John Locke - Now and then

Jack said, "You know nothing of the ambush at Sinner's Row?"

"What ambush?"

"You've heard no word of The Viceroy attacking The Fortress?"

"Of course not. Where have you gotten your information?"

"From the lips of a dying man."

Johanna, less angry now, said, "Henry, what is this about?"

"My men are being hung one by one at Sinner's Row. My ship is about to be attacked."

"Your men? Your ship?" Johanna said.

George looked at the two girls.

"Henry's a privateer," he said.

Rose's face grew animated. "I knew it! And no ordinary pirate, are you Henry? I'll tell you who he is, Johanna. He's Jack Hawley!"

George's face went white. "Could that possibly be true?"

Johanna had a different reaction. She seemed to be putting something together in her head. After a moment she said, " Gentleman Jack Hawley? Well that makes sense, now, doesn't it!"

Rose said, "Do you wish to ravish us, Jack Hawley?"

"Of course not!" Jack said. "Why would someone your age even think to say such a thing?"

"I'm an old soul, Henry. I'm sure George has told you that."

Indeed, George, who'd been known to exaggerate, had told Jack that Rose didn't appear to age like their other children. She looked the same four years ago when he found her as she did today.

"What are your intentions, Henry?" George said. "I mean, Mr. Hawley."

"George, we go way back. I like to think we're friends. I can see you might not have heard the news since the soldiers came from the north. But you're either with us or against us, and I'll respect which it is. But you need to cast your lot now, for time is running out on my men."

"I'm with you Henry," Johanna said.

"My family stands at your service," George said.

"And you, miss," Jack said to Rose. "Tell me truly. Can you fly?"

Jack started a smoke fire while George gathered all his weapons into saddlebags and tied them to four horses. Johanna put Rugby in a basket and tied it to her saddle.

Jack said, "Where's Rose?"

They looked around the yard. And when their eyes returned to the place they'd started, Rose was standing there, a scant four feet away.

"God's blood!" Jack swore.

Rose had rubbed gunpowder all over her face and rimmed her eyes with bright red paint. She stared straight ahead, as if in a trance.

"Jack?" George whispered tentatively.

"What?"

"We don't have any red paint here."

Jack turned to George. "Surely at some time you did."

"Never. No paint of any color. Where would I come by paint?"

"Where indeed," Johanna said. She snapped her fingers and Rose came out of her trance-like state. From inside the basket, Rugby hissed savagely.

Jack said, "How did you know to do that?"

"Trial and error," Johanna said, and Jack felt another chill go down his spine.

He led his party of George, Johanna and Rose back up the trail, past the crossing, beyond the town, and out to Sinner's Row.

About a hundred yards from the path that led to the small pier, Jack noticed two brightly colored soldier hats tied to trees six feet off the ground on either side of the road. He halted his horse, and the others fell in behind.

"What's that mean?" George said.

"It means they're dead," Rose said.

Jack nodded. "Mr. Pim must have found them guarding the trail. From the big pier, it looks like they're still here, standing guard."

"There'll be other guards I'm sure," George said.

"If there are, we'll probably come upon their hats as well."

"How much danger are we in, Henry?" Johanna asked.

"It's okay to call me Jack, miss. That's my given name. I'm sorry for the lie."

"Jack," she said, softly. "I like that."

"How much involvement do you expect from Rose?" George said. "I can't let you put her in harm's way."

"I won't use her till it's safe."

"And when it's safe, what shall you have her do?"

Rose said, "Why, scare the life out of someone, right Jack?"

Jack nodded absently, trying to decide if his plan had any chance of success. The entire rescue depended on a creepy little girl who might very possibly be crazy. Or delusional, if such was different. He didn't know if Rose was a witch or not, but he knew she had a terrifying laugh. If nothing else about her was supernatural, the laugh alone would likely suffice.

Jack looked around. It was getting on to dusk, but they were still two hours from dark. He chanced a light whistle and heard nothing in return. They climbed off their horses and led them into the woods until they got to a place where the foliage was thick enough to provide cover. They sat and waited.

An hour later, they heard a light return whistle. Jack and the others got to their feet, and Jack responded. Moments later, Abby raced into Jack's camp and threw her arms around him. Johanna arched an eyebrow, but waited politely to be introduced. When Abby started kissing Jack repeatedly, Johanna decided to take matters into her own hands. She started moving toward them, but stopped short as Hester entered the camp.

When Johanna saw Hester's face, she gasped, crossed herself, and spit. George did the same. Rugby arched her back, hissed, and jumped into Rose's arms.

Rose pointed at Hester and shouted, "Behold! The Devil's Mistress!"

Pim and Hester were even more startled by Rose.

"By the bones of Christ," Pim said. "Hell's cat has found its mother."

Abby was surprised that Henry wasn't kissing her back. She was even more surprised to find a thin young girl pulling her by the hair.

"Ow! Ow! Let go, you bitch!"

Johanna pulled her off of Jack before letting go of her hair. Abby tried to slap Johanna, but the younger girl evaded it. Abby looked at Jack. "Who is this vile bitch?"

"This is Johanna," Jack said, warily.

"And who are you to pull my hair like a common street urchin?" Abby said to Johanna.

Johanna said, "I'm Jack's wife."

Two months earlier Jack had paddled up the Little River and ate dinner with the Stout family when a man called to them from outside the house. George opened the door and saw a man and woman, and behind them, a young girl tied to the horse rail.

"State your business," George said, as Jack passed him a musket. Jack pulled two flintlocks from his coat and held them crossed over his chest.

"My wife and I are trying to find the source of this feeling. If this is some herb you sell, we're here to trade for it."

George looked at Jack.

"Describe the feeling," George said, though he knew exactly what the man meant.

"I can't. It's just a feeling that's taken the pain from my gouty foot and my wife's back. It led me here. I'm Richard Bradford," the man said, "and this is my wife, Patience, and our daughter, Johanna."

"Why is she tied up?" George said.

"So she won't run off. She ain't right in the head, is what she is. We aim to get her married, though, if the price be right. Are you married, sir?"

George shook his head. After determining the Bradfords weren't likely to kill anyone, he introduced them to his family and Henry.

"Are you married, Henry?" Richard said.

"No. And don't intend to be."

Jack looked at Johanna across the yard. "She looks no more than nine."

"She is in fact twelve years old, as will be sworn by her Mum and me. Why not come over and see for yourself what a delightful prize she'd be to a man who knows how to coax with a firm hand?"

"If you bring a lamp I'll lift her dress for you, sir," Patience said, "should you require a peek."

Jack had never hit a woman before, and never wanted to till now. But he kept his temper in check and said, "How much?"

"Twelve pounds sterling, sir, and worth every penny," Richard said.

"One for each year," Patience added.