Chapter 4

"The Heart of a Pirate: The Tale of Anne Bonny" is part of a 25 chapter serial fiction work co-sponsored by The Writing Salon and OurEcho. The work is being written by Jamie Wilson and edited by Allegra Huston.

As part of this of this project, we have developed a homepage specifically for the project to enhance the mood and allow you to lose yourself in the story. All chapters will be posted into the traditional OurEcho intereface, but we invite you to check out The Heart of a Pirate homepage - The Heart of a Pirate.

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I didn't remain helpless. I am never helpless, for my father taught me to look after my own needs. I sat down on my large bed, brushing back the curtains, and started thinking, and then started looking through my closets. They were deep and filled with beautiful garments I loved. Though I despise shopping, I dearly love dressing in finery, and the feel of silk rushing about my hips and calves has tempted me more than once to forego the chemise I am supposed to wear with it.

I did not, however, care for the stiff whale-bone corsets. They pressed my spine miserably, and crushed my bosom until I could not breathe in order to get the proper space and height for each of my breasts. I thought them ridiculous devices, but my maid and Papa insisted that I wear them, and Papa supplied me well.

Thus it came about that I had a round dozen corsets, and each with a long set of strong lacings. There are few cords that are as strong as stay-lace, and it took but an hour's work for me to tie them together, braid them down into a nice rope, and then slide my rope under the bed to wait for nightfall. It was like making lace for my mother, tedious and needing to be redone a dozen times, but I was never so grateful for women's knowledge.

Though I was afraid of interruptions, there was nothing to fear. I finished them and noticed the day was growing late and I had no means to light my candle -- an inconvenience. There was little to do. I used my chamberpot, then left it near the door as was my habit and sat back down to think on my plans for that evening, rising every so often to pack something away in the bag I planned to take. It was almost dark before a pair of footmen came to the door with my maid, and she left me some dinner and took away the pot. I had a clean one slipped in within five minutes, and then they were gone again, not a word spoken by any of us.

I wonder that Papa was not suspicious of my silence. I suppose he was just grateful that for once I seemed to accept my fate.

I lay back on my bed, eyes open, listening to the murmurs of the servants, and, from the far-off stable, the soft lows and whickers that floated through my window through a trick of the humid air outside. At last the house stilled, and the lights I could see glowing to illuminate the lawn were doused one by one. I had about an hour before the moon rose, and it would be a full one tonight. After pulling trousers on beneath my skirts, I kilted my dress, pulled out my portmanteau packed with some clothes and all my money and jewelry, and dropped the rope out the window.

It was too easy. Papa did not give me enough credit. I slithered down the rope like a jib monkey, yanked it to release the knot - who knew when I'd need a rope again? - and slipped away into the dark. I didn't dare stop by the stables for a horse, but my favorite stallion was at stud two miles up the road, and I could fetch him easily enough.

As it happened, though, I didn't need to do that. I spotted a dark shadow moving toward me from the orchard next to the house, and I knew that whoever it was had seen me. I decided that brazening it out was the best course of action, and so I strolled up to him, hoping to at least get a blow in and have a chance of escaping.

A familiar voice spoke in a whisper. "Anne?"

"James!" I said louder than I intended.

"Hush. I was coming for you, but clearly you've made your own escape." He put his arms around me and pulled me tight. The clean tar smell of him made me feel better instantly, and I could feel my desire rising.

"Let's go away, James. Let's get far away from here."

He nodded and took my hand, leading me to the edge of the orchard and down a dark road through the swamp that I'd shown him. "You took this path?"

He nodded. "You're worth the risk, dearie."

I shook my head at him. "Not at all."

"I know this isn't so very romantic, love, but did you bring money? I've only a little, and I used that to book passage for you."

I smiled - more fool, I! "I've got all I could find, and jewelry as well."

He breathed out hard. "Good, then. That's a relief. We're going to the kirk tonight, or to a ship's captain I know. Annie, will you marry me? Will you marry me and go away with me?"

I swallowed hard - marry him? But then I looked into his eyes, his bright blue and intense eyes. His arms around me were warm and gentle, holding me like a bundle of fresh lavender blossoms, and I couldn't say no. "I will marry you, James. I'll be Anne Bonny."

Oh, what fools we women are. A pretty face and a well-turned calf, and we're all to sea over the man. And then he gets us with child and we bear it and vanish, all the footprints we'd left in the world erased as if by the kiss of the ocean's waves. It's only men that leave the heavy marks on the world, and the boldest of women.

But I was weaker then, though just as bold, and I was as much a fool as any woman in her first calfs love. I went with James Bonny that night, and he took me to a tavern filled with grime and the stench of wet dogs where we signed the book as man and wife. And for only the second time in my life, I knew a man, and this time it was much better, though the mattress was a corn tick filled with cobs and bedbugs. James was a bastard, that's true, but he was a man who knew how to touch a woman. Though I despise him today for what he did, I can't hate his hands on my body.

I slept late, and woke after noon when James shook me. "Hush, Annie, we must leave, for the tide's out in an hour."

I yawned, and frowned as I realized his face was smudged with soot. "You smell like smoke."

"There was a fire. No one's hurt, never fear. But we need to go."

"A fire!" I was awake of an instant, for even then I knew James Bonny was not the sort to run toward trouble. Would that I'd listened to my heart at that point, for I knew in my bosom that James Bonny was not telling me everything. "Where was it?"

He took my face in his hands and turned it up toward him, smudging my cheek. "I cannot lie to you, my bonnie Annie. It was your home, but your father's fine, and his servants and all came out fine."

My heart leapt in my chest. "Papa! I need to go to him - "

"Annie, Annie, he's fine. I spoke to him myself, and bitter he was, thinking you still locked up in your room., but he cursed at me when I told him you were safe and sound, so I think we might be best off leaving now and coming back wed, perhaps with a grandchild to present him."

Oh, James Bonny had it all figured, he did. I found later that he'd set the fire himself to cover his stealing of my father's favorite silver, but at the time I wasn't about to question the large bundle he carried on ship with him, and then he gave me flowers too for my wedding. I was all tear-stained and happy to be underway when the captain, a grizzled old tar, married us. His words were blurry and smeared with grog, and I thought at the time he was the most beautiful man I'd ever seen in my life.

The men danced me a jig, and threw handsful of rice. They were a merry and cheerful bunch, and it was right pleasant years later to find some of them on shipboard with Rackham, though a shame that they're all to die now.

With a small bribe from my stash of jewelry, the captain was happy to give us the wife's cabin on deck, and with that tiny room's privacy James and I set about to exploring one another in earnest. It was not much of a honeymoon, but I enjoyed it fully.

A week later, and we were far south in the Bahamas, in New Providence, and I was starting a whole new life.

Story ID:	821
Written by:	Jamie Kai Wilson (bio, link, contact, other stories)
Story type:	The Heart of a Pirate
Location:	New Providence Bahamas
Year:	1720
Person:	Anne Bonny