Usual disclaimers... although I'm sure us girls could come up with some plan between us!
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Chapter 62 – Escape
Elizabeth visited the Groves household only a few minutes after Theodore had left for the fort. She nodded to the marine who was standing guard over Bessie. "How are you this morning?' she asked, looking around for the baby. "Is she asleep?"
Bessie had known she was coming, eyeing her covered shopping basket with delight. "Indeed... would you like to see her? I swear she has grown overnight!" Assured that the marine would not enter her bedroom, the two women walked up the stairs shutting the door behind them.
Once the door was shut, Elizabeth took the cover off her basket to reveal a bundle of rags wrapped in baby clothes. Looking at her nervously, Bessie lifted her daughter from the crib and placed her in the basket, praying that she would not wake. This was the most risky, most perilous part of their plan and it was vital that the baby did not make a sound. "She was fed less than an hour ago and I changed her then," she whispered.
Elizabeth nodded, waiting whilst Bessie held the rag bundle to her satisfaction. "Now, give me ten minutes or so and then go," she urged. She paused, smiling as she embraced her. "Take care Bessie."
"Take care yourself," Bessie said quietly. "Now go before she wakes!"
Elizabeth nodded, laying the cover carefully over basket. She opened the door and walked carefully down the stairs. Bessie remained at the top of the stairs, holding the bundle as if her child has just woken. Elizabeth reached the door and turned to wave. "I'll just feed her and I'll be down," Bessie said to the marine. "Goodbye Elizabeth, thanks for visiting!"
Elizabeth smiled. "I'll see you later!" she replied and strode briskly from the house.
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Bessie shut the door to her room, pacing anxiously for ten minutes. She felt physically sick, the terror that something would go wrong nearly paralyzing her. The minutes ticked by.
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Elizabeth walked into the smithy, relieved to see Laura already there. Both looked up anxiously on her arrival, smiling when they saw it was her. Laura quickly picked up her own basket, identical to the one carried by Elizabeth. They swapped cloths, smiling as the child still slept.
"Take care," Elizabeth whispered, hugging her.
"I will," Laura assured her, picking up the basket with the baby, anxious to get to the meeting place as quickly as she could. Both she and Elizabeth had to be seen shopping in the market when Bessie's disappearance was noticed.
She hurried to the edge of town, walking briskly to where she knew Jack would be waiting. Indeed, she was barely out of sight of the town and there he was, concealed by the trees with Joshamee. She gasped, jumping in surprise – a disgruntled wail came from the basket.
"M' daughter?" Jack asked, aware of Joshamee standing at his shoulder.
"It is," she smiled, placing the basket down on the ground and peeling back the cover. One of Billy's old bottles had been filled with fresh milk in case the baby got hungry before Bessie could escape together with a number of clean nappies. She reached into the basket, picking up the waking child and handing her to Jack. "Your daughter Captain Sparrow," she grinned.
Jack looked at the child in shock, amazed at how tiny and delicate she was. "Has Bessie named her?" he asked.
Laura shook her head. "No, she said that she could not until you saw her," she explained. "But I must be gone!" She handed the bottle up to Joshamee who also reached across to take the baby.
"I'll get her back to the Pearl," he assured Jack. "You wait for Bessie. You won't be able to run if one of you have to carry this little one..."
Jack nodded, still stunned by the sight of his daughter. She had her mother's hair and, peering closely, he thought her eyes were turning brown.
Laura quickly checked that there was nothing else for the baby in the basket before recovering it and standing. "I must be gone then," she smiled. "Safe journey Captain!"
"Thank yer Miss," Jack smiled, watching as she hurried back towards town. He turned to Joshamee. "What are yer still doin' here... scoot!"
"Aye," Joshamee nodded and, carefully holding the child, shoved the nappies and the bottle into one of his pockets before disappearing down the trail. Jack watched him go before turning back to watch the town, fingering his pistol as he waited for Bessie.
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Bessie took a deep breath, praying that Elizabeth had managed to get her baby safely out of the town. She picked up the key to her home, concealing it in her purse. She took a step, and then another – and opened the door.
Cautiously she walked down the stairs to where the marine waited. "Is she asleep now Mistress?' he asked. A family man himself, he knew how fractious new babies could be.
"Yes, I think she was just a bit colicky," Bessie evaded. "Do you mind if I pop to the market for a few minutes," she asked. "Annie will hear her if she cries, but she should sleep for an hour..."
He nodded, assured by the knowledge that the house was still guarded front and back by two more marines. "Of course Mistress," he smiled. "Do you need much?"
"I could do with some flowers," she smiled. "I saw some pretty orchids on sale the other day..."
Reaching for her shawl she followed him from the house. "I won't be long," he assured the marine at the front door. "Baby is asleep..." The man nodded and, with heart in mouth, Bessie headed into town towards the market, making sure that her route took her past her home. She paused. "Do you mind?" she asked. "I left some clothes here before and I'd like to pick them up..." Without giving him a chance to say no, she opened the outer door. He followed her up the stairs, watching as she unlocked the door. "Would you mind?" she smiled, pushing the door half-shut behind her.
"I'll wait at the bottom of the stairs Mistress," he smiled.
Bessie grinned in delight, opening the drawer that contained Jack's old trousers and shirt. Quickly she shed her dress, slipping the clothes on. Grabbing the blue bandana she tied it around her hair, realising that she could not completely cover it as Jack had, but any concealment was better than none. Shaking she opened the kitchen window, climbing out cautiously onto the windowsill. Looking down she wondered how Jack managed it, but she knew it was the only way she would gain her freedom. With a deep breath she jumped, looking around worriedly before quickly walking through the crowd.
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"Sparrow!" Bessie did not even bother to stop to look, recognising the voice of Robert Gillette. She took to her heels, running as fast as she could for the outskirts of town. She heard him calling for the watch, but she did not pause, speeding past the last buildings. She wondered how he had spotted her, cursing that the HMS Coria had been in port, but it could not be helped. The die was cast and she could not go back. She looked towards the trees, spotting Jack waiting for her.
"Gillette's behind me!" she gasped, a shot missing her by mere inches. Jack pulled her behind him, raising his own pistol.
"Back off Gillette!" he snarled, spotting five marines behind the Captain. He knew more would be arriving and that they had to be gone.
Robert Gillette paused. "You've nowhere to go Sparrow!" he shouted. "We still hold your child!"
"Are yer sure?" Jack teased, taunting him. "M' daughter is already on m' ship – an' Bessie will be joinin' her soon!"
Robert Gillette blinked at the pirate's words, turning to one of the men beside him. "Go and check!" he ordered and the man sped off.
Jack turned to Bessie, keeping one eye on the marines. "Bessie, I want yer t' run along th' track as fast as yer can," he ordered. "I'll catch yer up in a minute..." Bessie nearly argued, but the expression in his eyes silenced her. She nodded, reaching across to kiss him, ignoring the snort of laughter from Robert Gillette. "Go!" he urged, smiling as she started down the track as fast as she could.
Jack waited until she was out of sight before turning his attention back to the marines. "Now Gillette," he said conversationally, although his eyes were dark. "You an' me need t' have a chat. I've been hearing some disturbin' things about th' care of m' wife whilst she was in your hands an' I was wonderin' if yer'd kindly clear a few things up fer me..."
"Such as?" Robert Gillette sneered, nodding to his men to flank Jack.
"Uh-uh!" Jack tutted. "Yer'll be mistaken if yer think I'm standing here all alone..." He was, but he was not telling them. "Now, as I was sayin' Gillette, did yer or did yer not keep m' wife in yer brig an' refuse her th' simple courtesy of usin' yer head?"
Robert Gillette glared at him. "How did you..." he began.
"I'll take that as a yes," Jack interrupted, wondering how far along the track Bessie had managed to run. "An' one final question... did yer order m' wife t' be manacled when she was seven months pregnant? When she couldn't even run?"
"She was a prisoner!" Robert Gillette sneered. "Why should I care?"
"B'cause I care!" Jack retorted, "An' b'cause yer'll now pay fer yer lack of care!" He cocked his pistol, looking in alarm as more marines came into view led by Captain Groves – clearly they had discovered the baby had been switched. "Goodbye Gillette!" he smiled, his shot taking the Captain through his head, watching with satisfaction as the man fell down dead, the sneer permanently removed. Judging the marines already too close, Jack turned and fled down the track.
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By the time Jack caught up with Bessie she was nearly to the bottom of the slope. He took her hand as she staggered across the sand with none of her earlier reluctance at seeing the Black Pearl. "Gibbs!" Jack shouted, cursing as a shot pinged the sand behind him. He was relieved to see the crew return fire, causing the few fast marines to dive for cover. He nearly threw her into the boat in his haste, pushing it out and grabbing the oars. "Keep yer head down!" he ordered as he rowed to the other side of the ship. Eager hands helped her onboard and Jack scrambled up behind her. "Get to th' cabin," he urged as he shouted orders for the Black Pearl to make way. Already the sails were unfurling, her anchors rising and he ordered the men to the sweeps. The Black Pearl would not be caught in the bay. Jack took the wheel himself, ducking the flying shots as she sailed majestically out to sea, her black sails catching the wind as the sweeps propelled her forwards.
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Theodore Groves sighed as he saw the Black Pearl depart, glad that Bessie was at last back with her husband although still shocked at the manner of Robert Gillette's death. He turned to his men that had chased Jack Sparrow along the trail, realising that the Black Pearl would never use that bay again. "We'd best head back," he ordered the men. "The Commodore will be wanting to know what happened."