Desperate (Harris Trilogy Book One) (31 page)

A hand snaked out and held her arm in a death grip. He might look sick, but he still had strength. His eyes had turned lethal.
“I still want to strangle you. I suggest you keep your mouth shut until we arrive at Lewis’ plantation. It won’t be much longer. After the pain you put me through, you deserve whatever Bob Lewis does to you. You’re lucky I didn’t kill you for throwing my cigars away. I can’t believe I felt sympathy for you.”

The first thing Slade did when they were back on the trail was rummage through his saddlebag looking for a cigar. Cold rage had him screaming for five minutes when he discovered she had gotten rid of them. It was almost worth his anger not to smell the stinking cigars.

Her mind circled around what she tried to avoid thinking about. That had been her last chance to escape. If she made another attempt, Slade would kill her. A distant sense of dread swirled through her.

****

David and Scott had been following Kate and her abductor’s trail for days. They only stopped at night to rest their horses, hoping to catch up with them soon. David had come to the conclusion that Kate’s kidnapper was taking her to Bob Lewis. He was the only person he could think of that would want her returned to Durham since her family was dead. He wished he had figured it out sooner so he could have sent a telegraph to the authorities in Durham.  

“What’s that in
the road?” Standing in the stirrups, Scott stood to his full height in the saddle. “It looks like a body.” 

Both
dismounted. Fingers pressed to the young soldier’s wrist, Scott checked for a pulse. “I can feel a faint pulse. He’s still alive, but he has lost a lot of blood.”

He
removed the make shift bandage from the wound. “Looks like a strip from a woman’s shirt. Maybe it belongs to Kate.”

F
or the first time since leaving Richmond, David felt optimistic. Maybe Kate had not been harmed. “Let’s try to revive him.”

Scott ran to his saddlebags and got some supplies. David rolled out his bedroll
and laid the young man on top to get him off the cold ground. He fetched his canteen and lifted him up to pour some water down his throat. The young man coughed and sputtered. 

“Soldier, did you see who shot you?”

He opened his eyes. Dark eyes focused on Scott, but he couldn’t speak. It was as if his brain was too muddled.

Sc
ott cleaned and bandaged the soldier’s wound. “The bullet went straight through. I think he’ll survive even though he has lost a lot of blood. Whoever packed his wound saved his life.”

Kate, it had to be her. “Soldier, can you hear me.
I’m Captain David Harris.” He leaned over the soldier. “I’m looking for a young woman named Kate Monroe. She was abducted from Richmond and we have been tracking her and her abductor. Have you seen her?”

The soldier
tried to say something, but nothing came out but groans. David poured more water down his throat. More coughing and sputtering, then he whispered, “Kate came back for me.”

David was
ecstatic. It had been Kate who tried to stop the bleeding to his shoulder. Deep down he knew she was all right. He could feel it. He washed the dirt from the young man’s face, and poured more water down his dry throat.

Scott began to build a fire to warm him. The boy was almost frozen from lying on the cold ground for so long.   

Food would probably help the young soldier regain some of his strength. David opened a can of beans, warmed them at the fire, and spooned some into his mouth. He swallowed and the warmth entered his cold body. “Soldier, can you tell me what happened? Is Kate okay?”

“We were ambushed. She called the man Slade.
He was hired by Bob Lewis.” He could say no more because he was just too weak.

“The young man is too frail to travel. He needs care and rest or he could start bleeding again. B
esides, his wound is too serious for him to sit on a horse. We’ll camp here for the night, and I’ll go after them in the morning,” Scott offered.

“I’m going after Kate now.
You stay here until the soldier is able to ride.”

Scott followed him to his horse.
“Wait until morning, Captain Harris. You are exhausted and shouldn’t travel at night. It is much too dangerous. Anyway, I am the better tracker. I should be the one to go after Kate.”

From day one David realized
Scott was the better tracker. He couldn’t deny his skills were amazing. But Kate was his woman and he wanted to be the one to rescue her. “Kate detests Bob Lewis. I have to rescue her before he touches her. She’s scared and in danger.”   

David swung into the saddle and looked at Scott.
“If you think the boy recuperates enough to ride, follow my trail and join me as soon as you are able.”

Anger consumed Scott as he watched David disappear into the growing darkness.
His shoulders slumped in defeat. He felt as if he had let Jacob down. More than anything he wanted to be the one to save Kate.

Chapter Nineteen

Kate’s future looked
pretty bleak. They were in view of Bob Lewis’ plantation. The thought of seeing him again made her feel sick to her stomach. They veered to the left and took the winding back road to the house. Fear choked her when they topped the hill and she saw the house banked by four huge oaks.   

The plantation was not as
glorious as it had once been. It had fallen into disrepair. Paint chipped from the siding. Shutters were missing wood slats. Bushes were overgrown from not being manicured. Weeds had overtaken the once beautiful gardens. Everywhere she looked she saw despair. 

Slade
dismounted. “Get down and follow me.” When she was a little slow dismounting, he pulled her from her horse in frustration.

With a strong grip on her arm, he propelled her toward the back door. She
wanted to defy Slade, but he was still steaming from the poison mushrooms so she did not push her luck. She obediently walked to the back door with her head held high. 

He
did not bother knocking. He swung the door and shoved her inside. She stumbled and would have fallen if she had not held to the wall. The house was extremely quiet. She looked at Slade and stated boldly, “Maybe he died.”

The comment caused him to narrow his eyes. “B
etter hope he is still alive, because if he’s not, I’ll enjoy ripping your clothes off and having my way with you until I tire of you.” He grabbed a handful of hair and pulled her against his chest. “I will rape you over and over. Then I’ll ransom you back to your grandfather when I’m sick and tired of you.”

He l
et her go and she stumbled backwards. In her mind she wondered which would be worse Slade, or Bob Lewis. She didn’t know who she hated more. Both were as evil as Satan. 

“May I help you?”

She turned toward the timid voice. A beautiful slave girl stood in the doorway. Her skin was perfection, except for the bruise under her right eye. It was hard to believe someone so beautiful could look so unhappy. Unspeakable sadness filled her eyes.

“Yes, Tilley, w
ill you please tell Bob that I’m here?”

It took all the strength Kate could muster not
to turn and run from the room. The last person she wanted to see was Bob Lewis. Slade must have felt her apprehension because he gripped her arm tight keeping her from bolting.

It was not long before Kate heard
heavy footsteps in the hallway. Her heart began to beat extremely fast. She clasped her hands to try to calm her nerves. 

“Hello, Kate.
I guess that’s you underneath all that grime.”   

I
n just five short months he had aged. His dark hair was sprinkled with gray. At least twenty pounds heavier than the last time she saw him, he struggled to breathe. It seemed as if the stress of the war had taken its toil on Lewis as well as his plantation. She felt no compassion for him. God was punishing him for his sins.

Bob raised a questioning brow.
“What took you so long? By my calculation you should have been here two days ago.” Violence in his eyes, he snapped, “What did you do to my intended. She’s black and blue.”

Before Slade could answer, he stepped in front of her
and touched his fingers to her bruised cheek where Slade had hit her. He sniffed. “You need a bath, my dear. You absolutely stink. Tilley, come and assist our guest! She needs a good scrubbing!” 

Kate blushed crimson.
Grabbing a handful of hair, Bob snorted, “What in the hell did you do to your hair?” Unable to tolerate him touching her, she took a step back. She stood staring at him without speaking.

Tilley moved to Kate’s side
. She gazed at Kate obviously curious as to why she was there.   

“Tilley, this is my fia
ncé, Kate. She has come all the way from Richmond, Virginia on horse back to marry me. I’m sure it was a harrowing trip.” His eyes swept to Slade. “Especially the way she looks. Someone has abused my sweetheart.” He turned his attention back to Kate. “Will you please assist her in getting cleaned up?”

T
illey locked her arm inside hers.   

Slade
jerked Kate away from Tilley. “Wait just a minute, Bob. I want my money first. The reason it took us two more days is because the bitch almost killed me with poison mushrooms, and then she escaped while I retched my guts out. I should be compensated for all the agony she has caused me. I lost several days because I had to chase her all over the countryside, not once, but twice. Let’s say $1,000, more than we first agreed upon should suffice.”

“The girl is no use to you.
You’ll get your money. Let Kate go with Tilley. We’ll move to the parlor, and have some brandy while I get your money. I have some of those cigars you like. It’s late and I’m sure you’ll want to spend the night, sleep in a soft bed for a change.” He gestured toward Tilley. “I’m sure a little female companionship will also help to ease your bad mood.” Fear showed on Tilley’s face.

Slade tightened his hold on her arm causing her to wince.
“Kate will stay right here with me until I get paid. Don’t try anything crazy, Bob. If I don’t get my money, I’ll ransom her back to her rich grandfather. He’ll probably pay double what you are paying. The only reason I did not return her to her grandfather is because we have done business together in the past and I hope to do so in the future.”

Bob
left the room and returned with a satchel, which he threw to Slade. “Here’s your money.” When Slade moved away from Kate to pick up the satchel, Bob pulled a pistol from behind his back and shot Slade in the chest. Blood poured from the wound, several twitches and he was dead. His lifeless eyes stared straight up at the ceiling. 

Screams echoed off the walls as Tilley darted out
of the room. Rooted in the same spot, unable to move, Kate fought the urge to follow Tilley. It frightened her that Bob Lewis had just committed murder right in front of her. The man must have lost his mind.         

“So
rry you had to see that, Kate. It was him or me. I knew he would kill me since I didn’t have the money to pay him. However, I couldn’t let him leave with you. You are all mine now.” As an afterthought he added, “And no one abuses my fiancé.”             

She tried to compose herself.
She did not want Lewis to know how upset she really was. In a calm and collected voice she stated, “One down, one more to go.”

Bob gently chided, “You
know you don’t mean that, Kate. We are going to be married tomorrow. You wouldn’t do anything to harm your husband now would you? You are much too young to be a widow.”

Anger came immediately to replace her fear. “I hate you, Mr. Lewis!
I wouldn’t spit on you if you were on fire! You have taken me from a happy home. I am engaged to be married to a wonderful, prominent doctor. I found my grandfather and was enjoying my time with him. You have ruined everything for me. I warn you not to turn your back. If I get the chance, I will kill you so I can go back to Richmond to my fiancé, my grandfather and friends.” She replied with such menace in her voice he would be a fool not to take her serious. 

“Maybe a little tim
e alone will change your mind. As soon as I find the corner Tilley is cowering in, I’ll send her to assist you with your bath.”

He wrapped his hand around her wrist and dragged her
to an upstairs room locking her inside. Ear to the door, she listened for his retreating footsteps. She tested the door, found it locked. With her back against the door she studied the room. There was nothing but a bed, a small table, and a rocking chair. Moving to the window, she raised it, leaned over the windowsill, but couldn’t risk jumping from the second floor. It might cause her to lose her baby. She felt so helpless. Determined not to succumb to Bob Lewis, she began looking for something to pick the lock. She had to escape and find her way home. 

****

Half an hour later, Tilley arrived. She was still upset from witnessing a murder because her eyes were as big as saucers. Two huge slaves followed her into the room obediently carrying a sitting tub. They deposited it in the middle of the room and then began bringing in buckets of steaming hot water. She couldn’t wait to take a bath since she flat out refused to bathe with Slade watching her. Grime stuck to her skin making her feel sticky. Her hair was so filthy she wondered if she would ever get it clean. 

When the slaves had accomplished their task
, they left the room locking the door behind them. Now alone with Tilley she felt renewed hope.

Til
ley assisted her undressing. She felt pity for the young slave. It was obvious Lewis had been abusing her.

Too impatient to delay her ch
ance for escape any longer, she pleaded, “If you help me get away, I’ll take you with me. If we can make it back to Richmond, I promise you’ll be well taken care of. My fiancé will make sure Mr. Lewis is put behind bars. He’ll never be able to bother us again.”

Hope glimmered in her eyes. S
he had known nothing but abuse and pain at Bob’s hands. “Master Lewis has promised to kill me if I ever try to leave. Now that you are here he’ll leave me be. I’m tired of what he does to me. It makes me feel so dirty.” She shuddered.

“I don
’t want him to touch me either. I have a fiancé in Richmond. If you help me get back to him, I swear he will protect you from Bob Lewis. He is a doctor and very rich. Please, Tilley help me. He had me kidnapped. I don’t want to marry him. I’m here against my will.”

Tilley replied sadly, “I wa
nt to help you, but I’m afraid. When Master is angry, I’m scared he’ll kill me. He has a terrible temper.”

It almost broke her heart to bring up more pain, but she was desperate. “He was going to let Slade lay with you. How do you know he won’t let another man touch you?”

A catch in her voice, tears swimming in her eyes, she whispered, “I’m afraid.”

Perhaps she needed to have patience.
Maybe if she gave Tilley some time to think about her circumstances, she would help her. Lewis said they would be married tomorrow. Hopefully, he would not touch her tonight.

She considered telling him she was pregnant, but was afraid he would kill her knowing
she carried another man’s baby. She hoped Jacob had figured out where she was and would rescue her soon. If she couldn’t convince Tilley to help her, Jacob would be her only hope. 

She
languished in the tub until the water began to cool. Tilley washed her thick, filthy hair. It was pure heaven. Nimble fingers rubbed the dirt away causing Kate to moan with pleasure. When her hair was clean, she held her head down while Tilley poured a bucket of water rinsing the soap from her hair. “Thank you, I feel almost human again. It’s been so long since I have enjoyed a bath this much. Again, thank you.”

“You’re welcome, ma’am.” She
waited while Kate toweled her skin dry and then wrapped her in a warm blanket. There was a fire in the hearth so Kate moved forward to sit in the rocker, and bask in the warmth. Tilley followed and brushed her hair free of tangles. Her hair had grown quick and seemed even thicker.  

A
lmost asleep in the rocker, she jumped when there was a knock at the door. She automatically cringed. Bob Lewis unlocked the door and entered filling the room with his huge size. The two slaves who had brought in the buckets of water and tub entered behind him and carried away everything. 

“I hop
e you enjoyed your bath. You look absolutely ravishing.” It was all she could do to stand there while his eyes raked over her. Pulling the blanket tightly up to her neck with white-knuckled fingers, she blushed. She pressed her body against the chair as he came closer. He picked up a lock of her hair. “Why did you cut your hair?” When she did not answer, he replied, “It does not matter. It will grow back.” 

It took every ounce of strength Kate possessed not to pull away as Lewis wrapped the lock of hair around his
fat finger. Her hands trembled as she wondered how she would tolerate his touches if she were not rescued in time. “I have been through a terrible ordeal over the past few days, Mr. Lewis. I’m extremely tired and would like to rest. I haven’t had a decent nights sleep since I was kidnapped. We will talk tomorrow, after I have had some sleep.”

“I agree, Kate.
I’m so glad to have you here where you belong.” His fingers grazed her bruised cheek. “I can wait one more night to enjoy your body.” She could scarcely stand his presence or his lewd remarks. “Besides, I want you rested and rejuvenated.” 

He ste
pped to the oak mantel, propped his elbow on the edge, and gazed at her. “The preacher will arrive tomorrow to marry us. If you don’t cooperate, I promise you will be sorry.”

However much she detested him, she was sure there would be unsavory consequences if she told the preacher she was there against her will. Worse he might even kill the preacher. He had already shown he was capable of murder.

“Rest tonight and we will work out the details of the nuptials in the morning during breakfast. Tilley will bring you some clothes in the morning. I feel you might be more apt to stay if you don’t have proper attire for traveling.”