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.Nulli Secundus -
'Second to None'
by Terence Cardwell
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Chapter
Nineteen -
Be the man for me
Jack had never been more content and happy. He had
competed in one of the most difficult tournaments of
all, the British Army Rifle Shooting Championships, with
his Coldstream teammates, and had won for the first time
in the history of the Coldstream Guards.
More than this, he was in love with Elizabeth and she
gave him great joy when they were together.
He considered marriage, but didn’t want to endanger his
life with the Coldstream Guards— a life he enjoyed
immensely; he was terrified that if he left for any
reason he would be back in the coal mines. To wallow in
that filth of continual coal dust and perspiration for a
pittance was something he could never do again. He
shuddered as he felt again the irritation of coal dust
on his skin and around his neck, mixed with perspiration
from mining.
‘Are you cold, Jack?’ Elizabeth asked. She was
strolling with him along the Thames embankment, a walk
they usually enjoyed.
‘No, Liz. I was just thinking of how horrible it was in
the mines. I could never ever go back there.’
‘It must have been terrible, especially as a boy,’
Elizabeth murmured.
‘At the time it didn’t seem so bad, because we didn’t
know any better— but now, after being in the army..’
Jack paused. ‘I could never go back to that filth and
the miserable pay.’
‘And neither shall you ever,’ she said.
They continued along the embankment in the quiet
evening, passing other couples wandering past.
‘You’re very quiet tonight, Elizabeth,’ Jack said,
concerned. ‘You’re not your usual self. Are you ill?’
‘No, I’m not ill,’ Elizabeth murmured. Jack turned to
her. ‘Is it me? Have I hurt you somehow?’
‘Oh no, Jack, you could never hurt me.’
‘Then what is it? Something is wrong, I can tell,’ Jack
pleaded.
Elizabeth raised her head to look at him. Tears ran down
her cheeks.
‘Jack, I don’t know how to tell you.’
‘What is it? Are you leaving me?’
‘No, never my love, I’m, I’m…’
Jack was trying to read her face, when he suddenly
realised what she was trying to say.
‘You don’t mean…. You’re not…?’
‘Yes Jack,’ Elizabeth bit her lip. After a time she
looked up. ‘I’m pregnant,’ she said softly.
Jack did not know what to say. A cold shiver ran down
his back, as he realised his worst fears might yet
happen.
Elizabeth looked at his eyes trying to read his mind.
Was he upset? Would he leave her, now she was pregnant?
Did he hate her for being like this? She saw the look of
surprise on his face, his mouth partly open, speechless.
She cringed inside, and an ache grew with every second
she waited.
‘I will understand if you want to leave me,’ she said
almost in a whisper. The terrible fear of being alone
swelled within her.
‘Leave you?’ Jack said aghast. ‘I could never leave you.
You’re everything to me.’ He touched her cheek. ‘You
silly girl, I’m not upset with you. I think it’s
wonderful that we’ve created another life between us. It
was just the thought that I might have to leave the army
that frightened me,’ he explained, grossly understating
his feelings.
‘I would never ask you to do that. I know how much it
means to you,’ Elizabeth sighed.
‘We can manage,’ Jack said, relieved that she would not
ask him to leave. ‘I suppose we had better do that other
thing,’ he added teasingly.
‘What other thing?’ Elizabeth asked confused, wiping her
tears.
‘Marriage.’
Elizabeth glowed at Jack’s words, but replied haughtily.
‘Not until you ask properly.’
Jack dropped to one knee. ‘My dearest Elizabeth,’ he
said in a mock serious voice, ‘will you marry me?’
Elizabeth wanted to scream for joy. In a matter of
minutes she had gone from terrible fear to enormous
happiness.
‘Oh, yes, Jack. Yes, yes!’ She threw her arms around his
neck, pressing her cheek against his.
Jack stood and held her tight round her waist lifting
her off the ground .He moved back and looked at her.
Her skin seemed to be glowing, her eyes shone with the
lamplight reflecting on her tear-brightened eyes. Her
lips looked even redder than usual, and more inviting.
‘I love you, Elizabeth Withers; you will make a
beautiful bride,’ he said and kissed her passionately.
Elizabeth hugged him close. She closed her eyes and
stroked his hair, stroked under his chin feeling the
firmness of his jaw.
‘Out of all the men in London I had to find you. I am so
thankful. You will always be the man for me. I love you
so much Jack Cardwell, that my heart aches when I’m near
you.’
She leaned back and looked at his face, touched his lips
with her finger. ‘Be the man for me, Jack.’
‘Forever,’ Jack whispered.
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