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dwgmYikes! This one is 800 words, but Jack had some 'splainin' to do (and Barbossa was hard to shut up). 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...
39. That can't be
~ An Execrable Business, continued...
Barbossa said, "Aye, sir," mostly concealing the mockery in his tone. Then he flashed a glance at the girl and was taken aback to see her glaring at him, seemingly unafraid. Before he could react with anything but surprise she turned away, following Sparrow. A kit with claws! The cheeky brat was in need of a sharp lesson, and she'd get it if she were around long enough.
He turned in the opposite direction and bawled, "All hands! All hands muster at the break of the quarterdeck!" The men scurried to obey, curious as to what their captain would tell them, and Hector was mighty curious himself, wondering what yarn Jack thought to spin that could justify keeping his dollymop in the Great Cabin.
The girl followed Jack up to the quarterdeck and stood beside him, practically unheard of in itself. Barbossa stayed below, off to the side and toward the front, where he could see both Jack, the girl, and the reactions of the gathering crew.
Jack raised his hands, and the din of talk died. "Gentlemen," he began, "I'm going to come clean with you, and each of you will judge as to whether I was right to consider deception might be the course proper to this situation, considering who we are and who this is. For the truth is, this cabin boy ain't. She's a young girl, and gently bred." There was a noise of surprise, and some derision, but Jack raised his hands again and it faded. "I know, I know. Appearances. But we all know about that, don't we? This is Miss Helen Smith, and she's been in some trouble through no fault of her own. Came out to the Caribbee to live with her mother and new stepfather, Harrison Claypool."
A ripple of shocked disapproval now. Claypool had a bad reputation, for certain, and even Barbossa found himself frowning.
Jack nodded. "Aye, we've all heard tales. Well, Nell here knows him too well – or would have. Her mother died of the Yellowjack not two months back, and she was still in weeds when Claypool started throwing out hints. Had designs on her person, if you get me drift."
Here the girl's gaze dropped. She looked blushing, devastated, and Barbossa cursed, for a murmur of sympathy swept through the crowd.
Jack went on. "She escaped, but ended up in Tortuga, where I happened on her, but she'd been followed by those who've just debarked for Grand Turk: thugs in Claypool's hire, and a rare time we had with 'em, before Joe Pêcheur and his friends helped me lock 'em up. Nell was knocked on the head, and little Anamaria – Joe's youngest, you remember – got her arm broken by that one you threw over the side."
Most of them knew Joe and his daughters and there were considerable signs of outrage, and satisfaction that they'd served Claypool's man thus. Barbossa couldn't let it pass. He shouted, "So what's she doing on the Pearl, and stayin' in your cabin?" The cheering abruptly died.
"She's goin' back to England," said Jack. "Back to her old granny, and she's staying in my cabin to keep her out of harm's way. Young as she is, I know she'll be a temptation to some of you, and I'm here to tell you now, she's under my protection. Touch her and you'll pay dear. Meanwhile, she gets the bed, I swing a hammock, and there's likely a fat reward, enough for all of us when we bring her home safe."
"Her granny's rich, then?" cried one credulous fool.
"Aye, she is. And in the meantime, we'll be looking for ripe pickings as we sail – you'll recall those two fat merchants we caught off the Canaries the last time we was home. Nigh on two years it's been."
Agreement, and nodding of heads. Barbossa scowled. "And you expect us to believe you'll leave her be?"
Jack pouted, and narrowed his whorish eyes. "You'd best believe it. Every one of you. She'll pay for her passage cleaning and sewing, polishing weapons, and helping Cook in the galley. To all intents and purposes she's my cabin boy, and the first man who forgets that'll have his choice of two dozen lashes or a long swim home – and no share of the prizes. Savvy?"
There was more nodding of heads.
"Right, then. We've done well for ourselves these two years since you made me captain, and I'll not lead you astray now. What say you? Do we have an accord?"
"Aye!" came the shouts, with some more cheering, and the girl looked up, all shy and flushed and smiling.
Barbossa seethed, but had to acknowledge, once again, the efficacy of Jack's showmanship, and his way of twisting lies with the truth 'til they were all one.
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 32. Coat 33. Good and Evil 34. Sickness and Health 35. Lost 36. Court | 37. What if? 38. Island |
And here's today's...
39. That can't be
~ An Execrable Business, continued...
Barbossa said, "Aye, sir," mostly concealing the mockery in his tone. Then he flashed a glance at the girl and was taken aback to see her glaring at him, seemingly unafraid. Before he could react with anything but surprise she turned away, following Sparrow. A kit with claws! The cheeky brat was in need of a sharp lesson, and she'd get it if she were around long enough.
He turned in the opposite direction and bawled, "All hands! All hands muster at the break of the quarterdeck!" The men scurried to obey, curious as to what their captain would tell them, and Hector was mighty curious himself, wondering what yarn Jack thought to spin that could justify keeping his dollymop in the Great Cabin.
The girl followed Jack up to the quarterdeck and stood beside him, practically unheard of in itself. Barbossa stayed below, off to the side and toward the front, where he could see both Jack, the girl, and the reactions of the gathering crew.
Jack raised his hands, and the din of talk died. "Gentlemen," he began, "I'm going to come clean with you, and each of you will judge as to whether I was right to consider deception might be the course proper to this situation, considering who we are and who this is. For the truth is, this cabin boy ain't. She's a young girl, and gently bred." There was a noise of surprise, and some derision, but Jack raised his hands again and it faded. "I know, I know. Appearances. But we all know about that, don't we? This is Miss Helen Smith, and she's been in some trouble through no fault of her own. Came out to the Caribbee to live with her mother and new stepfather, Harrison Claypool."
A ripple of shocked disapproval now. Claypool had a bad reputation, for certain, and even Barbossa found himself frowning.
Jack nodded. "Aye, we've all heard tales. Well, Nell here knows him too well – or would have. Her mother died of the Yellowjack not two months back, and she was still in weeds when Claypool started throwing out hints. Had designs on her person, if you get me drift."
Here the girl's gaze dropped. She looked blushing, devastated, and Barbossa cursed, for a murmur of sympathy swept through the crowd.
Jack went on. "She escaped, but ended up in Tortuga, where I happened on her, but she'd been followed by those who've just debarked for Grand Turk: thugs in Claypool's hire, and a rare time we had with 'em, before Joe Pêcheur and his friends helped me lock 'em up. Nell was knocked on the head, and little Anamaria – Joe's youngest, you remember – got her arm broken by that one you threw over the side."
Most of them knew Joe and his daughters and there were considerable signs of outrage, and satisfaction that they'd served Claypool's man thus. Barbossa couldn't let it pass. He shouted, "So what's she doing on the Pearl, and stayin' in your cabin?" The cheering abruptly died.
"She's goin' back to England," said Jack. "Back to her old granny, and she's staying in my cabin to keep her out of harm's way. Young as she is, I know she'll be a temptation to some of you, and I'm here to tell you now, she's under my protection. Touch her and you'll pay dear. Meanwhile, she gets the bed, I swing a hammock, and there's likely a fat reward, enough for all of us when we bring her home safe."
"Her granny's rich, then?" cried one credulous fool.
"Aye, she is. And in the meantime, we'll be looking for ripe pickings as we sail – you'll recall those two fat merchants we caught off the Canaries the last time we was home. Nigh on two years it's been."
Agreement, and nodding of heads. Barbossa scowled. "And you expect us to believe you'll leave her be?"
Jack pouted, and narrowed his whorish eyes. "You'd best believe it. Every one of you. She'll pay for her passage cleaning and sewing, polishing weapons, and helping Cook in the galley. To all intents and purposes she's my cabin boy, and the first man who forgets that'll have his choice of two dozen lashes or a long swim home – and no share of the prizes. Savvy?"
There was more nodding of heads.
"Right, then. We've done well for ourselves these two years since you made me captain, and I'll not lead you astray now. What say you? Do we have an accord?"
"Aye!" came the shouts, with some more cheering, and the girl looked up, all shy and flushed and smiling.
Barbossa seethed, but had to acknowledge, once again, the efficacy of Jack's showmanship, and his way of twisting lies with the truth 'til they were all one.
TBC...
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no subject
Date: 2009-02-17 02:35 pm (UTC)Great installment!
no subject
Date: 2009-02-17 02:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-17 02:45 pm (UTC)So my boyfriend just broke up with me and I'm looking for some salve for my wounds. Know of any sappy Jack/Elizabeth stories you can rec?
no subject
Date: 2009-02-17 03:10 pm (UTC)sappycheery.*hugs*
no subject
Date: 2009-02-20 04:22 am (UTC)I've not been able to comment as extensively as I like, but you know my views re. long fiction vs drabbles. I'll happily scurry along in the wake of a nice long, meaty plot and I've been gobbling this one up with a spoon instead of a fork (in order not to miss a drop!)
no subject
Date: 2009-02-20 05:01 am (UTC)I was kidding, sort of. There are a number of folks who wouldn't ever read this sort of story because it's not serious enough. I personally get enough serious from RL, even at second hand, but not everyone feels that way by any means, as you know. Angst is very, very popular.
And then, of course, there's the whole thing about OFCs.
This is turning into quite a long story, isn't it? I really had no idea it would turn out this long. I'm thrilled you're enjoying it, and I hope you continue to do so as we begin to approach the end of it! I'm not working from an outline, this time, I just know what the end of the story will be and am filling in the blanks until we get that far, but I think I'm about 2/3's through with it, so it should end up at around 30K words. Not bad, for me. :))
no subject
Date: 2009-02-20 05:56 am (UTC)Oh, I know, but I couldn't resist putting in my vote for your brand of cozy. (I particularly use your Christmas stuff for light bedtime "nightcap". It's delightful to snuggle down in the covers with a cup of hot tea and these warm tales just before turning out the light!
As for angst, hey, I've enjoyed my share of serious stories, even some ones with heavy-duty angst. I've even appreciated and been deeply impressed and had a good mourn over some stories that have KILLED my favorites (and my policy has always been I DON'T illustrate "kills" no matter how fine, though I do read them). But I like a varied diet and as you say RL--hell, the evening NEWS is plenty grim enough, thank you. I feel no shame for preferring light and warm.
There's all kinds of OFCs too. You have never become so enamored of yours that you let them overshadow the movie characters. Even Harry, wonderfully vivid and uniquely personalized as she is, is a fine complement to Jack et al, and not allowed to be a grudging usurper of the main focus. In fact all your characters do a lovely ensemble act that I suspect you've gotten from your Regency experience, so that OFCs and movie cast mesh seamlessly in your world.
>but I think I'm about 2/3's through with it, so it should end up at around 30K words. Not bad, for me. :))<
*Grin* Do I sound like I'm complaining??? Heh, heh....
no subject
Date: 2009-02-17 03:29 pm (UTC)My opinion of Barbossa in this is fluctuating. In general, I always thought he was a good man just as Jack, but you're painting a much different picture of him pre-mutiny. He's more like a loner in this, scheming and seething from anger from afar. I think it's very accurate for the time, and nicely introduces to his developing character :)
To all intents and purposes she's my cabin boy, and the first man who forgets that'll have his choice of two dozen lashes or a long swim home – and no share of the prizes. Savvy?
Loved this line from Jack! It really seems like he would tosses 'em overboard for a long swim home ;)
Great work once again!
no subject
Date: 2009-02-17 03:41 pm (UTC)Thank you so much for commenting!
no subject
Date: 2009-02-17 09:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-18 06:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-18 12:40 am (UTC)"Barbossa seethed, but had to acknowledge, once again, the efficacy of Jack's showmanship, and his way of twisting lies with the truth 'til they were all one." - I simply adore this sentence! Gorgeous description of truth - as it is defined in Jack's dictionary.
*waiting - !with great impatience! - for more* :)
no subject
Date: 2009-02-18 06:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-18 03:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-18 06:26 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-18 03:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-18 06:27 am (UTC)Me too, and I'm so happy you thought the scene worked! Thank you for commenting. :)
no subject
Date: 2009-02-18 11:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-19 06:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-19 07:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-19 08:28 pm (UTC)I'm so glad! Thank you very much for letting me know. :))