Elizabeth's Grand Escape Ch. 02

"Welcome to my home," he said as he sat the bags down on the floor.

"It's quite lovely."

"Thank you, as I said it is not lavish. But it does quite nicely on a rainy night. You and your maid will be in the room on the right, mine is on the left."

Just then a small man came bounding through the door, "Mr. Jaime, Mr. Jaime, welcome home."

"Thank you Asheem. Asheem this is Mrs. Williams and her maid Millie. They will be staying with us for a short while."

"Welcome missy, I take your bags."

The man took their bags to their room, and then returned as they had sat down in the sitting area. The couches and chairs lavish in their burgundy materials.

"Do we have something refreshing to drink Asheem?"

"Of course Mr. Jaime," the man said as he crossed the room.

Jaime ushered the women out onto the porch to the wooden chairs, they sat down as they did Elizabeth stood at the rail and looked out over the beauty of the landscape before her. It was truly a beautiful place, if she had not been brought here under these conditions she would be pleased to remain here forever. From the house she could easily see the ocean and beach. She could see the inlet where the ship was docked and the men busily unloading their stolen wares.

Asheem walked onto the porch with a tray, sitting it on the table he offered them each a tall glass, inside was sweetly soured lemon drink. It was fabulous and she sat on the wood chairs and relaxed to enjoy this new drink.

"What will happen to us now Captain?"

"Please, I asked you to call me Jaime. I believe you and your maid will be comfortable here for a while don't you think. The weather here is most enjoyable, it can become quite warm some days, but there is the waterfall to cool off in."

"You haven't answered my question," she said loudly.

"Please there is no reason to become upset, I must keep you here for now. The others will be taken to other islands for now then they as well as you will be able to continue your voyage. Just be patient, this beautiful scenery will be quite relaxing and it may help you with your recent loss. You both may move about freely but you will be watched, as you can tell the only way off the island is by boat, the under toe is deadly and there sharks in the water. I hope you will both enjoy your stay here."

"I hardly think so Captain, but I am sure we have no other choice but to wait until you allow us to leave."

Jaime knew it was time for him to leave, he excused himself and he walked down the path that lead back to the ship. It may be harder than he thought to change her feelings towards him.

"Mi-lady what will we do now," Etta said as she joined Elizabeth at the rail.

"I am not sure Etta, I mean Millie. We must be careful lest his man hear us. We will go along for now we have no other choice."

"It is quite beautiful here isn't it?"

"Yes, it sure is."

Elizabeth meant more than just the island, she was having strange feelings towards their captor, she was trying hard not to but she believed if they didn't get off of this island soon, they never would.

The next morning good to his word they were allowed to come and go as they pleased, they walked along the white sands of the beach, picking up sea shells along the shore. The beautiful long leaf trees covered most of the island; coconuts from the tops fell to the ground. The flowers along the trails were the most colorful and fragrant she had ever seen.

They found themselves at the waterfall, the water crashing on the rocks below, creating a shower of spray, the cool waters landed in the small pool that drained into the inlet.

The two lifted up their long skirts and removed their shoes and waded into the cool waters. Elizabeth felt at ease here, she did not know why. Even though she and Etta were in a precariously dangerous situation, she still felt she was safer here being safely away from what had happened to her in England, her father and most of all Lyle she was sure the bulk of it. The coolness of the waters on her feet had a most calming effect on her.

Returning to the hut still in their bare feet they found a small feast waiting on them on the porch, Asheem had prepared an evening fare of spit roasted chicken, potatoes, fresh baked bread, corn that was still on the cob and more of that delightful lemon drink. As they made their way to their chairs Jaime came out of the house and joined them.

"Did you ladies enjoy the waterfall; it's very refreshing isn't it?"

"It is very refreshing as well as beautiful; the water was so cool as it is quite warm here isn't it?"

"It is quite warm here; I expect you ladies are particularly warm in all those layer of fabric. Here on the island the women wear sarongs, it's a light weight material wrapped around their bodies. It's definitely less confining than," he caught his self as he noticed her eyebrow rising he knew he should get off of this topic. "I apologize Mrs. Williams I was merely stating some facts about the people of the island."

"I appreciate that the island women have no problems running about in a state of undress, but I assure you as a proper lady I am quite cool in my confining attire as you so eloquently tried to put it."

Jaime wanted to get off the subject quickly so he handed Millie the tray with the chicken on it. He hoped that she would sometime get past her lividness towards him the longer she stayed here with him.

Early the next morning Jaime heard the sound of running feet across the wood plank floor, he rose from the bed threw on his breeches and ran quickly to the porch in time to see Elizabeth on her knees vomiting into the tall grass. He approached her quietly, standing behind her.

"Are you alright?" he said with concern in his voice.

Startled by the sound of his voice behind her, she jumped to her feet while covering her mouth with a kerchief. "I am fine thank you captain."

"Well you don't look fine," he stepped forward placing his hand on her forehead to check to see if she had a temperature.

She pushed his hand aside, "I assure you captain, I am quite well it must have been something I ate that didn't agree with me."

"Perhaps, but I will have Dr. Majors come and check you out to make sure. The change in lifestyle could be a factor but there are fevers out there that could make you very ill. I would just feel better if we made sure."

"If you insist but I am fine."

"I do insist."

She walked past him then and walked back into the hut. He made his way down the path to the ship at the moor. Even for the early hour there were many men lounging about on deck. The men stood as he boarded, "Where is Dr. Majors?"

"He is below Captain."

"Thank you, Pete would you have Mr. Beasly come to my cabin."

"Aye sir."

A knock on the door and Dr. Majors and Mr. Beasly walked in to the captains quarters. "Dr. Majors I want you to go to the house and check on Mrs. Williams she was ill this morning, I told her I would feel better knowing it was nothing to worry about."

"Aye sir, did she have a fever?"

"No not that I felt."

"I will get my bag and go now."

"Thank you."

"You wished to see me Captain."

"Yes, Dale I want you to take the Sea Serpent and deliver the goods to Whiting, and let the rest of the passengers off to find new passage to their destination. I know Whiting will have questions as to why I did not deliver them myself tell him nothing other than I have another business venture that needed my attention at the moment and that I will see him on my next visit."

"Aye sir, what if the passengers make waves with the officials about their voyage being deferred?"

"Whiting will handle the officials; we pay them enough in money and goods that we have no worries."

"As you wish Captain, we will make sail with the evening tide."

"Oh and Dale, should any of the passengers ask about Mrs. Williams and her maid, tell them she is ill at the moment but will be continuing her voyage as soon as she is well enough."

"As you wish sir, it will be done."

"I know I can count on you Dale. You and the men can take a weeks leave ashore, but make them be wary of trouble just incase someone comes looking for that ship. When you and the men return we will work on changing the identity of that ship, and I believe instead of selling her I think we need a second ship in our ventures, the Sea Serpent is becoming too well known. I also think that she would do well with you as her Captain."

"Thank you sir, I appreciate your confidence in me."

"It's well deserved Dale," he said as he stepped forward and told his friend hand in a firm hand shake.

Jaime then gathered some books and other things from the cabin that he thought he might need over the next week. He thought Beth would love to read some of the novels that he had on hand.

At the house the doctor examined Elizabeth standing over her checking her pulse, feeling for any sign of a fever.

"Really doctor I am fine, it must have been something that I ate last evening that didn't agree with me."

"I am just being thorough the Captain would not be pleased if something were to happen to you under my care. Mrs. Williams I know this may be a sensitive subject, but for my diagnoses I must ask you when was your last woman's cycle?"

"Really doctor I am sure that has nothing to do with this," but as she thought about it, she could not readily remember having had a cycle since back at Charwood.

The pale look on her face caused the doctor to call for her maid.

"Get some cool water for your lady quickly."

"It has been some time ago hasn't it?"

"Yes."

"I want you have your maid help you to undress to your shift I need to make more thorough examination."

He left the room as Etta entered with the water.

When the doctor returned she was covered by a light blanket.

"I want Millie to stay in the room if you don't mind doctor."

"Of course," he said as he neared the bed.

"If you could please place the blanket over your lower extremities and raise your shift please."

Elizabeth complied her face looking at Etta at the side of the bed. She felt the doctor's hands on her abdomen pushing gently on her stomach.

"Mrs. Williams, I must touch your breasts I assure you it is a part of the exam."

She shook her head to let him know it was alright and he proceeded to touch them, touching first one then the other.

"Are the tender in anyway?"

"Yes, they feel a bit sore. You don't really think that I may be with child do you?"

"Yes, Mrs. Williams that is exactly my diagnoses. You are with child from all signs that are present. How long ago was your last cycle?"

"I believe it was several weeks before my husband death, I believe less than two months ago perhaps."

She could not tell him the real truth, that she was brutally raped by her husband and that he was not dead. She felt Etta's hand on hers; she had not even told Etta what had happened before they left Charwood. She felt ashamed even though the child was conceived in marriage, but in hate and brutality. She became upset the more she thought about the fact that she was carrying the child of a brutal and vile man, one she would rather see dead. She curled up into a ball on the bed and began sobbing; the doctor took this as his sign to leave and went to report his findings to the captain.

On his way back to the ship to report to the captain, he made note that for a woman who just buried her husband and just found out she is carrying his child she was none to happy with the blessed event to come.

"Out with it doctor how is she," Jaime said as he sat behind his desk in his quarters.

"With child Captain."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, as far as she can remember she is possibly two months gone."

"Anything else doctor?"

"Well, for a woman who just lost her husband and found out she is now carrying his child she was not pleased with the announcement. She began crying immediately. I don't think she is at all pleased about becoming a mother."

"Could that be a normal response, with the situation she is in right now?"

"It might be possible, but I don't think so Captain. She became very pale and withdrawn with the sudden news. I think there is more going on with the lady than she is saying."

"Thank you doctor, do you think she is healthy otherwise."

"Yes, she is quite healthy. She will need good foods, fluids and not a lot of stress. But other than that I think she will give birth to a healthy child none the less."

"I will make sure it is taken care of doctor. The ship is setting sail for White's Landing; will everything be alright until your return?"

"Worry not Captain, we have a long while until anything happens."

After the doctor left Jaime had time to think before heading back down to the hut to face Beth, knowing she was now carrying another man's child dead or not put a new twist in his pursuit of her. How can he now continue in his efforts to win her over? He would wait and see how she fairs when the child is born, perhaps with his help during the time until its birth they might become closer. If he can convince her to stay here with him that is, being she is adamant about getting to Virginia for what he reason he didn't know yet, but he hoped that she would open up to him.

When he returned to the hut he was met by Millie stating that Beth had walked off earlier and had yet to return, she said that she had walked off in the direction of the beach.

As Jaime approached the beach he could see her standing high above the crashing surf on the large boulder that jetted out from the shore. The wind was blowing hard against her skirts, her long dark hair let loose from its tight knot. Her beauty captivated him at that moment, he knew he was having feelings for her that by rights he had no right to. Considering he had all but kidnapped her, and intended to keep it that way until she began to feel as he did. At that moment he saw her falter, he feared that she might fall, he broke into a dead run towards her.

He slowly came up behind her not wanting to startle her and cause her to fall, it was at that moment he could hear her, she was crying; no mournfully sobbing. He reached out to take hold of her before he made his presence known so that she would not fall.

Feeling hands take a hold of her arms Beth abruptly turned to find Jaime holding onto her, she saw concern filling his face as he pulled her into his arms. Clutching her there for what had seemed a long time but was actually only seconds.

Jaime looked lovingly into Beth's tear reddened eyes, "What is it Beth, what is wrong and how can I help you?"

Beth stood away from him looking out on the endless looking ocean, "There nothing that can be done now and there is nothing you or anyone can do about it."

"What upsets you so is this how a woman with child usually acts? Not knowing many women who are in your condition I am not sure how it should affect you to know if it is a proper response."

"I should have guessed that the doctor would have told you, what gives him the right to tell anyone about my personal business."

"You are my personal business; I wish you would accept that fact."

"I will never accept the fact that you wish to keep me here as your prisoner, if I wanted to be treated this way I would have gladly stayed at Charwood in far more lavish means that this dilapidated hut you expect me to live in."

After she said it she wished she could take it back, she did not want him knowing anymore than what he already did.

"What did you mean by that? What is Charwood?"

She did not answer but moved to the back of the boulder and began to climb down, he reached out for her to help her down but she refused to take his hand.

That evening at the dinner table all was quiet no one uttered so much as a word but ate their meal, Beth merely scooted her food about the plate not really eating much.

Beth wished there was some way that she could tell Jaime all that had happened to her, her feelings for him were coming apparent even to her. But how could she have anything to do with a pirate, a rogue, someone who is so sweet, tender and so well meaning. No, she admonished herself you cannot have any feelings for him, not now, not ever. Not with Lyle's child growing inside you. She was grateful that Etta had not asked questions at least not yet; she didn't know how she was going to tell her friend, what had happened to her while she was away making plans for their escape.

Jaime tossed the idea around in his head about approaching her and asking her what she had meant by her comments but he thought it was best to leave it alone, at least for now. Soon he would approach her and convince her all would be alright and that it was safe to trust him.

Jaime was busy each day down at the moor's working to refit the stolen vessel, renaming it The Serpent's Tail. His work helped him keep his mind off of Beth and what she could be hiding.

Etta worried about Elizabeth she refused to eat, she refused to talk about it, she only sat in the chair beside the window in their room. Her blank expression on her face told her all she needed to know, that that vile Lyle Kenworthy had defiled her poor lady. Now she was carrying the child of a man who would do nothing but abuse her should he find her and heaven help the poor innocent child caught in the middle.

At that moment in London

Charles Buckingham stood at the desk of the dock manager while Lyle Kenworthy paced the floor shouting furiously at the man, "what do you mean you have no records of her sailing from this port. This is the only port close enough that she could have left from. Check them yet again!"

The little round man behind the desk searched through the log book on his desk, "I assure you sirs there is no Elizabeth Buckingham on any records in this book sailing from this port. I am sorry if you have reason to believe she had but my records are quite complete I can tell you. There is no record of her and her maid having sailed from here."

"Perhaps we should go Lyle, if there is no record she could still be close by. We should concentrate our efforts on the coaches."

"No Charles, I believe I was correct she would leave the country. Check your book again; perhaps she sailed under an assumed name. Check all entries of any women traveling only with their maids or siblings?"

The man looked through several pages, "alright there was a woman and her sister, set sail four months ago Martha and Sarah Wiles bound for the Indies. There was also a woman and maid set sail three months ago for Virginia, Beth Williams and Millie Chambers."

"That's them!"

"Are you sure Lyle?"

"Yes, I am positive!"

"That is indeed unfortunate sir."

"Why do you say that?"

"That particular ship was set upon by pirates, the communiqués we received said that the White Serpent had taken the ship, when he takes a ship he steals all that is valuable and kills everyone and sends the ship to its grave. I am indeed sorry if your family was aboard that ship."

"Are you sure you have no further information about this ship?"

"I have told you all that I know sir, if I should receive any more information I can let you know as soon as I should find something."

"Be sure that you do, I will be in contact with you as often as possible."

With that Charles and Lyle left the office, walking to the carriage Charles turned to Lyle, "do you think that she is dead?"

"Right now it is hard to know, if this was in fact her and pirates did take the ship it does not look good. I will send my man on the next available ship and have him check all ports searching for information not only regarding Elizabeth but this Beth as well. I am certain that she would disguise herself so that she would not be found."

"I just don't understand why she would run away like this, you still have not answered my questions about what happened that would make her do something like this?"