Usual disclaimers… pah!

And most of you lot don't deserve this – I don't think I've ever had such a sad number of reviews. Are you still reading or shall I just pack it in and delete the whole lot! There are so many of you that have me on your favourites list and author alert… but you never review and that hurts. :(

End of sulk - suppose those of you that do review would like the next chapter...

Chapter 13 – Captain Groves Takes Charge

Theodore Groves walked slowly towards the docks on his way to visit Bessie. He wished she would accept his offer of employment, but so far she had refused, saying that her children needed her to be with them. He looked upwards, staring in shock at her home. The curtains were pulled, but all three windows were broken and the fabric flapped lazily in the light breeze. Anxiously he opened the lower door, hurrying up the stairs to her door. "Bessie?" he cried, knocking loudly on the door. "Bessie? Are you alright?" He breathed in relief to hear the bolt being drawn. The door slowly opened.

"What do you want?" Bessie asked, keeping the door partly closed, shielding the room from his view.

"I saw your windows!" Theodore said worriedly. "Are you alright?"

"Fine, thank you!" Bessie said sharply, making to shut the door.

He placed his foot in the way, preventing her. "No way, Bessie! Let me in to check on you and the children – I can help!"

"There's nothing to help with!" she countered, unable to stop him forcing his way into her home. He stopped, looking in disbelief at Jack's bruised face as he glowered at him.

"Mother asked you to leave!" he said angrily.

Theodore turned to Bessie, his gaze taking in the children's frightened faces. "What has been going on?" he demanded.

"Nothing to concern yourself with," Bessie assured him, moving to place herself before the children. "Please, Captain!"

Theodore shook his head, walking further into the room. He spotted Daffodil laying in the basket by the fire. "Bessie," he said quietly. "What has been happening?"

Bessie realised that she would have to tell him. "I don't know," she admitted. "Some boys attacked Jack, Pearl found Daffodil half-dead and now this…" She gestured towards the broken windows.

"You are clearly not safe here," Theodore surmised. "Pack your bags!"

"But…" Bessie protested.

"You and the children are moving to my house," he told her. "I insist! Pack your trunk and I will get some men to carry it for you."

"We will be…" she argued.

"If not for you, then for the children!" His voice softened. "And for the child you yet carry!" He could see her wavering. "Come, I will help you pack, if you wish?"

Bessie turned from him, looking at the faces of her children, her eyes drawn to Jack's bruised face. This time it was just a beating; what would she do if next time it was worse? Slowly she nodded. "We will come with you, Captain. Thank you."

"Do you wish my…" he began, but Bessie shook her head.

"No. Perhaps you could find those men for the trunk. We don't have much to pack anyway, but could you send someone to the Turners to let them know we are safe?" she asked

"Of course," he smiled, relieved that she had, in his eyes, seen sense. She would indeed be safer at his house and, truth be told, much more comfortable. "I'll wait by the lower door," he said. "Hopefully a patrol will be by soon and I can obtain some men."

Bessie watched as Theodore walked through the open doorway, listening as he opened the lower door. She could hear him pacing outside. "Come," she urged the children. "Pick up your belongings quickly. Whatever we leave behind, stays behind!"

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Jack looked around the imposing house, snorting when he realised that the captain had still been unable to get anybody to clean for him. He realised his mother probably would, now that it appeared they were going to be living here.

"I thought perhaps the two boys could share the room at the top of the stairs." He paused, looking at the macaw sitting on Jack's shoulder. "And the bird," he said reluctantly. "The three older girls can sleep in the other front room and you and the youngest two in the room you were in before," Theodore suggested. "You appeared to like looking out at the garden before…"

"I was not looking at the flowers," Bessie smiled quietly to herself. "I was looking out for Jack." She turned to him, her eyes sad as she remembered. "He visited me, you never knew that, did you?"

"What do you mean?" Theodore puzzled.

"Jack climbed in through the window, spent the night with me and was gone by first light." Her eyes misted, but she blinked the tears back. "That is how I told Henry how and when he was to escape…"

Theodore looked at her in stunned disbelief, and then slowly started to chuckle. "I will ensure then that the route he used is properly guarded this time," he said. "This time, any visitors will likely be less welcomed…"

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