Empath's Angel - M J Marlow (easy readers .TXT) 📗

you, Justin,” Ginny, a tall, heavily muscled woman with short dark hairand rich brown eyes nodded. “I can handle it from here.” She smiled at Emilia gently. “Why don’t we get you into the bath, child. You’ll feel better.” “I don’t want a bath,” Emilia pouted. She knew she sounded like a petulant child, but she couldn’t help it. No one was listening to her. “Don’t touch me!” she cried as Ginny pulled her to her feet. “Nie dotyka mnie!” “We’ll get along much better, young lady,” Ginny said as she ignored Emiliaand took her to the bathroom, “if you just do as you’re told.And I would appreciate it if you would not use that heathen language on me!” She sat Emilia on the side of the tuband ran the water. Then she helped Emilia undressand helped her into the water. “You have fifteen minutes.” Emilia grew angrierand angrier with every minute. She had been committed so that the monster who had murdered her husband could keep her under control. These people believed that she was unstable,and her emotions were not disproving their supposition. She couldn’t stop the sob that rose up in her throat. It wasn’t right! She should be with Stephen; he should be alive! She remembered the look on his face when she had told him about their baby. When Ginny came in to check on her, Emilia was sobbing uncontrollably. “You poor thing,” Ginny sighed as she knelt down beside the tuband finished bathing herand shampooing her hair. When this was done, she helped Emilia outand dried her off. “Hush now, girl. Everything will look better in time.” She helped the girl into an emerald silk negligeeand matching robeand sat her down on the bed to comb outand braid her hair. “You can leave now, Nurse,” Samuel said as he came into the room a half hour later. “My daughter-in-lawand I would like to be alone.” He smiled as the woman locked the doorand came towards the bed. “You look beautiful, darling,” Samuel said as he cupped her cheek in his hand and smiled. “Zachary was looking forward to having you as his wife, girl,” he said as his hand went down to her abdomen, “but youand Stephen have found the means to keep you safe from my original plans for a while.” He smiled at her happily. “I spoke to your aunt about the test results. You are definitely having my grandchild, my dear.” Emilia looked up at him in disbelief. She had only thought she might be pregnant. But to hear that it had been confirmed made her feel even stronger about getting away from this madman. Her hand moved down to her abdomenand she felt a wild surge of joy fill her at the news. Grief quickly replaced that joy as she realized Stephen would not be there to see their son or daughter born,and watch them grow. Emilia saw Samuel’s expressionand knew he was planning something for herand the child. Something she was going to do everything in her power to see he never accomplished. “Since you are having Stephen’s child,” Samuel told her, “you will be coming to my home where you will raise his child under my supervision.” He was in his element nowand he took full advantage. “After a suitable grieving period, you will be married to his brother, Zachary.” He stroked her hairand she pulled away from him. “You are a Winslow now, Emilia,” he said as he grabbed her wrist. “We are never going to let you go.” “No! Nie dotyka mnie!” Emilia cried in protest. She struck him asideand ran for the door. She tried to open it, but it was locked. “You can’t keep me here! I won’t let you!” “You have no choice, Emilia,” Samuel laughed as he pulled her away from the door. “I’ve had you committed, remember? You either do as I ask, or you will spend the rest of your life in this sanitarium.” He knocked on the doorand saw Ginny approach. “Call Doctor Stanford. The child is having another attack.” Emilia tried to break free as he wrenched her arms behind her back but he was too strong. He got her in a chairand held her as she continued to fight for her freedom. Vanessa arrived with a syringeand Emilia was sedatedand put to bed. Samuel remained seated on the bed next to her, content to just watch her as she slept. He laid his hand on her abdomen. His grandchild was growing there, he thought as he stroked herand she whimpered in her sleep. “I am going to be out of town for a few weeks, child,” he said when he finally left several hours later. “Your aunt will take care of you while I am gone.” “Please don’t do this to me,” Emilia cried as she watched him go towards the door. “I don’t want to be here.” “That’s a shame,” Samuel smiled at her from the door. “Faringdale is such a lovely place.” His expression went cold. “I can always have Vanessa put you in isolation, my dear. Padded walls, straightjackets…” “Stop it!” Emilia sobbed. She turned her back on himand he laughed. “How can you be so cold?” “I lost your mother because I allowed her freedom,” Samuel told her bluntly. “I am not taking any chances with you. Especially now that you are having my grandchild.” He left her alone thenand shook his head as he heard something hit the door a second after he closed it. She certainly did not share her mother’s temperament. Karen had been a gentleand loving woman,and quite complacent. Emilia was more like her aunt, Vanessa. If Samuel didn’t know better, he would have believed that this child was Vanessa’s daughter. He got in his carand drove off the sanitarium grounds. About two miles away, a squad car suddenly pulled out in front of him. He hit the brakes,and watched as a second car pulled in behind him. Daniel got out of his carand approached. “Professor Winslow?” he asked as he bent down, a cold expression on his face. “If you would please come with me, sir. An agent of the FBI has a few questions for you regarding the abduction of Doctor Dominik Sobieski.” “This is ridiculous!’ Samuel hissed as Daniel opened the door. He got outand followed Daniel to the squad car. Once he was in back, he pulled out his cell phone. “Timmons! This is Professor Winslow. I need you down at the Glenville police station at once!” He snapped the phone closedand glared at Daniel. “This isn’t going to work, Lieutenant.” “Sir?” “This is all a ploy to get me to release my daughter-in-law from the sanitarium,” Samuel told him coldly. He shook his head. “It’s not going to work. Emilia was seriously traumatized by her husband’s deathand needs care while she recovers. She is exactly where she belongs.” “I have no idea what you are talking about, sir,” Daniel frowned back at him. “The FBI has issued a warrant for your arrest while it investigates a kidnappingand murder. I am merely here to extend a professional courtesyand serve the warrant for them.” * Despite the fact that she was a prisoner in her aunt’s home, Emilia had few complaints. Vanessa was better than her word to Samuel; she took exceptional care of her ‘niece’. Emilia was given whatever she wanted, except her freedom. They spent hours talking about her mother, her grandparents,and her fatherand his family. Vanessa told her the story of the fight Dominikand Samuel had over her mother, Karen. Emilia actually began to find herself liking her aunt, if a bit grudgingly. Vanessa found herself wishing she could tell Emilia who she really was, but it was too dangerous. There was a core of steel in this child that she had yet to tap into. If Samuel had waited much longer, he would have never been able to control the girl. “I am certain once you settle in with Samuel,” Vanessa was telling her one morning a month later, “he will allow you to contact the Sobieski familyand get to know them.” She moved aside that errant curl that always seemed to be in Emilia’s eyes. “He really does wish you to be happy.” “No, he doesn’t,” Emilia replied, shaking her head in disagreement. “Samuel wants what is best for him. If I hadn’t fit so neatly into his plans, I would still be in Glenville where I belong.” “You are a very intelligent child, Emi,” Vanessa smiled at her fondly, “but still much too young to understand how to properly handle people like Samuel Winslow. We’ll have to work on that while you’re here.” She got to her feet after checking her watch. “I have some patients I need to speak with,and rounds to make, so I’ll be gone for a few hours. Justin is going into town later, let him know if there’s anything he can pick up for you.” Emilia watched her aunt leaveand closed her eyes. She was so tired,and wondered if it was because of her condition. She didn’t know what to expect with a pregnancy. Maybe she should have Justin get her some books on the subject. Or, she smiled as she got to her feetand went into her aunt’s residence study, she could research it herself. She got on the laptop computerand went online. She had been happy to be allowed to go online. Vanessa had locked her out of email programs, but what she could access was enough. She was deep in the middle of her researchand growing more anxious with every moment, when Justin came to find her. “Doctor Stanford asked me to check with you, Emilia,” Justin smiled as he saw her. She was such a pretty little thing. What they were doing to her was criminal. “Any cravings that need to be satisfied? Books, trinkets, picklesand ice cream?” “You have experience with pregnant women?” Emilia smiled at the man. “My Monika has given me four children,” Justin nodded. “The best advice I can give you, child, it not to over think it. You’ll be much calmer,and that can only benefit the baby.” He saw how pale she was. “You should get some rest; you’re looking a little peaked.” “That’s all I seem to be doing,” Emilia protested, though the idea had merit. “Maybe my aunt would allow your Monika to come talk to me?” “I’ll ask her, child,” Justin smiled. He was pleased at her request,and knew Monika would be as well. As a Sobieski, Monika was very interested in the welfare of Dominik’s daughter. Of course, Vanessaand Samuel were not to know of the family connection, so he didn’t share that with Emilia. He didn’t realize that Emilia had seen in it in his mind some time ago. “Is there anything else?” “Rocky Road,” Emilia smiled back at him as she got to her feet to go to her room, “and some Jane Austen?” “Anything for you, princess,” Justin nodded. He went with her to her room, just to make certain she settled downand then locked her in. “Sorry for the locks.” “It’s not your fault, Justin,” Emilia shruggedand went to the window seat to pick up a book she was nearly done with. “At least I know you’re my friend.” Justin left the sanitarium determined to do whatever he had to in order to get his wife’s niece out of the place. He ran the errands he’d been given by Vanessaand stopped in at his home to give his wife, a work-at-home mom, an update on Emilia’s condition. Monika smiled at the thought of actually being able to see the girl. She went into a storage roomand pulled out a box of old maternity clothing,and books on pregnancy that she had found comforting. Justin smiled as Monika also brought out some of her own Jane Austen booksand added them to the pile. “No Rocky Road?” “The imps ate it all,”