The Map

Hostages

The trees swayed in a gentle breeze that was blowing in from the sea. Nell lifted her head and watched as several colourful birds seemed to dance in the wind before settling on the branches.

She lifted the plait of her hair and let the breeze cool her neck, sighing at the relief of reaching the camp.

"Ready?" came a soft voice in her ear.

She turned and instantly her mouth went dry and her throat constricted. Jack stood behind her holding out a makeshift towel and what appeared to be a cake of soap.

Nell blinked and took the towel and soap already feeling the blush creeping up her face as she avoided his dark eyes.

"I'll show you the way," he said and Nell heard the laughter clearly in his voice. A spark of annoyance lit in her and she lifted her chin but still avoided his eyes.

"Elizabeth gives me good assurance that the water is good but the pool is deep in the middle. Keep to the edges as you can't swim," he said and turning away from her began to swagger his way across the camp they had laid out and towards a natural path in the trees.

Nell frowned and began to follow him. She looked around her and blushed furiously as several of the crew gave her knowing looks and lurid grins. She hurried after him, glad when the trees hid them from view.

"I'll be but a shout away should you need anything," he called over his shoulder as he made his way through the bushes and trees, holding back branches for her to pass easily.

Nell was suddenly aware of a sound she couldn't identify.

"What's that noise?" she asked him and he stopped to look back over his shoulder.

"Wait and see." He grinned at her and stepping forward he pulled aside several branches and Nell suddenly saw the source of the sound.

A crashing waterfall fell from a rocky outcrop down into a large pool that in turn flowed down over smaller waterfalls and into the river that stretched to the sea.

She gasped at the beauty of the area. Rocky ledges surrounded the far side of the pool, while sandy soil lead into the clear rippling waters ahead of her.

The trees on both sides gave a natural canopy to the pool and the heat here was not so overbearing.

"It's beautiful," she breathed, moving past him to walk to the lapping edges of the pool. She laid her towel and soap on one of the rocks and looked around her. She had never seen anything quite like this before and her eyes and memory drank it in greedily.

"Aye, beautiful indeed," Jack replied and grinned at her child like awe. "I'll send someone for you after awhile, but you'll be in private for now. If something alarms you; shout. We'll hear from the camp."

Nell looked back at him in surprise. She had expected him to stay, had expected him to follow through on his suggestion earlier. He winked at her, tipped his ever present hat and turning swaggered back the way he had come whistling a sea shanty.

Nell blew out a breath, unsure how she should feel. Relief, disappointment, and for some reason even a little bit of annoyance all warred within her. She had made her mind up to give herself to him and now he was backing away. Or was he just waiting till she had bathed? She frowned, it seemed unlikely that a man as dirty as he was would have a fixation about having his women clean.

Or maybe he had been playing with her. She kicked off her boots, her hands going to the ties on her trousers. Stopping she looked around, suddenly aware how quiet it was here. No birds sang, only the rushing of the water over rocks could be heard. Her eyes scanned the trees but she could see no movement that would indicate any presence of crew or otherwise.