The Curse Conduit
Chapter 69

To say that the colonel was stunned by the story he had been told would have been an understatement. To say that he had a hard time believing what he was being told would have been true. But as he kept turning the mobile phone over in his hand he came to the conclusion that it was not one of Danny’s farfetched practical jokes, it was very, very real and he did believe them. The two men that sat in the hospital beds before him had changed. He could see it in their eyes, it was the same look he had seen in other battle weary soldiers, a look that told him they had seen and done things that would live with them forever. What had convinced him of the truth of the matter and what worried him the most was he could see the same change in Bethie. There was an innocence that had left her and it had nothing to do with the war they were fighting.

The colonel handed the phone back to Urian as the three travellers waited to hear what he had to say. “I could say this was all a bunch of malarkey and that would settle much better in me. I could but I can’t. I know what you are telling me is the truth. I wish it wasn’t for all our sakes but I do believe you.”

All three sighed and the colonel looked to Bethie. “I’m so sorry you had to go through all that.” He took her hand and squeezed it “These lads are trained to handle dangerous situations. You are a very strong woman Beth.” The colonel leaned in and gave her a small kiss on the cheek, whispering to her at the same time. “Trained they maybe but I think they will need your strength in the months to come.”

Stepping back, he looked from each one and then back to Bethie. “I have no idea how I can help you but I am here for you, all of you. You have my word.”

The hospital ward was silent as they watched the colonel leave. Trying to lighten the mood Danny was a little flippant. “Well that went better than expected. How the hell did we end up with Elizabeth’s phone?”

Bethie sighed. “Her dress, it didn’t have a pocket; she gave it to me for safe keeping.” Bethie began to cry as she looked at both men. “You died didn’t you, you both died, in the house I saw it.”

Danny and Urian looked at each other knowing full well what she was talking about. If they had been able to speak to Uriah and Derek they would have understood that all four had suffered the same fate on their return to their own time.

Danny swung himself from his bed and went to his wife, pulling her into his arms. “Maybe we did my sweet but I always knew we would not be gone forever. I also know that Derek, Elizabeth and Uriah are safe.”

Bethie looked at him.

“If they were not we would never have gone on this journey. They are safe in the future.”

This time she looked to Urian, he nodded and smiled weakly at her. “My heart tells me that my cousin is safe and well Bethie. Do not fret for them.”

Bethie smiled. “Did your dreams tell you this?”

Again Urian smiled but sadness crossed his face. “I’m not sure if I can call it a dream but I do know he is safe, Derek is alive.” He saw the question about to leave her lips “So is sweet Lizzie. The curse is broken.”

Again Bethie saw the sadness cloud his eyes, her heart ached that she could not love him the way he wanted or needed to be loved.

Urian sank back into the bed, closing his eyes and wondering if the curse really had been lifted. For the others maybe; but would he ever replace true love? Would his heart allow him to love another as he did Bethie? Turning Elizabeth’s phone over in his hand much the same way as the colonel had Urian let the small tears of heartache escape.

As their house had been destroyed Bethie and Danny lived with Urian until the end of the war. Bethie worried every time they went on a mission, she worried that neither of them spoke of their adventures. She had tried on several occasions to engage them but neither man would open up. It was their silence that was almost the undoing of Bethie and Danny’s marriage and the friendship all three had with each other. Although the war had been over for months Bethie sought out the colonel and it was his intervention that they managed to get Danny and Urian to see what they were doing to themselves and Bethie.

While the men found solace and closure with each other Bethie had found her own outlet in the most curious of places; Urian’s sister. As smart and as intelligent as her older brother she was also very, very intuitive and managed to tease the story out of Bethie over the time they had become friends. It was when they came to the issue of her brother’s love for Bethie that she broke down. And it was while talking with Urian’s sister that Bethie finally accepted she could do nothing to heal his hurt.

It was also with the aid of his sister that they hatched a plan as only females can to see if they could help replace that someone who would love him and that Urian may love in turn. A plan that failed for many reason, one being the fact that after the war Urian went back to Switzerland never thinking to return to England but work and the love of the country did bring him back. Back and into the arms of Bethie’s sister.

A meeting at a dinner party put on by Bethie for his return and slowly the years of pain began to erode as her sister’s love for Urian worked its way through the wall he had built to protect himself and into his heart.

Bethie was overcome with emotion the day she saw Urian return her sisters love. She was proud of her sister for not giving up on him and when they announced they were to be married she was over the moon.

She finally felt as though the curse had left them; now the future was in the hands of those who had not yet been born.