Chapter Six
The morning of the wedding, Elizabeth awoke abruptly. Her body was reverberating like a bell. The effects from her dream causing her heart to race rapidly and rendered her body completely immobile. She squeezed her eyes shut in order to replay the fleeting images in her mind, desperate to recapture the moments that, only seconds before, had seemed so real.
Elizabeth languished in the dream's remembrance of laying in Jack's arms, feeling his powerful hold wrapped around her body as their legs intertwined within the twisted sheets. A blush crept into her cheeks as realized there was a lack of clothing separating their bodies and she could still recall the heat that emanated between them. It wasn't necessarily the vivid details of the scene dancing in her mind, that made her body react so strongly, more so the powerful emotions that continued to course through her being. Her longing for Jack had reached an epic pinnacle and she knew she would be feeling the effects of this dream for the rest of the day, if not rest of her life.
A knock at the door snapped Elizabeth out of her trance as her Aunt Agatha entered, ignoring a lack of response from its inhabitant. "Time is precious, Elizabeth dear. We need to be at the church before noon. Your mother has asked that I keep all of the bridesmaids on time today." She smiled gently at Elizabeth, noting the blush fading on her cheeks. "Dreaming of your Mountie, I see." She winked her eye knowingly, fully understanding the effects that one so handsome could have on a young woman.
Elizabeth could subtly feel the heat on her cheeks returning upon hearing her Aunt's comment and she buried her face in her hands, embarrassment flooding her senses. "Agatha!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "You startled me, is all. I shall be down for breakfast shortly." Regaining what little composure she could muster, Elizabeth stole out of bed and quickly changed for the morning meal, all the while buzzing with the residual effects of Jack's familiar touch. "Halfway through my visit." Elizabeth thought happily. "Only five more days to go".
The wedding ceremony proceeded without a hitch. The bride and groom, adorned in the most fashionable wedding finery available, entered the reception hall in blissful matrimony. As much as Elizabeth chided her older sister for being somewhat of a stick-in-the-mud, she had to admit that Viola looked stunning as a bride.
Since that morning's intimate reverie, Elizabeth had felt like she was straddling two worlds; one was the tangible real world she physically inhabited and the other was the space she had shared with Jack only hours earlier. That intimate jolt of love had carried her on a high note through a day she had become somewhat loathsome in attitude towards, and only now, as dinner was clearing and cocktails were flowing, cracks in the good vibe started to appear out the peripherals of Elizabeth's sight.
She had seen Charles frequently throughout the day, sans guest, which Elizabeth found a tad peculiar, and and at which times he was nothing short of polite and agreeable. However now, as the lights were dimming and the live band was readying for the stage, Elizabeth could see Charles becoming more loud and raucous with every drink he finished. She was still sitting at the Bride's table, not yet ready to switch gears into an evening of loud music and dancing, when Charles broke away from the crowd he had been standing with and approached Elizabeth. "So it looks like you're the next Thatcher sister to be married." His eyes slowly trailed to the ring on Elizabeth's left hand.
Elizabeth looked down where his gaze had went and then looked up straight at him, an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach starting to form.
"Yes. I am. But, if you asked my father that, I'm sure you'd receive a completely different reply." Elizabeth broke her stare and looked away, feeling suddenly awkward in his presence.
"Well...I'll believe it when I actually see it." Each word was terse and short. He then narrowed his eyes and turned away, briskly walking towards the busy bar.
The Duke of Kent suddenly appeared and sat down in an empty seat beside Elizabeth, stealing himself away from the Groom's side of the seating arrangements. "Is that the infamous Charles you told me about the other night?"
"The one and only." Elizabeth pointedly replied, turning towards her friend and offering him a welcoming smile. "It appears he is inclined to try and ruin my night...and I'm not going to allow that." It was then the live band began an upbeat song when Elizabeth continued. "Any chance you could ask me to dance?"
"It would be my pleasure. Shall we?" The Duke stood up and offered Elizabeth his hand, leading her out into an increasingly active dancefloor, and they proceeded to share the next couple of songs together.
Henry was an exceptional dancer, and Elizabeth loved to dance, so it was understandable she would take this opportunity to partake in a much loved pastime. As the band was winding down into a slow ballad, the duo were abruptly interrupted by a looming figure who was intercepting Elizabeth`s hand for the next dance. ``May I cut in?" Henry`s clasp on Elizabeth`s other hand tightened but she indicated to him that Charles` proposition would be accepted, albeit reluctantly.
Elizabeth was not about to make a dramatic scene or entice the man that she was currently in the clutches of to bring any untoward attention their way. The last thing Elizabeth wanted was to make any waves at her sister's wedding, considering the precarious position her family was in with two daughters with questionable taste in men. Elizabeth forced the uneasiness that was riding up in her gut to settle, while she switched into autopilot mode, her feet guided by memory as the waltz gracefully played on.
"His diamond isn't even a third of what I offered you, you must realize." His breath reeked of alcohol and, while not surprised at his continued animosity toward her, Elizabeth was stunned at his boldness.
"I could care less about the ring, Charles. What matters is I love him. He could have offered me a piece of coal and I still would have accepted." Elizabeth replied.
"It's lust, Elizabeth. You've filled your head with too many romantic stories about Mounties that you've been blinded by what really matters in your life. You won`t last one year with that man...and then what? You`ll come crawling back to Hamilton as used goods who won't attract the same suitors as you once could have? Please, I ask you to reconsider, and think about your future...You belong with me, and you know it." His breath was hot and fetid on her cheek and his grip on her waist was becoming increasingly inappropriate.
"How dare you insinuate such deplorable things about me! You obviously don't know me at all." Her voice was wrought with restrained anger but felt that any more comments from this man would push her over the edge with rage. She stopped mid-dance and attempted to walk off the dance floor but he caught her arm and pulled her back to him, crashing her body to his.
"I'll say when we're done here." Charles continued his hold on Elizabeth and bent his head down to force his lips onto hers, her body tense with resistance to his actions.
A bright flash startled Elizabeth and she realized that the roaming photographers, hunting for fodder for tomorrow`s gossip pages, had managed to capture the sickening moment on film. Elizabeth`s rage overflowed as she managed to gather enough strength to push Charles away from her and flee from the dance floor, hot tears threatening to fall.
As Elizabeth was fumbling through the throngs of guests, searching for an escape to the ladies room, her father, William Thatcher, stopped her in her tracks. He, like Charles, also appeared to be reeling from the effects of the alcohol as it loosened typical restraints on his tongue. "I would like a word with you, Elizabeth. Please join me over here." He bellowed loudly and waved her over , leading her into an empty room.
"Father, please. Not now. I just need a moment in the ladies room…" Elizabeth tried to buy herself some time for the expected onslaught of disappointment she felt he was about to throw her way and couldn't believe how suddenly the good times that carried her through the day had stopped.
"It can't wait. Elizabeth. I've done a lot of thinking these past few days and, unfortunately, I cannot let things continue the way they are between us." While his words seemed hopeful, like he was about to give her his full blessing to marry Jack, her gut was sounding an alarm that all was not as it seemed.
"I agree father. I don't like this tension either. I would be happy to talk about it tomorrow, but right now, I need to use the ladies room…please…" She attempted to to turn but her father continued, interrupting her retreat. "Please, listen to me, Elizabeth. What I am saying is, you know where I stand on this marriage business between you and Jack. But you must know there are consequences to going against my wishes. You're mother and I have humored you enough since you decided to teach out west and we feel it's time for you to return. You have so much potential here and it is time to fulfill your family obligations…"
Elizabeth cut her father off. "No. I am not moving back to Hamilton. You can't make me. Father...please." Her emotional well-being teetered on the brink of explosion.
"Elizabeth. If you choose to marry Jack...consider yourself cutoff financially. That's all there is to it. I don't know why you are being so stubborn about this, but I guess I need to resort to extreme measures to make you understand how serious I am. You're trust fund will be completely revoked. You will have nothing." He stared at her intently, hoping the steel in his eyes conveyed his resolve on the matter.
Elizabeth's breath caught in her throat and her heart plummeted to the floor, effectively shattering any faith she had that her parents would come around and eventually accept her relationship with Jack. And her choice to live away from their direct influence. "You can keep your money." Her voice was thick with disdain. "I don't need it to be happy. I have an income, same as Jack, and we know people who make do on much less than us so I have no worries that we will make our way perfectly fine." Elizabeth felt her jaw clutching shut as she spat out the last words. "I'm leaving now. Don't worry...I'll try not to bring shame to you on my way out. I know how highly you think of what others think of us." Elizabeth turned and fled the room, the image of her father's scowl ingrained into her immediate thoughts.
Elizabeth's heart raced as she frantically searched for the exit. She was too upset to remain in such a joyful atmosphere and couldn't bring herself to excuse herself formally as one look at her fragile state would change the mood of the newly married couple. Above all else, Elizabeth wished to keep Viola's wedding as pleasant as possible so she tried her best to go undetected as she made her way to the front entrance. Stumbling out of the heavy glass doors, Elizabeth stood on the step and indicated to the bell-hop that she wished to summon a ride. With arms crossed, Elizabeth refused to go back to retrieve her coat and decided that the bite of frost in the air was much more preferable than the scene waiting for her inside; that of two men who wished to control the outcome of her life.
A black car pulled to a stop in front of Elizabeth and the bell-hop made a motion that told her her request had been granted. Her transportation had arrived. Blindly, Elizabeth flung open the front door and sat down, relieved to be leaving such an unpleasant evening. She had her eyes focused directly ahead while the car swiftly pulled out of the hotel's entrance and didn't think to look at her driver until the car was speeding down the road and swerving slightly from side to side. "Charles!" Elizabeth gasped as a fearul boding stole into her look.
"You can't shake me that easily, Elizabeth. Like I told you, you belong with me. It's your fault I have to resort to such great lengths as this to make you see that." Charles continued to look at Elizabeth while the car's trajectory questionably wavered all over the busy road ahead.
"Oh my goodness Charles! Please! You must stop this car. Right this second!" Elizabeth reached over to take command of the steering wheel but Charles held his arm out and brought his hand to her chest, pushing her back forcefully.
The warm glow of the streets' gas-powered lamps whizzed passed the car in streaks of orange as Elizabeth sat wild-eyed in the front seat, grasping at ways to diffuse this increasingly dangerous situation.
"One day you will thank me for this. You will understand why I had to do this." Charles looked at her sadly as Elizabeth felt a hand come around from the backseat and smother a cloth over her face. It smelled heavily laced with chemicals and Elizabeth flailed her arms madly, trying to push the soggy rag away from her nose and mouth. The fumes quickly took their effect and Elizabeth found it increasingly difficult to think straight and couldn't quite connect her mind's commands to her body and resist the restraint she was currently under. As the hazy darkness of nothingness started closing in on Elizabeth's faculties, flashes of Jack and the deep love she felt for him started pulling her closer to the surface. She recalled each of the time's he had come to her rescue and used that reassurance to muster all the strength left in her body.
"No Charles! Don't!" Elizabeth screamed as she used all willpower remaining to fight off the perpetrator in the backseat and groggily lunged for the door handle.
Unfortunately, for Elizabeth, she didn't get a chance to open the door. It was at that same split second that Charles, speeding wildly through the lively streets of downtown Hamilton, ran his vehicle into another. It was also when Elizabeth was thrown headfirst into the windshield, effectively rendering her unresponsive to the events that were about to unfold...