Abandon: Chapter 7
The Abernathy Trilogy
Abernathy, Abandon, America
by Kristen
Abandon
Chapter 7
Justin
The first thing I perceive is the sunlight, nearly blinding me as I open my eyes. The second is Brian's arm draped heavily across my chest.
I shift gently away from him, in tiny increments, but instantly his grasp tightens, and I realize that he is awake.
"Where are you going?" he says groggily, his face buried in the pillow.
"The sun is already up. Why didn't Josephine wake me?"
He ponders for a second, and I seize the opportunity to wriggle away from him, pulling on my tunic. "Something's wrong, Brian."
He lumbers out of bed, groaning with the same soreness I feel. "She probably overslept, nothing more. Don't worry."
We sit side by side on the bed, pulling on our shoes. I am suddenly overwhelmed with how wonderful this feels. This is what Brian wanted--all those nights he tried to talk me into staying in his room. It wasn't the sleeping, it was the waking up. Together. As though we belong in each other's lives.
"I love you," I tell him plainly, as though no more certain fact exists.
He smiles warmly and reaches for my neck, pulling me into a tender kiss. His lips taste like honey and like me; it is wonderful. Together, we head downstairs to meet the day.
We go down the front stairs, into the kitchen, but there find no sign that Josephine is awake. Brian looks at me strangely for a moment, and I feel suddenly nauseous. I follow him into the sitting-room, and there find William, sitting alone at the large table, waiting. He holds a piece of paper in his hands, and silently slides it across the table to Brian as we approach.
I watch Brian blanch as he reads, before passing the letter to me and sitting down as though he has been struck in the face. With shaking hands, I examine the tight curls of Josephine's handwriting.
Mister Brian,
It is with great grief that I terminate my service to you. I have been loyal to the Kinney home for three decades, and wished nothing more than to see you honor your good father's name, God rest his soul. But it becomes clear to me that between these walls has the Lord been blasphemed; that Satan in all his despicable evil hath been given entry in this house; that old serpent, called the Devil, which deceiveth the whole world, hath been invited to your confidence.
I shall not bear witness to the atrocities of devil-worshipers. It pains me to think of your fall, but I will not live in a house so far lost from God's sight. "For woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea, for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, and speaking of only lies."
It is my dutiful hope that you shall repent and see the light of the Lord, casting out the beast from your sights.
I shall pray for your salvation, and for the mercy of our Lord upon your eternal souls.
Josephine Murray
I sit finally, next to Brian but not near him. He is hunched over the table, slowly rubbing his forehead with his hands.
"It's true then," he asks of William. "She is gone?"
"Aye, sir," says he. "I went to her room when I woke and found it emptied of all her possessions."
"How? Where could she go?" Brian mutters.
"I don't know, sir. She may have gone to Warbidge on foot, and from there...perhaps she could hire a coach to town."
"On foot! She's an old woman, and in the middle of the night?"
"It was late when I rose, sir; she may have left at daybreak. It is not too far to walk..." says William hesitantly, "and she was...determined."
"What?" Brian cries. "Did you know of her plan?"
"Not a thing, I assure you, Brian! Do you imagine I would let this happen if I did?"
"No, no," Brian sighs, shaking his head. "Forgive me, friend."
"I know only that she was upset last night--inconsolable."
"When?" asks Brian. "I saw her retire myself."
"Aye sir, but twas much later. After you yourself had gone to bed. I woke up to her shrieking in the hall outside my room. I went to question her, but...she was spooked, sir, as though she'd seen a ghost! And she kept carrying on...about seeing 'the devil himself'... she made no sense at all!"
Brian nods slowly, staring at the table. Several moments pass in a strained silence. I replay William's words in my head, as a tightening squeeze constricts my stomach. What might Josephine have seen? I glance up at William, startled to find that he is staring at me with an unreadable expression. I fear that he knows something...dear God, to think of it!
At last, Brian rises from the table. "I'll find her," he announces, with finality. "She can't have gone far. I'll ride to Warbidge and inquire after her there."
"Sir," asks William, "what about the fair?"
The fair! I'd forgotten about it. And from the look on Brian's face, he'd forgotten as well. The annual Hereford fair is today--the very same fair at which I met Brian, two years prior. It seems an eternity ago...
"Yes...the fair..." Brian replies, deep in thought. "Then here is our plan. I shall ride to Warbidge first to look for her. You take the trap to Hereford, and I shall meet you later at the fair. If I don't find her in Warbidge, she will perhaps have already taken a coach to Hereford, and we can look for her there."
William nods at the proposal, but looks dubious of its success. "We shall find her," affirms Brian, perhaps as much to convince himself as William. "I don't know what has frightened her, but I will talk to her, and bring her home."
"Yes, sir," William agrees, and goes out to ready the horses.
Brian seems lost in thought for a few moments before noticing me. "Justin," he begins softly, pacing the room. The uneasiness is evident in his now-unshielded voice. "You remember...that I cannot take you to the fair."
"I know, Brian. You needn't explain it to me." Neither of us wants to take the risk of me being somehow separated from Brian, and 'caught' again as a runaway slave. I understand it fully, though Brian has clearly felt guilty since we first discussed it, some weeks ago.
"Will you be bringing home any more blonde boys?" I ask, teasingly.
He turns and glowers at me, his face suddenly dark. "How could you ask me such a thing?"
"I...it was merely a joke, Brian."
"Now, after everything, you doubt how I feel about you?"
"No," I soothe, going to him and taking his hands in mine. "I know how you love me."
I lean up to kiss him and then smile, assuring him of my trust. "I love you, Brian," I attest, with my eyes as well as my words. I squeeze his hands once more. "Bring her back."
He nods, and leaves to meet William in the yard.
Abernathy, Abandon, America
by Kristen
Abandon
Chapter 7
Justin
The first thing I perceive is the sunlight, nearly blinding me as I open my eyes. The second is Brian's arm draped heavily across my chest.
I shift gently away from him, in tiny increments, but instantly his grasp tightens, and I realize that he is awake.
"Where are you going?" he says groggily, his face buried in the pillow.
"The sun is already up. Why didn't Josephine wake me?"
He ponders for a second, and I seize the opportunity to wriggle away from him, pulling on my tunic. "Something's wrong, Brian."
He lumbers out of bed, groaning with the same soreness I feel. "She probably overslept, nothing more. Don't worry."
We sit side by side on the bed, pulling on our shoes. I am suddenly overwhelmed with how wonderful this feels. This is what Brian wanted--all those nights he tried to talk me into staying in his room. It wasn't the sleeping, it was the waking up. Together. As though we belong in each other's lives.
"I love you," I tell him plainly, as though no more certain fact exists.
He smiles warmly and reaches for my neck, pulling me into a tender kiss. His lips taste like honey and like me; it is wonderful. Together, we head downstairs to meet the day.
We go down the front stairs, into the kitchen, but there find no sign that Josephine is awake. Brian looks at me strangely for a moment, and I feel suddenly nauseous. I follow him into the sitting-room, and there find William, sitting alone at the large table, waiting. He holds a piece of paper in his hands, and silently slides it across the table to Brian as we approach.
I watch Brian blanch as he reads, before passing the letter to me and sitting down as though he has been struck in the face. With shaking hands, I examine the tight curls of Josephine's handwriting.
Mister Brian,
It is with great grief that I terminate my service to you. I have been loyal to the Kinney home for three decades, and wished nothing more than to see you honor your good father's name, God rest his soul. But it becomes clear to me that between these walls has the Lord been blasphemed; that Satan in all his despicable evil hath been given entry in this house; that old serpent, called the Devil, which deceiveth the whole world, hath been invited to your confidence.
I shall not bear witness to the atrocities of devil-worshipers. It pains me to think of your fall, but I will not live in a house so far lost from God's sight. "For woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea, for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, and speaking of only lies."
It is my dutiful hope that you shall repent and see the light of the Lord, casting out the beast from your sights.
I shall pray for your salvation, and for the mercy of our Lord upon your eternal souls.
Josephine Murray
I sit finally, next to Brian but not near him. He is hunched over the table, slowly rubbing his forehead with his hands.
"It's true then," he asks of William. "She is gone?"
"Aye, sir," says he. "I went to her room when I woke and found it emptied of all her possessions."
"How? Where could she go?" Brian mutters.
"I don't know, sir. She may have gone to Warbidge on foot, and from there...perhaps she could hire a coach to town."
"On foot! She's an old woman, and in the middle of the night?"
"It was late when I rose, sir; she may have left at daybreak. It is not too far to walk..." says William hesitantly, "and she was...determined."
"What?" Brian cries. "Did you know of her plan?"
"Not a thing, I assure you, Brian! Do you imagine I would let this happen if I did?"
"No, no," Brian sighs, shaking his head. "Forgive me, friend."
"I know only that she was upset last night--inconsolable."
"When?" asks Brian. "I saw her retire myself."
"Aye sir, but twas much later. After you yourself had gone to bed. I woke up to her shrieking in the hall outside my room. I went to question her, but...she was spooked, sir, as though she'd seen a ghost! And she kept carrying on...about seeing 'the devil himself'... she made no sense at all!"
Brian nods slowly, staring at the table. Several moments pass in a strained silence. I replay William's words in my head, as a tightening squeeze constricts my stomach. What might Josephine have seen? I glance up at William, startled to find that he is staring at me with an unreadable expression. I fear that he knows something...dear God, to think of it!
At last, Brian rises from the table. "I'll find her," he announces, with finality. "She can't have gone far. I'll ride to Warbidge and inquire after her there."
"Sir," asks William, "what about the fair?"
The fair! I'd forgotten about it. And from the look on Brian's face, he'd forgotten as well. The annual Hereford fair is today--the very same fair at which I met Brian, two years prior. It seems an eternity ago...
"Yes...the fair..." Brian replies, deep in thought. "Then here is our plan. I shall ride to Warbidge first to look for her. You take the trap to Hereford, and I shall meet you later at the fair. If I don't find her in Warbidge, she will perhaps have already taken a coach to Hereford, and we can look for her there."
William nods at the proposal, but looks dubious of its success. "We shall find her," affirms Brian, perhaps as much to convince himself as William. "I don't know what has frightened her, but I will talk to her, and bring her home."
"Yes, sir," William agrees, and goes out to ready the horses.
Brian seems lost in thought for a few moments before noticing me. "Justin," he begins softly, pacing the room. The uneasiness is evident in his now-unshielded voice. "You remember...that I cannot take you to the fair."
"I know, Brian. You needn't explain it to me." Neither of us wants to take the risk of me being somehow separated from Brian, and 'caught' again as a runaway slave. I understand it fully, though Brian has clearly felt guilty since we first discussed it, some weeks ago.
"Will you be bringing home any more blonde boys?" I ask, teasingly.
He turns and glowers at me, his face suddenly dark. "How could you ask me such a thing?"
"I...it was merely a joke, Brian."
"Now, after everything, you doubt how I feel about you?"
"No," I soothe, going to him and taking his hands in mine. "I know how you love me."
I lean up to kiss him and then smile, assuring him of my trust. "I love you, Brian," I attest, with my eyes as well as my words. I squeeze his hands once more. "Bring her back."
He nods, and leaves to meet William in the yard.