Chapter 18
As Elizabeth slowly came out of a deep sleep the next morning, she felt immersed in the very unusual feeling of warmth...incredible warmth surrounded her...It was so unusual as the farmhouse was usually so horribly cold in the morning. Burying her nose deeper into the bedcovers, she let out a
little sigh and shifted closer to the source of the heat.
But as the moments past while the morning light that was sneaking into the room danced on her closed eyelids,Elizabeth slowly became aware of a number of other strange sensations...There was a weight laying on her waist. Elizabeth stiffened. What was that? And there was this unusual scent...leather and spice...Her eyes flew rapidly open. It took a moment before the haziness in front of her slowly cleared to reveal nothing but a white wall. She moved back slightly and realised it wasn't a wall...it was a shirt clad chest. Following the row of buttons upwards, she soon saw golden skin revealed where the shirt opened, just below someone's neck...a neck with an Adam's apple! Oh Lord there was a man in her bed!!!
After a moment of paralising fear, she quickly pushing hard against what seemed to her to be a stranger's body, and let out a loud cry of distress.
At the sound, Jason's piercing blue eyes immediately opened and he instantly used the arm that had somehow found its way on Elizabeth's waist to pull her down to the floor. Quickly covering her small frame with his considerably larger one, he reached for the gun he had tucked underneath the bed.
By now, Elizabeth was in a full blown panic as she found herself trapped under Jason's large form. She struggled to push her hands against Jason's chest and tried to kick her feet to get them free of his. Her cries were muffled against the hand he had quickly placed over her mouth.
With gun steady in hand, Jason raised his head to look around the room. After a moment of silence and seeing nothing, Jason finally looked down at Elizabeth and barked out, "There's no one here. Why the hell are you screaming?!"
At the sound of his question, Elizabeth finally realised who had thrown her to the ground. Jason! As her eyes caught sight of the golden band on the hand over her mouth, memories of the previous day ran through her mind. Oh
Lord...the wedding...that's why he was in bed with her...But what was he doing pushing her to the ground?!
Jason's eyes squinted in confusion as Elizabeth began to mumble. Then realising his hand was still over her lips, he released her and sat up.
Eyes widening in shock, Elizabeth exclaimed, "Why did you throw me to the ground?"
"Because I thought we were being ambushed! Now tell me what the hell made you scream!"
At his angry tone, Elizabeth flinched. She now knew she had
overreacted to the strange sensation of waking up to finding a man in her bed...but how was she going to explain that to the very irritated man before her. Her eyes flew to the shiny black gun in Jason's hands. Oh Lord...he really must have
thought someone had attacked them when she had screamed!
"Well?" Jason asked impatiently.
"I-uh-I thought-"
A loud knock on the door interrupted this uneasy beginning to
Elizabeth's explanation. A worried voice shouted through the door, "Jase, Elizabeth, ya alright?! We heard screams."
With a sigh, Jason got up off the ground to his feet, and tucked his gun into his waist band. Then he as he held a hand out to Elizabeth, he answered curtly, "Everything's fine, Carly."
"Oh, then what's that screamin' all 'bout?!"
"Honey, he's said ev'rythin's alright. Let's just leave them alone..."
"But-"
"Carly..."
"Sonny-oh, oh right! Well...we'll be seein' ya down for breakfast then..."
As Carly's voice faded, Elizabeth, who was still laying on the ground, tore her wide eyes away from the door and reluctantly raised them. Seeing his outstretched hand, she placed her hand in it and he easily pulled her up to her feet.
Once on her feet, she quickly let go of his hand, and cast her eyes back downwards in embarrassment over the fuss she had caused by her ridiculous behaviour. But she could feel Jason's intense scrutiny. Oh dear he must be terribly angry!
But in fact, anger was the farthest thing from Jason's mind at the moment...now that the initial sense of danger had passed, he was noticing Elizabeth's appearance for the first time. The previous evening, it had been dark and she had spent the whole time behind the bed covers...which was a good thing. Because as his gaze took in the small nightgown she was
wearing, or more precisely the expanse of creamy skin it was revealing, he was finding it unusually hard to concentrate on anything let alone his earlier anger.
As the silence stretched out between them, Elizabeth swallowed. Why didn't he say anything? Tentatively she lifted her large eyes to find Jason's fiery blue gaze on her. His whole body seemed strangely tense. Feeling the need to ease what she thought was his anger toward her, Elizabeth began hesitantly, "I-I am terribly s-sorry, Jason. I know you're angry...but I am not used to having...um...a...stranger in bed with...ah...me. I woke up and seeing...ah...you...I simply panicked. It won't happen again, I pr-promise."
Hearing the anxiety in her voice, Jason tore his gaze away from her, and gave his head a small angry shake. God damn it! What the hell was the matter with him? Here the girl was frightened half to death, and how did he treat her? He threw her to the ground, yelled at her, and then just stared like an idiot at her. You would think he'd never seen a woman in a
nightgown for heaven's sake! But while he inwardly berated himself for his strange reaction to her, Jason attempted to ease her obvious concern, "No. I'm sorry, Elizabeth. I think I overreacted myself. You're going to need some time to get used to all of this. We both will." Turning away from her, Jason moved back towards the bed and put on his black boots. Then as he walked over to open the drawer of the bureau to pull out a clean pair of black pants, and matching shirt, he said, "I'll go downstairs and let you get dressed." He reached for the shaving blade on the bureau and his hat,
laying next to the pile of daisies and hair pins, and began to walk toward the door. "We have a lot to discuss. But it can wait 'til after breakfast."
And then before Elizabeth could even start to think of a reply, Jason had walked out the door, and closed it behind him. For a long moment, Elizabeth simply stood with mouth agape staring at the closed door. What had just happened? She had been prepared...well perhaps not prepared, maybe
more like resigned...to an angry lecture from Jason. Wasn't that what always happened when she did something wrong? Grams or Sarah would be quick to point out her foolish behaviour...but Jason simply apologised and left. In fact...it was almost as if he couldn't get away from her fast enough. Oh dear...perhaps he was so exasperated by her behaviour he simply couldn't stand being in the same room with her, but still...he had apologised.
Attempting to shake off his confusing behaviour, Elizabeth searched for her clothing and began to ready herself for what she was afraid was going to be just as difficult a day as the previous one.
She had finished donning her white shirtwaist and green skirt, when she began to tackle her long, wild curls. As she smoothed a piece of hair to pin it back out of her face, Elizabeth caught the glint of light reflecting off her hand in the mirror. Quickly pinning the lock of hair up, she slowly
lowered her left hand to stare at it. It was the most potent reminder of all that had happened yesterday...but what was going to happen now?
Placing her hand nervously over her fluttering stomach, Elizabeth lifted her eyes to stare at herself in the mirror. Oh heavens...she looked as frightened as she felt. "But you can't stay up here all morning..."
With a deep breath, she put her feet in the black shoes which one Carly's girls must have placed in the corner of the room during the wedding. And then with one quick look around to make sure the room was tidy, she placed a shaky hand on the door knob and turned it.
Elizabeth was cautiously making her way down the stairs, when the sound of voices caught her attention.
"Hey Jase, where's yore bride?"
"Johnny, ya idiot, she's his wife now, not bride!"
"What the hell's the difference?"
"They's married now, that's the difference. Ain't that right, Jase?"
"Would ya two fools leave 'im alone? He's tryin' to have his breakfast in peace!"
"Peace, Carly?! Was Jase thinkin' of my peace this mornin' when he and his bride were makin' all that ruckus?! Lord...they could've woke the dead! What were ya doin' Jase?"
Chuckles. "Lord, Johnny ya can't tell me ya don't know?!"
Answering laughter. "Ya don't mean..."
"Yep...ya know...screamin' and such..."
"Shut the hell up, you two!"
Jason's sharp command made Elizabeth start suddenly, losing her balance momentarily on the stairs. She quickly grabbed the railing and righted herself, but she knew the noise she had made had likely made them aware of her presence. Closing her eyes, and feeling a deep flush rise to her face,
she descended the rest of the way down the stairs.
With a warning glance at all three men, Carly walked toward the stairs and smiled reassuringly at Elizabeth as the girl took the last step. "Mornin' honey. We're just startin' to eat." Taking the girl's hand, she quickly led her to the table where Jason, Johnny and Francis were standing. Immediately Francis and Johnny both pulled out chairs for Elizabeth. "Sit
down, Elizabeth." "Have a seat, darlin'."
Her large pansy eyes flew from one chair to the other in confusion. Then not knowing what to do, she looked up at Jason. He glared at each of his two friends and said, "Would you two just sit down!" Then turning to Elizabeth, he motioned to the seat beside him which Francis had pulled
out. "You can sit here."
With a small nod of her head, Elizabeth quickly complied. Embarrassed by her actions earlier in the morning, and not really wanting to consider the likely meaning of the conversation she had just overheard, she looked around
the saloon to see it was still as empty as it had been the night before.
As he placed a fork of egg into his mouth, Jason found himself watching the faint flush rise on Elizabeth's smooth cheek. As his eyes followed the flush down her delicate throat, an image of her dressed in that nightgown flashed through his head. An inexplicable pang of lust hit him, and Jason swallowed a groan along with his food. His mouth suddenly dry, Jason
reached for his glass of orange juice. What the hell was the matter with him?
"Elizabeth! Good you're down," noted Sonny with a smile as he headed into the hall with a plate of eggs in one hand and pancakes in the other. "Now, I hope you enjoy blueberry as much as you enjoy strawberries, darlin'. I made these 'specially for you."
With a tentative smile, Elizabeth's eyes widened as she took in the large blueberries laying on top of two perfectly round pancakes. As the plate was set down in front of her, she breathed in the wonderful sweet smell of maple syrup and cream. With mouth watering, Elizabeth murmured politely,
"Thank you kindly, Sonny."
As he sat down to his own plate of eggs, Sonny gave a robust chuckle as he watched the girl's fascination with her plate of food. "Eat, Elizabeth."
When Elizabeth had complied with this request and had placed large mouthfuls of the fluffy pancake into her smiling lips, Sonny turned to Jason. "Carly tells me Elizabeth wants to get a few of her thin's from Mrs. Hardy's farm."
Jason, who had been quietly watching Elizabeth make quick work of her breakfast, asked her, "What do you need, Elizabeth?"
With fork in midair, Elizabeth's eyes briefly met his before she turned toward Carly. "I-I need some clothing..."
Carly cut in, "I tried to tell her, I would take her to Chloe's for new thin's..."
Jason nodded, thoughtfully as he continued to watch Elizabeth. "Carly's right Elizabeth. You can buy whatever you need. But if you want your belongings from the farm, I'll take you there."
Elizabeth shook her head quickly. She had the uneasy feeling it would not be a good idea for Jason to come to the farm with her. Her grandmother had seemed dreadfully upset with the both of them, but she seemed particularly enraged with Jason. For the sake of peace, Elizabeth did not want to upset her grandmother any more than she had. "Thank you, but I-I can go and pick up my things on my own."
"I'm afraid not, Elizabeth," Jason said firmly, "You can't go by
yourself."
She started at this announcement and looked up at him in confusion.
Sonny explained gently, "For your safety Elizabeth, you can't go out into the countryside alone. Someone needs to go with you."
"B-but why?" Elizabeth asked in bewilderment.
Letting out an exasperated sigh and giving her husband an irritated glare, Carly replied, "It's 'cause the men are worried 'bout Moreno, honey. But don't ya fret, honey." She paused before continuing shrewdly, "If ya don't want Jase to come 'cause of that granny of yours, I'll come with ya if
ya like. She won't like it, but I'll make sure she let's ya get your things, and leave in peace. And then we can go to Chloe's to get ya some new thin's."
Before Elizabeth could reply, Sonny shook his head and said to Carly, "No. You two can't go alone."
Carly's eyes narrowed angrily. "We ain't goin' alone. We're goin' together!"
"Carly!"
"Don't ya use that tone with me, mister! I told ya last night, I ain't
goin' to let that that...snake...run my life!"
As their voices rose, Elizabeth turned worried eyes toward Jason. Oh dear...this was all her fault! Jason met her eyes for a moment before saying to his friends, "This isn't getting us anywhere." Turning to Carly, he reasoned, "You know Sonny and I are only worried about you and Elizabeth. We don't know what Moreno is up to yet. So 'til we do, you two ladies will have to be cautious. At least let Johnny and Francis escort you to the Hardy's. For our peace of mind."
Anger spent, Carly let out a small sigh and turned to Elizabeth. "I just hate it when he does this. Bein' all reasonable and like! Agh!" Then suddenly the blond woman burst out into laughter. "Lord, ain't I glad to have 'nother female 'round. Maybe 'tween the two of us, we'll be able
to beat some sense into these mules!
For a moment Elizabeth just stared in shock at Carly. One moment she was spitting angry and the next she was having a hearty chuckle. Sonny leaned over to whisper to Elizabeth, "Believe it or not, ya may never understand her but ya get used to her."
"What was that, Sonny?" Carly said with narrowed eyes.
"Oh...I was just tellin' Elizabeth how much I love you, honey."
Carly gave a disbelieving grunt at this, but her amber eyes softened as they met her husband's. What a strange couple these two were...they were both such strong individuals and yet they made their relationship work. And the obvious love between them made Elizabeth's heart clench achingly.
"Elizabeth?"
She turned her sad eyes toward Jason. "Yes?"
"Are you sure you want to go to the farm? Your grandmother will not welcome you with open arms."
Elizabeth nodded her head. She knew that a meeting with her grandmother and sister would be difficult, but she...she did have to get her clothes and other personal belongings. And she had to say goodbye to Daisy and the other farm animals...With a soft sigh, Elizabeth admitted to herself she also wanted to try one more time to make her grandmother and sister understand her decision to marry Jason. "I know Grams'll be angry. I-I just need to go."
After a moment, Jason gave a short nod and stood up. "Alright, you, Carly and the boys go this mornin'. I have a few things I need to take care of before this afternoon. Then we can meet back here. I should be getting
Rebecca back soon, maybe even tomorrow. We need to discuss where we're going to live."
Elizabeth's eyes widened in surprise. "You want to discuss where we're going to live?" She remembered how he had taken her opinion into consideration the previous night...but it was still so foreign to her...
"Didn't we already talk about this? Since you're going to have to live there too, I think you should have a say, don't you?"
Not knowing how to reply, she simply nodded her head. Then a thought occurred to her, "Do you know where Rebecca is?"
With jaw set, Jason shook his head. "No. But I will after we visit my grandmother tomorrow." Picking up his hat, Jason continued to Johnny and Francis. "Be careful."
Both men nodded solemnly as the got up. Sonny also stood up. "I'll walk you out Jase."
When the two men had left, Carly said to Francis and Johnny, "Well, if we plan to get goin' we'll have to get these dishes cleaned. Come on boys."
It took a moment for Elizabeth to realise that Carly and her "boys" had picked up a stack of dirty dishes and were heading toward the kitchen. As she slowly stood up, and automatically picked up her own dishes, she thought
of what Jason had said. Her eye widened. They were going to visit his family tomorrow?! Oh dear after what she had witnessed yesterday, the idea sounded decidedly frightening...
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
After being helped down from the wagon by Johnny, Elizabeth's eyes roamed over the piece of land which had been for so many years her home...Her eyes paused over the gated area near the barn where Daisy was grazing on the
grass. Her dark brown eyes seemed to shine in welcome as her head turned toward Elizabeth. Immediately she made her way toward the fence and reaching over she stroked the animal, whispering soothing words in her large ears.
After finishing visiting with her animal friends, Elizabeth's gaze
swept the farm for signs of either her sister or grandmother, but only spotted a few of the farmhands. As they spotted her, each acknowledged her with tips of his hat, and Elizabeth gave each a responding small smile. She knew they were all likely well aware of what had happened the previous day, but
there was no censure in any of their eyes.
Walking back to the wagon where Johnny was standing and in which Carly and Francis who were still sitting in conversation, Elizabeth said tentatively, "I-I think it would be best if I went to the house alone. Can you wait out here for me?"
With a supportive smile, Carly nodded, "Sure honey. But ya make sure if yore havin' any trouble ya give us a shout."
Elizabeth thanked her friends, and then with a deep breath she made her way toward the house she used to call home. She had just stepped up onto the porch when the door opened to reveal Audrey Hardy's deceptively frail looking frame.
The old woman's eyes narrowed upon seeing her granddaughter. "I thought I heard a wagon approaching, but I would never have thought you would have the presumption to appear here, Lizzie!" Audrey crossed her arms in front
of her and continued cruelly, "So you've finally come to your senses and want to come home. But I won't allow it. You made your own bed!"
While she had not been expecting a warm welcome from the woman who had raised her, Elizabeth was none-the-less wounded by the old woman's coldness. In the face of such anger, she had the decided urge to run back to the wagon. But instead she replied softly, "I'm not coming back home,
Grams...I came by to pickup a few of my things." She paused before adding hesitantly, "And I would like an opportunity to make things right with you and Sarah. You're my family, and I don't want there to be anger between us. I love you both too dearly for that."
Audrey let out a loud huff. "If you cared about us, Lizzie, you
wouldn't have gone against my wishes and married that rascal last evening. Just because you were in a church, dressed in some white gown, and Lord knows where that came from, it does not mean it was anything but a mockery of a wedding." Seeing Elizabeth's surprise, the older woman nodded. "Yes,
we heard all about the scandalous details from Lucy! Really, to put on such a sideshow in the Lord's house is beyond me! And to have it all almost come to blows! Do you see what kind of man you married, Lizzie?!"
"Yes Lizzie," agreed Sarah, who had just appeared behind her
grandmother. "You have caused Lucky a great deal of worry! You should have seen him this morning. He's beside himself about you being married to that man! Is that what you want? How can you be so selfish, Lizzie?!"
Surprised at Sarah's words, Elizabeth shook her head rapidly. "No, Sarah, I don't wish to worry anyone. Can't you see that my marrying Jason was for the best? You said yourself I brought shame to the family with my behaviour...By marrying, I was trying to make it right for everyone. And
I'm not in any danger...not really. I know you don't reckon so, but Jason's a good man. He's promised to keep me safe, and I believe him."
Audrey gave an ugly laugh. "If you believe that man, then you're a fool. The more I hear about him the more I'm convinced he's dangerous. Do you know how many men it's reputed he's killed?! And now...now I hear from everyone that the man has a daughter! Some bastard likely begotten in
sin! No one has any idea who the girl's mother is. And now he wants to saddle you with his bas-"
"Grams!" Elizabeth cried out in outrage. Audrey's cruel comments regarding Rebecca made Elizabeth forget her desire for reconciliation as an overwhelming sense of protectiveness came over her. "How dare you say such things about an innocent child?! And her name is Rebecca!"
"Don't you use that tone with me, Lizzie! I won't stand for it! I can say anything I so choose on my own porch!"
Elizabeth was just about to reply when a shout come from behind her, "Somethin' wrong here, honey?!"
Still shaken with anger, Elizabeth turned around to see a concerned Carly was making her way up the stairs. With a small shake of her head, Elizabeth said softly, "No." She spun back to her grandmother and sister. She could see there was no reasoning with either one of them. And as much as it
pained her, she knew what she had to do. "I'm sorry you both are still so angry about my decision. I never wished to hurt either of you. But I won't listen to you insulting an innocent little girl. Good day." With that Elizabeth turned around and headed down the stairs, meeting Carly halfway.
"But I thought you were here to pickup your things, Lizzie!" Sarah said in some astonishment. What had happened to her timid little sister?
Without turning around Elizabeth replied quietly, "I-I think it would be best if I don't take anything from this house."
Audrey's eyes narrowed. "I see...You won't be needing your decent clothing now that...that man you married will outfit you like those sinful saloon women!" She looked past Elizabeth to Carly. "Like that one there!"
"Hey!" growled an affronted Carly, "There ain't nothin' wrong with my taste in fashion. I suggest ya look in the mirror!"
With lips trembling slightly, Elizabeth said to her friend, "Let us go, Carly. Please."
Moving her fiery amber eyes away from Audrey and back to Elizabeth's pale face, Carly took in a deep calming breath. She would love nothing better than to set this old woman in her place but Elizabeth did not look up to a confrontation despite the fact she had held her own against the two
witches earlier. Wrapping her arm around the girl, Carly said, "Yep, let's go home, honey. There ain't nothin' here worth arguin' 'bout." And ignoring the Audrey's outrage cry, they walked down the stairs.
The two women had just made there way to the wagon, and Francis was helping Elizabeth into the wagon when they heard a shout behind them. "Miss Lizzie!!"
Looking over her shoulder in surprise she saw the young farmhand, Jesse coming out of the barn waving to her with one hand. And there with his other hand, he was guiding her bicycle! Elizabeth moved toward the farmhand and waited for the young man to speak.
When he got close enough to speak to her without shouting, Jesse began uncomfortably, "I'm sorry, Miss-ugh, no it's Mrs. Morgan now ain't it? Anyway, I'm sorry ya ain't goin' to be livin' here no more...all us boy's are gonna miss ya."
Shaking off the strange sensation of having herself called "Mrs. Morgan," Elizabeth's already teary eyes, watered some more. "Thank you, Jesse. I will miss you all dearly."
The lanky man blushed and looked downward awkwardly. With a quick glance at the bicycle, he stuttered, "I-I thought ya would wanna take yore bicycle. I-I know how much ya love ridin' it."
Shimmering blue eyes wandered over the bicycle in thought. Elizabeth did love riding on the bicycle...and it had been given to her by Steven. Reaching out to touch the handle, she remembered all the times she had ridden it to the pond by the Quartermaine orchards. It had given her the opportunity to
escape so many times, if only momentarily. Lifting her eyes to Jesse's green ones, Elizabeth smiled. "Thank you, Jesse. I believe I will take it with me."
With a last shy smile in return, Jesse handed the bicycle over to Elizabeth and made his way back to the barn.
"Here, Elizabeth, let me put it in the back of the wagon," Johnny suggested as he reached for the bicycle.
Elizabeth was about to nod her head in agreement, when suddenly she changed her mind. "No, if you don't mind, I would like to ride it back to town."
Johnny glanced at Carly in question. Carly's response was to smile at Elizabeth. "Sure honey, if ya want to ride that thin', ya go ahead." With that Carly ordered the men to get into the wagon and after Elizabeth had climbed on her bicycle, they were off.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
As Elizabeth peddled beside the wagon on the dirt trail, she tried to shake off all the pain from the confrontation with her grandmother and sister, and just concentrate on the beautiful cloudless day. As the warmth of the sun fluttered across the lower part of her face not shadowed by the rim of her straw hat, Elizabeth breathed in the fragrant smell of the wild flowers growing along the path.
While discussing saloon business with Johnny and Francis, Carly glanced at the girl on the bicycle. Surprisingly the girl seemed to look rather content peddling away. To Carly the contraption looked a little unsteady, and she shouted out curiously, "Elizabeth?!"
Momentarily taking her eyes off the stretch of path ahead of her, Elizabeth looked at Carly. "Yes?"
"Is it hard to learn to ride that thin'"
Remembering the scrapes and bruises she had earned learning to ride the first time, Elizabeth smiled slightly at the question, and was about to answer when Johnny shouted out, "'Course not! What could be so hard?! Ya just get on the thin' and ya peddle."
Carly scoffed at this comment. "I bet it ain't that easy Johnny!"
Francis chuckled, "Now, Carly, if that li'l thin' can do it, I'm sure it ain't too difficult."
"Oh really Francis?" Carly reached over and tugged on the reigns in Francis's hands.
"What are ya doin', Carly?!" shouted a perplexed Francis.
When the horses came to a stop, Carly quickly jumped out of the wagon, and shouted out to Elizabeth who was now riding ahead, "Elizabeth, please come back here!"
Confused, Elizabeth rode back to the wagon. "What is the matter, Carly?"
Carly waved at the two men who were still sitting in the wagon in some shock. "These two idiots think ridin' that bicycle ain't anythin'." She turned to the men, "Alright, then. I want to see how easy it really is boys!"
Wide eyed, Johnny and Francis just stared speechless first at the blond and then at the bicycle. Francis mumbled, "Naw, we can't ride that thin' Carly. It's not made for a man for one thin'..."
While a little surprised at Carly's suggestion, Elizabeth pointed out, "Actually, Francis, my brother told me that it was actually built for men. My legs are in fact a little short for it and I have to lean forward." As she leaned one hand against the wagon, she showed how her feet barely touched the peddles when she sat fully back on the seat. Then she
slipped off the seat and stood beside it, waiting expectantly for what would happen next.
Carly smiled in satisfaction. "Ya see, Francis?! Now quit makin' excuses and ride that thin'." Then with a wicked gleam in her eye, she suggested, "Or perhaps yore not so sure it's so easy now!"
Francis snorted as he jumped down from thewagon. "'Course, I'm sure!" He walked around the back of the wagon until he was beside Elizabeth and the bicycle. The girl took a step away from the contraption, and Francis took a firm grip of the handles, leading it away from the wagon. "How hard
can this be?"
Elizabeth bit her lip nervously as she watched the large stocky man attempting to swing one leg over the side of the bicycle and sit down on the seat at the same time. He started to put the other foot on the peddle..."Oh no Francis-" Before she could finish her warning, Francis had lost his
balance and had landed on the ground tangled up with the bicycle.
As Carly's loud laughter rang out through the air, Elizabeth anxiously ran up to the fallen man. Peering down at the man trapped under the bicycle, she asked, "Are you alright, Francis?"
Groaning, Francis slowly opened his eyes. "What the hell just
happened?"
"Ya...fell on...your arse, Francis!" shouted Carly through her laughter. "I'm reckonin' it ain't as easy as it looks, huh?"
Francis cursed to himself as he pushed the bicycle up and moved out from under it. Elizabeth quickly took the handle and helped to lift the bicycle from the grumbling man. As he picked up his now mangled cowboy hat, Francis turned to Elizabeth. "How the hell do ya get on that thin'?"
"Oh, I tried to warn you, Francis...you need to make sure you keep at least one foot on the ground to keep your balance until you get going."
Nodding his head, Johnny chuckled before saying, "Any fool would've known that Francis!"
Looking up from his ruined hat, Francis shot Johnny an irritated look. "Oh, let's be seein' how ya do, Johnny!"
With a smirk, Johnny walked over to Elizabeth and took hold of the bicycle to lead it away to the open trail. "Now ya'll be seein' how it's suppose to be done!" With that, the tall lanky man easily sat himself on the bicycle, and then pushed off with one foot, while peddling with the other. As he
started to peddle a few short yards, he turned his head slightly to shout out, "Ya see this is-"
The rest of the man's words were swallowed up by his shout as Johnny found himself tilting off too far on one side and then, as the front wheel hit the grass, he went flying off the seat!
"Oh heavens!" cried Elizabeth as she, Carly and Francis immediately ran toward Johnny's still form. All three shot out questions of concern, but for a long moment Johnny simply laid there. Then as Carly leaned down to place a hand on Johnny's neck, his eyelids flew open. He grunted out,
"I reckon it ain't that easy to ride that thin' after all..."
As Carly and Francis offered their hands to help Johnny up, Elizabeth asked quietly, "Are you hurt, Johnny?"
Standing up, Johnny shook his now hatless head. "No darlin'. I ain't injured nothin'." Then looking down at his muddy clothing, he groaned, "Nothin' but my pride! Lord, if the men find out 'bout this, I'll never hear the end of it!"
Handing Johnny his equally muddy black cowboy hat, Francis agreed, "I reckon, we both won't!"
"Oh, no one will say anything..." Elizabeth reassured as she walked over to assess the damage to her bicycle. Besides having a few mores spots of mud on it, it looked fine.
Carly shook her head with a laugh as she started to walk back to the wagon. "Now, I don't know, honey. Don't ya reckon ev'ryone will want to know...how well big, strong men ride bicycles?"
"Carly!" Johnny cried out as he ran after her, at the same time as Francis shouted, "Ya wouldn't!"
Walking her bicycle up to the three, Elizabeth smiled, "Of course no one will say anything." As the men glanced at Carly nervously, Elizabeth continued lost in thought, "Besides there's no shame in falling. Why I fell a number of times before I learned to ride. I still have the scars. But once you learn, it's easy-" As she saw all three were now staring her,
she stopped herself and blushed. Lord, she couldn't believe she was talking so much!
Noting the girl's sudden embarrassment, Johnny said, "I don't know...ya sure make it look easy, Elizabeth."
Still blushing, Elizabeth didn't reply.
Wanting to put the girl at ease again, Francis turned to Johnny and suggested, "If Elizabeth agrees to teach us to ride, I wager I can learn to ride that thin' faster than ya, Johnny."
Elizabeth's eyes widened at the suggestion and Johnny replied, "Ya reckon so, Francis me boy? I'll wager ya a new hat that ya still be fallin' on your arse when I'm ridin' circles 'round ya!"
Shaking her head at their antics, Carly glanced at her timepiece. "Well we'll talk 'bout that later. But right now we got to be headin' to the dress shop to get the girl some clothin'. We only got an hour 'fore we're suppose to be back to the saloon and ya know what Sonny would do if we're
late."
The two men winced as they thought of how worried Sonny would get, and the resulting tongue-lashing they would receive! Quickly the men helped Carly up into the wagon and Elizabeth onto her bicycle, and once again, they all
headed back to town...only this time the two men were a little worse for wear.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
It was early afternoon by the time Jason found himself walking through the swinging double doors into the saloon. As he moved over to the bar, he noticed that the main hall was relatively empty except for a few early patrons and a few of Carly's girls. He made his way to the bark and nodded
his head to the man Johnny had assigned to bar duty in his absence. "Johnny back yet, Max?"
The red-haired man shook his head. "No, Jase. None of them are. But Sonny should be out from the kitchen with some more oh-be-joyful any second now. Can I get ya anythin'?"
Jason made a curt negative movement with his head as he absently took a seat by the bar. As his eyes followed Max's hands wiping down some glasses, he thought of his morning's information expedition. He had sought out some of Sonny's contacts in town to see what anyone knew about Edward's murder. There were of course still those who believed Jason was somehow responsible for the deed, but the name on many lips seemed to be Moreno. And Jason, himself, had to agree that Moreno was the likely candidate. There was that
heated dispute over Quartermaine land and access to water...and with Edward gone, Moreno would be able to easily bully AJ. And setting up Jason for the murder seemed to fit if Moreno was the murderer. After all both Moreno and Sorel hated him and saw him as a threat. And they wanted the land...
"Jason?"
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Jason turned his blue eyes toward Sonny's curious ones. "Sonny."
Passing over the case of oh-be-joyful to Max, Sonny sat down next to Jason. "So...did you find out anythin'?"
"A little," Jason acknowledged as he pulled off his hat. "They say Moreno and Sorel were off visiting some business folks in Maple Springs." Maple Springs was a town a good hour away from Heaven.
Sonny shrugged, "Just means they could've sent one of their men to do it."
"Maybe, but we have to find out who did it. And who put that note in my room."
Sonny glanced around the saloon. "I still don't know how one of Moreno's men came upstairs without none of my men or the girls seein' them."
"Maybe it wasn't one of Moreno's men...I think we should make a list of everyone who came upstairs that evening, Sonny."
"Sure, but you let me look into this murder business, Jase. Just concentrate on gettin' that daughter of yores," Jason started to shake his head, and Sonny sighed, "Alright, I reckon that's not goin' to happen, but you've got to let me help you. Anyways, if it's Moreno, he likely also killed Deke. He needs to pay."
Jason nodded, "I don't know if its Moreno, but I have to find Edward's killer. For Lila's sake."
The two men sat in silence for a moment lost in their own thoughts,
before
Sonny asked, "So did you go and have a look?"
Staring straight ahead, Jason gave a short nod. His face went strangely still, and emotionless.
"Are you sure this is what you want, Jase?" Sonny asked quietly. "We could figure out somethin' else."
"No, if Elizabeth agrees-"
"If Elizabeth agrees to what, Jase?" Carly interrupted as she flew into the saloon with Elizabeth and with two figures who appeared to be Johnny and Francis behind her. It was hard to tell as both men's faces were hidden behind the load of packages in their arms.
"Lord honey, did you buy out Chloe's shop?" Sonny asked in amusement as he and Jason stood up.
Elizabeth blushed as she glanced from Sonny to Jason. She had begged Carly not to purchase so many things...really all she needed was an outfit or two. But between Carly and Chloe, practically every item in her size was picked out for her.
And even Alexis, who had come in as soon as she had seen Elizabeth through the shop window, had helped to pick out items. As she placed one bonnet after another on Elizabeth's head, the newspaperwoman revealed that she had written a whole story on Elizabeth's beautiful wedding, which she had
witnessed with Ned from the back of the church. She had attempted to glean more details about the newly weds from the girl but Carly soon brought an end to that conversation.
Seeing Jason's eyes rest on the boxes in Johnny's arms, Elizabeth stammered, "I know it's dreadfully extravagant...We-we can return them all...Perhaps if I get some material, I can sew some things." Did she just suggest sewing her own clothing?! Lord...she couldn't even make a straight stitch!
Carly shook her head adamantly. "Certainly not, honey! Ya need thin's now and ya don't have time to sew anythin'"
Elizabeth looked to Jason hesitantly. Jason walked up to Elizabeth. "If you don't like the things Elizabeth, you can return them, but if you do, keep them. Don't worry about the cost."
But she did worry about the cost...she felt dreadfully guilty about taking his money. He'd already sacrificed so much for her. But she saw the resolve in Carly's eyes and knew it would be near impossible to return anything. With
a small sigh, she whispered to Jason, "Thank you."
He shook his head. "You have nothing to thank me for." Deciding to change the conversation to ease Elizabeth's discomfort, he turned to Johnny and Francis. "Can you two leave those boxes in my-our room upstairs? I need to take Elizabeth somewhere."
"Sure, Jase," Johnny replied good-naturedly as he began to make his way to the stairs with guidance from Carly's voice.
"Straight ahead boys...no...a little to yore right...."
As Francis passed Elizabeth he asked anxiously, "Ya think ya can start those lessons later, Elizabeth? I need that new hat."
While Carly laughed, Elizabeth quickly glanced at a confused Jason before replying, "If it's not too dark before we get back." Francis agreed to that plan and continued to head toward the stairs.
With curiosity brimming her eyes, Carly asked, "Where ya takin' her, Jase?"
Before Jason could reply, Sonny suggested, "Honey, why don't you make sure that those boys know where to put the girl's thin's"
Amber eyes narrowed, as Carly began to open her mouth. But she caught the warning note in her husband's eyes, and reluctantly decided to let the matter rest 'til later. "Alright, but we're goin' to talk, Sonny." With a quick smile at Elizabeth, she spun around and ran to the stairs.
Sonny groaned, "I'm sure we are." He paused, before suggesting to the newly weds, "If yore goin' now, I'll pack somethin' for you to eat."
Before either Elizabeth or Jason could reply, he was gone. It was a few moments of awkward silence before Sonny came back with a small basket in his hand. "Just a li'l bit of bread, and jam."
"Thanks Sonny." Jason took the basket. Jason gave his friend a grateful look before turning to Elizabeth. "Are you ready to go, Elizabeth?"
She nodded her head and walked in the direction of the swinging doors. While keenly aware of Jason's presence right behind her, Elizabeth wondered...Go where?
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
As Elizabeth slowly came out of a deep sleep the next morning, she felt immersed in the very unusual feeling of warmth...incredible warmth surrounded her...It was so unusual as the farmhouse was usually so horribly cold in the morning. Burying her nose deeper into the bedcovers, she let out a
little sigh and shifted closer to the source of the heat.
But as the moments past while the morning light that was sneaking into the room danced on her closed eyelids,Elizabeth slowly became aware of a number of other strange sensations...There was a weight laying on her waist. Elizabeth stiffened. What was that? And there was this unusual scent...leather and spice...Her eyes flew rapidly open. It took a moment before the haziness in front of her slowly cleared to reveal nothing but a white wall. She moved back slightly and realised it wasn't a wall...it was a shirt clad chest. Following the row of buttons upwards, she soon saw golden skin revealed where the shirt opened, just below someone's neck...a neck with an Adam's apple! Oh Lord there was a man in her bed!!!
After a moment of paralising fear, she quickly pushing hard against what seemed to her to be a stranger's body, and let out a loud cry of distress.
At the sound, Jason's piercing blue eyes immediately opened and he instantly used the arm that had somehow found its way on Elizabeth's waist to pull her down to the floor. Quickly covering her small frame with his considerably larger one, he reached for the gun he had tucked underneath the bed.
By now, Elizabeth was in a full blown panic as she found herself trapped under Jason's large form. She struggled to push her hands against Jason's chest and tried to kick her feet to get them free of his. Her cries were muffled against the hand he had quickly placed over her mouth.
With gun steady in hand, Jason raised his head to look around the room. After a moment of silence and seeing nothing, Jason finally looked down at Elizabeth and barked out, "There's no one here. Why the hell are you screaming?!"
At the sound of his question, Elizabeth finally realised who had thrown her to the ground. Jason! As her eyes caught sight of the golden band on the hand over her mouth, memories of the previous day ran through her mind. Oh
Lord...the wedding...that's why he was in bed with her...But what was he doing pushing her to the ground?!
Jason's eyes squinted in confusion as Elizabeth began to mumble. Then realising his hand was still over her lips, he released her and sat up.
Eyes widening in shock, Elizabeth exclaimed, "Why did you throw me to the ground?"
"Because I thought we were being ambushed! Now tell me what the hell made you scream!"
At his angry tone, Elizabeth flinched. She now knew she had
overreacted to the strange sensation of waking up to finding a man in her bed...but how was she going to explain that to the very irritated man before her. Her eyes flew to the shiny black gun in Jason's hands. Oh Lord...he really must have
thought someone had attacked them when she had screamed!
"Well?" Jason asked impatiently.
"I-uh-I thought-"
A loud knock on the door interrupted this uneasy beginning to
Elizabeth's explanation. A worried voice shouted through the door, "Jase, Elizabeth, ya alright?! We heard screams."
With a sigh, Jason got up off the ground to his feet, and tucked his gun into his waist band. Then he as he held a hand out to Elizabeth, he answered curtly, "Everything's fine, Carly."
"Oh, then what's that screamin' all 'bout?!"
"Honey, he's said ev'rythin's alright. Let's just leave them alone..."
"But-"
"Carly..."
"Sonny-oh, oh right! Well...we'll be seein' ya down for breakfast then..."
As Carly's voice faded, Elizabeth, who was still laying on the ground, tore her wide eyes away from the door and reluctantly raised them. Seeing his outstretched hand, she placed her hand in it and he easily pulled her up to her feet.
Once on her feet, she quickly let go of his hand, and cast her eyes back downwards in embarrassment over the fuss she had caused by her ridiculous behaviour. But she could feel Jason's intense scrutiny. Oh dear he must be terribly angry!
But in fact, anger was the farthest thing from Jason's mind at the moment...now that the initial sense of danger had passed, he was noticing Elizabeth's appearance for the first time. The previous evening, it had been dark and she had spent the whole time behind the bed covers...which was a good thing. Because as his gaze took in the small nightgown she was
wearing, or more precisely the expanse of creamy skin it was revealing, he was finding it unusually hard to concentrate on anything let alone his earlier anger.
As the silence stretched out between them, Elizabeth swallowed. Why didn't he say anything? Tentatively she lifted her large eyes to find Jason's fiery blue gaze on her. His whole body seemed strangely tense. Feeling the need to ease what she thought was his anger toward her, Elizabeth began hesitantly, "I-I am terribly s-sorry, Jason. I know you're angry...but I am not used to having...um...a...stranger in bed with...ah...me. I woke up and seeing...ah...you...I simply panicked. It won't happen again, I pr-promise."
Hearing the anxiety in her voice, Jason tore his gaze away from her, and gave his head a small angry shake. God damn it! What the hell was the matter with him? Here the girl was frightened half to death, and how did he treat her? He threw her to the ground, yelled at her, and then just stared like an idiot at her. You would think he'd never seen a woman in a
nightgown for heaven's sake! But while he inwardly berated himself for his strange reaction to her, Jason attempted to ease her obvious concern, "No. I'm sorry, Elizabeth. I think I overreacted myself. You're going to need some time to get used to all of this. We both will." Turning away from her, Jason moved back towards the bed and put on his black boots. Then as he walked over to open the drawer of the bureau to pull out a clean pair of black pants, and matching shirt, he said, "I'll go downstairs and let you get dressed." He reached for the shaving blade on the bureau and his hat,
laying next to the pile of daisies and hair pins, and began to walk toward the door. "We have a lot to discuss. But it can wait 'til after breakfast."
And then before Elizabeth could even start to think of a reply, Jason had walked out the door, and closed it behind him. For a long moment, Elizabeth simply stood with mouth agape staring at the closed door. What had just happened? She had been prepared...well perhaps not prepared, maybe
more like resigned...to an angry lecture from Jason. Wasn't that what always happened when she did something wrong? Grams or Sarah would be quick to point out her foolish behaviour...but Jason simply apologised and left. In fact...it was almost as if he couldn't get away from her fast enough. Oh dear...perhaps he was so exasperated by her behaviour he simply couldn't stand being in the same room with her, but still...he had apologised.
Attempting to shake off his confusing behaviour, Elizabeth searched for her clothing and began to ready herself for what she was afraid was going to be just as difficult a day as the previous one.
She had finished donning her white shirtwaist and green skirt, when she began to tackle her long, wild curls. As she smoothed a piece of hair to pin it back out of her face, Elizabeth caught the glint of light reflecting off her hand in the mirror. Quickly pinning the lock of hair up, she slowly
lowered her left hand to stare at it. It was the most potent reminder of all that had happened yesterday...but what was going to happen now?
Placing her hand nervously over her fluttering stomach, Elizabeth lifted her eyes to stare at herself in the mirror. Oh heavens...she looked as frightened as she felt. "But you can't stay up here all morning..."
With a deep breath, she put her feet in the black shoes which one Carly's girls must have placed in the corner of the room during the wedding. And then with one quick look around to make sure the room was tidy, she placed a shaky hand on the door knob and turned it.
Elizabeth was cautiously making her way down the stairs, when the sound of voices caught her attention.
"Hey Jase, where's yore bride?"
"Johnny, ya idiot, she's his wife now, not bride!"
"What the hell's the difference?"
"They's married now, that's the difference. Ain't that right, Jase?"
"Would ya two fools leave 'im alone? He's tryin' to have his breakfast in peace!"
"Peace, Carly?! Was Jase thinkin' of my peace this mornin' when he and his bride were makin' all that ruckus?! Lord...they could've woke the dead! What were ya doin' Jase?"
Chuckles. "Lord, Johnny ya can't tell me ya don't know?!"
Answering laughter. "Ya don't mean..."
"Yep...ya know...screamin' and such..."
"Shut the hell up, you two!"
Jason's sharp command made Elizabeth start suddenly, losing her balance momentarily on the stairs. She quickly grabbed the railing and righted herself, but she knew the noise she had made had likely made them aware of her presence. Closing her eyes, and feeling a deep flush rise to her face,
she descended the rest of the way down the stairs.
With a warning glance at all three men, Carly walked toward the stairs and smiled reassuringly at Elizabeth as the girl took the last step. "Mornin' honey. We're just startin' to eat." Taking the girl's hand, she quickly led her to the table where Jason, Johnny and Francis were standing. Immediately Francis and Johnny both pulled out chairs for Elizabeth. "Sit
down, Elizabeth." "Have a seat, darlin'."
Her large pansy eyes flew from one chair to the other in confusion. Then not knowing what to do, she looked up at Jason. He glared at each of his two friends and said, "Would you two just sit down!" Then turning to Elizabeth, he motioned to the seat beside him which Francis had pulled
out. "You can sit here."
With a small nod of her head, Elizabeth quickly complied. Embarrassed by her actions earlier in the morning, and not really wanting to consider the likely meaning of the conversation she had just overheard, she looked around
the saloon to see it was still as empty as it had been the night before.
As he placed a fork of egg into his mouth, Jason found himself watching the faint flush rise on Elizabeth's smooth cheek. As his eyes followed the flush down her delicate throat, an image of her dressed in that nightgown flashed through his head. An inexplicable pang of lust hit him, and Jason swallowed a groan along with his food. His mouth suddenly dry, Jason
reached for his glass of orange juice. What the hell was the matter with him?
"Elizabeth! Good you're down," noted Sonny with a smile as he headed into the hall with a plate of eggs in one hand and pancakes in the other. "Now, I hope you enjoy blueberry as much as you enjoy strawberries, darlin'. I made these 'specially for you."
With a tentative smile, Elizabeth's eyes widened as she took in the large blueberries laying on top of two perfectly round pancakes. As the plate was set down in front of her, she breathed in the wonderful sweet smell of maple syrup and cream. With mouth watering, Elizabeth murmured politely,
"Thank you kindly, Sonny."
As he sat down to his own plate of eggs, Sonny gave a robust chuckle as he watched the girl's fascination with her plate of food. "Eat, Elizabeth."
When Elizabeth had complied with this request and had placed large mouthfuls of the fluffy pancake into her smiling lips, Sonny turned to Jason. "Carly tells me Elizabeth wants to get a few of her thin's from Mrs. Hardy's farm."
Jason, who had been quietly watching Elizabeth make quick work of her breakfast, asked her, "What do you need, Elizabeth?"
With fork in midair, Elizabeth's eyes briefly met his before she turned toward Carly. "I-I need some clothing..."
Carly cut in, "I tried to tell her, I would take her to Chloe's for new thin's..."
Jason nodded, thoughtfully as he continued to watch Elizabeth. "Carly's right Elizabeth. You can buy whatever you need. But if you want your belongings from the farm, I'll take you there."
Elizabeth shook her head quickly. She had the uneasy feeling it would not be a good idea for Jason to come to the farm with her. Her grandmother had seemed dreadfully upset with the both of them, but she seemed particularly enraged with Jason. For the sake of peace, Elizabeth did not want to upset her grandmother any more than she had. "Thank you, but I-I can go and pick up my things on my own."
"I'm afraid not, Elizabeth," Jason said firmly, "You can't go by
yourself."
She started at this announcement and looked up at him in confusion.
Sonny explained gently, "For your safety Elizabeth, you can't go out into the countryside alone. Someone needs to go with you."
"B-but why?" Elizabeth asked in bewilderment.
Letting out an exasperated sigh and giving her husband an irritated glare, Carly replied, "It's 'cause the men are worried 'bout Moreno, honey. But don't ya fret, honey." She paused before continuing shrewdly, "If ya don't want Jase to come 'cause of that granny of yours, I'll come with ya if
ya like. She won't like it, but I'll make sure she let's ya get your things, and leave in peace. And then we can go to Chloe's to get ya some new thin's."
Before Elizabeth could reply, Sonny shook his head and said to Carly, "No. You two can't go alone."
Carly's eyes narrowed angrily. "We ain't goin' alone. We're goin' together!"
"Carly!"
"Don't ya use that tone with me, mister! I told ya last night, I ain't
goin' to let that that...snake...run my life!"
As their voices rose, Elizabeth turned worried eyes toward Jason. Oh dear...this was all her fault! Jason met her eyes for a moment before saying to his friends, "This isn't getting us anywhere." Turning to Carly, he reasoned, "You know Sonny and I are only worried about you and Elizabeth. We don't know what Moreno is up to yet. So 'til we do, you two ladies will have to be cautious. At least let Johnny and Francis escort you to the Hardy's. For our peace of mind."
Anger spent, Carly let out a small sigh and turned to Elizabeth. "I just hate it when he does this. Bein' all reasonable and like! Agh!" Then suddenly the blond woman burst out into laughter. "Lord, ain't I glad to have 'nother female 'round. Maybe 'tween the two of us, we'll be able
to beat some sense into these mules!
For a moment Elizabeth just stared in shock at Carly. One moment she was spitting angry and the next she was having a hearty chuckle. Sonny leaned over to whisper to Elizabeth, "Believe it or not, ya may never understand her but ya get used to her."
"What was that, Sonny?" Carly said with narrowed eyes.
"Oh...I was just tellin' Elizabeth how much I love you, honey."
Carly gave a disbelieving grunt at this, but her amber eyes softened as they met her husband's. What a strange couple these two were...they were both such strong individuals and yet they made their relationship work. And the obvious love between them made Elizabeth's heart clench achingly.
"Elizabeth?"
She turned her sad eyes toward Jason. "Yes?"
"Are you sure you want to go to the farm? Your grandmother will not welcome you with open arms."
Elizabeth nodded her head. She knew that a meeting with her grandmother and sister would be difficult, but she...she did have to get her clothes and other personal belongings. And she had to say goodbye to Daisy and the other farm animals...With a soft sigh, Elizabeth admitted to herself she also wanted to try one more time to make her grandmother and sister understand her decision to marry Jason. "I know Grams'll be angry. I-I just need to go."
After a moment, Jason gave a short nod and stood up. "Alright, you, Carly and the boys go this mornin'. I have a few things I need to take care of before this afternoon. Then we can meet back here. I should be getting
Rebecca back soon, maybe even tomorrow. We need to discuss where we're going to live."
Elizabeth's eyes widened in surprise. "You want to discuss where we're going to live?" She remembered how he had taken her opinion into consideration the previous night...but it was still so foreign to her...
"Didn't we already talk about this? Since you're going to have to live there too, I think you should have a say, don't you?"
Not knowing how to reply, she simply nodded her head. Then a thought occurred to her, "Do you know where Rebecca is?"
With jaw set, Jason shook his head. "No. But I will after we visit my grandmother tomorrow." Picking up his hat, Jason continued to Johnny and Francis. "Be careful."
Both men nodded solemnly as the got up. Sonny also stood up. "I'll walk you out Jase."
When the two men had left, Carly said to Francis and Johnny, "Well, if we plan to get goin' we'll have to get these dishes cleaned. Come on boys."
It took a moment for Elizabeth to realise that Carly and her "boys" had picked up a stack of dirty dishes and were heading toward the kitchen. As she slowly stood up, and automatically picked up her own dishes, she thought
of what Jason had said. Her eye widened. They were going to visit his family tomorrow?! Oh dear after what she had witnessed yesterday, the idea sounded decidedly frightening...
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
After being helped down from the wagon by Johnny, Elizabeth's eyes roamed over the piece of land which had been for so many years her home...Her eyes paused over the gated area near the barn where Daisy was grazing on the
grass. Her dark brown eyes seemed to shine in welcome as her head turned toward Elizabeth. Immediately she made her way toward the fence and reaching over she stroked the animal, whispering soothing words in her large ears.
After finishing visiting with her animal friends, Elizabeth's gaze
swept the farm for signs of either her sister or grandmother, but only spotted a few of the farmhands. As they spotted her, each acknowledged her with tips of his hat, and Elizabeth gave each a responding small smile. She knew they were all likely well aware of what had happened the previous day, but
there was no censure in any of their eyes.
Walking back to the wagon where Johnny was standing and in which Carly and Francis who were still sitting in conversation, Elizabeth said tentatively, "I-I think it would be best if I went to the house alone. Can you wait out here for me?"
With a supportive smile, Carly nodded, "Sure honey. But ya make sure if yore havin' any trouble ya give us a shout."
Elizabeth thanked her friends, and then with a deep breath she made her way toward the house she used to call home. She had just stepped up onto the porch when the door opened to reveal Audrey Hardy's deceptively frail looking frame.
The old woman's eyes narrowed upon seeing her granddaughter. "I thought I heard a wagon approaching, but I would never have thought you would have the presumption to appear here, Lizzie!" Audrey crossed her arms in front
of her and continued cruelly, "So you've finally come to your senses and want to come home. But I won't allow it. You made your own bed!"
While she had not been expecting a warm welcome from the woman who had raised her, Elizabeth was none-the-less wounded by the old woman's coldness. In the face of such anger, she had the decided urge to run back to the wagon. But instead she replied softly, "I'm not coming back home,
Grams...I came by to pickup a few of my things." She paused before adding hesitantly, "And I would like an opportunity to make things right with you and Sarah. You're my family, and I don't want there to be anger between us. I love you both too dearly for that."
Audrey let out a loud huff. "If you cared about us, Lizzie, you
wouldn't have gone against my wishes and married that rascal last evening. Just because you were in a church, dressed in some white gown, and Lord knows where that came from, it does not mean it was anything but a mockery of a wedding." Seeing Elizabeth's surprise, the older woman nodded. "Yes,
we heard all about the scandalous details from Lucy! Really, to put on such a sideshow in the Lord's house is beyond me! And to have it all almost come to blows! Do you see what kind of man you married, Lizzie?!"
"Yes Lizzie," agreed Sarah, who had just appeared behind her
grandmother. "You have caused Lucky a great deal of worry! You should have seen him this morning. He's beside himself about you being married to that man! Is that what you want? How can you be so selfish, Lizzie?!"
Surprised at Sarah's words, Elizabeth shook her head rapidly. "No, Sarah, I don't wish to worry anyone. Can't you see that my marrying Jason was for the best? You said yourself I brought shame to the family with my behaviour...By marrying, I was trying to make it right for everyone. And
I'm not in any danger...not really. I know you don't reckon so, but Jason's a good man. He's promised to keep me safe, and I believe him."
Audrey gave an ugly laugh. "If you believe that man, then you're a fool. The more I hear about him the more I'm convinced he's dangerous. Do you know how many men it's reputed he's killed?! And now...now I hear from everyone that the man has a daughter! Some bastard likely begotten in
sin! No one has any idea who the girl's mother is. And now he wants to saddle you with his bas-"
"Grams!" Elizabeth cried out in outrage. Audrey's cruel comments regarding Rebecca made Elizabeth forget her desire for reconciliation as an overwhelming sense of protectiveness came over her. "How dare you say such things about an innocent child?! And her name is Rebecca!"
"Don't you use that tone with me, Lizzie! I won't stand for it! I can say anything I so choose on my own porch!"
Elizabeth was just about to reply when a shout come from behind her, "Somethin' wrong here, honey?!"
Still shaken with anger, Elizabeth turned around to see a concerned Carly was making her way up the stairs. With a small shake of her head, Elizabeth said softly, "No." She spun back to her grandmother and sister. She could see there was no reasoning with either one of them. And as much as it
pained her, she knew what she had to do. "I'm sorry you both are still so angry about my decision. I never wished to hurt either of you. But I won't listen to you insulting an innocent little girl. Good day." With that Elizabeth turned around and headed down the stairs, meeting Carly halfway.
"But I thought you were here to pickup your things, Lizzie!" Sarah said in some astonishment. What had happened to her timid little sister?
Without turning around Elizabeth replied quietly, "I-I think it would be best if I don't take anything from this house."
Audrey's eyes narrowed. "I see...You won't be needing your decent clothing now that...that man you married will outfit you like those sinful saloon women!" She looked past Elizabeth to Carly. "Like that one there!"
"Hey!" growled an affronted Carly, "There ain't nothin' wrong with my taste in fashion. I suggest ya look in the mirror!"
With lips trembling slightly, Elizabeth said to her friend, "Let us go, Carly. Please."
Moving her fiery amber eyes away from Audrey and back to Elizabeth's pale face, Carly took in a deep calming breath. She would love nothing better than to set this old woman in her place but Elizabeth did not look up to a confrontation despite the fact she had held her own against the two
witches earlier. Wrapping her arm around the girl, Carly said, "Yep, let's go home, honey. There ain't nothin' here worth arguin' 'bout." And ignoring the Audrey's outrage cry, they walked down the stairs.
The two women had just made there way to the wagon, and Francis was helping Elizabeth into the wagon when they heard a shout behind them. "Miss Lizzie!!"
Looking over her shoulder in surprise she saw the young farmhand, Jesse coming out of the barn waving to her with one hand. And there with his other hand, he was guiding her bicycle! Elizabeth moved toward the farmhand and waited for the young man to speak.
When he got close enough to speak to her without shouting, Jesse began uncomfortably, "I'm sorry, Miss-ugh, no it's Mrs. Morgan now ain't it? Anyway, I'm sorry ya ain't goin' to be livin' here no more...all us boy's are gonna miss ya."
Shaking off the strange sensation of having herself called "Mrs. Morgan," Elizabeth's already teary eyes, watered some more. "Thank you, Jesse. I will miss you all dearly."
The lanky man blushed and looked downward awkwardly. With a quick glance at the bicycle, he stuttered, "I-I thought ya would wanna take yore bicycle. I-I know how much ya love ridin' it."
Shimmering blue eyes wandered over the bicycle in thought. Elizabeth did love riding on the bicycle...and it had been given to her by Steven. Reaching out to touch the handle, she remembered all the times she had ridden it to the pond by the Quartermaine orchards. It had given her the opportunity to
escape so many times, if only momentarily. Lifting her eyes to Jesse's green ones, Elizabeth smiled. "Thank you, Jesse. I believe I will take it with me."
With a last shy smile in return, Jesse handed the bicycle over to Elizabeth and made his way back to the barn.
"Here, Elizabeth, let me put it in the back of the wagon," Johnny suggested as he reached for the bicycle.
Elizabeth was about to nod her head in agreement, when suddenly she changed her mind. "No, if you don't mind, I would like to ride it back to town."
Johnny glanced at Carly in question. Carly's response was to smile at Elizabeth. "Sure honey, if ya want to ride that thin', ya go ahead." With that Carly ordered the men to get into the wagon and after Elizabeth had climbed on her bicycle, they were off.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
As Elizabeth peddled beside the wagon on the dirt trail, she tried to shake off all the pain from the confrontation with her grandmother and sister, and just concentrate on the beautiful cloudless day. As the warmth of the sun fluttered across the lower part of her face not shadowed by the rim of her straw hat, Elizabeth breathed in the fragrant smell of the wild flowers growing along the path.
While discussing saloon business with Johnny and Francis, Carly glanced at the girl on the bicycle. Surprisingly the girl seemed to look rather content peddling away. To Carly the contraption looked a little unsteady, and she shouted out curiously, "Elizabeth?!"
Momentarily taking her eyes off the stretch of path ahead of her, Elizabeth looked at Carly. "Yes?"
"Is it hard to learn to ride that thin'"
Remembering the scrapes and bruises she had earned learning to ride the first time, Elizabeth smiled slightly at the question, and was about to answer when Johnny shouted out, "'Course not! What could be so hard?! Ya just get on the thin' and ya peddle."
Carly scoffed at this comment. "I bet it ain't that easy Johnny!"
Francis chuckled, "Now, Carly, if that li'l thin' can do it, I'm sure it ain't too difficult."
"Oh really Francis?" Carly reached over and tugged on the reigns in Francis's hands.
"What are ya doin', Carly?!" shouted a perplexed Francis.
When the horses came to a stop, Carly quickly jumped out of the wagon, and shouted out to Elizabeth who was now riding ahead, "Elizabeth, please come back here!"
Confused, Elizabeth rode back to the wagon. "What is the matter, Carly?"
Carly waved at the two men who were still sitting in the wagon in some shock. "These two idiots think ridin' that bicycle ain't anythin'." She turned to the men, "Alright, then. I want to see how easy it really is boys!"
Wide eyed, Johnny and Francis just stared speechless first at the blond and then at the bicycle. Francis mumbled, "Naw, we can't ride that thin' Carly. It's not made for a man for one thin'..."
While a little surprised at Carly's suggestion, Elizabeth pointed out, "Actually, Francis, my brother told me that it was actually built for men. My legs are in fact a little short for it and I have to lean forward." As she leaned one hand against the wagon, she showed how her feet barely touched the peddles when she sat fully back on the seat. Then she
slipped off the seat and stood beside it, waiting expectantly for what would happen next.
Carly smiled in satisfaction. "Ya see, Francis?! Now quit makin' excuses and ride that thin'." Then with a wicked gleam in her eye, she suggested, "Or perhaps yore not so sure it's so easy now!"
Francis snorted as he jumped down from thewagon. "'Course, I'm sure!" He walked around the back of the wagon until he was beside Elizabeth and the bicycle. The girl took a step away from the contraption, and Francis took a firm grip of the handles, leading it away from the wagon. "How hard
can this be?"
Elizabeth bit her lip nervously as she watched the large stocky man attempting to swing one leg over the side of the bicycle and sit down on the seat at the same time. He started to put the other foot on the peddle..."Oh no Francis-" Before she could finish her warning, Francis had lost his
balance and had landed on the ground tangled up with the bicycle.
As Carly's loud laughter rang out through the air, Elizabeth anxiously ran up to the fallen man. Peering down at the man trapped under the bicycle, she asked, "Are you alright, Francis?"
Groaning, Francis slowly opened his eyes. "What the hell just
happened?"
"Ya...fell on...your arse, Francis!" shouted Carly through her laughter. "I'm reckonin' it ain't as easy as it looks, huh?"
Francis cursed to himself as he pushed the bicycle up and moved out from under it. Elizabeth quickly took the handle and helped to lift the bicycle from the grumbling man. As he picked up his now mangled cowboy hat, Francis turned to Elizabeth. "How the hell do ya get on that thin'?"
"Oh, I tried to warn you, Francis...you need to make sure you keep at least one foot on the ground to keep your balance until you get going."
Nodding his head, Johnny chuckled before saying, "Any fool would've known that Francis!"
Looking up from his ruined hat, Francis shot Johnny an irritated look. "Oh, let's be seein' how ya do, Johnny!"
With a smirk, Johnny walked over to Elizabeth and took hold of the bicycle to lead it away to the open trail. "Now ya'll be seein' how it's suppose to be done!" With that, the tall lanky man easily sat himself on the bicycle, and then pushed off with one foot, while peddling with the other. As he
started to peddle a few short yards, he turned his head slightly to shout out, "Ya see this is-"
The rest of the man's words were swallowed up by his shout as Johnny found himself tilting off too far on one side and then, as the front wheel hit the grass, he went flying off the seat!
"Oh heavens!" cried Elizabeth as she, Carly and Francis immediately ran toward Johnny's still form. All three shot out questions of concern, but for a long moment Johnny simply laid there. Then as Carly leaned down to place a hand on Johnny's neck, his eyelids flew open. He grunted out,
"I reckon it ain't that easy to ride that thin' after all..."
As Carly and Francis offered their hands to help Johnny up, Elizabeth asked quietly, "Are you hurt, Johnny?"
Standing up, Johnny shook his now hatless head. "No darlin'. I ain't injured nothin'." Then looking down at his muddy clothing, he groaned, "Nothin' but my pride! Lord, if the men find out 'bout this, I'll never hear the end of it!"
Handing Johnny his equally muddy black cowboy hat, Francis agreed, "I reckon, we both won't!"
"Oh, no one will say anything..." Elizabeth reassured as she walked over to assess the damage to her bicycle. Besides having a few mores spots of mud on it, it looked fine.
Carly shook her head with a laugh as she started to walk back to the wagon. "Now, I don't know, honey. Don't ya reckon ev'ryone will want to know...how well big, strong men ride bicycles?"
"Carly!" Johnny cried out as he ran after her, at the same time as Francis shouted, "Ya wouldn't!"
Walking her bicycle up to the three, Elizabeth smiled, "Of course no one will say anything." As the men glanced at Carly nervously, Elizabeth continued lost in thought, "Besides there's no shame in falling. Why I fell a number of times before I learned to ride. I still have the scars. But once you learn, it's easy-" As she saw all three were now staring her,
she stopped herself and blushed. Lord, she couldn't believe she was talking so much!
Noting the girl's sudden embarrassment, Johnny said, "I don't know...ya sure make it look easy, Elizabeth."
Still blushing, Elizabeth didn't reply.
Wanting to put the girl at ease again, Francis turned to Johnny and suggested, "If Elizabeth agrees to teach us to ride, I wager I can learn to ride that thin' faster than ya, Johnny."
Elizabeth's eyes widened at the suggestion and Johnny replied, "Ya reckon so, Francis me boy? I'll wager ya a new hat that ya still be fallin' on your arse when I'm ridin' circles 'round ya!"
Shaking her head at their antics, Carly glanced at her timepiece. "Well we'll talk 'bout that later. But right now we got to be headin' to the dress shop to get the girl some clothin'. We only got an hour 'fore we're suppose to be back to the saloon and ya know what Sonny would do if we're
late."
The two men winced as they thought of how worried Sonny would get, and the resulting tongue-lashing they would receive! Quickly the men helped Carly up into the wagon and Elizabeth onto her bicycle, and once again, they all
headed back to town...only this time the two men were a little worse for wear.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
It was early afternoon by the time Jason found himself walking through the swinging double doors into the saloon. As he moved over to the bar, he noticed that the main hall was relatively empty except for a few early patrons and a few of Carly's girls. He made his way to the bark and nodded
his head to the man Johnny had assigned to bar duty in his absence. "Johnny back yet, Max?"
The red-haired man shook his head. "No, Jase. None of them are. But Sonny should be out from the kitchen with some more oh-be-joyful any second now. Can I get ya anythin'?"
Jason made a curt negative movement with his head as he absently took a seat by the bar. As his eyes followed Max's hands wiping down some glasses, he thought of his morning's information expedition. He had sought out some of Sonny's contacts in town to see what anyone knew about Edward's murder. There were of course still those who believed Jason was somehow responsible for the deed, but the name on many lips seemed to be Moreno. And Jason, himself, had to agree that Moreno was the likely candidate. There was that
heated dispute over Quartermaine land and access to water...and with Edward gone, Moreno would be able to easily bully AJ. And setting up Jason for the murder seemed to fit if Moreno was the murderer. After all both Moreno and Sorel hated him and saw him as a threat. And they wanted the land...
"Jason?"
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Jason turned his blue eyes toward Sonny's curious ones. "Sonny."
Passing over the case of oh-be-joyful to Max, Sonny sat down next to Jason. "So...did you find out anythin'?"
"A little," Jason acknowledged as he pulled off his hat. "They say Moreno and Sorel were off visiting some business folks in Maple Springs." Maple Springs was a town a good hour away from Heaven.
Sonny shrugged, "Just means they could've sent one of their men to do it."
"Maybe, but we have to find out who did it. And who put that note in my room."
Sonny glanced around the saloon. "I still don't know how one of Moreno's men came upstairs without none of my men or the girls seein' them."
"Maybe it wasn't one of Moreno's men...I think we should make a list of everyone who came upstairs that evening, Sonny."
"Sure, but you let me look into this murder business, Jase. Just concentrate on gettin' that daughter of yores," Jason started to shake his head, and Sonny sighed, "Alright, I reckon that's not goin' to happen, but you've got to let me help you. Anyways, if it's Moreno, he likely also killed Deke. He needs to pay."
Jason nodded, "I don't know if its Moreno, but I have to find Edward's killer. For Lila's sake."
The two men sat in silence for a moment lost in their own thoughts,
before
Sonny asked, "So did you go and have a look?"
Staring straight ahead, Jason gave a short nod. His face went strangely still, and emotionless.
"Are you sure this is what you want, Jase?" Sonny asked quietly. "We could figure out somethin' else."
"No, if Elizabeth agrees-"
"If Elizabeth agrees to what, Jase?" Carly interrupted as she flew into the saloon with Elizabeth and with two figures who appeared to be Johnny and Francis behind her. It was hard to tell as both men's faces were hidden behind the load of packages in their arms.
"Lord honey, did you buy out Chloe's shop?" Sonny asked in amusement as he and Jason stood up.
Elizabeth blushed as she glanced from Sonny to Jason. She had begged Carly not to purchase so many things...really all she needed was an outfit or two. But between Carly and Chloe, practically every item in her size was picked out for her.
And even Alexis, who had come in as soon as she had seen Elizabeth through the shop window, had helped to pick out items. As she placed one bonnet after another on Elizabeth's head, the newspaperwoman revealed that she had written a whole story on Elizabeth's beautiful wedding, which she had
witnessed with Ned from the back of the church. She had attempted to glean more details about the newly weds from the girl but Carly soon brought an end to that conversation.
Seeing Jason's eyes rest on the boxes in Johnny's arms, Elizabeth stammered, "I know it's dreadfully extravagant...We-we can return them all...Perhaps if I get some material, I can sew some things." Did she just suggest sewing her own clothing?! Lord...she couldn't even make a straight stitch!
Carly shook her head adamantly. "Certainly not, honey! Ya need thin's now and ya don't have time to sew anythin'"
Elizabeth looked to Jason hesitantly. Jason walked up to Elizabeth. "If you don't like the things Elizabeth, you can return them, but if you do, keep them. Don't worry about the cost."
But she did worry about the cost...she felt dreadfully guilty about taking his money. He'd already sacrificed so much for her. But she saw the resolve in Carly's eyes and knew it would be near impossible to return anything. With
a small sigh, she whispered to Jason, "Thank you."
He shook his head. "You have nothing to thank me for." Deciding to change the conversation to ease Elizabeth's discomfort, he turned to Johnny and Francis. "Can you two leave those boxes in my-our room upstairs? I need to take Elizabeth somewhere."
"Sure, Jase," Johnny replied good-naturedly as he began to make his way to the stairs with guidance from Carly's voice.
"Straight ahead boys...no...a little to yore right...."
As Francis passed Elizabeth he asked anxiously, "Ya think ya can start those lessons later, Elizabeth? I need that new hat."
While Carly laughed, Elizabeth quickly glanced at a confused Jason before replying, "If it's not too dark before we get back." Francis agreed to that plan and continued to head toward the stairs.
With curiosity brimming her eyes, Carly asked, "Where ya takin' her, Jase?"
Before Jason could reply, Sonny suggested, "Honey, why don't you make sure that those boys know where to put the girl's thin's"
Amber eyes narrowed, as Carly began to open her mouth. But she caught the warning note in her husband's eyes, and reluctantly decided to let the matter rest 'til later. "Alright, but we're goin' to talk, Sonny." With a quick smile at Elizabeth, she spun around and ran to the stairs.
Sonny groaned, "I'm sure we are." He paused, before suggesting to the newly weds, "If yore goin' now, I'll pack somethin' for you to eat."
Before either Elizabeth or Jason could reply, he was gone. It was a few moments of awkward silence before Sonny came back with a small basket in his hand. "Just a li'l bit of bread, and jam."
"Thanks Sonny." Jason took the basket. Jason gave his friend a grateful look before turning to Elizabeth. "Are you ready to go, Elizabeth?"
She nodded her head and walked in the direction of the swinging doors. While keenly aware of Jason's presence right behind her, Elizabeth wondered...Go where?
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
