Chapter 3 – Bad News At Tortuga
Jem Harvey hobbled up the hill as fast as he could, praying that he would be in time. He had been wandering down to the Faithful Bride for his evening ale and had seen the Black Pearl arrive in the harbour. He had instantly recognised the flag flying from atop her mainmast – and it had not been Jack's flag. "Bessie!" he cried urgently. "Bessie! Gather the children and some money… now!"
Bessie walked slowly down the stairs, carefully carrying her youngest child, Emily who was now nearly a year and a half. "What is it?" she frowned.
"Corbin's in town!" he gasped, panting for breath. "He arrived on the Pearl!"
"What?" Bessie went white, sitting on one of the settees before she fell. "How? Where's Jack?" Her eyes looked to him for answers, but he feared she already knew them.
"Jack would never let that bastard on his ship," he said sadly. "The only way Corbin's flag would be flying atop her mast would be if Jack and the crew were dead…"
They both jumped on hearing a loud knock at the door. Shaking, Bessie handed Emily to him. "Gather the children," she ordered. "We have to leave…" The knock sounded again, louder.
"Don't…" he warned, but Bessie was already walking towards the door. She opened it.
"Mistress Sparrow!" Bryn Corbin stood before her. "Bessie…" He coughed. "May I be the first to offer my condolences on the death of your husband…" He smiled, wondering if she was pregnant again. "If there is anything I can do to help you… and the children…"
"You murdering bastard!" Bessie's slap nearly took his head off. "How dare you come here when you are the one responsible for Jack's death!"
Bryn's eyes darkened. Clearly she had been warned of his arrival. "I see that I was not the first," he shrugged, realising there was little point in hiding his involvement. "But as I said to your husband as I took the Pearl… I have his ship and I'll soon have you!" He grinned as he turned to leave. "Good day, Mistress Sparrow, for now…"
Bessie shut the door, leaning against it and sliding to the floor. She had prayed that Jem had been mistaken, but Bryn Corbin's words had left her with no hope. Silently tears slid down her face.
"Bessie… Bessie, we must act!" Jem crouched down beside her, Emily still in his arms. "Send young Jack to Morgan for help… he will protect you!"
"But he's just a boy!" she protested, slowly accepting his hand and standing, taking her daughter from him in a daze.
"He's the man of the family now," Jem said ruefully. "He's a smart boy – he'll get there safely."
Reluctantly she nodded. "The children must be told…"
Jem guided her back to one of the settees. "I'll round them up," he smiled, knowing he was likely to find them in the garden. He was not disappointed. It was nearly dark and soon they would have been called in for the night. He stood in the doorway watching them play, reluctant to destroy their innocence with his words. "Children! Your mother needs you inside…" He sighed as they looked up, Pearl looking instantly worried at his tone. "All of you… now."
Pearl picked up Francis, shooing Tabitha before her. "Jack! John! Hetty! Come on!" she urged, hurrying inside. One look at her mother's face convinced her that something was seriously wrong. "Mother?" she asked. "What is it?" Bessie knew that she had to be strong for the children, but the tears would not stop. She waited until Jack and Henrietta came inside, last and bickering as usual. They stopped, staring at her tears. "Mother?" Pearl pressed.
Assured that she had all of their attention, Bessie started to speak. She shook and her voice broke several times. "Please… sit down, all of you." She waited whilst they did as she had asked. "I don't know how to say this to you…" She shut her eyes briefly, trying to stop the tears.
"Papa's dead?" Pearl looked at her mother with eyes older than her years. Jack looked at her in shock, and the younger children all burst into tears, scrambling from where they sat to be next to her, seeking the reassurance of her closeness.
Bessie nodded mutely. "The Black Pearl is in the harbour, but she is sailing under Bryn Corbin's flag…" She looked at the children worriedly. "Now I want you all to stay inside, close to me…"
"What aren't you telling us, Mother?" Jack asked. She sighed – Jem was right about him.
"You are the man of the family now, Jack," she said softly. "I need you to be brave and to help me…"
"Alright…" His young chest puffed out and he sniffed, rubbing away his tears. "What do you want me to do?"
Bessie told him how she needed him to run to Edmund Morgan's house and explain that Bryn Corbin had killed his father and that the family were requesting his protection... and that he was to come straight back. "And watch out for Corbin's men – they may well be watching the house!"
"I'll go over the back wall," he said grinning, disappearing before she could plead with him to be careful.
"What can I do Mother?" Pearl asked worriedly.
"Keep an eye on the little ones," she replied. "I need to pack some clothes and things. We have to leave…"
"Leave?" Pearl puzzled.
"Corbin wants your mother…" Jem said cautiously. "And he'll not think twice about threatening any of you to get what he wants…" He turned to Henrietta and John. "I need the two of you to find Daffodil and catch her… I'll get a crate!" He smiled as they dashed off, relieved to be of use. "Go," he urged Bessie. "I'll make sure they are safe."
Bessie nodded, handing Emily to Pearl as she hurried up the stairs. Tipping all of the clothes from Jack's chest in their room she started packing clothes that they would need. Her breath caught as she noticed an old black flag from the Black Pearl and Jack's best shirt. She picked it up, sniffing it although it was clean and held little scent of him. For a moment she just sat there, wailing her loss, unable to do anything but cry. "Pull yourself together woman!" she chided herself, knowing that the children needed her to be strong. She now knew how her mother must have felt on hearing of her father's death… she could still remember her tears. But her mother had only her to care for, a single six year old child, whereas she had seven and probably an eighth to care for. She placed her hands to her stomach, wondering – she had missed her last menses and the timing would be right for when Jack was last ashore. The enormity of the task threatened to overwhelm her and her hands shook as she placed the flag and the shirt at the bottom of the trunk before putting a single change of clothes and some night clothes on top of them. She added several pouches of money in the chest before packing the clothes for the children. The trunk was almost full, but she squeezed in a few more pouches of money as well as her jewellery box. Her hand reached to the cross about her neck, holding it tightly. Despite being a pirate, Jack had not given her much jewellery – their treasures had been their children.
"Jack's back!" Jem called up the stairs. Her heart missed a beat, but then she realised he meant her son and not his father. Leaving the trunk open she hurried back downstairs.
Jack looked up on seeing her walk through the archway. "It's bad out there Mother," he gasped – clearly he had been running and he looked frightened. "I couldn't get to Morgan's! There were men fighting… I think they were Corbin's!"
Jem looked at Bessie in alarm. "He's trying to take over Tortuga!" he cried. "We have to get you out of here now!" If Bryn Corbin killed Edmund Morgan then there would be no protection for Bessie.
"But where can I go?" Bessie worried.
"We'll borrow a boat and head to Port au Paix," he decided. "We can walk to Môle Saint Nicholas and take a ship from there…"
"But to where?" Bessie cried.
"To the only place I can think that you'll be safe," Jem said quietly. "To Port Royal!"
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