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Chapter Thirty-four

"If you hadn't gone after Pa we'd still be at the dinner." Lexy bemoaned, leading the way into the house as Alice, Clay and a frustrated Jeremy trailed behind.

"Lexy just drop it okay!" Clay retorted.

"Well frankly I'm glad that we're out of there." Alice confessed, while Jeremy listlessly closed the door behind them, contemplating how he could resume his plan. "It was so uncomfortable sitting there as if we hadn't been embarrassed in front of the world…"

"The world?" Clay jeered, scowling at Alice's over dramatization.

"You know what I mean." The young lady contended as they all stop in the foyer to remove their hats and coats. "We know a lot of those people. Some are friends of the family. And tonight they were giving us crossed looks and whispering who knows what horrible things about us, because of that humiliating display by Pete."

"Well I'm glad that we're away from there too." Lexy sighed. "But I just wish that pa and Sean had come with us. That we'd all left the Dinner together…"

"Don't worry Lex." Clay reassured, sensing his sister's anxiety. "Pa and Sean are fine. Besides, Pa said that he and Sean would be right behind us. That they'd be home soon." The boy noted convincingly, hiding his own concern about the situation they'd left. "They're probably on their way home right now."

"Clay's right." Alice agreed, assisting her brother in calming Lexy's fears, while like him, successfully concealing her own. "They'll be fine."

Silence –

"You know I wonder…if it's true, what Pete said." Alice questioned, cautiously bringing up what they'd avoided discussing on the way home.

"What!" Clay exclaimed with shock. "There's no way Pete Dixon knew what he was talking about." He refuted. "He was drunk on spirits when he got up to do that speech, and got out of control, lied to make trouble for Sean."

"But why would he do that?" Alice asked as she hung her coat on the rack. "He and Sean were friends. They work together. What reason would he have to hurt him? And why would he accuse Sean of such things if there wasn't some truth to them?"

"I can't believe that you're buying what that jerk said!" Clay uttered in disbelief, while he stepped away from the stand so that Jeremy could hang his coat.

"Well I'm not buying everything. I mean the part about Sean…using Marita for…well you heard what he said." Alice stated awkwardly. "I'll never believe that anything like that was going on. But I don't think that it's totally implausible for Sean and Marita to have feelings for each other beyond friendship." She explained as Lexy gave her sister her coat. "They're very close. Have been as long as I can remember. And I can think of a few times when I've caught them together and there seemed as if there was something more than just the normal talking going on."

"Well I think it would be great if Sean and Marita were in love." Lexy interjected. "They'd make an awesome couple."

"Lexy don't be ridiculous." Alice condemned, as she finished hanging her sister's coat, then turned and gave her a scolding look.

"Why is that ridiculous?" the girl questioned defensively. "You said yourself that there may have been something between Marita and Sean."

"Yes, but I don't think that they were planning on being together, as a couple." Alice clarified. "I mean look at how people reacted to Pete's accusations. They were disgusted with us…with Sean. Marita and Sean know that's what they'd face if they tried to be together. Hence neither would be so foolish as to try and have a public relationship."

"Why are we even discussing this?" Clay griped. "There is was and never will be anything between Sean and Marita." He said. "Pete lied because he wants Sean's job. He used Sean's working relationship with Marita, which he'd witnessed over the summer, to lie and say that something more was going on between them. He knew that Sean would be out of a job if it's believed that he's involved with a colored, which would ultimately leave the door open for him to become the new Deputy Director."

"You have it all figured out don't you." Alice replied incredulously, folding her arms across her chest. "If that was really the case and there is, or was nothing going on between Sean and Marita, why was Sean so angry at Pete? Why did he go after him like he was going to break his face?"

"You're kidding me right…"

"I don't mean that Sean shouldn't have been mad at all the things Pete said." Alice construed as they all began to move out of the foyer. "I mean it upset me too, but Sean's anger went beyond…anger. I've never seen him so fur…."

"Jeremy where are you going?" Lexy disrupted when she noticed the boy moving towards the stairs instead of the hallway that led to the parlor. She instantly felt bad for neglecting him all this time, not thinking to include him in the conversation.

"To bed." The boy replied, trying hard not to show his frustration at still being in Lexington and away from his daughter, still stuck in this family where he would always be an outsider.

"To bed?" Lexy questioned solemnly. Her sorrow growing upon hearing the boy's answer. "Please stay. You can tell us what you think about Sean and Marita." the girl requested, genuinely wanting him to give his view.

"What's he going to say?." Clay stated disdainfully, rudely stopping Jeremy before he could give a response. "He doesn't even know Sean."

Jeremy turned his gaze to Clay, his frustration instantly replaced with fury. "I may know Sean better than you think." The boy retorted, as he gave his "brother" a livid stare, now thinking of what he knew about Sean and Marita. Though his mind had been heavily on his thwarted plans, wondering how he could rework everything and still take his daughter tonight, Jeremy had heard most of what had been said. Thus he was well aware of the discussion surrounding Sean and Marita.

"What does that supposed to mean?" Clay asked angrily. "Are you trying to say you know my brother better than me?"

"Clay don't let him upset you." Alice advised, now cutting her eyes at Jeremy. "He's just pulling your leg."

"Am I?" Jeremy challenged as his gaze moved from Clay to Alice, causing Clay to scoff and the young woman to quietly wonder if the boy knew more than they thought.

"Jeremy do you know something…" Lexy asked, compelling the boy to return his eyes to her. "Do you know something about Sean and Marita?"

Jeremy stood there speechless, not knowing how to answer Lexy's question, kicking himself for letting his anger and frustration push him into a corner. While moments earlier, he'd taunted Alice and Clay, wanting to let them know that he knew all about Sean, that he'd kept his secret and had even tried to help him when Marita left town, he was hesitant, unsure if he should confess it all. Though it could win him points with Alice, maybe get her to finally forgive him. It could also backfire he mused, causing her to again rebuff him, not believing him at all. Jeremy quietly inhaled, fretting under the Logan's gazes, uncertain if he should tell them what they'd soon learn, or let it go, by lying and walking away.

Ned walked towards his son, feeling terrible about all that had happened, trying to think of something more to say than 'Are you okay?' He couldn't believe it himself, first Pete's repulsive speech; then discovering that Asa was the one who'd put the entire incident into play. It had stunned and enraged him all at once, making him want to pummel Asa himself. But he'd maintained his restraint, knowing that somebody needed to stay calm in this mess.

"Sean…" Ned uttered as he walked up to his son.

"I have to talk to Clancy." Sean stated distractedly, before his father could finish. "I have to tell him what's going on." He said; then moved to walk away.

"Son I don't think this is the time or the place." Ned objected "Especially after all that's happened."

"Pa that's all the more reason for me to talk to him." Sean countered, now more focused on what he was saying. "He deserves an explanation that's not tainted by the lies that's been told here tonight."

"You've got that right!" Clancy said as he walked up to Sean and Ned, frustrated that he'd found no sign of Pete, and by the whisperings he'd heard while looking for the man. "Now what's going on?" the Assemblyman asked sharply. "Why is Pete accusing you of being involved with a Negro?"

"Sir …"

"Someone help!" A man yelled frantically, unknowingly interrupting Sean's response. "There's been a terrible accident!"

Sean's mind immediately left his response, instinctively going to Vivian, thinking how just minutes before she'd left the building extremely upset, as a desperate Asa followed behind. Could something have happened he briefly thought, then quickly followed his father, Assemblyman Clancy, and the others as they left the building. Once outside, they were all horrified by the scene before them. A carriage on its side, the wheels pointlessly spinning, while the horses kicked wildly, scattered and broken debris around them, futilely trying to stand. Sean then spotted Vivian, her light blue dress luminous even in the darkness, lying on her back, appearing to be unconscious as Asa kneeled over her, his panic visible from where Sean stood. Sean's heart panged with distress and he as well as many others quickly rushed over to the scene.

"My God." Sean sighed as he came upon the crash, prompting Asa to look up, his eyes instantly filling with rage at seeing Sean before him.

"This is all your fault!" He charged explosively. "You did this to my little girl!" he yelled.

"No" Sean said, shaking his head in denial, while his heart twinged with the guilt caused by the truth in Asa's words.

"I'm a doctor." A man declared as he came upon the scene, almost pushing Sean out of the way.

"Then help my daughter!" Asa ordered angrily, his attention now focused away from Sean.

The man instantly kneeled beside an unconscious Vivian, assessing her injuries, noting that she was breathing, as Sean and many others slowly stepped back, all stunned by what was happening, all praying that Vivian would be okay.

Alice watched Jeremy closely, now alarmed by his hesitance to answer Lexy's question.

"Jeremy do you know something?" she asked suspiciously.

Silence –

"No…" he lied, realizing that it would only make things worse for him, make them hate him more if he admitted to keeping secret another lie; plus it wasn't his place to tell. That lay solely on Sean's shoulders.

"Are you sure?" Alice pressed, still feeling as if Jeremy was concealing the truth.

"I thought that I was just pulling Clay's leg." Jeremy retorted, attempting to throw Alice off.

"Well are you?"

Silence –

"Yes." Jeremy answered convincingly, leading Alice to sigh in disgust. "I was pulling Clay's leg." He stated. "Edging him on…I don't know anything."

"Once a liar always a liar." Clay uttered indignantly.

"Clay stop it!" Lexy scolded with irritation.

"I'm going to bed." Jeremy repeated tautly, again glaring at Clay. Then turned to mount the stairs.

"Goodnight Jeremy." Lexy hailed, attempting to make the young man feel better.

"Night Lexy." The boy replied, forcing a smile, before ascending the stairs, while Lexy joined Clay and Alice who had resumed their trek to the parlor.

"I still think he knows something." Alice alleged as she, Clay and Lexy entered the parlor.

"What could he know that we shouldn't know already?" Clay asked. "Sean is our brother and Marita is practically family. You can't tell me that Jeremy, who's only been here for a few months, know more about them than us."

"I don't know." Alice said. "I got the distinct feeling that he was keeping something from us, lying."

"Why can't you just forgive him?" Lexy queried, a little perplexed by her sister's perpetual hate towards Jeremy. "He's not a horrible person. And every word out of his mouth is not a lie."

"Lexy I never sa …"

"Hey," Clay interjected "If you two are going to argue, take it elsewhere. Cause I don't want to hear it while I wait for pa and Sean."

"You're going to wait for them?" Alice asked with surprise.

"Yeah." Clay answered "They should be here within the hour." The boy said as he plopped down on one of the couches.

"Well I'm going to wait with you." Alice said, wanting to be up when her father and Sean returned home, wanting to make sure that were indeed fine.

"Me too." Lexy stated as she followed Alice to the couch adjacent to one Clay had taken.

"Oh come on!" Clay whined with annoyance.

"Sorry Clay but I'm not leaving." Alice declared, unmoved by her brother's irritation.

"Me neither." Lexy echoed, causing Clay to heave a sigh and throw his sisters a nasty glare.

Sean and Ned slowly rode towards home, now somewhat at ease with the way in which they had to ride back to the ranch. Since Clay and the others had taken the carriage, when Ned had sent them home earlier, the man had no way of getting back to the house except for to ride with Sean on his horse. It was certainly awkward in the beginning, considering Sean was now grown, and it had been years since they'd rode that way, but it was their only way home, and right now that's what they both longed for, not caring how awkward the trip there might be.

"How're you holding up?" Ned asked, a bit alarmed that Sean hadn't said a word since they'd left town.

"I'll live." Sean stated somberly. "It's Vivian that I'm worried about." He said, though the doctor believed that she'd be okay. Sean was still concerned about the gash on her head and her continuous state of unconsciousness. He couldn't help but think that things may still take a turn for the worse, that she could die, and it'd be partly his fault.

"You know this isn't your fault." Ned declared, knowing what his son was thinking, that he was blaming himself for what happened. "If Asa hadn't instigated this plot for revenge, Vivian wouldn't have been devastated the way she was tonight."

"I know that you're right." Sean said. "But I still can't help but think if I'd never gotten involved with Vivian in the first place, if I'd not tried to ignore my feelings for Marita… even if I hadn't answered Vivian's question, just lied and said that I didn't love anyone else, this wouldn't be happening…I still can't believe what just happened..." He uttered quietly, again thinking about Vivian's accident and how Asa had been planning his revenge for months How Pete had been working for him all along, no doubt responsible for some of the strange mishaps that had occurred with his projects.

"Son I know." Ned replied "I hate that this happened tonight of all nights, when you were due to receive recognition for your work, and with Marita coming home…"

Sean briefly closed his eyes, drawing a deep breath; then spoke. "And that's who I'm worried about the most." He admitted earnestly. "Marita." He said, his soul aching at his desire to see her, to hold her in his arms, feel her around him, telling him that things were going to be all right, but at the same time ripping at the effect tonight would undoubtedly have on her. How the appalls people showed when they heard Pete's speech, and his imprudent confession, would be severely directed towards her. Somehow he had to protect her from that, protect her from what he never intended to happen…

"I know that you didn't want your relationship to come out this way…" Ned began but before he could complete his sentence, he and Sean were rushed by an army of hooded men, knocking him from the horse, almost instantly rendering him unconscious. "Pa!" Sean called as he tried desperately to hold on to his bucking horse, to keep sight of his father and somehow ward off the men who were fiercely attacking, but his attempts were all in vain. For the horse eventually reared too high, throwing him to the ground, leaving him more vulnerable to the men around him. But Sean wouldn't give up, garnering all of his strength he rose, determined to make his way to his father, when suddenly he felt a blow, crashing down upon him, sending him back to the ground, making the world spin around him… his mind then drifted to the sweetness in his soul – 'Marita,' feathering his heart, comforting him as he faded away – quickly, into the awful realm of nothingness.

Marita awakened with a start, her heart pounding fiercely, her body chilled to the bone. She was in the sitting room, covered with a blanket, had been waiting anxiously for Sean to come by, when she'd unwillingly yielded to sleep she thought. Despair washing over her, sinking her heart in doom, emanating the same feeling she'd had weeks ago. It was now deepening with every second that went by, telling her that something was not right, that everything was wrong. She tried desperately to fight if off, hoping the feeling would fade like it had weeks before. But it didn't. For it was locked in her soul, warning her of what she already knew, that Sean was in trouble, that an inescapable danger had come upon him.