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dwgm450 words today, theme: "Coat". Many thanks to my dear ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
hereswith for beta reading, editing, and excellent suggestions.
Previous bits...
And here's today's...
32. Coat
~ An Execrable Business, continued...
Bill rapped on the door of the Great Cabin before opening it and slipping inside, closing it behind him. There she was, stopped, startled, in the middle of room, holding a stack of several books. Putting them away? A quick look around informed him the place was improved already. Obviously she’d taken Jack’s instructions to heart.
“I’m Bill Turner,” he told her. “Or Bootstrap, as most of ‘em call me. You’re Mi—er… Smith?”
Her wariness eased. “Yes. Captain Sparrow told me about you. I’m so pleased to meet you.”
He walked toward her, studying her. A little thing, five foot maybe, and that face! Too pretty by half. Dressed in a lady’s gown, with her hair done up proper… Lord, it was no wonder Jack liked her. She was quite in his style, he liked a dainty piece, though seventeen was awfully young. She looked it, too, the big coat effectively disguising her assets. But he had a feeling she’d have a hard time filling out a fashionably low décolletage in any case.
How had she managed in Tortuga? And more to the point, how the devil did Jack think to fool Barbossa with this masquerade?
She must have seen his concern for her wariness returned. He came to a halt and tried to look friendly and unworried. “Pleased to meet you, too. I see you’ve been making good use of your time, making great inroads. Jack’ll be pleased.”
“Oh, I hope so!” She smiled back, and Bill’s heart sank further. She went on, “He did give me leave to straighten things, and though there’s probably a method to his… um… “
Bill chuckled. “You can say it: madness.”
She flushed seashell pink. “He is, a little, but he’s been so kind to me.”
“I don’t doubt it,” said Bill with perfect truth.
“I don’t want to move things I shouldn’t. But there was a great deal to do besides straightening. His steward has been most remiss! There is a whole tray of dirty crockery that needs to be taken to the kitchen!”
“The galley,” Bill corrected absently, amused at her indignant tone. “Jack doesn’t have a steward, though you’re right, someone should’ve seen to that.”
“Yes. And there is so much laundry and mending to do.” She nodded toward a pile of clothing in the corner.
“He’s never been much for sewing,” Bill admitted. “You’re right: he does need a steward.”
“Perhaps you can persuade him to hire one in England. For now I am very relieved I’ll be able to be of such use to him, and make him comfortable on the voyage!”
She smiled again, and Bill choked a bit. “Aye. Well. I daresay you will.”
TBC...
hereswith for beta reading, editing, and excellent suggestions.Previous bits...
| 1. Tortuga 2. Happiness 3. Festive 4. Last Minute 5. Calm 6. Truth 7. Bargain 8. Spook 9. Down 10. Wounds 11. Moon 12. Monsters | 13. Beauty 14. Name 15. History 16. Service 17. Advice 18. Captain 19. Awe 20. Cross 21. "You've made a big mistake" 22. Heroism 23. Gold 24. Echo | 25. Greed 26. Advance 27. Challenge 28. Adventure 29. Sentence 30. Treasure 31. North |
And here's today's...
32. Coat
~ An Execrable Business, continued...
Bill rapped on the door of the Great Cabin before opening it and slipping inside, closing it behind him. There she was, stopped, startled, in the middle of room, holding a stack of several books. Putting them away? A quick look around informed him the place was improved already. Obviously she’d taken Jack’s instructions to heart.
“I’m Bill Turner,” he told her. “Or Bootstrap, as most of ‘em call me. You’re Mi—er… Smith?”
Her wariness eased. “Yes. Captain Sparrow told me about you. I’m so pleased to meet you.”
He walked toward her, studying her. A little thing, five foot maybe, and that face! Too pretty by half. Dressed in a lady’s gown, with her hair done up proper… Lord, it was no wonder Jack liked her. She was quite in his style, he liked a dainty piece, though seventeen was awfully young. She looked it, too, the big coat effectively disguising her assets. But he had a feeling she’d have a hard time filling out a fashionably low décolletage in any case.
How had she managed in Tortuga? And more to the point, how the devil did Jack think to fool Barbossa with this masquerade?
She must have seen his concern for her wariness returned. He came to a halt and tried to look friendly and unworried. “Pleased to meet you, too. I see you’ve been making good use of your time, making great inroads. Jack’ll be pleased.”
“Oh, I hope so!” She smiled back, and Bill’s heart sank further. She went on, “He did give me leave to straighten things, and though there’s probably a method to his… um… “
Bill chuckled. “You can say it: madness.”
She flushed seashell pink. “He is, a little, but he’s been so kind to me.”
“I don’t doubt it,” said Bill with perfect truth.
“I don’t want to move things I shouldn’t. But there was a great deal to do besides straightening. His steward has been most remiss! There is a whole tray of dirty crockery that needs to be taken to the kitchen!”
“The galley,” Bill corrected absently, amused at her indignant tone. “Jack doesn’t have a steward, though you’re right, someone should’ve seen to that.”
“Yes. And there is so much laundry and mending to do.” She nodded toward a pile of clothing in the corner.
“He’s never been much for sewing,” Bill admitted. “You’re right: he does need a steward.”
“Perhaps you can persuade him to hire one in England. For now I am very relieved I’ll be able to be of such use to him, and make him comfortable on the voyage!”
She smiled again, and Bill choked a bit. “Aye. Well. I daresay you will.”
TBC...