My fears - Chapter 22
You know Nathan, Elizabeth said... these last two years, you can't imagine how much I've missed you and Alien. I wanted to at least see you from afar, several times I went to the Fort and saw you from afar, without anyone or rather without you seeing me, but that alone made me happy. I was so afraid that something would happen to both of you, I love Alien like a daughter and you are my eternal love.
- Love, let's end it all, we have proof and a good trial will have Charles and whoever else in your family is involved in this. I won't tolerate any of them getting to you, now it's over...
- Nathan, I'm scared. They're not going to stop that easily. Is Alien safe?
- Yes, my angel, I've sent her to Hope Valle. Everyone is safe there and we've sent a team of trusted mounties, hand-picked by Superintendent Collins and other superiors, and they all know that both the people of Hope Valle and Jack Thorton's widow were in enormous danger. They are well trained and trustworthy. Alien is safe with the other children, with Rose, Clara, Fiona, and Abigail in a place hidden and protected by the team. The town is all prepared after Charles stopped by a few days ago looking for you and threatening everyone when he found out that you had run away with little Jack.
Seeing Elizabeth wince at hearing Charles' name, he hugged her. The two of them sat quietly in each other's arms until Elizabeth spoke softly:
- I was so scared when they threatened the children. When it was all you adults, I could face it head on, but when it was my son, Opal, Alien, Robert, Cody, Backy and Emily, I knew that if anything was going to happen to them, I'd rather give myself up. You know, I would never let anything happen to any of them. Tears flowed from Elizabeth's eyes, at that moment her mind realized all the horror that her family and Charles were making her experience day after day, especially since Jack's death.
Nathan told her everything, from Gab's telegram, about Gab fighting Jack and recognizing her and the child, about how everyone found out about her lying affair, about Lucas and Fiona and their marriage, about all the attempts or threats these people had made against her, Lee, Henry, Lucas, Rose, Abigail, Ned, Bill, Clara, Jesse, Carson, Frank and Nathan, how they had used their businesses, lives and professions to threaten Elizabeth all this time. He told and explained to her how they followed her day after day, with Bill always finding a clue about her because he knew her better than anyone and loved her like a daughter. She agreed to the clues for Bill and so Nathan saw that they really did have a great bond because one understood the other, he as a father knew both Jack Thorton and Elizabeth very well, so he always saw directions from the clues left behind. He told them about Charlote, Tom, Jack's friend Gab from the war, everyone who had come from Hope Valle after her, and about Wynn her uncle, her cousin Frankson and her friend Edward who were all looking for her and crazy with worry about her and the child.
- Nathan, I just wanted to protect all of you, I didn't want to get away from you especially. It was the most painful thing I've ever done. None of you, I wanted to get away from. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
- Ohh! My love. You're my wife now. Today I was the happiest man to see you accept me and to consummate our love and our union. I really never imagined that I would have you in my arms, in a place like this or in that way, but the passion was so fierce, when I felt your kisses and your surrender, that my desire was so great that I couldn't control myself. You are my love, my first and only love, my wife, the most delicate, the most daring, the most delicious and stunning woman I have ever seen. Even now, after loving each other intensely for all that time and twice, my body burns with the desire to feel you in my arms again, moaning with pleasure; this, my flower, is a bond that few people have, many couples spend their whole lives and don't manage to feel or give pleasure and love to their partner as we did in that intensity. You have the power to make my fingers tingle just by being near me, with a light touch.
- Ha! Nathan, I love you with all my heart. But love, how do we go from here? What should I do?
- I'll wait, but in the middle of the night, I'll call Carson to look at you. We need a doctor, because it's not looking good. Besides, I need to see and we'll lose Charles. If we catch him or his father in the act, they can go on trial and we'll have plenty of witnesses.
You're not going to like what I'm going to propose, but it's the solution to all our problems, so we'll have big witnesses on our side, from a mountie, a doctor, several shopkeepers, a judge, as well as a pastor...