Chapter 6
Early on the Saturday morning Hannah and Stuart took the Range Rover into Valletta, they parked up in the square next to the Barrakka Gardens, Hannah took Stuart's hand and lead him into the gardens and they stood together looking out over the harbour, they were still holding hand as Hannah pointed out the three cities of Paula, Senglea and Cospicua, as she pointed out Paula she said. That is where My family live, but I never see them, when I was offered the job of coming to England and working with you, my mother went crazy saying a good Maltese girl does not leave her home to go galavanting all round the world, she stays here and marries a good Maltese man who will give her a home and children". she squeezed Stuart's hand and looked at him. "I think I have found the man I want to marry, I think I have found the man I want to set up home with, and who will give me the family that I want, but I also know, we have a job to do, and that takes priority over a home and children, so, for now, my love, let's enjoy what we have".
As they walked along the back street they came to the open air market, Stuart saw a few things that took his fancy in the shirt line and he bought the ones he liked, with Hannah's blessing, Hannah also bought a few things she needed and with there carrier bags in there hands they headed towards the indoor market, this was mainly meat, fish and fresh fruit and vegetables, at one of the stalls they bought oranges, bananas and apples, at another stall they bought potatoes and greens, as Stuart took some money out of his pocket to pay for everything he heard a mans voice talking to Hannah, as he looked to see who it was he realised it was a priest, Hannah tried to tell Stuart, that this was her local priest from Paula, and he needed to talk to her in private, they then walked towards the steps leading to the ground floor, the priest was holding onto Hannah's arm and as she tried to pull away he gripped her tighter. Stuart could see the tears in Hannah's eyes and went towards them both. "I don't know your name, but you are hearing my future wife, will you please let her go". the priest released Hannah and she walked towards Stuart, he put his arm around her waist and held her close. Looking at the priest he said. "I don't like your attitude, I don't like the way you were holding the woman I am going to marry, so I would suggest you leave us both in piece and get on with whatever it was you were doing". The priest headed for the fruit stall, as he passed Hannah and Stuart he said something in Maltese, Hannah put her hand to her mouth her face one of shock and fear. "What did he say"., Stuart asked. Hannah told Stuart. "It seems he has put a curse on me, I am to be excommunicated from the church and I will for all eternity live in hell and damnation, Stuart love, what do I do". Stuart walked towards the priest. "So my friend, you are sending my future wife to hell are you, well if you care to check out the meaning of the word hell, it comes from the Greek word hades, or in modern language the common grave. That means you are planning to kill my future wife and bury her". Stuart shook his head. "Never going to happen, not by you anyway".
Stuart bought his hand back, it hit the priest as a fist, the priest hit the floor and then slid past all the stalls on the first floor of the indoor market ending up against the end wall, Stuart watched as he tried to stand, but Stuart advised him to stay put. "Get your breath back my friend, and don't ever threaten anyone ever again, because the next time you do that, you may never get up". Taking Hannah by the hand they walked down the steps together and out into the warm winter sun, as they made there way outside, they both heard the clapping and the cheering.
In the Range Rover Hannah had her head resting on Stuart's shoulder. "Stuart did you mean what you said to my ex priest, am I going to be your wife". Stuart looked at her. "Would you like to be, I do well, you know". "I know". Hannah interrupted his ability to say I love you. "I know that you love me, even if you cannot say it, I can feel it in your kisses and the way you hold me, I can also feel it when you make love to me, so my love, you may not say you love me, but I know you do. And yes, I would love to be your wife, but how, I have no church now, I have no priest, I am almost an outcast in my own country". "Hannah, I, I do well, mmm love mmm you, and I feel very happy with the way things are between us, and yes, I would like to make it, well permanent, if you know what I mean". They were passing through Sliema when Hannah said. "Stuart turn left here". Stuart turned left and he found himself climbing a long hill. "Stuart love, will you stop at the top, on the left is a church, but it is your church, not Roman Catholic". Outside the church they stopped the Range Rover and got out, going into the church, Hannah felt nervous, but she was holding Stuart's hand and that seemed to give her some comfort, as they walked towards the front of the church they heard the voice. "Good afternoon, my name is father Hapgood, what can I do for you good people". "Good afternoon father". Stuart said. My name is Stuart Walker, and this is Hannah Palmier, we have a bit of a problem, Hannah is Maltese, and I am English, she is, or was until this morning Roman Catholic, I am Church on England, we are in love and would like to get married, how do we go about it". "Ok". father Hapgood said, but first, let me see how this young lady feels". he looked at Hannah. "Do you love this young man, no don't answer that, I can see it in your eyes, you're crazy about him. You say you are a Roman Catholic, or at least you were, so tell me what happened to stop that". Hannah explained what had happened in the indoor market, and father Hopgood had a huge smile on his face, he looked at Stuart. "Was he ok when you left". "yes sir". Stuart said I told him to get his breath back and think before he said anything like that again".
After a lot of talking, father Hopgood told both Hannah and Stuart that if they would like to get married in his church, he would be more than happy to marry them. "Father". Hannah said. "We are sleeping together because we love each other, does that make a difference". Hannah my child, are you pregnant". "No father, I am". she stopped. "I understand my child, God won't hold that against you, you want the sexual side of life without the children, very sensible. So Hannah, Stuart, when you are ready to make that final commitment, you come and see me and we will get the two of you married and you can carry on with your lives.
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