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<div style="border:1px #ccc solid; background-image:url('/images/ray.gif'); font-family:arial; width:200px; padding:5px;"><center><div style="font-size:20px;"><a href="/story/rreneeb/668">Chapter 2 of Jacqueline Pearl</a></div><table><tr><td width="50"><div style="color:#2CC362; font-size:15px; padding-top:4px; background-image:url('/images/profratebg.gif'); background-repeat:no-repeat; width:44px; height:26px; text-align:center; font-weight:bold; vertical-align:middle; padding-top:8px; padding-left:1px; " valign="top">5</div></td><td><div style="height:100px;width:100px; padding-top:9px; background-repeat:no-repeat; background-image:url(/images/storyCover.png);"><a href="/story/rreneeb/668"><div style="margin-left:9px; __padding:0px; height:90px; width:70px; background-repeat:no-repeat; background-image:url('http://www.testriffic.com/storyfiles/668.jpg');"></div></a></div></td></tr></table></center></div>

+ 7	Don't get an Avalanche angry in Alaska
+ 7	A Cold Case
+ 5	Chapter 2 of Jacqueline Pearl
+ 7	Chapter 1 of Jacqueline Pearl

Wealth and Men            After nearly three hours following St. Mary’s grand speech to Linel in the confines of his room Jacqueline stood in her own room. She never considered it her room but this was where she slept and was more often then not confined to. Here in that room she stood a new dress on and all but a new face painted on. Her hair was wrapped up on her head and to hide her knuckles, she was given gloves.            “You look lovely Ms. Pearl,” said one of the four maids in the room still.            “Thanks,” Jacqueline replied looking at her slender gloves, and picking at them irritably wishing she was at the beach peering out at the waves.            “If only we could do something about that confounded tan of yours.” said a younger maid.            “Linel wishes that you wear these types of dresses from now on,” another maid informed her, about to take her old dress from the room.            “I want that dress on my bed after the party is done, it must be unchanged.” Jacqueline said and the maids obeyed. Finally after a few touch ups the maids told her it was time for her to appear for the men.            “Appear?” Jacqueline asked standing from the chair where she had sat for more than a half hour.            “Yes, to make an impression on the gentlemen below you will appear in the room radiantly.” The first maid told her opening the door.            “A ladies’ magic trick,” Jacqueline retorted as she made toward the door and stopped before the maid. Opening her gloved hand she let a ring of keys drop in the maid’s hands. “I found them; they appeared when I got out of the coach.”            The maid formed a cynical face but didn’t respond.            Jacqueline was led downstairs in her gold and red dress which trailed behind her slightly. She had fistfuls of the dress in her hands to keep from—she had kicked off her shoes at the first step—treading on it with her bare feet. She did, in fact, appear before the three men as she descended the stairs, she let a handful of dress fall as she took Linel’s arm.            “You look wonderful,” he whispered as he led her to the gathering room.            “Yeah?” she whispered back, “I feel like an ape.”            He looked at her and she smiled unkindly back, “Well, I hope you feel better by the time you are introduced to everyone.”            “When, pray tell, will that be?” she whispered back smiling.            “Very soon,” he replied.            They were followed by St. Mary and Mr. Parker who was a portly man with a handful of crumpets and a glass of wine. He had light blonde hair that thinly fell down his face; his darkening grey eyes studied the back of Jacqueline’s dress. He was a man of wealth and his clothes flashed just as brilliantly as her dress but not yet equally brilliantly as her emerald eyes did.            “Ladies and Gentlemen,” announced Linel as they came through the large tall mahogany doors into the sitting room which was slightly crowded. “May I present Ms. Jacqueline Pearl, the remaining daughter in Kingston of Captain James Pearl, bless his soul.”            Jacqueline was told to curtsy by the look of Linel’s eyes and she did so, not looking out at the people. There was a slight applause but Jacqueline didn’t mind not being welcomed like a princess, surely she didn’t feel like one.            When she finally was engulfed in the crowd she was first greeted by Jeremiah Parker. He had light hair like his father, which was tied back in a bright red ribbon that matched his red outfit edged with pearls. His eyes were a deep blue and his face clean shaven; there was no blemish that Jacqueline could yet see.            “Hello,” he said coming to her, “My name is Jeremiah Parker I was your father’s escritoire.”            She looked at him but didn’t turn her face to him. He took hold of her gloved hand and raised it to his lips as he bowed nearly in half. When he resigned from his bow he smiled at her, a fake smile and Jacqueline saw straight through it.            “Well, Jeremiah how did you enjoy my father?” she asked and this question caught Jeremiah slightly off guard.            He recovered, “Your father was a marvelous man, Ms. Pearl.”            “What is he now?” she asked.            Jeremiah gave her a confused stare.            “You said was,” she informed him; “You said he was a marvelous man, Mr. Parker. I haven’t been told he is dead.”            “Yes, well when he fell overboard—”            “—you saw him die, then?” she inquired.            Jeremiah looked away from her quickly, “I didn’t—”            “Did you see my father die?” she asked.            “No,” he answered.            “Where did you last see him?” she continued.            Jeremiah looked rapidly at Linel who hadn’t noticed the two talking. “On board the Ruby,”            “And what was he doing at the time?”            “Talking with another Captain,” he answered straightforwardly.            “It was a pleasure meeting you, Jeremiah,” she said curtsying and then starting toward St. Mary.            Before she could reach St. Mary, who stood with two younger boys, a man cut toward her. He looked very familiar with his light brown hair cut short on his head, thin glasses and grey eyes. He crossed her path and she froze, a memory rapidly appearing before her as her fists untangled the dress letting it fall to the floor.            She remembered the feeling of adventure flowing over her fingers and she was engulfed in the memory nearly three years past. Her small fingers had wrapped around a hilt and before her stood this man only smaller but still the same. He also had a sword in his hand and she remembered seeing the boy, then kneel before her in submission. There was a small cut on his jaw that was bleeding healthy and then the memory disappeared.            “Ms. Pearl,” St. Mary was now standing before her with the man beside him along with another man around the same age. She blinked and the memory floated away, “Ms. Pearl this is my oldest son Thomas and this is Judas Parker a physician now.” Both men took her hands and kissed them in turn.            “It is a pleasure, gentlemen,” she answered stiffly.            Thomas St. Mary looked very much like his father, dark hair and dark eyes.            “Tom here,” St. Mary continued, “went along with me and your father on our last voyage, Ms. Pearl.”            “Did he?” she asked looking at him in his new blue clothes dazzling with silver and gems.            “Yes I did,” he answered her proudly.            “How did you enjoy my ship, Mr. St. Mary?”            “It is the finest ship I have ever sailed upon,” he answered.            She grinned, “How many ships have you sailed?”            Tom looked at his feet and then hastily back at her. The commander shifted behind his son and Jacqueline’s grin spread more and more across her face. “That was my second voyage.”            “Ah,” she said nodding her head and then looking at Judas. His face made her heart beat quicker, “I haven’t seen you, Mr. Parker in a very long time, what have you been doing?”            She remember first meeting Judas. He had gotten into a fight with his older brother, Jeremiah and had run away. He had met her at the ocean and ever since he had been amazed, day after day by her. At the time he had been ten and that was the first he had seen of anything outside of England or the ocean. Jacqueline showed him how to be himself instead of what his father wanted him to be. Nevertheless he obeyed his father and left Jamaica nearly three years ago, at age seventeen.             “I was sent to London to finish my education to become a doctor,” he answered, his eyes enjoying the sight of Jacqueline full well.            “You have grown since the last we met,” she said, looking at how tall he had become over three years.            He smiled, “So have you, Ms. Pearl, you have become a beautiful woman.”            Jacqueline smirked, “Thank you Judas but I don’t often wear clothes of this fashion. You however look quite comfortable in your suit, if I might add.”            “London is a place for new suits and powdered faces, Ms. Pearl, I’ve had to get used to wearing these fashions.” Judas answered her, “But I wasn’t complimenting the dress either.”            Jacqueline looked at him with raised brows and smiled in her clever way, “Thank you,” he blushed slightly.            “My pleasure, Ms. Pearl,” he answered.            “Did you miss Jamaica?” she asked, knowing that if she didn’t speak there would be an uncomfortable silence.            “Very much,” he answered, “People here are much more untroubled.”            “Are they?” Jacqueline asked, “Even with all our pirates?”            “Yes, you seem to deal with them in your own time. It’s only when the British interfere that you falter.” Judas said.            “I couldn’t agree more,” she said more to herself as she looked at Linel who was talking with Jeremiah now.            “Jeremiah was very happy to get to be your father’s personal escritoire,” Judas said looking at Jeremiah as well, “He said your father was very kind but quaint.”            “Quaint?” Jacqueline repeated looking back at Judas who was taking a sip from his glass of dark red wine, “What is the meaning of quaint?”            “Oh, it means strange and uncommon or peculiar,” Judas explained.            “Why do they use such fancy words?” Jacqueline asked glancing back at Jeremiah who had left Linel.            “To feel better about whom they are,” Tom interjected, “Right, Doc?”            “I’m not a psychiatrist,” Judas replied.            “What are you then?” Tom retorted quite bitterly, “You seem to be able to figure out Ms. Pearl pretty well, I dare say it takes a professional to do so.”            “Just because I took the time to listen to her, Mr. St. Mary does not mean I have figured her out.” Judas replied, “There are many things I do not know about Ms. Pearl.”            “Like what?”            Judas frowned at Tom and then looked at Jacqueline who was no longer smiling but deep in thought. …that ocean is the only thing that understands Ms. Pearl… Hadn’t the commander just told Linel that?            “Like why her knuckles are bleeding,” Judas said taking her hand in his which made Jacqueline jump from her memory. “Why are your knuckles bleeding, Ms. Pearl?”            She merely smirked as Linel came over with Jeremiah at his side, “Do you mind if I join you?” he asked.            “Ye—”            “—No—”            “—Captain you are quite welcome here in your own home.” Tom answered, cutting Jacqueline off. She glared at him and he avoided her eyes.            “What are you talking about?” Linel continued.            Jacqueline quickly pulled her hand from Judas’ and hid her blood-stained satin gloves behind her back. “My father,” she said as Tom was about to open his mouth, “We were discussing why he hasn’t joined us today.”            Linel glared at Jacqueline but only briefly. “And what have you come up with so far?”            “Something about pirates,” Jacqueline said strongly, “I’ve come to think that perhaps he was taken by them and that is why he never did return to Jamaica at all.”             “Who told you such a thing?” Linel asked trying to get past the emerald eyes that peered at him sparkling like the depths of the sea.            “Why?” She replied, “Is it not true?”            “No, he was drowned by the intolerable sea,” Linel retorted, “He slipped during a great storm and plunged to Davy Jones—”            “Davy Jones?” repeated Jacqueline her fists clenched behind her, “Only pirates speak of Davy Jones.”            “All sailors speak of—”            “—then why are you spilling your drink upon the floor?”            Indeed Linel’s cup had tipped and there on the floor was a fresh stain upon the carpet. He quickly corrected himself and called for a maid in which time Jacqueline had disappeared. She had shortly snuck down the hall only a few yards from where Linel stood.            She stood in the dark room with wood floor that led to the opposite side of the house. It was an empty room with only two entrances, from the hall she had entered and a door that she had been through and found a library. The library was two stories tall and took up quite a bit of space with many desks and chairs to sit at.            “Jacqueline?” Judas’ voice came from behind her.            He had followed her through the hall and emerged in the darkness his suit glinting in the dim light streaming from behind him. She didn’t answer him but waited until he was in full view.            “Yes, Judas” she answered.            “Are you okay?” he asked.            “Yes,” she replied.            “You know I could patch that up in a few seconds” Judas said, “…If you’ll let me.”            Jacqueline smiled and looked at her gloves stained with blood around her knuckles. “Yes, please do.” He smiled.            “Just let me get my medical kit,”            “You brought it with you?”            He laughed quietly and said, “I knew if you were here I would need it.”            “Thanks,” she laughed, “I’ll be in the library.”            He nodded and left. She slowly made her way to the library lighting only a few candles to illuminate the desk she sat at. He came in a few minutes later and saw her sitting there deep in thought.            “Why did you become a physician, Judas?” she asked as he closed the door.            “For a number of reasons,” he answered pulling a chair opposite of Jacqueline and sitting down, “to help people,”            He took her hand and slowly pulled off the gloves that reached to her elbow. Under the gloves lay Jacqueline’s hands, rough from salt, bruised and cut on the knuckles with fresh blood running down her fingers in spirals.            “What happened?”            Jacqueline smiled broadly, “My last escape didn’t work very well,” she answered.            “Escape?” he asked looking worried, “Escape from whom, pray tell?”            “Linel,” she answered simply.            He looked at her with a smile on his face, “I’m listening,”            She was amazed, why was she so amazed? No one ever told her that they listened to her when she spoke; no one ever enjoyed hearing her speak. She watched him as he clicked open his bag and she decided to tell him everything that had happened early that morning.            “I, uh, well I had been planning this escape for more than a week so I had used every piece of fabric I could to make a rope. It was long and I was pretty sure it would reach the three stories I needed. You see, Linel had been confining me in the tallest room he could find and the three stories were the best he could do.”            “He was confining you in this house?” Judas asked.            “Yes” She answered, “Well all I needed was something to tie my rope to and it was sitting right there in my room.”            “What?” he asked intrigued.            “A piano,” she said. His eyes moved to her fingers again, “Linel wanted me to learn to play the piano, to do something constructive with my life. So I tied the rope to it and pushed it right up against the tall window, then I threw the rope down the side of the wall and started to climb down.”            She laughed, “Well half way down the piano lifted off the ground and was balanced on the window sill. I froze; a fair distance from the ground and nearly level with another window in which I was sure a maid was in. Soon the piano just tipped sickly and I let go of the rope in shock. After landing in the bushes below I only had a split second before that massive mahogany piano came plummeting after me.”            She pounded her free fist on the desk, “Smack! I barely missed being crushed, but my fists got all banged up as I sprinted through the jungle right to the beach and that is where I spent most of my morning, until my father’s ship came into view.”            “You smashed Linel’s piano?” Judas asked, tying off the linen on her knuckles.            “Yeah, he was real mad,” she continued, “I don’t think he will give me anything as expensive again.”            “I wouldn’t either,” said St. Mary who had been standing in the door a while after Judas had shut it. “I came to let you two know that it is time to eat.” Commander St. Mary said and then ducked out of the room.•            The meal was in honor of all those men who were distinguished and had journeyed across the sea and back again with Captain Pearl. At the beginning of the meal Linel gave a speech, it was too boring for Jacqueline’s liking and she wished to get to the food. When he had finished the food was brought out to the twenty or so people who had attended.            There were nearly six women and the men began dominating the conversation immediately. Along with Jacqueline, Mrs. Linel and Mrs. Parker there were the Parker girls, three in all, and none related by mother. The oldest girl was nearly fifteen and all three had pre-arranged marriages intended.            The Parker boys ranged from Jeremiah the oldest at twenty-two down to a five year old named Paul. All looked nearly the same, except for height and build. Each boy had the same opinion on every subject and none seemed more than replicas of their father. They were conformed into the ways of their father’s mold, rarely straying or rebelling.            The St. Mary family was much different. Being that Mr. St. Mary was unattached to any woman and the sons he had raised were quite different in manner. The oldest, Tom was more controlling while the younger, Tim was free-going and willing to attempt to learn any such trade. Both were good with numbers but lacked common sense when crucial.            Jacqueline kept her mouth full with the fowl and bread that they were given to eat. She had as big a helping as Mr. Parker by the end, sipping wine and eating slowly so that whenever the conversation was bound to head her direction she had an excuse to not speak at all.            Finally it was time for them to all leave and Jacqueline showed them to the door and said good-bye as they left. The last to leave was the Commander who, on taking Jacqueline’s hand, kissed it while watching her.            “I will go after him, Commander,” she said and it was in such a way that Linel didn’t bother to notice what she had said. “With or without the Ruby or you by my side,”            “What do you plan on doing?” he asked as Linel began to start cleaning the rooms.             “You must either make a deal with Linel or I will and if he doesn’t bend to either of us I can easily hitch a ride on a ship heading to the ocean.” she said as he put on his coat and placed his hand upon the open door knob.            “I’ll see what I can do tomorrow.” he said taking a step out the door.            “Try now,” she persisted, glancing at the two boys awaiting their father’s return, “He can’t kill you in front of your sons.”            He smirked, “You are too persistent—”            “Somehow that always seems to work, Commander,” she said, “I’ll keep your sons busy while you mention the fact that Basse-Terre isn’t very far.”            “Basse-Terre?”            “My nearest relative,” she answered giving him a jolt toward where Linel was polishing the arm of a chair that had previously been used by one of the younger Parker children. “I am satisfied with Basse-Terre being your best effort, Commander.” She answered his look.            He strode off and she did too, out the door and to the two young men. They greeted her and asked where their father had gone.            “He had business to settle,” she simply answered.            “What kind of business?” Timothy, asked, the younger of his two sons.            “How am I supposed to know,” she said, “I’m a woman remember?”            “Oh yes,” Tim answered sarcastically, “Women are thick.”            “Who invited you anyway?” Jacqueline asked meanly.            He sneered, “My father,”            “Ah, so you’re related then?” she retorted.            “Stop it,” Tom said just as Tim was going to grab hold of her. “You two act like children.”            Jacqueline stuck out her tongue at Tim and he rolled his eyes at her. “No wonder you are always locked up,” Tim said backing away slightly.            She made a lunge at him but Tom stood in her way and she collided with him and corrected herself. He took hold of her wrists and she felt the skin on her knuckles break open once again.            “Stop,” Tom said looking right at her.            Jacqueline gave a glare that would freeze wine and Tim walked toward his father who had just emerged from the house. Tom let her go and she stepped to Commander St. Mary who was heading toward the last coach left.            “What did he say?” she inquired.            “He said ‘okay’,” St. Mary answered and then he looked right at her, “He said you better be on the boat back to Jamaica too.”            “Thank you,” she said starting to go to the house but he stopped her.            “What do you mean ‘thank you’ don’t you understand what I just told you?” he asked.            “Yes, but I don’t understand how he can make me come back.” she said, “Or even want me to come back.”            The St. Mary’s left and Jacqueline stayed.

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