4
The Dawson cabin sat quietly as Jack and Miles returned with Rose, who’s heart was beating in panic. Exactly, where was she? What were they going to do to her? Will they kill her?
"Ma! Pa!" Miles called. "Come out here for a minute!"
Mae Dawson was first out the door. Her eyes widened in horror when she saw the tied and blindfolded Rose. She glared at her eldest son, knowing that he was responsible for all this. "Miles Dawson! Explain yourself right now! What are you doing with this poor child? Un-blindfold her right this minute! Do you hear me!"
"But ma!" Miles protested.
"Do what your mother says Mile. Let the girl loose," Angus follows his wife.
"I’ll do it," Jack pushed his sputtering brother out of the way and freed Rose from her constraints. "There. That’s better."
"You poor dear," Mae embraced
Rose in a protective hug. "My boys must have given you a
fright."
Angus turned stormy eyes on his sons, really glaring at Miles,
who shifted from one foot to the other. "Now what is this
all about?"
"She was snooping around the spring. So I did what I had to do. Pa, remember what you said about strangers…"
"She was lost," Jack spoke up.
"She wasn’t snooping around nothing."
"She was going to call her folks Jack."
"So you bring her here," Angus shook his head in exasperation. He honestly didn’t know what was going through either of his son’s heads.
"W-what are you going to do to me?" Rose asked nervously. "A-are you going to let me go?"
"Not quite yet," Angus turned
to his wife. "Mae, take the girl inside and make her
something to eat. I’ll stay here and question the
boys."
Mae nodded and ushered the frightened Rose inside.
"Don’t worry dear. Everything will be alright."
~*~
"You poor dear!" Mae led the way into the kitchen. "Now set here and tell me about yourself while I fix you up some vittles."
"What do you want to know?" Rose looked around the modest kitchen as she took a seat. She had never seen anything so quaint and sweet as the Dawson kitchen before. Everything in the mansion was so huge and cold, including the kitchen, which Rose has seen only once in her lifetime. She really no longer afraid, but instead rather curious. Who were these people and why did they live in the woods away from town?
"Your name would be nice," Mae smiled sweetly at Rose, hoping to calm the girl’s fear.
"Rose. Rose Dewitt Bukater," Rose nodded. "I live in that mansion at the edge of the woods…well…at least I used to anyway."
"My my my," Mae shook her head. "You sure are well to do. What were you doing out here?"
Rose lowered her head, feeling rather childish at the moment. After all, it was a childish thing to do, running away from home. "…I ran away from home. My parents were trying to push me into something that I’m just not ready for."
"And you got lost and ran into Miles," the woman sighed.
"Well no actually. I ran into the other one…Jack. He was very nice to me," Rose blushed, remembering her first impression of Mae’s youngest son. "Miles came about later. He wasn’t so nice. I don’t know what he would have done to me if Jack hadn’t talked him into bringing me here."
"Now don’t you fret none about Miles. His bark is worse then his bite. I’m sure he would have released you soon or later."
"Mae!" Angus called into the kitchen, sounding very irritated and worried. "We need to talk!" He entered the kitchen with the two boys right behind him. "We need to have a meeting on what to do about the girl here. We can’t let her go home. Not just yet anyway. We need to know exactly what she knows about us and the spring."
Rose frowned upon hearing this. She didn’t want to say there. She wanted to leave this place and Treegap far behind her.
"I’ll make a room for her," Mae got up and left Rose alone with the three men.
"Pa!" Miles exclaimed, obviously not pleased with this decision either. "You’re making a big mistake. I’m telling ya."
"I think it’s a good idea," Jack glared at his older brother.
"She’s going to give us away."
"No she won’t," Jack sustained his faith in the girl he found himself enthralled with. There was something about this Rose that drew his attention, made him want to get to know her better.
Miles glared openly at his brother, having enough of his naivete. Jack had way too much trust in people, and it was that trust that would get them all put away someday. "You are a fool," he disappeared up the stairs, disgusted with his family’s inaction to keep there secret a secret.
"I do apologize for Miles," Angus sighed, understanding Miles anger, but knowing that they all must keep a cool head. It wouldn’t do for anything to happen to the girl. Especially her being a Dewitt Bukater and all. "Jack, take the girl to your ma so she’ll know where she’ll be sleeping."
"Yes sir," Jack nodded, gently taking Rose’s hand. "Come Rose. Follow me." He led her into the setting room, where Mae was making up a bed out of the couch.
~*~
Night has fallen over the Dawson cabin. Everyone, except for Mae and Rose was sound asleep, exhausted from the day’s unusual events. Mae meanwhile was helping Rose out of her corset. Mae winced as she saw how tight the contraption was laced up. She just couldn’t understand women today. They went through all kinds of painful rituals to maintain the vision of beauty.
Rose sighed, her mind preoccupied with what was happening to her. Who were these people? What was their secret? "I don’t think your son likes me too much. He seemed angry with me," Rose sighed, letting her eyes drift to the top of the stairs, where Jack and Miles room set.
"Oh I think he likes you just fine. I’ve never seen Jack wear cologne to dinner before," Mae giggled. She knew that Jack was deeply infatuated with the Dewitt Bukater girl. Of course this worried her. Rose was going to have to return home eventually, which will leave another son with a broken heart. She just hoped that he didn’t become bitter like Miles had. It was Jack’s joy of life that kept them all sane.
"Not Jack…the other one. Miles. Have I done anything to offend him?"
"Oh no honey. Miles is just overly-protective of the family, that’s all. He’ll warm up to you eventually."
Rose stared out the window as Mae left her alone after she was finished with the corset. She sat and wondered what the future now held for her, a poor runaway rich girl. Hopefuuly it was full of adventure, opportunity, and of course, just maybe…love.