Chapter 12 - Barnstaple

I was heartbroken about what I heard even if I haven't met her mother, so I hugged her.

"I have to go home tomorrow, I have to catch the train at 6AM, that's the earliest train to Barnstaple from Cambridge." she said while sobbing.

But that's too early, I can't drive that fast, and we still have to pass at our apartment to pack.

"I'll come with you." I said while holding her hands.

"You don't have to-"

"Because you think your bothering me? No it's not, I'll never leave your side especially in this times" I convinced her.

"But your class."

"It's okay, I can catch up, I'm smart remember?"

"I can drive you two at 4:30AM, I'll assure you'll arrive at Cambridge at 5:30AM without dying." Dad arrives from downstairs.

"Okay, I'll leave Gerald the car I rent."

I didn't wake Zelbert or Gerald just to tell that we are going to Barnstaple, instead I left a message for them that me and Eliza together with Dad must arrive to Cambridge early to catch the train at 6AM. Dad drove his car the fastest as he can do, we arrived at Cambridge at 5:22AM, earlier than we thought. Dad fetched me first because Eliza and him are just 1 block away neighbors at Milton and so can Dad go to his house right away.

I packed immediately as soon as I arrived at my apartment and went to the train station immediately, it will take almost 9 hours to arrive at Barnstaple by train, so it will be a long journey. When me and Eliza is already at the seat, she still keeps sobbing and never talked, so I comforted her, I put her head in my shoulders and hugged her until she fell asleep. I noticed something on her neck, it's not a scar but a bruise, I wanted to ask her but she's already asleep. I took a little nap but when I wake up, I'm already the one who is lying on Eliza's shoulder and she's already awake.

"We're about to arrive." she said.

I heard the loud horn of the train, yes I think we are arriving, it's actually my first time here at Barnstaple. It's already 3:21PM, so we eat snacks first before going to Fremington where Eliza's residence is. After we ate, we grabbed a cab, in the cab, Eliza is emotionless and still sobbing.

"Ms. Cleaver, is there anything you want to warn me before facing your family and relatives there? I mean things you don't want me to do in your place?" I asked, I don't want to look rude in front of her family, so I have to ask those things to her.

"No, just don't freak out." What does she mean by that?

"Uh. Okay, I won't." I just agreed to her even if I didn't get what she actually meant by that.

We arrived in Fremington at exactly 4PM, it's quite and peaceful here and only few houses, Eliza's residence has no neighboring houses, just a high ground of grass with few Pine Trees, I actually liked this peaceful place, only you can hear is just their sheep and chicken's noises. I think it's her Grandma waiting outside the door drinking coffee.

"We're here, just pretend that you knew everything about me, and please don't freak out if they will say something about me." she said in a low voice inside the cab.

"Wwwhat?" I asked in a total confusion.

"I haven't told you anything about my background and past, I'm scared to tell you, so I'll let Grandma Julie to talk with you outside because I believed they will not allow you to go inside because Mom's disease is contagious."

"I wanted to see your mother at least, but, okay, I understand, I'll give you some space." I said in a smile.

"Thank you Mr. Darcy." She hugged me while crying. "For everything." She added.

"It's okay, it's gonna be alright." I hugged her while rubbing her hair.

"Let's go already, they're waiting." She said while opening the door of the cab.

"Liza...You have arrived." Her Grandma greeted by hugging her.

So Liza is what her family call her.

"And who is this adorable young man?" she added.

I noticed her grandma's left arm was missing or she actually don't have a left arm.

"This is William. My boyfriend." she said while holding my hands.

"Welcome William." Granny shaked my hands using her right arm.

"I'll leave you to her.....Granny, talk to William, he's the son of the current husband of Irina that you used to babysit before." Eliza said while going inside the house.

"Oh really? You knew Irina Wickham?" She asked me while to sitting in her rocking chair, and I sat beside her.

"She's a Darcy now, my Dad married her. I'm William Darcy Jr." I introduced myself.

"You're not Irina Wickham's son are you?" she asked.

"No, And Granny, did I heard Eliza correctly? That you used to babysit Princess Irina?" I asked.

"Oh yes.. That was 30 years ago, she was just 11 years old when she pushed me on the road and watched me being hit by a car." I was shocked about what I heard.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Yes, she was the reason why my left arm has to be cut."

"I'm sorry for that Granny."

"No, you have nothing to do with this dear boy."

"Granny, would you mind that you tell me more about her and her family."

"If I told you, would promise to me that you'll never told her or any of the Wickhams that I lived here?"

"Of course Granny."

"1979, 42 years ago I'm a former prostitute in Russia, honestly I never went to Russia to become a prostitute there, a friend of mine promised me a job, I have no idea that they will sent me to a strip club, at first I was afraid, so some of the customers forced me to do my service on them, but time passes by, I get to use of it, then I met this attractive Russian man named Karlo Gustacov who is my customer, said that he's single and willing to marry me. We lived together for almost a month, he lied to me, his wife rushed on our apartment saying that she'll sue us and I'll be deported.

They sent me back to England a week after that, I never get a chance to say goodbye to Karlo and say that I'm pregnant with our first child. My parents didn't accept me as their daughter anymore, so I have to raise Julia by myself." she took a sip on her coffee.

"I moved to London and started a new life, when Julia reached 10 years old, I decided to apply for a nanny, exactly my neighbor who is Mr. Wickham and Mrs. Wickham is looking for a new nanny so they accepted me right away not knowing that their daughter Irina has a behavioral disorder and a very spoiled child. Mr. Wickham was just a secretary that time and Mrs. Wickham is a court Judge, Mr. Wickham was leeching on the current Prime Minister and begged that as soon as he retires, he can pass to Mr. Wickham the position and he fall for it. On my first day, I can already conclude that I won't last long on this job, Irina is so reckless, she loves to play with me with her harmful toys, she wanted me to boil a water for her so that she can use it as her ammo in her water gun to shoot it to me. I always report it to Mr. Wickham and Mrs. Wickham but they just ignore it even tho they know what their child been up to. What Irina asked from her parents, they always give it immediately, Irina always gets what she want and what she ask no matter what it takes." then she looked at her arm.

"There once a time that I brought her with me at the market together with my daughter Julia, I struggled carrying the heavy vegetables I bought from the market, so Julia helped and carry some while Irina lighten it by throwing the potatoes on the road. I tried to put back all the potatoes she threw on the road, when I reached my left hand on the last potato, there was an incoming cab, I was about to unreached my hand to that potato but Irina pushed me and my left arm was crushed by the cab. I was rushed into the hospital and said they need to cut my arm. Julia saw what happened, she pointed Irina but instead, Mrs. Wickham appealed to the public stating that it was an accident, they paid me, the compensation and my last salary, they wanted us to move far away from London or they'll sue me for accusing their daughter so that the rumors will not spread." said Grandma Julie while starting to shed tears.

"There is nothing I can do, they're powerful and I am just nothing, so I moved to Barnstaple without informing them, here I started a new life again, I plant vegetables and sell them, I met Henry who is my husband and he passed away a year after I give birth to my second daughter Jasmine. But it doesn't stop me to strive and to feed my daughters, I raised them by myself until they are all grown up." she wiped her tears after.

"I'm sorry for your lost Granny." I said while holding her hands.

"It's okay dear boy, we have to face the truth that life in this world isn't fair. The winner takes it all, the loser has to endure the pain" She said while exclaiming.

Eliza came out the door crying, I stand up immediately and comfort her, then her Aunt Jasmine follows her.

"Who is this?" Jasmine asked.

"I'm William, Eliza's boyfriend." I introduced myself and she was quite surprised.

"Good thing that there's still guys admire a girl like you Liza."

That was rude, but what does she mean?

"Wait, don't tell me he doesn't know about you." she added with suspicion.

"I beg your pardon?" I asked.

"How long have you been dating my niece? And where you lived" she asked.

"A month. And I lived in Cambridge." I replied.

"Good, if I were you I'll catch the last train this 6PM back to Cambridge."

"What is she talking about?" I asked Eliza in a low voice.

"You should talk to him Liza, it's not too late." Jasmine advice Eliza.

"Come with me." she said while holding my hand and she brought me uphills, we sat under the pine tree.

We can see Eliza's house and it's windy, all you can hear is the birds chirping and the sound of the wind blowing at our faces.

Eliza started to cry again.

"William?" she asked while crying.

"Yes?" I respond and wiping her tears.

"Thank you for being here with me, I'm really glad you came with me"

"Eliza, is there something you want to tell me? Have you been hiding something to me?" I asked but she released more tears.

5:55PM. I arrived at Barnstaple Railway Station alone, I bought a ticket on my way back to Cambridge which Eliza told me to.

I can't stop crying and thinking inside the train, I can't sleep thinking about what she said, another thing that is bothering me is this guy on on a black leather jacket with sun glasses who's been watching me from the station until I got in the train.

"This will be the Chapter that William Jr. will end his Point of View in the novel. The rest will be the author's narration."

Brace yourself because things will get darker in following chapters