At The Farm
Captain Peanut Butter • Chapter 2
New to Baron Britpop Blastfurnace? You can read Books 1 & 2 here:
In the previous chapter, the Jellyfish arrived in Spain, and Britpop and Andelbert discovered that Captain Peanut Butter has a secret love.
After lunch, Ana gave us a tour of the farm. There wasn’t a lot to see. A small barn held a cow for milk and a horse for plowing, plus storage. A chicken coop provided eggs. Behind the house was a vegetable garden, and the rest of the property was wheat fields.
“Ana, you said Isabella has no interest in farming. I am curious how you manage the farm on your own?” I asked.
“I could not. I have a farmhand from town who helps me when needed.”
“Ah. That makes sense,” I replied.
“I have been training Jacques to be a farmer, also. He is getting quite proficient.”
The Captain laughed. “She is being generous. I am a far better pirate than a farmer.”
“I would like to see you farming,” I said.
“You shall. Tomorrow, you and Andelbert will be helping me with some chores.”
I smiled and said, “Aye, Captain.”
“I can’t wait. I am excited to learn more about farming and gain some practical experience,” Andelbert added.
“We shall see,” the Captain said and smiled.
That evening, during dinner, my curiosity got the better of me.
“Captain, would you mind telling us how you and Ana met?”
“I think Ana is better suited to that task,” the Captain replied.
Ana nodded and began telling the tale.
“As you are aware, Isabella was blessed with great beauty. But, I believe God decided to temper that gift, so she was given a fickle heart to go with her good looks. Isabella goes through men like sailors go through ale.
“One summer day, Isabella brought Jacques home. I was in the kitchen, just about to make lunch. Naturally, I asked Jacques if he was hungry. He said he was, so I prepared a meal for all three of us. Jacques said my cooking was the best he had eaten since he was a boy. As we ate, I noticed Jacques spent more time looking at me than Isabella. She noticed, also.
“After lunch, Isabella asked Jacques to take her back to town. The next morning, I asked Isabella about Jacques. She said, ‘That musty sea rat? I dumped him last night.’
“I thought nothing of it until there was a knock on the door at lunchtime, and there stood Jacques with flowers in his hand. He said he wanted to thank me for the delicious lunch I had prepared the day before. I looked at Isabella, and she smiled. I knew then she had graciously stepped aside, seeing the attraction between Jacques and me. I invited Jacques in for lunch, placing the flowers in the vase on the table. That began our long courtship.”
The Captain chimed in. “That first day, I was stricken with Ana’s kind demeanor and excellent cooking. And her beauty, of course. After a week of courting her, I felt I owed her the truth about me. So I told her the story of how I became a pirate. To my surprise, she didn’t get angry or ask me to leave. She simply said, ‘Jacques, I believe you have a good heart. But I will never marry a pirate.’
“I expected as much. But it was a mighty blow nonetheless. As I lay in the Garcias’ barn that night, I formulated a plan. I would pirate long enough to amass a small fortune. Enough to set up my crew and myself with a new life. Then, I would settle down with Ana and become a farmer.
“I didn’t consider that my fame would grow, and I would never be able to settle down on Ana’s farm. The events of the past year have convinced me that I must take this opportunity to start a new life in a new country. I have little choice. If I continue to pirate, I will certainly pay the price.”
As we were finishing our dinner, Jonas arrived with news.
“I have arranged for supplies to be delivered to port and a ship to bring them out to The Jellyfish. It shouldn’t take more than a week to be fully supplied for the crossing.”
“Well done, Jonas,” the Captain said.
“I have also arranged for passage back to Kapri for Britpop and Andelbert. A Dutch ship is heading for Amsterdam in two days, and they have agreed to stop in Kapri. You shouldn’t have any trouble with the English navy.”
“Magnificent, Jonas. You have exceeded all expectations,” The Captain responded.
“Thank you, Jonas. And you, Captain and Ana, for taking such good care of us,” I added.
“I add my gratitude, also,” Andelbert said.
“Sit down and eat, Jonas. You have earned a good meal,” Ana said.
“Hear, hear,” we all cried out, and Jonas smiled.
Next Chapter:
I welcome your thoughts, questions, suggestions, corrections, typo catches, etc. Thank you.
Mark
I love this line: "Isabella goes through men like sailors go through ale." And i loved it that isabella decided to stand aside for Ana and Jacques. He'd better hurry up with his pirating and fortune amassing before he loses a good woman. They are hard to find! ( Also, "As I lay in the Garcia's barn..." ) I like getting this story one chapter at a time.