Of Revenge and Shattered Dreams
‘Do you really have to go after him?’
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Cursed disclaimers!
With thanks to Pendragginink, Roxula’s Bride, Ginny, Galleria,
Mina Sparrow, RandonGal, darigan-sparrow, cruiser, Rose Pearl, and those who
have reviewed on affnet (it’s down again…!), and Hilary and Linnie for
editing.
…
Chapter five: ‘Do
you really have to go after him?’
‘Land ho!’
‘Good,’ thought Jack, eager to get his hands on half
of the arsenal in the hold of Le
Brestois. The journey back to
Tortola had passed without incident and he had been surprised at how well the
French barque had kept up with them.
‘Sail ho!’
‘Eh?’ Jack looked up
at the watchman, high on the main mast.
‘Abaft the port bow,’ he called down.
Jack grabbed his spyglass and swung around to face towards
the stern of The Pearl, frowning as he saw the sails on the
horizon. He turned to Le Brestois,
nodding to himself as he saw Jaileailey looking at the strange ship with his
own glass.
The ship seemed to be gaining on them due, Jack reasoned, to
good winds and strong currents. He
continued to watch them, part of him starting to wish that Tortola was not
still a good couple of hours sail away.
‘Jack!’ a voice called from the barque.
bowsprit, waving his arm frantically.
‘What is it, Job?’ he called back, walking to the poop deck
and leaning over the rail.
‘One of me men reckon it’s th’Wanderer.’
‘What?!’ Jack spun
on his heel and raced to the opposite side of the stern and looked once more at
the ship, still drawing closer. He held
the glass to his eye once more and focused on the ship, going cold as he
realised that it was indeed one of Absolon Valentine’s two ships.
‘Jack?’ Joshamee
Gibbs stood beside his captain, a ied ied frown creasing his brow.
‘Aye Gibbs, it’s th’bloody Wanderer.’
‘Mary, mother of God,’ he cursed. ‘What are the chances of that happening?’
‘Incalculable, Mr. Gibbs.
Incalculable.’ He watched as the
ship started to slowly change course and closed his eyes in despair.
‘They won’t know that Bailes ans another ship.
mebbe they’ll think that we’re both just heading for port, eh?’
‘This is Valentine, Gibbs.
He will read more into it, only this time he’ll be correct.’
‘Jack!’ Bailey called from his vantage point.
‘I’ll drop Jenny an’ Scurvy off then we’ll give chase.’
‘There won’t be time.
Not if we want to catch them,’ Bailey reasoned.
‘Damn!’ Jack cursed, running his hand across the red bandana
tied around his head. ‘Damn, damn an’
thrice damn!’
‘Do we go after them Cap’n?’ Gibbs enquired.
there may not be another opportune moment.’
‘I know that, thank you,’ Jack snapped, sighing deeply.
waved in acknowledgement, then climbed down and barked orders to his crew.
‘You sure?’
‘Aye Gibbs,’ he sighed again. ‘We go after ‘em.’
‘Aye, aye Captain.
Shall we release the prisoners now?’
‘Yes, there won’t be another chance,’ he grimaced, wishing
there was more time.
The quartermaster ordered the prisoners to be brought up and
the crew of The Black>Pea>Pearl stood and watched as they climbed down to
the lowered boats. The French captain
looked at his pirate counterpart and made towards him until he was checked by
Shay and Davy.
‘Merci,’ he smiled gratefully before turning and climbing
down to the final boat.
‘A pleasure mate,’ Jack replied dryly then bellowed orders
to give chase to The Wanderer ie die distance and the ship lurched
wildly as she changed course and all necessary sails were unfurled.
…
‘Wha…?’ Jenny woke
suddenly and clung to the side of the bunk then sat up and looked out of the
stern windows, wondering why they had changed direction.
she mused, climbing off and padding across the cabin, jumping as Jack barged
through the door looking angry.
‘What’s happened?’
‘We’ve been spotted by one o’Valentine’s ships an’ have ter
give chase.’
‘Oh.’ She tried to
keep the eleation from her voice, unsuccessfully if Jack’s face was anything to
go by.
‘Ya don’t realise how dangerous this is goin’ ter get,
Jen. Ya’ve never seen a ship battle
before, let alone been in th’middle of one.
If ya had then you’d know why I am so worried, savvy?’
‘Do you really have to go after him?’
question and she did not expect the answer to be different this time around.
‘Ya know I do luv.
He had somethin’ ter do with you being kidnapped.
Fortaleza, eh? Then they attacked us
without provocation. I’d have caught up
with ya if they hadn’t, an’ ya’d never have been taken ter England.
‘But why do you have to be the one to do it?’
‘Because no one else has th’balls. An’ nearly everyone else is beholden ter Valentine in some
way. They don’t dare cross him.’
‘Will we catch the ship?’
Jenny took his hand and led him to the stern windows, wrapping her arms
around him as he nestled up to her once they sat down.
‘Probably not,’ he admitted. ‘But we don’t really need to.
We can follow ‘em all th’way into Tortuga harbour if necessary, an’
pound them there. In fact it would be
better if Valentine was watching,’ he chuckled, his anger subsiding.
‘And what about The Nomad?’
‘Hopefully she’ll be in th’harbour.
‘While Valentine just lets you?’
‘Nah luv, Valentine will be dead by then.’
him and stroked her face. ‘If he went
after ya once there’s nothin’ ter stop him doin’ it again.
all. I’ve got twice th’reason now, eh?’
he smiled, leaning forward to kiss her lientlently. ‘I’m goin’ back on deck.
Will you be all right?’
‘I’ll be fine, now stop worrying and go and be a captain,’
she jokingly chided, shooing him away with her hands.
Jenny watched as Jack exited the cabin and sank back against
the window, her stomach now churning with .
…
For four days the ships trailed The Wanderer.
storm, they just kept heading for Tortuga and caught sight of her once the
weather cleared, a lot closer than she had previously been and now it was a
desprate race to see who reached the entrance to the infamous harbour first,
before dusk fell upon them. The
Black Pearl was short of food, having had only enough provisions on board
to see them for the few days they had planned on searching for a ship for
Bailey.
from Le
They had plenty of water, barrels had been lashed on deck during the
storm and were filled with rainwater, not pleasant but better than nothing.
‘Gibbs,’ Jack called
to his quartermaster who was by the mizzenmast. ‘I reckon we’re catchin’ them.’
‘Aye, reckon we
are. Shall we attack before we go in?’
‘Aye, we do Mr.
Gibbs an’ hope th’Nomad is in th’harbour when we get there.’
‘Sail ho!
Danny Woods called from his lofty perch.
‘Can ya see who?’
‘Hang on… it looks
like… it’s The Lone Star – Anamaria!’
>
Jack grinned
broadly. ‘Good.
think, an’ th’red.’
‘Aye Cap’n.
will you?’ he asked uncertainly. One
woman on board at a time was more than enough for him.
‘Not if I can help
it,’ Jack muttered.
‘Captain Sparrow,
she’s headin’ for us,’ Danny informed him.
‘Wait until The
Lone Star is away from The Wanderer then open fire.
fight, savvy?’ He knew that Anamaria
would understand his intentions straight away.
They had know each other for long enough. ‘I wondf shf she’ll join us,’ he mused out loud.
‘Who’s that then?’
came Shay’s brogue from behind him.
‘An old friend… sometimes
friend,’ Jack corrected, pulling a face at the memory of the many fights he had
had with the dusky skinned woman, and mostly lost if he was honest with
himself.
‘Tough?’
‘As they come,
mate. As they come.’
‘Up fer taming?’
Shay grinned, winking broadly at his captain.
‘Only if ya don’t
mind losin’ certain parts of your anatomy,’ Jack laughed.
‘Ah, I’ll let her be
then,’ he smiled sheepishly.
Jack turned his
attention back to the matter in hand, frowning as he saw that the pursued ship
seemed to have pulled away from them slightly.
‘Haul out th’sweeps. Let’s hit
them soon an’ hit them hard,’ he barked, pausing in his stride as he spotted
Jenny come up on deck.
‘Below now,’ he ordered,
folding his arms. He did not want any
more distractions.
‘I just came to tell
you to be safe,’ she whispered, her eyes moist with tears.
‘I’ll be safe,’ he
promised. ‘Wrap yerself in
blankets. Ya should be safe from
splinters an’ glass if nothin’ else.
Now go below.’
‘I’m going.’
looking deep into his eyes as if for the last time. ‘I love you.’ She turned
and hurried across the deck and down the steps before she broke down in front
of him and the crew. She gathered up
the pile of blankets that had been sent to the cabin for her and huddled down
in the side cabin, pressed against the s and and wrapped them around her.
‘Make ready, Mr.
Penhaligan,’ Jack called to his master gunner.es">
‘We’re almost in range.’
‘Aye Captain.’
mounted along the deck, satisfied everything was in order.
‘As you wish,’
David.’ Jack smiled to himself.
‘Fire,’ the gunner
yelled and The Black Pearl
hurled towards The Wanderer
of the pirate town and a cheer went up as her mizzenmast snapped and leaned
against the rigging of the main mast, slowing the ship considerably.
‘Bring in th’sweeps. I want all
men to th’guns.’
Below deck became a hive of activity as the crew stowed the long oars
and manned the cannons on the gun deck, chattering excitedly as they strained
to catch sight of their prey through the gun ports and only when
Wanderer was in sight did the talk stop as they focused totally on the job in
hand.
David Penhaligan had joined them below and watched the other ship
carefully, waiting until she was in range.
He straightened up which his men knew meant he was about to give his
orders.
‘Fire!’
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italic'>
starboard battery loosed their arsenal and sulphurous smoke billowed about the
deck. The men worked automatically in
the smoky gloom and fired another round when their superior ordered.
The sound of more gunfire caught Jack’s attention and he looked around,
smiling at the sight of the long guns of Le
fight. The Lone Star had come
about and was heading back for Tortuga, just as Jack suspected she would.
he thought to himself, chuckling. He
clung to the port rail as shots from The Wanderer hit home, rocking his
precious Pearl and causing damage.
‘Please let that be all,’ he prayed.
‘Cap’n,’ Shay called from his post on one of the
carronades. ‘It looks like she’s
listin.’
Jack looked closely at Valentine’s ship, a smirk spreading
across his face as he realised the sharp eyes of the Irishman were indeed
correct. ‘Keep at it men.
in.’
Le Brestois came up on the port side of The Wander
and the two ships pounded her, giving everything they had got to reduce her to
tinder before they would have to either get in front of the ship in order to
make it through the narrow entrance to Tortuga, or to back off and give her
chance to maybe warn The Nomad if she was at anchor.
…
ears as another round of cannon fire reverberated through the entire ship.
seemed to penetrate her soul. She
realised The Pearl had not taken much damage and took heart that it
meant Jack was probably all right.
‘Please let i ove over soon,’ she prayed, now wishing
that Jack had been able to drop her off in Tortola.
She jumped as a huge boom sounded, it seemed from just
outside where she was huddled then the whole world was filled with noise.
of men screaming. Jenny shuddered and
covered her ears once more in a futile attempt to block it off.
…
‘Bloody hell! Take
cover.’ Jack dived into the main cabin
which served as Mr. Gibbs’ quarters, along with many of the men on deck, as
fire rained down on them from the blast as the powder magazine on The
Wanderer took a hit and exploded, sending deadly burning timber hurtling
through the air towards The Black Pearl and Le Brestois.
steering away from the stricken ship but still onwards towards the harbour
entrance. They would reach it first, he
was determined of that.
‘Out,’ Jack urged.
‘Billy, take some men an’ get water an’ sand. Beat th’flames out with yer bare hands if necessary.
rest, taking off his hat and using it to beat out burning and smouldering
timber. ‘Bisi!
spotting the helmsman still at his post.
‘Aye Captain, suh. I
must be,’ he grinned, stamping out a small piece of flaming debris with his bare
foot.
The crew on deck cowered as a series of explosions tore
through The Wanderer, then watched as she started to sink rapidly,
deadening the fire that was now raging through her.
‘Gibbs! Go an’ check
on Jenny,’ Jack shouted across to his quartermaster. ‘I want no survivors,’ he ordered the rest of the crew, taking
his pistol from the sash and leaning over the side, shooting at men frantically
trying to escape being dragged down with their ship.
‘Jack!’ came a cry from the stern. ‘What’s going on?’
He left the task to his crew and ran to the port stern where
The Lone Star was positioned.
‘Ana! Good ter see ya luv.
‘What?!
You’re crazy man, d’ya hear?
Crazy.’
‘Aye, so ya keep tellin’ me. This ain’t your fight so I don’t expect ya ter help, unless ya
want to.’
‘You seriously think I’d miss out on the chance of giving
that slimy toad what for? Not a chance
Sparrow. I’m comin’ in wi’ya.
‘Job Bailey.’
‘Right. The Nomad
is at anchor, I take it you’re goin’ to give her the same treatment?’
‘Damn bloody right I am, Anamaria Lovell.’
‘Don’t you use my name!’ she screeched across the gap
between the two ships. ‘Don’t you dare
use my bleedin’ name, Sparrow!’
‘Oops, sorry luv,’ Jack laughed then turned his attention
back to Tortuga harbour, grinning wickedly as he saw as he saw The Nomad anchored
with her port side facing them. He
retrieved his spyglass and looked at the ship, noting that her crew were
scurrying about on deck and that the gun ports were already opened.
Olabisi steered The Pearl to starboard so Le
Brestois had room to move in and she took advantage of it, firing her long
range guns at The Nomad and scoring a number of hits.
at the bow of The Pearl once more and told the men to hold fire until
they were closer. Le Brestois
let off another volley, causing mayhem on board Absolon Valentine’s ship as a
gaping holes appeared along the side and men and cannons fell into the water.
indeed close enough and yelled for his men to fire. Grape and chain shot went hurtling towards The Nomad,
cutting a swathe along the deck in the darkening gloom as night started to
close in.
‘I want every one o’the scabrous dogs dead, savvy?’ Jack
barked, taking his pistol once more and peering into the water, but there was
no one close enough to shoot – yet.
The Nomad came under fire from all three ships whilst
the inhabitants of Tortuga stood on the dock side looking on in astonishment
and more than a little fear. All
thought of whoring and drinking long since gone as they watched the spectacle.
‘Valetine’s finished!’ came a cry from the crowd and soon
they were all chanting it, stamping their feet and pounding their fists on
whatever they could to make a noise.
‘Bisi. Take us in as
close as yer can. Pete, John, yer with
me.’ Jack hesitated for a brief moment,
wondering whether to go and see Jenny before deciding against it.
‘Where to Cap’n?’ enquired John Williams, wiping his brow
from the sweat that poured off him.
‘Valentine’s.’
The three men made ready a boat and when Jack thought they
were close enough, he ordered the anchor to be dropped and they lowered it,
amidst the cacophany of the one-sided battle. Fewer still
gave them a glance once they reached a small slipway and quickly made
their way through the mostly deserted town and up the hill towards Valentine’s
mansion.
…
Author’s notes:
Ain’t got a clue what Anamaria’s surname was, but thought
Lovell rolled off the tongue nicely! :D