The Attainment of Evangeline

Chapter 27

Evangeline smiled as she laid her cards down on the table before the men, who all sighed and threw their cards in distress.

"How the bloody hell do ya keep winnin?" Pintel asked.

Jack chuckled and patted Evangeline on the back.

"I told ya that she was a tough one to beat! She learned from the best!" he grinned, proudly.

"Aye, and even ye can't beat her! She be the master!" Gibbs howled, slapping his knee in merry enjoyment.

Jack laughed out loud and took a swig of rum. The pirates and Evangeline had been playing cards for quite a while, each man desperate to beat the woman, which hadn't happened yet. They played by the light of the lamps, and it cast an eerie shadow across the deck; shadows of the pirates that were large and distorted. Evangeline could make out Jack's shadow, and she smiled to herself.

For the past few days she had been trying to forget about the captain, yet she found it to be impossible. Everywhere she was, he was there too, with his charming smile and expressive hands. The storm had sent them back considerably, which meant more time aboard the ship. She knew her plight was futile and she had given up on the mission. There was no way she could not love Jack Sparrow. It went against her entire being, against her heart, and soul, and mind.

Since Barbossa had mentioned that he was surprised by Jack not pursuing her, she had become increasingly self conscious around him. Not that she wasn't in the first place, it had only gotten worse. He himself had commented on her body weeks before, but she knew now that it meant nothing. Since the entire crew knew her secret, she was constantly worried that one of them would slip up and tell Jack, but Gibbs had sworn to her that if anyone so much as hinted, they would be shark food.

"How about another round, gents? Winner takes all!" Jack said.

"Aww, hell Jack, ya know Geline is just gonna win again! She's already richer than the bloody King thanks to tonight," Pintel whined.

The men nodded in agreement and Evangeline felt guilty for all the pounds she had lining her pockets. Jack just laughed and reclined against the barrel that he was sitting on, his hands behind his head and his feet up on the table.

"When ya tip over, imma laugh me arse off," Ragetti warned.

"Nonsense! I am completely plastered at the moment and that is when I am most focused! Not even a rogue wave could knock me over, lads!" Jack sung, smiling.

Gibbs looked at Evangeline and widened his eyes, nudging his head towards Jack, telling her to push him over.

She mouthed 'no', slightly shaking her head.

Gibbs nodded and Pintel joined.

'C'mon, do it!' Pintel mouthed back.

Evangeline looked sideways at Jack, whose eyes were closed, and he had a cocky grin on his face. She turned back to the men, unsure. Pintel was furiously nodding his head, and the rest of the men were pointing to Jack, but they suddenly stopped when Jack opened his eyes and looked at them suspiciously.

"It is entirely too quiet, mates...are ya plotting so..."

At that moment, Evangeline pushed him and he fell backwards with an "Oomph" and the men howled with laughter, slapping the table and stomping their boots on the deck. Evangeline was laughing as she turned to the captain who laid flat on his back, his arms splayed above his head.

"Ouch," he mumbled.

"What was that 'bout a rogue wave, captain?"

"Ye were cock-sure!"