The Rescue of Charles Vane

The Escape Part 1

She'd been nervous at first, but if she didn't do it. Who would? She was the one that had the means to see this done. She had the very excuse to get in there, but her nerves were on edge. So she stood there silently, while the guard slid a key into the door. It rattled as the door creaked open, the sound awfully loud to her ears. Stepping inside with her leather medical bag, a lantern in her other hand, she laid eyes upon Charles Vane for the first time.

She'd seen him from a distance before, but never this close. He was even more handsome than she had first thought, but now was not the time to let her mind wander in that direction. Without her intervention, he'd be a dead man come the morrow.

She tried to calm the pounding of her heart and keep her breathing steady, while she felt anything but. Walking forward, she lowered the lantern to the dirt floor and turned to watch the guard hover just inside the door. Mustering up all the courage she didn't feel, she forced her voice to remain steady and unwavering.

"I work better alone." The guards gaze slowly slid over her form then all the way back up to her face. Swallowing hard, she studied him not liking the way he was watching her. "He's chained, what's the most he could do to me?"

Charles hadn't even looked up when the door opened, but he did hear the whisper of fabric that brushed upon the floor, so he assumed it was Eleanor coming once more to lash at him with her tongue and fists again, until he heard that voice. His head snapped up, then his eyebrow, not having a clue who this woman was.

He didn't ever remember seeing her, but he didn't know every single soul in Nassau, just most of them. She was a pretty little thing, petite enough that he didn't think she'd reach his shoulders, were he standing up. She might be small, but he heard the determination in her voice as she spoke with the guard. The question was, why was she here?

The guard seemed to be uncertain but finally he turned to leave, taking the extra lantern with him. "Wait, I need that light as well, to see the wound better." He hesitated only long enough to hang the lantern from a peg on the wall, then closed the door behind him.

Turning to Charles, she placed a stool down, right in front of him. Then lowered to sit upon it. Reaching forward, she unwrapped the bandage from his leg, and bent her head down to look at the wound. At once it started to bleed. The bullet was still deeply lodged inside.

All the while, Charles was watching her as if she were a figment of his imagination. Why would anyone bother sending a doctor to him, if he were only going to die on the morrow. It made no sense to him.

Reaching down, she opened her leather bag and brought forward a small tin. The silver glinting in the light. "It's rum and opium. I wouldn't drink to much. You do that and you'll be no use to me at all."

That left Charles more puzzled than ever. What the hell did she mean? He'd yet to accept the drink. Instead his hand shot forth and encircled her wrist. His hold was firm and unrelenting but not hurtful, but neither could she get free of his grip, unless he allowed it.

"Who the fuck are you?" Her lashes would flutter up as her heart rate went up. Her voice whisper soft. "I'm a doctor come to tend your injury." She weaved forward a little bit closer. Hesitating before telling him the rest. Deciding it was just best to not beat around the bush and just spit it out.

"I've come to set you free."

Charles studied her eyes for a moment judging if she was telling the truth or not. "Who sent you?" She had expected that question, rehearsed her answer, thought this out, trying to guess each question he might ask of her, and how she would answer him. "No one, just me."

Though she was trembling, she held her ground forcing herself to remain calm and not struggle against his hold. His gaze was penetrating and piercing, as if he were looking through her, into the depth of her soul.

"You," he questioned, still puzzled as hell. Why would this  woman, whom he had never seen before want to help him.? "How do you suppose to do that?"

She'd expected that question as well. Her free hand moved to her skirts, capturing the fabric she inched it up until she could show him the dagger that was hidden within her boot, a hint of the silver handle in full view, until she dropped her skirts, hiding it once more.

"I borrowed the keys from one of the guards." When his eyebrow shot up again, she felt like she should confess. He just had that look about him. "I may have sorta...maybe...stole them." All he did was blink, but then a hint of a smile spread across his face, before he released her wrist. If anything, this petite beauty had peaked his interest. He might just get out of this alive.

He'd finally ceased with the questions. Studying her while he nursed on that opium induced rum as she fished that bullet out of him and sewed him up. Once she'd finished, she re-wrapped his thigh. The stark white bandages standing out brightly against the black of his pants.

Her hands had remained steady while seeing to his injury, but now they trembled as she inserted the key into the lock of his iron handcuffs. Until that very moment, she was an upstanding citizen, but the moment she set him free. She became a criminal. There'd be no turning back.

Even knowing all that, she did it anyway.

Glancing over her shoulder, suddenly on edge, feeling as if her sin would be discovered any moment. Her heart racing so fast that her ears roared with it. She had ceased to breath and that was when she felt him take hold of her chin and turn her to face him.

"Hey, stay with me." That raspy voice of his brought her swiftly back to the present. Had this been under different circumstances and him saying it for an entirely different reason. She'd not have been able to resist that invitation. So she did the only thing she could. 

She gave him a nod.

Charles stared into her eyes. Eyes that were wide, now with a hint of fear within them. For a pirate Captain such as himself, he easily read that fear shimmering within her blue eyes. Eyes which were more violet than blue.

If he escaped and left her here. It was possible she'd take the fall for it. She might be the one answering for his crimes, for associating with pirates. He couldn't nor would he allow that to happen. Once he set his head on a course, he wouldn't be changing his mind.

He released her chin, only to reach down and remove the dagger from her boot, then taking her arm he lifted her to her feet as he rose. "You'll be coming with me," She had played out different scenarios in her mind, but this wasn't one of them.

"W-what...I don't understand."

Charles didn't have time to explain the why of it but he was dead set on this course. It might slow him down if she struggled, but he'd kidnap her if he had to, possibly even use her for leverage if they were discovered, but even then, he wouldn't be leaving her behind.

She may have rescued him. It had certainly started out that way. But now it was his turn to rescue her, even if he had to kidnap her to do it.

"We don't have long. So choose now. Do you go of your own free will, or not. But make no mistake about it, the end result will be the same. You're coming with me."