Cutlass Anne

Cutlass Anne - Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Twenty-nine

I took the girl to my quarters on the ship. I poured hot water into a basin for her and allowed her time to wash up.

"If you would like something else to wear, I think I have something that may fit you." I dug through a small trunk that sat in the corner.

"You are so much taller than I, would anything fit me properly?" she asked watching me.

"I do not believe any of my own clothing would fit you, plus most of mine look like this now. However, I have a few of my sister's dresses with me. You are about her size."

The girl furrowed her brows and stopped washing for a few moments.

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

"You would give me one of her dresses?"

"Yes, she has so many at home, and I do not want you seeing your parents in something not fit for a lady." I smiled as a tear slid down my cheek.

"She is very special to you?"

I nodded, wiping away the tear and digging through the trunk.

"I have an older sister." She continued with her washing.

"That is good. Every little girl should have a big sister."

"She does not like me."

"Oh, I am sure she does." I pulled out a few of the dresses.

"No, she does not."

"We may say we don't care for our younger siblings, but we do."

"She is the reason why I am here."

"I am also the reason why Jane is in her predicament."

"How is it your fault?" The girl stopped and watched me.

I sat back and ran my hand over the soft blue fabric of Jane's favorite dress. "Our father made a deal with John Jacks. In return for power and a position of authority he would give him his eldest daughter as payment."

"You are the eldest?"

I nodded my head as a few tears fell onto the dress, turning the light blue into a darker shade. "We had been in the bay swimming that day, but when I saw the pirate ship I went home to tell father. By the time I got back, she was gone, as was John Jacks."

"How was that your fault?" she asked.

"I should have taken Jane with me. If I did, I would not be traversing the seas for clues."

"You also would not have saved me." She smiled while drying her hands.

I looked up at her. She was right. If I had not been here, who knows what would have happened to her. I pulled out a green dress and handed it to her.

"This will look beautiful on you." I pushed the hair out of her face.

"Thank you."

"You are most welcome. I will find a ship heading toward Virginia, and you will be home before you know it."

I left the girl in the room. The sun was slowly moving across the sky. The heat of the rays felt good on my face.

"Cap'n?"

"Aye?" I said sleepily.

"What is going on?"

I turned to look at the man behind me. "I either go after John Jacks or try and save Jane."

"Which do you think is more important?" he asked.

I pursed my head and shrugged my shoulders. "I am not sure."

"Follow yer heart, cap'n." He squeezed my shoulder in reassurance.

"Thanks, Cooky." I turned and walked down the gangplank of the ship.

"Where is Flynn?" He held up his hand to shade his eyes.

"At the pub. I am going to find out how he is doing now," I yelled as I walked down the pier.

I walked through the front door, greeted by noisy townspeople and sailors alike. The pub did not smell of fish and unwashed men, but of the meat that was roasting somewhere in a kitchen and baking bread. The barkeep stopped laughing and talking when he saw me. I narrowed my eyes at him and continued toward the stairs. On the landing, I leaned against the wall. The sound of laughter and clinking metal drifted up toward me. It sounded like an ordinary day in the pub. I was pulled out of my moment of peace by a man screaming from the end of the hall.

It was Flynn.

I sprinted down to the room and flung the door open. Scully, Christopher, and a man I had never seen before huddled around the bed. Scully and Christopher were holding Flynn's flailing body down while the strange man did something. There was blood everywhere, and it appeared as though they were trying to kill him.

"What the devil are you doing to him?" I screamed, slamming the door shut behind me.

"Lady Anne! Where have you been?"

"I don't know, Scully. Trying to find clues about Jane, saving a young girl's life, and telling Christopher to find a surgeon. Who is the man covered in blood?"

"He's the surgeon." Christopher tried to grab one of Flynn's legs that broke free of his grasp.

"What are you doing?" I asked the man.

"Trying to clean and sanitize the wound before I sew it shut. Why did you wait so long to get this man help?" he shot me a dirty look.

"Why are you looking at me?"

"You are the captain, no?"

"Yes."

The man poured a clear liquid onto the festering wound. It bubbled and Flynn screamed. "Then he is your responsibility."

"We were at the sea. The doctor with us said he did as much as he could for Flynn."

The surgeon simply shook his head and dug through the black bag that sat next to him. The man quickly threaded a needle and hovered over Flynn's injured shoulder. I watched as his hands moved quickly and expertly. His nimble fingers tightened the thread, pulling the skin together into a clean line. He put a bandage on it and dug around in his bag yet again. This time he pulled out a vile and a hollow-looking tube.

"What is that?"

"Something to ease his pain and help him sleep," the surgeon said.

I watched as he slid the pointed end into Flynn's mouth, and then poured some of the liquid down. He coughed and sputtered, but within a few minutes, he appeared to be relaxed.

"He should rest for a while."

"Will he be okay?" I asked, holding Flynn's clammy hand.

"He will be fine."

The man turned and walked away. I followed after him.

"Excuse me? I just wanted to say thank you."

"You are a poor excuse for a captain." He stepped through the doors of the pub.

"I'm sorry, but what did you say?"

"A good captain does not let one of his, or her, men get to the point of almost dying," he snapped.

"You have no right to judge. As I said, the doctor we had onboard said he did everything he could."

"Then you may want to find a new doctor. Good day, ma'am." He stalked off down the street still covered in blood.