Thanks everyone for the wonderful responses! "December" was an extremely difficult chapter to write, and I was so happy to read everyone's detailed responses to the character's emotions. Thanks again!

Luciana – David Holmes is around the same age as Marita and Sean.

Chapter Seventeen

Jeremy was not the person they thought he was, Clay thought as he loaded the carriage with supplies. Well, he wasn't who his family thought he was, because Clay had been suspicious of his adopted brother from the start. A suspicion that had turned out to be valid based on what he'd learned earlier. For weeks Clay had been looking deeper into the family whose estate Jeremy had secretly visited the day of the hospital groundbreaking. He already knew that the Chambers were one of the most prominent families in Lexington; what he didn't know was that Mrs. Chambers was in fact related to the Donovans, the same Donovans of Arlington, Virginia whom Jeremy had lived with for nearly a year. In fact, Mrs. Chambers was a Donovan before marrying into the Chambers family. A discovery that shocked Clay and in turn caused him to conclude that such a coincidence was in fact not a coincidence at all and proved that Jeremy was up to something criminal. Finished loading the carriage, Clay quickly walked around the buggy, eager to head home, to finally inform his pa of what he knew, when he nearly collided with another being. Both he and the young lady whom he'd almost walked over instantly apologized for the near collision and as she moved to get out of his way, he moved to do the same and instead ended up in her path again. Embarrassed Clay went to move again and apologize for the continuous mishap when the young lady's face began to evoke his memory; he then realized that she was the young woman who Jeremy had gone to see when he had followed him to the Chamber's estate. Stunned by such an incredible twist of fate, Clay was for a moment speechless, but he swiftly found his tongue, determined to not let this opportunity slip away.

"Excuse me" he said, ceasing to move "But do I know you?" he asked attempting to rouse a conversation that would lead to Jeremy.

"No, I don't think so." The girl answered with a puzzled look

"You sure about that?" Clay asked again "Cause you look exactly like the young lady a friend of mine has been courting."

"I doubt that" the girl laughed lightly as she eyed Clay's posh clothing

"I'm sure you've met my friend Jeremy" he persisted "Jeremy Bradford."

"No" The girl said as she lightly shook her head "I don't know your friend. I mean I do have a…companion…" she continued shyly. "But his name is Jacob."

Clay stood there a moment, thinking on what he'd just learned. Though the girl believed that she did not know Jeremy, he was sure that the guy she was referring to as Jacob was probably his "brother". And even if it wasn't, Clay found it odd that she'd failed to recognize Jeremy's name after interacting so closely with him a few months earlier. It could only mean that Jeremy had given the girl an alias, he thought.

"I'm sorry…" He finally said "I guess I must've mistaken you for someone else…"

"By the way, I'm Clay Logan"

"Lucy Smith" she replied

"Nice to meet you Miss. Smith."

"And you Mr. Logan."

Silence. Clay briefly wondered if the young lady was outright lying about knowing Jeremy, but he quickly squashed that thought, concluding that the girl seemed too open, almost to the point of being naïve. She'd probably never knowingly play along with the kind of deceit Jeremy had arranged. Even so, that still didn't satisfy Clay's suspicions about the "Jacob" she knew. He wanted to inquire more about that mysterious man, but knew that he couldn't without overstepping his bounds.

"Well you should get on your way" he said abruptly "I'm sorry if I held you up."

"It's okay" the girl said lightly "It was really nice meeting you."

"You too" Clay said, then stepped aside allowing the young lady to pass. As he watched her go on her way, he worried and wondered about the scam Jeremy was pulling. Clay knew that it had to be big if Jeremy was using a fake name, and he also now knew, without a doubt, that the boy had to be exposed, ousted from his family before he destroyed them and Chambers with his thieving and lies.

……………………………

Sean stood in the barn's doorway, gradually taking in it's fullness as he recalled all of the memories it held. He had been taking an afternoon ride in the east pasture, trying to decide on Clancy's ultimatum, convictions or his position, when he'd come upon this place. It was in this place that he'd first realized his feelings for Marita, and it was also in this place that she'd shattered his heart when she'd told him she was moving away. "Why did I come here?" he sighed aloud, wanting to turn away and leave, but found that he couldn't stop himself from moving deeper into the room, deeper into the feelings that were simmering within him. It had been weeks since his agonizing breakdown, and though he'd let go some of the anguish he'd been feeling, managing to deal better with the pain, the anger and bitterness was still present in his heart. It still vexed him to think of what society had forced upon him, but even more than he wanted to admit, he was also vexed with Marita. Angry that she'd chosen to walk away after reading the letter he'd written her, angry that she'd failed to write, to keep him in her life, and though there was the possibility that Mabeline had not gotten the opportunity to give Marita his letter, something he didn't know because Mabeline was still away, Sean felt that it didn't matter, because despite everything Marita didn't believe in him, in them. Sean sighed as he came upon her old desk, a desk that he'd made and given to her a couple of years earlier. Lightly touching it, he walked around to its back where he eventually stopped, resting his hands on top of its chair, which was draped with a sweater she'd left behind. Looking upon it, he slowly removed it from where it hung, then lovingly ran his hand over its softness. He closed his eyes, attempting to control the heat, the bitterness and the pain that was violently rushing through him. He knew that he should go, leave this room that was crushing him with memories of the past and dreams of what would never be, but he couldn't move. His heart wouldn't let him, so he remained there, reliving what was and fighting what he so wanted to do, what in end would prove useless, which was to go to her, to go to Marita in Cholena.

…………………………………..

Marita pulled her shawl closer around her shoulders, attempting to shut out the cool Fall air. It was a beautiful day, so she'd decided to clear her mind by taking a stroll at the lake. As she now sat, looking out at the clear blue water, observing the light waves that flowed continuously to the shore, her heart ached for Sean, longed to be sharing this amazing experience with him. She closed her eyes, deeply inhaling the cool breeze that managed to briefly quell her unceasing desires. "I have to stop this" she silently scolded. No matter how hard it was, she had to quit torturing herself with thoughts of Sean. She needed to accept the fact that it was over. For she had saw to that when she walked away from him. She needed to start making some effort, no matter how difficult to let go.

"Marita" a voice said shattering her thoughts

She opened her eyes to find David Holmes standing before her.

"We have to stop meeting this way." He continued

"Yes…we do" Marita said slowly, a little surprised to see the gentleman there.

"How have you been?" he asked

"Good, and you?"

"Good" he smiled as he intently gazed upon her

"Would you like to sit?" Marita offered courteously

"Nothing would please me more." he answered as he continued to stare "But I can't…however I am available later this week if you've given more thought to having dinner with me?"

Marita was about to answer in the negative when she remembered the core of her musings before the gentleman had walked up. She instantly changed her answer, voicing a 'Yes', ignoring the pain, the conflict within. "I have considered your offer" she continued "…and … would love to have dinner with you." she finished

"Are you sure?" he asked, obviously sensing her reluctance

"Yes" Marita smiled as she continued to force away the protests in her heart

"Wonderful!" the man responded excitedly, then went on to suggest a proper day and time for their outing.

After David Holmes left, Marita continued her charade of contentment. Telling herself that her impending outing with him was right. For he was a man of her people, and as a result they could go and do in peace, without fear of violence due to their courtship or a possibility of destroyed careers. They could just be. And that was the way it was supposed to be she told herself as she continued to embrace this lie, forcing away the truth that was stirring in her heart. A life with Sean was only a dream and today she was going to drop that dream and start living what was real she thought with a determination that reeked with falsity.

Though Marita had managed to ignore the truth, feigning excitement about what was to come, it was only a distraction from what she knew was the inevitable, that her heart would never be rid of what it always wanted, what she would always want, which was Sean Logan.