Chapter 16: Cog's Stories

3 August, 1686 Night

Jack stood looking out over the tropical moonlit horizon at nothing in particular completely absorbed within his own thoughts. For so long now he had only understood one thing, the killing of Bass, now however it seemed he had been dealt an entirely new hand. His original plan to commandeer the Angry Whore for himself, collect a crew then wait for Bass to discover him was in shambles. After coming to know the women he now felt they deserved to have a hand in killing Bass as much as he did. All four women seemed capable enough, and they certainly had and adventurous disposition, but that did little to ease his protective conscience that they would be placed in such uncertainty and danger he was almost considering abandoning the entire idea. But then surely they would only go after Bass on their own, that committed they seemed. It would be so much simpler if the women were not so damn determined.

He knew with Aba's and Cog's help he could easily take the Maidens Revenge from the women, but then he never really was a very good pirate. He could be trusted, counted on, and he never betrayed a friend. What the hell kind of a pirate was that? Perhaps it was those short comings, even more than circumstance, which had determined the brevity of his Buccaneering career with Morgan and Calico Jack.

"Click!" behind him, the sound of a pistol hammer being drawn back instantly ripped him away from his thoughts. Dropping to one knee, he simultaneously spun around while drawing his own pistol and readying it. In less than a heart beat he recognized Constance and that her pistol was pointed upward toward the night sky.

"Dear Mary mother of God Constance! I could have killed you!" Jack yelled regaining his feet.

Constance laughed, "You would have been dead long before I, had that been my objective, so absorbed were you within your own thoughts."

"Perhaps so, but not from a gun shot, but rather a failed heart," Scarlet was exasperated, but then looking at her lovely, happy face he couldn't help laughing himself.

"All the same," he asked presently, "what in heaven's name would prompt you to cock a pistol so close behind my ear?"

"If only you could have seen your face," she answered still laughing, it amused her that he should take her little joke so seriously, "priceless. Anyway, Aba asked us about hand weapons and we showed him where they were locked up. See," she held the pistol out to him, "they're of the newest design and we have a number of them. I just wanted to show you."

Scarlet took the gun then turning it over in his hands examining it, "Hmm... Very nice. A number of them huh?"

"Yes. And rifles, and saber's and knives and cutlass', and dueling swords."

"Well, next time you cock a pistol behind my ear you may find need of one of those dueling swords," he laughed returning the pistol to her.

She paused for a moment, as though turning it over in her mind. Then she laughed again, "Aye, aye quartermaster sir."

He also started laughing, with satisfaction, and they remained, for a moment, both laughing in each other's faces with radiant cheeks. Her bright happy face enlivened him and perhaps it was the hour for stupidities because without thinking of the future consequence, he took her into his arms, and then pressed his lips to hers.

"Well, is this the way to treat a crewman?" Constance asked.

He felt embarrassment over his boldness, then with the full expectation of discovering contempt on her face he said, "Forgive me... I..."

Then she laughed again, the laugh of a good-natured girl.

"You are not mad then!" he exclaimed, stupefied.

She replied in her cheerful way, without blushing, "A little perhaps. But not having served on a ship before I shall simply presume you do the same with all your shipmates. You must be forced to stand on tiptoes when kissing Aba."