Usual disclaimers… are you girls still out there?
Chapter 5 – Hispaniola
Bessie woke on feeling the boat shudder as it beached, startled to find Jem's arm about her. "I didn't think you'd want to be giving names at the quayside," Jem explained, moving his arm once he was sure she was fully awake. "And I didn't want you falling overboard… how's your neck?"
She sat more upright, surprised to find it stiff. She groaned, reaching to rub it as Jem scrambled out of the boat. "Give us a hand to beach it," he urged, offering her a hand. Bessie took off her shoes and jumped into the shallow water, grimacing at getting the hem of her dress wet. Jem handed her the rope and together they managed to haul the boat up the sandy shore.
John woke and looked about him. "Are we there… Hispaniola?" He nudged his brother awake and soon the older children were clambering from the boat.
"Stick close!" Bessie cried in alarm, watching as Jack and John started racing along the beach. "Pearl, keep an eye on the little ones!" She handed Emily to her before reaching into the boat to help Frances and Tabitha ashore. "Jack! John! Get back here now!"
"Mama… I'm thirsty!" Tabitha cried as she put her down on the sand.
Bessie looked worriedly at Jem. "We need food and drink," she said quietly, realising that they had brought nothing with them as they had fled. "Will we be safe to enter the town?"
Jem shook his head. "Best stay here and I'll see what I can get," he said. "I am less noticeable than you and the children and he's likely to try to follow…" He looked towards the trunk. "Let's get Daffodil and that trunk ashore, give me some money and I'll go…" he offered, struggling with it even though he knew Bessie had packed hardly anything in their rush to leave. He turned to Jack and John as she opened it, reaching in for one of the money pouches and withdrawing a few coins. "You two will be the men whilst I am gone," he cautioned. "Look after your sisters and your mother…"
"We will!" they chorused, looking pleased at the responsibility.
Bessie handed him some coins, and then a few more. "Try to get a hand cart if you can," she reminded. "We'll never make Môle Saint Nicholas otherwise!"
"Aye Bessie," he smiled. "If not, perhaps a donkey – the little ones could ride at least…"
"Just do the best you can," Bessie sighed, shepherding the children towards the shade. "We'll wait here for you."
Jem nodded, walking as briskly as he could along the shore. The sand made it awkward with his knee and he was hobbling badly by the time he reached the outskirts of the town. He made his way to the docks, reasoning that he was more likely to find a handcart there for they were often used for transporting goods that arrived by ship. He was lucky and managed to find a cart for sale. Even though it was rather dilapidated, it looked as if it would at least get them to Môle Saint Nicholas before collapsing. Once assured of the transport, he wandered carefully through the market, loading the cart with as much food as he thought they would need and then some more. It would probably take them four days or more to walk that distance with the children. His damned knee would slow them too. With a sigh he headed back towards the beach.
"Jack!" he cried. "Come and guard the cart whilst I help your mother!" Jack sped across the sand, John not far behind him in his determination not to be left behind. "Alright, the two of you then. Stand here and guard the cart!" He limped across the sand to where Bessie sat on the trunk. "I've food and water," he assured her. "If Hetty can take Daffodil we can get the trunk onto the cart…"
Bessie sighed. The trunk was heavy and the two of them struggled across the sand, unloading some of the food to place it centrally on the cart. He turned to take the crate containing Daffodil from Henrietta. "That's a good girl!" he smiled, placing the cat onto the cart as well. "Let's have a bite to eat and a drink and we'll be on our way…" The children clustered around the cart eagerly and Bessie rummaged in the sacks of food, handing out bread and fruit as well as water.
"I got some meat too," Jem said, "but it will need cooking…"
"Perhaps we can stop around noon?" Bessie sighed as she cupped her hands so that Daffodil could have a drink. "I'll take the cart first, you've struggled far enough with it already…"
When the children had finished eating, Jem helped Tabitha and Frances up onto the cart. "Pearl, can you hold Milly if you ride?" he asked, smiling when she nodded. "The rest of you will have to walk for a while," he said. "Your mother cannot pull all seven of you…"
Bessie picked up the handles of the cart and started walking determinedly along the trail. "Eight of you," she said quietly.
Jem looked at her in shock. "You're not…" he gasped, hobbling closer.
Bessie nodded, glancing across at him worriedly. "I think I am," she said quietly. "The timing is right…"
Jem shook his head in amazement. Every time that Jack had returned home Bessie had fallen pregnant – if she had not been already pregnant. "When the cart gets too much for you, let me know," he offered, knowing that the two of them would have to work together to get the children to safety. He would not insult her by telling her to take things easy… not when things were so hard on her and the children.
Bessie smiled at him as she carried on walking, thinking that the cart was already too much for her. But every step she took was a step further away from Bryn Corbin and a step closer to safety. She walked on.
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It took them five days to walk to Môle Saint Nicholas. Bessie could not hurry, Jem's leg was bad and the weather turned on the third day from sunshine to a persistent drizzle. She wrapped the children as best she could in their coats, using sticks and their blankets to try to form a rough shelter over the cart, but the rain invaded everywhere. The grand adventure of sleeping out of doors was not such fun for the children when they were wet and cold. Their continuing tears for their father at night did not help either. Bessie was exhausted.
"I'll book you and the children on a ship to Port Royal," Jem offered, "and then I'll head back. If by any chance anyone survived they will head back to Tortuga… somebody must be there to warn them."
"What if Corbin catches you?" Bessie worried, frightened that she would be without his protection.
"I'll hide outside of the town," he assured her. "I'm sure some of the girls in town will give me shelter if the weather keeps up…"
"Do you think there's any…" Bessie began, her eyes pleading, but Jem shook his head.
"He has the Pearl… he came for you… he'd not dare that if Jack were alive," Jem said quietly, not wanting the children to hear and be reminded of their father's death. "You should be safe in Port Royal though… trust Will!" Bessie nodded sadly. "Now, let's see if we can find an inn for the night and some warm food whilst I see about your passage…"
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Jem quickly found a ship that was leaving the following day and went back to the inn to get the money from Bessie. He was glad that they would be able to have a decent nights rest before the journey. He noted that Bessie kept away from the north of the town, unwilling to go near to the house she had shared but one night with Jack. It had been sold now anyways – new people living there. It seemed everywhere here there were memories for her though, and he was grateful that she would leave at dawn the next day.
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Jem hugged Bessie carefully, aware of Emily in her arms. "Take care," he urged before bending down and hugging each of the other children. Bessie nodded, turning sharply, unwilling for him to see the tears in her eyes. He was her last link with the Black Pearl, and now he was leaving her. The trunk was already onboard and she hurried the children up the gangplank, Jack carrying Daffodil in the crate. The crew of the ship pulled the gangplank onboard as soon as her feet touched the deck, eager to be off. The tide would not wait for them, and already it was turning.
She stood, looking back at the quayside as it receded into the distance, smiling to see Jem standing there until the distance was too great. She prayed he would be alright.
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Coughs loudly Ahem… thanks to those that have reviewed, but some reviews from others would be nice.
