Usual disclaimers... but if we all club together... I'm sure we could abduct him somehow!
Six chapters today... because I luvs yer all!
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Chapter 41 - The Choice
"Baltje! Baltje van den Velde!" A thin, reedlike voice shouted through the storm.
"Oh my God!" Bessie paled, turning slowly. "Father Buystelman," she said nervously.
Jack looked down the trail towards an elderly priest who marched angrily towards them through the storm. "I heard you had returned!" he said.
"It seems Jan has been busy..." Bessie muttered sourly in English to Jack, grateful as he kept his arm around her.
The elderly priest stopped before them, grabbing her left hand and peering closely at it with his rheumy eyes. "I did not believe him!" he gasped. "I thought you had been raised better!" He dropped her hand. "When did you last confess your sins?" he demanded angrily.
Bessie floundered... having to think. "Nearly a year..." she admitted.
Jack did not know what Bessie and the priest were saying, but he looked in amazement as the elderly man nearly exploded with rage. "A year!" he shouted. "Get to the Church now!"
"I cannot," Bessie tried to explain.
"You will if you want to save your soul!" he spluttered. "Is this the father of the child?" Bessie nodded as he harrumphed in disgust.
"But Father..." she protested as he grabbed her arm, intent on dragging her behind him along the track towards his church.
"Bessie!" Jack asked cautiously. "What is going on?"
"I have to go to church..." Bessie tried to explain, stumbling as she turned to face him. Jack dashed forwards, steadying her before she fell. Angrily he prised the priest's hand from her arm.
"Tell him you will follow but if he hurts you he'll regret it - priest or no!" he demanded.
Father Buystelman stared at Jack, shouting in Dutch at him. "This is between Baltje and her God! Do not interfere Englishman!" He frowned. "You are as bad as your mother!" he raged at Bessie, reaching for her arm again.
Jack placed himself before her. "Warn him Bessie or I'll deck him!"
Bessie stepped around Jack. "Please Father, I will come with you. But I cannot hurry... or do you claim God wants this child too?" She placed her hand subconsciously around her stomach protectively.
"This child?" Father Buystelman frowned.
"I will speak in Church, but not here," she argued. "Lead on Father!" Placing her hand on Jack's arm, she gratefully accepted his steadying support on the now slippery mud path.
The priest grunted his begrudging acceptance, leading the way through the torrential rain towards a small stone-built church. On entering, Bessie approached the altar, crossing herself as she made her obedience. Jack waited at the rear of the church, uncomfortable in the building as Bessie slowly knelt.
"Are you ready to confess before God, Baltje?" Father Buystelman asked as he stood next to her.
"I am Father," Bessie said quietly. She took a deep breath. "Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. I have not been to Church for nearly a year as the Church outside of this island has refused me. I have given myself to a man out of wedlock and have borne him twin sons that were taken by God. I beg forgiveness and ask that God not take this child too..."
"You are in no position to ask anything of God," Father Buystelman said sternly. "It is only because of my fond memories of your mother that I am even willing to hear you speak... you are disgraced Baltje! You shame her, you shame yourself and you shame God with your wantonness!"
"But Father..." Bessie protested.
"No!" he shouted. "You will not leave my care in such disgrace. It is my duty to see that your sins are forgiven, that your disgrace is corrected before the eyes of God! Despite my advice, I have been approached by one that wishes to marry you. You will not leave this island unless you are married!"
"This is Jan's doing, isn't it?" she gasped, suddenly realising who had approached him.
"Baljte, if you marry I can give you absolution..." he offered, his voice softening.
"Father, please! I have only ever been with one man... you cannot ask me to marry someone that I no longer know!" she begged tearfully.
"I do not ask," the priest warned. "I demand that you marry!"
"No!" Bessie shouted. She struggled to her feet and fled from the altar, past a very confused Jack, throwing open the doors to the church only to be met by two armed soldiers. They crossed their rifles before her, preventing her from leaving.
Jack looked at her in alarm. "Bessie, what is going on?" He held his arms out to her, relieved when she came to him, holding her protectively. "What happened?" He had understood nothing of the conversation in Dutch, but he understood the attitude of the soldiers at the door.
"I cannot leave..." she said. "They will keep me here unless I marry..." Jack frowned, realisation dawning as he saw Jan Berijssoen approaching the church - sore loser indeed. "And if I marry I will never leave..." she said tearfully.
"What exactly did he say?" Jack pressed angrily, determined that no man would have Bessie - even if it meant fighting on sacred ground.
"That I will not leave this island unless I am married..." Bessie cried in despair.
"Did he say t' whom?" Jack asked, a brief smile flickering across his face.
Bessie looked at him in shock, realising what he was thinking. "N... no," she stuttered.
"Well accept m' earlier proposal an' we can leave!" Jack urged, his hand automatically reaching for his sword as Jan approached. He forced his hand to relax, remembering that this was a House of God. "Bessie.." he urged.
Bessie cast one tearful glance towards Jan before turning back to Jack. Slowly she nodded, realising it was her only hope of leaving the island at all. "I accept Jack," she said. "I will be your wife..."
"No!" Jan shouted angrily. "You were promised to me!"
"I was not!" Bessie retorted. "My mother would not have agreed to such an arrangement!" She turned to Father Buystelman. "I will marry Father," she acknowledged, placing her hand in Jack's. "And this is the man I choose!"
Father Buystelman looked at her in disbelief. "This is not what..." he stuttered.
"You said if I married then you would grant me absolution... you did not say to whom I had to wed!" She smiled tearfully as she saw him realise that he had no option but to grant her the choice she had made.
"I..." he stuttered. "I..." He looked at Jack, sneering. "Does he have a ring?" he demanded. "I cannot marry you without a ring..."
Bessie looked at Jack in alarm. "Do you have a ring?" she gasped, translating, afraid that she would yet be forced to marry Jan.
Jack took off his tourmaline and silver ring. "I do," he grinned. "Does the good Father have any other obstacles fer me?" He placed it in the hand of the startled priest. "No? So marry us then!"
Father Buystelman looked apologetically at Jan. He had not believed it when he had seen Englishman, unable to think Baltje would marry him instead of the young blonde Captain. Their hasty plan had gone awry and, as he had spoken before God, he could not go back on what he said.
"Father!" Jan protested.
"I am sorry Jan," the elderly priest confessed. "I did not think..."
"No, you did not!" he interrupted angrily. Switching to English he turned to Jack, standing face to face, his eyes blazing. "I will not forget this Englishman!" he threatened. "You will regret coming to this island!"
Jack shrugged, refusing to be intimidated. "Why, when yer've brought t' m' arms what I've been wantin' fer months?"
Jan cast one last angry glance at Father Buystelman before storming from the church, indicating to his men to follow him. "Will you not reconsider?" he asked. "Jan would be a good husband..."
"No... if I must marry then this is the man I choose," she replied.
The priest looked at her sourly before turning away. "I must get a few things..." he muttered, heading for his room. Jack watched him leave, wrapping his arms around Bessie and kissing her neck.