Captive Pride (11 page)

It was a long while before the doctor appeared at the top of the staircase. “Lord Kincade?”

Both Matt and Noah came to their feet at the sound of his voice.

“Yes, Doctor? How is she?” Matt went hastily to meet him at the foot of the steps.

The physician's mood was somber. “She still hasn't recovered consciousness yet, I'm afraid, but her general health seems good enough.”

Matt breathed a deep sigh of relief. Her condition was not life-threatening.

“As you know, she's had a bad bump on the head, and has a few other bruises from their obvious mistreatment of her, but she should be fine.”

Matt's throat tightened as he forced himself to ask, “Did they…”

“No,” Spalding answered firmly.

“Thank God…I got there in time….” He spoke softly, his distress greatly eased by the doctor's pronouncement.

“Indeed you did, and I'm sure the young lady will be very grateful to you for your rescue.” He clapped Matt on the back. “Her clothing was filthy and in shreds, so I took the liberty of doing away with it.”

“Yes, I know,” Matt ground out. “The damned savages…”

“She's going to be just fine,” Dr. Spalding quietly assured him again, “and I'm sure Waddington can help find something suitable for her to wear. Perhaps one of his servants…?”

Matt nodded.

“Someone should stay with her through the night, just in case she should awaken and be frightened by her unfamiliar surroundings.”

“I'll stay with her,” Matt declared quickly.

“I'm sure Waddington employs a female servant who could—”

“I said, I'll sit with her,” he stated with regal authority. “I have no designs on her person. I only want to see that she makes a full recovery.”

“Well…” he hedged.

“It's done. Say no more. How much do I owe you for your services?”

The doctor quoted a price.

“Does that include a return visit tomorrow to make sure she's well?”

“Of course, my lord. I'll check back with you shortly before noon, if that suits you.”

“It does.” Matt was firm. “You'll be compensated for your help tomorrow when I'm certain she's recovering. Until then, Doctor, good night.”

Noah listened to the conversation with nothing short of amazement. This was his little brother issuing orders as if he were born to it? The thought amused him. Matt had indeed grown up.

“You handled that very well, Matt, but are you certain you want to sit up the night with the girl? Surely there's a serving wench qualified—”

“No. This is something I've got to do myself,” Matt told him seriously as he headed upstairs.

“Shall I sit with you?” Noah asked as they came to Matt's room.

“There's really no need for the both of us to lose a night's sleep. You can go to bed, and if there's been no change by midmorning, you can relieve me then,” he responded. Matt led the way into the room and they found the lovely girl lying unmoving on the vast white expanse of his bed, the blankets discreetly covering her.

“She's beautiful, Matt….” Noah was surprised. He had not expected a woman rescued from the streets to be so comely.

“I know.” Matt glanced up at Noah quickly, his troubled gaze showing how deeply he'd been affected by the unknown woman's plight. There was a long pause before he added, “You may as well go on back to bed. I'll be right here for the rest of the night.”

“All right. If you need anything…”

“I'll be fine,” he insisted. “I just hope she is.”

Matt turned his attention back to the young woman as Noah let himself from the room.

The late-night hours passed. The black velvet canopy of night lightened to deep purple and then to red-streaked gold as the sun struggled to reclaim the land. Matt grew increasingly restless and worried as he sat beside the bed wondering why she hadn't come around yet. Had the doctor been wrong? Was there some injury he'd missed? Finally, unable to sit in silent restraint any longer, he stood up and moved to stare out the window.

Within the confines of the room at the inn, Faith Hammond stirred and opened her eyes. Everything was blurred for a moment, and she blinked in tired confusion as her surroundings slowly came into focus. It came as quite a jolt to find that she was in a strange room, and with that revelation came the terrible remembrance of the two soldiers and their assault. Terror seized her and she looked quickly about, spotting for the first time the tall, dark-haired man standing at the window, his back to her.

Horror-filled, Faith wondered what to do. If she remained quiet, she knew she might be able to effect an escape later if he left her alone in the room, but the memory of the attack drove her to try to flee now. She started to slip from the bed in the hope of making a dash for the door when she discovered her state of dishabille. What had they done to her? And where were her clothes? Desperate and more frightened than ever, Faith clutched the blanket to her and tried to get to her feet. Waves of dizziness washed through her and she couldn't stifle a moan of pure agony as she swayed unsteadily, one hand going to her throbbing brow.

Matt heard her groan and turned. The sight of her out of bed and standing truly surprised him. “Please…” Seeing her very real physical distress, Matt spoke quickly and took a step toward her. “You must lie down.”

His gaze met hers across the width of the room, and he stopped. There, in the turquoise depths of her eyes, was all the fear and loathing she was experiencing, and it was directed at him. The thought that she believed him to be one of her attackers hurt, and he tried to explain, moving toward her again with his arms spread wide in protestation of his innocence. But the girl only backed toward the door as he came in her direction, her eyes rounding in terror.

“Wait…please…. My name is Matthew Kincade. You're safe….” He crossed the distance between them slowly, hoping to keep her from panicking, but it didn't work.

Her head spinning, her nerves taut, Faith spun on her heel and raced as quickly as her unsteady legs would carry her to the door. She was fleeing for her very life, and she knew she had to get away. The blanket seemed her enemy as she made her attempt, tangling between her legs and causing her to stumble. The missed step gave Matt the time he needed to reach her.

“No!” Matt hadn't meant to speak so forcefully, but he knew he had to stop her from dashing out into the hall with only the blanket for protection. The fact that she tripped aided him in his efforts, and he quickly ensnared her in his grip. The moment he held her, he knew he'd made a big mistake.

The horror of the dark, dank alley and the grossness of the attempted rape assailed Faith then, and she began to cry, desperately beating at Matt with her fists and trying to strike him wherever she could land a blow.

Matt knew a moment of total disconcertion. He knew she was hysterical and that he should calm her, but he had no idea how to go about it.

“Miss…please…” he tried to explain in a soothing tone, but his efforts were fruitless in the face of her very real fears. “You're safe from the soldiers…. Please…” When at last he managed to trap both of her fists in his, he pinioned her to his chest, holding her with quiet, steady force, until she ceased fighting him.

“Don't hurt me anymore…. Please, don't hurt me.” Sobs wracked Faith as she stood weakly in his restrictive embrace. She knew it was useless. Her struggles seemed so feeble against this man's overpowering strength. Perhaps, she reasoned wildly, if she submitted quietly and stopped trying to escape, he would at least let her go when he had finished with her….

Her plea pierced Matt's very soul, and he loosened his grip, lifting one hand to cup her cheek and tilt her face to his. “I have no intention of hurting you, little one.”

A spark of sanity penetrated Faith's embattled senses. The man was talking to her, not attacking her. He was holding her loosely, not beating her or hitting her, and he had the clearest blue eyes. She stared up at him for a long, motionless moment…. And his face…had he been one of her attackers? Certainly his accent was English, but she didn't remember him as one of those who had loomed above her in the frightening darkness of the alley.

“Who are you?” she asked tremulously, her limbs quaking from the exertion of her struggle.

“My name is Matthew Kincade.” Matt couldn't tear his gaze away from hers, the turbulent depths of her aquamarine eyes mesmerizing him. “Are you all right?”

“I…I…” Weakness washed through her and her legs suddenly folded beneath her.

As she sagged against him, Matt scooped her up in the warm strength of his arms. He placed her gently back on the bed, tucking the blankets around her.

“Should I send for the doctor again?” he asked worriedly as he studied her pale, pinched features.

“No…yes…I need to get help…I need…”

“Shh…” he hushed her, sitting down beside her.

“No! I can't be quiet. I need the doctor…my mother…”

Though the desperation in her voice was very real, Matt sensed this time that her upset had nothing to do with him. Holding her hand, he questioned, “Take it easy now and tell me everything. Who are you?”

Faith felt a bit of strength return as she lay quietly. “My name is Faith Hammond,” she told him tonelessly, wondering how she'd come to be in this man's room. “How did I get here…in this room with you? The last thing I remember…” She trembled at the devastating memory of the two drunken soldiers, and the way they'd chased her and dragged her into the dark alley.

“Don't think about it,” Matt commanded, his hold on her hand tightening unconsciously as he imagined all she'd been through.

As Faith looked up at him, an unidentified depth of emotion flickered in his eyes before he quickly shuttered his expression.

“It's over and you're safe, Faith,” he was saying. It was the first time Matt had spoken her name aloud, and he liked the soft and feminine sound of it.

Faith gave a curt nod, wondering suddenly just how safe she was, lying unclothed in a bed with him sitting so casually beside her. He was so strong and handsome. Her heart gave an odd jump as she looked at him calmly for the first time.

“The soldiers got away,” Matt said, knowing the questions she wanted answered, “but I interrupted them before they could harm you seriously, and that's all that really matters.”

A flush stained her cheeks as she wondered if they'd had their way with her. Certainly she was sore all over….

Matt read her thoughts, and his gaze was warm, steady as he met her eyes. “No, Faith, they didn't have time. I got there before they could….”

The tears came then, and she made no effort to hide them from him. “Thank you,” she murmured shakily.

His protective instincts aroused, Matt wanted to take her into his arms and comfort her, but he held himself in restraint, believing that any such move by himself would only traumatize her further. He forced the desire to hold her from him with some difficulty.

“You're welcome,” he answered more stiffly than he'd intended. “We're in my room at the Red Lion Inn. The doctor has already been here to check on you, but he'll be back again later. I spoke with the constable, too, and he'll be returning to speak with you sometime this morning also. Is there someone I should notify? Parents?” He started to ask if she had a husband, but stopped. He didn't want to consider the chance that she could be married.

“Just my mother.” Her eyes appeared enormous in her pale face as she explained. “She was the reason why I was out so late last night…. She's ill…running a terribly high fever, and I was going for a doctor when the soldiers cornered me….”

Matt released her hand as he got quickly to his feet. “Where do you live? I'll arrange for the doctor to attend her right away.”

Faith gave him the directions, and Matt strode to the door. “Stay in bed and rest,” he instructed. “I'll be back as quickly as I can.”

Faith lay quietly, staring at the door he'd closed behind him. Who was this man? She knew only his name and nothing more. Matthew Kincade…She said it softly to herself, thinking that the name suited him quite well. It was so masculine…so vital….

Faith closed her eyes for a moment and sighed. She didn't know why, but here with Matthew Kincade she felt safe and protected. There was something about the tall, attractive stranger that had won her trust. Matthew had rescued her; he had treated her with the utmost respect and consideration. He had been wonderful, and she wished…

Her eyes flew open as she blocked the last thought that had entered her mind, and she silently berated herself for her childish musings. It would not do to daydream about some strong, handsome man rescuing her from danger, falling in love with her, and taking her away from all her troubles. Faith had learned long ago that life was not like that.

Still, she couldn't deny that Matthew was handsome. His dark good looks and piercing blue eyes were almost breathtaking in their potency. Nor could she deny that he had saved her from a terrible fate, but, she told herself rigidly, he was not for her. He was simply a stranger who had not turned his back on her plight. He was being kind. That was all.

Faith knew she had been exceedingly foolish to allow herself to even imagine that there could be anything more. She was poor, while Matthew, obviously, was rich. How else could he afford to stay at this fine inn? No, she decided. She would leave here just as soon as she could, and when she did, her association with Matthew Kincade would be at an end. The thought distressed her, but she accepted it resignedly. A great weariness stole over her again, and she took a deep breath as she settled back against the pillows and closed her eyes.

When Matt returned to the room long minutes later, he found Faith seemingly asleep, and he entered quietly lest he disturb her rest. If anything, he knew she needed sleep most of all, for it would ease the sharpness of her dreaded memories and soften the impact of all that had happened.