Chapter 9
The campsite was coming on in leaps and bounds, the indoor pool now had the roof on and that was in the process of being bolted down, the outdoor pool, was taking longer, the tiling was in full swing, and the diving board and two springboards were on site ready to be put in place. The bridge was also ready to put in place, so as Hannah and Stuart did there evening walk around the site they both felt that everything was looking good.
Whilst they were sat in the portacabin having their evening meal, Hannah asked Stuart if she could borrow the Range Rover in the morning, she needed to go into Valletta, Stuart said. "Ok love, what time will you be home again". I am going to meet up with an old school friend, I have spoken to her on the phone and she is going to help me with something, I should be back by 6". "Ok love, I will organise dinner for when you get back.
The following morning, Hannah was up early, she was dressed in a lightweight dress, with a light brown belt around the waist, when Stuart saw her, he tried very hard to hold her in his arms, she looked gorgeous but Hannah had other ideas. "Stuart love, leave it till tonight, I promise I will let you undo every button and this body will be yours". Stuart gave Hannah a kiss and handed over the keys to the Ranger Rover. He stood at the door of the portacabin and watched her go, as she drove towards the main gate of the site and out of sight he went into the hut to dress ready for a full day's work.
In Valletta Hannah parks the vehicle and heads into the city centra, walking along the main street she turns and makes her way down a small side street. Outside the shop she looks at the sign over the door, Wedding Brides, Hannah walked in, as she stood looking around at the wedding dresses on display, the room went suddenly black, she tried to struggle, but with her arms being tied behind her and her head covered in something she soon realised that it was a lost cause. She found herself being bundled into the back of a car and driven away. Sometime later the car stopped and Hannah was taken into a building, the blindfold was removed and Hannah found herself looking into the face of her mother, with her arms still bound Hannah's mother dragged Hannah into the kitchen, she was shouting at her in Maltese. "How dare you leave your family, you are Maltese and Maltese you will stay, Hannah saw her mother pick up the bamboo cane and then felt it across her legs, then again, she tried to pull away, but her mother was a biggish woman and held her daughter with an iron grip, Hannah was crying out, almost screaming, but still the cane was used across her legs and thighs, then everything went black and Hannah fell to the floor. Mother called the father and he picked up Hannah and took her to her old bedroom, laid her roughly on the bed then closed the door and locked it.
Stuart had had a very busy day, the indoor pool roof was now bolted in place and the fencing for the caravan and campervan pitches was almost complete so that when Stuart got back to the hut at just before 5, he made himself a cup of tea and sat on the sofa, it was 8 pm when he woke up, the tea was still in the cup, cold, and Hannah was nowhere to be seen, even the Range Rover wasn't in its usual place, Stuart was worried, had she had an accident, he rang the police in Valletta but was told to sit back and wait if she was with an old schoolfriend chances are they were out talking about old times, if she wasn't back by the morning, then come into the station and we will see what we can do. Stuart did himself a toasted cheese sandwich, a cup of coffee and went to bed.
Stuart woke up after a restless sleep, Hannah had not returned and he was now very worried when Michael and the workforce came in, Stuart told Michael he was going into Valletta on the works bus. "I am leaving you in charge, you know what needs to be done, so I trust you to get on with it". "Ok boss". Michael said. "Is there some kind of trouble, if you need a few of the men, they will help you". "Thank you Michael, it's just that Hannah went into Valletta yesterday and hasn't come home".
Stuart went into Valletta on the bus, and once there he made his way to the police station, talking to an English speaking police officer her told him the situation. "So sir, where does this Hannah live on the island". Stuart had to think, then he remembered standing on a huge balcony with trees and plants all around them, and Hannah pointed out the three cities. "She lives across the harbour in a place called". he stopped again. The police officer called out the names of the three cities and as soon as he said Paula, Stuart put his hand up." That's it, yes she said she lived at Paula". Within minutes Stuart and two English speaking officers were in a car heading for Paula, as they were driving into the city Stuart spotted someone he recognised, the car stopped and Stuart got out, he walked up to the priest he had dealings with in the market, as the priest realised who had stopped him he said to the two police officers in Maltese to leave this family situation alone, but Stuart demanded to know where Hannah's home was, the priest refused to speak, so Stuart bundled him into the back of the car, suddenly realising that Stuart was not the sort of man to mess with he agreed to take Stuart to the family home.
Outside of the family home with the priest being held by one of the officers the other one and Stuart knock on the door when the mother answers the door she tries to deny that Hannah is here saying to the police officer that as far as she is aware, Hannah is in England working. Stuart demands to check out the house himself and goes into every room, he then comes to the room that is locked, but even that does not stop him, with his size ten boot he kicks the door in then sees the woman he loves curled up on the bed, as he walks in he sees the cane marks on her legs and thighs, Gently picking her up un his arms he takes her to the car and puts her in the back seat, then goes back to the house, he talked to the police officer telling him to translate everything he says. Hannah is not yours anymore, she is my wife and as such, my responsibility". as Stuart is talking the father comes to the house, he has heard some of what has been said and tries to apologise to Stuart, but Stuart is having none of it. "What you have done, is barbaric and does not happen in the modern world, you are not fit to be parents, I am going to make an official charge against you both". "Please sir, I didn't cane her, my wife did". "You are the head of the household, it is your duty to, if there is punishment to be dealt out, do it with love, not anger". The mother then found her tongue. "Please sir, it was the priest who told me to cane her, I was told to give her 25 strokes, then I had to bring her to the church where she would be made to do other penance for her crime against the church, she had to pay, and pay dearly". Stuart turned to face the priest. "So, this was your idea was it, you make the rules, but haven't got the guts to dish out the punishment yourself". the priest was talking in Maltese, the police officer still had hold of the priest nodded his head, then says in English. "Yes sir Mr Walker, he demanded the punishment". The priest was still leaning up against the car when Stuart hit him twice, once in the chest, and as he started to crumple, once in the face, with the priest laid on the floor, his nose broken and the two top teeth and two bottom teeth now missing, the police officer told him to get himself back to his church, and if the church tried to take any action, he would be arrested for taking the law into his own hands without the husbands content, As the priest stood up, he looked at Stuart and through his broken mouth said something in Maltese to Stuart, the police officer heard what was said and again grabbed the priest telling him he had now stepped over the line, and he would be arrested later in the day by the local police, they also told the mother and father, that they were also in big trouble and they could also be taken into custody.
With Hannah in his arms, the police took the two of them back to Valletta, but Stuart was not quite finished yet, he asked Hannah to take him to the shop, inside he confronted the schoolfriend, asking Hannah to turn round he showed the schoolfriend the marks on Hannah's legs and thighs. "You were supposed to be Hannah's friend, friends don't do this sort of thing, now I feel obliged to put you over my knee and turn your ass from the pink colour in is now, to a jet black, but I am an Englishman and we don't hit our women, so let me tell you some home truths, both Hannah's mother and father are going to be arrested, and the priest will no doubt end up being defrocked. So, I would suggest you keep your head down for a very long time, I now live on this island, and if I so much as see your face". Stuart and Hannah walked out of the shop and headed back to where she had parked the Range Rover.
Back at the hut, Stuart did undo all the buttons on the dress, but not for any hanky panky, he took her into the shower room and gently cleaned up the cane marks and put some antiseptic cream on them. it took a month for the marks to fully disappear, and every time Stuart saw them he felt anger that this sort of thing was going on, he also wondered how many other young ladies in Malta were beaten like that because they had done something the local priest felt needed the punishment of flogging.
Stuart and Hannah had now been on Malta for two years, and the site was almost ready, they were waiting for the clubhouse to be shipped out from the U.K. once that was on site, then things would be ready for the first visitors. On Wednesday evening after a load of phone calls that Stuart had had, he asked Hannah to get dressed in her very best frock, he was going to take her out for dinner. as they drove Hannah kept asking where they were going, but all Stuart did was touch his nose, the sign of you will find out soon. As they got to the church with father Hopgood, Stuart said. "I just need to nip and see father Hopgood, do you want to come with me". Hannah, since the beating given by her mother, had never left the campsite and had since that time stuck very close to Stuart, so she felt it was better to go with him than stay in the vehicle, so they went in together, as Hannah held Stuart's hand and walked down the church, they saw father Hopgood standing by the altar, he turned and looked at them both a smile on his face. "So". he said. "Todays the day, are you both ready". Hannah looked at Stuart. Ready for what". she asked
The wedding ceremony was very short, but as always the vicar said. "You may now kiss the bride and Stuart held Hannah in his arms and kissed her. Stuart my love, have we just become man and wife".
Comments