Within a few hours they are driving into Shelagh's home town. Tim is on map reading duty and gives his father directions. They pull up outside a medium sized house and he parks the car.
They get out and Patrick knocks on the door, an older lady answers.
"Sorry to bother you but I was wondering if you knew the Mannion family?" He asks.
"Yes I brought this off the daughter. So sad what happened to them and the daughter only a wee thing." The lady answers.
"Silly question, have you seen her in the last few days?"
"Ah I knew it must have been more than what she said. So who are you, the handsome prince come to rescue her?" She teases.
"Only if she wants me to."
The woman looks him up and down before sighing.
"She arrived on Sunday morning on the sleeper train. She visited here and a few other places she knew growing up, I offered that she could stay here but she said she had already booked into a B&B. She seems sad and lost, she said she had some big decisions to make and she needed to be away from everyone she knew so she could think clearly."
"Thank you." He says quietly.
"She is in the park at the end of the road. There is a wooded area to the left it was always her favourite place to think or study. I should just warn you if any harm comes to her you will be in serious trouble." She finishes fiercely.
"I would never do that I love her."
The lady nods while he guides Tim to the park.
They reach the park and walk to the wooded area, walking slowly Patrick freezes when he sees her. She has her hair down and curled, she is wearing a gorgeous blue knee length dress and is bare foot, though he can see her shoes in the grass. She doesn't spot them as she is sitting reading a book.
Patrick points at a bench and mouths to Tim for him to wait there. Then he slowly walks towards her.
"Shelagh." He calls when he's near her.
She looks up and jumps when she sees him.
"Patrick what are you doing here?" She asks shocked.
"I am here to talk to my wife if she will allow me to."
"Patrick please don't make this harder. I can't be what you need I'm sorry." She says tearfully.
"And what do I need?"
"What?" She asks confused.
"Well you seem to know everything I need so please tell me what I don't know about my own thoughts and need." He replies.
"Patrick I may have been a nun but I'm not naïve, I know that men want their wives to satisfy their urges."
He stares at her blankly so she continues.
"I can't give you that. I had some tests and they told me I'm infertile. I can't give you sex and I can't give you a child."
"Tim cover your ears or move further away." He calls out.
Shelagh sees Tim sitting on a bench and her heart breaks. Patrick turns back to her and she sees his anger.
"Oh well that explains it all, thanks for clearing it up. I guess I'm just the same as all the abusive husbands who force their wives into bed and use them as a baby making machine. Then move on to the prostitutes when the wives are no longer good enough."
"Patrick I didn't say you were abusive. I just can't give you everything." She huffs trying to make him understand.
"Shelagh you already have. I am married to you. My beautiful wife you have filled my life and home with happiness and I have everything I need with you and Tim with me."
"But what about sex?"
"What about it? If you no longer want to be physical Shelagh then we don't have to be, we can do whatever you are comfortable with. We can get single beds if you no longer want to share, we don't have to kiss or hug or anything else. As long as I can call you my wife I have everything I need."
She hugs him tight and cries into his chest. He rubs her back and breathes in the scent of her shampoo feeling himself relax.
"I want to kiss you." She whispers.
"My love." He says just before she presses her lips to his.
She breaks the kiss after a few seconds and sighs.
"I want to be with you I just don't know how anymore."
"We can work on it together if you want. It's your choice, are you staying here or coming back to London?"
She turns around picks up her shoes and Bible then grabs his hand.
"Take me home Patrick."
"Just to warn you, you might get tackled in a minute." He says when he sees Tim jump up.
He laughs when Tim reaches them and hugs her, he holds them steady so they don't fall.
"Hello Timmy." She giggles.
"Hello Mu…Shelagh." He quickly corrects himself.
"Right lets go get some food then we can sort out how to get home. Where do you suggest my love?"
"Follow me." She says taking both their hands.
"To the ends of the Earth." He whispers in her ear making her blush. Tim mutters and pulls on her hand.
She guides them first to the B&B she was staying at to collect her things then she takes them to a café.