Rogers and Eleanor need to find a new balance in working alongside each other after their kiss. Nassau's council has its first meeting and is inaugerated. And Eleanor has an idea where to find Jack Rackham and Anne Bonny.

(Warning: this chapter contains explicit sexual language.)

Chapter 13 - The Kissed

As long as he had been busy, Rogers had managed to push away all thought of the kiss and all that led to it, but in the quiet darkness, as he lay in his hammock, it governed his mind. Rogers saw Eleanor's blue eyes before him again, so full of emotion and he felt her gentle, searing touch. In his mind the kiss never ceased to be, slow and languid. The taste of the sweetness of her soft, velvety lips and her breadth was everlasting. He wanted to revel in the perfume of her neck, making her shiver if he could plant kiss after stolen kiss, and undress her, admire her nakedness, nuzzle her nipples, explore all of her body as if it were the world, taste her sweet honey and make her cry out his name, and then the joy of uniting with her and discover the rhythm that would both bring them satisfaction. Without thinking, Rogers was already out of his hammock, grabbed a chandelier and almost walked out the door with the intention to cross to the east wing via the service passage, slither between her sheets in the darkness and make her love him. After all, she had kissed him back, succumbed to his embrace like a willing mind.

But as he laid his hand on the door handle, he asked himself – and what the hell do you think you're doing? She's as good as an innocent child - wild, but innocent - who barely knows any better, parentless, left to her own devices pretty much most of her life in a savage world of pirates who took whatever they wished. She has no conception of the repercussions this may have for her, the shame, the ostracizing as a mistress to a married man. God forbid, if you beget her with child. You merely needed to look at Sarah or she turned out to be with child again. You'd think yourself her lover in the night, but you would be as monstrous as a winged, venomous snake.

Rogers let go of the door handle and retreated back to his hammock. Eleanor herself had once warned him how easy men were tempted into doing wrong. He was here but a day, and already the exoticness, the sensuality of Nassau and its flirting with crime affected him. In one fell swoop the mere luster of pearls and the desire for a woman lured him onto a forbidden path, with Nassau and Eleanor paying the price for it.

Society was far more, no too, forgiving of the licentiousness of a man, but never of a woman. It was as unfair than society condoning tyranny and violence from men while rejecting the sensible but strict rule from a woman. Nonetheless, it was a social reality. Learning to function within the confounds and rules of her gender was the first thing Roger had demanded of her. It would be the only way she could ever truly accomplish something. Except in the process, somehow she had become all he had ever wished for himself in a woman. It was as if he had picked up Cupid's stray dart and plunged it in his own heart. He was not just falling in love, he already was. He did not even know when he began. Had it been mere lust, the kiss would not have happened. He cared for her, and it was the one reason he returned to his hammock and prohibited himself to taste the forbidden fruit. He would just throw himself at work more, of which there was plenty. His feelings could only be a distraction to what needed to be done.

By morning, the eastern sky had the pink and purple sheen of the sunrise. Eleanor slowly opened her eyes. The first rays of the sun filtered through the blinds of Eleanor's window and dappled her body in its light. She closed her eyes as the sun kissed her brow, her cheeks, her shoulders, down to her uncovered breast and finally settled between her legs. She bit her lip as the knot of desire that had been building up was tighter than ever before. Her sleep had been restless. She had tossed and turned, his kiss always foremost in her mind, whether in dream or awake. Eleanor had not meant it to happen, but then it did. And while it seemed endlessly long as it happened, it was cut much too short. They had barely brushed each other's lips. Yet the pressure of his lips still burned on hers, like a mark. In her feverish mind, that brush became a devouring tongue, groping hands, impatient lifting of her skirts, shoving aside all those pearls and gems, eager joyful thrusts to reach ecstasy. Frantically, Eleanor moved her finger rapidly, applied more pressure, rolled on her side as she moved her hips, tensed more and more, and imagined he was inside her and came with her. She sobbed, breathlessly as finally some release washed over her in waves crashing on the beach. She bit away her gasping cries in her feathered pillow, regretting that it was no more than a fantasy. Eleanor flopped onto her back and said, "Fuck! Fuck, Fuck, Fuck!"

Finally, she lifted herself from her featherbed with one hand, closing her eyes and feeling woozy still. Get a grip on yourself, Eleanor. It was barely a kiss, and it's not happening again. Everybody's searching for Rackham and scared of the Spanish coming to raze the island, and you have your head in the clouds. With iron resolve she got out of bed, washed herself and picked out the pastel green petticoat, mantua and matching stay. She touched the red dress for a lingering moment, but it had at this time too many associations for her to a moment where they had lost their heads. She did not bother to call for Mrs. Hudson to dress herself. At least one good thing would come out of this – no more shadow following her around.

When Eleanor came down for breakfast, she found the room empty. "Where's the Lord Governor?"

"He left very early to oversee the selection of men who are to repair Fort Nassau, M'am," said Dyson, Rogers' personal manservant. "He wished to be seen, meet his citizens and oversee Fort Nassau."

Eleanor leaned her elbow on the table and her head on her hand, while eating some bread with butter and mango marmalade. As she tasted the mango, she dropped the bread, and pushed away her plate. He will be gone all day. "And what am I supposed to do?"

"The Lord Governor asked me to relay to you that he wants you to prepare the council's inauguration and review the draft of his speech."

That is something at least. At first, Eleanor was somewhat puzzled on how to prepare an official inauguration, and so she approached the clerk who had been working on the papers for it. She set about reviewing the draft of his speech, and inspired by Max's allusions to marriage the day before, Eleanor represented it as a marriage, between England and Nassau, between navy and military force and commerce, between men and women, making them all brother and sister. Rogers had left no one with instructions on further details on the ceremony though. Obviously, the public presentation of the council would have to take place on the steps of the mansion. Hands on her hips, Eleanor walked outside the mansion and surveyed the state of its fronton.

"You," she signaled a manservant she saw walking through the hallway. She pointed at the fronton. "I want the front cleaned up, and have some decoration put up in the English colors. Get some men to do it."

She lifted her skirt, raced back inside, watched the assembly room and then noticed the garden through the window. There was no way of knowing when exactly Rogers would return. He might even be late. So, she ordered other servants to put some stands in the garden, chairs, and have men sent to Max's tavern for rum. Next, she sought out the kitchens and told them she wanted tea in readiness, have lime juice made and fruit cut up within the hour. She had rum poured into a large bowl with the lime juice, sugar, and tea, and had it spiced with nutmeg. Then she told them to seep the papaya, mango and cut lime in the concoction. It seemed pretty insignificant in comparison to overseeing the repairs of the fort or searching Jack and Anne, but she guessed that the set up of the council and putting up a front of friendliness and wanting to work together was in its own just as important.

When the first men of Nassau that had been invited to become part of the council arrived, wearing bag wigs, tricorne hats and their best justaucorps, Eleanor was ready to welcome them. "Gentlemen, please excuse the Lord Governor for not being present yet," she smiled. "He is a busy man, making sure that Nassau's security and safety is taken care of as quickly as possible. But I'm sure he will be here shortly to start the official proceedings. In the meantime, would you like to join me in the garden for refreshment?" These men all had heard she was alive and in the employ of the governor. Some of them even had seen her march through the street the day before to and fro Max's tavern. But none of them had expected her to be this courteous, soft spoken lady. "Mr. Dillane, would you care for some rum fruit punch? Mr. Haldon?"

"Yes, please, Miss Guthrie," said Mr. Haldon eagerly.

"I would try the same," added Mr. Dillane. It was all presented in fine wine glasses, and the men made their greatest effort to drink it with finesse, complimenting her on how refreshing it was.

"We are so truly grateful, Miss Guthrie, that finally England has come to ensure the island's commerce and future in these exciting times," assured Mr. Grosier her. "As well as see how the Guthrie name is restored back into good order. Without your father's business all those many years there never would have remained some foundation of commerce."

Eleanor smiled and nodded. "Thank you." Although she remembered that Mr. Grosier had been one of the first men to refuse any further credit to her, after her father had proclaimed himself a fugitive.

"I knew your mother," said Mr. Stephenson from the interior. Though his hair was as white as his bag wig, he was still an imposing, tall man. "I believe she would have been so proud to see all the good work you are doing, and your father. I dare say, when I arrived here, I almost thought it was her welcoming me so graciously. You look so much like her."

While she knew it to be flattery, Eleanor could not help but be touched by that remark. "It pleases me to hear it, Mr. Stephenson."

Mr. Stephenson shook his head sadly. "We know life has been hard on you. Losing your mother that young, and your father… Well, perhaps best not speak of it anymore."

She touched the older man's hand. "Thank you. You are very kind."

"Mr. Underhill also asked me to give you his regards, and would like to call on you if he may. He is very much relieved, that finally, your plans might see the Christian light of day."

Eleanor bowed her head. "I would be very happy to receive him."

Though Pastor Lambrick was not to be a member of the council, he had come along with Mr. Stephenson. "To bless the inauguration of the council," he said.

Eleanor had never much liked the young pastor. He used to preach hellfire and sin to her whenever she met him, meanwhile ogling her breasts as if they were the greatest sin of all. Fencing goods stolen by murderers rather made her want to avoid the hell and brimstone talk. Today though he talked of the miracle of salvation that followed out of hardship and repentance, and how Eleanor set a fine example to all the other women in Nassau. It did not make him eyeball her breasts any less. Eleanor had to bite her tongue to avoid swearing in front of him, just to make him go away. Instead she smiled and nodded.

"Rest assured, Miss Guthrie, your good father is in heaven now," said Lambrick. "He confessed and repented all to me. And he must be looking down on you with all the benevolence of the heavens." Eleanor was not sure how much longer she could endure the man, when he finally said, "I hope to see you in church next Sunday. I hear our Lord Governor is a religious man."

Eleanor did not know how to respond to that. Her mother used to take her to church, but after her death and the raid, Eleanor had never seen the inside of a church anymore. She saw organized religion as man's construction to oppress people and nonsense. How could God allow Spain to murder and rape women and children who never did them any harm? She believed there was a god who had created the universe and gave man reason and feelings to know for themselves what was right and wrong. She had done wrong, and she knew it. She had done good too. But Eleanor never needed a bible to tell her that, nor could she find strength in it to make the right choice. More and more, she was convinced she could only find such strength by the example of other people and her own conscious. She dared not answer for Rogers' beliefs. She knew he held to Christian ideals and regarded Jesus as a teacher on humanistic morality. He certainly wished to promote religious awareness in New Providence. And his allusions to fate suggested he might have faith in the bible's miracles. But she could hardly believe he was a Puritan. She was glad when several of the English advisors arrived, to avoid answering Lambrick's invitation, and instead made the introductions between the two parties.

Around this time Max was welcomed in the hallway by a servant and shown through the salon towards the garden. She could not help but notice that at least the governor seemed to make better use of the grand house than Jack who had let the level floor be abused by his crew. Whenever she visited Rackham she had to step over empty bottles; the ground floor pretty much served as one giant fuck-tent. To see such a house restored to its original design pleased her. And perhaps one day, she might live in such a house herself. Why not this house? The governor was a striking handsome man, not even forty. Last evening, the officers at the tavern said he had left his wife behind in England. And in Max's professional experience, no man could go long without a woman's attentions. Wielding power was a lonely life and it only increased the need to find some partner to confide in and serve your every desire. At some point, Max was sure, Governor Rogers would seek a mistress. And why not her? Though Max favored women for her own pleasure, she knew how to make a man desire her and she was well aware that men liked her exotic looks. Admittedly, she had to hide her surprise the day before when private meant including Eleanor. But she thought she had adapted quite well by offering an olive branch to Eleanor as well. Max knew how to play a triad. She would throw in all her charms this afternoon and measure the governor's responses to that. One could dress Eleanor as a lady, but it would not make her a sophisticated socialite. In that department, Max was certain she could beat Eleanor hands down.

However, when she entered the garden, the governor was not there and Eleanor talked, smiled and laughed with her guests as the perfect hostess as if she was the lady of this grand house. There was none of Eleanor's former severity, only elegance. Somehow, Eleanor was always able to return from a fall, and beat Max to getting what Max wanted. And the manner in which Eleanor had done it was even more amazing - picked out of a prison cell by the governor and managed to acquire his trust. The governor must like blondes, she thought, like the rest of the world, including me. Even though Eleanor swore, fought and thought like a man but several months ago and was a famous convict for leading the dissolute life of a pirate, she would always have her father's name, a high birth, blonde hair and blue eyes. I always have to fight harder and stronger to catch up, only to find I am still behind.

Max looked down at her petticoat, regretting her choice of too much glaring silk. She knew men thought it sensual and yearned to feel it. That was how she had hoped to appear to the rest of the council, especially the governor. But as modest as Eleanor appeared now, Max felt too much the brothel madam. It was too late to do anything about that though, so she said, "Gentlemen," smiling. All heads turned and the conversation halted. "With my compliments, I hope you enjoy the refreshment."

"We seem complete," said Eleanor. "For those who do not yet know her, may I present Max, our final council member, owner of the tavern, and a New World example on how talent and a keen business mind can make someone invaluable."

At that point, Rogers arrived with Major Rollins, all formal in his blue-green justaucorps, white stockings and shoes, greeting his guests and looking expressively at Eleanor that he was impressed. He invited everybody inside to sign the legal papers in the assembly room, where a first initial meeting was held. Rogers wanted proposals regarding the huge pool of work force of unemployed pardoned pirates. Not every man could be expected to work on the fort. Proposals were made regarding possible and highly needed development of Nassau – clean streets, repairs, sewage system, fresh water distribution, proper housing, better roads that connected the interior with Nassau. They discussed what type of private businesses that were absent, but could help with all the previous – contractors, transportation of farm produce. Several of the council indigenous to Nassau proposed certain names of captains or quartermasters or business relations.

But to this, Rogers said, "I am not one who will point at a man and tell him that he has to set up a transportation business. But these are all good ideas of what Nassau and New Providence needs, and if the word of it got spread, then the man who feels compelled by it may step up the plate himself." He indicated Max and Eleanor. "You can attest to my impression that the now pardoned pirates are inventive men with skill and a talent for organizing themselves. It is why I believe a civilized Nassau can work."

Max had been listening with keen interest to all these plans. "I could help with that. The men meet at the tavern when they sign the pardon and I have a work force who can make suggestions."

"Yes!" Rogers nodded. "That is what I mean. Plant the seeds of ideas and let the men come up with a solution."

"But who will pay for all of that?" said the English crown liaison Mr. Blight. "Contractors can't build roads from nothing, without material, without money to pay wages. They need something to start up their business. Are we going to pay for it?"

"What about some sort of Nassau bank, where businessmen can extract a loan to get started?" said Mr. Hardyng of English commerce.

Eleanor and Rogers exchanged a glance. Max's share might have been a good basis to set up a New Providence bank. But that was not to be. "I will see what is possible with my investors," Rogers said, frowning. "Put that subject on the agenda for the next meeting."

"Money will be required for heavy constructions of island infrastructure," said Eleanor to Mr. Blight. "If a house owner wants his front cleaned, then he can hire and pay them himself. Men can sail the skiffs floating about to deliver orders from town to beaches nearer to the interior farmers further away from Nassau, or ferry someone to Nassau and back for a fee, they don't even need to invest in transportation itself. The skiffs have always belonged to everybody."

"That is actually a great idea, Eleanor," Max said. "The interior and Nassau have lived as separate communities. But now that Nassau will not be a locale of lawless murderers and thieves anymore, farmers can come to Nassau to hire hands or tradesmen, carpenters, cloth makers, smiths, bookkeepers. People could come and shop here for more exotic items, as well as sell their produce on the market."

Mr. Stephenson pondered Max's words as well as Eleanor's. "It would indeed make the life of many farmers easier." He then looked at Pastor Lambrick who sat respectfully some distance away. "Pastor Lambrick can possibly concur to the idea of spreading the word amongst our congregation to gather an annual sum towards repairing the old church of Nassau, yes?"

Rogers smiled. "Well, it seems at least that ideas are flowing to make the whole of the island a community." He got his watch out of his pocket and sighed. "Good. I want plans drafted for the road network that is present, and plans of the town. At least we can then prioritize which roads need improvement and such. Shall we go outside and make a public announcement?"

A small crowd had gathered at the market square, curious about the extra attention and decoration that had been put up. Rogers introduced the inaugurated council to them, and explained its function. While they did not know the six Englishman, they cheered for one of theirs or another of Nassau. And of course it did not go unnoticed that Eleanor stood next to the governor and that unexpectedly Max had stationed herself beside Eleanor. It all ended with Pastor Lambrick asking everyone to join him in prayer to ask God to bless Nassau's new future, the governor and his council. Respectfully, Eleanor bowed her head and studied the people on the market square from under her eyelashes. She had not expected many to join in. But she was rather surprised to see most of the men and women (including whores) had taken of their hats, caps or bonnet. They had their eyes closed and their mouths moved. Nassau was more god-fearing than Eleanor had expected.

When the council dispersed, Max lingered, trying to think of something impressive to say to the governor and a kind word to Eleanor. But Rogers had already turned, taking two steps at a time to enter the mansion, while Eleanor followed close. Max's charms and looks seemed water of a duck's back on Rogers. Meanwhile, even though both Rogers and Eleanor listened to her ideas and gave her recognition, the moment all requirement for ceremony was over, Max was no more significant to either of them than anybody else on the council, although she doubted any of the other council members had donated a treasury to the governor. At the very least, the governor could have invited her to stay for dinner to show some semblance of gratitude. Upset, she shook her head and departed for the tavern.

When Eleanor fell in step beside Rogers in the hallway, he asked in a quiet, yet formal voice, "Have you heard anything from Mrs. Hudson yet?"

Eleanor shook her head. "No. I have not seen her all day." They had reached the assembly room and crossed it to climb the stairs. " What has been done so far to try and find Rackham and Bonny?"

"Unfortunately, patrols have not sighted either two. I also had inquiries made about their escape route. Rackham's former crew claim the pair did not escape via the blown wall. Nor were they seen together in the company of Vane when he fought his way to the beach together with Teach against the bounty hunters."

"At least we have one advantage," said Eleanor as they reached the upper floor. "Jack and Anne are probably unaware that we're looking for them. They may be hiding somewhere for a while to make everyone believe they escaped with Teach's fleet."

Instead of continuing to his office, Rogers waited at the top of the stairs. "Perhaps," he said non-committal. And though he looked at her, it was as if he was seeing right through her, as if she was but air.

Eleanor was not surprised that he preserved propriety, but she could not help feel hurt by the change. There had been a friendship at least. And it was not as if she had jumped his bones. Rogers had kissed her of his own volition. When he lingered without talking, she asked, "Have you any further need of me to be of assistance to you?"

"No, Miss Guthrie. Not today, I think. I will see you at dinner. Commodore Chamberlain will be joining us." He nodded his head slightly. "Thank you for your part today." He turned and walked away.

No dinner had ever been as boring as that night. Chamberlain rarely addressed her if he could get away with it, and Rogers did not engage her in conversation either. She might as well have been a flower on the wallpaper to either men. Not that Rogers was all that talkative to the Commodore. Instead Chamberlain talked for two, chuckling at his own wit.

"I have sent men down the fort to explore its foundation," said Chamberlain. "There seems to be a vast network of tunnels. Some have not been used in years. It could be useful to have them mapped out."

Eleanor remembered the last time she had been down in such a tunnel. Something nagged at her about the tunnels, but she dismissed the feeling as related to the bad memories she had about Vane, threatening her, and ending up killing her father afterwards.

"Are you well, Miss Guthrie?" asked Rogers suddenly.

She looked up in surprise, not really knowing what Chamberlain and Rogers were talking about now. "Beg pardon?"

"You look a bit pale, and you have not eaten much. Are you well?"

Eleanor sighed. She wanted to be gone from the room, from the Commodore, and from Rogers who confused her by acting distant and formal one moment, but then could not hide his genuine concern from her the next. She wanted to speak, but her throat felt choked with emotion. "If you two gentlemen will excuse me. I think I may have a slight headache," she finally managed to whisper.

Both men rose. Rogers stared at her, frowned, but then nodded. "Good night, Miss Guthrie."

Eleanor did not have a headache, and she could not sleep. So, she sat in the window sill, leaning her head against the glass, and watched the candlelight cast on the garden's terrace from the dining room windows. She already regretted her sudden flight from the dinner. Why am I acting like some foolish thirteen year old? It was especially mortifying since she did not even act like that when she was thirteen. Tomorrow I will try harder. He is important to Nassau. What he is trying to do is important for Nassau. And I'm supposed to help him find Rackham and Bonny. Every day we do not find them is more chance for them to escape with their share of the gold.

What had been simmering in her subconscious all evening formed into an idea then. She looked down, through the window again. The garden and terrace was enveloped in darkness. No chandeliers were burning anymore, not even in the drawing room. There was no point then in returning downstairs. She had to talk to Rogers though, and if he was not below anymore, it meant she had to seek him out in his private quarters at night and alone. That might give him the wrong impression and lead to further embarrassment. Stop second guessing everything. This cannot wait until tomorrow morning.

She found Woodes behind his desk, without his justaucorps, waistcoat and stock tie – only his shirt. Although, Eleanor had seen plenty of men with no shirt at all, she had never seen him informally dressed. Nor did she expect him to. Neither did he, clearly. Startled, he looked at her and rose from his chair, reaching for the waistcoat that hung from a peg.

"Beg pardon, sir," she said, her eyes cast down, hands folded neatly before her. "But I think I have an idea where Rackham and Bonny may have been hiding, even may still be hiding. I thought it was too important to wait."

"Come in," he said as he buttoned his waistcoat, and decided not to bother with the rest of his attire. Eleanor closed the door behind her and sat down in one of the chairs. Rogers seated himself too, leaning his elbows on his desk. "Well, out with it."

"The tunnels," Eleanor said. "Jack and Anne weren't seen with Charles at the beach, nor directly outside of the fort. It's as if they vanished into thin air. But even people who don't know Anne them personally could recognize them easily by sight and description, especially when seen together carrying a coffer the size that Max gave us." Eleanor slid her hand across the desk's wooden tabletop. "The moment of the blast, everybody's eyes were on the devastated wall and on Charles escaping. Meanwhile, Hornigold's men went in to subdue those in the courtyard. Since Hornigold also aimed to protect the gold from being taken, it is self evident that Rackham and Bonny did not use the same escape route as Vane."

"Yes, that sounds a reasonable conjecture. In fact, we supposed they probably escaped via the tunnels."

"More, I think they hid in one of the older, rarely used tunnels. They may still be hiding in one of those now, hoping that we will forget about their existence or believe them long gone. They hide one night, two nights, maybe a third and then leave the island by skiff in the belief that nobody is looking for them anymore."

"But the commodore had the tunnels inspected. Hornigold pointed them out to him," said Rogers.

Eleanor shook her head. "Those are the better known ones, with an exit or entrance in the immediate surroundings of the fort and Nassau. There are lesser known tunnels that lead deep into the interior."

"You know these tunnels?"

"Yes, my father showed them to me once, before the Rosario Raid." Eleanor sighed, regretting her foolishness of ever telling Charles about them. "I had the keys to their gates before I was apprehended and handed to Captain Hume. Obviously, with Max becoming the owner of my tavern afterwards, she would have found the keys and give them to Rackham, the treasury keeper and responsible for the fort's rebuilding."

Rogers rose and rummaged through some maps. "Can you point them out on this?"

"I shall try."

"Good," he said. "Stay here. I won't be long. I will have Major Rollins fetched to get regulars in readiness to explore them tonight even." He was in such a hurry, he even forgot about his justaucorps.

As good as she possibly could remember, Eleanor took up the plume and put crosses at each area where there was a tunnel entrance towards the fort. Several of them had already been marked based on Hornigold's information, but she added the seemingly less strategic ones, and wrote down a separate list of particular landmarks.

When he returned, Rogers relaxed into the back of his chair. "Let us hope your hunch leads to a clue of their whereabouts." He smiled at her.

(Cupid & Psyche: Cupid makes the world believe that Psyche is visited nightly by a monstrous winged snake. Since her marriage was a funeral ceremony, it is regarded as a shameful thing, not a real marriage. Psyche is further shamed by being pregnant with his child due to these nightly visits. Rogers' thoughts allude to this.

Danaë: Danaë's father, the king, is warned that his grandson would be the death of him. So he locks Danaë up. But Zeus visits her in the form of a golden shower of sunrays and gets her with child. This image of the sun making love to a woman is alluded to with waking Eleanor who then masturbates.

Paradise Lost: Marriage is non-existent in the Pirate Republic. Eleanor only knows that when two people love and want each other that they form a pair. Sarah and Rogers are married, but not a pair, so to her it's perfectly allowable for Rogers to pair with another woman. But she thinks he's too morally perfect to allow it himself. In contrast, Rogers sees himself as a grave, mortal sinner for desiring her (Adam), and regards Eleanor as a perfectly innocent nature child (Eve).

Deïsm: Because of the "innnocent nature child" (Paradise Lost Eve, and Tempest's Miranda) I included a lack of religious upbringing for Eleanor. I make her a humanitarian deïst - she believes in a god, but not in religion - a popular belief of the time. It fits the relation Adam and Eve have with God in Paradise, a spontaneous informal worship. Historical Rogers was a Christian, though obviously there are too many elements that exclude him from being a Puritan. I see him as a Christian Deïst. Locke's book (the first book that Eleanor borrowed from Rogers) had a major impact on the deïst arguments, though Locke himself was not a deïst. Eleanor as an "innocent nature child" having an Eve-like worship of god fits the expectations of pre-Locke deïsts (innate ideas), but Locke destroyed that argument by stressing formation of ideas instead of there being innate ideas.

Timeline: 3x05 happens all on the same day, except Rackham telling Anne he will go to Nassau to get the pardon and return in a few hours. It suggests this happens the following morning. However, in 3x06 Rackham arrives in Nassau (after a few hours of walking), while Teach and Vane are already on Ocracoke and it takes 3 days sailing to get to Ocracoke. For 3x05 we have Teach and Vane taking the Spanish vessel, the first of 3 days sailing to Ocracoke. Eleanor and Rogers move into the mansion and receive Max's cache that evening and Flint speaks with the Maroon Queen. Flint cannot arrive at Ocracoke to challenge Teach before the 4th day of Eleanor's and Rogers' moving into Nassau. Thus Rackham turning back for Nassay in 3x05 does not happen a day after Rogers learns of the missing cache, but at least 3 days after. We do see a small scene of Rackham and Anne hiding out in a cave, possibly a location connected to one of the tunnels beneath the fort.)