Usual disclaimers… boo hoo!

A few quick mentions…

Omala – I'm surprised you thought the last chapter rushed… it was actually twice as long as my normal chapters and had been written weeks earlier, so your nagging won't have had any effect.

Bules – the showdown was not meant to be a violent or explosive showdown between Mark and Jack. Bessie had already refused his offer plus he was not stupid enough to go up against Jack. Mark is genuinely fond of her and the children, but to fight would have meant he had lost, even if he had won… so to speak.

Bluegreenskye – you're clearly not my child! He is 7½ and I take no sass. However, being sent to bed does not mean they went to sleep!

Redmond – yes, I know there are unresolved issues… that is why the story isn't yet finished!

Druidan54 – no, I'm not cursing the cat. Poor creature has it tough enough living with the children!

And a thank you for all the others that reviewed, especially the new reviewers since my last update.

Pen – I will try to get the Kitty block edit back to you this weekend. Hugs!

Right, this is a day early as tomorrow – the 16th – is both mine and Kitty's birthday!

Chapter 25 – At the Cottage

Jack woke to find that most of the children had crept into the small bed with him and Bessie and were snuggled up against the two of them as best they could. He stretched cautiously, hardly able to move for fear of dislodging a child. "We should get up," he said quietly, reasoning dawn could not be far off. Slowly, the children woke and he urged them to get dressed and pack their belongings. Bessie quickly dressed too, placing a large blanket on the floor for the children to place their clothes in for she had no trunk.

"I should cook breakfast," Bessie said after quickly feeding Emily, still unable to stop smiling. She kept reaching out and touching Jack, as if reassuring herself that he was truly there.

"I'll help," Pearl offered and soon Jack could hear the sounds and smell of cooking coming from the other room.

When he emerged from the small, crowded bedroom, Emily in his arms, Bessie was about to serve breakfast. Pearl placed the battered wooden bowls on the table and Jack frowned on seeing Mark sitting at ease at the table as Bessie began to ladle the oats out.

"Are you coming with us, Uncle Mark?" Pearl asked.

"I don't know if I would be welcome…" he evaded, glancing at Jack. He knew that the pirate was aware he cared for Bessie, and was unsure if it would be a good idea.

"Please, Uncle Mark!" Henrietta begged. "Oh, do say he can come, Papa?" She turned to look at Jack, her eyes pleading.

"I can see yer had more success with th' younger women in m' life," Jack said dryly.

"I don't think Mark would want to," Bessie cautioned. "After all, it would mean him turning pirate…"

"Perhaps I should," he smiled. "Else I've a feeling I'll not see you all again…" He turned to Jack. "Would I be welcomed?"

"As long as yer recognise what is mine," Jack said cautiously, not wanting to speak more plainly before the children.

"I'm no poacher," Mark replied, catching the gist of Jack's words.

"Well then, yer'd be welcome," Jack conceded. "We need all th' hands we can get at th' moment…" He tousled Jack's hair. "Maybe get you an' yer brother up th' rigging too!"

"Jack!" Bessie protested. He's too young!"

"No he's not," Jack countered. "Many a cabin boy has learned, and he's old enough fer that!" He looked at her, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "If I thought yer'd wear breeches, I'd teach yer too!"

"Not likely!" she laughed, knowing his teasing for what it was, and acknowledging to herself how much she had missed it. She sat down with Frances, sharing her breakfast with the child. "When do you want us to leave?"

Jack shifted the wriggling Emily in his arms. "I'd like t' leave as soon as possible. We can take as much as we can carry but with…" He patted the compass which now was tied to his belt as normal. "We can get whatever we need t' buy elsewhere, when I get yer safe." He looked up, for the first time noticing the macaw looking at him from the beams. "Bloody hell!" he cursed. "The soddin' bird made it!"

"Wind in yer sails! Wind in yer sails!" it screeched down at him, flying down to Jack's shoulder as the boy tempted it with a piece of fruit.

"I was hopin' somebody had shot it," he sighed, realising the bird would be aiming for him every time it fouled the decks. "You clean up after it, or we eat it!" he warned his son.

"Yes, Papa," Jack said, wide-eyed, wondering if indeed Jack would cook the bird.

"Jack, stop teasing!" Bessie chided.

"I wasn't," he said, looking sourly at the bird. If it had not been for Ned Cotton's being the best ship's doctor he had ever had, he would have wrung the creature's neck years ago.

Bessie let Frances down to the floor and started to pick up the bowls, heading across to the small kitchen area. "Let me wash these up and I'll be re…" she began.

"Leave 'em, woman!" Jack laughed. "Yer aren't comin' back an' from th' look of it, havin' t' do some work will do yer landlord good!" He hand not missed the buckets and various containers set to catch the water dripping from the roof throughout the cottage when he arrived the night before.

Mark chuckled. "Aye. If you aren't taking them with you, then leave it all," he agreed. "The bast… Hatten'll probably only sell what you leave, so why make things easy for him?"

Bessie blinked, considering their words. It had been second-nature to her to tidy up and keep the place clean that the idea of leaving it dirty had never entered her mind. She started to laugh, imagining Peter Hatten's face when he realised he would be gaining neither rent nor favours from her. "Yes," she agreed. "Let's leave it and go now." She turned to the children. "Go through your things. Anything not in the blanket in five minutes gets left behind!"

The older children scrambled from the table, dashing for their small beds and hammocks for whatever belongings they had whilst she gathered things belonging to Frances and Emily. Jack sighed when he saw the small pile in the middle of the blanket, reasoning it was not much compared to what they must have had to leave behind before.

"I'll have to get a few things from m' ship," Mark said. "I could get one of the men to let th' tavern know you won't be coming back either, else they'll likely organise a search for you…"

Jack nodded. It would not cause much delay, and he did not want people fearing Bessie had been abducted and searching for them all. "We have t' walk along th' docks anyway," he reasoned, handing Emily to Bessie before picking up the corners of the blanket and tying it into a bundle. "Let's go!"

Bessie did not look back as they all walked from the cottage in the dim morning light - she would not miss the place.