Chapter 20: Abduction

Ty woke to hear Willow vomiting into the privy.

In spite of his worry about her, he had to smile in delight. Well, she did warn him. It was just as well they were getting married in two weeks. She came back out, and he lifted the blanket so she could crawl back in with him.

Willow snuggled back into his embrace, and he kissed her neck and hugged her then rubbed her belly. “No need to be so damn smug, you beastly man,” she grumbled.

“I love you, Willow and you will be an awesome mother. I probably would have preferred to have had you all to myself for a bit longer, but the Gods decide these things, we mere mortals must adjust to their wishes.”

Willow smiled. She was pleased that he wanted their child and while she too would have liked him to herself for a bit longer, it was what it was. At breakfast, Grace handed Willow a special tea. She grinned and said, “Looks like you get to try out your own concoction, Willow.”

Willow had designed the tea a few years ago for morning sickness, and many women at home who used it said it made a big difference. Willow sipped the tea, “I think it needs more honey,” she said, trying not to grimace at the bitter taste. She may need to do some perfecting of the recipe. At least, this time, she can experiment on herself.

Grace placed her hand on Willow’s tummy. She then grinned at Ty, “I hope you wanted a son?”

Bethany watching this exchange suddenly worked out what they were on about. She got up and ran around to Willow. She put her hand on Willow’s tummy and then her head. She lifted her head and looked at Willow in awe. “Two brothers, I’m getting two brothers.” She stood up and clapped her hands in delight.

Willow and Ty looked at each other in horror. “Oh my, I’m going to be as big as a house,” Willow exclaimed.

Vincent crowed, “Well that’s what you get for doing the fertility dance twice.” No one doubted Bethany’s pronouncement. They all congratulated the couple on their impending children.

When Willow visited Druid Williams the following week, who also happened to be a doctor specialising in maternity care, he too confirmed that he believed she would have twins.

“Willow, my order has been thinking of setting up a new Sanctuary in Terville. The King is planning on growing the area, and we feel our services need expanding there as many poor will head to Terville in search of jobs,” he told her.

“Would the use of a twenty-six bedroom house on four acres help?” she hoped the Earl rolled in his grave at the use she planned for his old estate.

“Pardon?” he said in surprise, he just wanted her to know they would be moving to the area. He wasn’t asking for help.

“There was a minor boom about twenty odd years ago. There are several larger homes on minor estates that have been unoccupied or only rented since.”

“The Earl in his desire to hurt my father and mother purchased many of them as they were close to our estate. Also in the last ten years, he hasn’t used his, and I prefer to stay at my father’s estate. I’ve found that the other homes are either rented or have enough staff to maintain them until the Earl decided what he wanted to do with them.”

“This block is closer to Terville, and a lot of the surrounding land is land that the King and I believe would be best to build the new homes for the expansion. So you would be close to the very people you wish to help.”

“You wish to give us this land? We could purchase it from you?” he said.

“Many of the people in my area are practising Pagans like my family, so you would be more than welcome. We need a better hospital if that helps you decide on who moves there. I think the building I have in mind could easily be renovated into a small hospital.”

“As it is effectively now my province, I have a responsibility to the people to provide this service. I’m sure the Sisters of Mercy would also be a help to you.”

“So if you agree to set up a hospital, then the land is yours to use as it would be maintained as part of the province. I think a small donation to assist with renovations and equipment may find its way to you. What do you say?”

Druid Williams looked at Willow. “You are a very shrewd businesswoman. We often work with the Sisters of Mercy and the Sisters of the Dead so their assistance would be a blessing. I will call a meeting to discuss your proposition.”

Willow was pleased with this development. They had needed a hospital for some time. Now she had the money, she had no qualms using it for the good of her people. “I think you will love living in Terville, Druid Williams. Please tell David about your decision. I’ll let him know you are coming and why.”

He laughed. He had been thinking of taking over the running of the new endeavour. The fact Willow had come to him, as her doctor was not lost on him either.

Many of the Gentry in the city would not see doctors that they knew were also Druids. He had a feeling that the Country Gentry would not shun them, especially if Willow and Ty supported them.

They would also have access to the oldest Grove of the Gods, and the more devout will move with him for this reason alone. He was sure Willow was going to get her hospital and probably some of the best practitioners around.

Druid Williams had some plans to make.

The wedding plans had gone full steam ahead.

Willow doubted she would have been able to organise the affair without Gary Snidel’s assistance. The invitations had been long since sent out, and they hadn’t had a ‘no’ yet. The few who had been holding out has sent their acceptance after the little showdown at the Evens party.

Willow hadn’t been happy to have all and sundry know Carl had tried to rape her. She didn’t want their sympathy. But interesting enough several other women had approached her and told of their own close calls or actual rapes by different men.

She had recommended they go talk to Druid Edenton as he specialised in counselling people who had been through trauma. She also recommended they seek a lawyer.

Ty decided the story of his mother’s humiliation must have reached Carl. He still hadn’t been seen around town. Ty would have been interested to find that Carl was in fact, hiding out at the family’s estate that was just outside the city.

Carl wasn’t a happy man when his parents turned up home early. His father had been ropeable. Beatrice’s humiliation had them leaving town more three weeks before the end of the season. He had bawled Carl out and wanted him to turn himself in and tell the magistrate his parents hadn’t condoned the attempted rape.

Many of the stories going around the clubs had indicated Carl had his approval to rape Willow. The Baron had protested his innocence, but he knew it fell on deaf ears. Several business deals he had been negotiating had also suddenly been retracted.

The trade’s people had also sent their bills demanding payment or no more goods. He was notorious for not paying bills until he had too. His wife had also found her credit had dried up. ‘Cash or no goods, and can she, please pay her bill first’, was what she had been told when she went shopping after the Evens party.

She had been mortified. The couple had ended up having a huge argument about her spending habits of late. They were also being shunned by the Gentry. Rape had become a bigger taboo than adultery. The fact she had admitted her involvement in public under Ty’s questioning made it fact, as far as everyone was concerned.

Trial by the public was not new to their class. Spreading rumours was one thing, but being caught in a lie was another. Being shunned by your class was considered a greater punishment than being convicted in a court of law. One’s peers didn’t tend to forgive or forget in any great hurry.

Carl cursed and fumed at the latest development. He still wanted Willow and her money. If he took her to Sunland, he could convince her to marry him, and this would dispel the rumours. He would get her to admit that she had wanted to be his wife all along and that she had panicked like his mother said.

Her admission would ensure his parents were reinstated in their position and vindicated. Plus, by going to live in Terville, they would be out of direct contact with the Gentry of Bavindor. With the King’s plans, he would then have to negotiate with him and his father. It was win-win for his family.

He decided that this time, he would get help. He had organised several people to keep tabs on Willow’s movement so he could work out when best to take her. It seemed she was most vulnerable when she went for her morning rides as she often only had the idiot Brain with her.

If they took her Tuesday morning, they could be over the border in six to eight hours, and there were plenty of places to hide in Sunland. There were a lot of tourist destinations and busy ports down the coast. Carl thought if he kept her there for a month or two and got her pregnant then she would have to marry him.

Carl sent a note to his best friend Earl Robert Lindum that he was coming to town and had a lucrative deal for him. He knew Robert was living on credit and a boost to the coffers wouldn’t hurt. Abduction and rape were not foreign concepts to him, Carl knew. It was how Robert had acquired his first wife before she had an unfortunate accident.

Carl snuck back into the city disguised as a tradesman after availing himself of his mother’s jewellery. Robert agreed to his plan and fenced the jewellery making sure he kept some for himself. Robert liked the idea of helping Carl as he could also help himself. He knew that he wouldn’t be earning any more cash from Terence since he’d missed Willow with the carriage.

Since his last attempt, he always seemed to find that Willow was well guarded, and he had not found another opportunity to take care of her by himself. For this attempt, he had horses that not many knew about, and they could dress in dark clothing, capes and scarves they could pull over their faces.

Willow and Brain tended to pass down a small lane between the Shops on the main street and the houses on the other side of the road on their way home. The men decided to wait in a backyard that was towards the middle of the lane. There would still be enough darkness to hide them.

Willow wasn’t allowed to leave the house unless well rugged up and Ty was questioning if her rides were necessary. Willow pooh-poohed his concerns, saying her mother rode up to the day she’d had her. Due to the snowfall the night before, Willow and Brain didn’t push the horses hard.