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Nathan wasn't particular about the Tatton family particularly, Alfred Tatton- he was rude, mean, and conceited- full of himself; feeling himself entitled to blonde, beautiful Irish Roses.
Nathan was sure to keep an eye on his own Irish Rose personally- all the while Mrs. McCarthy was away on holiday.
He, Felicity, and the boys had had a lovely time together as a family: picnicking, fishing and riding to name a few.
Nathan had enjoyed those lazy moments lying on the blanket, watching the boys play football as his love sat beside him running lazy fingers through his hair.
She wasn't off of leave yet, and there was still much for them to discuss, but still he loved the stolen moments of them all together as a family…
He was late for Mrs. McCarthy's arrival having slept in this morning.
His collar hadn't been fixed yet as he'd rushed out the door this morning, despite Felicity's teasing.
"Mrs McCarthy."
"Honestly! I go away for one week and when I come back, what do I find? Chaos!"
Nathan sighed. After having his own peaceful holiday with his family, fighting with Mrs. McCarthy was the last thing he wanted to do.
"That is a slight exaggeration." he sighed.
"Ooh, has someone done the Mass lists or the bidding prayers or written up the weekly collection?"
No Nathan thought.
"There have been slips in administration..."
"Slips? It's a complete landslide!"
Complaints complaints!
"And who on earth is responsible for that?" she asked, horrified, looking at the dying flowers.
Oops
"We decided to let Mrs Tindall have a turn..."
It wasnt long after that, Mrs. McCarthy was out of commission.
Felicity was away at the hospital in a meeting for a couple of hours, so Nathan volunteered to watch after the boys.
Nathan chuckled as he and Sid watched the boys playing, while drinking a beer.
"Hi Dad!" Michael called. Nathan waved.
He turned as Stephen choked, coughing.
Nathan raised an eyebrow. Stephen had just taken a taste of Sid's beer and was making a disrupted face.
Nathan eyed Sid and the two pointed at each other.
Nathan scowled, giving them both his 'just this once' glare(1)
"Hey Dad" Nathan turned back to Michael, buttoning the boy's coat... it was a tad bit nippy, and his youngest had just gotten over a cold.
"Yes, son?" Michael and Stephen grinned, as did Nathan.
Sid smiled to himself. Father Brown and Lady Felicia were amazing parents... these two boys couldnt have gotten anyone better than his surrogate 'parents' to care for them.
In all honesty, Sid saw the two youngsters as if they were his little brothers...
"Who's that lady over there with the patch? She loooks like a pirate! Arrrgh!"
All three turned to see Mrs McCarthy coming towards them...
"Thats no pirate!" Stephen crowed. "Thats Nana Bridgette!"
Nathan and Sid looked over at the woman before gawking at each other in shock
Oh my God...
Nathan was already tittering. "Now boys! Boys..." he gave them, (or tried to) his sternest look... but failed miserably...
"Don't say it." she scowled as she came over, sitting between them.
Nathan prayed he would success hide his laughter in his beer, while keeping an eye on his boys.
"Say what, Mrs. M?" he smiled.
Sid was already looking away.
"That I...That I look like Lord Nelson." she sounded as if her feelings were hurt.
"I was going say Long John Silver." Sid lost it.
Nathan attempted to sober but was quickly losing focus.
"I'm sure Dr Crawford did an excellent job with your stitches."
Mrs. McCarthy brightened. "He did... Do you know, he spent ten minutes looking for the right shade of thread to match my eyebrows?"
Nathan nodded, still watching the boys. "How very meticulous..." he said absently, looking into his glass.
It was nearly time to go.
"Argh! Take that me hearty!" Michael crowed.
"Yah!" Stephen whooped. He glanced over at their father.
"I wish we had a pirate patch"
"Me too- maybe when Nanas done playing with hers..."
Mrs. McCarthy whimpered. Nathan winced.
"Pay no attention" he shook his head firmly at the boys.
"Shhh!" Stephen put his hand over Michael's mouth, who grunted in disgust and licked Stephen's hand.
Stephen roared in protest.
Nathan wanted anything but to lock them in the brig for the remainder of the day till seven bells...
"Sid, go get them, please..."
Sid smirked devilishly.
"Aye aye Capn"
Nathan spewed his beer and roared with laughter.
Mrs. McCarthy was not amused...
Later, Felicity had been called away on an emergency to London, leaving Sid in a rather bad pickle with the Rolls Royce.
"Come on! Come on! Move! Must stop smoking!"
Nathan rang the bell to his bicycle.
"Traditionally, Sid, shouldn't you be inside the car?"
Sid stopped a moment and scoffed.
"That's very funny. I've been saying to Lady F we should get this serviced for weeks. Does she listen? Mind you, only 200 yards to the garage."
He continued to push.
Nathan smiled slightly and winced. "I will share your load."
"Ah, would ya? Right, I'll steer."
"Right, you ready? One, two What?"
Nathan had seen him before Sid had.
VROOM! Vroooom!
But for shielding the young man he considered his eldest, Sid would've been dead meat- to put it mildly.
Alfred knew what he'd come close to doing- it boiled Nathan's blood to see him smirking in triumph.
Sid looked after the man after he took off.
"That was Alfred. You know, Farmer Tatton's son"
Nathan glared after the young man as he sped off on his motorbike.
"Well, if he carries on riding like that, he won't be for much longer."
Nathan…
...I rest my case
Alfred smirked as he sped his way to the Kembleford local GP… mmm him n that pretty wife o his…
That damned Dr. Sherwin hadn't done him any favors- nearly took his head off when Alfred had paid his respects to the blonde haired Irish nurse…
Alfred Tatton walked in the surgery seeking relief for a headache when he whistled at the appearance of a tall, blonde nurse.
"Mornin love… doctor in?"
Felicity, annoyed, answered in her father's best Irish brogue.
She may not be able to tell Talbot off this way, but it sure felt good!
"No one but your mother would love ye in the dead of night, so keep your mangy paws to yourself. Sit there, and the Doctor will be right with ye"
Alfred smirked as the nurse walked off in a huff back to her colleague, who was fighting giggles for shock.
She returned later to the waiting room to gather a chart.
The doctor still hadn't appeared.
Alfred snuck up behind Felicity and attempted to grope her from behind.
Felicity gasped sharply.
"Did nobody tell ya? I like my girls feisty… mmm you'll do just fine…"
"Let go of me, you slimy, smelling blaggard!"
She slapped him.
"Aww… n here I only wanna bit of fun…" he attempted to kiss her, when she screamed.
"ENOUGH!" Michael Sherwin roared.
"Nurse Brown, away to my office this instant! Nurse Camden, alert her husband at once!"
With tears in her eyes, Felicity, comforted by Fanny followed the doctor's orders at once.
"See here now doc… you spoilin my fun!"
"Fun" Sherwin sneered incredulously.
"I know that woman's husband personally and believe me... rather than handing you over to him… I would be doing you a service to SCALPEL you if you EVER try that again with EITHER of my nurses! Do I make myself CLEAR, Mr. Tatton!?"
Alfred smirked. "What bout your wife? sure she could do wit a bit iv… fun…"
Sherwin's eyes turned ice green…
Tatton had better shut up if he knew what was good for him…
"Mr. Tatton...I will not restrain myself from ripping you apart should you come near my family…" Michael whispered.
Alfred sneered "so you have a daughter…"
"OUT!"
Nathan remembered speaking to young Tatton himself after the incident with Sid…
"Alfred"
"Father Brown…" the man sneered.
Nathan glared at him.
"I take it you are here for Confession"
Alfred scoffed.
"Me? Nah… I just come to tell ye I talked to yer sister the other mornin"
Nathan raised an eyebrow.
"Didn't know you were Irish, Father…" he snickered. "N that sister o yours sure is a feisty one…"
It took all of Nathan's strength not to wrap his hands around Tatton's throat and aid the poisoned liquor that was already ravaging his body…
"Do you have anything else to confess?" Nathan spat.
Alfred had a glimmer of fear against Nathan's dark blue gaze.
(pst...run!)
"helluva kisser…" he snickered.
Nathan wasn't sorry when his meaty hand punched Alfred in his mouth.
"Bloody priest! You lost your mind?!"
Nathan smiled and stooped down to Alfred's level as the rouge landed on his back.
"No, but it appears you've lost yours due to years of alcohol abuse, which is a venal sin. You've also committed adultery single-handedly for kissing another man's wife."
Alfred was confused.
"Lady Felicia Montague, or Nurse Felicity Brown, did you say?" Nathan laughed darkly as Alfred nodded.
"She isn't my sister. She's my wife"
That had been the day before Alfred was found, by Nathan, having slipped in the wheat chaffer.
Nathan and others wouldn't say they didn't agree that they all breathed a sigh of relief at the news of Alfred Tatton's demise.
As for the comment that Felicity was his wife… well… they were engaged, and betrothed… didn't that count?
The young man reminded Nathan much of the deceased Xander Montague- he shivered.
Both men had been poison to those around them.
Speaking of poison, Dr. Michael Sherwin had implicated Bishop Talbot in relation to Felicia's last occupational scare.
What had that been all about?
Nathan had decided to get the truth out of Felicity once and for all.
When they were alone, later, she sighed, knowing it would be best to get it out in the open than to keep hiding it…
She told him the whole story from beginning to end.
How Talbot had shown up at the medical benefit before their engagement,
His telephone call following their engagement,
Which led him to showing up at the hospital, "wishing to speak to her alone…"
and finally the dinner fiasco.
She had spared no detail, shivering and shaking- sobbing as she recalled Talbot taking liberties to kiss her hand and invade her personal space…
He hadn't been the only one either… Alfred Tatton had, too.
Nathan was taken aback that all of Talbot's actions had occurred much under his very own nose!
Not only that, but both scenes at the hospital had been seen and witnessed by Dr. Sherwin!
Anger and disgust rising in his heart, Nathan held on to his beloved as she calmed herself and cuddled into his arms.
She's mine! he growled, wrapping his bride-to-be in his arms.
What was stopping him from whisking Felicity away to Gretna Green?
They could be married quietly within the holy bonds of marriage, a sacred, unbreachable union…
The longer Nathan thought about it, the more it made sense, and the more he longed to do so.
Then again, he bit his lip he had taken vows as a priest while still single. He was not at liberty to marry.
He had given his word that he would live out the life of a priest at the same time that Felicity had vowed to live out her life as Xander Montague's wife.
Xander Montague is dead! he argued
I am a Protestant minister now! I am only dressed as a priest!
Dear Lord Jesus, please tell me what to do! How do I live my life as a testament to You, at the same time leading my wife in Your example? Please help me keep her safe from all hurt, harm, and danger! I pray my resignation is accepted and responded soon! I long to take Felicity as my bride officially within your covenant! In Jesus' Name, Amen
Kissing Felicity passionately, Nathan vowed to speak to Talbot neither good nor evil...
(so sorry about the repeat in the last version!)