The Map

Distractions

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Chapter29

Distractions

The moment the words left her lips, Nell realised her mistake. She closed her eyes, unwilling to see his reaction; certain it couldn't be anything but gentle rejection.

"What's the hold up?" Norrington fought his way back to Jack, sweat running down his face from the effort. "Is there a problem?"

"No, no problem," Jack replied quietly and turned to face Norrington. "After you, mate."

Norrington looked at Jack strangely. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing, nothing at all!" Jack shooed him forwards with his hands. Norrington gave him one last odd glance before he turned and carried on, followed by Jack, moving forwards, his sword swinging.

Nell cracked open her eyes and felt her heart die in her chest. Hock pushed her forwards gently, one hand between her shoulders blades.

"C'mon, lass," his voice was gentle, making tears fill Nell's eyes. Even though the practical and logical side of her knew that Jack would never feel more than friendship for her, part of her had hoped that maybe, just maybe, he could have loved her in return. She snorted loudly at her own stupidity; the man was a pirate, a self-confessed scoundrel, a womaniser in every port and with affection for only two things and neither of them was her; and neither could she ever compete with the sea or the Pearl. He wanted her - oh yes, she knew he wanted her; but love and lust were poles apart and while they might be entangled on her side of things, they weren't on his.

She stumbled forwards, blinking the tears away with a mocking laugh. It was stupid of her to care now. It was pointless anyway, it was all pointless and even if he'd stood there and declared his undying devotion to her, nothing would have changed. Elizabeth had been right; Nell had already known and had already accepted that it would never come to anything. But that was before she'd realised how much loved him. She wasn't sure which would do more damage to her, physically from the island or emotionally from him. It was futile, everything now was futile. Feeling, thinking - it was all futile. There was no future for her and Jack and she had to accept that.

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"Where now?" Bryant asked Nell.

They had reached the fork in the river and were now sitting on the bank drinking and eating the food that Dwent had brought along. The sun was high in the sky now and Nell was glad she had taken Jack's coat and waistcoat off at the camp, although she was surprised that he had slipped his waistcoat on as it was so hot.

"We need to cross to the other bank," she said quietly, her eyes on the mossy boulders that lined the river. They would have to use them like stepping stones to cross.

"Using the rocks?" asked Hock from her side.

"There used to be rope bridges here; they didn't let the monks use them at first, made them use the rocks," she said vaguely, looking up into the canopy of trees overhead. The ropes were long gone but Nell could clearly see how it had been in her mind. An intricate network of bridges, stretched from one tree to the next. The monks had used them and she marvelled at their ingenious use of pulleys to bring the ropes up and down. It had given them the inspiration on how to build past one storey of stones. They had replicated the rope lifts and used them to haul the stones up. It had been trial and error at first, and several times they had failed. A memory that didn't belong to her slipped into her mind and made her laugh.

"What's the jest, Nell?" Jack asked her quietly.

Still grinning, she looked at him; it brought reality crashing down on her and the grin slipped from her face. She looked away from him quickly, it wasn't her memories and she had to remember that.