Chapter 21

Erik and Jonathan galloped using the directions Jonathan used to find the Christie manor. Erik prayed to God that Isabelle would be unharmed when they find her. A feeling deep in his heart told him not to be too hopeful.

When they reached the manor it was nighttime. Perfect Erik thought, the darkness is my strong point. There were two rooms with candles lit Erik could see. He and Jonathan quietly, but quickly dismounted their horses. Erik led the way and opened the front door. He heard muffled voices upstairs. Erik signaled for Jonathan to stay there and watch the door, and Erik silently disappeared into the dark hallway.

Erik followed the voices to be in a bedroom, they were male and the door was opened a crack. He quickly peeked in and saw no sign of Isabelle. He went to the room nearby with a candle burning inside, and looked in, what he saw he would never forget. Isabelle was tied to post on a bed sitting toward him. Her head was bowed down, unconscious he thought, and her back was what would haunt him. All across her back were the lines only a whip could make. They had to have thrashed her at least twenty times. Erik silently went in, glancing in the hallway for signs of her uncle and the other man.

He went to Isabelle and looked at her face. She was still breathing, but was blacked out. She must have hit her head for she had blood staining her beautiful face. Her wrists were raw from struggling against the ropes, and some of Gertie's neatly done stitches were torn apart, leaving blood dripping from the reopen wounds. Erik quickly unbound her wrists; just as he finished the last one Isabelle's eyes suddenly snapped open, the pain in them unbearably obvious.

"Erik, don't leave me," she whispered frantically, at the same time Erik heard footsteps coming towards the bedroom, Isabelle whimpered softly, clutching Erik's sleeve. He pried Isabelle's fingers from his sleeve and stood up in a menacing stance.

A burly man entered, looking at Isabelle, and then his eyes found Erik's form near the bed.

"Who the hell are you?" The man questioned.

"Someone whose path you should not have crossed," Erik replied, with venom in his words. The man's eyes widened and he pulled a knife out, and lunged for Erik. The man lunged toward Erik; Erik was just pulling out his lasso when a gunshot sounded through the room. Erik looked up from the dead man's body in front of him to see Jonathan holding the smoking gun in his hand.

They heard more footsteps and Jonathan came fast to stand next to Erik, the gun pointed towards the door.

William, Isabelle's uncle, entered the room with his own gun in hand. He saw Isabelle, the dead man, Jonathan and finally Erik. Jonathan cocked the gun and was about to pull the trigger when William ran out of the room. Jonathan and Erik both followed and as William went to go down the stairs. Jonathan lunged and grabbed William by the ankle. William's body fell forward and went down the stairs. His body landing limp. Jonathan rushed down the stairs and felt for a pulse.

"He's dead monsieur," Jonathan confirmed, "We should tend to your wife now."

Jonathan helped Erik get an unconscious Isabelle on a horse, and Erik mounted on the same horse behind Isabelle. Jonathan mounted his horse and they made their way back home.

"Jonathan, thank you for helping me," Erik said, "I apologize for you having to carry the blood of another man on your hands."

"No monsieur, do not apologize, I would do it again if I had to," Jonathan said, "I think of it as we rid the world of two evil people and did other people a favor." Erik only nodded; they continued their journey in silence.

When they reached the manor Maurice was waiting outside for them. He approached them and let out a sigh when he saw Isabelle.

"Is the Madame all right?" Maurice asked.

"She will be how is Gertie?" Erik questioned.

"Worried sick about the three of you," Maurice replied with a slight smile. Maurice helped Erik get Isabelle down and then Erik carried her to their bedroom. He laid her on her stomach to clean the wounds on her back. When he saw them in better lighting he wished he could have killed her uncle for this torture. Gertie came in with hot water lots of clean cloth and some salve for the wounds. She gasped when she saw them and Erik commanded her to leave them.

Erik dipped the clean cloth in the water and gently wiped the blood away from her cuts. They were not very deep, but most of them would leave scars. Erik felt horrible, he should have stayed home and protected his wife. It was his fault she was hurt like this. Erik put some salve on the wounds as his finished touch and lifted her into a sitting position. He looked at the wound on her head and wiped the blood away with some cloth. He started to clean it and he glanced down and saw Isabelle staring at him intently.

"Isabelle, I am so sorry," he whispered brokenly, "This is my fault, I never should have left you."

"Erik, it's not your fault," she whispered back, her voice filled with hurt. "You saved me, that's all that matters." She brought his hand to her lips and gently kissed it. Erik and Isabelle both had tears in their eyes.

"Isabelle I love you so much," Erik said, "You mean the world to me, I am so sorry about our argument. I want to have children if you do, I really do."

"I love you too Erik, I love you more than anything, I couldn't bear my life without you," Isabelle said, tears silently streaming down her face, "I'm so glad you do want children, I love you so much."

Erik cleaned the cut on her head,

"I think you have a concussion from hitting your head," Erik said.

Erik cleaned and stitched her wrists again and helped her into her shift. He gently set her on her stomach again, not wanting the wounds to reopen, and he lay down next to her. She scooted next to him and wrapped her arm around his stomach, laid her head on his chest and his hand held hers.

"I love you," Erik whispered again, kissing the top of her head.

"I love you too," Isabelle said in return, kissing his chest. Isabelle drifted to sleep in her husband's safe and protective embrace.

A/N: Sorry this took so long! Things have been hectic for me at home! Please R/R!