OMG, has it really been 2 years since I've updated? Wow, I didn't realize it had been that long. Do I still have any readers out there? Well, you wouldn't believe what the last 2 years has been like, but let's just say writing was the last thing on my mind. But, I got the itch, pulled my story out and decided to dust it off and move forward. I know it's been a very long time but hopefully you'll still read and review. I need the encouragement!

The Journey Home

Chapter Forty-Three

Taken

Scarlett snapped the reins jauntily as she rode down Peachtree Street, a smile punctuated on her mouth at the thought of Rhett and what had changed between them the night before. Her happiness surrounded her like the sun, its warmth spreading through her. She was so lost in her happiness that she didn't notice Eli when she stopped in front of the store.

"Scarlett," Eli called to her.

"Eli," she smiled brightly, "how wonderful to see you. I'm so sorry I wasn't able to speak you to you further last night."

"Scarlett, stop, listen to me. Get back in your buggy now and leave," he said with strained urgency as he propelled her back against the buggy.

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Scarlett, listen to me!" he ground out. "I want you to leave now."

"Will you please let go of my arm," she pulled away from him, confused at his demeanor.

"Mrs. Butler, I don't think you'll be wanting to do that," a gravelly voice interrupted the scene. Suddenly, the voice was followed by a man who was there next to her as if he had appeared from thin air.

"Cain," Eli gritted and shook his head. "Don't do this."

Scarlett's focused shifted from Eli to the man standing next to her. He was roughly the same height and coloring as Eli but his build was thicker. His ruddy brown complexion spoke of many hours in the sun and she could actually see the squint lines next to his eyes. Even as she thought it, those dark, cold eyes landed on her and she stepped back from the intensity of his stare.

"Who are you?" she asked abruptly.

"That's of no consequence… yet. You just do as you're told and nothing will happen to you."

"Nothing will happen to me?" she repeated harshly, fear now setting in. "What is this about?"

"Stop asking questions," he nearly snarled. "I'll tell you when you I think you need to know. In the meantime, you and I are going to get back in that buggy of yours and take a little ride."

"I'm not going anywhere with you!" she snapped as she shoved away from him.

"I wouldn't if I were you," his ominous warning was followed with a flash of silver at his waist. The knife he pulled from the sheath beneath his coat was nearly the size of her forearm. Scarlett recoiled at the sight of the weapon but the man grabbed her arm and pulled her roughly to him. "Don't make me have to use this."

"Cain!" Eli quickly stepped between them, his face contorted in anger. "I told you I would handle her. You don't touch her!"

Scarlett's mind was racing with alarm and she could fairly hear the sound of her heart pounding in her head. What was happening? Why was Eli talking to him that way about her?

Just as quickly as Eli stepped between them, he turned to her and gently gripped her arms. "Scarlett, trust me. I won't let anything happen to you," he paused and closed his eyes as if what he was saying was painful for him. "I can't explain right now, but I want you do as he says for your own sake… and the baby's."

Placing a protective hand around her middle she glared up at him. The sting of betrayal pierced her heart and for a wild moment she wanted to scream as loud as she could and rail at him. But, the enormity of the situation kept her from doing as she wanted.

She didn't understand what was happening but she knew the man who threatened her, who was still standing close by glaring coldly at her, would do exactly as he promised. She had seen that look too many times in the eyes of men who felt they had nothing to lose and much to gain.

"Take your hands off me," she answered Eli with restrained coolness.

"Scarlett, please," Eli nearly groaned. "I didn't want to be part of this, but I had to protect you-"

"That's enough talking, get in the buggy- now!" the man ordered harshly.

As Eli stared at her with a mixture of sorrow and regret, Scarlett stepped up into the buggy with reluctant resignation. She stiffly moved into the seat, pushing herself as far into it as she could. The man stepped up beside her and took the reins, staring back down at Eli as he did so.

"You follow us on horseback and don't make any funny moves. I got my men watching us. If you want your lady to be unharmed, you'll just follow along, real casual like."

"Cain, I swear to God, if you do anything to her…" Eli let the words fall off, their meaning hanging in the air.

"As long as she does as she's told, ain't nothing going to happen to her," Cain replied and turned back to Scarlett. "Now, Mrs. Butler, let's look as if we're discussing some business. That is your reputation around here isn't it?"

Scarlett did not answer, instead she gave a short nod and turned away from him. Her mind was whirling with all manner of thoughts. Could she jump out and run fast enough to get away? Would Eli come after her? The man said something about his men being around. How many were there, she wondered?

"Don't get any ideas, Mrs. Butler. You just play your part and nothing will happen, just as I said."

"You had better hope nothing happens to me," she said suddenly, turning to him with the harshest look she could manage. "If my husband catches you, you'll wish you were dead."

He stared at her for a moment and then a crooked smile broke out on his face. "I heard about that tongue of yours, but you'd be wise to keep quiet. Besides, your husband will learn of your fate soon enough and he will not 'catch' me, not if he wants to see you again."

Scarlett's fear rose again at his threat. She gripped the seat railing tightly as he lurched the buggy forward. Dear God, but what was happening? Who was this man and what was Eli's connection to him? And why would Eli help him kidnap her? Nothing made sense, nothing had made any sense.

When they reached the outskirts of town, the man stopped the buggy behind a grove of trees where three other men were waiting for them on horseback.

"Did anyone follow you?" the man asked the three.

"No, and we made sure no one followed you," one of the men answered. "It's all clear, no one knows she's even missing yet."

"Well now, that's what I like to hear," he said jumping down from the buggy. "Cyrus, you get the rope and follow me."

"No!" Eli snapped and jumped down from his horse. "No rope, she's with child and you will not tie her up."

Cain held up his hand to Cyrus, who was glaring at Eli. "This isn't your call, Eli. I'm the one calling the shots, not you."

"I said, no rope," he repeated harshly. The three men stood facing each other for a few tense moments, when Cain finally gave a quick nod.

"No rope, but she will be blindfolded and Cyrus will drive her. Is that okay with you, little brother?"

Little brother? Scarlett whirled around to Eli who was still staring down Cain. Oh God, this man was Eli's brother? What was happening here? Had Eli planned this along? No, no, no, her mind wouldn't let her go there. Something was very wrong, Eli wouldn't do this to her. He couldn't, he just couldn't!

The next thing she knew, the man called Cyrus was climbing in the buggy with her, a soiled black rag in his hand. With no pretense, he jerked her around and wrapped the blindfold around her head, covering her eyes. She cried out from sheer panic and began clawing at his hands.

"Leave me alone!" she screamed as she tried to pull away from him.

"Be still," he growled in her ear and pulled dank material back to her face.

"Don't touch me!" she grabbed one of his hands and bit down as hard as she could.

A crack exploded in her head and she realized he had hit her… hard. She cried out and recoiled from him, falling over in the seat. She heard a loud thud and then all hell broke loose. Out of the corner of her eye she saw two men on the ground locked in a struggle, each trying to get the upper hand on the other. That's when she realized it was Eli who was on the ground with the man who had struck her.

She could hear the grunts coming from them as they rolled around and around on the ground in front of the buggy. Her mouth opened as if to scream, but nothing came out.

"That's enough!" Cain yelled at them as he and the two other men pulled them off of each other. "Enough!"

"You touch her again and I'll kill you!" Eli growled out loudly. "You don't EVER touch her!"

"You sonovabitch!" Cyrus spat blood from his mouth.

"Enough I said!" Cain stepped between them, shoving Eli backwards.

"I mean it, I-will-kill-you," Eli gritted toward Cyrus. "And that goes for any of you who lay a hand on her."

Cyrus spat again, trying to shove the other men off of him. He held his hand up where Scarlett's teeth marks were clearly visible. "That little wildcat bit me and I ain't letting that pass!"

"This ends now!" Cain pulled his knife from the sheath and whipped it in the air. "I want her blindfolded and out of here before someone comes along and see's too much. I don't want to hear anything from either one of you until we're safe and then you can go at it, but not here and not now!"

By this time Scarlett had slid from the seat to the floor of the buggy and she was afraid she was actually going to faint. It was so uncharacteristic of her that she nearly laughed at the absurdity of it. She hated to be afraid and she hated these men for making her feel this way.

Eli bound up to the floor of the buggy to reach for her, but she instantly reeled back from him. He stopped and lowered his head. "Scarlett, I'm so sorry for all of this. Please believe me when I say I tried everything to keep him from you, but I couldn't stop him. The only thing I could do was go along to make sure nothing happened to you. You're going to have to trust me here."

"Trust you?" she almost spat. "Why should I trust anything you say? You were my friend and now I despise you for what you've done."

"Despise and hate me if you will, but I'm here to protect you. I'll explain everything to you, I promise. But for now, just do what you're told. Put the blindfold on and don't fight them anymore."

Scarlett glared at him, her green eyes sparkling with resentment. She jerkily pulled herself from the floor of the buggy to the seat. The soiled, black cloth lay near her so she picked it up and shoved it toward him. "Do what you must, but just know I hate you, Eli Barrett. You have betrayed me and I will never forgive you."

Releasing a deep breath, Eli took the cloth from her and gingerly wrapped the cloth around her eyes making sure she could see nothing. He stared at her for a moment and then shook his head, the knuckles on his hands white from the intensity of which he was making a fist.

He turned to Cain as he stepped down, his breath ragged from the anger he was holding at bay. "When this is over, Brother, you had better hope I never lay eyes on you again. Because if I do, the blood between us won't be enough to stop me from killing you."

Cain smirked at his threat, but Eli knew he had hit his mark. With steadied steps, he climbed on his horse and waited behind the buggy for the others to mount up as well. Cain stood for a moment absorbing Eli's words before he let out a low mumble of curses. He quickly jumped in beside Scarlett and slapped the reins, lurching it forward.

Scarlett didn't know how far they had traveled and as hard as she tried to keep track of where the buggy might be going, she lost count and finally gave up trying. It seemed like hours had passed before they finally came to a stop. She didn't know if they had stopped for good until she felt a hand on her wrist.

"Don't take the blindfold off til I get you inside, then you can," Cain said to her. The next thing she knew she was practically being lifted out and placed on the ground. He quickly propelled her forward, holding her arm as he moved her. She heard the scuff of his boots on the ground and recognized when they hit the wood planks of a porch. She stumbled up them and reached out to steady herself.

She heard a door open and was aware of walking through it. A dank, musty smell hit her senses at once and she grimaced against it. The cloth was suddenly lifted from her eyes and she blinked several times until they adjusted to her surroundings.

Glancing around, she saw what appeared to be a two-room shanty that had seen better days, if that were possible. A makeshift bed was in one corner and small table and chairs sat squarely in the center of the room.

"Welcome to your new home, Mrs. Butler," Cain stepped back from her and smiled mockingly. "I know it's not the grandeur you're used to, but for now it will have to do."

Wrapping her arms protectively around herself and without showing the fear she actually felt, she turned to him. "You are a low, cowardly man and I hope I'm there to see you hang."

Cain's eyebrows shot up in surprise at her tart response. "Well, Mrs. Butler, let's hope things keep going my way and not yours. I don't plan on seeing myself at the end of a rope, but I do plan on seeing myself living quite happily on the money I'm going to get for sending you back safe and sound."

"So this is about money," she scoffed.

"What else is there?" he replied and headed for the door. He stopped abruptly before opening it. "Oh, and don't get any other ideas. There's no way out but this door and I have my men guarding all sides. Enjoy your stay and hopefully it won't last long, for both our sakes."