Chapter 36

Fitzwilliam shook hands with Father Thomas and he smiled.

"We'll have it sent to your home as soon as possible, son," Father's voice spoke and Fitzwilliam only nodded his thanks before he lowered his head and answered,

"I must return because she'll worry about me"

Father's smile only softened his heart as he responded.

"Seems as though the two of you are getting along finely even after all that occurred not too long ago."

Fitzwilliam had an answer like a snap of his fingers but he was respectful towards the priest.

"Father? Since my devotion to Our Blessed Mother, I've started to consider that with what happened with me and Elizabeth, there is a reason behind everything and this time, I'm not the one who was in charge of the arranged marriage and no questions asked. It's already the beginning of March and my heart has seen her in the way Our Blessed Lord would have wanted me to see her as. Not as the 'arranged woman' who was inclined to become my wife, but I've been seeing Elizabeth more as a helpmate and not even as an object of lust. And with Our Blessed Mother's help, I've also seen more into who I am and how lacking I was in my Faith after my own mother died while I was attending university."

The priest's eyes were gentle and soft and he nodded; Fitzwilliam, secretly, had been attending counsels with the priest and he had grown to like Father Thomas and when the priest was there, Chris felt better than he did in his life and it was also through loving encouragement that Father Thomas had prompted him to start at Devotion to Our Blessed Mother and Chris never could get enough of her. He inwardly felt inclined to believe that she was helping him more than his earthly mother ever could and this was one loving quality he loved about Our Blessed Mother. Returning to the original subject, Fitzwilliam continued before he left.

"Having a devotion to Our Blessed Lady has helped me through the struggles of my life as well as the decision which occur every day, Father; I don't understand how the Protestants never feel the same way we do as Catholics when it concerns Our Lord's Mother."

Father Thomas understood but didn't say anything as Fitzwilliam bided him farewell and soon left the church. He knew that the priest knew of his inner struggles and his Faith but he also was helping him in many ways than one. He also knew that Father would follow through with what he said he would do and the painting of Our Lady of Perpetual Help would arrive at Hawkswood Manor before the end of the week. In the meantime, his heart pounded, as he exited the church, Chris would do something else to make his heart feel even better than he would allow it to feel.

When Fitzwilliam carried Elizabeth into the bedroom, he nuzzled her nose when he felt her arms wrap themselves around his neck as she whispered.

"I love you, sir."

Hearing this, he kissed her as he softly replied back.

"I love you, too."

And with the bedroom door closed and securely locked, after he placed her down, the two knelt down and prayed before his gaze penetrated hers and she responded. Before long, something wonderful could be heard inside the bedroom of the married couple. With all his heart mixed together with hers, Fitzwilliam hoped that he would conceive again and be the father God would allow him to have and spiritual grow into a family of saints.

Inside the kitchen…

"Hurry! He usually will have his coffee in the morning and we made it just in time!"

"Oh, do keep your cork inside, would you?! Do you wish to have the entire house hear you?!"

The other glared at him but they were as quiet as mice. The two had managed to slip inside while everyone was asleep and remembering that the sidekick had contained the key, they had eased inside Hawkswood's kitchen and making their way over towards the cabinet, slipped in the powder where they were informed where he would drink his coffee early in the morning. His comrade in the plot smiled when he whispered,

"Let's speed it up a little and add an extra dose to it! He'll never know what hit him and what a shame for her!"

"Quiet!"

Then the two men finished what they had been sent out to do. Then the door to the kitchen closed, the lock clicked, and they vanished across the lawn, both laughing to themselves as they would report to the one in charge what they had accomplished. The manor of Hawkswood seemed to follow them with its eyes as they fled.