Chapter Five
Six Months Later
“Here you go, my love,” James said as he handed the fruit to Elaina. She smiled gratefully and took a bite.
“Aren’t you going to the mill today?”
“Oh no, I don’t. Remember I took old man Freddie’s shift last week? He is covering mine today. For now, I want to be here with my two babies.”
Elaina sighed in happiness, “I am thrilled to hear that.”
He kissed her cheek. He stood up and pointed at the fruit, “Go on and finish it all, all right. I’ll be out in the yard.”
She nodded and watched him leave. Elaina sighed as she rubbed her protruded belly. Four more weeks, and she would be having her beautiful baby. It had been a long pregnancy and she could not wait to see her little one.
She looked up and smiled at the sight of James hard at work raking the front yard.
It had not been easy for them, starting over in a completely new place with nothing but minimal savings.
But, they had pulled through. While most of the people of the town were quite snobbish, their neighbors were lovely people and that made all the difference.
They tried to keep their head down as much as possible, but at the same time, they also had to mingle enough so that they didn’t draw attention to themselves.
Being seen as loners would draw unwanted attention to themselves so they had needed to strike a balance.
She smiled, affectionately rubbing her baby bump.
They were safe out here. There was no way Grimsson, and his thugs could find them here.
She shook her head at the thought of Grimsson.
Thinking about him always left her with a mix of emotions, it made her blood boil with rage, and at the same time, she felt chills run through her.
He was someone that had the ability to hurt James badly.
She had no idea what she would do if she lost James. Would she be able to survive it?
Elaina shut her eyes tight. Stop thinking such crazy thoughts, Elaina. Nothing is going to happen to James, you or the baby. Do not dwell on worries and horrible scenarios. She shook her head in a desperate bid to clear away all the dreadful images.
“James is going to hold our kid in his hands, yes he will,” She muttered. “There is no way they can find us here.”
She took another bite of her fruit, savoring the taste.
She turned back to her husband and a smile played on her lips as she watched him.
A calm and peaceful life, this was all she craved.
As long as she had James and their baby, she was content, more than content actually.
Leila, Grimsson and the rest of them did not matter.
She swallowed hard as she thought of her former friend.
Till the end, Leila had chosen to betray her.
Several times she had wanted to reach out to her friend, prompted by the memories of the times they had shared together, but then, she would remember all that and happened in the end, and be reminded that her friend was only an enemy, an enemy who was set in her ways.
She had given her friend one last chance to help her and not only had Leila not done that, she had also lied to her face.
Who needed enemies with friends like that?
“What is eating you up, darling? What’s got you so troubled?” James asked, breaking into her thoughts.
Elaina jolted to alertness. Her eyes widened at the sight of him in front of her. Just moments ago, he had been out in the yard.
“When did you get here?” she scratched her hair just as a ginger curl fell over her eyes.
He reached forward and brushed it behind her ear. “You were so engrossed in your thoughts that you didn’t notice me. Where were you, my dear?”
She sighed, “I was just thinking about Leila. I know I shouldn’t. It’s just, her betrayal still hurts, you know. We were friends for so long. She betrayed me without batting an eye. It still hurts and... I know, I know, thinking about her only makes me feel agitated. It’s just...”
“I understand, my dear. She was one of the people you trusted the most. It’s not easy. That I know.”
He took her hand and kissed it. “How about this? Why don’t we go over to the pumpkin patch and get a very large and juicy one? I’ll make your favorite pumpkin soup.”
She nodded, her eyes sparkling with delight, “Sure. I’d love that. I should get my bonnet. It’s a warm day out there.”
“Speaking of warm, I think we also need to get some more ice for the ice box.”
Elaina nodded, “I will remind you when we go into town then. Let me go change.”
He winked as she left.
A short while later, she emerged and they set off to the outskirts of town where the pumpkin patch was located for what they hoped would be a fun day.
The sun was setting when Elaina and James started to make their way back home. As they moved through town, Elaina noticed weird looks being thrown their way by some of the townspeople.
“James, is it just me or did Mrs. Fuller look at us strangely?”
“She is always looking at us strangely,” James shrugged as he took her hand in his.
Elaina shook her head, “No, James. It seemed different. Did something happen? We were barely out of town. Surely, we would have heard if something happened.”
“I think you are just over thinking things. Mrs. Fuller has never been a...”
James' next words were interrupted when a hand grabbed him and Elaina and pulled them into an alley. Elaina opened her mouth to scream but a hand clapped over it. James tried to fight off the hand around his arm but then, gasped when he realized who it was. Elaina’s eyes widened when she saw the person holding her too.
They were their neighbors, Katy, and Richard.
“What on earth are you doing?” James whispered as their friends dragged them farther into the alley.
Richard shoved a paper into James' hand. Elaina leaned in to see and gasped as she saw what was displayed on it.
“That’s... That’s me...” she stammered.
“Yes, and someone is claiming you are his wife and accusing James of kidnapping you,” Katy said softly.
“That is outrageous. I am married to James and we love each other. I’ve never been married to anyone else.”
“We believe you,” Richard nodded his head.
“We have known you both long enough to know that your relationship is not that of a captive and captor. The soldiers came in today, sharing the fliers and claiming you, Elaina are a victim. Unfortunately, most of the townspeople fell for these lies and they directed the soldiers searching for the both of you to your house. I believe they even informed them of your pregnancy. Right now, they will be there and scouting the surroundings. We don’t have much time. You have to get out of town now.”
“But how do we do that? They already know that we are here. I bet they have everywhere surrounded and are on the lookout for us. And the people we saw in the Town Square, I bet they would have informed them by now,” Elaina worried.
“And there is no way I am putting my wife in a risky position, Richard. She cannot run.”
“Listen both of you, I don’t know why the soldiers are after you or what you both are into.
But we are friends, and we are going to help you out in any way we can.
And I need to let you know that if you do not flee now, there is no way you are going to get out of here.
Elaina, I bet they want you alive, but James, they are accusing you of a crime.
Who knows what they are going to do to you?
You have pissed off very powerful people and they aren’t playing here.
Those soldiers are armed. Please listen to Katy and I and leave now. ”
Elaina and James exchanged looks, then, they nodded. “All right. What do we have to do?”
“There is a path through the woods, and it leads to the river. Cross the bridge to the other side and there will be a raft to take you upstream. I have sent message to my cousin who lives on the other side. You just have to cross the bridge. Once you get to the raft, you will almost be safe.”
“We cannot thank you enough,” Elaina squeezed Katy's hand as James patted Richard’s shoulder.
“Thank you for helping us.”
Katy squeezed something into Elaina’s hand. “I’m sorry. Because of the suddenness of it all, we were not able to take anything from your house. This is all we have. I hope this helps.”
“Thank you so much, thank you,” Elaina lowered her head in appreciation.
Katy shrugged off her cloak and wrapped it around Elaina. She whispered, “Please stay safe, for your sake and for the little one you are carrying. Do not give up.”
“You have to leave now!” Richard said in a shout whisper.
Elaina and James made it to the boundaries of the town and slipped into the forest. As they ran through, Elaina’s heart pounded in her chest. James’ hand was interlocked with hers and he kept squeezing her hand in reassurance.
Her worries and fears from that morning flooded Elaina.
She blinked back tears. She had been right to worry.
It was like she had known what was coming deep down.
The happiness they had shared in this town, it had been shattered. They had to get through this!!
She winced as she stumbled over a tree branch. James caught her before she could hit the dirt.
“I’m sorry, James. I’m slowing us down,” she whispered, fighting back tears.
“Don’t say that, my love. We are getting out of this alive so don’t dare propose I leave you behind. Now, come on. I’ve got you, my dear.”
Just as they picked themselves up to continue, a flood of lights filtered through the dense forest, coming from the direction of the town they had just left behind. Voices reached them.
“The reports said they came this way. If she is pregnant like they say, they can’t have gone far. Check every single corner! We can’t let them get away!”
A horrified Elaina glanced at James who pulled her into a hug and whispered, “We are almost there. We just have to get through the woods. Remember that, my love.”
As they moved through the forest, as quickly as their legs could carry them, the skies opened and the rain thundered through the forest. They were grateful for the rain as it helped delay their pursuers but at the same time, it clouded the moon which had just started to peek out from behind the cloud.
Seeing their way through the forest was not easy work.
Ironically, at intervals, they had to rely on the distant light from their pursuers.
Drenched and shivering, the couple made it out of the forest to find the riverbank overflowing due to the rain.
The bridge was almost submersed in the water.
Gently, they stepped onto the rickety bridge and started the awful walk.
Under their weight, and the force of the wind, the bridge swung like a swing.
James led the way, holding Elaina’s hand tightly.
As he moved, he felt around for the good parts with his feet.
And then, led her forward once he was sure it was secure.
They were halfway across the bridge when the lights of the soldiers emerged from the forest. The couple crouched low immediately.
It would be easier for them to be seen now since it was an open area.
They could only hope that the rain served as a good enough cover.
Still, they needed to keep moving under the cover of dark and the rain.
Any longer and it would be too late. This was the thought that ran through their heads as gently, they moved across the bridge in lowered postures.
Elaina winced as they moved further. She could feel a sharp pain in her stomach and all she could hope was that her baby was fine despite all they were going through. James squeezed her hand reassuringly and she inhaled deeply, trying to push back the hysteria.
“We will get out of this, my dear. We are almost there,” James whispered.
He nodded forward and Elaina followed his eyes.
She managed a small sigh of relief when she saw they were almost at the end of the bridge.
That meant they would be at the raft soon.
The rain was still heavy but it would be favorable to them.
It would provide the current they needed to go upstream.
“There they are!!” a voice thundered through the air. Soldiers marched toward them and Elaina’s hand protectively flew to her belly. The bridge swung precariously from the weight of the newcomers.
“You have to jump, there is no other way,” James whispered in alarm.
“No! I am not leaving you behind. We leave together or we don’t go at all.”
“I need you to trust me, my love. I need you to be safe. If we are both caught here, who knows what Grimsson will do when he finds out you are pregnant from me? He will hurt you and the baby!”
“We aren’t sure about that. The only thing we are sure of is that he will hurt you! I am not leaving you behind.”
“He needs me to get to you, my love. He will keep me alive long enough, for me to escape and come for you. Get to the safe spot. I promise I’ll come for you. Let me delay them!”
“No! No! I don’t want you to!” Elaina cried.
“Trust me, my love.” He whispered. “Live well, for me, for yourself and for our baby! Love again!”
Before Elaina could comprehend anything, he shoved her into the water. The cold enveloped her and her eyes flew open and she struggled to stay afloat. She gasped as up on the bridge, James was beaten by the soldiers.
“James! No!” she cried but her voice was lost to the wind.
She was trying hard to fight the current but it was taking her farther away from her love. Elaina’s eyes widened as she watched Grimsson emerge from among the soldiers. He lifted a gun and she screamed.
Her scream was lost in the night as the sound of two gunshots rent the night sky. Elaina watched with horror as her husband’s lifeless body fell into the river with a splash. He was close enough that she could see the bullet hole at the center of his head.
“Find her, no matter what it takes!” Grimsson’s words echoed in the night.
Elaina felt life draining out of her as across the distance, she stared at her dead husband.
“Love again!” his words rang in her head.
He had known he would die. That reasoning of his to convince her had just been bullshit.
He had known that Grimsson would never keep him alive and he knew she knew.
That was why he had… he had pushed her and. ..
The woman gasped as breathing became difficult for her.
The current and the rain was pushing her upstream and she did not fight it anymore.
All she could see was the starless night sky and the pale face of the man she loved.
Until, there was nothing but darkness and pain. She saw nothing for she was gone.