The Map

The Return of Saint Nell

Chapter 31

The Return of Saint Nell

Nell saw Jack talking with Timms and it made her stomach sink, leaving a hollow feeling there. She knew that if Timms had overheard anything, then he was now relating it to Jack.  It wouldn't take Jack long to put two and two together and come up with four. If Beaumont had realised what she'd done, she knew it wouldn't elude Jack either; except she wasn't sure of Jack's reaction to the answers.

"We're going to keep moving on, Nell," came a quiet voice in her ear. Nell jumped guiltily turning to see Bryant standing behind her. He was checking his pistol, cleaning around the hammer with the edge of his shirt. He looked up at her and smiled; the lines around his eyes crinkling - lines she hadn't noticed before.

"Has Jack told you yet?" she asked him.

"Told me what?" he asked and sliding the pistol into his waistband he took her elbow and led her towards where Norrington was helping Elizabeth with Will. It was going to be slow and hard work on Will to get him across the rocks. Jumping and balancing was going to take all his effort and most probably leave him completely exhausted.

"The monks are not helping us," she spoke quietly, but the others picked up on her words.

Elizabeth looked up at her and shook her head. "You saw the same as we did, how can you make that decision?" She rocked back on her heels and ran a hand down her face. The emotional strain was taking its toll on her and Nell knew that physically she was struggling too.

"They showed us what they wanted us to see," Nell replied softly, unwilling to even discuss it anymore, let alone argue about it.

"I disagree." Elizabeth shook her head. "They kept that fog away from us in the room, they needn't have done that."

Nell didn't reply as she looked down at where Will was kneeling. His face was chalk white and etched with pain, he was struggling with fatigue and pain and it was starting to overwhelm him. Although the infection and fever were broken, the damage done to his shoulder and arm was not healing. Benjamin had done what he could under the circumstances but there was damage under the skin with the muscles having been severed. The stitches had ripped on the run to the pool and although Benjamin had re-stitched the shoulder and arm, the damage had been done. Nell knew that he had a long painful time ahead of him. The prospects of wielding a sword were remote and of forging one even less for the foreseeable future. Nell was heartsick at the way things had gone; it made her feel helpless and hopeless.

"What can I do to help?" she asked sadly, already knowing the answer.

Norrington gave her a strange look before he stood up. "Rest while you can, we'll be moving on as soon as the chests and the boat have been taken across."

"There's nothing  you can do, Nell," came a slow mocking slur from behind her.

Nell felt a stab of pain in her chest as she recognised Jack's voice. She turned to face him; her heart beat increasing, as sweat broke out on her forehead. She was completely thrown by him, she didn't know how he felt and he wasn't letting her know. He was looking at her with his head thrown back slightly and his feet spread apart, hands on his hips.

"What's that smell?" asked Bryant suddenly as he stepped forwards, his face wrinkled in disgust.

Jack lifted his head slightly and sniffed, suddenly detecting the smell. 

"Sulphur," he replied, not taking his eyes from Nell. "It's coming from the volcano, it might blow and it might not, but I'm not hanging around to find out." He smiled at Nell, showing gold teeth but it didn't reach his dark eyes.