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dwgm600 words, with 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...
42. French
~ An Execrable Business, continued...
The potatoes received lavish praise from Jack and Bill, and even Barbossa, who also attended, looked pleased with the dish, if not particularly with Nell. Nell thanked them, but merely said Cook had shown her how to prepare them. She spoke little during the meal, but her gaze was repeatedly drawn to Jack, and with an amused gleam. Bloody Cook, Jack thought, knowing how the man loved to gossip. But Jack had a great regard for Cook, too, for his fortitude, general good humor, and skill in the galley, and he knew Cook liked him and respected him as captain. The worst Nell might have heard were discomfiting tales of Jack’s early days on the Pearl.
Toward the end of the meal, however, there came a pause in conversation and Nell spoke up. “Captain Sparrow, Mr. Turner said you might be persuaded to allow me to accompany you aloft, to the fighting top, to view the sails and rigging from a different perspective. Do you think we might do that when I’ve done clearing up?”
Barbossa gave a scornful chuff. “She’ll end a splat on the deck, belike.”
Jack, who had thought the same thing on hearing Nell’s request, immediately turned perverse and said, “No, she’ll do. We were all of us novices at one time, eh? You don’t mind heights, lass?”
“Oh, no!” said Nell, excitedly. “At least… I have never had the chance to find out, but I’m sure I’ll be fine, if you are with me.”
Barbossa gave a roll of his eyes and excused himself. Cook passed him, coming into the cabin, asked what was toward, and upon being told he shooed Jack and Nell off for their new adventure.
“I’ll take care of clearing the table this time, Captain; you just take care of me galley mate. Clap on tight, lass, one hand for the ship, one hand for yourself, and mind the swell!”
Jack repeated Cook’s advice at least a half dozen times before Nell achieved the fighting top, along with, “Don’t look down!” when he noticed her doing so, with eyes like saucers. It was, indeed, an Adventure, for both of them, hair-raising, strenuous, and ultimately most satisfying. Having gone ahead, by the more precarious route around the edge of the lofty platform, Jack pulled her up the last of it by main force, through the lubber’s hole, and there she stood, gasping at the exertion and gaping at the view.
“Oh, it’s beautiful!” she exclaimed. “It’s like flying!”
“So it is,” said Jack. “Just don’t go imagining you’ll float off like a cloud if you jump.”
“Jump! I’m not certain I’ll be able to crawl down from such a height.”
“No worries, love, I’ll help you.” She turned her head, meeting his eyes with such affection that his heart swelled. “You keep looking at me like that and I shall have to kiss you,” he threatened, “whether we can be seen or no!”
“Oh, dear!” she laughed, and turned away, but leaned back against him somewhat more than the motion of the ship would account for. But then, suddenly, she straightened and pointed with her free hand. “What is that? Is it another ship?”
Jack squinted into the wind, scanning the horizon. He could just see something... “Hold tight,” he ordered, rummaging in his coat pocket. He pulled out his spyglass and set it to his eye, and sure enough, there it was, a ship hull down on the horizon, until the seas lifted her into sight as though served on a silver platter. “By God, if it ain’t a French merchantman!”
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 39. That can't be 40. Prophesy 41. Ten Years Later |
And here's today's...
42. French
~ An Execrable Business, continued...
The potatoes received lavish praise from Jack and Bill, and even Barbossa, who also attended, looked pleased with the dish, if not particularly with Nell. Nell thanked them, but merely said Cook had shown her how to prepare them. She spoke little during the meal, but her gaze was repeatedly drawn to Jack, and with an amused gleam. Bloody Cook, Jack thought, knowing how the man loved to gossip. But Jack had a great regard for Cook, too, for his fortitude, general good humor, and skill in the galley, and he knew Cook liked him and respected him as captain. The worst Nell might have heard were discomfiting tales of Jack’s early days on the Pearl.
Toward the end of the meal, however, there came a pause in conversation and Nell spoke up. “Captain Sparrow, Mr. Turner said you might be persuaded to allow me to accompany you aloft, to the fighting top, to view the sails and rigging from a different perspective. Do you think we might do that when I’ve done clearing up?”
Barbossa gave a scornful chuff. “She’ll end a splat on the deck, belike.”
Jack, who had thought the same thing on hearing Nell’s request, immediately turned perverse and said, “No, she’ll do. We were all of us novices at one time, eh? You don’t mind heights, lass?”
“Oh, no!” said Nell, excitedly. “At least… I have never had the chance to find out, but I’m sure I’ll be fine, if you are with me.”
Barbossa gave a roll of his eyes and excused himself. Cook passed him, coming into the cabin, asked what was toward, and upon being told he shooed Jack and Nell off for their new adventure.
“I’ll take care of clearing the table this time, Captain; you just take care of me galley mate. Clap on tight, lass, one hand for the ship, one hand for yourself, and mind the swell!”
Jack repeated Cook’s advice at least a half dozen times before Nell achieved the fighting top, along with, “Don’t look down!” when he noticed her doing so, with eyes like saucers. It was, indeed, an Adventure, for both of them, hair-raising, strenuous, and ultimately most satisfying. Having gone ahead, by the more precarious route around the edge of the lofty platform, Jack pulled her up the last of it by main force, through the lubber’s hole, and there she stood, gasping at the exertion and gaping at the view.
“Oh, it’s beautiful!” she exclaimed. “It’s like flying!”
“So it is,” said Jack. “Just don’t go imagining you’ll float off like a cloud if you jump.”
“Jump! I’m not certain I’ll be able to crawl down from such a height.”
“No worries, love, I’ll help you.” She turned her head, meeting his eyes with such affection that his heart swelled. “You keep looking at me like that and I shall have to kiss you,” he threatened, “whether we can be seen or no!”
“Oh, dear!” she laughed, and turned away, but leaned back against him somewhat more than the motion of the ship would account for. But then, suddenly, she straightened and pointed with her free hand. “What is that? Is it another ship?”
Jack squinted into the wind, scanning the horizon. He could just see something... “Hold tight,” he ordered, rummaging in his coat pocket. He pulled out his spyglass and set it to his eye, and sure enough, there it was, a ship hull down on the horizon, until the seas lifted her into sight as though served on a silver platter. “By God, if it ain’t a French merchantman!”
TBC...