Antithesis

by Allison Crews

  It was the most beautiful smile I had seen in ages.

  “I’ll take that do-nut, now, if you don’t mind.”

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  Chapter 25 - Halcyon Hopes

  The best horses to which carriages should be hitched are those that will back into their harness as it barrels down the hill.

  I compromised with Duncan by agreeing to follow him back to the main house. I knew I had nothing to fear from him, but I was still not willing to dismount until I saw a familiar face. I was so tired, but still not sure what was happening and who was after me or why. How many were in on this? Was anyone else hurt?

  The long gravel road stretched past other camps and was bordered by bright green winter wheat that contrasted sharply with the gray brown woods on each side. To the right, a large building surrounded by a porch balanced on stilts overlooking a cypress brake. Several people I didn’t recognize stood outside, watching us, eyes not at all friendly, or maybe I was just being paranoid. What is up with these people? I nervously sat a little straighter on Viva, wishing I could see someone I recognized.

  Before we could make it to the club’s the main camp, Griffen’s truck roared into view. The great wave of relief that washed over me was instantly replaced with foreboding. How was he going to handle this? What would he do to those men when he finds them? If he finds them? How much does he already know? What should I tell him?

  In spite of these thoughts, I kicked Viva into a gallop and met him in the middle of the road. He skidded to a stop, jumped from his truck, and pulled me into his arms.

  “Dear God, Elliott, oh thank God,” he breathed into my hair and crushed me against him, “I am so glad you’re safe, so glad you’re here.”

  All the tension of the night fell away, and I forgot everything except I was safe, he was here, I had coffee-breath, but still had a peppermint. I popped it into my mouth and turned my face up to his so he could kiss me as long as he liked.

  I heard more trucks pulling up, and everyone was hitting me with questions all at once. Griffen handed Viva to Addy and guided me to his truck, backing away the well-wishers.

  “Where are the hounds?” I finally asked, shaking myself out of my euphoric stupor.

  “They’re all safe. Pout was the only one missing. William’s taking them all home in a little while now that we found you.”

  “Where are we?” I finally asked.

  “A very long way from our camp,” he said. “I’ll fill you in on everything, but for now, you need to rest.”

  Rest. I was so tired, I could hardly move. Rest sounded fabulous, but I wanted to know how much he knew – about…them.

  “Did you get my message?”

  “Yes. You don’t have to worry about those men,” he said softly gripping my left hand and bringing it up to his lips. My stomach fluttered, and I leaned my head back on the seat. I wanted badly to rest, but my mind would not stop working. What did he mean about not having to worry about them?

  “What happened? Were there others?” I asked, hoping no other people had been attacked.

  “Yes, there were six of them, as far as they would tell me,” he snarled, and his knuckles tightened on the steering wheel.

  “You talked to them?” I asked, stunned.

  “Not exactly,” he said. “Ben did most of that.”

  “Ben?”

  He looked at me and hesitated for a moment, and it looked like he was trying to decide what to tell me.

  “Griffen, I need to know what happened,” I said evenly. “What did you do?” The donuts and coffee had finally put the terrible hunger and thirst that had so recently weakened me at bay.

  “When the hounds moved west, we all moved with them, and for a long time, we heard them. When we lost radio contact with you, William had everyone move further west and we did just that – at a gallop. We could all hear the hounds…at least for a little while.”

  We were pulling into the Hale’s camp now, so he paused. He turned to me, took my face in his hand, and lifted my chin so he could look deep into my eyes. With his free hand, he stroked the hair out of my face. He was so calming, such a magnificent presence. He might as well have wrapped his arms around me. I wanted to collapse in his arms right there – in spite of the truck’s console.

  “Elliott, let’s get you some food. I know you’re hungry. I think you should rest, too, at least for a while. You’ve been through quite   an ordeal. There’s plenty of time for you to hear all this – just know that we got them, and they won’t be bothering you or any of us anymore. Addy’s already called your parents and told them that you’re safe.”

  “My parents? Those men, you didn’t…and Ben…”

  “No, although I would loved to have…Ben stopped me. They are still alive,” he growled meeting my gaze. I could see he was looking for something from me – a reaction – approval maybe?

  “I’m so sorry,” I said as a wave of emotion threatened to crash through all my barriers. I was so tired, still so hungry, feeling so weak and dizzy – it was maddening. I was also…relieved. Griffen had not killed the beasts, but something had happened. How did he find them? How did he know? How many people are involved in this? What had I done to them to make them so angry? I wanted to hear, but I could barely keep my eyes open. He walked to my side of the truck and opened the door.

  “Viva?” I asked.

  “Addy and Ben have her – they’re bringing her here to my camp,” he said guiding me to my room and sitting beside me on the bed. “Rest, my brave little vixen, while I make you some breakfast.”

  “Don’t leave,” I said, irrationally not wanting to be away from him – knowing he couldn’t stay in here with me even if he wanted to.

  “Rest. You need that now more than you need me interrogating you,” he said, his eyes so soft, and tender, as they took in my entire face.

  “Don’t want rest. Want you…stay here,” my lids were getting heavier. I felt him beside me again, and his lips brushed across my forehead.

  “Shh, my precious, Elliott, rest now, you are safe, I’m not leaving. I’ll be in the kitchen,” he whispered as he gently stroked my hair.

  “Thanks,” and, in spite of my stomach, the darkness swallowed me.

  ~~~

  I woke to the heavenly smell of bacon. My stomach demanded that I react as hunger tried to devour me from within. Staggering to the mirror, I gasped. In spite of my hunger, and because I knew who was cooking the bacon, I jumped in the shower, changed, and worked on my face. My hair would have to just be wet. I toweled my long dark hair dry and pulled a brush through it. The alarm clock showed 11:00 am – I had slept for four hours.

  I pulled on some jeans, a plain white shirt, and swiped a little color onto my lips. I had to eat, but I wanted to know everything about what happened last night while I was hiding in the swamp. Presentable now, I opened the door to my bedroom and found Mother in the kitchen.

  “Mother!” I exclaimed, trying to sound pleased, but desperately disappointed. “What are you doing here?”

  “Happy New Year to you, too, dear!” she beamed, oblivious to my consternation. “How are you feeling?”

  “F...fine,” I stammered. “I’m fine, now. I was just really tired, that’s all.”

  “Did those men hurt you?” she said as she walked over and gave me a huge hug. “I can’t believe you were attacked! Please promise me you will never ride alone again. You could have really been…hurt! You would tell me, wouldn’t you, if anything happened to you?

  “Of course, Mother, I am fine – Thanks to Viva,” I said, wondering where Griffen was and hoping he wasn’t far. How was I going to politely dismiss my mother?

  “Here, dear,” she said indicating for me to sit. “I made some more bacon. It looks like the food that was here had been devoured.”

  The bacon, eggs, and toast she made gave me the lift I needed to put on a much brighter performance than I actually felt.

  “Where’s Daddy?” I asked.

  “He and Griff
en are with the horses,” she said. “I think he was going to help load everything so you could get back to Oxford after lunch. No one wanted to disturb you, so we’ve been keeping everyone away from the camp. It seems the Hales left yesterday afternoon for Memphis. Griffen said we could make ourselves at home here with you.”

  “Thanks, Mother,” I said. “Thank you for breakfast, too. You didn’t need to come, but I really appreciate it.”

  “No worries, dear,” she said. “You know your Daddy – he had to see for himself that you were fine, and that those men wouldn’t be bothering anyone else. I’ve never seen him so upset!”

  Another wave of guilt washed over me. This was all my fault – and so embarrassing. If only I had been able to get the hounds back earlier or stopped them and not gotten lost, this would have never happened. So many people worrying about me. And the party...and today’s hunt…all cancelled I was sure.

  “What’s wrong, dear?” she said as she watched me. She never misses a beat.

  “I just hate that so many people went to so much trouble because of…me…again,” I said. “This is getting embarrassing.”

  “Honey, you could not possibly have known that there were crazy men lurking in the swamp,” she said. “I’m just so glad you were able to get away from them! And you spent the whole night outside – how did you do that? That was so very brave of you.”

  My stomach clenched at the memory – the blood on the man’s face matching the red hatred in his eyes, the way they reached out for Viva…for me – Thankfully, the door opened and Griffen and Daddy appeared.

  “Elliott, sweetheart!” Daddy beamed and grabbed me in a bear hug.

  “Daddy!” I gasped in surprise at his outburst, and his grip on my lungs.

  “I am so glad you’re here and in one piece! I hear the other guys will not be eating solid food for a while,” he said glancing appraisingly at Griffen.

  I followed his glance, and Griffen actually blushed.

  “Will someone please tell me what happened?” I said, giving up for now on my alone time.

  “What is left of that bunch will no longer bother you or any of the foxhunters,” Daddy said. “Not only did Griffen pulverize them, Ben’s father and Griffen’s uncle are making sure that they and three generations of their kids will be banned from this area forever. It was one thing for them to be lurking around intimidating outsiders, but another for them to attack a young lady regardless of where you’re from. The whole county’s in an uproar.”

  “Did this have to do with the ones that attacked Griffen?” I asked.

  “Oh yes,” Daddy said. “These two were looking for trouble. We’re pretty sure they were the only ones – just troublemakers mad about the scene at Stanford Hall. We’re trying to get to the bottom of all that now. They were looking for someone to intimidate, and you just happened to be the only one riding alone and with the hounds.” His fists clenched at the thought.

  “I only wish I’d been the one that found them,” he said in a menacing tone I had not heard since my oldest sister’s ex-boyfriend showed up at our house drunk at midnight and pleading for her to take him back ten years ago. “They definitely would not be walking today if I had.”

  “It’s only because Ben and William were both there that I didn’t finish the job I started,” Griffen said, apologetically, but his eyes gleamed at the memory. “They were able to talk some sense into me about ripping off their worthless…well,” he looked at Mother and me remembering he had an audience.

  “Griffen!” I said. “What do you mean? How did you know who was after me?”

  “I rode up on two men on four-wheelers not too long after we lost contact with you,” he said. “They looked harmless enough, but one had a large fresh gash on his cheekbone. I asked if they’d seen the hounds. They just pointed back to where they had come and said they’d heard them, but not seen anyone.” He paused a moment to collect his thoughts.

  So I did get my lick in on that one then. Interesting.

  “At about the same time, William, Ben, Addy and the rest of the field galloped by, but passed me when I waved them on. The men looked nervous, but I had no idea at the time that you’d been attacked. They pulled off on their four-wheelers, and I saw your hunting whip in the bed of one of them. That’s when I jumped from Jet and grabbed the guy with the gash.”

  The mental image of him galloping after the four-wheeler men, launching himself from his majestic black horse, and crashing into the beast that tried to grab Viva almost caused me to plant a huge kiss on his beautiful face in front of my…parents.

  “What did the other guy do, then?” I asked, resisting the urge.

  “He was very stupid,” Griffen said, smiling. “He pulled a gun on me.”

  We all held our breath – this must be news to them, too.

  “He may as well have advertised he had hurt you, so I knocked the gun out of his hand and worked him over…a good bit too,” he said. “William must have heard the gun misfire, so they galloped back to see what was happening when I didn’t respond on the radio. Ben jumped the other one, holding him down and asking where you were between punches. They played stupid until I showed them your whip and demanded how they got it.”

  “William kept Ben and me both from killing them – he said they weren’t worth it. We realized that you got away, and they had no idea where you were, but no one believed they hadn’t hurt you until we got the text you sent right before dark. Still, we’ve been looking for you all night.”

  “Carolyn, it is time for us to get back to Canton,” Daddy said, thank goodness. I could tell that they both were exhausted, too. “Elliott, we’re so glad you’re fine, and Griffen, thank you. Thank you for taking care of her.”

  “You’re welcome, sir,” he said.

  I hugged my parents, and they hugged Griffen as well. He seemed surprised at their easy affection for him, but he returned the gesture with a one-armed hug.

  When they left, we were finally alone. Blessed be – I walked over to the couch, trying not to leap into his arms and drag him back into my cave this time.

  He stood at the doorway a few minutes and stared out the window. His face was calculating, so strong, so dark, and so very perfect. He looked back at me eyes glowing – my throat constricted just a little since he caught me looking at him – then a wide grin spread across his face.

  “Happy New Year, Elliott,” he said as he covered the distance between us in an instant, dragged me into his arms, and kissed me like I’d risen from the dead. My arms wrapped around his neck and pulled him down close to me as we collapsed laughing onto the couch…all the tension of the past several hours finally dissipating.

  “Elliott,” he whispered, “I was so afraid you’d been hurt, that you would hurt yourself running from them – so worried that you were afraid,” he said, his lips burrowing in my hair, along my neck; his strong arms crushing me in an iron grip.

  “Can’t breathe,” I gasped, and he jumped back like he’d been slapped. I grabbed him and pulled him back down next to me and traced my fingers along his perfect face.

  “I love you so much,” he said. “I was out of my mind not knowing where you were.”

  I looked at his eyes, staring so intently into mine and could see the relief and concern and love all mixed up – all the pain in them.

  “You, too,” I said, a little dizzy in spite of laughing. He made me feel like I had inhaled helium, so I couldn’t trust my voice. I cupped his face in my hands and kissed him between his lovely, concerned, gorgeous eyes, trying to stop the hurt I saw in them.

  “Did you sleep at all?” he asked.

  “With Pout,” I grinned trying to lighten the mood. “After he showed up after midnight and nearly scared me to death.”

  “Before, though? It was so cold, so very dark,” he said, still looking at me and making it difficult to breathe. His concern for me was disorienting, and I had trouble focusing my thoughts. His penetrating gaze overwhelmed my crumbling senses. How can I rea
lly tell him about last night without sounding crazy?

  “The trees,” I said looking at him intently, not knowing how to explain last night – to put this into words. “The black brakes, the giant cypress trees – were like your memory – our morning together. They had given you so much peace and comfort, so I felt like you were with me, sort of. And there – almost – but….” It was so hard to explain this to him without feeling stupid.

  He tilted my face to him, and his eyes were so curious, so eager to hear me – to understand what I was trying to say, willing me to trust him, and they were searching – waiting. My breathing was still not regulating…at all.

  I looked away for a minute trying to concentrate, to explain the tangible peace that surrounded me last night. “The woods, Viva, and Pout, even…I was so calm…tired, sure, but at peace last night… amazingly so. I fell asleep knowing I would be all right, but worrying mostly about you – and what you must be thinking – when you got my message.”

  “You were worried…about…me?” Griffen stared, amazed.

  “Well, yes,” I said, really feeling ridiculous. “I knew you didn’t know that I had found a safe place, but I did not have a way to let you know I was fine.”

  “But, you were not fine,” he said, his face hard.

  “That’s what I am trying to tell you,” I said frustrated now and a little embarrassed to be telling him this. “I had this feeling – a feeling of great peace washed over me – like a blanket. It was like the trees were comforting me – the swamp – the woods. I felt safe – I knew I had to be careful, but I kept praying, and God felt so close to me through these things – even the memories you gave me from that morning were so comforting, and I felt so safe, so amazingly safe.”

  “You’re incredible,” Griffen said almost angrily. “It took me a lot more time to come to that place – and I never really did, until I saw you. It was so cold last night, and you had no idea that we’d caught those animals. None of us knew, and we still don’t really know, how many people were involved. And I didn’t know whether or not you had been hurt, really.”