Love and secrets

Chapter 10

Perspective returned to Elizabeth.

     I had been crying for a little while. I knew I had to keep moving but my stamina was gone. I felt.... Stretched, almost like all the life had been sucked out of me. Suddenly I heard a twig snap. My heart was in my mouth as I whipped around. Robin? What was he doing here? Was he sent to kill me? I felt hurt at that thought, I shook myself again "Stop acting like you like him!" I yelled in my head. I took a deep breath and merely said miserably, "you here to kill me?" I couldn't meet his eyes. He walked towards me until he stood right in front of me. As I looked up into his confident face with my tearstained one. I asked again, "Are you going to kill me?" He roughly grabbed my arm and yanked me to my feet. "Get up!" he growled, I stumbled and cried out in pain. I fixed him with a glare of pure hatred. He looked at me and then less roughly led me a few steps into the woods. "Go straight down this path until you get to the rock that looks like a stag's head, then turn left. You should get to Moonacre in about 30 minutes if you run." He then began to walk away. "Wait." I called him, he stopped and turned around. "Why are you helping me?" I asked. "Because." He answered. "That's not an answer." I said. "It is to me." He started to walk away again. "Please, tell me." I said. He looked at me and answered, "I don't honestly know. I felt like I shouldn't let you die, so I gave you a fighting chance." "Thank you." I said, suddenly shy. "Yah well don't read into it too much. I'm not making a habit out of it." He said pulling out his knife and drawing it across his thumb, to show me how sharp it was. Whatever connection I thought we had was gone when I saw him threaten me. Anger bubbled up inside of me again, so I started to limp as fast as I could in the direction he had pointed me towards.

When I saw the large, familiar, double doors of Moonacre I felt relieved and happy. "Home!" I whispered to myself. I had never felt as connected to a place as I had to Moonacre. I knew I couldn't stay here forever, I only had the rest of today and tomorrow. That reminded me about my mission. I had to complete it by tomorrow, or else. A shiver ran down my spine, but that was tomorrow, right now I just wanted to have a hot bath, and sleep. I would worry about finding the oak tomorrow. I opened the door's wondering what everyone's reaction would be. I slipped silently in and closed the door. "There you are!" a voice said behind me. I turned around to see it was Loveday who had spoken. "We weren't sure how many days were to pass to expect you back from your expedition." She said with her usual smile. "My expedition? Who told you I would be gone for days?" I asked suspiciously. "Why Maria of course! She told me of the chat you two had a couple of nights ago! I am so glad you two are becoming friends!" "But I was only..." the words, "Only going to be gone for a couple of hours" died on my lips. Maria, of course. "Why am I not surprised?" I mumbled. "I'm sorry, what did you say my dear?" Loveday asked. Just then Maria walked in. "Loveday have you seen my bustle?" she asked. I was shocked at the way she just announced it to the entire household as calmly as if she were simply asking, "Where's my ring?" Or "Where's my necklace?" But at that moment she saw me. Her face had the look of one who was disappointed that a dream died. I didn't feel like making her mad, I didn't feel like arguing, I just wanted to punch her. Loveday noticed the tension in the air. "Is something wrong?" she asked concerned. "No." we both said. I began to ascend the stairs. Maria purposely put her shoulder in the way. As I bumped into it, in a moment of fury, I grabbed her arm in a way so Loveday wouldn't notice. "I know what you did." I told her, "Just a warning, next time it might be you something is hunting. Watch it." She looked at me with no longer distaste, but sheer fury. Fury that matched mine, but we continued our separate ways.