Dark of the Moon (5/?)

[dwgm]

More Dark of the Moon, in which Bootstrap and Captain Tobias are of very little help.

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“Bill!”

Bootstrap turned and grinned. “Jack! That was fast! Didn’t I tell you to slow down and take your time with the ladies? I’m tellin’ you, mate, it makes for a better experience all around…”

“Oh, shut up!” snapped Jack, testily. He lowered his voice.  “I’ve barely laid a hand on ‘er and she’s weepin’ fit to be tied! Y’don’t think I could bunk in with you and let ‘er have my cabin ‘til we’re rid of ‘er – I’d still be close that way…”

“Martin’s in with me and there’s barely room to breathe,” said Bill. “The cabins are full up – you know that! You could swing a hammock with the lads, but then who’d keep an eye on her, eh? No, Jack. You’ve won her, now you get to look after her.”

Jack groaned.

Bill chuckled. “Not as convenient as you’d imagined, I’ll lay. That was a good fight, though. How’s the shoulder?”

“Still bleedin’ all over me shirt. Will you help me with it?”

“Let’s see it.”

Jack undid the ties on his shirt and pulled it aside, baring the cut which was high up on his left arm.

Bootstrap took him and pulled him around to the lamplight, the better to see it. “Doesn’t look too bad, but like you said, it’s still bleedin’. Best have the surgeon look at it.”

“The surgeon. He’s little better than a butcher, as you’re aware. Be a good lad and bind it up for me, eh? It’ll be all right.”

Bootstrap, considering Jack’s assessment of the surgeon’s skills a just one, acquiesced.

They met the captain as they crossed the deck. “Jack! Through with ‘er already, are ye?”

Jack smiled grimly. “I’m fetchin’ ‘er tea. And Bootstrap’ll take care of this for me.” Jack turned his shoulder, showing off his wound.

“Let me see that,” frowned Tobias, and took Jack’s arm. He ignored the roll of Jack’s eyes, as well as the flinch and hiss of indrawn breath Jack couldn’t quite hold back as he carried out the examination. “Hmm,” Tobias said, finally. “All right, then. Bill can take care of it. Clean it with rum, Bill, and don’t give ‘im more than a nip to drink – wouldn’t want to impair his abilities with the lady, waitin’ for ‘er tea an’ all.“  He winked at Jack, and then chuckled at Jack’s grimace of disgust.

“Thanks ever so much,” Jack said sarcastically.

“Don’t mention it, lad. That was a good fight. Yer a devil with a sword when yer heart’s in it. Knacker’ll likely live, by the way, in case you were interested.”

“Wasn’t aimin’ to kill ‘im, just to keep ‘im off the wench.”

Tobias nodded. “Which is why I permitted, as you know full well. That Knacker!” The Captain shook his head. “May have to see if we can’t get shut of ‘im when we get to Cartagena. He can find another ship there, easy enough. Bloody fool, bringin’ a wench aboard. An’ if ‘e’d done for you I’d’ve slit his throat meself.”

Jack did smile a bit at that. “Thanks, John.”

Tobias winked at him. “Aye, well, just you take it easy with the lady, now. There’ll be no slackin’ just because you’re entertaining a guest. You’d best pace yourself, savvy?” His dark eye twinkled at Jack’s expression and he took himself off, chuckling.

Jack turned to Bootstrap, who was making a heroic effort to keep a straight face. Jack ground his teeth. “Bill…”

Bill cut him off, in a voice shaking with laughter. “Come on, lad, let’s do that arm so’s you can fetch her that tea.”




TBC

Comments

[geekmama.livejournal.com]

Hello! So happy you dropped by to read and comment! Thank you very much for your kind words. I'm glad you're enjoying it, including the new OFC. It's been interesting fleshing her out over the weeks.