Chapter Four

Sid stared down at his beer blankly. He'd been analyzing it for the past half hour. The Father had just told him Nell's story. He felt sick...numb. He didn't know her that well, but that didn't stop him from feeling deeply. She had a baby...Sid knew there would be a story there.

But he never expected...

Taken advantage of.

Used.

Abused.

Ridiculed.

Judged.

Sid shuddered. That poor girl. The more he thought about it the more everything made sense. She was always so...timid and somewhat paranoid around him. After what she had been through he clearly understood why. Now he knew her story and there was only one problem.

He wasn't sure how to proceed from here.

He never planned to hurt her. She had a baby. She wasn't the free and single type of girl he was used to messing around with. He couldn't help himself though, there was an attraction. An urge to protect even. Something he had never really felt before. It was all new to him.

The way Father Brown made it seem she wouldn't be interested in anything from him. He agreed, that's the message she had sent so far. Except for that night during the storm when she clung to him. When she asked him not to go.

But she was afraid then. It was fear making her cling to him, nothing more.

"Sid, I thought I'd find you here." Father Brown's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. "But I see you're not drowning your sorrows yet." He glanced at his untouched beer.

Sid took a sip, "Was just about to start."

"I hope you understand why I told you."

Sid quirked an eyebrow, "I reckon I know. You've warned me off, haven't you?"

"No! On the contrary. I just wanted you to know more about her...for if things progress between the two of you."

"No chance of that. She's like a scared rabbit around me. No surprise though after what she went through." Sid slammed his beer down.

"It makes you angry." Father Brown said.

"Of course it makes me angry." Sid sat back in his chair and crossed his arms. "It makes me wanna-" He bit his lip and curled his hands into fists.

"Violence is never the answer, Sid."

"Sometimes it is."

"Vengance is the Lord's." Father Brown told him, "I mean to say that the man responsible is dead. He was murdered."

"Good riddance." Sid took a long drink. "He's where he belongs."

"Of that I am sure." Father Brown agreed.

The week was near an end. Nell knew that meant she would probably have to move out of the caravan. She'd already braced herself for the news. She thought she hid her anxiety well, but clearly not because at the end of the day Mr. Elliott pulled her aside.

"Nell, before you head home there's something I'd like to talk about." he told her softly.

"Yes?"

"Firstly, are you happy here? At the bakery. I mean, do you enjoy the work?" he asked.

"Yes! I do enjoy it. Cooking is a passion of mine." she admitted.

"And you've got a knack for it."

She smiled her appreciation.

"As you know, the Mrs. and I are getting on in years and unfortunately we were never blessed with children of our own. Dottie, she loves watching your little Bub," Mr. Elliott said.

"I plan to retire soon. Very soon. My hands won't let me do this work much longer I'm afraid. The arthritis." he held up his hand that was beginning to gnarl. "I wonder, well we hoped, that you would take over the business."

"What?" the air rushed from Nell's lungs. "You aren't serious?"

"Of course I am, girl!"

"Mr. Elliott, I am so honored!"

"So, you'll do it?" he wanted to clarify.

"Of course! But, what will you do?"

"Dottie has a sister in Cornwall. She's been after us to retire for a while. A nice cottage by the sea awaits us."

Suddenly, Nell was very sad. "I will miss you."

"Keep calm, I'm not gone yet." he teased.

"Naturally, our cottage will go to you."

"Your cottage?"

"Well, you'll need to be close to the bakery to keep an eye on things." he said casually.

Their cottage was a nice size, and off the main road. Nell had always admired its charm. Was it really going to be hers? This was surely a dream. Good things like this never happened to her.

"Mr. Elliott, I can't thank you enough!" she hugged him tightly.

"Well, I'll go and have the paperwork drawn up first thing tomorrow. Now, enough talk. Go get that baby of yours!" he ordered affectionately.

Nell was still talking with Mrs. Elliott when Mr. Elliott arrived at home. They went over a few details and when Bub got fussy, Nell finally went on her way.

She couldn't believe this blessing had came to her. Her. It seemed impossible and yet by tomorrow the paperwork would be drawn up. She would own her own business. Her own place to live and raise her son. It was like a dream come true.

From a distance as she approached the caravan she could see Sid leaning against it, shoulder propped with a cigarette in his mouth. Despite her efforts to ignore him she had become familiar with his silhouette. His tall, strong, confident...

Stop it.

Those thoughts would get her no where. A man like him would never look twice at someone like her. She came as a two-for-one special. Not many men would ever want her with that stipulation. Something of which she was well and truly aware.

"Hello," she greeted him.

"Hello," he quickly stomped his cigarette and blew the smoke away. "I just came to get some more of my things."

"Oh. So, are you leaving again?" she asked.

"No, not this time. Mrs. M has offered me her couch for a night or two," he shrugged, "Then, who knows."

"I'm sorry about all this. I really feel like I'm in the way." she said as she looked down.

Sid stepped closer to her and gently hooked his thumb under her chin. He tilted her face up towards him. "You aren't."

Her heart sped up, and she stepped out of his grasp. She shook her head to clear her thoughts, but it was no use because her heart was the one sending the signals.

"Do you mind if I pop inside?" he asked.

"Go ahead." she told him.

She stood outside while he gathered some of his belongings.

"You might be moving back here sooner than you think." she said to him.

"Is that right?" he asked.

"Mr. and Mrs. Elliott have offered me their cottage." she beamed.

"Where they goin'?" he stuck his head out the door.

"They're moving to Cornwall apparently."

Her eyes seemed far away. Sid would give a pound to know what she was thinking.

"Ah," he stepped down.

He wanted to find a reason not to leave. He wanted to be in her company.

"Listen, about what happened the first time we met," he began.

Her cheeks turned crimson. "I know...it was all a misunderstanding."

"It was, Nell. It truly was."

"I'd rather just forget it all to be honest, Sid. We don't need to bring it up." she brushed past him.

"All right. It's forgotten. As long as you know...I'd never hurt you." he almost whispered the last words, but she heard them.

She heard them and they gave her heart hope.

Thank you everyone who has given this a read. This has been an awful week, and so I hope that if you're having a bad week as well that this story can cheer you up!