American Dreams Trilogy

by Michael Phillips

  The sounds grew louder. Around a bend about a hundred yards away she saw the horse, then the buggy, come into view.

  It looked like there were two people seated side by side. Of course, she thought… Mrs. Beaumont probably went into town to pick him up at the station.

  On the buggy came. Unconsciously Cherity shrunk a step back to keep from being seen. She heard them reach a point only about fifteen yards from her where the road veered away out of the woods. Slowly she inched her head around the tree again.

  A horrified gasp escaped her lips. Paralyzing chills seized her whole body even as her eyes flooded hot with liquid agony.

  There was no mistaking it this time! She had seen both their faces as clearly as it was possible to see them.

  It was Seth and Veronica!

  Quickly the buggy rounded the curve and moved away. Cherity’s knees nearly buckled in stunned shock. She staggered from behind the tree. Arms hanging limp at her side, her mouth drooping open, eyes red and blinking hard, she watched numbly as the blond hair of the man she thought she had loved, and the silky black hair of the woman to whom he had once been engaged, both blowing happy and carefree in the wind, slowly disappeared from her sight along the road.

  Senseless of all thought and feeling, somehow Cherity found her horse and remounted. Instead of retreating to the safety and oblivion of Harper’s Peak, or the comfort of Greenwood and her own room and bed where she could cry and cry until she decided what to do, almost without thinking she found herself prodding Cadence on, she hardly knew why, toward Oakbriar.

  Was she, even now, desperate to find some logical explanation, some way to excuse what she had seen? Or was she drawn by the terrifying yet irresistible lure of still worse that might yet be revealed?

  She did not stop to think. She did not analyze her motives. She was merely compelled to know more, to know all… though to know more of what she feared would surely destroy her, and make her incapable of ever loving again.

  She rode without haste. What was there to make haste about? She no longer even tried to hide, but sought the road, and then turned and rode, slowly and methodically, along the entry drive toward the magnificent plantation house of Oakbriar. Fleeting thoughts of Elias Slade reminded her of the gun on her hip. If this were some Greek tragedy, or even a dime novel of love and betrayal, she might gallop up, run into the house, and shoot the two lovers dead and then herself face the hangman’s noose of justice, tearfully and stoically defiant to the end.

  Such morbid thoughts did not last long. She saw the house in the distance. The buggy stood in front… empty.

  Several seconds later the door opened. She reined in and stopped. Seth stepped out onto the porch. A moment later Veronica followed him through the door. Veronica stepped forward and embraced Seth affectionately.

  Cherity saw nor heard nothing more. By the time Seth turned to descend the porch and walk back to the buggy, she was galloping in full retreat away from the plantation.

  Seth heard the thunder of hooves on the road. He glanced up and saw a small cloud of dust in the distance. It looked to be a rider, and moving fast.

  But he had not the slightest suspicion who it might be, and did not recognize the horse that had been his own gift to the young woman who occupied his heart.

  In an oblivion of tumultuous anguish, Cherity pushed poor Cadence onward and upward through the woods and again up to the ridge of Harper’s Peak from where she had just come, then westward into the yet higher hills, galloping as fast as was possible for horse and rider to go. As long as she was moving, in the sheer motion and exercise of flight, she could keep at bay the torrent of tears that must eventually come. But neither she nor Cadence could sustain it indefinitely. At last she sensed his legs slowing under the strain.

  She let up on the reins and allowed him to slow to a canter, then a walk. She jumped from the saddle, hit the ground, then ran herself… ran and ran and ran, she knew not where. By now she was miles from Greenwood.

  At length, in sheer exhaustion, both mental and physical, she collapsed in a heap on a grassy clearing in the midst of thick forest. The moment her motion finally ceased, the pent-up flood burst forth and she sobbed bitterly, sobbed until the merciful balm of sleep overcame her.

  Seth’s approach up the drive to Greenwood in a buggy from the livery in town was greeted with great rejoicing even before he reached the house. Aaron Shaw saw him first and ran shouting toward him, joined by Isaac and a few other of Seth’s lifelong black friends. He came up to the house with a small crowd yelling and shouting on all sides of him.

  Carolyn ran outside to see what was the cause of all the commotion and erupted in tears of joy. By the time Richmond and Sydney arrived, the celebration of Seth’s surprise homecoming had brought a halt to every activity from the big house to the black village. Cynthia and Seth embraced warmly as his sister followed his mother from the house. Then Seth saw Thomas.

  “Thomas!” he exclaimed, running toward him.

  As the two brothers embraced as men for the first time, Richmond shook his head with disbelieving joy and Carolyn wept again. For the first time since the war, their whole family was together again!

  “I cannot tell you how good it is to see you again,” said Seth. “And alive!”

  Thomas smiled. “You and I have to have a long talk, Seth,” he said. “There are some things I need to tell you.”

  Seth now glanced all around the happy welcoming throng. “Where’s Cherity?” he asked.

  No one had been paying much attention, but now as a few heads glanced about, they realized that Cherity was not among them. It grew quiet as everyone looked about.

  “She said she was going on a long ride,” said Cynthia.

  “That was hours ago,” said Carolyn.

  “She said she felt like the longest ride she had ever been on in her life and said not to expect her back until supper.”

  “I can’t wait to see her face when she sees you!” laughed Cynthia. “She is going to be positively beside herself!”

  Fifty-Three

  Cherity was awakened from the slumber brought on by her tears and her exhaustion by Cadence’s long wet tongue licking the dried salt from around her eyes.

  She raised her head and looked about with a shiver. She drew in a shaky breath, as if she had just finished crying only moments ago. The jerky motion of her lungs brought the horrible reminder of what she had seen rushing back upon her and she broke down weeping all over again.

  But this time her tears did not last long. She realized she was cold. It was obvious that the sun was setting. The shadows of the trees around her were lengthening by the minute.

  She stood and looked around. She had no idea where she was. But wherever it was, she couldn’t stay here all night. This high up in the hills, it would get very cold before morning.

  Trying to remember which direction she had come from, slowly she climbed back into the saddle. She must have been riding up the incline. That way seemed a little familiar, and she took it. As she rode, all the events of the afternoon came back into her mind. Instead of bringing tears, they now brought a cold sense of resolve.

  She and Seth were obviously through. She had been naive to think he loved her. He had made no promises. He had never spoken definitely about their marriage. She had assumed far too much.

  She would have to leave Greenwood, of course. If he had come back to Dove’s Landing merely for a visit, then she would be in no hurry about making a decision. She still loved Carolyn and Richmond. They had been good to her. She would write to Mary and Anne about living with one of them until…

  Well… until she didn’t know what. Until she decided what to do with her life… until she could figure out what was to become of her.

  If Seth had come back to stay, however, she would have to leave immediately… tomorrow at the latest.

  She couldn’t possibly stay with him here. For all she knew, Veronica had come back from Europe and divorced her husband. Seth had found out. Someh
ow they had met… and now Seth realized he was ready for what he hadn’t been ready for before. He had gone away to war and had grown up, and now realized that he had loved Veronica all along.

  That must have been what they were doing in Boston. He had taken her to meet Mr. McClarin, who was now his boss, and then told him he was quitting his job at the paper to return to Virginia and marry her.

  What must he think of her? Cherity wondered with chagrin. No doubt she had become an embarrassment to him.

  Oh, it was too horrible to think about!

  Seth was probably right now trying to think of some way to be rid of her! What an inconvenience that she was living with his parents. Now he was faced with the problem of what to do about the orphan waif his parents had taken in, that he had tried to pretend he had loved after his failed engagement with Veronica.

  Again hot tears stung at Cherity’s eyes at the mortification of it all.

  If only she had some of her things with her, and a little money, she would go away and never go back to Greenwood at all. Where she didn’t pause in her thoughts to consider… just away. As far away from Seth as she could get. She would have to sneak into her room, and then somehow slip away tomorrow without being seen.

  She couldn’t lay eyes on him again. She just couldn’t bear the humiliation!

  Dusk fell over Greenwood. The celebration was in full swing and Richmond and Carolyn had turned the event into a reunion party for all three of their now-grown children.

  But an invisible cloud had descended over the festivities. Cherity had still not returned and inwardly they were all worried. The one person Seth had most looked forward to seeing was nowhere to be found. He had to leave in the morning. McClarin wanted photographs of Sherman’s devastation of Atlanta. Union forces would be leaving the city within the week and McClarin wanted him traveling with Sherman’s army documenting their movements. He had to get to Atlanta without delay.

  Richmond had quietly slipped out of the house already two or three times and gone wandering, lantern in hand, through the barn and stables and then out toward the pasture and hills in the directions he knew Cherity usually rode… peering into the dim light of descending darkness… listening for any sound that might tell him something.

  But the night was still, and the crickets were making too much noise to hear anything in the distance.

  After his third such venture outside, he walked back into the house. Carolyn caught his eye and he could read the anxiety in her face.

  Seth, too, was worried. He knew as well as his mother and father that this was not like Cherity. He did not know quite all that his father had to worry about, nor that Cherity had taken to riding with a gun. Twenty minutes later, when there was still no sign of Cherity, Seth went to his father.

  “Dad, why don’t Thomas and I go out and look for her?” he said. “We’ll be careful. We’ll take the two dogs and stay within earshot of each other. We know every inch of the hills for miles. If she’s out there, we’ll find her.”

  Richmond thought a minute. “I suppose you’re right,” he said, letting out a long sigh. “We’ve got to find her before the night gets away from us. The temperature is going to drop fast before long. Why don’t you go out and start saddling three horses… I’ll go with you.”

  Seth nodded, grabbed a lantern, and hurried out to the stables. What he saw there, however, instantly changed his plans. There was his old worn black saddle sitting over the rail where he had always kept it. It hadn’t been there earlier. He walked to it and laid his hand gently on the seat. The leather was still warm.

  He glanced excitedly around. There was the young brown stallion he had bought for her munching on the oats in his trough like he hadn’t eaten all day. He reached through the railing and stroked his neck. He too was warm!

  “Hey, fella,” he said softly. “Do you remember me? I’m glad you seem happy in your new home.”

  How could he have missed seeing her? Seth thought as he turned and ran for the house.

  He met Thomas and his father walking out into the night air.

  “Where is she?” he said excitedly.

  “What do you mean… aren’t we going to look for her?” said Richmond.

  “She’s back! Her saddle and horse are inside. You didn’t see her?”

  “No, nothing.”

  Seth ran past them into the house and bolted up the stairs two at a time. He dashed down the corridor until he came to a stop in front of Cherity’s room. The door was closed.

  “Cherity, Cherity!” he cried, pounding on the door. “Are you in there! We’ve been so worried—we didn’t know where you were. Cherity, it’s me… it’s Seth! I’m home for a day.”

  Only silence met his ear behind the door.

  “Cherity… Cherity, it’s—”

  Finally Cherity’s voice interrupted him.

  “I know who you are. Go away!”

  Shocked at what he heard, Seth persisted.

  “Cherity, please… open the door. I’ve been dying to see you all day.”

  “Well I don’t want to see you. I told you to go away.”

  “What are you talking about?” laughed Seth. “Cherity, is this a joke? I don’t know why you’re—”

  Suddenly the door flew open. There stood Cherity with a steely expression like he had never seen on her face before. Her look was hard and set, her red eyes piercing straight through him.

  She was obviously angry.

  “Cherity,” he said, overjoyed to see her, but utterly bewildered by her expression.

  “Is that what I am to you,” she said coldly, “—a joke?”

  “Of course not… what are you talking about? Are you all right? Did something happen?”

  “As if you don’t know! Please, just leave, Seth. I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “Talk about what? What is going on? I don’t have any idea what—”

  “Seth, don’t lie to me anymore,” said Cherity icily.

  “But, Cherity, please… I have to leave in the morning for Atlanta—”

  He stopped abruptly. “I wasn’t supposed to say anything about that. Our movements are secret. I gave my word. Please don’t tell anyone. But I do have to leave tomorrow and I want—”

  “Oh, believe me, I won’t say a thing. Your word is safe with me. Ha!”

  The bitter sarcasm in her voice was obvious.

  “Cherity, what are you talking about?”

  “I’ve had enough of your lies, Seth,” she shot back. “I finally know them for what they are.”

  Stunned, Seth stared back, gaping in bewilderment. The next instant the door slammed in his face. Its echo was followed by a key locking the bolt from inside.

  Shaking his head in disbelief, Seth tried desperately to make sense out of Cherity’s obvious anger. He still wondered if it was some kind of weird joke. He had never seen anything like this from her before.

  “Cherity, please,” he said through the door, “—honestly, I have no idea what you mean. If you’ll tell me when you think I lied to you… please, just tell me what this is about.”

  “I saw you, Seth,” yelled Cherity from inside. “You told me things you had no right to say as long as you still loved Veronica!”

  “Veronica! What does she have to do with it?”

  “She has everything to do with it! You love her and you lied to me about it.”

  “I don’t still love her. I never loved her. I told you that.”

  “I know what you told me. But I saw you, Seth… I saw you and Veronica in Boston… I saw you today at her house. I saw her in your arms, Seth. Can you imagine what a fool I feel like… all this time thinking you and I… when you and she were—”

  Cherity’s voice faltered.

  Stunned into silence Seth’s mouth went dry and he swallowed hard. He listened through the locked door. All he could hear were the choking sobs of a heart he now realized that he himself had broken.

  Speechless, a terrible lump rising in his throat, he turned an
d walked softly back down the corridor.

  Fifty-Four

  Seth Davidson sat alone in his room, heartbroken and grief stricken at what had taken place in the hallway outside Cherity’s room. He hoped no one from downstairs had heard Cherity yelling through the door.

  He was so stunned he didn’t know what to do. It would be useless to try to explain things to her now, not in her present state. Should he tell her at all? Could he tell her? What about his promise to Veronica? Certainly she would understand… yet he had promised.

  This was awful!

  How could she possibly have seen them in Boston?

  Lethargically he pulled himself to his feet. He couldn’t stay up here. He had come to see his family… and Cherity of course, but if she was going to lock herself in her room, he at least could visit with everyone else.

  He left his room and walked downstairs and back into the parlor. He did his best to put on a happy smile.

  “Where is Cherity… is she coming down?” said Carolyn.

  “I don’t think so, Mom,” replied Seth. “She’s… uh, pretty tired.”

  “Oh… that’s too bad. But you talked to her?”

  “Yeah… we saw each other.”

  “Maybe I should take something up to her.”

  “I think she is going to bed.”

  “Oh… well, I suppose if she gets hungry she’ll come down,” said Carolyn, still puzzled.

  “Hey, Seth,” said Thomas walking up to his brother, “is Cherity okay?”

  “Yeah, she’s… uh, fine,” replied Seth. “Just had a long ride, I guess.”

  “Surprised to see you, I bet!”

  “Yeah,” laughed Seth, “—yeah… she sure was!”

  “She’ll probably be coming down pretty soon… Would it be all right if I talked to you first. I know you’ve got to leave tomorrow and I want the chance to tell you what happened with me.”