CHAPTER 109
The bang of the gunshot resounded in the classroom, cutting through the tension-filled atmosphere. Willian, the herald of betrayal, fell, his body writhing under the impact of the bullet. Elizabeth emerged from the shadows, clutching the gun she had kept hidden in her boot, revealing a determination that transcended fear.
Elizabeth's gaze met that of her father, Will, whose face displayed a mixture of pain and surprise. She launched herself towards him, leaving behind the threat that Willian represented. The gun trembled in her hands, but her eyes reflected a courage born of the need to protect those she loved.
Willian lay on the ground, his threat now silenced by Elizabeth's courageous intervention. The smell of gunpowder hung in the air as suspense gave way to relief, but the price of confrontation still marked the atmosphere.
Elizabeth arrived at the side of her wounded father, who was bruised and bleeding badly, whose trembling hands met hers. An emotional hug sealed the rescue in the darkness of that gloomy early morning. The silence in the classroom was broken only by the sound of silent tears escaping from Elizabeth's eyes.
- Dad... please don't die!
- Calm down, my angel. I promise I won't die. Now that I have you by my side, I want to enjoy it even more.
- Oh, Dad... please don't leave me... I love you. I've loved you all my life even though I didn't know you were my father. I don't know how to live without you.
- Beth! My daughter, look at me. Calm down, my treasure. Dad, you're here and I'm not going anywhere...
Jack Thorton was standing in front of the police station, absorbed in thought, when the distant sound of a gunshot pierced the air...
His heart raced, and instinctively, he grabbed his gun and jumping on his horse Sargent, rode towards the sound...
"School..." "Elizabeth, please God protect her..." Jack was desperate.
The ride to school seemed like an eternity, every second filled with anxiety and fear. Sargent's impetuous neighing echoed through the empty streets as Jack struggled to reach the place where his wife and father-in-law faced the darkness of that early morning. It wasn't yet seven o'clock in the morning, and the sun would be up for a while yet... Elizabeth always arrived hours early to warm up the room so that the children wouldn't get cold.
He dismounted from his horse with a mixture of determination and anguish, his eyes scanning the scene for signs of Elizabeth and Wynn. When he arrived, the sight of blood on the school ground froze the blood in Jack's veins. The fear became palpable, and his heart hammered in his chest;
The early morning sunlight cast shadows that danced across the empty room. Cautiously, Jack moved forward... his breath caught in his throat. The silence was deafening, and every step seemed to echo in the classroom transformed into a battlefield.
When he reached the scene of the confrontation, Jack found Elizabeth and Wynn embracing in the midst of the tragedy. Relief flooded his expression, but the sight of his wife's spilled blood and torn clothes made his stomach turn. The family was united by trauma and he could see that there was a painful history there and they would all have to face the task of healing the physical and emotional wounds.
Jack hugged Elizabeth tightly, his irregular breathing reflecting the whirlwind of emotions that consumed him.
Jack's gaze roamed over Elizabeth's scarred body, his anger boiling like lava about to erupt. The torn clothes, the mismatched bodice, the visible marks on her face and arms were like scars that told the story of a fierce confrontation. The sight aroused a deep fury in Jack, a volcano of indignation about to explode.
Jack's heart beat in rhythm with the rage that pulsed through his veins. He approached Elizabeth with determination, gently pushing her away from the sight of the man who had dared to touch his beloved.
The red serge he had taken off his shoulder turned out to be not just a cloak, but a protective shield to protect Elizabeth's dignity.
As he carefully draped the twill around her, Jack's fingers traced a path of tenderness, a silent promise that he was there to heal the wounds, both visible and invisible.
Anger burned in his eyes, but it was tempered by an unwavering love that transcended the marks left by violence.
- I'll take care of you, my life, whispered Jack, his voice laden with an unbreakable commitment.
Elizabeth, wrapped in the red twill that now symbolized not only protection, but also the strength of love, found a safe haven in Jack's eyes.
The classroom, a silent witness to the recent battle, became a scene of healing, where the power of love eclipsed the darkness that had preceded it.
The red twill, now a flag of resistance and renewal, wrapped around Elizabeth like a comforting embrace.
Jack, with the determination of a protective lion, guided Willian to the cold prison bars of his police station. Every click of the lock was an echo of justice being done, but Jack's heart was still heavy with the wounds left on his wife by this violence. After arresting Willian, he returned to school and picked up his family by wagon.
His eyes turned to Elizabeth and Wynn, whom he carefully guided outside the school, where the morning light was beginning to streak.
Arriving at the infirmary, Dr. Carson, a compassionate presence in the midst of chaos, welcomed Elizabeth and Wynn. While Wynn underwent surgery to repair the damage caused by William's brutality, Jack anxiously awaited news, his heart oscillating between concern for his wife and his father-in-law.
Wynn, lying on the infirmary bed, felt each stitch like a seam that joined not only his skin, but also the fragments of his heart.
Elizabeth insisted and stayed by her father's side throughout the surgical procedure, her small hand feeling tiny inside her father's hand. Tears streamed down her face, her hands trembled, showing the dread she had just experienced.
Wynn looked at her little Beth, and the sight of those fingers on her neck, and the slap mark on her face, only made her rage. The sight of that immoral man on top of his daughter, his clothes torn and his screams of terror, was something he would never forget. And now she was there, worrying about him, instead of worrying about herself.
- I love you, my child. A tear welled up in his eye.
- Dad... I love you too. I was filled with rage when I saw that he had hurt you. Don't leave me, my father, I need you... Elizabeth laid her head on his shoulder, saying softly: Don't leave me again, please...
Hearing that hurt Wynn a lot, he knew that this abandonment wasn't his fault, but knowing that his daughter still bore scars hurt him a lot. And it was all Willian Thatcher's fault.
- Beth, my daughter. I'll never be away from you again...
Meanwhile, Elizabeth Delayne, a figure of silent strength, her heart squeezed by uncertainty, every step she took was a journey for hope and love. Henry couldn't hold that woman back when the news reached his home. She wasn't going to let anything happen to her beloved husband and their newly found daughter.
She had the fear of loss in her eyes and fury against her brother. And so it was that Elizabeth Delayne stormed into the infirmary and found her husband and daughter with their heads on her shoulder talking. She looked, looked again, from one to the other, she needed to take a deep breath...
"Willian, you're going to pay for all this suffering. " Elizabeth Delayne squeezed her eyes shut at the thought.
She walked over to them and learned the whole story.
Looking at her daughter and seeing her tears made her heart ache. She hugged her daughter and there they both shed all their tears, all their pain. They didn't need words, but they needed to wash their souls and heal all their wounds.
Jack arrived with his camera, he needed to take pictures of his wife for forensics and Carson needed to assess her injuries. After explaining everything to her, they went into a room, where Jack took the photos, as they would be used in the case against Willian. He saw the marks on her neck, her bruised arms, the slap mark on her face; as he pulled the red serge away from her body, Jack noticed the scratches on her lap, near her breasts, next to the already frayed and torn corset, visibly showing that she had fought with Willian to stop him removing the corset. Her torn skirt showed parts of her leg, which also had bruises and scratches up to her thigh. Jack finished his photo work, which for him was the hardest job he'd ever done, as he had to control himself at all times not to cry or curse at the absurdity of it all. Carson was also like him, seeing his friend go through this was very painful for him.
Carson diagnosed bruises, but nothing serious or broken. Thank God Wynn arrived in time to prevent her from being raped.
Jack couldn't resist, tears streaming down his face. Carson passed him and touched his shoulder and left the room with tears in his eyes. He knew that this moment should be just for the couple, and besides, he had to go to the police station to check on the injured man.
Elizabeth noticed the tension in her husband and came close to hug him. They needed each other's support.
Minutes later, Bill came running in with Charlote.
They had interrupted their honeymoon when they received the news of the terror at the school. His commitment to justice spoke louder, and he rushed into town, vowing to bring the light of judgment on those who had committed such heinous acts. Charlote, too, wanted and needed to be there, her children needed support and love at a time like this.
Bill, the judge who had dedicated his life to the pursuit of justice, was horrified to witness William's brutal act. The image of Elizabeth, whom he had raised as his own adopted daughter, bruised and traumatized, penetrated his soul like a sharp blade. The realization that someone so close could cause such suffering was a wound that transcended legal justice.
Walking over to Elizabeth, Bill embraced her with the tenderness of a father. His arms were a safe haven, an anchor to calm her cries. Words of comfort were not enough in the face of the horror she had faced, so Bill remained silent, offering only the comforting presence of someone who loved her like a daughter.
The hospital environment became a haven where emotions unfolded like a painful drama. Elizabeth, cradled in Bill's arms, vented the tears that had been held back. Each sob was an echo of the pain she had endured, but also a step towards healing under Bill's protective shadow.