Taking A Chance on Love (Book 1 Of The Tombstone Brides)

Chapter 22.

When I finally came to, I noticed right away that I wasn't alone in the room. It seems like everyone was hovering over my bed wondering if I was okay... if the baby was okay. Of course, the baby was okay! I mean it was this tiny little being the size of a bean inside of me. I for that matter was not okay, I was dizzy and tired and exhausted with worry. Now, I had the added surprise of seeing Nathan's grandmother alive and well standing within my home and in my bedroom staring at me. What was I to say? I thought she was dead. I mean, I heard the rumors, and it broke my heart when I heard that she died suddenly in the night, because she was my only friend other than Victoria in this unfriendly world when I lost my father and my husband to cholera. 

She was the only one who believed in me, she was the only one who knew how much I loved her grandson. And I'm probably sure that she knew what an idiot her grandson was at times because she was the one who raised him. 

I attempted to get up from the bed, but Jordan pushed me back down and then he started to fuss over me. My God, I loved this man but I needed some space and some closure with another woman and I am pretty sure that Katherine could sense that. So hilariously, she distracted Jordan by telling him to wait outside the room because she wanted to be alone with me and speak in privet. 

"What do you mean privately? She is my wife, my love of my life and the mother of my children as well as to the soon to be a child that we are going to have in the next coming months. So how could I not be worried?"

Katherine sighed, "I know that you're worried about her Mr. Green." She said. "Oh, that's just nonsense, just call me Jordan. After all, you were her grandmother in law and I can see that you care for her and she cares for you and she regards you as a parental figure, so if you want you can become my grandmother in law as well. that's only if you wish it though."

Katherine blushed and patted his cheeks with affection. "Oh, you are a sweetheart." She exclaimed and continued to pat his cheek. Jordan chuckled and gently moved her hand away from his face and then quietly excused himself from the room. Once we were alone, Katherine knelt by my side and smiled at me.

"So what really happened?" I asked as I finally got my bearings. "I heard that you died." Katherine exhaled loudly and closed her eyes briefly. "My demise was a lie fabricated by my husband. I knew he was a cruel man, but never would I have thought that he would cause rumours to start by exclaiming that his darling wife that he loved dearly was dead. Because believe me there was NO love in our forty-three years of marriage. In fact, I was forced into the arrangement by my own father who was even worse than Lester.

 I felt pity for Nathan's mother because I felt the same way, I was in the same type of relationship. If I did or said anything right or wrong for that matter, I was severely beaten. So that day, when you approached us in the park and told us that you were pregnant, that you were with child and that you were about to have my great-grandchild, I couldn't express or show any emotion, because if I did, I would be severely punished by Lester when we got home.

So I did the only thing I could do, and that was to press that note into your hand And tell you to be watchful and wary of the repercussions that were going to happen to you and my darling Nathan."

"So, you weren't disappointed with us? Did you really disown your grandson? Because that hurt Nathan the most especially when it came from you."

"No my dear. I did not disown my grandson! I loved him, but I was locked away in a facility that Lester put me in because I did not tell him the whereabouts of Lacy and he did not want to deal with a woman who married and loved the girl that gave his grandson happiness. He saw right away what compassion can do in any situation and that it would cause him tremendous trouble."

When I heard that, When I heard her confession, I got up right away from the bed and threw myself into her arms and hugged her. "How did you escape the facility when he had you locked in?"

"What Lester did not know is that I had a friend from childhood who was also locked with the same cell as I was and she taught me how to pick locks and how to escape without being noticed. So when the opportunity arose, I faked my death in the facility to trick the guards and waited for Lester to lower his guard a little. When he did, I made my escape. When I got out of there, I was able to find the little stash of money that I had hidden and that I kept away from Lester and made my way here."

"But how did you know where here was?"

    "Oh, you do not need to worry about that. I too am a friend of Ms Isabel Hastings and after I saw her in the hospital, she and I talked and she told me your whereabouts!"

"The Hospital? What happened? Is she okay?"

"Calm down my dear, think of the baby. She's fine now, but she has a little run-in with a man named Henry Westin. He broke into her house and beat her very badly and stabbed her twice so that he could attain any information he could of your location. Thankfully, Isabelle was tight-lipped for she did not tell him at all where you were located. Plus, you do not have to worry about Henry anymore, he is dead, she made sure of that."

I sighed with relief, I didn't have to worry about Henry or his accomplices or other dark dealings that he may have had for me and my daughter. Wait!! My daughter! Oh my goodness, I completely have forgotten about my daughter! What kind of mother am I? I reached up and held onto Katherine's shoulders and gently began to shake her. With tears in my eyes, I asked her if she knew the whereabouts of my daughter..., my little girl.

Katherine shook her head, "No, I'm sorry my dear, I do not. But I have a feeling I know where Lester am ybe hiding right now. There is a property that he purchased outside of town a few years back, it's been sitting empty all this time. He thought I didn't know anything about it, but he was wrong, so I am hopeful that is the place he is currently residing in, no doubt with your daughter and my grandbaby." 

"Are you sure?" I asked her. She nodded at me and gave me a gentle smile, "I am quite certain. In fact, I know I am right." With that, I immediately threw the covers away from my body, got up and out of bed and with Katherine's assistance we made our way into the foyer of my home. Everyone with whom we knew was gathered in the room and when I looked up, I saw Jordan pacing back and forth across the carpet. When he saw me, he stopped pacing and rushed to my side. "My darling are you okay?" He asked me. I leaned in and kissed him on the cheek, "yes," I said simply. "But Katherine has told me about a location where she is sure Lester is hiding out with our daughter," I looked to Sheriff Thorpe and told him the location.

"I know of that place." He said. With that, he took his hat off the table and planted it upon his head and rushed out the door before we could say anything anymore. We all looked at each other and laughed a little and followed him out. Hopefully, we will get there in time before he does anything more dangerous to Katie.