A Pirates Passion

Chapter 18

JJ could see the nervous looks on their faces but said no more.

Elizabeth hurried inside their house and turned to JJ. "Are you hungry" She asked.

"No. Where is my mother" He growled. He wanted to see her. Elizabeth looked at Will as she wrung her hands.

"JJ your mother isn't in Port Royal anymore" Will began.

"Who" Jack asked.

"Madeline" James replied his voice a lethal hiss.

"What about Maddy? Are the two of you settled yet? I would imagine she married ye by now" Jack smiled.

"No, she left Port Royal" James told him.

"And ye think I had something to do with that" Jack asked.

"I don't know" James replied honestly.

"Then why are ye pissed off at me Commodore" Jack asked.

"Why did you find it so damn necessary to treat her like you did before you left" James asked.

"That's between Maddy and me. She knows why I acted the way I did, but if it makes ye feel any better I regret it, where did she go" Jack asked.

"I was going to ask you that" James said angrily.

"Sorry Commodore, but she didn't come after me if ye were thinking that" Jack told him.

"Then where in bloody hell did she go" James asked.

Jack thought a moment"Perhaps her island" he said.

"Her island" James said puzzled.

"Aye, it's a mess but she may have gone to help the people there rebuild, but weren't the two of ye, eh." Jack asked.

"We were engaged, but she left" James said sadly.

"First she leave me now ye. What is wrong with that blessed woman" Jack snapped.

"She's hurting, perhaps you should talk to Elizabeth and Will. They can tell you the details" James said not wanting to talk about the loss of the baby.

Jack looked at him worried"Are ye all right Commodore, ye look a little pale" he said.

"Just go, just get out of my sight" James sighed.

"But if I step out the door I'll be shot" Jack reminded him.

James walked to the door"Let him go" he told his men. He then waved Jack away.

Jack left more confused then when he'd gone in. Elizabeth and Will had better be able to shed some light on where and why Maddy had gone.

"Perhaps you had best sit down JJ." Elizabeth said.

JJ eyed her, but sat down. "Where is she Aunt Elizabeth"

Elizabeth began to pace. "Shortly after you and your father left, your mum discovered she was carrying a child. Your father's child." She glanced at Will. "Anyway, the Commodore and your mother became engaged and she was going to marry him. But shortly before your sister was born, Louis Jacquette came to Port Royal."

JJ stood up. "That bastard. Where is my mother Uncle Will? Answer me" He demanded. JJ turned when he heard the door open and slam.

"Somebody tell me just what in the hell is going on and now" Jack growled.

Elizabeth paled when she heard Jack's voice. "Jack."

JJ moved to stand next to his father. "Da. Mum had a baby" he said. "And now she's gone."

"So that's why Norrington had his drawers in a knot. Maddy did the same damn thing to him that she did to me" Jack muttered. "Well, I suppose now that we have that in common is why he decided not to hang me" Jack sighed. "I need a drink" he groaned.

"Jack, that isn't what happened, I'll get you that drink then you need to hear Elizabeth out" Will told him.

Jack looked from Will to Elizabeth"Well don't just stand there like ye just burned all the rum again, speak" he growled.

Elizabeth watched as Will went to get the rum. "Perhaps you had better sit down Jack." She said quietly. "It wasn't the commodore's baby."

Jack sat and took the drink offered to him. "Whose baby was it" he asked. Had Maddy gone wilder then even he'd thought she had?

Elizabeth could see his mind churning. "Hold on." She hurried to the library and retrieved Maddy's journal. She pulled out the letter as she walked back to them. It was blood stained from Maddy's fight with Jacquette. She handed it to him. "You should read this first."

Jack threw it across the room"Damn it Elizabeth just tell me" he said jumping from his chair.

"The baby was yours" Will said flatly.

Jack looked at him"What" he said stunned.

"The baby was yours" Will repeated.

"So once again she has my child then runs away" Jack shouted.

"No" Will said dryly.

Jack looked at Elizabeth"Tell me what happened" he growled.

Elizabeth stood next to him. "She was pregnant when you left. She didn't know Jack." She sighed and glanced at JJ who was listening intently. "Will and Mr. Taylor took the letter to Tortuga. She didn't want to hide this child from you Jack. She wanted to make sure that you knew." She felt Will move to stand next to her. "Little did any of us know that Louis Jacquette was in Tortuga when the letter was delivered. He stole the letter and came to Port Royal."

"Is he dead" Jack asked flatly. His mind was reeling in a million directions.

Elizabeth slowly nodded. "Yes, Maddy killed him. She was at home alone when he came. He was going to kill her. What she told me he was going to do to her I almost couldn't believe. He told her he was going to cut the baby out of her and then he was going to kill her." Elizabeth fought back her tears. "He hit her so hard she fell on her stomach. She stabbed him in the heart and then she stabbed him with his own sword. If the Commodore hadn't found her when he did, she may have bled to death. But..."

"But what Aunt Elizabeth" JJ growled.

Jack finished his drink, he stood at the fireplace with his back to Elizabeth and his head hung, he didn't need to hear"Was it a boy or a girl" he asked.

"It was a little girl. A beautiful little girl." She said in almost a whisper. She moved next to Jack.

Jack put the glass on the mantel"JJ stay here with your Aunt Elizabeth" he said and headed for the door.

Elizabeth ran after him. "Jack, where are you going"

Jack turned on her"If you are my friend you will turn around and walk away" he said.

Elizabeth nodded. "Please come back Jack." She said quietly.