Now, in the woods, Pim waited patiently while Jack confirmed Johanna's claim. Abby called him a bastard, and Johanna lunged at her again.
Jack stepped between them and said, "Hush, you two. What's done is done and I'll do right by both of you."
"I don't see that possibility," Abby said, "since you're already married to this hellion, and I'm carrying your child."
"You've given her your seed?" Johanna said, incredulously. "How could you do this to me? I'm your wife. That seed is rightfully mine."
"I'd give it back if I could, you pasty-faced brat!" Abby said.
"Abby, that's enough! Johanna, it happened before I ever met you!"
"Oh," Johanna said.
"And again this very morning, if we're keeping a tally," Abby said.
Johanna glared at the older, prettier, pregnant girl a moment, then turned away and started running. Jack raced after her and found her lying on the ground, sobbing. Jack sat beside her and said, "This is not the best of circumstances, but we'll get through it. Right now we've some men to save, and I'll ask you to be civil for the time being. Too much noise at the wrong time could get us all killed."
Johanna looked him in the eyes. "You coupled with her this very morning? How could you, Jack?"
"I'm sorry I've hurt you. That's all I can say."
When they got back to the camp, Rose was grinning at him.
"Don't say a word," Jack warned.
Surprisingly, Hester had not spoken throughout the ordeal. She'd been treated far worse by men than what she'd seen between Jack and her daughter, and seemed content to stay out of it. When the camp had quieted down to an uneasy truce, Pim gave Jack his scouting report.
"There's eight soldiers guardin' the Blue Dog," he said, "and I don't know how many inside. Maybe ten, maybe twice that. Some're whorin', some're waitin' for the hangin'. Like you said, the men are all upstairs, so there must be guards on the steps as well. There were two guardin' the road on this side and two on the other, but they're arguin' for their souls with St. Peter at present. You formed a plan yet?"
"Has The Fortress moved?"
"Aye, she's backed out to deeper water, so she must've seen your signal. But she'll be a sittin' duck out there against The Viceroy, without man enough to work the guns."
"And the shore boats? Have the soldiers burned them?"
"Nay, they be right where they was."
"They must think they got all the pirates bottled up in one place."
"Aye, and most of 'em drunk or drugged half way to Hades."
"In your experience, Pim, how superstitious are our mates?"
"This lot what's holed up in the Blue Dog? Worst I've seen."
"I agree. And what of soldiers in general, what do they fear most?"
Pim rubbed his beard. "I couldn't say for certain. But witches and faeries would scare any man, 'specially if they was comin' for their souls, I guess." He paused a minute and then said, "Why, you thinkin' of scarin' 'em somehow?"
Jack smiled.
"Then what're we waitin' for?" Pim said.
"Dark."