Chapter 12

November 1875

Finally, I heard horses and a wagon racing up the road. I ran to the stable doors Antoine and Mouse had brought two other men. Antoine rushed passed me to take in the situation.

"Please Antoine; Erik and Sylvie are both trapped." I sobbed. "I don't even know if they're alive or dead!"

"Right now, the best thing that you can do is to stay out of the way and let us take care of this madam. Pierre went to fetch the doctor. They should be back soon."

Mouse crept close to me and grabbed my hand. I looked down at him. His eyes were red and tears streaked down his face. I knelt down and pulled him to me, hugging him tightly. He started patting my back as if to comfort me. We sat like that, as we watched the men working, removing the broken and shattered timbers. After a bit I pulled back from Mouse and looked at him.

"Mouse, go and tell Madeline, she needs to know as well and…" I stopped for a moment unable to go on. Mouse patted my shoulder and looked at me sadly.

"They'll be alright." He signed.

"Yes of course they will be." I said and I kissed his cheek and sent him on his way. Soon I heard another carriage rattling down the lane. It was Pierre and Dr. Latimer. Antoine's wife, Delia was with them as well.

"Oh my dear I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do?" she asked as she approached me.

"Could you watch my babies for a moment? Madeline must be beside herself wondering what's going on." I begged.

"Of course dear, I'll go immediately." with that, she briskly marched up the path to the house.

"What happened?" I jumped slightly. I had not noticed the doctor approach me, I was so intent on the progress of the men clearing the debris.

"A drunken sot was messing around up there and fell against the timbers. My husband tried to shield our daughter and they are both buried under that." I choked back a sob and bit my lower lip trying to hold back more tears. I looked around for Henri but he seemed to have disappeared. Suddenly I heard shouts and ran toward the men, the doctor at my side. Madeline came running into the barn, out of breath.

"Oh, Mon Dieu no!" She said as they cleared the last of the debris to see Erik's battered body. The doctor knelt next to his crumpled form. He was curled protectively over Sylvie's still form, one small arm peeking from underneath his body. Blood ran down his face. I was biting my fist as I watched the doctor, dreading his words. Madeline put her arms around me. Time seemed to stand still.

"Well they're alive." The doctor finally announced. I suddenly found myself on the ground, my legs refusing to support me my relief was so great. "The girl should be fine as soon as she wakes thanks to your husband. She just has a bump on her head, she might have a slight concussion but she will be fine in a few days.

"Erik?" I whispered.

"Several broken ribs, broken arm, nasty head wound, probable concussion, various cuts and lacerations. We need to get him to the house." Before moving Erik though, he had to set Erik's arm and bind his ribs. They then carefully moved Sylvie and Erik onto boards so they could be moved to the house, and I ran ahead to open the door for them. Madeline showed them where to put Sylvie while I led them to our room. The babies were crying when we reached the room. Delia was holding Nathaniel, she had already moved Carrie to the room Erik had originally thought to be a sewing room and was instead now to be the nursery, and she was in the process of moving him. The sound of the baby crying triggered yet another response and I looked desperately from the babe to Erik. The doctor was reaching for the mask.

"Doctor, please, my husband is very sensitive about his face, my father was a doctor and I can tend his facial injuries please just worry about his other wounds." I said desperately. He turned and looked at me sympathetically.

"Madame, I understand your concern, but let me do my job. Believe me whatever lies behind his mask can be no worse than anything else I may have seen. Your babies need your attention now. There's nothing that you can do here at the moment." Knawing my lip I looked at Erik's battered form once again and then fled the room. The sooner the babes were fed, the sooner I could return.

After I had taken care of the babes, and feeling guilty, I went to Sylvie's room to see how she was. Her pale face now sported a purple bruise under her eye and lump on her forehead. Her eyes opened as I came through the door.

"Mama, nobody will tell me about Papa Erik. Please tell me, is he okay?" Tears formed in her big blue eyes her lower lip trembling.

"Oh baby he'll be just fine." I said as I sat on the side of the bed. Brushing a blonde curl out of her face, I then took her small hand in mine. "It'll take him awhile but he'll be just fine. How are you feeling dear?"

"Head hurts." She said closing her eyes, relaxing now that she knew her Papa Erik would be okay. I sat with her until she drifted off to sleep. Softly I got up and went to my room, praying that I had not just lied to Sylvie. The doctor was still waiting there for me.

"I've done everything I can for him now. It's up to him now. The sooner he wakes up the better. I'll be back to check on him tomorrow." He hesitated a moment. "I thought I heard that he'd been in a fire?" My heart dropped and I could feel my face blanch. I was speechless. He looked at my face seriously. "Do not worry madam. What is between a doctor and patient stays there and he did save your daughter's life at the risk of his own." he said gently.

"Thank you doctor." I said in relief as he left. I went to the side of the bed looking down at Erik. Besides the bindings on his ribs, his left arm was splinted and bound. A deep gash on his right leg was stitched and the whole left side of his beautiful face was bruised and swollen.

"How is he my dear?" Madeline said coming to stand beside me.

"Dr Latimer said it was up to him now. Oh Madeline if anything..." I stopped, biting down on my lip at the sudden lump in my throat.

"He's a strong man. He'll be fine, don't worry." she said patting my hand. "It's going to be a long night. I will take care of anything the babes need other than feeding so you can concentrate on Erik. Call me if you need anything." She said as she left the room. I took a cloth and dipped it in cold water then gently bathed Erik's poor face, trying to bring down the swelling.

"Erik love you have to be alright." I whispered. I moved the chair closer to the bed and took his right hand in mine, kissing it as I held it to my face. I don't know how long I sat like that but the dimness of the room gradually drew my notice. I got up to light some lamps and put more wood on the fire when a small movement next to the fireplace drew my attention.

"Mouse how long have you been there?" I asked startled. He shrugged as he huddled by the fire looking so forlorn. "Come here. He is going to be just fine." I held out my arms he came and we sat hugging each other for a moment. "Now why don't you go and check on Sylvie for a moment. If she is awake, she might be feeling lonely. I'll let you know if he wakes okay." Mouse nodded and left. I went over to close the drapes and again I took a cloth, gently bathing his face. He moaned and his hand grabbed my wrist his face grimacing in pain as he gradually opened his eyes.

"What happened?" he groaned. He tried to sit up, gasping in sudden pain, but I pushed him back.

"You saved Sylvie's life that's what happened. And now you have a broken arm, broken ribs, and various other injuries besides your face being an alarming assortment of colors." I said as tears of joy filled my eyes. "Oh Erik we were all so scared." I took his hand and held it in both of mine.

"I think I'm going to be sick." He said and I quickly grabbed a basin as he emptied his stomach, when he was finished he lay back limply holding his hand up to his head. I went a dumped the basin and came back to his side. I pulled his hand down and again attempted to bathe his face. He hissed in pain.

"Sorry love but we need to get the swelling down. Do you want some laudanum?" He looked at me blearily and shook his head.

"That stuff is too addictive. I will do without." He said stubbornly. "How's Sylvie?" he asked.

"Better than you, she has a knot on her head and she has a black eye but thanks to you she'll be just fine in a day or two." he closed his eyes in relief. I gently brushed a strand of hair from his brow. "Let me tell the others you're awake, they've been worried." I said and went to the door to tell the others.

The next few days were trying indeed. Between the twins and Erik, I was running myself ragged. Erik was quite the beast when unable to do for himself. His temper flaring at everyone for the smallest thing, of course his being in a great deal of pain did not help any. The children stayed away from him when he was in his blackest moods. Everyone walked on eggshells around him. I understood but I had my limits. I had just finished adjusting his pillows and Madeline handed me his lunch tray, as I placed it over his lap his injured arm hit the corner of the tray. Grimacing in pain, he started swearing at me and with his good hand threw the tray to the floor. It was the last straw and I fled the room in tears. I could hear Madeline yelling at him as I left.

"You're a fool Erik! She's been working herself to the bone for you and..." that was all I heard before the door slammed behind me. I ran for the babies' room. I knew it was just frustration but it hurt all the same. I stood for a few moments watching our sleeping babies. The door opened a little while later and Madeline came in.

"He doesn't mean it you know." She said quietly.

"I know. It's just...I'm so tired all the time now."

"I cleaned up after the bear, why don't you go and lie down for a bit. I'm sure he has something he'd like to say to you." I nodded hesitantly. I really did need to get some sleep. I slowly went down the hall and opened the bedroom door. Looking down I turned and carefully closed the door. I turned toward the bed and found Erik looking at me rather sheepishly. He glanced away and then back his eyes searching my face. I turned away as I slipped my dress off and exchanged it for a nightgown, neither of us breaking the silence. I turned back to the bed and he was looking down eyes closed, a remorseful look on his face. He looked at me again and held his hand out to me, his eyes pleading.

"Please forgive me angel." He whispered. I went to the bed, taking his hand while I climbed in next to him. I looked at him, leaned over, and lightly kissed his lips, the one uninjured place on his poor face.

"Always love." I whispered back. He reached up and gently wiped the tear from the corner of my eye. He reached his arm around me and pulled me close. I carefully snuggled against his chest, his arm wrapped around my shoulder.

"I can't believe I yelled at you. I thought that I had finally learned how to rein in my horrible temper. I am so sorry angel. You are married to a beast."

"It's just because you are in such pain and frustrated because you can't play your music. I understand it just got to me is all." I said. His fingers gently traced patterns on my arm as he gingerly rubbed his face against my hair and I drifted off to sleep.

Several hours later, I woke. Groggily I opened my eyes and looked up at Erik's face. He had a tender smile, his eyes soft.

"I love watching you sleep. You look so peaceful." a slight pained look marred his smile just then. He still had his arm around me. I figured he would not be able to use it for a while, at least until it got some feeling back. I sat up and he gingerly moved his arm.

"Serve's you right for not moving it." I said. "Here let me." I carefully started rubbing the kinks out of his arm and shoulder. He kept staring at me a small frown furrowed between his eyes.

"You never told me. What happened to Henri?" he said with a dangerous note in his voice, his eyes turning to ice.

"He disappeared. No one has been able to find him. I for one hope he never comes back." I said studying Erik's face, watching as the danger faded from his eyes, the tension eased from his shoulders. He met my eyes, searching to see if he was truly forgiven and saw what he hoped to see. He pulled me to him and wincing a bit, buried his face in my neck.

"I'm so sorry angel. I never want to make you cry." He said his voice catching.

"Sssh love, it's over now. It's just too bad we can't make up properly." I said teasingly. "And not for some time unfortunately." I sighed.

"I'm going to remember every quarrel we may have between now and when I finally get out of all these bindings we'll makeup properly." He promised.

"My poor baby, you should see your face." I said as I sat studying him. He demanded a mirror and when he saw himself, he closed his eyes.

"You are truly married to a monster now." He said turning his face.

"Never love, it's just temporary. I would love you no matter what. You are quite the hero you know. Sylvie's hero and my Prince Charming." and I smiled at him.