Drabble Series: 'An Execrable Business' (40/?)

[dwgm]

We move along apace. 550 words today, with thanks to my dear 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 39. That can't be

And here's today's...

40. Prophesy


~ An Execrable Business, continued...


Bill approached Jack and Nell as they descended the companionway from the quarterdeck. He said, quiet but firm, “That was well done, Captain, make things easier all around, I reckon.”

“Maybe.” Jack glanced at Barbossa's retreating back, his particular cronies at his heels as he shoved his way forward. “Come to my cabin for a bite when we’re underway again, Bill. I've got an important task for you and it'll go best after coffee and toast.”

Half an hour later, Claypool’s men were shrinking into the distance, trudging along the beach in the direction of Cockburn Town, and the Pearl was skipping away from Grand Turk Island in the steady, storm-fresh morning breeze. The sails having been set to a nicety, the watches were called to breakfast, and Jack handed the wheel off and joined Bill as he headed for the Great Cabin.

They both went in and Bill gave a whistle of appreciation. It was evident that Nell had made further progress in organization and cleaning. She’d already tidied the bed, and tied back the heavy drapes over the windows, allowing the sun to shine on furnishings that were unusually free of dust. Breakfast was laid out, too, steam issuing from the various porcelain dishes on the big table, which had been cleared for the purpose with Jack’s permission, and set with china and flatware of the finest quality.

“One could get used to this in a hurry, eh?" said Jack. "Nell, darlin', come and have breakfast. It’s been a long morning already and no mistake.”

Jack and Bill ate heartily, Nell rather less so, though she seemed cheerful enough, and the three finished the meal with another pot of coffee, brought to the cabin by Cook himself, a burley, ill-favored gent, with a patch over a missing eye and a decided limp due to his losing half a foot during an action when he was a member of the Royal Navy. He was a good cook, though exacting in his ways and something of a curmudgeon, but it was evident that he liked Nell. He beamed at her in gap-toothed approval, and God love her, she returned his regard in the friendliest fashion, not a bit put off by his rough appearance.

Cook said, “Smith here told me she’s to lend a hand in the galley, Captain, and I give ye thanks. You know how I’ve needed a good lad to help – or lass, as is the case here. We’ll have some very fine victuals this voyage, very fine indeed!”

The weighty “very fine victuals” came out werry foine wittles, and Nell giggled, but so far from taking offense was Cook that he only simpered at her and winked his one eye.

“I see she’s won you over,” Jack observed with considerable surprise. He’d sent many a “good lad” to the galley to help Cook, and each had been thrown out in days, if not hours, after being vilified for laziness or “sauce” or both. “Nell can join you later, if she likes, to help prepare dinner, but just now I want Bootstrap to take her around the ship, show her where things are and where it’s safe to go, and where it's not. How does that sound, Smith?”

“I should like it very much!” said Nell, agreeably.



TBC...

Comments

[stealmybike.livejournal.com]

Oh this is exciting! Nell gets to have her first taste of the workings of a pirate ship. I'm sure Bootstrap will have a wonderful time passing down the knowledge to her, and I'm really looking forward to learning more about Cook! :)

Great as always!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Cook is an interesting character, and was entirely unplanned. Tomorrow's bit will include recipes! *g* I'm so glad you enjoyed this! Thank you so much for commenting.

[artaxastra.livejournal.com]

Ok, Jack looking for a solution....

I can see Jack with a fine breakfast! No objections to luxury when it comes his way!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

No, no objections to luxury. I'm so happy you're enjoying this! Thank you for commenting!

[mindyracal.livejournal.com]

Bill? Would you mind showing me around too? I love Bootstrap.

Can't wait for more!

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Bootstrap is a great character, for sure. More tomorrow, with recipes! *g*

[djarum99.livejournal.com]

I love Cook! You have a real knack for creating OCs with a few deft strokes of the pen (or keyboard, I suppose). And, I love Jack at his charming and clever best, enjoying the perks of captaincy.

Wonderful ♥

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Cook was a nice surprise, and there will be more of him tomorrow, with recipes. *g*

So glad you're enjoying this! Thank you for commenting!

[pearlseed.livejournal.com]

Just as well let her know without knowing what's okay or not and I hope to shout she's armed someway or t'other. Good she's making 'friends'. No Sunday holiday pirates, these, as you writ before, deadly serious.

On ship, no secrets, but Barbossa is working up some "palace intrigues" no doubt, with his faction. He seems to think that there is only so much of what is and if he doesn't put himself greedily forward, someone else will get his part. Keeping an eye, indeed.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

We'll see some actual piracy before too much longer. No Sunday holiday pirates, amen!

And I took your "armed someway" to heart -- a very good notion.

Thank you so much for reading and commenting! I'm so glad you're enjoying it. :)

[arwen-lune.livejournal.com]

I deliberately waited with reading this until you were well into writing it - I'm too impatient for installments :-)

I like it very much; you've given your OCs real life as usual and I love Jack and his internal conflicts.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for reading, even with it still a third of the way to go (I think -- it's not outlined, I'm sort of just playing it by ear, though I know how it will end, of course). And I am determined to post every day until it's finished. Very happy you like the OC's, they are fun to write.

[florencia7.livejournal.com]

It would've been such a wonderful, joyous, lovely voyage if it wasn't for Barbossa!... And maybe for some other things as well, like Jack's conscience, Bill's moral center... *sigh* I just hope that your brilliant plot ideas are not too evil?... ^^

Another wonderful OC - the Cook! I hope that there will be more of him in the next installements!

That was a fantastic scene! Can't wait for more :]

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Not too evil, no, not while Nell is with Jack, at least. I'm so happy you liked Cook! He was a fun surprise. More of him tomorrow, with recipes. *g* Thank you again for commenting!!

[mary684.livejournal.com]

Nell has a knack for survival, doesn't she? Charmed the cook and before long -- the rest of the crew. Can Barbossa be far off? Well, best not count on that, I suppose.

Can't wait to hear what Bill will be telling her about Jack. I'm sure there's some story or other he'll need to impart.

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Can Barbossa be far off? Well, best not count on that, I suppose.

Too right. Barbossa has his eye on only one girl: the Pearl.

Thank you for commenting! I'm so glad you're enjoying it!!

[kseenaa.livejournal.com]

So awesome. :-) I bet Bill is a good teacher. And the Cook is just awesome! :-D

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm so glad you like Cook, he's fun to write. :)