Chapter 3- Elizabeth's Plans and Sneaking Around
Alex closed her book as her father came into the parlor, looking tense. He looked at Alex sitting in a overstuffed chair. "What are you doing here? I thought you'd be with Mandie," John said, touching her dark reddish hair gently and making an effort to soften his features.
"Mandie is writing a letter to Joe. I guess she wanted to tell her about Elizabeth. Father, what promise did you make 14 years ago that has Elizabeth and Aunt Lou so worried?" Alex asked, changing the subject.
"It doesn't really concern you, but it has to do with a treasure that belonged to Elizabeth's mother. I promised when Elizabeth was pregnant that I'd find this treasure that was in the Lost Antler Cave-mine, but then I failed and thought Elizabeth had died. I saw no point to look for it again and I married your mother and had you," John explained.
"But Mandie's grandmother hates you and Mandie because of our Cherokee blood. Why would you try again to get the treasure when she doesn't like you," Alex asked.
"You're too young to understand this now, but maybe she'll take Mandie and Elizabeth back if I do. Now I know you don't like that idea, but we have to think about the possibility," John said, before Alex could protest.
Mandie then came running into the room and stopped as she looked at John and Alex. "Come on, Alex. Aunt Lou and Elizabeth want to talk to both of us," Mandie said energetically, jerking Alex's hand. John looked at both girls a little puzzled.
"All right, all right already," Alex said, following Mandie up the stairs to the third floor.
"Did you finish the letter?" Alex whispered.
"Yes. Liza's gonna mail it and I sent word to Polly for help,"Mandie said.
"Polly and Joe? How are you gonna explain this to Elizabeth?" Alex asked, a mystified look in her dark brown eyes.
"Good point. Mamma, Mother, Elizabeth. My friend Joe is bold and risky, and Polly is intelligent, and me and Alex know the secret of the mine, so with our help, Uncle John can keep his promise," Mandie looked up as Elizabeth and Aunt Lou came around the corner.
"Amanda, Alexandra. I don't need John's permission to go somewhere. And as my daughter, neither do you. But, Alexandra, I don't know if John would like it if you went along since you are his daughter and he can tell you where to go," Elizabeth hesitated slightly.
"He probably wouldn't, but like I said, I was taking care of myself long before I even knew who he was. I was riding and shooting by the time I was five," Alex said uncertainly.
Elizabeth sighed. "I'm not at all comfortable with this, but would the two of you go with me? Follow him." Mandie and Alex both smiled and nodded.
After enlisting Liza's help to stall John and Ned so they wouldn't find out what Elizabeth, Mandie, Aunt Lou, and Alex were planning, the four of them peek out to the parlor table where John and Ned were about to get up.
Liza came in with a pitcher. "Just a minute. Y'all need to fortify yourselves," Liza said. Alex, Aunt Lou, Mandie, and Elizabeth ran all the way upstairs to the office.
"This ain't right," Aunt Lou complained, shutting the door as Elizabeth laid out a scrap of leather the size of the original leather map Alex's father had.
"Shhhhhh!" Elizabeth hissed as she went into the canvas sack on the oaken desk.
"Miss Elizabeth! That be like digging in a woman's pocketbook," Aunt Lou huffed.
"Would you care to suggest an alternative?" Elizabeth hissed as Alex went to the door as lookout and Aunt Lou helped Elizabeth and Mandie. Aunt Lou picked up the leather map, hidden under the canvas sack. "Well done. Start copying."
"Under great duress, against my will," Aunt Lou complained.
"And very quickly. Mandie, Alexandra, keep an eye out," Mandie joined her cousin at the door and they pressed their ears to the oak.
After a few minuted Mandie went to the picture hanging on the wall of their Indian grandmother and opened the secret door, then ran back to join Alex who opened the door a crack.
Alex nearly shrank. Her father and Ned were coming down the hall. "Father's coming!" Alex whispered urgently. Elizabeth and Aunt Lou gasped, rolling up their work.
"One more riddle!" Aunt Lou protested.
"No more time!" Mandie said, pulling all of them to the secret door. "Go in, Lou!" Alex shut the door to the secret tunnel as the office door opened.
They made their way to the Oriental room and Aunt Lou opened the door hiding the entrance of the tunnel with a grunt. "Thank you, Lord! Thank you, Jesus!" Aunt Lou exclaimed as they tumbled out.
"Keep it down, Aunt Lou. Father could hear you," Alex whispered, looking towards the red-painted door and half-expecting it to open.
"Don't you ever ask me to go snooping around or crawling around in cobwebs ever again!" Aunt Lou shouted, nearly hysterical. Mandie, Alex, and Elizabeth started to laugh.
"Yes, Ma'am!" Elizabeth said.
"Thank you, Ma'am," Mandie and Alex said together as they crawled out into the Oriental room.
Elizabeth, Mandie, and Alex looked at the map of North Carolina and the secret map later that night as Aunt Lou came into the parlor.
"Perhaps we should bring more people," Mandie said, trying to tell Elizabeth what she had done by inviting Joe and Polly. Elizabeth looked up. "Safety in numbers."
"Are the two of you worried about going?" Elizabeth asked, concerned.
"No," Mandie said.
"Not at all. I just hope Father forgives me when he finds out," Alex said nervously.
"Good. No room for fear. And I'll tell Mr. John that I talked you into going with them, Miss Alex. Now. This to guide the way. This to interpret riddles along the way. And this to protect the way," Aunt Lou said, pointing at the map, Mandie's head, and pulling out a gun.
Elizabeth looked at the gun and then Lou, nodding. "Now listen here. Under no circumstances do any of you ever enter the cave-mine. And you have the whole trip to put your pretty heads together to make sure John doesn't either. Are we agreed?" Elizabeth, Mandie, and Alex nodded. Alex only hoped they could keep her father from going int the mine. The way he was talking she seriously doubted it.
