The Homecoming Bride

Chapter Thirteen: We Have All the Time In the World

CHAPTER SONG: "We Have All the Time in the World" by Louis Armstrong

ONE WEEK LATER...

Emmy awoke once again in her bed within the guest room of Molly Schofield's house, opening her eyes as she stretched her legs underneath the covers. Her cheeks and jawbone still ached with her healing bruises and scars spotted along her face courtesy of her violent interrogation by a certain police sergeant, paranoid and xenophobic about her American origins.

And when she had been rescued by Detective Murphy and Captain Smith, and later on taken back to Doctor Wannop's clinic to recuperate, that had been the final straw. She had been barely settled into bed with a distraught and righteously angry Will at her side when Charlotte had struggled out of her own clinic bed and dragged herself to the police station to turn herself in for James Satterthwaite's murder.

Joseph Blake had escorted the stubborn Yorkshire woman to her destination, surprised and relieved to see Captain Smith returned to rectify the situation with Emmanuelle Hunterson being injured further beyond a concussion.

When the lieutenant saw Sergeant Mosley Grey sauntering toward him and Charlotte, followed by a displeased Captain Smith to ensure he didn't cause any more trouble, Joe immediately knew this was the brute that had harmed the engaged woman he cared deeply for, his "dearest one".

The raven haired soldier had pushed the now disgraced and dismissed sergeant against the wall, Grey's eyes glancing toward Charlotte to leer at her and she had stood strong against such an uncomfortable position. But she had greater things to be concerned over than one idiot's undressing her with his eyes...

Captain Smith had to pull Joseph away from Grey, empathizing with the younger soldier's fury but quickly being cooled down by Charlotte taking ahold of him by the collar with her own Herculean effort to keep him focused.

"Joseph Blake, get a bloody hold of yourself now! This isn't good for you, Emmy or anyone else involved. If there's one person being locked up today, it'll be me." She turned to acknowledge Captain Smith. "I've come here to confess to James Satterthwaite's murder. I'm the one who shot him, as I confessed last night at the doctor's clinic. Joseph Blake, William Schofield and Detective Samuel Murphy can attest as witnesses to my statement at that time... as well as when the bastard shot back straight through me."

She unbuttoned the hem of her white hospital gown to reveal the scar on her hip that would most likely be there the rest of her life.

That was evidence enough...

And to think when she had woken up in Doctor Wannop's clinic, she had hoped to be reunited with her Edward in Heaven...

It took Joe all of his willpower to not protest at his lover being led away down the hallways of the police station, only for her to turn back and look at him, silently shaking her head to not do anything impulsive with his heated temper and protective nature.

Detective Murphy came to join Lieutenant Blake as the Irishman could sense the soldier's anxiety and burgeoning unease. "Not to worry, Lieutenant. Miss Henshaw will be properly looked after. I feel awful for what happened to Miss Hunterson, I shouldn't have left her alone to be accosted by Sergeant Grey... But we won't have to worry about him; he'll be sent back to Birmingham before he's shipped out to France."

"Good riddance to him." Joseph murmured in agreement as he looked to the detective. "But I won't see Charlotte be locked up the remainder of her days for saving an innocent family from such a monstrous man. If we can make a plea for self defense..." Joe was slowly becoming desperate in trying to keep those he loved safe... those he had left in his life.