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dwgm700 words, with many thanks to ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
hereswith for beta reading, editing, and suggestions.
Previous bits...
And here's today's...
59. Port
~ An Execrable Business, continued...
Mary Turner sat before her mirror, brushing out her hair. What a day it had been, with Bill coming home so sudden and unexpected! Will had been over the moon, and no wonder, he’d almost forgot what his father looked like. The other boys had begun to tease him about it, for few of them had fathers who went to sea, though it was less than a day’s ride from the village, and none for so long a time as Bill Turner.
Mary sighed. She hated lying to Will, but he was not to know the true nature of his father’s work. They’d agreed on that when he was only a baby and Bill had first taken up with Captain Tobias. Or been taken up, the ship he was on raided by the Black Pearl. Mary had been horrified when Bill had told her he’d prefer to stay on the Pearl, though Tobias would’ve released him. It was true that the money was much better, but… pirates! But Bill just said there were pirates and pirates, and the Pearls were the good sort, thanks to Tobias.
And now thanks to Jack Sparrow.
Who’d have thought that young limb of Satan would’ve made a good captain? Not she, for all love! The last time he’d been to visit with Bill he’d been far too full of sauce. Oh, he was polite enough, but Mary had seen the laughter behind his eyes as he plied her with smooth talk and provocative looks. Bill had just grinned and rolled his eyes, but Mary had been angry and let Bill know it, though little good had it done. Yet now, two years later, Bill had brought him back, and though he was still as handsome and clever as he could stare, there was a strange gravity beneath it all. Bill said being captain changed a man. Maybe so. But it was that girl Jack had brought, too, Mary would lay money on it. That Nell Smith.
Mary wondered what her real name was. There was no doubt she was gentlefolk. Appalled at the worn boy’s clothing the girl wore, Mary had loaned her a dress straightaway. They were about the same height, and it had only needed a ribbon around Nell’s slender middle to make the dress fit more the way it should. Mary had done up Nell's hair for her as well, and let her borrow some tortoiseshell pins. And when they’d come down the stairs, the look on Jack Sparrow’s face!
They’d all been gay enough at supper, Jack going to great lengths to keep Will entertained, the girl quietly conversable. Occasionally the talk would veer to a subject that would make Nell light up briefly, and that’s when Mary could see why Jack was so taken with her.
But they were leaving on the morrow. Nell had family up north, a grandmother that would be glad to have her home, Jack said. Mary couldn’t help wondering what sort of grandmother would be able to look on her grandchild’s connection with Jack Sparrow with anything but the most extreme disapprobation. Two months on a pirate ship and no chaperone in sight? And anyone could see that there was more than friendship between them, though Bill had told her it wasn’t so.
The bedroom door opened and Bill came in. Mary, a wife these ten years, found herself blushing like a girl as their eyes met in the mirror. “There’s my love,” he said, smiling devilishly. He closed and locked the door and crossed to her, and bent to put his arms around her.
She leaned back, completely happy. He kissed her temple, her cheek, and then, brushing her hair aside, her neck, even as he dexterously untied the thin ribbons over her bosom. She meant to scold as he slipped his hand within, but his caress changed her words to a soft gasp instead, and when his thumb brushed over her nipple as his lips met hers she could only moan into his mouth at the delicious ache he’d so easily evoked.
His fingers still at play, he watched her in the mirror. “Do you need me, Mary?”
“Always,” she whispered. “Always!”
TBC...
hereswith for beta reading, editing, and 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. 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 50. Rib 51. Music 52. Magic 53. Pirate King 54. Freedom 55. Sea Shanties 56. Isla de Muerta 57. Tragedy 58. Sickness |
And here's today's...
59. Port
~ An Execrable Business, continued...
Mary Turner sat before her mirror, brushing out her hair. What a day it had been, with Bill coming home so sudden and unexpected! Will had been over the moon, and no wonder, he’d almost forgot what his father looked like. The other boys had begun to tease him about it, for few of them had fathers who went to sea, though it was less than a day’s ride from the village, and none for so long a time as Bill Turner.
Mary sighed. She hated lying to Will, but he was not to know the true nature of his father’s work. They’d agreed on that when he was only a baby and Bill had first taken up with Captain Tobias. Or been taken up, the ship he was on raided by the Black Pearl. Mary had been horrified when Bill had told her he’d prefer to stay on the Pearl, though Tobias would’ve released him. It was true that the money was much better, but… pirates! But Bill just said there were pirates and pirates, and the Pearls were the good sort, thanks to Tobias.
And now thanks to Jack Sparrow.
Who’d have thought that young limb of Satan would’ve made a good captain? Not she, for all love! The last time he’d been to visit with Bill he’d been far too full of sauce. Oh, he was polite enough, but Mary had seen the laughter behind his eyes as he plied her with smooth talk and provocative looks. Bill had just grinned and rolled his eyes, but Mary had been angry and let Bill know it, though little good had it done. Yet now, two years later, Bill had brought him back, and though he was still as handsome and clever as he could stare, there was a strange gravity beneath it all. Bill said being captain changed a man. Maybe so. But it was that girl Jack had brought, too, Mary would lay money on it. That Nell Smith.
Mary wondered what her real name was. There was no doubt she was gentlefolk. Appalled at the worn boy’s clothing the girl wore, Mary had loaned her a dress straightaway. They were about the same height, and it had only needed a ribbon around Nell’s slender middle to make the dress fit more the way it should. Mary had done up Nell's hair for her as well, and let her borrow some tortoiseshell pins. And when they’d come down the stairs, the look on Jack Sparrow’s face!
They’d all been gay enough at supper, Jack going to great lengths to keep Will entertained, the girl quietly conversable. Occasionally the talk would veer to a subject that would make Nell light up briefly, and that’s when Mary could see why Jack was so taken with her.
But they were leaving on the morrow. Nell had family up north, a grandmother that would be glad to have her home, Jack said. Mary couldn’t help wondering what sort of grandmother would be able to look on her grandchild’s connection with Jack Sparrow with anything but the most extreme disapprobation. Two months on a pirate ship and no chaperone in sight? And anyone could see that there was more than friendship between them, though Bill had told her it wasn’t so.
The bedroom door opened and Bill came in. Mary, a wife these ten years, found herself blushing like a girl as their eyes met in the mirror. “There’s my love,” he said, smiling devilishly. He closed and locked the door and crossed to her, and bent to put his arms around her.
She leaned back, completely happy. He kissed her temple, her cheek, and then, brushing her hair aside, her neck, even as he dexterously untied the thin ribbons over her bosom. She meant to scold as he slipped his hand within, but his caress changed her words to a soft gasp instead, and when his thumb brushed over her nipple as his lips met hers she could only moan into his mouth at the delicious ache he’d so easily evoked.
His fingers still at play, he watched her in the mirror. “Do you need me, Mary?”
“Always,” she whispered. “Always!”
TBC...
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2009-03-09 01:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-09 01:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-09 03:29 pm (UTC)the laughter behind his eyes as he plied her with smooth talk and provocative looks and "limb of Satan" - perfect descriptions of Jack as a woman like Mary would see him :-)
I don't want this to end!
no subject
Date: 2009-03-10 01:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-09 04:52 pm (UTC)Poor Jack. We know just where that gravity came from. And he and Nell are going to have such a hard time saying goodbye to one another (*sniff*) ... :-(
And I'm going to have a hard time, too, saying goodbye when this story wraps up. Though I am looking forward to the (eventual) possibility of "deleted scenes" ... ;-)
Excellent chapter! Great, great work!
no subject
Date: 2009-03-10 01:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-09 07:07 pm (UTC)I can't believe this is almost over! :( I'm really excited for the next chapter, but sad at the same time!
no subject
Date: 2009-03-10 02:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-09 10:20 pm (UTC)And Bill apparently still believing that it's only friendship between Jack & Nell was precious ^^
I love this story so much! :] ...& I really hope that there is a digit missing... It should be 59/160, right?
no subject
Date: 2009-03-10 12:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-10 02:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-10 12:12 am (UTC)“Always,” she whispered. “Always!”
Miz Ge-Ma, how you do move your audience! I thought the last chapter was good, this one even sweeter. Thank you so much for this wonderful imagining, to allow us to see into Bill's love for Will's mum. Very special, Jack and his ability to make families of those people who get put into his life--think I love this part of him even more than some of my less noble feelings of attachment. Always the good man, ultimately, against his will, despite himself, without a good think about it. Oh, our Jack!
"Who’d have thought that young limb of Satan" now that is a very unique observation about Jack--and funny to boot!
"though he was still as handsome and clever as he could stare, there was a strange gravity beneath it all." What an amazing woman to discern this about Jack and it stands to reason it would be that way.
Love love love what you've writ, love the journey, the company, and we'll see tomorrow. Thnak you.
no subject
Date: 2009-03-10 02:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-10 12:17 am (UTC)Nice description of our Jack. hehe
And who'd have thought Bootstrap could make a girl gasp softly. Awww, so very sweet.
Mary's no fool, putting the truth of Jack and Nell together. Very sweet chapter this was. I love this glimpse of Will's mom.
no subject
Date: 2009-03-10 02:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-10 01:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-10 02:08 pm (UTC)