Chapter Twenty-four

            Susan packed a basket so they could enjoy a picnic on their day of travels.  She actually felt better than she had in a long time, and thought maybe the nausea and morning sickness was starting to subside.

            Angel walked into the kitchen carrying an old quilt.  "Do you think this will do to picnic on?"

            "Where did you find that?"

            "In the closet under the stairs."

            Susan went over to him and put her hand on the quilt.  "It should be fine.  It must have been used on the ground before, there are a few grass stains on it."  Her hand still lingered on it, gently feeling the stitches.  "You don't suppose this is … no, it can't be.  It would be gone long ago."  But still there seemed to be a feeling of familiarity about it.

            Susan went to pick up the basket but Angel rushed to her side.  "You shouldn't be lifting that."

            "Honestly, you don't need to baby me."

            "Let me take care of you.  I like this new experience.  Besides the booklet said to avoid heavy lifting."

            "You are going to spoil me."  She took the quilt from him.  "I can at least carry this."  She could almost hear the water flowing in the creek and the breeze whispering to the trees as she held it.  She turned to Angel, "Do you think we could find the creek?"

            "We can try.  It was a good days carriage ride from here.  I imagine that is probably an hour away by car.  I have already marked the map to where I think that it was in Durham.  You sure you want to search for the past?"

            "Maybe something will make it feel more real.  Right now it seems more like a dream.

            They had only driven about ten minutes when Susan asked Angel to stop the car.

            "You okay? He asked, "We can go back."

            "No, I'll be okay, just give me a minute."  She opened the door and sat for a moment with her head lowered.  When she opened her eyes she noticed that right at her feet were one of the wild white primroses, she had told Angel about.  She brought his attention to it, but he pointed to the hill beside the car.

            "A kiss for each one?  We might be here for awhile."  The hill seemed to be covered with the small white flowers with a cream centre.  Susan seemed to be drawn toward them.  Angel followed, and just over the small hill they found an old cemetery surrounded by an old wrought iron fence.  The gate had the words, "Hamilton Estate" moulded into the metal.  Without even a glance back to Angel, Susan walked through the gates and went directly across the cemetery to the east side, as if she knew exactly where she was going.  He watched from the gate, rather puzzled because of the way she moved.  He noticed that the same wild primroses grew randomly among the graves but where Susan was walking they seemed to be getting thicker and the stone where she stopped at was completely surrounded by the white flowers.  He watched her read the words on the stone, then as if her legs had grown very weak she slowly sat down among the blooms.  Angel rushed to her side and noticed how pale she had suddenly become.  Turning to the stone he understood why as he read, "Elizabeth S. Quinn Hamilton, Wife of Charles, 1734 to 1762."

            Not far away a girl was helping her grandmother tend to some graves when she saw Angel rushing over to Susan.  She alerted the older woman to what was happening and they rose to offer their assistance.

            Angel knelt down on the ground behind Susan and wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back to lean against him, "Are you all right, Lamb?"

            "It was just a bit of a shock."  She took in a deep breath.  "I guess this is the evidence I was looking for."

            The woman and her granddaughter looked down at the couple.  "Are you all right dear?" the older woman asked.  Susan jumped at the sound and looked at he girl, gasping again.  Angel felt her push back against him, as if what she saw frightened her.

            "Have we met before?" Susan asked the girl.

            "No, I don't think so."

            "But you look so familiar."  Turning her head to Angel she added, "Can you help me get up?"

            "Maybe you should rest for a minute."

            "Not here."

            As he was helping her to her feet he said to the grandmother, "Susy is having a bit of trouble with morning sickness and feels a little faint at times."

            Again Susan's knees buckled, but this time her husband was there to pick her up.

            "There's a bench over here," the woman said leading them to the seat about ten feet away.  "I'm Margaret and this is Bethie," she turned to the girl, "Bring this young lady one of our bottles of water.  As they waited a few minutes the grandmother continued, "Are you all right now dear?"  Beth arrived with the bottle, which Susan drank a little from.  The familiarity of the girl still startled her a little.

            "Thank you very much for your kindness.  We are Angel and Susan Lockwood from Los Angeles."  At was the first time he had been able to introduce them as a married couple and a feeling of pride ran through him.

            "Angel, that is a name I haven't heard for a long time.  It is odd that you chose this grave to collapse on dear."

            "Oh, why it that?"  Susan asked.

            "There is quite a legend here involving Elizabeth Quinn Hamilton.  I knew her myself in my younger days."

            "How can that be?  She died in 1762."  Susan asked, the colour was starting to come back to her and she was obviously very interested that there may be a legend she was part of.

            "Well, it seems that Elizabeth was forced into an arranged marriage by her father to an evil old man, Charles Hamilton.  She was in love with a young blacksmith but was taken away to Charles' winter home in Italy or somewhere for several years.  When they came back her lover moved closer to her and they had an affair.  She got pregnant and when Charles found out he called upon a demon to end her life.  There was never any idea of what happened to her lover.  About eight generations ago my family took on the position of tending the Hamilton Estate including this cemetery."

            Susan and Angel listened very closely – the legend was fairly accurate, but they were careful not to make any corrections.  Susan asked, "Sounds interesting, is the original house still standing?"

            "Oh yes dear, we live in it together, Bethie and I."

            "Could we see it?" Susan asked.

            Before Margaret could answer Angel asked, "Do you think that is a good idea?"

            "I need to know the truth in it, Angel."

            "I see I have sparked an interest, of course you can see the house.  It is one of the oldest around here.  The legend is not well known out of the area so we don't have a lot of site seers."

            "Do you really believe the legend?" Angel asked trying to counter balance Susan's eagerness.

            "I don't just believe it, I know it is true.  Elizabeth's ghost walked these hills and the home for years.  I knew her very well.  Oh, most people think that ghosts are scary beings, but Elizabeth was kind and helped others.  She was however walking the hills calling for her love, Angel". It is said that wherever one of her tears touched the ground a white primrose grew.    As you can see she visited here often. My granddaughter was named after her."

            "Is the ghost still here?" Susan asked cautiously.

            "No, she was released back in 1971.  Brother Francis came here from Hexham Abbey to set her free.  I remember he told her that to find Angel she would have to go back to God.  I never saw her again."

            "Susy, you okay?" Angel asked as she had gone rather pale again.

"I think we should go back to the cottage, I'm not feeling very well."

            "Poor dear, you must be having a hard time."

            "Could we come back tomorrow to see the house if I'm feeling better?"

            "Of course you are welcome any time."

            The couple excused themselves and returned to the cottage.  Angel was very concerned about Susy, this really couldn't be good for her but he was beginning to remember something about his lamb.  She was a very stubborn, determined person and it was that characteristic that helped her survive Charles two hundred and fifty years ago, Solcapprodee six months ago and probably why she walked so long in her search.  If there was one thing he knew it was that she loved him to the very depths of her soul.  He would help her through this.

            As Susan was taking the things back out of the basket she spoke to Angel.  "You've been very quiet since we left the cemetery.  Have I done something wrong?"

            He put his arms around her, "Why do you have to dig so hard?  I don't want you to get hurt.  I love you.  We have each other now, the past doesn't matter."

            She buried her face into his neck.  He held her tighter when he felt a slight tremble go through her body.  She pulled back from him and he could see her eyes were filled with tears.  "I never told you before … I was adopted.  In fact I was left in a hospital lobby in a basket, so there is no record of who I was.  I always felt lost, searching for someone or something.  I know now that the someone was you.  The something was knowing who I was.  Angel, I'm learning who I was."  She returned to her place tucked into his neck.  "I won't look if you don't want me to."

            "They aren't good memories, Susy."

            "The ones you are in are good."

            "Not all of them."

            "Angel you did not kill Elizabeth.  You did not kill me!"  This time he pulled away from her turning his back.

            "I did kill you."

            She walked over to him and placed her hands on his back.  "Do you love me, Angel?"

            He turned to her, not hiding his own tears.  "Of course I love you."

            "As Alexander you loved me … He looked like you … but it was not you that ended my life.  I knew it then and I know it now."

            He held her tightly again.  "I did terrible things back in my soulless days, but that must have been the worst."

            "Angel, remember Mama Horvath said you are to forgive yourself.  It was not you but the work of evil.  You are not evil." 
            "God, I love you Susan."  He kissed her long, hard and deep.

            "If you are going to do that, you may have to finish what you start."

            His answer was to pull her close and kiss her like there was no tomorrow.  He picked her up and carried her up the stairs, then placed her gently on the bed.  She started to unbutton his shirt but he took her hands in his, looking deeply in her eyes saying, "Let me do for you … let me show you how much I love you."  He pulled his shirt over his head not taking time to unbutton it.  Susan started to unbutton her own blouse but again he stopped her.  He kissed her neck so gently she almost couldn't feel his touch, up to her ear as he whispered, "I want to make love to you."  He continued over her cheek to the corner of her mouth but when she tried to meet his lips with hers he quickly moved down to her neck.

            "You are being a tease."

            "You think only a woman can tease?"  He undid the top button of her blouse and kissed her where it had been, moving slowly down between her breasts with each button.  He gently pulled her up to a sitting position and pushed her blouse back over her shoulders.  Again she tried to help but he stopped and just looked into her eyes.

            "You are going to drive me crazy," she whispered.

            "I'll stop before then."

            "Don't stop."

            He kissed her shoulder as he pulled back her top and slid it over her arms.  With one hand he reached behind her and undid the clasp on her bra and slowly laid her back on the bed.  Her breathing had gotten deeper as he kissed her breasts, which were fuller and more sensitive in her condition.  She gasped as his tongue touched her nipple.  He hesitated for a second.

            "Don't stop."

            He continued down to the top of her jeans, which she wasn't able to button because of her growing belly.  He hesitated when he undid the zipper and saw the scar of the brand, but then he kissed it and said to their unborn child, "Be good, I want to make love to your mommy."  He sat up and pulled her jeans and underwear off, removed his own, then lay beside her so that he was facing her.  She turned to face him kissing him desperately her tongue searching for his.  Her hands reached for him but again he stopped her, this time by pulling her hands over her head where he held them easily with one hand.  He watched her as he ran his hand gently down over her body.  Her eyes looked at him, pleading, but she said nothing.  Her breathing grew deeper and faster until finally her back arched against him bringing on waves of orgasm.  His mouth found hers as he carefully placed himself above her making sure to completely carry his own weight.  As he slid into her, again her body pushed against him as the waves ran through her.  He felt her muscles contract against him and he too reached an explosive climax.  It had been hard for him to wait but he had wanted to give totally to her in a selfless manner.

            Susan was still breathing heavily as he lay down beside her, facing her.

            "Oh God," she said as she breathed out, "Oh God."

            "So you liked that?" he asked, not really needing an answer.

            "It has never been like that before."

            "That's because no one has ever loved you the way that I do."

            "I hope Henry and Martha didn't hear me."

            "If they did they will know that we are enjoying our honeymoon."

            They showered together; enjoying each others touch as one lathered the other.  "Don't get too attached to those," she said as he placed soap on her breasts, "after the baby is weaned they will go back to the way they were."

            His answer was to pull her close for another kiss. But suddenly the water started to go cool so they had to rush getting the soap off.  Susan let out a shriek as it went cold and they scrabbled out of the shower.  The continued caring one for the other as they towelled each other dry.

            "How about something to eat, I'm starved," Susan said as she wrapped the towel around herself.

            "You are hungry?" Angel smiled at her. "We should have tried that before.

            They quickly dressed and went down to the kitchen and for the first time in a long time Susy enjoyed what she ate.

            That evening they decided to take a walk to see what the nearby countryside had to offer.  Susan seemed to be feeling so much better, more at ease.  She felt like she really did have her love back without question.

            They enjoyed the countryside, so different than home.  Stone fences made patterns rolling down into the valleys and up the hills.  Along the way they could see the occasional white primrose on their path and as Angel had promised he kissed her for each one.  They continued on hand in hand until they found a bridge over a creek.  Susan hesitated when she saw it then said, "I remember when this bridge was built, do you?"

            "No, I can't say that I do.  What do you remember?"
            "There was a man killed here.  I remember rocks to build the bridge falling on him.  Men were rushing around trying to help him.  I remember holding his hand and telling him that God loved him. … That's it, I can't recall anything else.

            Angel continued over the bridge while Susy stood in the centre watching the water flow by.  He stopped at the other side when he found a sign, "Joe Brown gave his life to build this bridge.  Remember him when you pass by.  1893."  He glanced at his love, but saw she still watched the water and decided then that she really didn't need to know when she had been there.  Maybe this ghost story was turning out to be true.

            "Are you getting tired," he asked putting his arm around her.  "Maybe we should head back to the cottage."

            "I guess that would be good.  It has been a very busy day.  A good one …" she smiled at him, "but very busy."

            Just being together made them each feel complete.  They lay in bed just knowing the peace that had come to them and knowing that this was right and meant to be.

            "I missed the scent of your cologne when we were apart.  Sometimes I used to think I could catch a touch in the breeze, but it must have been my imagination."  Angel stayed quiet as he listened.  "Remember that song that said, 'you fill up my scenes?"  It seems like you complete every part of me."

            "I know … me too."

            "What do you think The Powers will have in mind for you now?"

            "I guess that is something we will have to wait and see.  I really don't know what I am capable of doing anymore."

            "Whatever it is, I'll be there."