Read and Bonny

Transcript

Welcome aboard, ye dogs. You're here because you have been bested by Captain Jack Rackham and his crew. You now have two choices.

You can rot here, forgotten and alone, or you can make good use of yourself and join us. The work will be hard, but you'll be looked after. What say you? You there, lad.

What about you? Hey, I'll join. Your name? Mark Reed.

Work? Six years of military and two years at sea. All that hard graft and still just a clean-shaven slip of a thing.

You're one to talk. Come into the cell and I'll show you a slip you bilge rat. Well, you have spirit.

Perhaps you will be cut for this work after all. We dock in the cell in a week's time. If you can prove yourself by then, there may be a place for you on board.

In the meantime, I am Andy Bonny, quartermaster to Calico Jack. Welcome aboard, Mr. Reed.

Clever work so far, Mr. Reed. Thank you, sir.

A fine day, sir. Aye, with a fair wind behind us and fine weather ahead, make good the remainder of these ropes and then report to the carpenter. You'll be apprenticed to him as a mate.

Aye, sir. It would appear you have proven yourself in battle under both British and Dutch flags in the past. Just performing my duty, sir.

Nothing more. Good man. There will undoubtedly be opportunity for you to prove yourself again whilst aboard with us.

I will not hesitate, sir. If truth be told, I relished every moment in the service. Truly? Yes.

I believe a man's character can only be known when faced with the harshest of circumstances. And I have thrived in all that have presented themselves to me. You may find, Reed, that life aboard a ship such as this presents different challenges than that of a naval or military posting.

Sir? The captain's word is law, and his temper is easily upset. You would be wise to steer clear of him at all costs.

Thank you for the advice, sir. Very good. Carry on, then.

Mr. Reed! Sir? Unhand me, sir.

It's ten lashes of the single-tailed whip for you, man. On what charge, may I ask? Each man shall keep his piece, cutlass, and pistols at all times clean and ready for action.

Yours were found to be in less than optimal condition during inspection by the senior crew. The punishment for such a failure in discipline is very clear. I assure you, sir, mine are.

Mine are. The punishment for dissent is considerably worse, Reed. Do you have anything else to say? No, sir.

In here. Not out on deck, sir? The men are busy enough.

We need not make a spectacle. Coat off. Face away from me.

Hands to that post. Quick sharp, lad. Shirt and undershirts up over your head.

I don't relish this, Reed. I don't need your pity. Just get it over with.

Oh. No. What are you doing? Rainwater.

From the recent storm. I often try to save a small amount from the sails. I made efforts not to break the skin, but I think I caught one or two of the marks twice.

There. They are only superficial marks. They ought not to scar.

If I have given the impression, sir, that I require special treatment. .. Nothing of the kind.

As you were, Reed. And don't let it happen again. Thank you, sir.

Okay. Is there. ..

Is someone in the water? Is there any man out there? Reed? It's just I, Andy Bonny.

My apologies, sir. By the light of the moon, I could not tell. ..

No need to apologize, Reed. I'm taking the opportunity whilst the crew is ashore to take my bath. At this time of year, the water in the bay stays warm at night.

You'd be welcome to join me if you had no plans yourself to go ashore. I. ..

I will, if the water is as warm as you say. It is as you say. A freshly drawn bath couldn't be warmer.

You're back. Is it. ..

Oh no, it's fine. You're skilled with rope sand. The lashes left deep bruises but barely broke the skin.

A fine night to follow a fine day. Aye, very clear. Can you read the stars? The captain's been instructing me.

They are harder to see at this time of year, but can you see? There's Perseus, with Auriga just above it, and Ursa Minor over there. Sometimes you can see more and even some of the planets at different times of the year and different latitudes.

He must be a great man, the captain. To inspire such adoration in his crew. And to spend so much time on your education and to train you up to quartermaster as he has done.

Aye, he. .. he is a good man, the captain.

Are you washed, Reed? Ah, yes, I believe so, sir. May I share something with you? Yes.

I've been entrusted the key to the larder stores while the cook is ashore. I believe I could procure us some rum if you wished we could go back aboard and take a draught together. It would be my pleasure to take a drink with you, sir.

Excellent. Come to my private cabin where we are certain to not be disturbed. To fair weather and following seas.

Here's to that. Another? Aye.

To the foolish that let us on their planks. Aye, to those poor souls. May your anchor be tight, your cork be loose, your rum be spiced and your compass true.

Well said. But he's just the slip of a boy. Perhaps stick to his mother's milk next time, lad.

If the rum is too rich for you. I could drink a knave like you under the table any day of the week. I dare say you could try, bonnie.

Yeah, yeah. Gods, that's good rum. No wonder they kept it under lock and key.

Does the captain have his own private reserve as well? He does. He keeps it locked in his quarters so that no other man shall touch it.

One can only imagine what such a drink would taste like for it to have been kept away from other men for so long. I'll wager it would be fiery and warm but with a definite sweetness underneath and a smoothness to finish. Fiery and warm but with a definite sweetness underneath and a smoothness to finish.

That makes your tongue crave more with every drop you're allowed to taste. It must be the nectar of the gods. Reed, I have something I must confess.

I haven't been entirely honest with you about myself. It seems dishonorable to me to start a friendship which is built upon a lie. As we've begun to know each other over the past few days, I find myself being increasingly drawn to you.

As my feelings for you grow, I find myself unable to conceal my true nature. The simple truth of the matter is I am a woman. The captain has risked his life and reputation to bring me aboard this ship to be with him.

But I cannot deny my increasing draw towards you these past days. I see. Bonnie, you say you want to build upon our friendship.

Is that the full extent of your feelings towards me? I must confess it is not. I believe myself to have developed a further attraction to you of a more intimate nature.

That which a woman cannot help but feel for a man such as yourself? Then I also have to make a confession, which may well put an end to those feelings. I am also a woman.

For almost all my life I have concealed this fact from everyone. I don't believe I wish to conceal it from you. And I would venture to hope that my secret can remain safe with you.

I am having now heard your own confession. I believe my feelings for you are for the person you have proven yourself to be, and not the man you might have been. Truly? You mean it with all your heart? I do.

And you? What are your feelings on this? Could I have any hope of winning your heart now that the truth is known about mine? It matters not to me.

I have admired you these days with an intensity and desire that I have never known for man or for woman. In this newfound spirit of honesty, I feel I must ask, will you now show all of yourself to me? My stars! You are every inch a woman.

How will you do the same for me? You are beautiful. But what of Jack? Surely he must know.

Aye, he does. He is the only other who does know, but I don't feel for him as I feel for you. And I work as hard as anyone else aboard.

He doesn't. .. he isn't.

.. No, no. I understand.

He has taken you under his wing and kept you safe in exchange for maybe also keeping you to himself. I might permit myself to say that I could hardly blame him. Such an intelligent, fiery woman on board of his ship.

So keen to be educated. I think if it had been me, I would have done the exact same thing. Truly, I don't think I could have resisted you either.

I don't think I can resist you any longer. Truly? Will you lie with me, sweet girl? There is so much more that I can teach you, that I can show you.

Does he touch you like this? Does he touch your honey and make it wet like this? Touch it.

Touch me. Just like that. Tell me how it feels.

Oh, my. Like heaven. Like swimming weightless in the ocean.

Like the most wonderful warming fire. Oh, what are you? Oh, your mouth.

Jack is no more. Oh, my. I've never felt anything like it before.

Oh, my lord. Oh, my Bonnie. Oh, my Bonnie girl.

You taste just as I imagined. Something's happened. Oh, my.

Don't stop. Don't stop. Will you let go of me? Oh, my stars.

Oh, my. Did you enjoy it? Yes.

Yes.