Chapter 46 - Revenge is an Act of Passion...

Elizabeth stepped out into the street. She saw a few groups of women gossiping outside the stores. As she expected, one of them broke away and came over to her. She tried to summon fresh tears; it wasn't hard.

"Elizabeth, we couldn't help but see that David was carrying your boy to the doctor... Whatever is wrong?"

Elizabeth turned a tear stained face towards the woman. "You didn't hear what happened?"

"No, not at all!" The woman was shocked that she may have missed some good gossip. She raised her eyes to the friends she had been chatting with and they moved closer.

Elizabeth moved forward, ostensibly to lean against the post for support, but in actuality, so that her voice would carry farther. "The schoolteacher, Mr. Hall, beat my boy until he was nearly insensible. He would have continued if we hadn't reached the school in time! Jed Curry overheard him say that he would beat Han to within an inch of his life and he very nearly did so!"

She didn't have to pretend to be angry or upset and felt no shame about stretching the truth. After all, who knew when the teacher would have stopped had they not intervened in time?

Mrs. Fischer gasped and took a step back. Some of the other mothers, listening to the loud conversation came over to join them.

"Mrs. Heyes, we all saw you going to the doctor with your boy. Did I hear you say the schoolteacher beat him?"

"Yes, I did. The man was drunk and caught some of the boys fighting." She could see the concern on their faces, but as yet they were only slightly disturbed that it should happen in their town. If she was going to make sure that Hall was properly punished, then she was going to have to make it a little more personal for them.

"I think he plans to beat all the boys involved when he gets his hands on them - Dan Travis," she saw Mrs. Travis stiffen at the mention of her son's name, "Harry Johnson," there was Mrs. Johnson, standing next to Mrs. O'Hara, "Mikey O'Hara. Randall Jenkins. Even little Jed Curry."

The women gasped; they all had a soft spot for the angelically golden-haired Jed Curry. They couldn't imagine anyone beating the child.

Mrs. O'Hara's eyes grew round at the thought of her boy being beaten for fighting. Lord only knew, if the teacher thought he could do that, Mikey would be beaten every second day. She wasn't going to stand by and let that happen! "What's goin' t' be done? Will Hall be arrested? I saw McCandless going in t' see the doctor."

"The sheriff says he doesn't know if he can charge him with anything. Says a schoolteacher is allowed to hit the students when he thinks it's necessary."

She saw that her words had struck a chord. Most of the boys had been in trouble at one time or another and the boys that she'd named were known troublemakers. In truth, she didn't even know whether or not they had been the ones involved; Jed had been too shaken up to tell the story clearly. It didn't matter. She just needed to make them think that their children were being threatened. She'd even thrown in the name of Randall Jenkins just because she knew his father was a huge man, built like a bull. He wouldn't let anyone mess with his boy.

Elizabeth watched as the women broke away to tell the others and share the information with their husbands. She could hear the murmurs as the news ran up and down the street. Nobody wanted to risk their child being beaten like that and the feeling started to grow that a man like Mr. Hall, a newcomer to their community, shouldn't be allowed to walk away after nearly killing a child - even if it was the Heyes boy. Who knew which of their children might be next?

Elizabeth allowed herself a small smile as she went back to the doctor's office to tend to her boy. She felt sure that Mr. John Hall wasn't going to get away unscathed now.

The doctor had finished his examination and David was helping Han to button his shirt. Han seemed to be shivering even harder than before.

Elizabeth frowned. "Doctor?"

"It's the shock of it, Mrs.…," he corrected himself, "Elizabeth."

She put her hand to Han's white face and again, Han leaned in to her touch. They had never been affectionate before, but now they both seemed to need it.

There was a movement at the back of the room and they saw the sheriff reading over his notes. He closed up his book and put it into his pocket. "Well, I have all the information I need. I'll go and arrest this fella and lock him up for the night. From the sounds of it, I should be able to hold him on a charge of drunkenness and disorderly conduct."

David frowned. "And tomorrow?"

"Well, I'll have to see what he says about it all. Like Mrs. Heyes says, mayhap I can charge him with assault."

David's lips compressed in anger and he started to rise. He was surprised when Elizabeth put a hand on his arm to hold him back. She shook her head slightly and he sat down again, surprised, but trusting her judgement.

"May I read your report?" she asked innocently. "I'd like to see the full story."

The sheriff was surprised, but handed his notes to her. For an educated woman, it seemed to take her a long time to read through it all. He could have sworn he saw her look at the clock a few times. Eventually, she handed the papers back to him. "Thank you, Sheriff McCandless. I suppose we should let you go about your business now. Thank you again for all of your help."

He was surprised and pleased. This was a very different woman from the one that had shouted at him earlier. He raised his hat. "My pleasure, ma'am, jus' doin' my job."

As he left, Elizabeth turned to the others. "Are you alright, Jed?"

"Yes, Aunt Elizabeth." His eyes were still round and fearful, and he was pressed against his father. "But…"

Maggie recognized the signs of a guilty conscience in her boy. "But what, Jed?"

He shuffled his feet on the floor. "I think I forgot to tell the sheriff that Han took the candies out of Mr. Hall's desk."

Jed was surprised to see his straight-laced, law-abiding Aunt Elizabeth beaming happily at him.

"Well, that doesn't matter at all. The man has far too much to do without being bothered with every little detail, doesn't he? I'm sure you told him everything he needs to know, didn't you?"

Jed smiled back. "Yes, Aunt Elizabeth."

"And don't look so worried, Han's going to be just fine, aren't you, Han?"

Her steadiness was reassuring and he felt himself starting to calm down. "Yes, Ma." He yawned.

David turned to Doctor Schriever, an eyebrow raised in inquiry.

"She's absolutely correct. He's been shaken up by everything that's happened, but he'll be fine. Keep him warm and make sure he gets plenty of rest. Given the state of his nerves, perhaps it wouldn't be a bad idea to keep him in bed for a day or two until he feels better. He shouldn't suffer any lasting effects. He'll soon be back to his old self!"

David stood up decisively. "Well then, let's take him home. Jed, come on over and say goodnight to Han. Caleb, you and Maggie need to take your children home and feed them. They must be wondering what's going on."

Maggie looked at the clock on the wall. "Good lord, is that really the time? You're right, the children must be starving and the baby should be in bed! Are you sure you're alright with us leaving?"

"Certainly." Elizabeth gave her one of her rare hugs. "Thank you, Maggie, Caleb." She leant down and hugged Jed as well. His mouth dropped open in shock. "Thank you, Jed. Don't worry about Han. You can come over tomorrow and see him." With a wicked glint in her eye, she added, "I don't think school will be in session!"

Elizabeth climbed into the wagon first and reached out for Han. "Come and sit on my lap. Your back will be too tender for the wooden seat."

Han sank into her arms and fell asleep almost instantly, warm and happy, nestled in a blanket David had thrown over him.

"He asleep?"

"Yes. I don't think an explosion would wake him."

David knew what he wanted to ask, but didn't know how to say it. "You… you seemed to…"

She knew what he was asking. "It happened all at once. Thing's have always been so awkward between us, especially after… well…" She trailed off, still feeling guilty. She knew that she would never stop feeling guilty about that. "But when I saw him bent over that desk with that man beating him, it hit me, all of a sudden. I was shouting that he had no right to touch my son and then I realized what I'd said. It didn't even feel wrong, to call him my son. I suddenly knew that I meant it. He's my son and I love him. It tore something inside me to see him like that." She tightened her arms around him. "I knew at last how much I love him and I don't even know why it was so difficult before. I suppose I thought he wouldn't forgive me, but once I said it - my son - it seemed to clear everything away between us."

"I'm glad."

They smiled a smile they hadn't shared in a very long time.

"Me too. I'm sorry, David, for all the lost time. All the awkwardness."

"Let's never talk about it again, it's behind us now. Let's just move forward as a family at last."

"Yes." She looked down at the sleeping boy sadly. "My family still won't accept him."

"So, who cares? It's not like they live on our doorstep. They'll come around. And if they don't… well, I'm prepared to make the sacrifice of spending less time with your parents!"

As he'd hoped, this made them both laugh and, despite everything that had happened, they travelled home happier than they'd been in a long time.