Hi everybody! Here's another chapter. I just want to say: "Thank You!" to everybody who has read this far.
Late that evening the whole group gathered in the parlor around a crackling fire. After exchanging gifts, Celia, Joe, and Mandie took turns telling of their adventures. Mary Lou, Sallie, and the rest listened with rapt attention.
As the tale ended and the group fell into silence, Elizabeth, sitting with her arm around her daughter, spoke. "Dear, I can't imagine! What a terrible thing for you to go through!" She smoothed Mandie's hair.
"It turned out fine." Mandie smiled and glanced over at Joe, who had never left her side for a moment longer that was absolutely necessary. He squeezed her hand. Mandie stroked Snowball, who was curled up on her lap, with her other hand. He lifted his head and blinked at her, purring loudly, and Mandie smiled.
Dr. Woodard cleared his throat. "It certainly is quite a tale. I'm glad those men are safely locked away now."
Mr. Guyer cleared his throat. "Some—uh—friends of mine from Washington came this morning. Big Eye Edwards, Amanda Smalley, Smith and O'Brien should be in federal prison for some time."
"Amanda Smalley?" Mandie's hand stopped petting her cat as her interest flared. "That's the name of the woman who claimed that mysterious note!"
"Yes." Mr. Guyer replied. "The note that you received was meant for Miss Smalley. She was coming here from an assignment in Ireland."
John Shaw spoke up, smiling affectionately at his niece. "It's a good thing you took a picture of that note before you took it to the post office, Amanda."
Mandie's brow furrowed. "But—how did you know?"
"A boy from the shop delivered your pictures that afternoon when we were all wondering what happened to you." John Shaw continued. "Lindall recognized the name on the note, and it turned out to be a valuable clue."
Jonathan jumped in.
"Mr. Shaw left for Deep Creek, and then Dimar, Robert and I started looking over the picture." He grinned, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Robert was the one who found the code."
"The code?" Mandie's eyes widened.
"Yes." Jonathan turned to Robert. "You tell it."
Robert quietly nodded. "I noticed that some of the letters were slanted. They spelled 'cabin'. Jonathan came up with the most important part, though."
Jonathan shook his head, but continued. "The note also said: 'Plans proceed. Nine o'clock'. From what we knew of Big Eye, it was a fact that you were in danger. It sounded like we had until 9 o'clock to find you—before he made his big move."
Mandie shook her head in amazement. "How did you know all that?"
"It was more of a guess," Jonathan admitted sheepishly. "But the fact was, if we waited until Mr. Shaw returned with the Cherokee kinspeople, we wouldn't find you in time."
Dimar and Robert nodded.
"So we borrowed some horses and started off after you." Jonathan finished, leaning back.
"Then who was Benjamin?" Mandie asked, recalling the words of the note.
"One of Big Eye's men." Mr. Guyer replied. "He gave his name as Benjamin Smith."
Mandie, Celia, and Joe nodded in understanding. There was silence, and then Celia spoke up.
"I still don't understand why Big Eye had us kidnapped." She said slowly.
Mr. Guyer smiled slightly. "I doubt we'll ever really know. As far as we can tell, it was probably an accident."
Joe stared at him in disbelief. "How can a deliberate kidnapping be an accident?"
"In a way, it was planned, but there were so many things messed up that it was almost more of an accident! O'Brien confessed quite a lot, hoping for a lighter sentence. Apparently, Big Eye had been planning to kidnap the girls for quite a while. Smith and O'Brien were given the job, and they bungled it. First, the note meant for Amanda Smalley was accidentally delivered to Mandie. The plan had been to kidnap Mandie and Celia on the way to or from church on Christmas Eve, when it would be dark. When Smith saw Mandie return the opened note to the post office, he panicked and they decided to kidnap her immediately." Mr. Guyer explained. "Secondly, they didn't cover their tracks well at all. By simply asking around, the boys were able to trace them to the cabin. ."
Jonathan's father paused, and Mandie and Joe nodded their understanding.
"When Big Eye found out what they had done, he decided to make the most of it. When he took you from the cabin, Mandie—" Mr. Guyer continued seriously "—he intended to go to Asheville, where Amanda Smalley was waiting, and together they were going to take you to Europe. O'Brien told us that Big Eye had planned on telling people that you were insane—that they were taking you to an asylum in London. If Joe had not ridden after you, and Big Eye had not been caught by the deputy and his posse, Big Eye just might have been able to carry out his plans."
Joe glanced down at Mandie and squeezed her hand possessively. He now realized just how close he had been to losing her. If Big Eye had managed to get her out of the country—he shook the ominous thought out of his mind.
"Then what about the ransom note that was left here?" Elizabeth questioned. Much of this information was as new to her as it was to Mandie.
"That was another blunder. Thankfully, Elizabeth let John know as soon as it arrived, and we were able to follow Smith (who had delivered it) to Asheville and arrest him and Amanda Smalley " Mr, Guyer smiled slightly. "You know already that Smith was one of the ghost bandits who tried to steal the gold that Mandie used to build the Cherokee hospital. He hoped to get some money out of the Shaws, but it obviously didn't work. What we don't know—" he continued seriously "—is what Big Eye hoped to gain in the long run by kidnapping Mandie and Celia. It's quite possible that he had bigger plans."
Mandie shivered. What if Big Eye had managed to get her out of the country? The thought wasn't comforting.
"But," Mr. Guyer smiled, glancing up at the clock. "Enough of that. It's getting later, and I'd suggest we turn in."
Everyone nodded their agreement.
The Guyers said goodnight and left, Dr. and Mrs. Woodard, Dimar, Mary Lou, and Sallie following. Soon only Joe, Mandie and Celia remained around the fire.
Celia yawned. "Are you coming, Mandie?"
Mandie nodded.
"I'll bring her up in a minute, Celia." Joe put in. The redhead nodded and exited.
Joe waited until Celia had disappeared up the stairs, then turned to Mandie, his dark eyes inquiring. "You said you would tell me what upset you earlier today. Is now a good time?"
Mandie swallowed, suddenly feeling nervously. "I suppose." She nervously stroked Snowball's fur.
"Well?" Joe prompted.
Mandie took a deep breath and looked up at him. "You told me you loved me." her cheeks turned pink.
Joe stared at her, a quizzical smile playing about his lips. "Why should that make you cry? I've told you I love you many times."
"Maybe because I'm ready to—" she stopped, trying to think of a way to put her thoughts into words "—you asked me a question at Mother and Uncle John's wedding..." she gathered her courage together. "Ask me again."
Joe's eyes widened in disbelief. "What?"
Mandie almost laughed. "Go on! Ask me!"
Joe's eyes lit up with understanding as her request suddenly made sense. Could it be that she was ready to say yes? Joe hardly dared hope, but Mandie could read the happiness and love radiating from his eyes. "Amanda Shaw, I love you!" He squeezed her hand. "I always have. Will you make me the happiest man alive by consenting to be my wife?"
Suddenly the tears were running down Mandie's cheeks again as she nodded. "Yes. Yes, I will!" she choked out.
Joe wrapped an arm around her and then she felt him take her hand. Something slipped onto her finger. She raised her hand to look, and then stared up at Joe in surprise. It was a gold ring, set with a large ruby.
"But—Joe!" she exclaimed. "That's the one you found in Uncle John's mine!"
"It's yours now," he said quietly, looking down at her. Hie eyes spoke the volumes of joy and excitement he felt. "I've been saving it for this day—the day you finally said yes."
Mandie felt the tears puddling in her eyes again, and she leaned her head against Joe's shoulder. As he spoke, she could feel the vibration of his voice.
"Merry Christmas, Mandie." he said.
Well, that's the end of that chapter! But don't leave yet-there's still a little more to come! I can't believe that this story is almost finished... :(