Chapter 14
Mariah's worst nightmare had come true; Grayson had found her and was bringing her back to Emmerdale. If only she had got the train to the airport. Well there was no point in thinking like that now; she had to get out of this mess she was in.
"What are you playing at," she screamed as the car was going down the motorway.
"Only doing the right thing princess, I'm taking you home with me"
"That place is no home of mine"
Grayson laughed.
"Oh I assure you it is princess, you may have had your five minutes of fame but now I guarantee it is well and truly over"
"You're just pathetic you know that"
Then Mariah wouldn't shut up she kept on going on and on. Grayson had to do something. He decided to pull into the services; he stopped in the car park.
Grayson then pulled Mariah forward and jabbed a needle into her arm.
"Ouch, oh my god, what's that," Mariah then felt all weak and fell back into her seat.
"Just a sedative, princess, you keep on like that all the way you will make yourself ill, now just sit back and relax"
Grayson then went back onto the motorway and drove all the way back to the village.
Hours later and Grayson pulled into the drive way of Mill Cottage, there wasn't a sound from Mariah the whole way, Grayson looked back on, she was all peaceful. He noticed how thin she was, it would be easy to carry her into the house.
As Grayson carried Mariah into the house, she moved a bit, Mariah was coming around he had to get her in soon. Grayson took her up to her room and put her onto the bed. He then shut the door and locked it. He was going to make sure Mariah wouldn't leave again.
As he was getting ready for bed, he had a smug grin on his face. His plan had worked.
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Matthew and Gabby had returned to Home Farm quite late. They were wondering all about Mariah and how she would be. They knew Grayson had returned home, they had seen the Range Rover outside Mill Cottage.
Matthew and Gabby were determined to make Mariah see the truth about her dad.
The next day, they went to Mill Cottage to check on Mariah.
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Mariah had her eyes shut refusing to open them, hoping that Grayson bringing her to Emmerdale was a bad dream. Unfortunately it wasn't. Mariah was still in her day clothes. She went to leave the room but it was locked. Then Mariah wanted to open the window but they were locked shut and there was no key.
"Damn, he must have it"
Mariah sat on her bed, trying to figure out what to do. She wandered around the room, trying not to lose her temper. Then there was a knock on the door and the lock clicked open. Grayson entered with his usual grin on his face.
"Mariah, princess, did you sleep well"
"Like you would care"
"Oh don't be like that, now you listen to me carefully. Your friends Matthew and Gabby are coming towards here, probably wanting to see you. I'm going to let them in and you are going to tell them all those things you said about me were made up, and that you are happy here. Most of all you are going to tell them you no longer wish to see them anymore."
"You want me to lie, I ain't doing that"
"Look if you want to not be locked up in this room all day, you will"
Mariah nodded.
"I thought so; now make yourself presentable, they are on there way now"
Grayson left the room and headed downstairs. The doorbell rang. Mariah decided to brush her hair.
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Grayson opened the door and greeted Matthew and Gabby. He showed them to the living room. They both sat down.
"Can I get you a cup of coffee?"
"Nothing off you thanks," Gabby said rudely.
Matthew just said a firm "No"
"So what have you done with Mariah?"
"Oh I haven't done anything to her, just bringing her home"
Matthew and Gabby weren't convinced.
"We know you forcefully took her from the hospital, Mariah wouldn't go with you"
Grayson laughed.
"You think its funny, well you won't find it funny when we tell her what kind of a man you really are"
"Is that a threat?"
"No it's a promise"
Grayson wasn't taking them seriously, he changed the subject.
"You know I was very grateful in the way the hospital dealt with Mariah, when I knew she was in hospital I was so worried. Especially as her mental condition is unstable"
Gabby looked in disbelief, "I didn't know she had a mental condition"
Grayson quickly corrected her. "I can assure you she does, she has had a history of mental disturbances, poor thing, and so you can see why I needed her back safe with me"
Matthew spoke out. "So then Larry, what history, Mariah isn't nuts"
Grayson shook his head. "It began since she arrived here, just after her mother committed suicide, she started denying I was her father, telling people I was dead long ago, then there was the screaming in the night and then she ran away, so now you know Mariah needs to be with me, its for her own good."
Gabby wasn't buying it and Matthew didn't believe a word of it.
"I know you're lying to us, just tell the truth"
Grayson came up to her and tried to pat her on the shoulder, but Gabby pulled away. "Don't touch me"
Then he backed away and spoke. "I suppose it is understandable, you see Mariah can be very convincing"
"Yeah more like you can be very convincing, it ain't working, so where is she then"
"Then perhaps you will believe me If Mariah tells you herself," Grayson went to the stairs and called out. "Mariah, princess, come down here"
Then Mariah came down the stairs, looking awful, she was so thin and depressed.
Before Mariah could come down the stairs, Grayson spoke.
"I have to warn you about her though. I spoke with her doctor he warned me that any excitement what so ever can make her unstable"
Gabby looked at Matthew with a look that meant what the hell is he on about.
Gabby ran to her and hugged her.
"Mariah, oh my god, are you alright you're so thin"
Mariah didn't hug back, she pulled away.
"Hello Matthew and Gabby"
"Princess, you must talk to them; tell them what you told me, about these ridiculous stories"
Mariah looked at Grayson, she was silent, he spoke again.
"Princess, we had a chat about this before, it is important that you are honest. Mariah gulped.
"Look I'm sorry about everything, my dad never told me all those things about your adoption and Eric Pollard. I lied"
Matthew and Gabby were listening very carefully.
"I know it was wrong of me, I just wanted something to excite people"
Gabby ran to her. "Mariah, no, you can't be lying, Matthew look its him he's forcing her to say these things" she pointed at Grayson.
Grayson's expression didn't change
"If she's lying Larry, explain how she got those photos of Perdita and her diary from 2007, when you had her committed"
Grayson was thinking. Mariah spoke.
"Look I enjoy making photos of people, on Photoshop, and I enjoy writing fiction"
It was a quick answer. Grayson didn't need to think any more. He went up to Mariah and put his arm around her.
"So now you see how ill my daughter is and how she needs to be with me"
Mariah looked uncomfortable throughout.
"No, it can't be, oh Mariah don't lie"
"I'm not lying Gabby"
Then Gabby gave up and started crying. Matthew came up to her and led her away.
"Now, Gabby, Matthew, I must thank you on visiting, come I will show you out, say goodbye to your friends Mariah"
Mariah was upset but she was doing her best not to show it.
"Goodbye, Matthew, Gabby"
Gabby went to Mariah in tears she put her arms around her and whispered to her. "I don't believe you"
Matthew came up to Gabby. "We best be going," he led her out to the car.
Grayson then shut the front door. He turned around feeling smug. Mariah was sitting on the sofa, feeling awful.
"Well done Mariah, you made it look convincing, you're just like me, you know"
Mariah jumped up furiously and ran to her room. Mariah called out to him, "I will never be like you."
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