CHAPTER 8
When the service ended, we all went out of the church, I saw Elizabeth saying a quick goodbye to some people and smiling at everyone. Bill hadn't arrived and that was strange. When everyone realized she had already gone towards the back of the church and climbed into a sergeant and left riding...
- Elizabeth! Shouted Abgail...
Bill arrived with the wagon and questioned everyone:
- Guys, why didn't you hold her? They know she does that all the time and avoids it as much as possible so we don't take her to the city.
Philip, curious, asked:
- Really, neither I nor my men have ever seen her there in the city or in the market, why?
Bill replied dryly and with a frown:
- Due to some red coats that bring back certain memories in her, she decided not to go to the city.
- But not shopping? And the doctor? Philip asked.
- Dr Carson has been to her house or the nurse. As for shopping... Ned, Lee or I, we always work it out, but she chose not to see you to avoid unnecessary emotions or as she said not to remember the last embarrassment.
- Good thing I'm without my uniform, so she won't recognize me. Do you want me to follow her and call her?
- Yes, please, said Abgail; We'll be at her house waiting.
Philip climbed into a duke and galloped after her, quickly reaching the valley, where he saw the most beautiful scene in the world. There was a lake, the sergeant black horse lying on the ground and Elizabeth lying on top of the horse, they had a harmony, she trusted that animal completely and the horse looked like it wanted to protect her, he was protecting that woman and her baby. I never imagined seeing such great affection between people and animals. I stood there for some time until I realized my eyes were filled with tears.
I saw the teacher getting up carefully and the animal after getting up put his face on her shoulder and received a kiss and a caress. That horse was smart, there must have been an incredible smell of lavender, a softness outside those lips..." wow… what have I been thinking? She's the widow of a dead cop and I'm an honorable man who doesn't want any women. "Then, getting down from the horse, I went to meet her and said:
- Miss Thorton?
- I am..., but I was interrupted by her who said looking at the lake.
- I know who you are?
And when I found myself, she was already on top of the sergeant's horse and I could only shout:
"Abgail, do you need me?"
I saw at that moment that her eyes were looking for me, that caught her attention, she looked me right in the eyes and I saw concern in them, but I had to say:
- She asked you to go immediately to her late husband's land, she needs you there and it's urgent.
- She is fine? Elizabeth asked in a shaky voice.
But before Philip could speak, she was already galloping on her horse.
- Wait, be careful! And I ran after her. People like a five-month pregnant woman can do that. She seemed to float on the horse. Thank God, I saw her arriving on the ground, I was terrified of her accident and falling, but it was a relief when I saw that she had arrived safely and everyone was already helping her to get off the animal, she looked for Abgail and hugged her tightly. I looked at Bill and said:
- I couldn't make her come slowly, I couldn't stop her.
Bill smiled and said that no one could and no one will achieve this feat ever again, that only Jack Thorton had the privilege and laughed out loud.
Only then, that Philip realized that Elizabeth was very worried about Abgail, had not even noticed the huge construction of that house and that crowd around her. It wasn't until they opened a clearing in the crowd that she noticed the house, falling to the ground in convulsive sobs as she recognized the house from her late husband's drawing. Everyone stood around him and wept a lot. She was saying softly Jack, my God Jack... She spoke with so much love in her voice that it gave you goosebumps. That woman had a very noble feeling, with friends, with Jack, with her children, and now Philip saw that he had to protect her, he felt until his soul shivered, he couldn't explain, but she awakened an unknown side of him, and it was a very good side.
Her emotion, her crying, made everyone present get goosebumps; men, women and children, I saw in their eyes that they all shared in their pain and their joy. They loved her and I realized that she loved everyone there.
Rosemary and Abgail helped her to her feet, when several children began to sing the song Dany Boy. I don't know why, but I also liked that song very much, she cried a lot, when a small child reached out to Elizabeth. She accepted and joined in singing with the children.
"What voice does this woman have?" That song became a choir, they sounded like angels singing and so she entered the house with her students. All the adults stayed outside, everyone was amazed by the scene, it seemed unreal, the emotion of that widow was to leave goosebumps and that voice touched her soul.
Soon she left with the children and at the door with her hands on her belly she spoke with great emotion:
- To all of you who have known me for so long, I can only thank you; From the first moment I arrived here, To all the friendships I made, to all the affection that Jack and I have always received, to everyone who knows my pain when Jack left for the Northern Territory and who even today know my suffering for his death , even though I know it won't come back making me feel like a grain of sand alone in the middle of the ocean. I really appreciate all the love and support and friendship. I thank God for this beautiful baby that was the fruit of my love for Jack, and that I can only ask God to be born healthy. To you my friends, my big family, even more grateful for giving us this house, this home that Jack drew, I love you very much.
And when she saw a bunch of kids they were hugging her. Elizabeth smiling wide with eyes still shining with tears, it was an image that Philip would keep in his heart forever, she looked like an angel.
- Teacher, when are you going to move to your new house? asked Cody, one of his students.
She smiled, and it seemed like everyone smiled with her and just ran to her horse and said as she got up...
- Now, and whoever wants to help me, follow me... And he galloped away in a joy he could never imagine.
It was a turmoil, one comes and goes from the germinal house taking wagons and more wagons to Elizabeth's new home, Abgail and Rose were already prepared for that, they weren't even surprised by Elizabeth's attitude, but Philip still laughing softly couldn't stop. to admire that woman. Everyone helped until late, it was just a joy, everyone laughing the whole time, Elizabeth's joy was contagious and made everyone around her explode with happiness.
