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Tangled Threads - A Story of Pirates	By : KiwiGirl Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (All) > General Views: 4819 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 16
- 17
- 18
Chapter Seventeen - A red dress

One week since they had arrived back in Tortuga. One week of
waiting, of watching for the return of the Silver Gull. Many ships had returned
to port but none of them had word of McGuiness and his crew. With every day
that passed Jack was becoming more irritable, he rarely left his rooms at
Selena�s. But he had been busy while he had waited; he had put the word out
through the network of eyes and ears that he controlled. He was looking for
information and every sailor, tavern worker, beggar or whore that had seen or
heard anything unusual were being spoken to. Gibb was reporting in every
evening, Will sitting listening as Jack grilled him on his findings. After
Gibbs had left they would discuss what they had heard, putting together a
clearer picture of the events that had led up to the house being torched. But
they still had no real idea who was looking for Bella and what they actually
wanted with her.

It was Sunday afternoon, another day of waiting, Will had joined Jack earlier
that morning; they had been talking, watching the harbor, playing chess. Jack�s
hand hesitated over the board, he flexed his fingers just slightly and
delicately picked up the queen, his touch almost a caress as he moved her to
the left and with a flourish of his wrist he placed the piece back on the
board. He looked up at Will and grinned �your move Turner�

Will grunted and studied the board frowning slightly as Jack watched him.

Jack took a mouthful of rum savoring the smooth taste �so how is the fair
Selena?�

�I think I am beginning to wear out my welcome� Will didn�t look up from his
contemplation of the pieces that lay before him. �She is sighing a lot, and not
at the times she should be sighing.�

�Ahh, well is the most time that you have spent together is it not?�

�Aye� one hand almost picked up a piece then stopped and he looked suspiciously
at Jack �has she said something to you?�

�No mate, but have seen it before, it takes a special woman to love a pirate
ashore for more than a few days.� Jack�s eyes sparkled �particularly a
scoundrel like yourself�

Will frowned �I don�t think that I am quite what she thought I was� he looked
up at Jack �I can�t be anything other than who I am can I?�

�No, you have already tried that once, to become something else for your
Elizabeth� Jack�s voice was serious now �but is a small blessing that Selena,
clever women that she is, is seeing that herself, I would not like to see her
hurt.�

�Me either Jack� Will sighed �I wish�well, if wishes were horses�.�

Jack nodded �well try not to irritate her too much that she throws the both of
us out, at this time we need her far more than she needs us.�

Will had finally placed his piece and Jack was contemplating his next move, a
half smile on his lips when there was the sound of running on the stairs and a
lad�s voice yelling for Captain Sparrow. He sprang to his feet knocking the
chess board to the floor, the pieces clattering across the room. He opened the
door just as the boy was about to knock.

�Captain, it�s the Silver Gull, she�s coming around the headland.�

�Thanks mate� Jack�s hand dipped into his pocket and he flipped a gold coin
into the air. Deftly it was caught.

�Thank you� the boy scampered off down the stairs again, heading for the docks,
hoping to see first hand what Captain Sparrow was wanting with the Angus
McGuiness.

Jack turned to look at Will �are you ready?�

�Aye Jack, I will go and tell Selena now.�

Will left the room shutting the door quietly.

Jack began to pick up the chess pieces but abandoned them, going to stand on
the balcony watching the white sailed ship maneuver into the harbor.

*

Bella stood in the crow�s nest, one hand gripping the mast as she leaned
forward, in a few minute she would be able to see Tortuga. It always gave her
a thrill, the first glimpse of home, that reassurance that all was well. She
shaded her eyes with her hand squinting into the sun, she could make out the
houses on the hill now and she picked out the familiar, the steeple of the one
church glinted in the sunlight and her eyes followed the road that wound up the
hill, even as she anticipated the brisk walk that lay ahead of her. She was
looking forward to a long hot bath. She was already imagining the scent of the
lavender oil and the sensation of sinking into the tub up to her neck�when her
heart gave a great thud, her brain suddenly registering that what her
daydreaming eyes had seen. White knuckled she clung to the mast, her hand went
to her mouth holding in the scream that threatened to break free. The house was
gone, thin tendrils of smoke seemed to be rising from where it had once been.
There was no care, no attention to where she put her hands or feet she flung
herself out of the basket, half climbing, half falling down the mast, she
slipped and almost fell the last ten metres, her hands full of splinters from
trying to catch onto anything that would support her weight she thudded on to
the deck. Crashing down, sprawling onto hands and knees, before she stumbled to
the rail.

�Bella, are you sick?� Tess had come down from where she had been standing
beside her Father.

Bella could not speak instead she pointed up the hill.

�Mother of God� the words were barely breathed as Tess followed her trembling
finger.

They were within sight of the wharves now and Bella could make out the ships
that were moored. Her eyes were franticly searching the clutter of masts,
looking for furled black sails, a familiar graceful mast. But in her panic she
was looking but not seeing and it was Tess who saw the Black Pearl first.

�The Pearl is here�there Bella
at the end.�

�Jack�Jack� she was whispering even as she looked to the wharf, �Sam�Maggie,
little Thomas�oh God� there were no familiar figures standing there. At least
not the ones that she was murmuring frantic prayers for. Tess� mother, some
other wives and loved ones of the other sailors, and strangers. No one that she
loved. She was shaking, taking her canvas bag from Tess who had gone below to
gather her belongings, realising that Bella would not budge from the rail she
had packed her gear for her. She did not register that she was clutching on to
Tess� hand either not until her friend pried her fingers off.

�Bella we have tied up� her voice was low �come on, we will go talk to Ma.�

Dazed Bella followed still looking for Jack, he was nowhere to be seen, fear
seemed to tighten its grip on her throat. She stumbled down the gangplank, not
sure of where to go, there was no house to go to. She looked around, every face
seemed to hold menace and she almost yelped when a woman spoke in her ear.

�Isabella you are to come with me. I have a story to tell you about a mermaid�

�Jack..� she spun to look into the eyes of a stranger. �Who are�� the woman
opened her hand and resting in her palm was a silver ring, a gift that Bella
had bought in the market for Jack many years ago. �Where did you get
that�.where is��

�Hush, be quiet and follow me.�

�Bella, where are you going� Tess had come back, looking with distrust at the
stranger.

�To Jack�I hope, I will be alright� Bella managed to whisper the last in Tess�
ear before the woman dug strong fingers into her arm pulling her into an alley.

�Now just be silent and follow me.� The stranger�s voice was very quiet,
emotionless, but she had Jack�s ring she must be taking Bella to him, Bella
refused to acknowledge the other frightening thoughts that crowded into her
head.

The woman looked about before taking a key from the folds of her dress and
opening an outside cellar door indicating for Bella to follow her. She shut the
door locking it again before turning to face Bella. Her face was implacable as
she looked her over.

�It would be best if you forget that you have ever seen this place. Selena is
very fond of Jack; but is perhaps not as fond as you.�

Bella swallowed, Selena, she knew who Selena was but only enough to nod to her
in the street, she nodded �who are you?� she asked. �Did Jack send you, is he
alright?�

�I am Celeste, Selena sent me.� She tossed a fancy red dress at Bella. �Get
changed and then I will try and do something with your hair and face.�

*

Sometime later they emerged from another cellar further up the cobbled street;
it seemed that the big house on the hill had not been the only building in Tortuga with hidden
tunnels. Bella was dressed in vivid red satin, a tight waisted low cut gown
that had her fearing to breathe lest her breasts pop out the top of the bodice.
Her hair was piled up on top of her head and her face painted, rouge on her
cheeks and lips coloured the same shocking shade as the dress. She felt
ridiculous and very embarrassed as she hurried through the streets behind
Celeste. Every man that they passed seemed to be stopping to stare at the pair
of them. Celeste met their stares boldly even going as far as to blow kisses at
some of the leering strangers. Finally they arrived at the wide blue painted
doors of Selena�s, a pair of burly men stood on either side, cudgels in their
hands.

�you meeting the new girls now Celeste� the older of the pair asked, his eyes
skimming over Bella�s face, not meeting her eyes resting instead on the exposed
curves.

Celeste made a disgusted face �straight from the farm this one� she muttered
brushing past them.

Selena was standing in the hallway. �How did you go?� she asked Celeste nodding
once at Bella.

�They were so busy staring at her chest that she could have sprouted wings and
not a one would have noticed.�

�Thank you Celeste� Selene nodded and the other woman left the room. When they
were alone Selene looked Bella up and down her eyes unreadable. Finally she
spoke.

�While you are with us it would be best if we did not call you Bella�� she
tapped her lip.

�Why? I don�t understand� Bella was feeling increasingly frightened, why all
this secrecy? Was something terribly wrong with Jack, she had an awful thought
that he might have been injured in the fire. She was about to ask when Selena
spoke again.

�I will let Jack tell you the reason�hmmm I think Flora will do. Don�t forget
if anyone speaks to you. I would suggest that you don�t wander too far down the
stairs either. People might think that you are here to earn your keep. Now run
along, he is waiting, on the top floor.�

Bella nodded not trusting herself to speak.

Selena gave a nod in return, Jack would be very pleased to see that Bella was unharmed,
she turned then turned back, just one more thing �I remember watching you as a
child running beside him, and I used to think how lucky you were to have
someone that loved you like he does. It pains me to see Jack so worried. I
don�t wish to tell you how to live your life Bella but it seems to me that love
like that is something you should cherish.�

*

The journey from the hall to the door at the very top of the last flight of
stairs seemed to be the longest that Bella had even taken. Her feet felt
heavier and heavier with each step that she took. But finally she stood outside
the firmly shut green door. She raised her hand to knock, stopped took a deep
breath, tried in vain to pull the dress up a bit higher. Took another breath
and knocked. She could hear the quick footsteps on the wooden floor coming
closer, her palms were sweaty and she rubbed them down her thighs, her hands
clutching at the satin as the door swung open.
- 16
- 17
- 18
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Tangled Threads - A Story of Pirates