Chapter 33

Eliot was getting restless, and he stood up. He told Richard and Nora, 'I think it would not be appropriate for us to stay! He is not in his right mind!'. Nora and Richard stood up to leave, she told Cathie, 'Alright, dearie we will have lunch some other time! Alright then . . .. its good-bye!'. They ignored Oliver and he felt the insulted, grew aggressive and blocked their way. He stood in front of Eliot who is quite tall in height than he is. He faced him and said, 'Where do you think you are leaving, lover boy?'. Catherine took him by the arm aside, 'I think that is enough, honey!'. He jolted his arm and Cathie fell with a loud crash. She was hurt and their Eliot lost his mind. 'I thought I wouldn't need to do that, but you asked for it!' as he uttered these words, he blew several punches to his face. And he said, 'If need be, I will be there for her! Unlike you being intimate with your mistresses! You dirty blood!'. Nora aided Catherine up and requested her to come with them. She refused that and pleaded them, 'Please, do not interfere in our matter! I will handle it well!'. She requested Nora not to tell her mother about it. She told her that she wouldn't, but the Oliver crossed all limits now.

Richard and Eliot convinced her to keep it from Mrs. Holdcroft as she would be anxious. Nora told them, 'What if she dies like that! You saw the abuse! And what is wrong with her where is the Catherine we knew all our lives? She is not there anymore!'. She was sitting in the lounge of her house and Eliot and Richard both gelt helpless as the way Catherine asked them not to intervene agonized them. Eliot sighed and said, 'We need Johnathan!'. 'Yes, he will be able to pursue her out of this intoxicated relation!' Richard agreed to that. Nora muttered in helplessness, 'Where is Rosalie when you need her the most?'. Eliot knew that if somebody could help Catherine, it was Johnathan. And only Rosalie could lead to his return. 'I just hope things went well in Turin! If not, there is no hope!' he spoke with nervousness. He told them, 'I would bring Johnathan for the sake of Catherine! He will not back off, I am sure! It was then decided that Eliot will depart to Turin by the end of this week.

George returned to Keswick for his restaurant business for which he could rely on anybody beside himself. Rosalie and Angie both visited the Grand Paradiso National Park again, with Johnathan this time. They had fun hiking and exploring on their own terms with no strangers and again his comforting voice guiding her imagination. She went to places alone without Johnathan, she caught her off-guard when she returned with Aunt Angie to the streets of Turin. They had the chocolate coffee drink again on her request. She was just quite addicted to it. Johnathan and Rosalie strolled every night hand in hand in the garden. He took her to the stable this time as she wanted to see his horses. She was quite afraid, but he made her ride the horse with him.

She leaned back on him while he rode the horse, and they took a ride to a far-off square near stable. He even let her ride his horse alone. He names his horse 'Fate' and he sensed his affection towards Rosalie and acted gently like a mother treats his child. Fate was not rowdy as she climbed it, it walked caringly for her that shocked him. She was new to him, but fate sensed the affection in her and showered it back. She became fond of her and took her away when ever Herbert visited the stable. She spends her good time in the stable learning to care about that dear Fate. Johnathan was relieved that Rosalie visited Fate frequently as he stayed away for a good long time in England. It was that long that he thought his horse might have forgotten about him, but it was a little grumpy to him at first but then was alright.

She desired to take Fate to Keswick, but she didn't know if he would be alright. She didn't want him to be stuck in the houses but to ride freely with her which was not possible as she didn't own any property in the Lake District. Eliot wrote to her about his arrival and informed her about Catherine's situation. She was quite concerned and had a vision about Oliver hitting her. She didn't know the fact about whether it happened or was about to happen, but she anticipated it has. Otherwise, Eliot wouldn't have to visit them so far. As Eliot arrived, he was escorted to Johnathan's manor by his chauffer. He was received with grand affection and was actually excited to catch sight of the ring on her hand. She was the lady of the manor now and she had to receive him.

His room was prepared, and she insisted, 'You must be tired, have a good rest!'. He was concerned and wanted to lighten his heart. But the enervation had the best of him, and he sensed wobbliness in his legs. He walked to his room and freshened himself. He then instead of resting went to Rosalie who was reading in Johnathan's study. 'Oh, you are here!' she spoke. She stood up and asked, 'What would you like to have? A proper lunch or tea?'. He sat himself on the couch and he appeared exhausted to her. 'Just sit down a bit Rosalie! I need to talk to you!' he said. She sat down again and placed the book on her side table. 'Alright, then! What is the matter with Cathie?' she inquired. 'I do not really desire to turn your happiness into a troubled one, but I think I love her!' he confessed.

'What? Are you in your right mind?' she said to him 'She is married! And now you are telling me that!'. He bends his head down and looked at the floor, 'I just know that is shocking but please do not judge! That is the last thing I want from my friend!'. Rosalie continued, 'Eliot, I am not judging you! It is not something rational!'. 'I didn't like her earlier, but the way Oliver abused her made me want to kill him!' he told her. 'Are you sure he abused her?' she asked. 'Yes, Nora, Richard and I are witness to that he even pushed her right in front of us! He is intrepid and walks in town with his mistresses!'. 'What? . . .. No! That can't be!' she said. She then gazed at him and asked, 'Are you sure this is not just empathy for her?'. 'No, Rosalie! My heart burnt for the first time with such an intensity! I can't tell you! It just consumed me! And the worst part about it is that she is not taking any step to get out of it!' he told her.

Rosalie knew at that time that it was not just empathy. She knew what he felt, and he was sure of it. 'What about Cathie? Does she love you!' she inquired. 'She knows about my affection, but she just cut me off! She doesn't know how much I like her! I just want to save her from this monster, Oliver! She is just on a suicide session the way she is handling this issue! She is not the same person as we knew her!' he told her. She said, 'What is there we can do about it?'. 'She will listen to Johnathan! We know that he must tell her that!' he told her. Rosalie agreed to what he said, 'Yes, you are right she will certainly! I will tell him, and we can just go back! But I must ask him, he is engaged these days in his work! I hope he agrees, and he must because it is his sister!' she said.

Eliot and Rosalie waited for Johnathan to come home that evening. She told him all about what Cathie went through. She was concerned about her and Eliot too. Eliot felt like they were wasting every second there and they must leave. But Johnathan told him, 'Don't worry, Eliot! I will go back with you, but you must wait a day or two! I must notify my office here! There are two important cases I must attend to only if I can complete on them in two days!'. Then it was understood that Eliot had to stop there for these two days and make sure that Johnathan finishes his work. Johnathan remained engaged in his work and Rosalie to distract Eliot took him with to the stable where she introduced him to Fate.