A Pirate's Love

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

               Madeline turned and walked towards the house.  She needed to have the servants prepare a large amount of food.  As she had no idea how many of the pirates would be joining her for dinner.

               She entered the house through the back way and spoke to Sissy, her cook.  After that was arranged, she made a move to the stairs to her room.  But turned as she heard a voice coming from the study.  She moved to see who it was.

               "Can I get you anything Mr. Gibbs?" she asked.  He turned to look at her.  It seemed as if hate burned in his eyes.

               "Yes you can missy! An explanation as to why there is a picture of Barbossa in this house!"  she shirked away from him at his words.

               "It's my mother's picture."

               "Yer mother's? I don't understand.  If yer mother has a picture of Barbossa, then that means….." he looked from the picture back to Madeline.  "Bloody hell!"  Mr. Gibbs turned to leave the room.  Madeline grabbed onto his arm to stop him.

               "Please don't!" she begged him.

               "I have to tell Jack.  I knew about yer secret when ye left the Pearl all those years ago, but Jack will never forgive ye for this.  For lyin' to him."

               "Please Mr. Gibbs.  I never lied to Jack about my father."

               "But ye never told him who he was did ye?"

               "No." Madeline said, hanging her head in shame.

               "Ye lied to Jack about why ye left the Pearl."  Madeline quickly brought her head up to look at him.

               "I don't know what you're talking about."  Mr. Gibbs moved closer to her.  She began to back up.  Suddenly very fearful.

               "Yes ye do.  I knew that ye were with child before ye even left the ship."

               "How…..how did you know?" she asked.  Her voice shaking.

               "I watched ye.  I knew ye was trouble from the first day Jack brought you aboard.  I watched ye puke yer guts out every morning when Jack was still asleep.  Aye, I knew."

               "Please Mr. Gibbs, I need to tell him things.  Things that I'm not proud of."

               "Ye better tell him soon missy, or I'll be tellin' him meself! Savvy?"

               "Aye.  Savvy."  He turned in a fury and stormed out of the study.  Madeline moved on shaky legs towards the stairs to her room once again.

               "Mum?"  she turned to see JJ as she reached her room.

               "JJ!" he ran towards her and she embraced him tightly.

               "Are you alright?"

               "Aye mum.  I'm fine.  I told him that he was me father."

               "I know love."

               "Ye aren't mad at me are ye mum?"

               "No love.  I'm not mad.  More mad at myself."

               "Why?"  the five year old in him came out.  Madeline realized that as grown up as he was, he was still a little boy.

               "Because I've hurt you.  I've hurt your father.  I don't know if things will ever be right again."

               "Mum.  I love ye."

               "I love you too JJ."  She hugged her son tightly to her once again.  "JJ?"

               "Yes mum."

               "If your father asked you to sail away with him, would you?"

               "Only if ye came with us."  He said before turning away from her.  Madeline sighed and leaned with her back on her door.  She heard a door slam down the hall and when she looked, she saw Jack walking down the hall towards her.  Still wearing the heated angry look on his face.  He walked past her without even a glance.  She felt her heart sink once again as she turned and entered her room.

               Her maid Tessy was waiting for her.

               "Mum, I've got a hot bath ready for ye and Captain Sparrow brought ye a dress to wear.  Isn't it the grandest thing ye've ever seen?"  Tessy squealed with delight.  Madeline turned to see the dress she was holding.  She gasped when she saw it.  It was one of the dresses Jack had bought for her long ago.  It was a tightly corseted dress.  Hunter green to match her eyes.  It fell off the shoulders and pushed her bosom up immensely. 

               "He brought this as well mum." Tessy said.  Coming forward with a small box.  She opened it and Madeline could scarcely believe her eyes.  It was an emerald and diamond necklace on a gold chain.  Another gift Jack had once given her.  A gift she had left behind on the Pearl.

               "Did Captain Sparrow say anything to you Tessy?"

               "Aye mum, he did.  He told me that if ye didn't wear this or the dress, not to come to dinner at all."  Madeline felt anger rush through her.

               "How dare he! This is my house and I'll be damned if he thinks he can order me around!"