Sabbath's 2 Darlings- The 12: Book Two

39. Exiled Forever

"I think he fainted."

"He'll come to."

"Why didn't you tell him?"

"You told me never to reveal the truth to anyone."

"Yes, you are right. I'm sorry."

"Oh, I think he's waking up."

Granville opened his eyes slowly and saw the faces of the two voices at the foot of the bed. "Is it really you?" He addressed the woman.

"It is me!" she replied. With a sweep of her cloak she went to the side of the bed and took his hand. "Oh, Granville how I've missed you so much." She hugged and kissed him then wiped a tear.

"But I don't understand," Granville said shaking his head. "You died in Richmond Wood. Mother and I attended your funeral, we mourned you."

"No," Brigit said glancing back at Thomas. "How do I begin?" She looked up at the ceiling and then at the window. "That night was the longest night of my life." Like a breeze, finely dressed memories came sweeping in through the window and took their stations in the room. "I had gone to the house to let Jude know one last time that I was not interested in marrying him. We argued and he stormed out."

She blinked and looked to the far corner of the room where another memory was materializing. "In the kitchen I met Ida Richmond. She yelled at me asking why I was there, she pushed me down and insulted me. I then told her that I knew what her family was all about. I told her I knew what happened to Isaac and Catherine and that if her husband hurt my family again I would report all I knew." She shook her head. "It was stupid."

"So you've known about all of this."

"We all know," Thomas said.

"We who?"

"I'm getting to that part," Brigit said. "Thomas will you bring that list?" She asked and Thomas stepped out of the room. "Where was I, Oh yes! Ida followed me into the yard and we had a sharp exchange of words. Then she pulled a gun on me and I ran. I ran into Richmond Wood. I thought I was safe at first and then I heard the dogs. They caught up to me and one caught my leg. I kept running and fighting them off..." She shook her head. "Then I came to a door. A little door in the ground. I opened it and climbed down inside. I could hear the dogs barking and growling above my head. I don't know how long I hid there."

Thomas came back into the room and handed her a slip of paper. "I had been riding along the road and saw the whole thing," he said. "When I saw the dogs return I knew something had happened so I went into the wood to look for Brigit. Fortunately I found her."

Granville swallowed. "But what about the bloody clothes they found and the—"

"I knew a friend who had slaughtered a hog that morning," Thomas said. "We simply changed Brigit's clothes and left them there."

"But why?" Granville asked. "Why didn't you just come home and report the Richmonds like you said you were?"

"Because I was scared for my life and scared for you and our mother," Brigit said. "I made myself promise to watch over you but that soon became impossible." She showed him the paper. "These are the names of everyone who was part of old man Richmond's treasure hunting gang. When he died it splintered into different factions. Jude tangled with one and got himself into real trouble. Some joined that group but most have been killed by one or the other."

Granville read the list. "Winters," he said. "I have seen that name before."

"Mr. Winters was one of us. He was killed by Kincaid Keller's gang several years ago," Brigit said. "He had secrets and they wanted them but he took them to his grave. That's when I knew I could not go home. There were so many deaths between Richmond and Keller alone. We had to warn other's that they were coming for them and we had to fight back. So we formed the End After Knights, the EAK. It was only when I learned that Mr. Sabbath had died that I turned my attention back to Drinking Water."