Now that the surrender of Nassau is near, Eleanor wonders what her purpose on the island will be. What is left of her father's business for her to pick up again. Rogers provides an alternative and answer to that question, and the offer is very tempting. Eleanor realizes she might not be the sole one who harbors budding feelings. Recognizing that the offered position might give cause to her enemies to sabotage Rogers she is willing to make a sacrifice.

Chapter 8 - The Hired

When Hornigold's launch glided across the water towards the pirate fleet, under a flag of truce, one could hear a pin drop on the ship, perhaps in the whole of the bay. From under her eyelashes, Eleanor watched Rogers's back as he stood at the starboard rail, gazing through the spyglass. She had faith that Teach would not be so stupid to allow anyone to touch even a hair of Hornigold's beard, that when Hornigold read the address half of the pirates would embrace the pardon, while the other half would lose the will to fight. She had no need to see history enfold on the beach. She wanted to see it happen on his face. He's my hero too, she realized.

Rogers' corners of his mouth lifted less than half an inch. Eleanor needed no more to know that Hornigold's address was met with success. There was a cheer amongst the crews, and Rogers put down the spyglass. He stared to the beach in the far distance and basked in what Eleanor thought of as fate. He started to turn and instinctively Eleanor flicked her eyes sideways, away from him, and pretended to stare at the beach. This victory was his, and she felt like a thief by having only eyes for him when fate reached out to him.

The quarterdeck cleared and the Commodore and officers followed Rogers to discuss further military strategy. Eleanor moved to the starboard rail and let it sink in that the main feat was done, without any bloodshed. The beach was the governor's now, and Teach was caught between hammer and anvil. But that did not mean all was won yet. You should have sailed away and lounge at Ocracoke when you had the chance, Eleanor said in thought to Teach.

Mrs. Hudson interrupted her thoughts. "What's it like to see your home, when you believed you never would again?"

"Hard to describe." It still looked much the same as she had left it. Colorful, a bit of a ramshackle and a white beach littered with tents near the sparkling blue bay. It was nowhere as tidy and pretty as St. George's Town of Bermuda was – less colonial, less civilized. And yet, it looked like home with a personality of its own.

"What temptations lie out there for you, you think?"

Looking at Nassau, she wondered for the first time what she intended to do. She had been so focused on the conquest of Nassau, that she had little time to ponder life after that. When she first sailed out of London, she had this abstract picture of retaking her father's business, but this time remaining a legitimate merchant. She ought to do it. It was after all her father's legacy. I owe it to him. But her heart was just not in it anymore. I could just be a tavern owner, and use part of the profits into further development."I don't know."

Mrs. Hudson watched her skeptically and did not suppress her smile. "Were you not the owner of a thriving business, always seeking to make it bigger and partnered with pirates to hunt the Spanish gold?"

The mention of the Urca's gold startled Eleanor. She had never talked about it to the woman and neither was her personal involvement common knowledge. But maybe Mrs. Hudson was simply guessing based on the knowledge that Eleanor was the head of her consortium in Nassau when the Urca de Lima wrecked. She sighed. "I simply want to see Nassau thrive and the governor succeed."

While, Hornigold had secured the beach, Teach did not budge and Charles and Rackham still manned the guns of the fortress. No further approach could be made that day, except launch soldiers to a nearby beach and join Hornigold's private militia. The following morning Mr. Eames came to her cabin to inform her that Rogers required her in his office. She walked through the corridor, crossing paths with Rogers' council as they filed out of his quarter. Eleanor stilled her heart and thoughts, closed the doors as she was now used to do, turned and held her hands in front of her while she waited.

Rogers surveyed the papers he held in his hands as he slowly walked through his office. "When I assembled my staff of advisors for this enterprise, I spared no expense. Some of the most promising sons of the most prominent families in London." He looked at her for a moment. "Brilliant minds." His eyes drifted back to the pages in his hands. "Full of ambition. In this moment, I think it fair to say I wouldn't trade you for any ten of them."

Eleanor furrowed her brow. Rogers would not just have called her into his quarter for a compliment alone. "You're very kind," she said as she approached him.

Rogers shifted his body and glanced at her. "No," he said slowly and very decidedly in self-reflection. He met her eyes, with a self-deprecating smile. "I'm very accountable. By daybreak tomorrow, I'm told more than half of the pirates will have accepted the King's pardon and we will be ready to move my flag onto the island." Rogers strolled to his desk, dropped the papers onto it, went to stand behind his chair and rested his hand on the back of it. "In the thirty days that follow, I will need to accomplish ninety days worth of progress just to keep schedule. I will need someone by my side at all times to aid in seeing it done. A senior counselor serving without portfolio." He went back around the desk and stood before her. "At the moment, I believe you represent the best candidate for it."

Her heart felt like bursting. At his side at all times. A giggle burst forth that Eleanor had a hard time to suppress. "Because I suggested sending Hornigold to the beach?" She beamed.

Rogers smiled warmly back at her. "Because you're smart." His words felt like a caress. Then he paused, looked away and forced his tone to be more neutral. "…without needing anyone to explain to you how to be. And because you're not afraid of being thought to be wrong when you know that you're right."

Though Eleanor did not believe Rogers meant to be any more than amiable, her instincts knew that something significant had occurred, was occurring – that not just she but Rogers as well betrayed far more feeling than either wanted the other to know. Her blue eyes dilated and she felt drawn to him instantaneously. "Won't the promising sons resent my presence in such a senior capacity?" Eleanor expressed reserve, but inadvertently, she took a few steps closer towards him. She wanted to be near him.

Rogers took a deep breath. "I'm fairly certain I don't care. Do you?"

She stood close enough to have to look up to him. Her heart beat at the implied subtext. "No," she said softly.

"Good," he said lightly. "Then you're hired. Let us begin." He sat down at his desk, while Eleanor leaned on the back of the opposite chair, studying him with a smile she simply could not mask anymore.

He's attracted to me. She was suddenly certain of it. Something had shifted, more than just trust. It had not been so much what he had said, but how he had spoken. No, she corrected herself. How he made such an effort to sound distant, business like, despite himself. He had spoken to her warmly, with sympathy or concern before. He had paid her compliments before. But he had never tried to correct his tone as if he tried to hide it.

Since the editing of the address twelve days before, Rogers had found quite a faithful assistant in Eleanor. But none of her predecessors had been as pleasing to the eye. As much as he was a rational man who rewarded merit and intelligence, regardless of gender, he was still a man. This in no way had troubled him in the least, so far. Sexual attraction was no stranger to Rogers. Almost four years separated from his wife, he had admired several beauties in London once in a while. But it had never put him in harm's way, and he certainly did not expect it to do so when he began admiring Eleanor. Nor did he believe that Eleanor herself could be in jeopardy. Life had hardened her and it did not seem to him that she was easily overpowered in feelings for a man. And thus he had so far admired her, not so much secretly, but privately, giving no consequence to it.

Her simple, natural beauty needed no adornment. She blushed like a rose and her lips looked like velvety petals. The glow she had about her was so sweet that it gentled him. The graceful lightness in her step, a skip almost, made her as innocent as a young girl. The excitement in her eyes as blue green as the Sargasso sea made her nearness stimulating. Her bashful modesty was piquant. In short, after twelve days and twelve nights, Rogers felt tender, protective, manly and aroused all at once around her. And he became very generous of mind. He owed it all to her. She had written the address, mediated between the impasse between Chamberlain and himself, supported him when nobody else did, put Chamberlain back in his place in a manner that he never could and only she came up with the brilliant solution of sending Hornigold.

When the relief over the glorious success of Hornigold's address washed over him, she had been the first person he searched with his eyes amongst the people on deck to share the laurels of success. When his searching eyes had found her, she was staring dreamily at Nassau, modestly, with her hands folded in front of her. Rogers was partly disappointed that she was not looking at him. But he concluded that for her, this victory opened a whole new chapter without knowing what to expect of it. He was reluctant to part with her and it seemed unwise to let her return to her father's business, if it was still hers to get back. I need her help, more than ever, Rogers told himself, and she needs a home and position. She deserves one. I can give it to her.

As much as Rogers looked forward at her continued presence in his new home, it dawned on him then that there lay the danger. No woman he had been attracted to after his separation from his wife, had also actually lived with him. If he would offer her a permanent position in a close working relationship, where she would be by his side all the time, then he had to tread carefully and reveal no partiality to her in that regard, for her sake and his own. And he had begun very faithful to his resolve, when she entered his quarter, by perusing papers he was not actually reading.

Finally, Eleanor went around the chair and sat down, watching Rogers' face. He reached for a plume to place his signature underneath the document that lay before him. She put her head sideways to try and read it. "What is that?"

"This is a contract in which it says you are working in my service as senior counselor. It stipulates what is required from you, your stipend, how I will provide for your accommodation, food, dress and any other necessities required for you to work as one of my representatives on the counsel."

Eleanor had drawn up great many contracts, but she had never served under a contract for someone else. And she found the idea very amusing. "I should read that thoroughly before I sign it."

Rogers raised his eyebrows at her. "You should."

"See how I can make the most out of this. A business deal should always leave both parties somewhat unsatisfied."

He rolled his eyes and handed her the contract. She was to be present at any public meeting automatically, at private meetings when Rogers required it. Since that could be at irregular hours, she therefore was housed in the governor's home in an apartment befitting her status. As a high ranked counselor in permanent residence of the governor's home, she would have all her meals as if she were a member of the family. As a representative of the governor she was required to dress accordingly in style. For this she was to be given a monthly allowance of eight pounds sterling. Furthermore she would receive a yearly stipend of two hundred pounds sterling. When she calculated the total, he meant to pay her three hundred pounds a year to counsel him, live and eat with him.

"Well?" said Rogers slightly irritated. "Are you going to sign it? Or do you need anything else?" When she did not directly answer, he added. "Jewelry will have to come out of your own pocket."

"This is not London."

"And what do you mean by that?"

"This contract would make me a thief."

Rogers stared at her in consternation. "A thief? When I'm paying you by contract?"

"The price of living in Nassau is not like in London, and since you already provide for my living…."

Rogers rose from his chair. "You do realize that you will be practically serving as a representative of the government and the crown and thus must be dressed accordingly, like –" he paused. "like a hostess. Much of what you will need will have to be imported, and acquired by legal trade this time. Besides, I already took different living into account. In London I would pay you double."

"So, you are the crook here."

"I am." He lifted his plume, dipped it in ink and held it out for her. "Now sign!"

"Perhaps, I should seek employment elsewhere," she teased a last time.

"You can't. Your resume lacks credibility. It's this or the street for you," Rogers said somewhat irritated. She finally reached with her hand for the extended plume and drew her name underneath. He picked up the duplicate and laid it above the contract she had already signed. "I do thank you for your concern over my ability to afford your employment though." Rogers sat back down in his chair. "First task of the day – a list of names."

Eleanor frowned. "What sort of names?"

"I want to install a governing council as soon as we can settle in Nassau. It should not just be people who sailed with me and never set a foot in Nassau before. There are people in New Providence and Nassau with influence, willingness and ability to make Nassau a center of commerce. Like you, they survived this place for many years and even made something out of it, other than a beach with tents."

"How big is this council supposed to be?"

"I can think of six men I brought with me: a liaison of the Royal Navy, of the Militia, West Indie trading company, liaison of the chair of Commerce –"

Eleanor interrupted him. "If you have a council with six men from England, you ought to invite six people from New Providence. As you say, Nassau has survived and expanded the past decades pretty much all by themselves."

"That sounds reasonable, yes. I have one condition though – none of the council should be one who signed articles of a pirate crew. There is a difference between pardoning pirates and actually giving them a counseling seat, both in the eyes of the Crown and I would think Spain."

"I'm a convicted pirate," Eleanor whispered.

"Did you sign articles? Did you ever receive a direct share?"

"No."

"You fenced pirated plunder – bought it and sold it." Rogers furrowed his brow. "Which brings me to my second task for you - a list of names of those you know to have signed articles and get a share, regardless of the fact that they sailed under the black."

"That will be a far longer list, sir."

He grimaced at her, as if saying, then get to it. Eleanor took two fresh sheets of papers. On the first she wrote, "Pirates" at the top. On the other, she wrote "Not Pirates". For some unknown reason the first name that came to her was Captain Lilywhite. That would be pirate, definitely. Not much of a good pirate, but pirate nonetheless. Captain Lawrence. He had been a pirate once, but she had made him a merchant captain. So, he went on the other list, but she put him somewhere in the middle of the page. And when she thought of it, it was very likely that he was not even on the island anymore. When she was taken, the remainder of her self-installed consortium might have fled. She put a question mark behind him. Captain Naft she put at the bottom of the no-pirate list, also with a question mark. Mr. Frasier. Eleanor hesitated for a moment. Personally, she had never much liked the man - he and she would never be friends - but he was of sound mind. And since the pirates needed him to make exchanges he was probably still on the island. Most likely, he had bought out all the shares of the others and owned her father's business. She put him high on the list. Mrs. Mapleton was on the no pirate list. That one is a survivor. She wrote informer and former-brothel madam behind it.

And then she thought of Max. In a short time, Max had been shrewd enough to go from a gang-raped whore to brothel madam. But she had signed articles and owned a share of Rackham's plunder, including the Urca gold. The plume scratched as she added Max's name on the pirate list. Behind Max's name, Eleanor wrote brothel madam and an arrow with the names of Rackham and Featherstone. Both lists grew longer and longer. She even included inland farmers on the no-pirate list, such as Mr. Underhill, the priest and others. When she was done with the no-pirate list, Eleanor surveyed the names and started to add crosses in front of those she thought could be of help to the new regime. Meanwhile, Rogers took her list of pirate captains, quartermasters and significant shareholders. He poured himself a cup of wine, and walked to the window.

"Might I also suggest that at least one of the six is a representative of the inland farmers," Eleanor said.

"Hmmm," he agreed absent mindedly. He turned his back to the window. "This Max. You mentioned her before. She worked against you, did she not? By selling leads? Why is she amongst the pirates?"

Eleanor stared at him. "You stipulated anyone who signed articles and had a share in a pirate crew. She helped Rackham to a Captaincy with a crew and wanted in on their share. The crew was not eager for women to have a share, and they made Rackham choose between either giving Anne Bonny a cut or Max. He chose Max. She then managed to get a lead on the whereabouts of the Urca's shipwreck and had Rackham and Featherstone unload the Colonial Dawn to sail for the gold."

Rogers lifted his eyes and pursed his lips. "I see."

She rose from her chair, walked over to him and presented her other list. "Max does not care much for Nassau. It is but a beach to her." Eleanor stood beside Rogers and watched the waters of the bay. "Max arrived in Nassau only little over a year ago. Her father was a rich colonist of Haiti, her mother his slave. She wants all the luxury, finery and respect that she feels she is owed, but denied by her father, by society. Her way of getting it is by acquiring power." She turned a little, finding herself looking up into his eyes and standing only a few feet away from him. "She might choose to leave Nassau, but if she does not it is best not to antagonize her. She more than likely has a lot of influence on the street."

Rogers lifted his eyes from the second list, lingered for a moment when meeting her eyes, before looking away. He stepped back, away to his desk. "Yes, well I trust you will know how to communicate her that her governor has no intentions to interfere with her legal business, and regards her as a respectable, free citizen of England if and when she accepts the king's pardon." He turned halfway to her. "Shall we go on deck and learn how Captain Hornigold's conquest of the beach proceeds?"

On deck, Major Andrews of the Regulars informed Rogers that soldiers had been launched to a close-by neighboring beach east of the bay, together with two administrative clerks to hand out the pardons. Meanwhile, Eleanor overlooked the bay and Nassau. She would have a new purpose and home in Nassau, a truer one. Her father's business had always been more of a means to an end, to build a peaceful and prosperous Nassau. Working for Rogers would be less lonely. She trailed the railing dreamily with her finger as she stood near the stairs on the upper quarterdeck. He believes in me, despite my past, despite the things I did, despite me being a woman. And he's attracted to me, like I am to him. And that answered Mrs. Hudson's other question – he is my temptation. He.

She raked her eyes across the deck and watched him discuss Teach's defense with the Commodore. Take care, Eleanor, an alternative voice told her in thought. It sounded like her father. He may not care what others think of you. You may not care what people think of you, except for him. But don't you care what people will say and think of him? Out there, on that beach and beyond live your enemies. His regard for you will not make them any less petty in the hope to see you downtrodden again. They would sabotage you, backstab you and ultimately sabotage him. She leaned on the rail and frowned. Perhaps I should resign from this, save him from being undermined by his association with me?

Rogers left Chamberlain's side and climbed the stairs. "Commodore reports no change in their posture, but he believes it's only a matter of time until we can expect their surrender." He joined her on the upper quarterdeck, standing behind her, while she gazed at Teach's fleet.

"Teach and his men will never take the pardons." Eleanor turned away from the sight of the fleet and looked up at him. "His crew will be filled with fanatics."

"Even fanatics need to eat," Rogers reasoned. "With the beach secured and no escape possible, they have no means to replenish supplies. Time is against them." Eleanor glanced behind her at the pirate fleet, thinking that Teach would rather force an out to sail away from Nassau with that magnificent Man O War, than surrender and become a citizen of England. It was a wonder he had not even tried it yet, since the moment the beach had surrendered. "You haven't asked," Rogers said softly. She looked at him in wonder. "About the status of Captain Vane."

For a moment she was puzzled by the mentioning of Charles and lifted her eyebrows in perplexity. She had not thought of Charles much today, or even lately. He was out there, at the Fort of Nassau, with the gold, surrounded by men who wanted to kill or capture him for a bounty. It now seemed years ago, but she had once believed she loved him, cared for him. She had believed she loathed him but a month ago still. However, her life and mind had altered so much, and her feelings had been occupied with altogether a different object. In truth, Charles had been forgotten. Touched by Rogers' concern and belief that she harbored feelings for Vane still, either hate or love, she answered diplomatically, "I understand that there are a great many elements to this operation, of which Charles is just one. I trust that if there's any development on that issue you will let me know."

"Good," said Rogers, unconvinced. He frowned. "Then may I ask what it is that's causing you to make that face?"

Eleanor bowed her head self-consciously, touched even more that he had apparently studied her face enough to know something was amiss, and cared about how she felt. "My appointment as your advisor," she said, with regret. She met his deep blue eyes that squinted against the sun. "I understand that you don't care what reaction your people may have to it, but your people, I'm afraid, are only half the issue." Eleanor indicated her head towards the beach. "I have enemies on that island. Enemies who may be far less likely to accede to your authority, seeing me beside you offering my counsel." Eleanor felt miserable at the idea of being separated from his side, but the reminder she had given Hornigold applied to herself as well. They all had to make sacrifices for the greater good. At the very least, she ought to give him the opportunity to rescind him hiring her. "I have no idea what the future may hold for me here, but I believe your success is key to it. The last thing I would want to do is undermine you."

And right then an explosion was heard. Eleanor turned and saw smoke come from the Fort of Nassau.

(The 3x04 scene where Rogers mentions Vane:A startling scene in context of what must be happening on the island - Vane hunted by pirates. The moment that revenge is nigh, Eleanor thinks of someone else. That leads to my interpretation that Eleanor is already moving on, even from the hatred. Eleanor is "sea-changed". This imo "Charles was forgotten" point of that scene makes Vane's line after he saw her on deck of the Delicia rather painful. He believes she was on deck for tactical purposes to taunt him into making a mistake, and it couldn't be much further from the truth. This Charles-Teach scene is paralleled later when Rogers acknowledges a change in her and asks the cause. While Vane told Teach that Eleanor taught him the lesson, Eleanor implies Rogers is the cause of her sea-change. We see something similar with Max-Eleanor. Max is nearly obsessed in comparing herself to Eleanor, despite believing her to be dead.

Rogers' marriage status - Rogers and Sarah were most likely separated by 1713, over a year after his return from his around-the-world voyage, likely after the death of the 4th child. They lived separate lives away from each other (Bristol and London from 1713). There is no evidence they ever reconciled or that Rogers even met with Sarah ever again. His family portrait contains just him (as governor of Nassau), his two surviving adult children, and a female servant. It's an official portrait about the office of an important man, but his lawful wife is absent, though she died in the same year as he did in 1732).)