9

The police and Rose’s father was at the scene within seconds after Jack and Mile’s departure. Mae stood on the porch, her blue eyes blank as she hugged herself against the cold reality of what she’s done. Rose sat on the porch, wrapped up in a warm blanket as Angus handed her a cup of hot chocolate. She tried not to think about Jack too much. She’ll see him again…she knew that. What she was really worried about was Mae and Angus. She hoped that she could convince the police of what really happened.

"Rose!" Rose’s father emerged from the woods, followed by police and bloodhounds. He crushed her in a relieved hug as she stood to greet him. "We’ve been so worried about you. Don’t worry, you’re safe now. We’ll take care of everything."

"I’ve always been safe daddy," Rose pulled away. "I got lost in the woods and the Dawson’s took me in."

"What have we here?" The police chief came upon Lovejoy’s dead body, which had been left where it had fallen just fifteen minutes before.

"Is that Lovejoy?" Mr. Dewitt Bukater walked over to the police chief, still keeping his daughter close. "My God, it is. He’s dead by the looks of it."

"It was me," Mae spoke up for the first time since Lovejoy’s fall. She slowly stepped off the porch, her hands shaking. "I killed him."

"Arrest them. Both of them," the police chief sternly looked at Mae and Angus, who stood silently by, waiting for the consequences of their actions.

Rose in the meantime became filled with horror. This couldn’t be happening! Angus and Mae hadn’t kidnapped her! She was there out of her own free will! And as for murder…Mae was only protecting her. She shouldn’t have to go to jail for that.

"No. Wait! They didn’t kidnap me! I had ran away from home and gotten lost. They took me in and as for that man…he was pointing a gun at my head. Mae was only protecting me! You can’t put them in jail for protecting me!"

"Rose, please. Let me handle this," her father answered, not even bothering to look at her as his eyes filled with grim determination. He was much to angry with these strangers to even lend an ear to his daughter’s explanations.

"But they…"

"Rose!" her father angrily interrupted. "This is none of your concern. Now just stand back and let us grown ups handle this!"

Rose looked at her father miserably. He wasn’t even going to listen to anything she said. None of them were. Mae and Angus were going to jail because of her and they wouldn’t even let her set things right.

"It’s ok, Rosie," Angus winked at her as the officer’s placed him and Mae in handcuffs, while reading them their rights. "Everything will be fine. Not to worry."

Not to worry? What was that supposed to mean? She couldn’t help but be worried. The Dawsons’ were being charged with murder and kidnapping. They could go to jail for a long long time. What was to happen to Jack if that happened? What would happen to the spring? The guards were bound to notice that their prisoners never aged…never got sick. At that moment, Rose wished that she had never met the Dawsons. She should have just stayed home and did what her parents wanted of her. At least that way, they would never have been in danger of going to jail and having their secret discovered.

Mae glanced at Rose and was immediately worried. She remembered who Lovejoy was working for…the man who was to be the girl’s fiancée. She hoped and prayed that Jack could get to Rose before she was forced to marry such a ruthless man.

"Do either of you have anything to say for yourselves?" The police chief glared at Angus. "What were you thinking? Kidnapping the girl and killing Mr. Lovejoy? What were your motives?"

Rose was growing more and more frustrated. As usual, no one would listen to her and this time their inability to listen would cost two people she cared about their freedom. "But they didn’t kidnap me! I ran away! Why won’t you listen to me?"

"Officer, just get them out of here. I’ll be down to the station after I get my daughter home and settled in. I fear that this ordeal had made her a bit delusional. I’ll bring her down tomorrow; when she had a chance to rest and clear her head. She’ll give a statement them," Mr. Dewitt Bukater laughed nervously, leaving no more room for anymore of Rose’s protest. Gently he stirred her to the woods.

Rose wanted to jerk away from her father; a man she had at one time greatly admired. She wanted to go find Jack and leave this part of her life behind her. But that couldn’t happen….not yet anyway. She had to remain calm and figure out a way to help the people she thought of as her real family.

"Sure thing, Mr. Dewitt Bukater," The officer smiled before turning harsh glares on Angus and Mae. "Come on you two. Let’s get you to the station. You’re in big trouble for what you’ve done."

"They didn’t do anything," Rose once again tried to protest, but again was ignored.

"Come Rose. Let’s go home," Her father smiled, his eyes shining with pity. Rose wanted to slap the look off his face, but didn’t dare do such a thing.

She opened her mouth to protest again, but a look from Angus told her not too. Let it be for the night. A tear leaving her eyes, Rose followed her father, hoping that the charges against Mae and Angus would be dropped. That somehow, they were set free.

~*~

Rose returned to a crowded mansion. It was obvious that a party was underway. Supposedly a welcome home party. She frowned, thinking that this was quite unusual for her mother. But it all became clear when she saw Ruth approach with a man Rose had see only in newspaper articles. Caledon Hockley.

"Rose!" Ruth approached, a greedy light shining in her emerald eyes. Her arms were looped around Cal’s. "Oh Rose, you’re home at last! We were worried about you. Those horrible people didn’t hurt you did they?" She ran her hands over Rose as if she was inspecting a piece of merchandise for any noticeable signs of damage.

"I’m fine mother. I just got lost. The Dawsons were kind enough to take me in. They were nice to me," Rose stepped out of her mother’s reach, feeling rather uncomfortable. She didn’t like this. Not one bit, especially with Caledon Hockley standing right there, leering down at her.

"Dawson’s you say?" Cal arched a brow, inwardly wondering about his manservant. Lovejoy was supposed to be the one delivering the girl back to her family and the secret of the spring of life to him.

Rose bit her lip, cursing herself. She hadn’t meant to say anything about the Dawson’s in front of anyone…especially Caledon Hockley. It was vital that no one else knew of them or their secret. Especially someone like Caledon Hockley. She had to distract him away from the subject of the Dawsons. "And you are?" Rose feigned interest. Cal looked like he could be shallow. Surely talking about himself should keep his attention away from her "surrogate" family.

"Caledon Hockley. Son of Nathan Hockley, Pittsburgh steel tycoon," Cal grinned, all too pleased to talk about himself. His smile was full of arrogant satisfaction, as he looked Rose up and down. He seemed to be very pleased with his soon to be bride. She was so beautiful and a cool intelligence laid beneath her green stare. Ruth had also mentioned that her daughter was a bit headstrong, but surely he could handle that. A hard hand can straighten out the most ruthless flaws. Yes. Rose was going to make her a perfect wife.

Rose closed her eyes against the nausea that had threatened to take her over as Cal pressed his cold, dry, lips to the back of her hand. She silently prayed that Jack would come and rescue her soon. There was no way she could even consider going through a courtship with Caledon Hockley. Maybe once she may have found him charming. Once. Before she had known Jack, but not now. To her, Cal was just plain repulsive.

~*~

Three hours later, the Dawson’s were still imprisoned and in a way, so was Rose. Rose and Cal were setting out on the porch. After an afternoon of dining and talking with her parents, Cal wanted some quiet time with the lovely redhead. But Cal had an alternative motive for wanting to be alone with Rose. The girl had spent a large amount of time with the Dawsons. Surely they must have shared the secret of the spring with her. He hoped to convince her to share that secret with him.

"So Rose…what happened out in those woods with the Dawsons? Did they…share anything with you?"

Rose frowned, already knowing the reason for this trip alone on the porch. If Cal thought that she was going to tell him anything about the Dawson’s, he had another thing coming. Taking a deep breath, she looked out at the nearby trees to meet Jack’s familiar blue eyes. He was standing behind the tree nearest the porch, where he could hear everything. It was his steady gaze that filled her with the courage to lie and lie convincingly…without the slightest trace of fear.

"Their home. Their kindness. They made me feel like a part of the family. They were very kind…"

"A part of the family? So since they made you feel like part of the family, they must have told you their family secret," Cal scooted closer to Rose…so close that she could smell that night’s dinner on his breath. "Tell me Rose. Tell me about the spring of eternal youth. Where is it?"

Rose frowned. "The spring of what? Mr. Hockley, forgive me…but I have no idea what you are talking about. They never told me anything about a spring," Rose glanced at Jack from the corner of her eye, hoping that she was convincing.

Cal blinked, a bit caught offguard. He hadn’t been expecting her to deny the spring’s existence. He had been positive that he had charmed any desire to keep secrets out of her. "Of course they told you. You just said that they treated you like family. There was no reason not to tell you of the spring."

Rose backed away from Cal, noticing the evil gleam in his eye. He looked as if he would break her in two if she didn’t tell him what he wanted to hear. She looked over at Jack once more, noticing that he wasn’t alone. Miles had joined him, his eyes full of suspicion. The eldest Dawson brother thought that she was going to spill the beans. Well, she was just going to have to prove him wrong. Gathering up more of her strength, she turned back to face Cal. "Cal, I don’t know what you’re talking about. The Dawson’s had never told me anything about a spring, and if they had…I certainly would never tell you."

"Argggh!" Cal slapped her, catching her off guard, sending her down onto the cold cement ground.

Rose gasped as the wind was knocked out of her. She caught a glimpse of Jack and Miles. Miles was trying to hold on to a struggling Jack. By the fire in his eyes, she knew that he wanted to tear Cal apart. She closed her eyes in a silent prayer. A prayer for Miles to restrain Jack. To not let him go after Cal. It was a fight that Jack couldn’t win. He’d end up in the cell next to Mae and Angus. Opening her eyes, she stared up into the cold fury that was Cal.

"Do you really think you’re saving their precious little secret? Do you?! Well you’re not! Do you know why?" Cal glared down at the cowering girl below. Seeing red, he roughly grabbed her shoulders and lifted her an inch off the ground. "She hangs at dawn for the murder of my manservant. Yes, I know about that. Found out just two hours ago, but that’s beyond the point. The point is that when they hang her, and she doesn’t die…you’ll have no choice but to tell me where the spring is. Because, I won’t let you rest until you do."

Rose glared up at him, defiance burning in her eyes. She hated him. Plain and simple. Angus and Mae’s troubles were his entire fault! She was never going to tell him where the spring was. No matter what he did to her. "Go to hell. I’ll never tell you where it is."
She cried out in surprise and pain as Cal tightened his grip even more. She knew that there was going to be a bruise in the morning. "Don’t fuck with me Rose! Doing so can be fatal!" He growled, before roughly kissing her and dropping her back to the ground. "Think about what I said Sweetpea. I’m a pleasant man when my women cooperate. See you at dawn, Sweetpea. For your sake, I hope the crone dies…or else you’ll just have to give up their little secret," a pleasant smile now lit up Cal’s face as he stepped inside the house, leaving Rose to pick herself off the ground.

Standing on trembling legs, she glared at her front door. It was obvious that the dashing Caledon Hockley was insane. He’d do anything to get to the spring. Even murder.

"Rose!" Jack broke away from Miles, eager to get to her. As soon as he was on the porch, he began examining her. He wanted to kill Hockley right then and there for even touching his Rose. Glaring at the door, he started towards it, waning to give Hockley a bit of his own medicine, but Rose grabbed his arm before he could get any further.

"No Jack, no. I’m fine. Really. I’m just scared. Scared for Mae," Rose threw her arms around him, burying her face in his chest, hoping that her tears would stop him from going inside to face Cal.

"Are you sure you’re ok?" Jack asked, remembering the sound of Cal’s hand hitting her perfect face. "He handled you so roughly and his language…not even Miles talked that way to a lady."

"I’m positive. I’m fine. It’s Mae I’m worried about," Rose sighed, pulling out of the safety of Jack’s arms to pace the porch.

"Yeah, what happened there?" Miles stepped upon the porch, glaring at Rose as if she had committed some horrible crime. "You were supposed to have explained what happened. Angus and Mae were not supposed to be in jail."

"I tried. I tried and tried to explain to the police what had really happened, but each time…it was like I wasn’t even talking. Not even my father would listen to me," Rose again felt the hurt of her father’s betrayal. At one time, he would have listened and taken her world. But now…when it was so important…. he treated her like they all treated her. Like she was invisible. Now Mae was up to hang at dawn and the secret of the spring was in danger of being exposed. "We have to get her out of there. Tonight."

"We need a plan," Jack gently rubbed Rose’s arm, still wanting to tear Hockley apart, but that could wait. Rose and Miles were right. Concentrating on his jailed parents was important.

"A good one. One not to fail," Miles ran a hand through his hair, staring at the two young people. He frowned. His brother was so in love with this girl. It could make some choices he’d have to make very hard. Miles hated that. He didn’t want to see his brother in pain. But it was inevitable. "We need to brainstorm, but not here. Somewhere safe. Somewhere away from Hockley and the Dewitt Bukaters."

"The cabin!" Rose’s eyes lit up. Of course, it was perfect! To be back in the magical and quiet world of the Dawson’s…she’ll be able to think well.

Nodding, the brother’s agreed. At the cabin, they wouldn’t have to worry about being discovered by Hockley or any of the Dewitt Bukaters.

"Meet us there after everyone’s in bed, Rose. We can’t take ya now. It’d be too risky," Jack kissed her lightly. "We’ll be waiting."

Rose could only nod and watch them disappear into the darkness. Silently, going back inside, she hoped that they could come up with a swift plan to rescue Mae and Angus.

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