faint smile in the archway, in a long, courtly dress of indigo, same as her eyes. It pinched at her form primly, marking every perfect curve of her hips, her arms and breasts, where Jack's necklace to her sat upon her heaving chest, sparkling in the candlelight of a high chandelier. She dropped her face in embarrassment, brushing a loose curl from her face, while the rest of her hair sat woven high atop her head.
"My Eva, a gift t' whate'er man should earn er'."
Teague grinned proud as he moved to take her hand and lead her to a seat beside him at the table.
"Stop it." She giggled low as she sat down, trying to avoid all eye contact with Daniel across from her and Jack down and to her left side. Although she could still feel the heated glare of both of them upon her, one stronger than the other of course.
"Th' truth is spoken an' your Mr. Bryant agrees with me m'sure o' it."
"I do, wholeheartedly." He replied with a nod from across the table, and she held his eyes for a moment before it was interrupted by a deep growl of a voice.
"Make that three."
She turned slightly to catch Jack's burning eyes, but could not hold his gaze the same as she could Daniel's, for the simple fear that she might suffer from a quick and wonderful death. Instead she turned her face back ahead, focused on her plate and glass of wine as she lifted it and said, "I'm appreciate and in utter disagreement with the lot of you."
The three of them chuckled together, and as Elizabeth came to sit beside Eva with a gentle hand on her shoulder, they began to eat with necessary grace or prayer for the food. Daniel, Eva knew, had to ignore this short detail but he didn't seem to worry about it as he dug into the food his hostess had cooked.
"Mrs. Turner, your cooking is impeccable."
Lizzie smiled and sipped at her wine. "Thank you, Mr. Bryant."
Jack just rolled his eyes and helped his little nephew with the large plate of wild goose. Eva could see him out of the corner of her eye, and smiled at the scene that went unnoticed by most everyone else.
"So, do tell us Daniel, what's becoming o' yer cotton business?"
He beamed at the introduction of such a subject by Teague and began talking in what Eva felt was only circles, about the process of looming and the fine sheep they used to create the linens he and his father sold worldly. It didn't interest her, not half as much as one of Jack's many, still undelivered stories would have. She wondered what he'd gotten into since he'd been away, what he'd seen, who he had met, if he had plundered any good treasures at all. She wondered until the conversation over cotton and the British trade system had dulled finally.
Teague drew the talk further though, by bringing up Eva again. "An' what do ye think o' Eva with er' sailing?"
Daniel smiled kindly, but had a right mind to speak what he truly thought.
"Forgive me for speaking out on it in such a way, but I don't quite approve."
Jack's eyes lit up as he finally became aware of the rest of the table and conversation. He was fascinated beyond comparison now and couldn't keep his eyes off of Eva's face as she sunk lower and lower into her chair with every word that spilled from her gentleman's mouth.
"You see, I have been raised upon ships myself, and I know as well as you men that they are a place of great danger. I have no doubt, especially with what I've seen of her operation of one that she can do so beautifully. But I fear the risks that will follow her pursuit of such a thing."
Jack loved this, and Eva was nervous because she could sense without even looking that Jack was enjoying every second of it. Elizabeth and Teague could only sit tensely and listen to Daniel go on and on about his anxiousness toward Eva's own dreams.
"Evangeline is too fine a young lady to lose to the formidable perils of the open ocean, and I certainly could not see myself allowing her to sail about beyond the Cove's safety, not when I love her so."
While Daniel looked straight ahead into Eva's eyes when he said this, his trance was broken suddenly when Jack began choking on his food at the opposite end of the table. All eyes turned strangely on him, Elizabeth's lips tight and eyes begging of him to get control and grow up, while Teague found slight humor in it himself, and Eva could only stare at him with gratitude, for he apparently saw exactly what she did in Mr. Bryant. Jack laughed hard, trying to swallowed more wine with the food he couldn't get down, and eventually just got up with a genteel wave of his hand.
"I…I apologize but, I need t' see to some business in town."
Elizabeth sneered up at him, "Jack."
"I'm sorry, Lizzie. Th' food was th' best I've tasted yet. But I ave' to say g'night before I over stay me welcome in these turnin' topics at and'."
Eva smirked behind her linen napkin as she pretended to wipe her mouth to hide the humor. Daniel watched Jack go but bid him farewell in a gentlemanly fashion, and Elizabeth and Teague shared a glare of impossibility from across the open space.
They went back to eating for a while, discussing some matters and spinning in circles about others. Daniel raved about Eva for the rest of the meal, never taking his eyes off hers nor forgetting to add how well suited she would be for London life. Teague disagreed instantly in his mind, as did Elizabeth, and yet Eva was too preoccupied in her still laughing mind to think about much else but where Jack had really run off to. In fact, after some time at the table, it began to fill her mind so much, that she eventually formed her own excuse for taking leave.
With a hand over her stomach, she looked between all three of them with an innocent smile, "I apologize as well, but I'm not feeling too well. Too much sun today, I think."
Elizabeth placed her hand on Eva's forehead to feel it cooler than a fever would allow, but she didn't bother questioning it.
"You should go and rest."
"I agree." Daniel chimed in with a grin, "I can walk you to your room."
"No, no Daniel I'll be alright."
She rose from her chair and kissed and hugged Elizabeth and little Jack goodnight, and then moved across to squeeze Teague tight around the neck where he sat and kissed him on top of the head.
"Tomorrow I'll clean the Harlot and tie her up."
He didn't like the defeat he heard in his young Eva's voice, the one that seemed to give into Daniel's belief in the matter, but he nodded under her kiss and brushed her cheek as she moved aside to lean in and leave a less than worthy kiss on Mr. Bryant's cheek.
"Thank you for coming, Daniel. And the dress is beautiful."
"You look stunning in it, my love. Will I see you tomorrow, some time, perhaps for a stroll?"
Eva wanted to say no, but instead just nodded kindly. "If I'm feeling well enough, of course."
And with a final round of goodnight waves, she snuck through the archway of the dining room and quietly inched her way back towards the end of the corridor to the house. Jack's door was wide open and the room empty, so she knew he must be elsewhere, which meant she would have to find him.
"Hmm…" she pondered for a second in the mid hall, "…where on earth did you go, pirate?"
