Beginning, Previous Section, Section IX, Next Section
Posted on Wednesday, 2 June 2004
Another night passed and still there was no word of Georgiana. By morning, everyone was walking around like ghosts, worse off than their former selves when Georgiana was around. The phone rang at breakfast, jolting everyone awake, but instead of the Sheriff calling with good news, it was Jane calling to say she wouldn't be coming over due to a doctor's appointment she had that morning. Will passed the phone off to Fanny, who wished her daughter well and asked her to call her back with the doctor's report later that in the day.
As the members of the house sat around the kitchen table, munching on their toast and coffee, Fanny mentioned that the eggs needed to be gathered from the hen house. Lizzy offered to do it, but she looked so forlorn over having to do the chore that was normally Georgiana's that her father said he'd assign one of the men to do it. As he made the offer, he had a feeling that whoever got stuck with the job would not be happy with him.
As it turned out, Denny, who got stuck gathering the eggs, turned out to be the luckiest cowhand that morning. While he was off by himself gathering eggs, everyone else suffered under the mighty wrath of Will. Annoyed, angry, frustrated, and worried, he took out his aggression on the men. Nothing they did was right. Will criticized, and yelled, and called his men imbeciles and other names; it was amazing that anyone was still working for him by the end of the day.
To save the men from further abuse, and for Will's sake, Tom sent them out, far away, to work after lunch. That way, they'd no longer be under Will's ever-watchful eyes. As it happened though, Tom's preventative measures proved unnecessary as the Sheriff showed up just after lunch. Fanny had the Sheriff seated in the living room and was serving him a cup of coffee when Will joined them.
Danny looked around the room as Will took his seat. "All alone today?"
Will rolled his shoulders and made himself comfortable in his chair. "Tom's out with the men. Even with all that's happened, work still has to go on."
"And Lizzy?" Danny ventured to ask. She'd always been by Will's side on his previous visits to the ranch.
"I don't know." Will's voice let Danny know that the subject was closed to discussion or anymore questions. Will didn't care to find out where Lizzy was, though he guessed she was probably in the study trying to get some work done like everyone else was. He forced himself to put up a mental block, and refused to think about how upset and haunted she'd looked at breakfast that morning, as though she hadn't slept a wink. Well, he hadn't slept either, so he wasn't going to feel a smidge of sympathy for her.
Fanny interrupted the men to bring Will a cup of coffee. "Thanks, Fanny." He took a good look at her and said, "Why don't you take a nap this afternoon, Fanny? You've been working and taking care of all of us non-stop. Get some rest."
"I will." She smiled wanly. She didn't really want to rest; to do so would allow her mind to wander and think about Georgiana. It really was best to keep busy.
Once Fanny left the room, the men got down to business. "So, what news do you have for me today? Something good enough, I hope, to have warranted this trip out to the ranch."
Danny spread his legs and leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. He held his Stetson in between his legs and twirled it in a circle as he frowned. "Well, unfortunately, no. I'd like to be able to say, 'yes,' and give you something optimistic or encouraging, but the truth of the matter is I can't," Danny sighed wearily.
"I came out here today so that I could be frank, and so I could pick your brains over some more. I hope that's all right." Will gestured for Danny to continue with a resigned nod of the head.
"George Wickham and your sister seem to have vanished into thin air. That's simply not possible. All signs point to this kidnapping as being unplanned. Nothing was taken from his cabin; it's been left in tact. That means he can't have very much with him; yet, he hasn't used any of his credit cards - not to buy food, clothes, lodging, or any other supplies. So, I have to ask myself, what's he living off of?
"There's also the question of why you're sister? Well, Lizzy's provided us with a motive that I think is the most probable. Money. More specifically, money in exchange for Georgie. But, we haven't heard a peep out of him. No phone calls, no notes found, nothing in the mail. That leads me to believe that he's working alone and trying to figure out how to get in touch with you without being seen or noticed. As big as this ranch is, it's near impossible for him to get close enough to you or the Big House to leave you a ransom message without being seen. That also means that he has to be somewhere nearby, reinforcing our earlier opinion that he hasn't left town.
"I know he's still in the area, Will. No one's spotted him or your sister elsewhere, and I've put out the feelers. The problem still remains - I just don't know where they are. It's like I said before, they've disappeared."
Will had sat silent all through the Sheriff's speech, absorbing the details and appreciating Danny's frank assessment of the situation. He trusted the Sheriff's judgment, and was as confounded by the mystery of George's whereabouts. It simply wasn't possible for a man and a girl to disappear without anyone noticing, or was it?
Will leaned forward in his own chair, his mug of coffee forgotten in his hands. "George Wickham may be a chameleon, but he's no Houdini. What do you think could have happened to him?"
"Well, that's where you come in actually," Danny told him. "I still hold to my original assessment that George his hiding out in the mountains somewhere. It's the only logical explanation of how he's been able to elude us for almost three days now. But, my men and I have ridden all over the place without any success. We haven't seen hide or hair of the men, and we've even used tracking dogs, using that shirt of your sister's for her scent.
"I've sent my men up there as well," Will admitted. "No luck either."
"Can you think of any place where George might be hiding?" Danny persisted.
Will put down his coffee mug and started to run his hand through his hair, as he was prone to do when stumped by a question. He punched his fist into his hand. "No, dammit. I've been thinking and thinking, and I just can't come up with anything."
"If he grew up here, he has some knowledge of the place. Maybe he knows of some place that not many others know about. Can you think of a place like that?" Everything that the Sheriff was saying had been said before, but it was worth repeating. Danny knew that in his line of work, it often took repeated prodding for people to jog their memories.
"It's almost certain that wherever he is, he has to be near water," Danny added thoughtfully.
"Gosh, I can't. I wish I could, but I can't," Will answered in frustration. He'd wracked his brain and wrung it dry. The problem was that the only place he knew about that was sort of hidden, and where he didn't think anyone else knew about it was the secret place he'd shared with Lizzy. He'd visited daily, but hadn't found anything. Every other place Will knew of, he and both the Sheriff's men had checked at least twice.
"Well," Danny sighed. "We can only keep looking and hope that George will be in touch with you soon."
Will nodded. "I'll ask around, check with the men again. Maybe it's in the there, in the back of our minds, and we're just not thinking of it."
Danny got up from his seat, eager to get back to work and on the search. "I'd appreciate that."
"Thanks for stopping by."
"I'm just sorry I didn't have happier news for you."
Will clasped the other man on his shoulder, understanding that this case was not easy for him either. "I know you're doing the best you can."
"And I appreciate you staying out of the way - for the most part - and letting me and my men do our job. I know it can't be easy."
Will shrugged. There wasn't much else he could say. Except that if he knew where George was hiding his sister, it wouldn't matter what the Sheriff wanted. He'd be hunting his nemesis down in a heartbeat. The Sheriff was lucky Will didn't know where George was.
The men stepped out on the porch and Danny settled his hat onto his head. He touched the brim of it briefly before turning back to his car. Will watched the Sheriff drive away from the ranch with a heavy heart. He missed his sister. A ride, he thought, would be just the thing to help ease his mind.
Nothing but his sister's safe return would ease his heart.
Georgiana was back to being tied up again. George had gone back to the stream for more fish and water. Before he'd left, he'd tied her hands together again to make sure she wouldn't untie the ropes around her ankle and run away while he was absent. At least he hadn't felt the need to gag her again. Georgiana would not have relished that experience.
She was getting bored though, sitting on the bed day in and day out with nothing to do but watch George either whittling away at his woodwork or pace back and forth. The only time she ever got to move around was when George led her out back to tend to her needs. Georgiana wondered what George was going to do with her and when he was going to make his move. He'd said he was going to return her to her brother, but she knew there had to be a catch. Like money. But, so far, she hadn't seen him do anything about it. Of course, she had no idea of where else he could be going when he said he was going fishing, so Georgiana didn't know what to think. She only hoped that he wouldn't get so caught up in fishing that he forgot about everything else!
Meanwhile, George hadn't been gone for very long, so Georgiana figured she had a while to wait. She sighed and closed her eyes. In her mind, she began to practice her scales. It was the only thing she could think of to take her mind off her worries, and give her something to do. Her hands began to twitch involuntarily, as though they were playing the piano even though they were bound and her fingers had no place to go.
Georgiana was still lost in her own musical world when she became aware of another presence in the cabin. She could feel it looming over her, and she knew it wasn't George. It felt dangerous and menacing, and as much as she had been scared of George, especially the day before, she knew that with him she wasn't in any real danger. This presence, whatever it was, gave her the shivers.
She opened her eyes slowly and with trepidation. Standing over her was the shape of a huge, hulking man. She wasn't sure what was scarier. The man himself or the jagged scar that ran straight down the left side of his face like a fault line that started near his eye and ended just under his chin.
"Well, well, well . . . what do we have here?" The stranger traced his scar with the pad of his thumb and scratched his chin with interest.
"Um . . . Hello," she stammered. The man grinned. It shouldn't have chilled her to the bones, but it did. "Who are you?" she asked, still stuttering.
"Relax. There's no need to be afraid of me, sweetheart." The words were reassuring, but Georgiana didn't feel reassured at all. It might have been because of his sweet, false-sounding voice. Or the menacing look he had about him. She tried to shift backwards on the bed, which only made the stranger laugh. "I'm afraid there's no place to run, sweetheart." He stretched his arms wide and held his hands palm side up. "You're . . . stuck."
There it was again. That word. Sweetheart. It made Georgiana's stomach churn.
The stranger ran a finger down her porcelain cheek. "So soft. So young. So innocent. And so pretty." Georgiana tried not to cringe at his touch. She tried to stay strong and stiffened her spine with resolution. Or, tried to, at least.
"Don't worry," he told her. "I'm not in the habit of ravishing young innocents. And that is what you are, isn't it?" The stranger chuckled at her telling silence, enjoying her discomfort. "So, where's your pal?" He looked around the cabin as though he were searching for some hidden clues, or maybe even a hiding place.
Georgiana licked her dry mouth and asked, "Who?"
He returned his sharp eyes to her face. "Your pal, George. Where is he?"
Georgiana's eyes widened. "You know George?" she blurted out, before she could even think.
The stranger had wandered over to one of the windows, but now he whipped around to face her. "Where is he?" His eyes were cool as steel. Their sharpness had Georgiana flinching and quaking in her fear. Her teeth chattered as she spoke. "I don't know," she answered truthfully.
"What do you mean you don't know?" In two paces, he strode across the floor. He pinched her by the chin and lifted her face, practically lifting her whole body with his touch. He narrowed his eyes as though giving consideration to her innocent, honest-looking face. No one knew better than Younge, the perils of trusting a woman's pretty face. "Don't lie to me, little girl. I don't like it when people lie; it makes me angry!"
Well, Georgiana certainly didn't want to anger this terrifying and muscle-bound man. She swallowed her fear and was about to try and explain that her captor had gone fishing, when in through the door walked George himself.
All George saw when he walked into the cabin was someone standing over his quarry. "Hey!" he called out. He dropped the fish and reached for the hunting rifle he kept strapped over his back.
Younge was quicker though, whirling around with his gun trained on George. "Why, hello, George. Long time no see," he drawled.
George blanched on sight. "Y-Y-Y-Younge!" He took two steps backwards.
"It's good to see you too," Younge continued. "Now why don't you put down your rifle so we can say a friendly hello."
George did as he asked, but noted that Younge hadn't put away his gun. "H-how did you find me?" he stuttered.
Younge hitched his hip onto the nearby windowsill so that he was half-sitting and half-standing. He sat so lazily that to all uninterested observers, he looked like someone who had just settled down for a nice coze. He smiled again at George. "Now, really, my friend. What kind of a question is that? I trust you're not trying to insult my intelligence!"
"No!" George leapt to say, reaching out with one hand to make his point. It wouldn't do at all to set off this violent man, especially when he had a gun in his hand. "Of course not. It's just that I'm curious as to how a man, with a superior mind such as yours, works."
"You flatter me, George. You always do. You're good to keep around for one's ego in that way," Younge smiled. He wasn't fooled by George's empty words though; he knew exactly what George was trying to do. Good thing he was impervious to buttery words.
Younge looked around the empty cabin and said, "Well, I must say, this is quite an unexpected turn of events. I thought you'd be worried and scrambling around to raise the money you owe me; instead, I find you holed up in the mountains with a girl." He looked at Georgiana briefly before turning back to George. "She's a bit young though, even for a man of your tastes, don't you think?"
George grimaced. "It's not like that between me and Georgie."
"Ah," Younge said, understanding dawning. "Georgie. Otherwise known as Miss Georgiana Darcy, heiress to the grand and very wealthy Pemberley Ranch, I presume?"
"Yeah."
"Interesting . . . very interesting . . . perhaps you're not so dense as I once believed." Younge's smile was not the least bit reassuring. "I was disappointed when I woke up this morning and heard the news, George. I've been so looking forward to this day, expecting a windfall in the form of your repayment, you understand. But then my man woke me with the news that you'd run off. You don't know how . . . disappointed . . . that made me. I hope you weren't trying to outrun me?"
"No, of course not. I wouldn't think of it."
"Good, good," Younge drawled. "I figured you'd know by now that I have a man assigned to you at all times. I hope you're not offended. It's just a little bit of a protection on my investments. You understand."
"Of course." The air was cool up in the mountains, but George felt sweat trickling down the back of his neck. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see that Georgiana was faring no better than he. She sat in wide-eyed horror on the bed.
Younge draped his gun on the edge of his knee, but before George could relax, he'd pulled a knife out of his back pocket. He tested the sharpness of the point on his thumb as he spoke. "So, do you have my money?"
George swallowed hard. "No."
"I thought not." Younge's voice was blasé, but his body language was not. "You don't know how unacceptable I find this to be. I believe I've warned you as to what would happen if you couldn't raise the money in time." George nodded. "It is such a shame though," Younge sighed, as his eyes sighted an invisible target on the opposite wall and started to pull his arm back as if he were going to throw his knife like a dart. George flinched when Younge's arm went flying in a downward movement, and barely managed a sigh of relief when he saw that the knife had never left Younge's hand.
"I did like you so much," Younge spoke again, drawing George's attention back to his face. George didn't know what to say and he wasn't going to risk raising Younge's ire again by opening his mouth and saying something stupid.
"But this is an interesting set-up," Younge gestured to Georgiana as he returned to his original point. "Why don't you explain what you've got going on?"
"Oh, um. Right. Well, you see, I was thinking I could hold her ransom. This is Georgiana Darcy, and her brother's loaded. I figured he'd pay anything to have her back. I mean, wouldn't you pay a lot of money to get something back you loved? I know Will Darcy and there's nothing he loves more than his precious little sister. I bet I could get whole lots more from him than what I owe you," George rambled in both his nervousness and excitement.
"Now, now," Younge began, his voice almost paternalistic as he considered George's plan. "Let's not try to be too greedy. That's when mistakes happen, you see."
It was laughable, Georgiana thought to herself, as she continued to watch this incredible exchange taking place right before her very eyes. The con was giving lessons to the creep. She shuddered in her seat.
"I hope you have a plan as to how you're going to demand the ransom?"
"No," George admitted as he scratched the back of his neck. "I've been thinking on it for the past two days."
Two days. Younge wanted to laugh at this idiot sitting in front of him. If he'd had the opportunity that had fallen into George's lap like manna from heaven, he would've done something about it long before now. He wouldn't have waited so long to make a move. Certainly not two whole days.
Still, it would be interesting to see what George made up this set-up, and Younge would have a lot of fun watching him figure it out. Even if George ended up getting caught, Younge wasn't afraid. He'd simply take the loss and move on to pressure the next person that still owed him money. In the meantime, he'd get a good laugh out of watching the idiot at work.
"Well, I'll tell ya what I'm gonna do. Just to make things a little easier for you," Younge said, as he stood and slapped the dust off the side of his jeans. "I don't like that you still owe me, but I appreciate innovativeness as well. You've got a nice little scam going on here, and I gotta give you credit for that. So, I'm gonna cut you some slack here, George." Relief was spreading through all parts of George's body, even as Younge spoke. "I'm going to give you two more days. You drop the note today and you make the pick up for day after tomorrow."
Thank you, thank you, thank you . . . George clasped his hands behind his back. Though he wasn't a praying man, he certainly felt like getting down on his knees and thanking the Almighty right then and there. "I appreciate it, Younge. I promise you, I'll get you your money."
"Oh, I've no doubt that you will, George. And I know you won't try and think about running off with the ransom money when you get it." Though it was said as a statement, they both knew it was a warning. "You're a smart man, and I know you'll remember I've got my eyes on your every move."
Before he left the cabin, Younge nodded his farewell to Georgiana. "Georgie, it was a real pleasure meeting ya."
Once he was gone, both George and Georgiana sighed a breath of relief. Now that the pressure was on, George began to think earnestly about how he was going to drop off the note without being detected. It was as if Georgiana was reading his mind when she burst out with, "Don't be stupid! You know this will never work, George!"
"Shut-up!" he snapped. "I'm trying to think!"
She wasn't as afraid of him anymore, not when she saw that Younge was a much more formidable opponent. "You step foot on that ranch and you'll be surrounded. You step foot in town to make the phone call and you'll be surrounded. If you make your phone call from somewhere else, you know they'll put a trace on you! You're better off returning me to the ranch and taking your chances by running!"
"I can't, Georgie!" Desperation saturated George's voice. "Didn't you hear him? He's got men trained on me, even now. He knows every step I make. How do you think he traced me back to Lambton? If I try and run now, I'm a dead man. The only chance I've got is getting him the money I owe him."
"Well you're the one that was stupid enough to get messed up with him in the first place," Georgiana stated primly, like the true young lady that she was. "And you've got a lot to answer for, sticking me in the middle of your crossfire. It would serve you right if you got your punishment from Younge!"
"Aw, shut-up, Georgie!" George snarled and threw a block of wood across the room.
Will and Thunderbolt had been riding for the better half of the past hour, without much direction and without much thought other than to exorcise the demons that plagued them both. Whether it was conscious or not, Will found himself riding in the direction of his secret spot. It wasn't surprising really, he'd been visiting it a lot more often ever since Georgiana had gone missing, seeking solace in its familiar comfort. Still, it hadn't been all that comfortable. Each time he came, he remembered when he'd brought Lizzy to the very same spot not too long ago. Even as he rode in the direction of his favorite hideaway, he had to tell himself that he wasn't going to think about her. It was, he considered, a direct order he found himself giving all the time these days.
He led Thunderbolt up the narrow trail and around the bend to the clearing where he always left his horse untethered. You never left a horse tethered in these parts of the country; you had to leave them the chance of escaping if they were ever attacked. Will wasn't happy though when he rounded the bend and came upon another horse already nibbling on the leaves off a bush. He was even less happy when he recognized the distinct coloring of Lizzy's horse.
For a second, Will considered turning around. But then, this was his secret spot, and he figured that if anybody was going to do the leaving, it should be her, not him. He quickly dismounted and was ready to charge full blast ahead, demanding to know what right Lizzy had in coming here, when she turned around at the sound of his noisy arrival. For a while, they stood there and stared at one another, unsure of what to say. It was probably one of the few times they'd ever come face to face and not had something to say to one another. Their last conversation hung like a huge albatross between them.
Second by second, Will found his anger draining away as he stood there and took in her pale expression. She completely wiped it away when she just hunched her shoulders and walked towards him. He'd never seen her looking so defeated. The Lizzy he knew was always spoiling for a fight, already on the rebound when she was knocked down to the mat. It did something to his heart, knowing that he was the one that had killed her fire. Her spirit.
His hands itched to touch her face and wipe the weary, tired lines from her face. To throw her onto her horse and send her back to the house where he'd then order her to get some rest. To cast her hat to the ground and unbraid her hair so that he could run his fingers through its silken folds. As she drew near, he forced himself to remember why he was so mad at her, so that he wouldn't be drawn in by her weakened state. He hardened his expression and made himself look stern. Invincible.
"Sorry," she murmured when they brushed shoulders. "I shouldn't have come. I didn't think you'd be here. I was told you were locked in conference with the Sheriff."
It didn't work. The shield he'd created for his heart already had a chink in it. As she spoke, all he could hear was, You didn't think . . . you didn't think . . . you didn't think . . . The words haunted him, and made him feel like a jerk. A heel. The lowest of life forms.
But he wasn't ready to admit it.
Will dropped the reins and slapped his horse on the rump. Thunderbolt walked off to feed on the grass. With the horse no longer separating them, Will crossed his arms across his chest. An insufficient form of protection, but a gesture that sent messages he knew Lizzy would understand.
It worked. She read his body language loud and clear.
"Danny didn't stay long."
"I see. Well, I just got here myself. But, now that you're here I think I'll head off."
"Look, Lizzy . . .."
He reached out to stop her from continuing on, to say something, though he wasn't sure what. But Lizzy paused just out of his reach. "I think you said all you had to say the last time we talked. If it's all right with you, I find myself lacking the energy to have another go with you, Will. You win this time, all right? You win. I forfeit. See me raise my white flag. I was wrong. You were right. So, just let me go. Okay?"
He shifted uncomfortably on his feet, and derived no pleasure from "winning" their battle. "Yeah. Okay."
As Lizzy gathered her horse's rein, she brought it to rest on Buttercup's neck. Her head, heavy and weary, she rested it on her hands for just a minute. She couldn't resist saying, just this once, "You know, Will. I loved you, still do, though I don't know why, and I thought that would've been enough for you. I guess not."
Having had her say, she leapt up into her saddle and raced towards home. Will found that his secret spot held no comfort for him that day. Lizzy's words had made their mark.
Will entered the yard and found Mike's kids playing with the cats in front of the horse barn's entryway. The scene reminded him of one he'd seen many times in the past. She too had loved to sneak down to the barns when no one was looking to cuddle with the barn cats. Will pulled his stallion to a halt some distance away from the kids so that he could put himself in between the children and his skittish, high-strung mo unt.
"Your momma and daddy know you're down here?" Ryan and Eric jolted to attention and scrambled to their feet. They quickly dusted the dirt of their knees from where they'd been kneeling and petting the cats. One look at their guilty expressions and Will knew he had his answer. "They're not going to be happy if they find you down here."
"Momma's busy. She's visiting up at the Big House with Mrs. Bennet," Ryan volunteered. "She thinks we're playing in the front yard, but we'll go back before she misses us."
Will nodded. So that's how the boys had gotten past watchful eyes. "You boys wanna help me brush my horse down?" The boys' eyes lit with glee and they raced to be the first one to grab the brush.
"Hey! I had it first!"
"I'm older," Eric told his younger brother as he pushed him away.
"Bully!"
"You wait your turn," Eric said imperiously.
Listening to the boys banter, it was, Will decided, a frequently fought battle. Though the prize was probably never the same, the dialogue sounded well rehearsed. Thinking he'd better intervene before things escalated beyond his control, Will fetched another brush for the younger boy. Then, he had them step up on blocks so that their little arms would be able to reach the horse.
The horse grunted and shifted in his stance. Will quickly peered around to the other side and caught sight of Eric rubbing the brush up and down against the horse's side. "Here, try doing it like this." His hand covering Eric's tiny one, he taught the little boy how to use gentle sidestrokes to rub the horse down. It was never too early, Will mused, to teach a boy how to take care of a horse. By the time they learned how to ride their own mounts they'd be pros.
When he was confident that Eric knew what he was doing, Will stepped back and returned to the other side to check on Ryan. Mike's youngest was having the time of his life, using short, careful strokes against the horse's side. He was also warbling at the top of his lungs. Will was caught off guard though when he heard the ribald lyrics about a lusty barmaid who served drinks and more. Goodness gracious! Where had he learned that? And did his parents know? There were times when the mind truly boggled.
Ryan turned round and graced Mr. Will with one of his wide, angelic smiles. It was hard to admonish a face like that. Will tousled the boy's hair affectionately. "This is fun," Ryan told him.
"Yeah?" Will was amused at how easily entertained children were. Unbidden, an image arose in his mind of the first time he'd taught his sister how to care for a horse. She'd been so afraid of the much larger creature. Georgiana had always erred on the cautious side. He prayed that wherever she was, she was staying strong. And then he quickly squelched the memories lest he turn into a babbling idiot in the middle of the corral. In front of the children.
He returned to the present just in time to rejoin the boys' conversation. Eric piped up from the other side of the horse to tell him, "This is almost as fun as fishing!"
"You guys like to fish?"
"Yeah!" Ryan started jumping up and down excitedly, and almost tumbled from his block. Will quickly righted the boy. He swore the kid was a walking disaster.
"Daddy said he might take us fishing this week," Eric called out.
"I can hook my own worm now." Ryan looked up at Will, obviously hoping for some words of praise. Will wasn't one to disappoint. "Hey! That's great kid."
Eric wasn't going to be left out. "That's baby stuff. I caught three fishes all by myself last time we went fishing. I didn't need help reeling them in like some other baby I know."
The comment, obviously aimed at Ryan, had its desired effect. Ryan's bottom lip was already trembling and quivering as he pouted, "I'm not a baby!"
Will sighed, wondering how Mike and his pretty wife managed to avoid World War III in their home every night. Not wanting to send the kids bruised and battered back to their parents, he stepped in once again, hoping to head off another burgeoning argument. "Where does your daddy take you fishing?"
He remembered when he and his father had gone fishing on the weekends. Father-son bonding times! They'd been grand. He'd tried to do the same for Georgiana, but she'd never taken a liking to the sport. Something about the slippery worms, the boredom of waiting for a bite, and preferring to spend her weekends in an air-conditioned mall than the greater outdoors. Will couldn't understand it, and figured it was probably because of her gender. There were lots he hadn't been able to understand in raising his sister. Thank goodness he'd been fortunate to have Fanny's help.
Now, all he wanted was to have his sister back. And soon.
"Daddy's takes us in his truck to some place in the mountains," Eric was explaining to Will, having abandoned his chore in favor of talking with the owner of the ranch. "There's a stream up there that's filled with lots of fish!"
"I asked Daddy where they came from and he said that a Fish Fairy came at night to drop off the fishes in the stream."
"That's stupid," Eric sneered.
"No it's not! And that's why every time we go fishing there's lots for us to catch. I caught four last time."
It still stung, but Eric reminded himself that his brother's had been smaller fish, and wasted no time in reminding him. "Mine were bigger."
"Were not."
"Were too!"
Will rolled his eyes and prayed for patience. Then he gave up. He grabbed each boy by the waists of their pants. The boys howled with laughter, their argument forgotten as they were distracted by their method of transport. Will's horse obediently followed the threesome into the barn.
Once in the barn, Will returned Thunderbolt to his stall, and had the boys help him store his tack. "Good job," he praised, once the boys were finished. "Now, why don't I walk you boys back to the Big House, before your mother finds you missing, and grounds you for playing where you weren't supposed to be."
"She wouldn't do that, would she?" Ryan asked.
"I don't know, but I know my momma would've!"
"If she grounds us, then we won't be able to go fishing this weekend," Eric wailed.
"Well, boys, I guess you should've thought about that before you ran off, huh?" Will asked, having made his point.
"I don't want to miss fishing trip!" Ryan joined in.
"We won't have to," Eric promised his younger brother, no longer fighting as they were once again united in their effort to not be found out and grounded. "Besides, Daddy wouldn't go without us. Daddy says fishing is a sport for father and sons. That's why we have our secret fishing spot. Daddy says it's a sacred tradition. Whatever that means. Mr. Will?" Eric shook the hand that one of his. "What's sacred mean?"
"It means . . ." He looked down to answer, but Will's mind had been racing as he listened to the boy talk. Fishing. Father and son. Secret spot. Sacred. He couldn't remember Ryan's question when all the puzzle pieces started to fit together.
"Oh my gosh! I have it!"
Will felt like he could've been bludgeoned with a hammer as it all came slamming into him. He ran back into Tom's office where he knew the man kept some rifles hanging on the wall just in case. He didn't have time to race back to the house for his own. Then, without bothering to saddle his horse, he grabbed Thunderbolt by the mane and started heading east.
Posted on Monday, 14 June 2004
The boys were still staring shocked and slack-jawed at Will's abrupt departure when their mother, Fanny Bennet, and Lizzy came racing down from the Big House in a flurry of exclamations and relief.
"Oh my gosh, there you boys are!" Michele heaved a huge sigh of relief when they found her children. With her hand pressed tightly against her chest, she inhaled deeply and tried to regain her winded breath. She got enough of it back to launch into a long tirade. "We have been looking all over for you! Did you know that? I thought I told you to stay in the front yard. Do you know how worried I was when I looked out the window and couldn't find you? You scared me half to death! What are you guys doing down here anyway? You know you're not supposed to come down here without permission or without adult supervision. Haven't I told you a million times over that it's not safe for you to be here by yourself? You could get hurt. Oh, heavens. What am I going to do with the two of you?"
Lizzy, who'd joined the search for the boys upon her return to the ranch, was already staring at whatever it was the boys had been staring at before. She held her hand over her eyes, blocking out the blinding sun and squinted into the distance. All she saw were puffs of dirt clouding in the air. "What's going on," she asked Eric and Ryan.
"Mr. Will just raced off with no explanation!" Eric was only too eager to share the description of Will's strange behavior. "Ryan and I were just talking about our fishing trip with Daddy this weekend when all of the sudden Mr. Will broke away and he raced into the barn. When he came back out, he was riding bareback and had a gun with him!" This clearly fascinated the young child.
"He didn't even stop to answer my question. All I wanted to know was what the word 'sacred' meant." He turned to his mother. "Momma, what does 'sacred' mean?"
Michele was much too busy to answer his question though; she was already meting out the boys' punishment for disobeying her strict order. "There will be no fishing trip for you boys this weekend! Not after what you put us through! Do you know how worried I was?" She wagged her finger at her sons.
"Aw, Momma! Come on!" the boys pleaded equally, hands clasped together and eyelashes fluttering in their cherubic faces. "We promise we won't do this again, and we know we were wrong, but you gotta let us go fishing with Daddy!"
The boys safe and sound, they faded into the background, no longer of immediate concern. Far more intriguing was the dust cloud growing more and more distant as Lizzy watched Will ride away from the ranch. Already he was but a speck on the horizon. If she waited any longer she was afraid she'd lose him. Lizzy would have to do some fancy footwork if she was to catch up to him, and catch up to him she would. For the first time in days, Lizzy felt alive and determined.
"He knows where Georgie is," Lizzy stated matter-of-factly, one hand on her hip, the other still over her eyes. They dropped to her sides as she turned around to face the group. Her comment had drawn everyone's attention as they stopped mid-sentence and in mid-movement to stare at her. Even the boys understood the full import of Lizzy's observation.
Lizzy whipped them back into motion. "Momma, go on back to the house and call the Sheriff. Then, get the men on the radio. They'll provide back up until Danny and his men can get here. I don't recognize where Will's heading, but just tell them he headed east. The way he's tearing up the ground, his track shouldn't be too hard to trace." Even as she snapped out the orders, Lizzy was moving around, getting herself prepared to ride after Will.
Fanny followed Lizzy into the barn and into her husband's office, then nearly blanched as she saw Lizzy fetch a handgun from the desk drawer. Lizzy would have preferred a rifle, but had a feeling that Will had taken the one that normally hung on her father's office wall.
"What are you doing? You aren't really going to go after him?" The sight of Lizzy holding a gun wasn't an unfamiliar one, but still it had her heart lodging itself in her throat. Protecting one's self against wildlife was one thing, protecting one's self against evil was another. "Please," Fanny pleaded. "At least wait until the others can go with you. Your father will go with you if you just wait for us to find him."
"There isn't any time," Lizzy snapped, trying not to sound impatient but unable to keep the urgency out of her voice. "The longer we wait to go after Will, the more likely we are to lose his track. And what if Will does find George and it's just the two of them pitted against each other? He'll need help. If I can find them, my presence will give Will the advantage."
"It's not safe for you though." The tears of worry and concern were already forming in the back of her eyes.
Fanny backed out of the barn as Lizzy led her mount into the daylight. Like Will, Lizzy hadn't wasted precious minutes to saddle her horse. She'd ridden bareback plenty of other times to feel comfortable doing so now. "Don't worry about me, Momma. Everything's going to be all right. You'll see. Now go on and get the others!"
She gave her mother a quick buss on the cheek before grabbing a fist of Buttercup's mane and swinging herself gracefully onto her bare back. With a quick flick of the wrist, they were off. "Ai-ya!"
"Take care, Lizzy!" Fanny shouted into the wind. She turned and saw Michele staring at her, her mother's eyes filled with sympathy. "She'll be all right," Michele comforted, wrapping an arm around the housekeepers shoulder. "Lizzy's a strong woman."
Fanny agreed with the other woman's assessment, but just to be on the safe side, murmured a word of prayer anyway as she hurried back to the house to do as Lizzy had asked.
Will had gotten more than a head start, so Lizzy was having a hard time keeping him in sight. The moment he entered the foothills and started to climb, Lizzy knew she was lost. It had simply been impossible, with the speed he'd been traveling at, to even think about catching up to him. Fortunately, his hasty strides had left more than a trail for Lizzy to follow. It was, she considered, a very good thing, as she began her own assent of the mountain. She'd never explored this part of the countryside before. She didn't think there was anything there except for a thick grove of unmanageable trees and the mountain.
The more they climbed, the more amazed Lizzy grew. If this was in fact where George was hiding Georgiana, then it was no wonder no one had been able to find them yet. She wondered how Will seemed to know where he was heading. Not once had she encountered tracks where someone had stopped and tried to figure out what path to take.
Broken twigs and trampled leaves continued to guide Lizzy up the mountain. Just when she began to feel as though she could climb no more, the mountain leveled and stretched out before her. With a huge sigh of relief, Lizzy saw Will's horse straight ahead. It looked weary from its trip and Lizzy had no doubt that Will had worked it into a lather. Her own horse was faring no better. Kicking Buttercup with the heel of her boot, Lizzy completed her journey with a racing finish. She quickly jumped off her horse and left it to graze next to Will's mount.
Careful to not make any noise in her approach, Lizzy walked slowly in the path Will's hurried steps had left for her. She paused only long enough to make sure the handgun she carried was loaded and cocked. She wanted to be ready in case she needed to use it.
It wasn't before long that an old, abandoned cabin came into sight. With the sun shining down on it and the chirping robins flitting around the leaning structure, it looked so serene and made for such a picture that Lizzy felt herself torn in two. It pained her to think that such a lovely object could have been taken and used for such an evil purpose as kidnapping; yet, she also feared that George and Georgiana might not be found inside. She was desperate for the interminable search to be over.
Her heart pounding heavily, Lizzy crouched low as she made her way to the open doorway. Before she'd even gotten within two yards of the cabin, she'd heard the voices she'd come to find. Her whole body flooded with relief as she heard Will answer George's question. He wasn't hurt! She prayed that she'd be able to say the same for his sister.
"Don't come any closer!"
From her hidden position, Lizzy wondered perplexingly how George had found her out. It was only then that she realized he must have been speaking to Will.
Will had come thundering up the side of the mountain, sure of his objective. He hadn't been disappointed when he found the hidden cabin. He'd peered through the windows and almost howled with anguish at what he saw. Only the need to keep his position unknown had forced him to keep his mouth shut.
George had been sitting on the same side of the cabin as his sister, but he hadn't been sitting next to her. In his hands, he'd held a gun. He was cleaning it. His sister, Will noted with some amusement, looked bored. He hoped that he would be able to keep them separate. He figured he had the element of surprise on his side.
Will underestimated George's speed though. The minute Will walked through the door with his gun trained on his nemesis, George had already reached for Georgiana. He now used her as a shield, his own gun trained on her.
"Don't come any closer," he repeated.
The threat was implied and it took a great deal of restraint on Will's part to not blanch or show any sort of emotion. The last thing he wanted to do was provoke George's temper such that he did something rash, like shoot his sister. It was better to try and reason with him. He hoped that George wasn't beyond all reason.
"Let her go, George. Your beef is with me. Not her."
"No," George shook his head. "I'm not stupid. The minute I let her go, you get what you want. You'll take her and run, and I'll be left standing with nothing. You always get what you want! But not this time. This time, I get what I want! I'm not going to give her up without a fight."
"I'll give you whatever you want, George. Just don't do anything to hurt my sister. Please. Let her go."
"How can I trust you?"
"You know you can trust me, George. We grew up together, our fathers were friends, and we used to be friends too. Remember?" As he spoke, Will carefully edged forward. That only caused George to tighten his grip around Georgiana's throat as he took several steps backwards until the back of his knees touched the edge of the bed.
"Don't come closer. Just stay where you are."
Georgiana started to grow faint at having her air supply so severely reduced. "George," she rasped. "Please."
She tried to grab her captor's arm, but he yanked her hard and made her stop. "Stop it. Just don't move, and I won't hurt you."
From across the room, Will made sure his sister caught his eye. Do whatever he says, his eyes urged. From the faint nod of his sister's head, he knew his message had been received. It was small comfort though in this morass of a mess. Will wondered how he was going to get them out of this. George was growing increasingly agitated and his own nerves were no better off.
"All right, George. You have my word. I won't come any closer." He reached out with his left hand in a conciliatory gesture. "But you have to promise to not do anything to hurt my sister while we talk. That's all I want to do. Talk. Maybe we can work something out, and I have some questions for you too."
Sweat trickled down the side of his face and down his back. There were only two ways out of the cabin. Will blocked the door and it would be difficult to maneuver jumping out the window what with Georgiana as his shield. With a sinking heart, George realized he was stuck. "Okay," he answered. He'd answer Will's questions and find a way out the cabin, one way or another he'd find a way. He loosened his grip ever so slightly. Enough to let Georgiana suck in a few extra breaths of fresh air, but not enough so that she could wiggle away from him.
"Why'd you come back to Pemberley, George?"
George shrugged his shoulder to wipe the sweat from his brow, careful to keep his grip around Georgiana's neck and the gun against her temple. "I needed a place to hide out."
"You owed some men some money."
He wasn't surprised that Will had figured it out. "He found me anyway."
"When'd you find out?"
"I thought I saw his men around town and then he approached me. He warned me that he had his eye on me. I feared for my life. He'd leave me reminders too. Daffodil, your cow, she was one of them."
"This man. This loan shark. He was the one that killed my cow?" This was news to Will and it surprised him. He'd been convinced it was George who had poisoned his cow.
Beads of sweat continued to formulate along George's brow. "I don't remember which came first anymore, whether he killed Daffodil first or whether he got in touch with me first. It doesn't really matter. Your cow's death was a sign to me. He was letting me know that he could get that close to me without you or anyone else on the ranch noticing, and that if I didn't pay up, I'd suffer the same fate as your cow. Whether by poison or something else, he'd find a way."
Will couldn't believe it. This stranger had been on his land. In his barn. Probably knelt by his cow. And nobody had known it, least of all him. It was shocking, to say the least. And it would be something to think about later on, once he'd dealt with this matter in front of him.
"Can you see why I got desperate?" George resumed. "I needed the money and I needed it fast. I didn't know what else to do. I grew desperate."
The desperation and anxiety that had driven his every action for so long exploded in his face. In front of Will and Georgiana, George lost control of his emotions. Suddenly, the pitch of his voice grew higher and louder, and he started to sob uncontrollably. Both Georgiana and Will feared that he would do something brash in his inconsolable and unstable condition. Will knew he had to do something and fast.
"You didn't come to me," Will said, forcing himself to remain calm, "because you knew I wouldn't have given you the money if you asked. I'll give it to you now. On my word. Free and clear. Just let go of my sister and let her come to me." With his hands crooked, Will motioned for George to release his sister. "Please."
"Please, George," Georgiana whispered. She'd kept silent for so long but she had to try now. Though her throat was parched and cracked, and the tears coursing down her face made it difficult for her to speak, she forced herself to be heard and pleaded on her own behalf. "When you first came back to Pemberley you said you remembered me from when I was a little girl. You spoke of me with affection. Can you really bring yourself to hurt me now - an innocent bystander - in your own agenda? Please, George, take a moment to reconsider your plan. My brother, he'll give you however much money you need. We'll even help you escape from Younge and from the police. Think about it, you can escape! No one will ever try to hunt you down again. Isn't that what you want? Think about it," she reiterated. "Please."
He listened to what she had to say. Everything she said, it sounded so perfect and so seductive. It was exactly what he wanted, but could he really have it? Or, was it all a trick? Were they all a pack of lies?
During Georgiana's impassioned pleas, Will had caught sight, out of the corner of his eye, of movement behind him, near the open doorway. Though he couldn't be sure, instinctively, he knew it was Lizzy who had followed him here. He couldn't believe it! Didn't she know the risks involved? He felt like cursing at her, but couldn't. So, instead, he whispered a few words of prayer and hoped she stayed outside and out of harm's way.
George turned his head and noticed Will's strayed attention. He knew then that it was all one big lie. She looked innocent and harmless, especially the way she so touchingly pleaded on her own behalf and implored him to liberate her by appealing to his compassionate side, but she was still a Darcy. Just like Will. They were of the same breed and they'd always been against him, had always had it out for him. He'd never been able to trust a Darcy. And therefore knew that though she promised him freedom, the minute she got her way, she'd turn her back against him just as her brother would.
He mentally swaggered with pride, pleased with himself and at how cunningly he'd avoided the same fate as Adam. Though she'd cried her pretty tears and tried to use her soft voice against him, he'd been the stronger person and avoided Eve's apple. Hardening his heart, he turned against her.
"NO!"
Both Georgiana and Will's eyes widened at his sudden outburst. Outside, Lizzy fared no better. It was like watching a horror film, except that it was real. Her eyes white with fear, she watched helplessly as George exploded and turned his wrath against sister and brother.
"You're lying! You're both lying! I can see it in your faces! You'd never let me go free! You'll turn me into the police first chance you get! I know you!"
"No, George, stop! You have to believe me!" Georgiana pleaded.
His temper on full blast, he struck her face with the back of his hand.
Will roared.
It was the opening Lizzy had been waiting for. Afraid that George would then turn his gun on Will, the minute she saw his arm jerk the slightest inch away from Georgiana's head, Lizzy, who'd kept her gun aimed on George the entire time from her hidden position, squinted hard and prayed that her bullet would find its mark as she pulled her trigger. When George bellowed in pain and in surprise, and dropped his gun onto the floor, she breathed a huge sigh of relief and thanked God that she hadn't missed and hit Georgiana instead.
Everything happened so quickly then. Will thought he'd died a thousand deaths in that nanosecond. He'd lurched into motion the second he saw George strike his sister, but then a gunshot had exploded and his only thought was to follow Georgiana's falling form and cover her with his body. Believing it to have been George's gun that discharged, Will waited for the torrent of pain that never came. It was only when the rippled sounds of the gunshot had subsided and George's moaning sounds of pain remained that he realized who'd been shot and who'd done the shooting.
It was at that moment that he let himself relax his tightly wound nerves long enough to shed a few silent tears into his sister's hair. The tears were out of relief. For his sister, but mostly for Lizzy. Because in that instant of sudden turmoil, when everything had happened all at once and he'd lost track of what was going on around him, he'd been afraid that George might have caught sight of Lizzy and gotten to her first.
When he was able to resume breathing, he rolled off his sister's back and lay supine on the ground. Lizzy had already entered the cabin and dealt with George's gun. George, in the meantime, was still alive but had passed out from pain and the loss of blood. Lizzy was currently working on binding the flesh wound on his arm.
"Dammit, Lizzy." Still lying on his back, Will thought about how she'd placed her life in peril and how close she'd come to shooting his sister. What if her aim had been off? So what if she was an expert marksman? He wanted so badly to berate her, but he couldn't bring himself to do it because in the end, she'd been the one to save his sister's life. And not to mention, she'd done exactly what he'd been about to do, only she'd beaten him by a minute.
That minute had made all the difference.
Lizzy sat on the floor, George's bloodied arm in her lap, dripping all over her jeans. She raised her eyebrow, waiting to hear what Will had to say. The air hung thickly and tensely between them as she waited for the rest of his reprimand. She was both shocked and surprised when all he said was, "Thanks."
She wondered what she was supposed to say, if anything, but was saved when Will moved on to examine his sister. In effect, dismissing her.
Finding his feet, he crouched over Georgiana to pat her cheeks. "Are you okay?" Lizzy heard him asking.
"Yeah. I think so." Georgiana sat up weakly and achingly, and let her brother run his hands up and down her arms and legs to check for broken bones. He hissed and cursed every time he encountered one of the several blue and purple bruises that colored her body. He'd already cut the bonds from her wrists and ankles and it felt weird to be able to move her arms and legs around freely. However, she could still feel the phantom sensation of the ropes lying heavily against her hands and feet.
Will didn't like the dazed expression on his sister's face? "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked again. He was afraid she might be playing down her symptoms so as not to worry him. He brushed the matted hair away from her face. "Georgie?"
"Post-traumatic stress," Lizzy dared to pipe up from her side of the room. "She'll probably be okay once we get her back home. The others should probably be here soon. I made Momma call for the men and the Sheriff before I left the ranch. If they found our tracks, it shouldn't be long before they find us."
"Hmm," was all Will had to say.
"How's he holding up?" Will glared in George's general direction.
Lizzy finished knotting the bandage she'd fashioned out of the hem of her shirt and placed his arm back against his side to stand and stretch the kinks in her shoulder. "He'll live. The bullet went clean through."
"That's good. I guess."
Lizzy wiped her bloodied hands as best she could on the back of her jeans and crouched down low so that Georgiana could see her without having to look up. "Hey."
"Hi."
"It's good to see you again. We've missed you."
"I . . ." she started to speak, but then her face crumpled and then the huge, choking sobs followed. The past few days had finally caught up with her and Georgiana lurched into her brother's arms.
"I'm sorry," he whispered into her ears as he wrapped his arms around her and wouldn't let go, not that Georgiana wanted him to. "I came as soon as I could, but I'm still so sorry you had to go through it at all. I'll take better card of you in the future. I promise."
Lizzy turned her head away and let the siblings have their moment. When she heard the cavalry arrive, she went out to greet them.
With the men from the ranch and the Sheriff and his men present, everything was taken care of quickly. The Sheriff's men transported the still unconscious George to the hospital where he was kept under guard, both from himself and from Younge. Will also took Georgiana to the hospital despite her protests that she was fine and just wanted to go home. Tom accompanied his daughter back to the ranch so that she could clean up and change her clothes, and then go into town to the Sheriff's office.
As she exited the cabin, and turned to give it one final look, Lizzy felt odd and out of sorts. But, in a good way. What had happened in there had made her a stronger person. She'd gotten back the confidence she'd lost when she'd messed things up with Will, and felt that no matter what happened from here on out she was in control of her life. And that was definitely a good thing.
Will put his sister into bed, relishing in having her back by her side, safe and sound. Healthy and unharmed. "You should get some rest," he told her. "Try not to think about anything. You're safe here and you don't have to worry about a thing. I won't let anything happen to you ever again," he promised. "I'll never let you out of my sight again."
She grabbed his arm. "Will you stay and sit with me awhile?"
"Absolutely."
"Thanks."
"You can always count on me, Georgie."
Georgiana smiled in response, because she knew it to be true. When she woke up several hours later, the familiar walls of her bedroom with its flowery wallpaper, and not the dark, uneven walls of the cabin that had been her shelter for the past two days surrounded her. Her eyes leaped from her menagerie of stuffed animals to posters of her favorite actors and musical groups to the family photos that sat framed on her dresser.
It hadn't been a dream after all.
Her brother and Lizzy had saved her. She breathed a huge sigh of relief and rolled over, hugging an extra pillow to her side. Peeking out of her right eye, she saw that her brother was sitting on her window seat, staring outside. He looked out of place, next to the pink, ruffled sham pillows, flowered drapery, and stuffed white teddy bears. But he looked right at home too, for, over the years, he'd sat in that very spot countless of times before and read bedtime stories to her until she fell asleep.
Georgiana thought he was the most beautiful sight she'd seen in several days. She'd been so relieved when he'd found her in the cabin with George. She'd nearly wept with relief at the sight of him entering the cabin with his rifle trained on George.
At the sound of his sister rustling around in her sheets, Will turned away from the window and grinned. "Hey. You're awake."
"Have I been asleep long?" Even as she asked the question she was already looking to her beside alarm clock.
"Couple of hours."
"Have you been sitting there the whole time?"
"Yeah."
"You didn't have to do that. I'm sure you have other stuff you could be doing."
"You asked me to stay."
"I didn't mean for you to stay even after I'd fallen asleep though."
He got up from his seat and walked over to her bed. "I was afraid you'd wake up and panic if you found me gone. I didn't want you to feel like I'd left you again."
"Thanks. I appreciate it." Especially since she knew he was probably right. It touched her soul to know how well her brother was acquainted with her habits and temperament. She felt blessed and wondered what she'd done to deserve such a brother.
"You know I'd do anything for you."
Georgiana shifted over and made room for her brother. He stretched out alongside her on top of the covers and wrapped an arm around his sister's shoulder. "Are you sure you're all right, Georgie?"
"Will, you've already had the doctor check me over. You know there's nothing wrong with me." Now that she felt rested and better, the old impatience was starting to creep back into her voice.
"I don't mean just physically."
She rested her head on his shoulder. "I know. I'll be fine. Honestly. Really. I'm sorry I blubbered all over you when we were back in the cabin."
"I'm not." He flicked an affectionate finger down her nose. "That's what I'm here for. Remember? You know you can blubber all over me anytime you want."
"Thanks."
"If you want to make it up to me though, you can not tell people that I blubbered back."
Georgiana chuckled. "Okay."
"So, you're sure you're all right?"
"Yes," his sister sighed. She gave up telling him he didn't have to ask whether she'd be all right or not. She had a feeling she'd be fielding the same question for several weeks at least. "I'm just tired, really."
"Hungry?"
"No." Though she'd often been hungry in the two days she'd been holed up with George, Fanny had stuffed her so full of food upon her return that Georgiana didn't think she'd ever be able to eat again.
"You sure?"
"Yeah. I'm just tired."
"And brave," Will added. He kissed her on her crown. "Don't forget brave. I'm sorry you had to go through all of that, Georgie. I should've taken better care of you."
She caught her brother's hand and hugged it reassuringly to her chest. "You found me. Just as I knew you would. Do you know? When I first woke up and found myself tied up and powerless against George, the first thing I thought was, 'Will will find me.' And when he took me to that cabin, I still had every confidence that you'd find us. Knowing that you'd come, that's what got me through. And I was right. You did come. That's what matters most. Whatever happened with George, it's not your fault. No one could have predicted what he did. The only person that should be blamed is George."
Will stared in awe and amazement at his little sister. She'd suffered a harrowing experience, but instead of falling to pieces over it, she'd endured. And become a stronger person for it. She'd grown up. And now she was comforting him.
"How'd you get to be so smart?" he asked.
"I had a lot of time on my hands to think things over," she quipped. Will took that as a good sign. With the shock wearing off and her sense of humor returning, it seemed as though Georgiana wouldn't be permanently scarred, and would be able to bounce back from the incident just fine.
"What's going to happen to George?" Georgiana asked after a while. She fiddled with the cuff of her brother's sleeve as she waited for his answer.
Will considered his words carefully. "He's still in the hospital, but he's woken up and his condition isn't critical. He's also being watched carefully. Since he's already in police custody, he'll be released to the Sheriff when he's discharged. Kidnapping charges will be brought against him." Among others. Danny had already told him that the prosecutor's office would want to file additional charges against him, like assault and battery, and that was just fine with Will. He didn't see any reason to burden his sister with those details though.
"What about the other guy? The loan shark, Younge?"
"I don't know, Georgie." And that was the truth. With the information George had provided upon waking up, the Sheriff's men had tried to apprehend Younge, a man who was wanted in at least three states. True to form though, he'd slipped through the cracks and managed to evade the authorities once more. It was assumed that as soon as Younge had caught scent of Will and Lizzy stumbling upon George's hiding place, he'd known the police would be on their tail soon enough, and made his escape then, when nobody was looking. Or even knew to look.
They assumed correctly. Younge had cut his losses and left town immediately, always two steps ahead of the police. His poor investment in George had turned out to be a disappointing loss, but better to remain free than try to stick around and collect on it. He comforted himself on the financial loss by acknowledging that George had provided him with some amusement as well, and therefore hadn't been entirely without value. He had enjoyed watching George scurry around trying to come up with the money to repay him. Any monetary loss he might have suffered by extending loans to George, Younge figured he would make it up when he found his next victim.
"Well, I guess it's good that George is being punished at least. He deserves it," Georgiana said after she'd thought about it some.
Will didn't think it was enough after what he'd put his sister through, but held his tongue as he knew his sister was blessed with a soft and forgiving heart. "Try and put it out of your head for now. Don't think about George. He can't hurt you anymore. Focus on yourself instead and on getting better."
"I already am feeling better," she tried to set her brother's mind at ease. "In fact, just being home helps a lot."
"Well, expect to be spoiled and treated like a princess for the next couple of weeks at least," Will warned jokingly. "We're all so happy and relieved to have you home again. I suspect you won't have to move a finger for weeks. All you'll have to do is ask and you'll get what you want." And he'd be leading the pack of spoilers.
"I'll try and not let it go to my head," Georgiana said solemnly, knowing that her brother was teasing her, and knowing that even before everything had happened with George all she'd had to do was crook a finger and her brother would come running.
"Atta girl."
"I'm really glad you're my brother, Will," Georgiana said impulsively. "You're the best brother a girl could ever hope for."
Her compliment sent a twinge racing through his heart. Will wished he could be more deserving of her honor. So, instead of thanking her, he patted her affectionately on the knee. He got up to leave, but not before kissing her on the top of her head. When he reached the door, Georgiana called him back. "What?"
She picked at the edges of the small pillow her mother had needlepointed for her before she'd died. "Georgie?" Will prompted her once more.
"Um. I was wondering. Where's Lizzy?"
"Ahhh . . . ." That hadn't been the question he'd been expecting. "I saw her drive in from town a little while ago." He scratched the back of his neck. He'd done more than watch, he'd tracked her every movement until she'd disappeared into the house and out of his sight. "Want me to find her and send her up?"
"I'd like that."
"Okay."
Will wrapped his knuckles against the doorway in a staccato beat and prepared to do as his sister had asked. She called him back one more time. "Will?"
"What?"
"Sorry. But, I was wondering."
"Hm." He watched her worry while fiddling with the fringe on her pillow. "Spit it out, Georgie."
"I was wondering. Is everything okay with you and Lizzy?"
Will stepped back into the room and shut the door with the heel of his boot. "Why do you ask?"
"Before I was kidnapped, it looked like you guys were getting along. And you even went out on a date the night George took me. But today, when we were up in the cabin, I couldn't help but notice that things didn't seem to be right between the two of you. You were awkward with one another and uncomfortable. Has something happened? Did the date not go well?"
Will propped his elbow onto Georgiana's dresser and placed his head into the palm of his hand. How to answer his sister's questions? How to tell her that he'd come home from their date convinced that he'd found the woman with whom he wanted to spend the rest of his life, but then he'd screwed things up and feared he might have done so irrevocably?
He'd spent his afternoon, sitting in his sister's room, watching her sleep, and thinking about every thing he'd gone through in the past two days, every conversation he'd had, and the one he kept coming back to was the one he'd had with Lizzy where he walked out on her, but only after he'd made it very clear to her that their relationship was over. Over before it'd even begun. He recognized now that she was no more at fault than he was, but, at the time, he'd lashed out at her in anger and in pain. He feared now that mistake had cost him everything.
Georgiana tried to be patient as she waited for her brother to reply. When he straightened and looked at her, all he said was, "The date was great. But when we found out you'd been taken, I went a little crazy. I said and did things I shouldn't have." Georgiana frowned. "Don't worry about it," he told her. "It's my business, not yours, and I'll take care of it."
Though she really wanted to ask whether he thought it was fixable, she phrased the question instead as, "So, you're going to fix it?"
"I'm going to try to."
"But, what if . . .."
Will walked back over and silenced her by kissing her on the cheek. "You can't fix what I broke, Georgie. Whatever happens happens, and we'll live with that. Okay?"
"Okay."
"I'll find Lizzy and send her up."
"Thanks."
"But only for a minute. I don't want you tiring yourself out. You need to rest."
"I will."
"And remember what I said." He pointed at her, charging her with one more reminder. "No meddling."
Georgiana's lips twitched. "Yes, sir."