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dwgmA 350 word digression. But hey, more of Cook and Giselle. Many thanks to ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
hereswith for beta reading.
Previous bits...
And here's today's...
50. Rib
~ An Execrable Business, continued...
Before he left, Nell gently cleaned Jack’s scratched cheek with rum, which made him hiss between his teeth.
“Bloody cat,” he muttered.
“She must have been frightened to death!” Nell protested.
“No excuse,” Jack grumped, then straightened his coat, put on his hat (which he had taken off to kiss her), and took his leave.
The piping was presently joined by a guitar and voices, and Nell came out to listen and watch the activity, accompanied by a wary Giselle. The cat showed no desire to leave her side, with the deck alive with men at their various tasks. The two sat on a step of the companionway until the Pearl began to sail off with a blaze of sunset over the taffrail. Then Nell rose and made her way across the deck and down to the galley, Giselle close on her heels.
“Why, it’s a cat!” Cook exclaimed.
“Do you mind?” asked Nell. “Jack got her from the Écarlate and gave her to me. I thought she might need water, or something to eat.”
“Don’t mind at all,” Cook said, cheerfully, filling a saucer of fine china with a dipper of fresh water. “Captain’s not o’er fond of cats, she surprised me is all. I like ‘em, meself. Keep the rats and mice down, though this one don’t look hungry enough to want to hunt.”
“Oh, I’m sure she’ll do her duty when she’s more used to the ship. She’s not really fat, it’s mostly fur.”
“Is it?” Cook said, setting the dish on the floor. Giselle approached, sniffed, and deigned to lap some water. Cook petted her, his rough hands catching in her soft fur. Apparently recognizing him as a friend, Giselle butted her head against his arm. “Flirtatious lass,” Cook chuckled. “You’re right, Miss Nell. Not much padding on those ribs. She’s a young ‘un, if I don’t mistake matters. We’ll welcome her aboard with some of this fresh fish we caught this afternoon. I was savin’ it for the captain’s table, but what ‘e don’t know won’t hurt ‘im.” And he gave Nell a conspiratorial wink.
TBC...
hereswith for beta reading.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. 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 & Health 35. Lost 36. Court 37. What if? 38. Island 39. That can't be 40. Prophesy 41. Ten Years Later 42. French 43. Deed 44. Tea 45. Scarlett & Giselle | 46. Link 47. Comedy 48. Mothers 49. Fathers |
And here's today's...
50. Rib
~ An Execrable Business, continued...
Before he left, Nell gently cleaned Jack’s scratched cheek with rum, which made him hiss between his teeth.
“Bloody cat,” he muttered.
“She must have been frightened to death!” Nell protested.
“No excuse,” Jack grumped, then straightened his coat, put on his hat (which he had taken off to kiss her), and took his leave.
The piping was presently joined by a guitar and voices, and Nell came out to listen and watch the activity, accompanied by a wary Giselle. The cat showed no desire to leave her side, with the deck alive with men at their various tasks. The two sat on a step of the companionway until the Pearl began to sail off with a blaze of sunset over the taffrail. Then Nell rose and made her way across the deck and down to the galley, Giselle close on her heels.
“Why, it’s a cat!” Cook exclaimed.
“Do you mind?” asked Nell. “Jack got her from the Écarlate and gave her to me. I thought she might need water, or something to eat.”
“Don’t mind at all,” Cook said, cheerfully, filling a saucer of fine china with a dipper of fresh water. “Captain’s not o’er fond of cats, she surprised me is all. I like ‘em, meself. Keep the rats and mice down, though this one don’t look hungry enough to want to hunt.”
“Oh, I’m sure she’ll do her duty when she’s more used to the ship. She’s not really fat, it’s mostly fur.”
“Is it?” Cook said, setting the dish on the floor. Giselle approached, sniffed, and deigned to lap some water. Cook petted her, his rough hands catching in her soft fur. Apparently recognizing him as a friend, Giselle butted her head against his arm. “Flirtatious lass,” Cook chuckled. “You’re right, Miss Nell. Not much padding on those ribs. She’s a young ‘un, if I don’t mistake matters. We’ll welcome her aboard with some of this fresh fish we caught this afternoon. I was savin’ it for the captain’s table, but what ‘e don’t know won’t hurt ‘im.” And he gave Nell a conspiratorial wink.
TBC...
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no subject
Date: 2009-03-02 11:57 pm (UTC)