Usual disclaimers… sob!
Chapter 15 – The Commodore's Decision
Commodore Norrington stared in disbelief at the devastation caused by the pirate attack of the previous night. Few buildings in the lower part of town had escaped unscathed, either partially burned, totally burned, or just smashed and looted. A total of fifteen marines and ten townsfolk had been killed and those injured were still not fully counted. Sighing heavily, he turned from the window, calling for his clerk. "Send for Captain Groves, Mistress Sparrow and her family. I would see them in my office at the earliest opportunity." He paused, considering his words. "Ensure that they are given an escort," he added, realising that feelings in the town were running high, and would be even higher if they figured out that it had been the Black Pearl that had been attacking the town – and that she had been their prime target.
He walked back to the window, coffee cup in hand, drinking the steaming drink as he waited. He was not looking forward to what he knew he had to do, but realised he had no option. For a while he just stood there, staring unseeing, until shaken from his reverie by a knock at the door.
"Commodore," his clerk announced. "Captain Groves and the Sparrow family as you ordered."
"Send them in!" He turned slowly, walking towards his desk and placing the cup back in the saucer on it's polished surface. He sat, indicating for Bessie to sit in the remaining chair, mindful of her pregnant state and the child in her arms. "It is fortunate that you were not at your home last night for I have been informed that it was one of the properties that was ransacked and burned." He watched her face carefully, noting the fear in her eyes as she held the small child on her lap tighter. "It appears your prediction came true… Bryn Corbin and the Black Pearl, plus another ship that I assume was The Crow, were responsible for last night's attack. For now, I am hopeful that the town will not make the connection between the attack and you being here – but somebody, soon, is likely to associate the name Sparrow with the Black Pearl." He sighed heavily. "I regret to say that, for your own safety and that of this town, I must ask you and your children to leave Port Royal…"
"Leave?" Bessie gasped, her face pale with shock. She turned to Captain Groves, but he looked as stunned as she was. Henry Holt had not been wrong about his interest in her, children or not.
"Commodore," he began. "I must…"
"It is not open to discussion, Captain," Commodore Norrington interrupted. "Already Mistress Sparrow and her family have been attacked." He glanced at Jack, the macaw sitting on his shoulder, wondering who had allowed the bird in his office. "The situation now can only worsen." He looked sympathetically at Bessie. "Is there anywhere you can go?" he asked. "I would suggest outside of the Caribbean would be safest for you…"
"But… but…" Bessie stuttered, still in a daze.
"No family? Either of yours or your late husbands?" he prompted.
"My mother was an only child..." Bessie explained. "I know nothing of kin that I might have in Holland, and you would know possibly better than I any kin of my father."
The Commodore rose, walking across to the large cabinet in which he stored his records, pulling open one of the draws and taking out a stack of papers. He briefly flicked through them before taking one from the pile. Silently he read it. "My apologies," he said sadly. "The details on your father are sketchy, and there is no mention of kin or from where in England he came…" He turned. "What of your late husband? Did he mention no kin? Surely there is somebody that would take you in…"
Bessie sat on the chair, trying to remember where Jack had said his family had come from. He had only mentioned them once or twice, but as she had never left the Caribbean, she could not remember the name of the place, only that it was in England. "I cannot…" she began.
"It was London, Mother," Pearl said quietly. "Papa said his family ran a tavern near the docks of London…"
"London!" James Norrington smiled reassuringly at Bessie's incomprehension. "Oh, you will be safe there! It is a large city, the capital of England. Even if he were to know where you had gone, Bryn Corbin would not dare enter the city – no pirate in his right mind would!"
"It is large?" she said uncertainly, her tone worried.
"Large? It is fifty, a hundred times the size of Port Royal!" He reached for a clean sheet of paper on his desk. "There is a ship just in from London – luckily it was not here last night or it would likely have been destroyed. I will arrange passage for you and the children with the captain as soon as possible…"
"But Commodore!" Bessie protested. "Please, I don't want to leave the Caribbean… I've never…"
"The Caribbean, for now, is far too dangerous for you and the children," the Commodore assured her. "Wherever you hide, you know that eventually Corbin will find you." He sighed. "And after the attack here, I fear that few places will be willing to give you shelter…" He looked to the captain, relieved to see him slowly nodding.
"The Commodore is correct, Bessie," he said softly. "You will be safe in London."
"You had best remain at Captain Groves' house until I can arrange passage for you," James Norrington warned. "I would not go out if I were you – any of you. It would be safer!"
Reluctantly, and more than a little numbly, Bessie nodded, following him from the office and out of the fort.
"If you wish, I will go to the Turners and ask them to visit you at my house," Theodore offered. "And perhaps, if you wish, I could send to you when it is safe for you to return…" he ventured.
Jack glanced at him sharply, nearly unseating the macaw, but Bessie did not seem to read anything into his remark. "Thank you, Captain," she replied, still dazed by the speed of her threatened departure. "I would appreciate that."
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