Luciana – Lexy is around, but unfortunately she's not involved much in the adult happenings of this story. She may show up again later.

twizzler18200 – Thanks for the detailed responses! I'm glad to see that you're still intrigued by Jeremy ;)

Chynna, Aka Punkin & Mystic Dancer – Thanks for all the compliments on my writing style. It's great getting good feedback from other writers.

mjmm & hawaiianbelle – Thanks for your continuous responses. I always look forward to what you have to say.

smmonty - & jinx - Thanks for the encouraging feedback!

And thanks to anyone else I may have missed. I appreciate you all continuing to read and leave positive feedback on this story.

Chapter Eleven

Pete was relieved. After Asa had questioned him unceasingly about his risky visit to the Jockey Club a week earlier, he'd managed to ease his anger. Asa had learned about Pete's untimely visit from one of the servant's working that day and wanted to know why he felt the need to come there at a time when their arrangement could have been exposed. Pete then had to tell Asa what he knew about Sean, well not everything he knew, but something to quench the man's growing appetite for revenge. Originally, when Pete discovered Sean's involvement with Marita, he'd planned to give Asa the news right away, but while Asa was out of town, he'd spent a lot of time with Vivian and found that though she was trying hard to get over Sean, she still cared for him very much and would be devastated to learn the real reason behind their break-up. He also found that despite her occasional snobbery, she was a good woman who didn't deserve the grief her father's revenge would cause… Neither did Sean and Marita. Though Pete thought their relationship was reckless, they too were good people and didn't deserve the violent backlash that was certain to occur once people learned of their involvement. So, he decided to keep quiet, only telling Asa that he was on to something with Sean, but wanted to investigate it further before disclosing what it might be. At first, Asa was not pleased with this approach, he wanted to know exactly what Pete thought he had discovered, but Pete had held his ground, only telling him that it was nothing more than a hunch, and that the reason why he visited the Jockey Club that day was because he couldn't make their scheduled meeting that evening. Asa was still skeptical, but eventually accepted his explanation. Pete now hoped that his justification lasted long enough for him to figure out some other way to satisfy Asa's need to bring down Sean, otherwise, he may have no choice but to confess the truth.

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Sean walked aimlessly across the grounds of the hospital site, occasionally shaking hands with constitutes, while he continued to look for Marita. He wanted to ask her to meet him by the pond, at the ranch, so that they could talk. After speaking with Wilhelm and Chambers, he was reminded, once again, of how society would react to his relationship with her, and in turn reminded of Marita's greatest concern when considering a future with him. He wanted to let her know that he fully understood her concerns and that he had those concerns too, but that he loves her and would do whatever was required to be with her. Sean stopped in his tracks and continued to scan the crowd of people around him, some were conversing, others were snacking on the food that had been provided, and many were making their way towards the exit…then he saw her, a good distance away, talking with his father, even from where he stood she looked beautiful. Sean began walking towards her, his heart quickening with every step, when out of no where came Clancy, blocking his desired path.

"Sean!" he exclaimed "I've been looking all over for you."

"What is it?" Sean asked covering his annoyance

"I want you to meet someone who may be beneficial to the water project."

"Can it wait?" Sean asked as he glanced anxiously towards Marita

"No, this may be the only chance we get to speak to him before we leave for Louisville. It won't take long."

Sean didn't want to go, but the water initiative was an important project and if there was someone who could help with it; it would be wise for him to meet with them promptly. "Alright" he sighed, then followed Clancy to meet the prospective business partner. He was frustrated that he was going to have to wait yet again before speaking with Marita, but it would be okay he thought; he would have to call on her, without warning, that evening. He didn't want to do it that way, but he felt to wait any longer would be a mistake.

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Clay watched closely as Jeremy laughed and talked with Alice and Lexy. He was more confused than ever about Jeremy's past and possible agenda in Lexington. Earlier, while Sean was addressing the crowd, Clay spotted Jeremy sneaking away and curious about where he was going, followed him. Jeremy unknowingly led him away from the ceremony and down the way to an elaborate estate, which turned out to be the property of Kenneth Chambers, one of the richest men in Lexington. Clay had remained out of sight, watching as Jeremy knocked on the door and then was joined outside by a servant girl. For a while she and Jeremy kept company under a nearby tree, carrying on as if they were courting, until she went back into the house and returned with a child. Clay was then bewildered, not knowing what to think, when he saw Jeremy's reaction to the child; he was mesmerized, almost to the point of ignoring the girl he had went there to see. This, along with what Clay had learned in Arlington seemed to shed some light on the mystery surrounding Jeremy, but at the same time caused more perplexity. After Clay had gotten little information from the servant, at the Donovan's property, he did some prying around town and came across someone who formerly worked for them...

"So what do you know about Jeremy Bradford and the Donovans?" he'd asked

"Jeremy came to live with the Donovans two years ago, but was gone, sent back to the orphanage, 12 months into the stay."

"What happened?" Clay had asked eagerly

"Word was Jeremy was caught stealing valuables from the family and selling them to the local hoodlums, but I never believed that story."

"Why not?"

"Well Jeremy may have had sticky fingers from time to time, but I don't think he would've gotten into something like that. I think he was involved with Anna, Mr. Donovan's daughter, and when the boss found out about it, he sent the boy packing."

"Are you certain of that" Clay asked skeptically "I find it hard to believe that a young lady of Miss Donovan's status would get involved with someone like Jeremy; he has nothing and he was practically her brother."

"Son I'm not certain of anything" The worker corrected "But I do know that Anna and Jeremy were very close, closer than any siblings should be, and she was devastated when he was sent away."

Then anxious to find out exactly what had gone down and knowing that the key to discovering all lay in Ann Donovan's account, Clay had asked where he might find the young lady when she was in town, but away from the estate, and the worker had replied "in the ground."

Stating that the girl was dead, had died 7 months before her father Mr. Donovan - Clay was shocked. He had no idea that Mr. Donovan and the girl were dead. When he'd inquired about the family at their estate, the servant had said nothing. Clay went on to ask what had been the cause of the deaths and the worker said that the girl's death was strange. She went off for a few months and the next thing they knew word was spreading that she had died while abroad. The father was believed to have died from the heartbreak of losing his daughter. According to the worker, he never recovered. At that point, Clay's head was spinning. It still was. He couldn't for the life of him understand why Jeremy would lie about his time in Virginia, even if he had gotten banished for stealing, he'd done the same thing in Lexington, and why would he have a ring and money hidden in his room, why was he courting the servant of one of the wealthiest families in Lexington, which wouldn't be a problem if he weren't keeping the courtship a secret, but his behavior indicated his need to hide something. Clay's bafflement mounted as he continued to observe Jeremy… Maybe, with the servant's help, he was planning to steal from the Chambers. That certainly made sense with what he'd learned in Arlington and what he already knew about Jeremy's thief tendencies. The worker's tales were probably both true. Jeremy could've been involved with the Donovan's daughter, probably had used her to gain access to her family's most precious items, then he stole them and sold them, but why would he repeat the same scam in Lexington. It would only result in him being sent away again or worse. It didn't make sense, plus Jeremy appeared to be having a genuinely good time during his visit, especially with the child – which Clay also found strange. He didn't think he'd ever seen Jeremy happy, and what he saw today was pretty close if not it…He was at a loss, too much information and very little adding up. The situation was becoming too big and too complicated for Clay to figure out, he'd soon have to tell his father, but not before he made one more inquiry.

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Marita lay on the bed, her tearful eyes staring at the colorless wall before her, her mind still swirling with the conversation she'd heard earlier. It had been an hour since she'd returned from the groundbreaking ceremony, leaving the event by catching a ride with the Parks, an elderly couple who lived down the way from the Logan ranch. After abandoning her plan to speak with Sean, she'd come upon the Parks, who were leaving the event. She then took the opportunity to ask the couple for a way home, stating that the Logans, the party whom she had arrived with, still had hours to spend at the event and she, feeling ill, needed to go home. Thankfully the Parks had sympathized with her and allowed her to ride and though she now felt better physically, her heart was still broken and sick. She sniffled as a tear rolled down her cheek, then slowly wiped it away. She was hurting, not only because of what she now faced, a life without Sean, but because of the bigotry people showed towards her people. She knew that the enmity was always there, right beneath the surface, but it always hurt more to hear those views voiced. Marita wiped another tear away, again thinking of Sean, thinking of how just a few days ago they'd spent a beautiful day in the park and how just a few nights earlier, right down the hall, he'd touched and kissed her so intimately. Marita closed her eyes, trying desperately to quell the deep aching the thought of his touch brought on. She loved and wanted him so much, so very much…

"Marita honey" Isaac said as he entered the room, disrupting her thoughts "Why don't you try eating something, it may help you to feel better."

Marita deeply inhaled, attempting to stop the tears before her father could see. Then she slowly turned to face him.

"Thanks pa, but I'm not hungry" she said shakily

Isaac looked at his daughter with grave concern. She was more upset than he'd originally thought. He'd wondered if there was more to her stated illness, but she'd skillfully avoided his questions, when she'd returned from the groundbreaking ceremony, stating that she needed to lie down. Now he could see there was more, for he hadn't seen her so heartbroken since her mother died. "Did something happen at the ceremony?" he asked as he sat down on the bed, resting his hand on her arm.

Marita didn't answer, only lowering her gaze. She didn't want to lie to her father, but if she told him what had happened, even if she left out the part relating to Sean, he would know that there was more going on.

"Is it Sean?" Isaac continued, with concern. He didn't plan on asking Marita about him, after all he and Ned had agreed it would be pointless, but what she was going through was something serious, heartbreaking and the only thing it could possibly be was Sean.

Marita slowly sat up, completely thrown by her father's question. He couldn't know of her feelings for Sean…she'd done nothing to alert him to them. "Sean?" she finally questioned weakly, unable to cover the pain his name caused "N – "

"Honey I know…" Isaac interjected "about your feelings for him."

For a moment, Marita remained quiet – shocked, trying hard to fully grasp the implications of her father's statement. "How…" she asked faintly "I never…"

"It doesn't matter" Isaac said "I know now and I want to help."

Silence –

"What happened?" Isaac asked gently

Marita closed her eyes, fighting to control the tears that were threatening to pour. She was suddenly taken back to her childhood, when she'd bump her elbow or scrape her knee and she would tell her pa and he would somehow make it all better, but she knew that this wasn't that simple, there was nothing her father could do to make this right.

"Sweetheart please…" Isaac urged, wanting to ease her pain if he could "tell me what happened."

Marita slowly opened her eyes to find her father looking at her with deep love and sympathy. She decided right then that she could do it no more; she had to tell him everything.

"I love him" she confessed quietly "I love Sean…and before today…I was thinking of turning down the job in Cholena, and remaining here, in Lexington…but…" Marita hesitated a moment, not really wanting to verbally recall what she'd heard, but finally gaining the strength to continue. "But now…being at the groundbreaking ceremony, being amongst people who are not acceptant like the Logans…I think…I realized that me staying would be a mistake."

Isaac sat there a moment, studying his daughter. She was so much like her mother, not only in her looks but in her courage and strength. For years he'd been still thinking of her as his little girl but she was that any more. She was a woman, who was now making decisions for her life. It was painfully clear that she loved Sean very much, and that she didn't want to give him up, but she had to, society and its conventions were much bigger than the love she had for Sean.

"Honey I'm sorry about what happened…but you're making the right choice. If you and Sean had tried to build a life together…it would've only led to more heartache, much more than what you're feeling now, and you and Sean deserve more, you both deserve to be happy, not constantly fighting a society who will never accept the two of you together… Your path will be difficult enough with you being a woman and being who you are, but with Sean, a white man as your companion…well it would be impossible."

Tears were now streaming down Marita's cheeks. The harsh reality of her father's words served to pour salt in her already blistering wounds. Though she now knew that it would never work between she and Sean, there was still apart of her that refused to accept her decision to go, still felt that they could some how make it work, but after her pa's statement, that piece of her heart had finally broke.

"I'm sorry" Isaac said again – softly, seeing the additional pain his words had caused "I just want what is best for you, and though Sean is a good man…he's not what's best for you."

"I know…" Marita croaked "I know that I need to let go…but…I don't think I can…I love him so much…"

"It's going to be okay sweetheart, you'll get through this. I'll help you" Isaac said as he took his daughter into his arms, gently rubbing her back as she finally released the ocean of tears that had been needing to flow. When Ned had told him that their children had feelings for one another, he never imagined what Marita felt for Sean ran so deep, and though he loathed seeing her in so much pain, he knew that in the end, her move to Cholena, away from Sean, would be for the best.

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Later that night Sean slowly entered his room, tired from the eventful day. After completing his duties at the groundbreaking ceremony, he'd planned to check on Marita. His father had told him she'd left the events early due to illness, and he wanted to make sure she was alright; he also wanted to state his intentions, which were to complete the hospital project, finish overseeing it's building, then resign as Deputy Director. Sean knew that if he and Marita were going to have any chance at being together he was going to have to get out of the public's eye, which meant quitting his job in politics, and though he loved what he did, he loved Marita more. Sean wanted to tell her all of this, but now, it was too late for him to call on her, Clancy's impromptu meeting had saw to that, and tomorrow was not possible, because at first light, he would be leaving for Louisville. He had to tell her though, he thought as he undressed, he couldn't wait for his return, that would be nearly two weeks away. He felt if he waited, he would encounter the same situation he experienced the last time he delayed. He couldn't let that happen again; somehow he had to let her know his plans before he left.

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"I know you don't have time to eat a big breakfast. So I made you some sausage and egg biscuits, and I packed your favorite juice," Mabelinesaid as she handed Sean the bag "Have a safe trip."

"Thanks" Sean answered as he took the bulky sack "I have something for you too…actually something for Marita." He said as he pulled an envelop from inside his jacket pocket, Sean knew that he would not get the opportunity to speak with Marita before he departed, so he decided to write her a letter.

"It's very important that no one knows of this letter and that you give it to Marita as soon as you see her."

"I understand" she said seriously

Accepting that she understood the letter's importance, Sean gave her the envelope and watched as she put it away in her pocket. Mabeline had been with his family as long as he could remember and was very good at completing tasks asked of her, as well as using discretion. Sean knew that he could trust her with the letter, could trust that she would quietly get it to Marita.

"Thank you." He said "It means a lot."

"You're welcome" Mabeline said, well aware of the importance and privacy of what he was asking. "Now go, or you'll miss your train."

"Alright" Sean smiled, then turned and went. He now felt comfortable leaving Lexington, knowing that Marita would soon have his letter.