CHRISTA BEGS THOMAS TO STOP

Angry to hear him speak about Christa as though she was a servant girl,

Thomas stood up unable to control his rage and said, "Were you marrying her to be your wife? Or is it you just want a slave?"

"Mr. Fortune, you don't understand, we are living in a village where the wives attend to the home.

While the men work to care for the family, that is how we make our lively hood. Christa is aware of these duties and has accepted it."

"Christa might have accepted it, but I am very sorry, I cannot accept that as an option. She is very smart and intelligent if you haven't noticed she is a very caring person.

I agree with you to a point but what you are asking of her is too much. You know something Mr. Bradshaw, I am glad she accepted my proposal.

Maybe it's God's way of freeing her from that dungeon you were going to dump her in. Now I will not ask you to leave, but if you are going to bagger her with your complaining.

And blame her for helping out a friend. I will like for you to leave, so she won't be hurt more than she is already.

All the time I thought you love her, but I am certain her misconception will soon wear out, I can assure you.

Now that I know of your intentions, I can truly say I am happy that I marry her."

Thomas turns hearing her voice as she and Aliza walk through the door. Before he could say a word, Paul had already reached the hall.

Looking on as he took her in his arm, 'This is not the same man who was just speaking of his duties.

From the way she has responded to him, Thomas knew she was shocked to see him.

"Paul, My God, what are you doing here? I told you I got married and to move on with your life."

"Chris, honey, how could I, when I miss you so much."

"I am sorry Paul but you shouldn't have come, now you have spent the little money you have been saving to buy a plane ticket."

When Paul said, "I don't care about the money, I just had to know why? You were the one who wanted to wait until we got married.

So how could you tell me you were not a?" Thomas saw him stop knowing exactly what he was going to say.

"Paul, I didn't want you to know before, that's why I leave home. I am so sorry for deceiving you."

"So, all this time you were just lying to me, making me believe that you were a virgin."

"I am afraid so and I could not live with that lie any longer. You see Paul I recently learned that I am pregnant and I could not tell dad, you know how he is.

Paul, I could not stay home any longer, because Errol would be shamed in Ministry."

"Oh Chris, why didn't you tell me before, I would have understood."

"I know, but when we got engaged you were so happy hearing I was a virgin. I could not disappoint you."

"Can you tell me, who did you prefer to be the first when you keep promising I would?"

"Paul, I am sorry, but it is better if you don't know."

"I am entitled to know," he shouted.

Thomas notices when Christa jumped backward seeing how frightened she was, especially when he grabs hold of her hand.

"Let go of me, Paul." Thomas heard her squeal.

When he said out loud, "You are a coward, is that why you ran away? I want to know, I deserve to know who was with you after I beg you to so many times."

Unable to stand and listen any longer to his verbal and physical abuse of her. Knowing she was lying to Paul for his sake.

Thomas steps in, "You are hurting my wife, kindly let go of her hand."

"Stay out of this Fortune, this is between Chris and me."

"You are wrong this is my house and Christa is my wife, so let go of her hand this instant."

"You whore, I will spread your name over the entire village, Errol will be scorned and have to bend his head in shame.

I will see that the villagers ridicule your family and I will cheer them on."

Thomas held her hearing her cry, as Paul shouted at her.

His family looks on, seeing them all coming one after the other listening as Paul continues to misbehave using foul language and disrespecting her.

Calling her every name he could think up off. Yet she said nothing to defend herself. Held her close to him as she did not whisper a word to expose him.

'This is all my fault,' putting her behind him. "I told you earlier Mr. Bradshaw if you have to hurt her to leave. Now you leave me no choice but to throw you out."

"Tom, what are you doing? You heard the man for yourself she is not fit to be your wife."

But before another word could leave Jerome's mouth, Thomas has knocked him aside.

When Paul saw how angry he was, shouting at his brother not to meddle. He hurried aside seeing his rage thinking at that moment.

'If he abused Christa the family will throw her out. But it seems this feller is very serious about marrying her.

Angry with himself now, if I had taken his warning and left seeing the way he approaches him when Chris rush to hold him.

"Thomas, please don't hurt him, let him go he is just hurting that's all."

With her restraining him when he shouted. "Now you get out from my house and you to Jerome and don't bother coming back, do you hear me?"

Holding her Thomas walk up the stairs

"You try and rest." Christa felt his body vibrating the way he was angry. Watching him walk to the window, Christa lies down on the bed and cries.