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Deceit and Decisions	By : JennyPugh Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (All) > General Views: 4214 -:- 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
- 23
- 24
- 25
Usual disclaimers
:(
With thanks to Mrs
Depp, JHG, angelofdeadlydarkness (no affnet does not cost money), RosePearl,
EgyptMau, A Depp Girl, Miss Sophia, ducky, rowenablue, MarBar, Chelsey, and of
course, Hils.
…
Chapter
Twenty-four: ‘There will always be a next time,
won’t there?’

‘Sail ho!’
Shay Connelly swung
around to face the direction that Ben Watson was pointing from the crow’s nest
and brought his spyglass to his eye, moving it until he found the ship.
‘Can’t see if it’s
Price or not yet,’ he lamented. ‘Keep
yer eyes on it, Ben.’
‘Aye, Cap’n,’ came
the unthinking reply.
‘What is it?’ Jack
enquired as he emerged from the hatch and walked towards Shay.
‘Too far out ter
see clearly, but it could be Price.’
‘I bloody well hope
so,’ Jack sighed crossly. They had been
waiting for their fellow pirate to meet up with them off south coast of
Dominica for two days and everyone on board both ships were getting decidedly
jumpy.
‘It’s Price!’ came
a cry from Voyager to their starboard side.
‘Ye sure?’ Shay
called back, praying that they were correct.
‘Aye, it’s
definitely him.’
‘Be late for his
own funeral,’ Jack muttered as he turned to give the order to fire a cannon as
a signal, until he remembered that Shay had command and bit his tongue just in
time.
‘Let them know it’s
us, David,’ the acting captain ordered the master gunner, David Penhaligan.
‘Aye, aye, Sir,’ he
acknowledged before ordering his own men to ready a port cannon for firing.
The air
reverberated as the boom from the gun rang out and several sea birds flew crying
from a nearby clifftop. Those fortunate
enough to have spyglasses watched as the distant ship tacked and turned in
their direction, the pirate flag of Thomas Price becoming clearer the closer
she got.
‘Now we can finally
go ter Port Royal,’ Jack growled, having hoped to already be on the way back to
Tortola by now.
‘Let’s just hope
all goes well,’ Pete Symmonds added, lowering his glass.
‘Aye,’ Jack
agreed. ‘Let’s hope…’
…
Jack crouched down
at the sound of a noise to his right, and motioned for Shay to stop. He breathed a sigh of relief as a parrot
took off from the undergrowth he and Shay were fighting their way through as
they headed for Port Royal.
‘I don’t remember
th’track being this long when we rescued Jenny,’ Shay grumbled as the two men
started on their way once more.
‘We were on horses
then, remember?’
‘A horse, a
horse! My kingdom fer a horse!’ Shay
lamented with a grin.
‘Bloody hell!’ Jack
exclaimed. ‘Jen’s teachin’ ya
Shakespeare?’
‘Aye. Mine an’ Patience’s readin’ has come on a
treat, an’ we sit an’ read ter each other at night.’
‘Ah, that’s how yer
make babies these days, eh?’ Jack teased, ducking a friendly swipe from Shay.
‘I hope th’ships
don’t get started too early,’ the younger man worried. ‘It’ll take us forever to get there at this
rate.’
‘They’ll know when
ter start,’ Jack assured his friend.
‘Now come on before th’light fades.’
The two men pushed
on, reaching the outskirts of the naval town just as the sun sank below the
horizon. Jack stood in a doorway of a
shop, brushing mud and bracken from his coat, his eyes never still as he
watched for trouble.
‘It’s too early to
be movin’ yet,’ he told Shay. ‘So we’ll
stay here fer a while, then wait fer trouble to start.’
‘I almost wish I
was on board,’ Shay grinned. ‘There’s
nothin’ I like more than givin’ th’Navy th’run around.’
‘A man after my own
heart,’ Jack chuckled. ‘Come on, let’s
go round th’back where we’ll be less conspicuous.’
‘An’ hope that
th’watch doesn’t come this way,’ Shay added.
‘We’ll hear them
long before they see us,’ Jack reasoned as he lead the way to the back of the
building and sat with his back to it, pushing his hat over his eyes and dozing.
‘I don’t know how
ye can do that.’
‘Comes with years
of practice, young Mr. Connelly,’ Jack assured him. ‘What’s th’point in gettin’ worked up with worryin’ what might go wrong? Save yer energy fer
when it’s most needed.’
‘I suppose so,’ the
Irishman agreed uncertainly, sitting beside Jack but not relaxing.
‘No wonder you were
a useless footpad,’ Jack chuckled from beneath his hat.
‘Not that useless,’ Shay pouted. ‘I
stole enough ter keep body an’ soul together.’
‘You were half
starved when I met ya. No – when yer
pulled a knife on me…’
‘Aye, well…’ Shay
shrugged, a rueful smile on his face.
‘Settle back an’
relax. We’ll see some action soon
enough.’
‘Maybe you’re
right,’ he agreed, leaning his back against the wall of the building. ‘I still think it would have been fun ter
dress as ye again,’ Shay chuckled.
‘Bloody hell! Yer not still on about that?’ Jack snorted,
recalling how his friend had tried for the past day to persuade him that having
two ‘Jack Sparrows’ wreaking havoc around Port Royal would be a good idea.
‘It would have been
fun.’
‘Aye, that it would
have. Next time, eh?’
‘There will always be a next time, won’t there?’
‘Aye, Shay. There always is.’
…
Jack looked at his
friend, dozing against the wall and smiled to himself. ‘Can’t relax, eh?’ he chuckled, giving the
sleeping figure a nudge with his elbow.
‘Eh? Wha…?’
‘Time ter go,
sleepyhead,’ Jack teased. ‘Th’ships
should be about ready ter blow.’
‘Not literally, I
hope,’ Shay grinned as he stood gingerly.
‘Gawd, I’m stiff.’
‘Aye, that’s how babies are made,’ Jack laughed as they rounded the shop and headed
for the centre of Port Royal, keeping to the shadows at all times until they
reached the garden wall of the Commodore’s mansion.
‘Up ye get,’ Shay
said, clasping his hands together to give Jack a leg up.
‘Why me first?’
‘I’m taller than
ye.’
‘No yer not!’
‘I am - just! Now get up.’
‘Aye, aye, Cap’n,’
Jack retorted, placing a foot in Shay’s cupped hands and reaching for the top
of the wall as he was hoisted in the air.
‘Nice ter know ye
respect authority,’ Shay grinned as he reached for Jack’s outstretched hand and
climbed up the wall.
‘I’ll give you
authority in a minute,’ Jack hissed, scanning the garden and rear of the house
for guards and feeling relieved when he saw only a couple making their way
around the side of the mansion.
The two men dropped
silently down to the ground and crept around the edge of the garden, stopping
every now and then to listen out for signs of someone being around, but they
heard none and so continued on their way.
Shay carefully
tried the pantry window, nodding to himself as he found it open, as they so
often were, to keep the food cool in the heat of the Caribbean night. He levered himself up and into the small
room and waited for Jack to join him before creeping out of the door.
‘Oi!’ a male
servant cried as he spotted the intruder, but before he could sound the alarm,
Jack hit him over the head with an earthenware pitcher, knocking him out cold.
‘I have an idea,’
Shay gasped as they dragged the prone man into the pantry.
‘Me too,’ Jack
replied. ‘You or me?’
‘Me, I know how ter
act like a servant.’
‘All right,’ Jack
agreed. ‘Go to a top room an’ throw me
a line down.’
‘I’ll fetch a rope
from th’butler’s pantry.’
‘Get yourself
changed then,’ Jack urged, stripping the servant of his waistcoat, shirt and
breeches as Shay stripped his own breeches off, replacing them with the striken
man’s before pulling on the shirt and waistcoat.
‘How do I look?’ he
chuckled, attempting to twirl around in the cramped space.
‘Like a bloody
nonce!’ Jack grinned. ‘Now get a move on…’
‘Wait outside,’
Shay instructed. ‘I won’t be long.’
‘Keep a lookout fer
escape routes – just in case.’
‘Aye, I intend to,’
the young Irishman replied as he disappeared from the pantry.
Jack waited in the
small room for a time, reasoning that it would be safer than outside, where he
might be spotted by guards. ‘I hope you don’t wake any time soon,’ he thought, looking at the still
unconcious man. ‘Should’ve brought somethin’ ter tie you with,’ he lamented. ‘Ah well,’ he shrugged. ‘Time ter go.’
He climbed carefully out of the window, after checking that the guards
were nowhere in sight, and looked along the wall, praying that Shay would find
a rope.
‘Jack!’ Shay
hissed. ‘Here…’ He threw the rope down
so it landed some three feet away and held fast as Jack climbed up with expert
ease.
‘Any problems?’ he
asked as he climbed into a bathroom.
‘No,’ Shay
replied. ‘They’ve mostly all retired
ter bed. Come on, this is Beauchamp’s
room.’ The two men glaced at each other
as they heard the distinctive boom from one of the guns of the Black Pearl and hastened into the chambers of the Commodore as more cannonfire
sounded.
Jack hurried over
to the bed, drawing his dagger and holding it towards the slumbering man, ready
for when he woke. ‘Elias…’ he purred
softly. ‘Time ter wake up…’
The Commodore
opened his eyes quickly, looking around in fear as the realisation that there
were strangers in his room and cannon fire in the distance, registered in his
sleep addled mind.
‘Who are you?’ he
demanded, wondering whether to call for help, but the sight of Jack’s dagger
stayed his tongue.
‘I’m hurt, dear
Elias,’ Jack pouted. ‘That you don’t
recognise Captain Jack Sparrow.’
‘Sp-Sparrow…?’ he
spluttered. ‘W-what do you want?’
‘Ah, I think we
both know th’answer to that, eh?’
‘You think that
coming here and threatening me will stop our campaign to rid these waters of
scum like you?’ he snorted, indignation giving him courage. ‘Even if you kill me, Captain Farrier will
continue the work until each and every one of you filth are dead.’
‘Ah…’ Jack nodded,
sagely. ‘There might be a little
problem with that.’ He held his finger
and thumb close together to indicate just how small he meant. ‘You see, dear George is dead…’
‘What?’ Beauchamp gasped, cold shock coursing through his body. ‘You’re lying. You’re lying!’ he shouted.
‘Quiet!’ Jack
hissed, jabbing his dagger against Beauchamp’s neck and making him cower
against his pillows. ‘Shay, guard him.’
Shay moved and
stood over the Commodore with his own dagger drawn, whilst Jack retrieved the
letter from his pocket.
‘This is a copy,’
Jack informed the hapless man. ‘The
original is in safekeeping. Shall I
read it to you?’
‘My dearest George,’ he began, not able to see the words in the darkness, but knowing
them off by heart. ‘I am writing to beg you to reconsider your
decision that you spoke of the other evening…’
‘No,’ Beauchamp
whispered hoarsely. ‘He can’t be…?’
‘Afraid he is,’ the
pirate captain shrugged. ‘Now… th’way I
see it, you have two choices. You can
either stop this war against th’pirates or I can send a copy of this letter to
th’Admiralty in London. What did Luke
say th’penalty fer buggery was?’ he asked Shay, pretending not to know.
‘Death, I believe
it was,’ came Shay’s brogue.
‘You bastards,’
Beauchamp hissed. ‘You think you can
browbeat me with a bit of paper. I’ll
say it’s a forgery.’
‘Very well, we’ll
send th’original letter ter London then, let them check yer handwritin’. I’m sure they have a few examples of yer
handwritin’ in the offices, eh?
Requests fer more ships, troops, money et cetera, et cetera.’
‘How do I explain
to the Govenor why I’m not still attacking?’ he sighed, talking more to himself
than the pirates holding him hostage.
‘I’m sure after
th’losses you’ve suffered just lately, he’ll be very reassured that you won’t
be attacking. I’m surprised he hasn’t
relieved you of command yet - he did th’last incumbent an’ he hadn’t been as
careless as you an’ Farrier where ships an’ men are concerned.’
‘Sir!’ a voice
outside the door cried. ‘Pirates are
attacking!’
‘Don’t you dare,’
Jack warned, flashing his blade once more.
Commodore Beauchamp
looked at the two blades aimed at him and decided discretion was, for now, the
better part of valour. ‘I’ll be right there,’
he called. ‘I will dress myself.’
‘Sir?’
‘Get the valuables
to safety,’ he ordered. ‘Just in case.’
‘Very good, Sir,’
the servant deferred, hurrying to give the order to the others.
‘You’ll call off
th’attacks?’
‘I don’t have a lot
of choice, do I?’ Beauchamp sighed heavily.
‘Just tell me one thing, did George die painlessly?’
‘Do you care
whether a man hangin’ from th’gallows is in pain or not?’ Jack snapped. ‘No, he didn’t. He was torn apart, limb from limb an’ his guts thrown around th’town
square…’
‘Dear God, no…!’
the Commodore gasped. ‘You vermin!’ he
spat. ‘Get out – go! Or I shall shout for the guards and hang the
consequences.’
‘Shay,’ Jack
nodded. ‘Your turn…’ He moved as the younger man approached
Beauchamp, knocking him cold with a single blow to the head.
‘Time ter go,’ the
Irishman said, heading for the bathroom.
‘Let’s hope there’s
no-one in th’garden.’
‘Pistols, just in
case?’
‘Aye, good idea,’
Jack agreed, drawing his pistol from its holster and half cocking it as Shay
did the same to his, replacing it back in the holster whilst they climbed down
the rope. The two men ran for all they
were worth across the manicured lawn and hurled themselves at the wall,
scrambling up it and dropping to the other side, hitting the ground running.
‘Thank gawd
th’ships are keepin’ them busy,’ Shay panted as they sped through the town
towards the cove where they would meet up with the Black Pearl in the
morning. ‘Guards!’ he hissed, ducking
into a doorway as he heard the heavy footfalls of a patrol of marines running
nearby. He shrank back to allow room
for Jack and the two men held their breath as the troops trotted past them,
waiting for long minutes before venturing out again.
‘That was far too close,’ Jack commented dryly as they hastened on their way once
more, hiding for the night in an old barn on the outskirts of town.
…
Jenny, Patience and
Sive sat around a table in Patience’s garden, watching Sive’s boys playing in
the dirt and gossiping whilst the babies, Erin and Joshua, slept in cribs. Patience sighed heavily, looking at to sea,
wondering if the men had finished their business yet.
‘I wonder if that
letter really will change anything?’ Jenny pondered as she sipped her drink.
‘As long as they
get back safe, I don’t care,’ Patience remarked. ‘But it’ll be different now Farrier’s dead, th’bastard.’
‘Yes, it will,’
Jenny agreed. ‘I just hope Jack and
Shay are all right in Port Royal. I’m
always afraid that one day Jack’s infamous luck will run out.’
Patience smiled
reassurringly. ‘I’m sure they’ll be
fine,’ she insisted. ‘He can’t be
expectin’ ter be rescued - he didn’t leave us no brooms!’
The other women
laughed along with Patience. ‘I can
just see us turning up in Port Royal to rescue them with a child in one hand
and a broom in the other!’ Jenny grinned.
‘They should be
back soon,’ Sive smiled. ‘Then you’ll
both be complainin’ of them getting’ under yer feet.’
‘An’ elsewhere,’
Patience chortled, putting on her best innocent expression as she heard Luke
talking with Finan nearby.
‘I think they
already know about elsewhere,’ Jenny remarked dryly, recalling all the times on
board ship when she and Jack would sneak off to the cabin.
‘True... but Fin is
th’delicate sort – don’t want ter cause him ter blush, do we?’ Patience teased.
‘Fin?’ Sive
snorted. ‘Delicate? If that were
th’case, how come I have two nippers an’ one more on th’way?’ she laughed.
‘Aye, well it must
be a family trait then,’ Patience sniped.
‘But I can’t stay here all day.
I ought ter go chase that bloody goat around the paddock again fer some
milk.’
‘Ye mind ye don’t
slip,’ Sive warned. ‘Especially...’
‘I’ll make sure I
fall on me arse then,’ Patience laughed, rising to go indoors to get the pail.
‘Especially what?’
Jenny asked, looking at her two friends.
‘Erm...’ Sive
blushed, glancing at Patience.
‘Especially as I’m
goin’ ter be fat again,’ Patience remarked, winking at Jenny. ‘An’ as th’cat’s out of th’ bag,’ she said,
her voice rising with each word so the nearby men could hear clearly. ‘That Luke had better go no further than
th’tavern fer the next six months!’
‘You’re having
another one?’ Jenny exclaimed, standing and hugging her friend. ‘That’s wonderful,’ she beamed.
‘I’ll let yer know
afterwards,’ Patience said dryly, remembering how she would have died in
Ireland had it not been for Luke’s assistance in delivering Erin.
‘You’ll be fine
this time,’ Luke called across to her.
‘Big ears!’ she
shouted back.
‘Comes from living
on board ships,’ he shrugged with a rueful grin.
‘Luke Martin,
eavesdropper an’ deliverer of pirate babes!’ she snorted as she disappeared
into the house to fetch the pail.
‘They should name a
ship after ye!’ Fin joked. ‘Seen as
ye’ll safeguard th’future of piracy due ter deliverin’ their bairns.’
‘Good Lord, no!’
Luke grimaced. ‘Besides, all ships are
female…’
‘They could call
one Lucy…’ Jenny replied innocently.
Patience laughed
out loud as she re-appeared, poking her tongue out at Luke as she passed him on
the way to the paddock. ‘P’raps bribery
will work,’ she said wryly holding a juicy carrot.
‘It hasn’t before,’
Sive chuckled as she watched her sister-in-law head towards the paddock.
‘I’ll kick it off
the bleedin’ cliff then!’ Patience retorted.
‘An’ cook it fer dinner - ya hear that goat? I’m goin’ ter cook ya!’
‘You’d have to jump
in and rescue it first, in that case,’ Luke teased. ‘And we all know how much you love the water...’
‘Jump? Nah!
I’ll bat me eyelashes an’ smile sweetly an’ get one of you idiots ter
fetch it fer me.’
‘Not bloody
likely,’ Fin snorted. ‘Not fer th’meat
ye’d get from that thing.’
‘Well if yer
useless sods won’t fetch it fer me, ya can shift yer fat arses from me wall an’
find yerself something useful ter do.’
‘Aye, aye, Cap’n,’
Luke deferred, saluting smartly and winking at Fin as the men got down from the
wall and went on their way.
…
- 23
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- 25
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Deceit and Decisions