Lady Rubina - A Pirates Of The Caribbean Love Story

Chapter Ten

“What happened?” demanded Jack.

“We had a fight,” I said, lamely. Those four words didn’t really cover it. They didn’t even hint at the weeks of rivalry between Madeleine and myself, the growing hatred, the burning anger. The shared love for one special man.

And now I understood why Madeleine had always been so jealous of me. Why she had hated me so unreasonably.

“Why?” asked Hector, his amber eyes searching mine.

“I wanted to know the truth about the gold,” I said, defiantly.

“And did you find out?”

“No.” My face fell as I remembered I still didn’t know what the gold’s significance was.

Hector opened his mouth. I never found out what he was going to say, because Gibbs came up. “Miss Ruby, Captain Madeleine wants to see you.”

I held my head high. I could feel Hector’s eyes burning into my back as I walked down the stairs to Madeleine’s cabin. She was lying on the bed, looking pale. Like a fragile, broken doll. I felt a pang of guilt.

“How are you feeling?” I asked.

“Like death,” she snapped. “Some stupid wench stuck a sword in me.”

“We had a bargain,” I reminded her.

“I’m coming to that,” she retorted. “You wanted to know about the gold.” She smiled, and her smile was pure evil. “Well, be careful what you wish for, Ruby, because I’m going to tell you. And it’s a story somebody else should have told you a long time ago. Once upona time, when I was young and he was younger, I was engaged to be married. And that gold was the first thing he ever gave me, from a treasure trove he found. I bet you can’t guess the name of my fiance.”

“Hector Barbossa,” I said, expressionlessly.

“Oh, don’t tell me the pretty lady has a brain!” Madeleine laughed. “Yes, it was Hector. And, let me tell you this, Rubina.” She tried to sit up. “He loves me still. I can promise you that. So, don’t go flirting with him. You’ll only get hurt.” She lay back on the pillows, smirking. It was as if she had plunged a sword in my heart and twisted it, to make it hurt as much as possible.

I looked down, thinking of the way her blood had gushed from that wound. I looked back up at Madeleine’s mocking eyes. “Well, Madeleine,” I said. “I was going to apologise for stabbing you, but I don’t think I will now. You’ve hurt me far more than that wound will ever hurt you.” I stood up and walked out the room. I didn’t give her the satisfaction of seeing me cry.

*

“Ruby, let me in.”

“Go away.”

“Please!” Hector’s voice sounded almost desperate, and I longed to unlock my cabin door and let him in. I kept my face buried in my pillow. “Let me at least explain!” he shouted.

I didn’t reply. I put my hands over my ears and waited until I was sure he had gone. I waited until the sun went down and the moon came up. Then I unlocked my door and crept out on deck. I saw the long boat, suspended in the air and held by ropes. I untied one of the ropes and felt it burn my hands as I lowered the boat into the water. I cast one last look round The Black Pearl. It was the only place I had ever been truly happy. Even if that happiness had been so painfully fleeting.

I smiled. “Goodbye, Hector,” I whispered. Then, I climbed over the side of the ship and jumped into the longboat. By the time they discovered I was gone, I would be miles away.