CHAPTER 117
Elizabeth Delayne, with Henry's permission, made a lovely Saturday lunch, after all the drama and the death of Willian Thatcher, she thought it would be a way of uniting her family and thanking all her friends, who had always looked after her daughter.
Wynn was already doing well, even Faith was amazed at how quickly she had recovered, having only been injured for a fortnight.
Elizabeth Delayne smiled... If Faith had known what a fire that man had been in the night before, she would have said that he had made a full recovery. Her husband was like a bull... The man was pure fire, he didn't even look like he was recovering from a knife wound. She had always known he was a strong man, but yesterday he put an end to all her doubts. She tried to stop him and resist his charms, but Wynn was very convincing, and the damn man was very affectionate. She smiled as she set the lunch table.
Charlote and Abigail were in the kitchen finishing the preparations. Charlote was tidying up the dishes, because her habit of putting a bath on everything made everyone take her away from the pots and pans.
Her friends were already in the garden, and through the window she saw her daughter talking to Malyn. Those two women had struck up a friendship that impressed everyone.
Abigail and Charlote, coming closer, spoke as they saw where Elizabeth Delayne's eyes were:
- Elizabeth is a lovely person. She welcomes everyone with a heart full of good things. Charlote said.
- From the moment she set foot. In Hope Valle, I laid eyes on that young woman and fell in love with her. Said Abigail.
- Abigail... she told me a lot about that time, and as a mother I can only thank you for all the care and love you showed my daughter.
- Elizabeth. Your daughter is for me, and for many in this town, a precious jewel that is part of our treasure.
- And how could it not be? Look at Malyn...
Elizabeth Delayne smiled as she recalled the meeting between her daughter and Malyn. Edward accompanied Malyn to the café where he would meet everyone that evening. As soon as she entered, before she had even taken a step, everyone saw Elizabeth get up from her chair and, with long strides, go over and hug Malyn. She was all smiles and began to talk to her and the baby in her belly. Elizabeth played and stroked her belly, in an act of love so great that, to everyone's surprise, the child began to move in its mother's belly. Malyn, with tears in her eyes, said that she had never felt the baby do that, it hardly moved. Elizabeth welcomed her with open arms, and before taking her to her table, she stood on tiptoe. She kissed Edward's cheek...
- Be careful not to let the drool fall, my friend. You're acting like a father in love;
Edward turned as red as a watermelon, staring at the floor, fiddling with the brim of his hat.
- Elizabeth! Edward said ungraciously.
- Calm down, my friend... your secret is safe with me.
And so she took Malyn to the table where they talked as if they had been friends all their lives...
Jack and Frankison laughed a lot that day; according to them, Edward had lost Malyn to Elizabeth.
Now they were all there, and seeing the way the two young women talked and laughed, they knew that this would be a lifelong friendship.
Outside, Malyn and Elizabeth chatted over the baby clothes they had bought the day before; Malyn asked Elizabeth if she wasn't going to talk to Faith, could they take the opportunity and go together. Malyn had been worried after Elizabeth had felt dizzy inside the market. But her new friend thought it was all due to the stress of recent events.
Bill, Henry and Wynn were laughing, watching Frankison, Jack, Tom and Edward chase a ball. Frank was out of town because he needed to take the word of God to a nearby community. Rose and Lee had traveled to the capital, as Lee's nephew was on an exchange trip to the USA.
Meanwhile, in Rud's town, inside that dark room... Charles Spurlok was sitting in handcuffs. He had been in jail for days and all the lawyers he had called had turned down his case. He couldn't pay for that crime, after all he wasn't the one who had murdered that girl and he wasn't going to take the blame for Charles Kensigton III, two nights before, he had been threatened inside the prison bathroom, he was taking a shower, when men came and covered his mouth, he was made into a woman and beaten with a wet towel, one of the men, while raping him, said in his ear that Hargraves was sending reminders, that he was supposed to take on that crime and keep quiet. He said that if he didn't want another session like that, he should keep his mouth shut and keep quiet. Charles Spurlok now stood there in that interrogation room, waiting for the police.
He had never experienced so much humiliation and pain as he had that last night, and knowing that that little pillow was to blame for everything made him hate himself. Now he didn't know which was greater, his hatred for Jack Thorton and his Elizabeth or his hatred for Hargraves and Charles.
Joe and Collins entered that room, and before they went in they found out about the prisoners' attack on Charles Spurlok, because he had been treated in the infirmary, and regardless of his crime, they felt sorry for that man, because that was something no one deserved to go through. But they decided not to say anything.
- Good afternoon, Charles. I'm Collins and he's Joe, the mountie investigator.
Charles was silent, remained silent...
- I see you don't want to talk to any of us. Perhaps you'd rather talk to your cellmates, they must be very persuasive.
They saw Charles Spurlok turn as white as wax. His lips were trembling, and even though Collins didn't like the situation, he would unfortunately use it to get information.
- You decide, Charles. Let's go Joe... And turning their backs, they left, but before the door closed...
- Wait! I'll talk, but I need protection inside the jail. They could hurt me again.
- Tell us, why did you kill that girl and who was she?
- I didn't kill anyone. I know she was handed over by her mother, a lady with a huge scar on her face...
- What? Joe said.
- Yes! Her mother sold her to the owner of the brothel, they needed a young virgin...
- Go on. Collins said.
- Because Charles Kensigton III wanted a virgin woman and she had to be young, with red hair and blue eyes, but they only had the blonde. She screamed a lot that day, but then silence came and a few days later I heard about her death. That millionaire, he's very cruel, more so than any of us, I can only imagine what he'll do to his beloved when he gets her... laughed Charles Spurlok.
Collins was sure who his beloved was, but he needed to say her name out loud so that he could use it in court.
- Who is this person he loves?
- Elizabeth Thorton...
Collins went white, but soon straightened up.
- Besides you, who else helped Charles Kensigton III escape? What you tell us can and will be used in your favor and the judge may give you some benefits.
Charles Spurlok decided that he wasn't going to pay for everything alone. He told of his revenge on Jack and Elizabeth, because they caused Julio Spurlok's death. He told us about Charles Kensigton III's escape and the names of those involved and even the address where their hideout was, he also revealed about Willian Thatcher and his sponsorship.
- I'll ask you the last question. Who's at the head of it all?
- It's the... He stammered, looked around, thought and eventually revealed:
- Hargraves... Commander Hargraves.