Usual disclaimers... drat!

For those of you that want to know... Baltje is the Dutch variant of Bessie's true name, and in the next chapter (which should be uploaded in a few days if Mul's internet connection actually bleedin' works) the "van den Velde" is her mother's maiden name which she used when she wanted to sever connections with the name Masters.

Okay... I think you've all suffered enough. Here is where the clue was... and only Pen came close!

88888

Chapter 40 - The Clue

It was not many weeks before most of the crew realised Bessie was with child, Jack's attentiveness causing wry smiles and more than one teasing word. But they did not tease Bessie as her stomach grew over the following weeks, Jack's earlier warnings about teasing her sufficient to ensure they kept their silence. It was during a quiet spell that Joshamee Gibbs cornered Jack as he stood at the helm, determined to ask a question that had been on his mind for a number of days.

Jack noticed him hovering. "What?" he asked, his mind on the horizon, scanning for ships.

Joshamee coughed. "What will happen to Bessie?" he asked. "You are not going to keep her onboard when she has the child, surely? A pirate ship is no place for a babe!"

Jack shrugged. "I reckon I still have a few months," he estimated, glancing down to the deck to where Bessie was playing with Daffodil in the sunshine. "I'm hopin' t' put her ashore with someone t' watch her an' keep her safe. We can't risk anyone elbowin' in on our treasure... can we?" He smiled as he saw her walking towards them, but frowned when he saw a worried look on her face. "What's th' matter luv?" he asked, the term of affection slipping easily from his lips

Bessie handed him a scrap of paper. "I think this is what you have been looking for," she said quietly. "It was hidden in Daffodil's collar... the stitching frayed..."

Jack looked excitedly at the small piece of paper. "Have yer read this?" he asked

"I couldn't read it all," she admitted.

"Look for me where Gold is buried," Jack muttered. "D' yer know what it means?" he puzzled.

Slowly Bessie nodded. "Gold was my mother's cat..." she explained.

"And where is Gold buried?" Jack pressed eagerly. "What is our headin' Bessie?"

Bessie looked at him unhappily, realising that she would have to go to the one place she did not want to... at least not when five months pregnant with a pirate's child. "Home," she whispered. "Home to Saba..."

"Saba?" Joshamee frowned. "But that's Dutch..."

"Yer forget Gibbs that Bessie is half-Dutch," Jack grinned. "Elsje was Dutch... it makes sense!" He swung the wheel, heading northwards towards the small island. "Spread th' news t' th' crew Gibbs," he ordered. "We get th' map, get th' treasure an' then we can head back t' Tortuga..." Joshamee dashed off, grinning in delight. "Yer can go ashore after this," Jack said quietly once they were alone. "I can show yer off t' Tortuga..." He pulled her to him, wrapping his spare arm around her. "An' I've been wantin' t' show yer off fer a long time..."

88888

Bessie looked doubtfully at the island before them. Unlike most Caribbean islands, Saba had no long sandy beaches, no safe bays to anchor it. It rose, sheer cliffs from the azure Caribbean Sea, inaccessible except for a hundred foot high staircase cut into the rocks at Ladder Bay. Jack helped Bessie down to a ships boat, a number of crew rowing them to the small stony beach at the bottom of the staircase. "Hold!" he cautioned, watching a number of armed troops march down to meet them. He put his arm protectively around Bessie.

"What is your business on Saba?" he demanded, speaking in Dutch. Jack looked in askance at Bessie.

"Jan? Jan Berijssoen? Is that you?" she smiled. "Don't you recognise me?" He frowned, staring at her until she unbound her hair.

"Baltje!" he gasped, finally recognising her. "I haven't seen you since you were... what was it, you were ten or so..." He frowned, looking at Jack. "Is this an English pirate you bring with you?" he scowled. "The English are not welcome on Saba... as your father found out!"

Bessie placed her hand on Jack's arm. "He is my man Jan," she replied, carefully avoiding mention of his profession.

"Your man?" Jan sniffed, his eyes taking in her obvious pregnancy.

"Jan, can we at least come ashore and not speak like this on the beach?" Bessie asked. If they could not gain access to the island there was no way she would be able to get the map. "Please?"

Jan looked at her intensely. "You and your man can come ashore," he conceded. "But the others stay here!"

Bessie nodded. "Thank you," she smiled, turning to Jack. She switched to English, ignoring Jan's superior smirk as he understood what she said. "You and I may go ahead, but the men must stay here..." she explained. "Some here speak English but choose not to..." she cautioned.

"Why would I want to speak such a vulgar tongue," Jan retorted in Dutch.

"Because it would be polite," Bessie countered.

Jan shrugged. "Why should I be polite to the man that dishonours you?" He nodded to the Customs House at the top of the stairs. "I will see you when you reach the top." He turned and strode up the stairs, years of such duty making the arduous trek seem easy. His men followed him, casting dismissive glances back at the pirates as they left.

"What was all that about?" Jack asked once the troops were out of earshot.

"He said you dishonour me..." Bessie said quietly, accepting Jack's arm as they slowly walked behind the troops.

"There'd be no dishonour if yer'd say yes." Jack sighed, leaning against the wall of the stone staircase as Bessie paused for breath.

"Please don't start on that again, Jack," she pleaded.

"If yer said yes then I wouldn't have to..." he smiled offering her his lap. He wrapped his arms about her. "Yer nearly half way there... let m' know when yer want t' continue..."

"Just remind me never to do this again when pregnant," she sighed, grateful for the rest.

"Yer offerin' t' bear me another child?" Jack teased.

"You know full well what I mean Jack Sparrow," she laughed, regretfully standing and gazing upwards. "Suppose we'd better get this over with..." Determinedly she climbed another step, hoping that she would reach the top without needing another rest.

"I can see why nobody tries t' take this island!" Jack muttered sourly. He was fit but as they neared the top even his legs were tired - he dreaded to think how Bessie felt. He glared at the captain of the troops as they reached the Customs House, guiding Bessie towards a chair in the shade. "Rest luv," he advised, leaning against the wall as the Dutchman walked towards them, a tumbler of water in his hand.

"Here Baltje, you must be thirsty..." He pointedly ignored Jack.

"Thank you," Bessie smiled gratefully, but she made a point of sharing it with Jack.

"Most kind of yer," Jack nodded, laughing to himself at the angry tic her action caused.

"And what exactly is the reason for your visit?" Jan asked.

"Do I need a reason to return to where I was once happy?" Bessie frowned, speaking in English, refusing to play his petty game. "To where I was born?"

"When you come with such company... yes!" he pressed, his distaste at the language clear in his tone.

"I simply wish to visit my old home," she explained. "I need to lay some ghosts to rest before I can move on with my life..." He look at her, his disbelief evident. "Believe what you will, but it is the truth..."

"Father Buystelman will want to see you..." he warned.

"Is he still alive?" Bessie gasped in astonishment.

"He will not approve..." His eyes fell again on her stomach.

"I care not for the Church's approval!" Bessie retorted angrily.

"I am sorry to see you so fallen..." he sighed.

"It is the Church that has fallen - fallen and failed me when I needed it the most!" she argued. "Now if there is no reason holding us here, good day Jan!"

Jack held his tongue as she strode angrily out of the Customs House, eyes narrowing as he stared at the Dutchman before following her. "Whoa Bessie... wait up!" he called, wrapping his arm about her as she paused. "Are yer alright?" he asked worriedly. "What is it with yer an' this Jan guy anyway?"

Bessie sighed heavily. "His younger brother and I used to play together as children... before we left the island the first time. When I came back I was nine but we only stayed for a year. There are not many women on this island Jack... his father had hoped to come to an agreement but Mother decided to leave again..."

"Sore loser then?" Jack grinned as he looked about the small town. "Where did yer live?"

"We lived on the outskirts," Bessie said, pointing eastwards. "It won't take long..." Jack soon realised what she meant by the outskirts. The buildings became fewer and farther between until they were walking along a narrow track. The tropical foliage closed in but still she walked on, only stopping some ten minutes later when he spotted a run-down shack a short distance from the track. "This is it..." she said tiredly.

"An' the cat's grave?" Jack prompted.

"At the end of the vegetable garden..." She led him through the overgrown patch to where the forest had long since reclaimed the cleared land. Eventually she located the small wooden cross.

"Here?" Jack asked, kissing her delightedly when she nodded. "Thank yer Bessie!"

"Will I be free now?" she asked quietly. "Free of pirates?"

"Yer should be," Jack assured her. "Apart from me that is an' I'm not goin' anywhere!" He wrenched a piece of timber from what was once a fence and started to scrape away the soil. "I wonder how far he..."

Clunk!

Jack stopped digging, brushing away the soil to reveal a small box wrapped in sail cloth in an attempt to preserve it in the ground. "Not far at all it seems..." he grinned, prising it from the soil and unwrapping it to reveal a wooden box. Cautiously he undid the catches, opening it with his dagger in case of any unpleasant surprises... but it only contained a tattered sheet of paper. Eagerly he unfolded it before frowning in puzzlement. He handed it to Bessie.

"It seems yer father had a sense of humour at least," he cursed. "Th' map is bloody useless!" He threw the box into the undergrowth in disgust.

"What does it say?" Bessie asked, unable to read the last word. The map was obviously of a bay and where to dig was clearly marked - but there was no indication at all on the map as to where in the Caribbean it was.

"It says..." Jack said bitterly, "Where I last saw my treasure...". He cursed angrily. "What sort of bloody clue is that? The bay could be anywhere - maybe not even in the Caribbean!"

"Does this mean I'm not free?" Bessie said worriedly.

"Even if we let it be known that I have th' map it will mean nothin' until th' treasure is found," Jack apologised, wrapping his arms about her as she burst into tears. "Hey, come on! I'll still keep yer safe, treasure or no treasure - savvy?" Bessie nodded, sniffing loudly. "D' yer want t' look around whilst yer here?"

"There is as little for me here as when I left..." she said dejectedly.

Jack looked to the sky. "We'd best get back," he suggested, wrapping the map in the fragment of sail and pocketing it safely within his jacket. "It'll rain soon..." He offered her his arm and walked back towards the town. He snorted as it started to rain, heavier and heavier and he slipped off his coat. "Here," he smiled, sliding it around Bessie's shoulders.

"Thank you." Bessie turned, kissing him softly.

Jack wrapped his arms around her, returning the kiss, his eyes half closed as his tongue roved her mouth. He grinned when he felt Bessie respond in kind, ignoring the rain as it started to pour. "I'll keep yer safe Bessie," Jack assured her when he paused for breath. "I promise."

88888

Reviews?