Surrender to the Fury (18 page)

Dear God, he would never forgive himself for taking her virginity and then walking out on her after their one night of incredible rapture. Even though he had looked for her afterward, that thought did little now to comfort him. He had still abandoned her. And once he had found her again at Tall Oaks, he had earned her hatred once again by becoming a threat to her and her son—his son. By God, Brand
was
his son! He felt it in every pore
of his large body. Someday, he vowed, he’d get Aimee to admit it.

“He’s gonna be all right, Captain, my baby is gonna be just fine,” Savannah said when she saw Nick standing beside Brand’s bed. “I just wish I could say de same about Aimee. Dat chile’s in big trouble; I can feel it in dese old bones.”

Nick’s attention sharpened. “What are you saying, Savannah? Do you know something I don’t?”

Savannah shook her head in vigorous denial. “I just know what dese old bones tell me.”

A worried frown furrowed Nick’s brow. “I fear you may be right, Savannah. A woman alone is at the mercy of deserters, raiders, and all kinds of desperate men. Aimee couldn’t have been thinking clearly when she left Tall Oaks.”

“No, sir, she surely wasn’t. Her thinkin’ ain’t been right ever since you showed up at de front door.” She flashed him a baleful look, filled with accusation.

Nick flushed, silently agreeing with Savannah. “I’ll find her, Savannah. Now that I know that Brand isn’t seriously ill, I can leave immediately. Will you be able to care for him if I leave?”

“Don’t you worry none about Brand; he’ll be just fine. It’s Aimee I’m worried about. I been tending her since she was a babe; she’s all I got left in de world.”

“I’ll find her, Savannah,” Nick said with conviction.

Turning on his heel, he left the room. He spent the rest of the day issuing instructions to Lieutenant Dill, then caught a few hours of much-needed sleep before leaving Tall Oaks at dawn the next morning. Since every man was needed to make up
the patrols that probed deep into Reb territory, Nick chose to travel alone. He had no idea how close to Reb lines Aimee had traveled, and he thought it best not to endanger the lives of his men on a mission that was important only to him. Although he did promise the colonel he’d keep Aimee safely incarcerated, his primary reason for finding her had to do more with her safety than with the colonel’s wishes. He couldn’t bear it if anything happened to her.

Nick cursed the rain that had turned the road into a quagmire. Though it had stopped raining and the sun was shining brightly once again, thick mud and deep ruts hindered his progress. He thought of Aimee trudging through the mud without benefit of a horse, and he spurred his mount to greater speed. Thus far he had seen nothing to indicate that Aimee had traveled along this road. He considered the notion that she might have taken to the woods, but decided to follow the road until he neared Reb territory. Since he had been on patrols over this very same ground recently, he knew from experience just where those lines lay.

Around noon he met a Union patrol. He recognized the captain in charge immediately, and they greeted each other warmly. “Bruce Birch, what are you doing out here so close to Reb lines? I thought you were with General Sherman.”

“Good to see you, Nick,” Birch returned. “I’ve recently been reassigned. My duty now is to bring in Reb deserters. They’ve been plaguing the farmers hereabouts with their unprovoked raids and killings. Less than a week ago two deserters killed a farmer and raped his wife while their two small
children looked on. I want those men, Nick, I want them bad.”

“Have you been in the area long?” Nick asked.

“Several days,” Birch allowed. “And we’re not leaving until those men are caught.”

“Have you seen a woman in the vicinity?” Nick asked hopefully. “A beautiful young woman with blond hair and soft light brown eyes?”

Birch rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I can’t be sure it’s the same woman you’re looking for, but I did see a woman yesterday. Only she wasn’t alone. She had a servant and a sick child with her. Going to the doctor, she said. What’s she done?”

“She’s been in my custody for several weeks,” Nick said, carefully refraining from mentioning the fact that Aimee was a spy. “She left without my permission, and I’m anxious to find her. She sent her sick child and servant back to Tall Oaks, where I’m quartered, and went on alone.”

“Alone?” Birch repeated, shaking his head in obvious disapproval. “That was a foolish move on her part. There are dangerous men loose in the area.”

“I’ve got to find her, Bruce, before harm comes to her. Are you certain there are deserters in the area?”

Birch nodded. “We caught a glimpse of them yesterday, but they slipped away from us in the woods. I was just about to order the patrol into the woods again when I spied you.”

A sudden premonition seized Nick. “Do you mind if I join you?”

“Not at all.” Birch gave the order, and the patrol melted into the covering of thick trees. Birch and Nick rode side by side. “What’s this woman to
you, Nick? I heard you were engaged to General Blakewell’s daughter.”

“It’s a long story, Bruce. Suffice it to say that Aimee and I have a rather complicated relationship. As for Regina Blakewell, I rather doubt we would suit one another.”

“So that’s the way it is,” Bruce said astutely. “Your Aimee must be some woman to make you give up the daughter of a general. I assume she’s a southerner.”

“Remind me to tell you the whole story after the war,” Nick said, unwilling to talk about Aimee while his feelings for her were still so raw. “All I want to do right now is find her.”

Aimee awoke with a sense of being slowly suffocated. She could see light ahead of her, and with a jolt of panic recalled that she had wedged herself into a fallen log to escape Cullen and Rolly the night before. Slowly inching forward toward the light, she stuck her head out of the log and peered cautiously in all directions. No one was in sight, so she emerged, attempting to get her bearings as she stood on wobbly legs.

Frowning in consternation, Aimee tried to recall in which direction Confederate lines lay. Deciding she was hopelessly lost, she resolutely trudged forward, keeping a sharp eye out for Cullen and Rolly. Having spent a miserable night in a hollow log, she had no intention of being caught again. Unfortunately, fate willed otherwise. She was still trying to find her way out of the woods when she was caught by the hair and tugged backward.

“Gotcha!” Cullen crowed, bringing Aimee to an abrupt halt.

Aimee screeched in pain, only to be silenced by Rolly’s grubby hand across her mouth. “Shut up, bitch! Do ya want the Yanks breathin’ down out necks?”

At that particular moment, Aimee would have welcomed Yankee soldiers.

“Move,” Rolly ordered, pushing her before him. “Did ya think ya could escape us?” Since it was full daylight, Aimee was able to get a good look at her captors.

Rolly, the younger man, was tall and lanky. He looked mean, with shifty eyes the color of slate. A blue-black stubble covered his chin; his hair clung to his neck in dirty strands, and his clothes were a ragged combination of gray and tan. Cullen looked to be about ten years older than his companion, yet obviously under the control of the younger man. Of medium height, Cullen was thin as a rail and wiry. His graying hair stood nearly straight up on his head, and he wore a scruffy beard. His clothing was as tattered as Rolly’s, and his worn boots were held together with strips of cloth.

Aimee’s mouth went dry. Somehow she had to persuade these despicable men to let her go. “Please don’t hurt me. Where is your conscience? I’m a Rebel the same as you. My husband died for the cause.”

Placing his filthy hand on her back, Rolly shoved her forward. “Shut up. Ya ain’t goin’ nowheres. Cullen and me are randy as goats. We had all night to think about ya.”

“You both smell like goats!” Aimee shouted back. She wasn’t going to make raping her easy.
“You’re a disgrace to the good citizens of the South.”

Aimee stumbled through the woods, prodded ruthlessly by Rolly, until her legs felt like wooden poles. When they entered a small clearing, Rolly called a halt. “This should be far enough.” He flung Aimee to the ground, knocking the breath from her lungs.

“Go ahead, Cullen,” Rolly sneered, sending Aimee a baleful glare, “stick it in her. Ya might have ta slap her around some, but don’t take too long, I’m fair ta burstin’ myself.”

“Bastards!” Aimee gritted from between clenched teeth.

“Who ya callin’ bastard?” Rolly growled. Deliberately he bent, flipped her dress up, and ran his hand down her thigh. “Did ya ever see such purty white skin, Cullen?”

Saliva dripped down from one corner of Cullen’s gaping mouth. He swallowed several times before he was able to speak. “Never in my borned days.” He rubbed his crotch, staring at Aimee.

“Are ya gonna do it or are ya gonna stand there starin’?” Rolly asked disgustedly.

Cullen crouched beside Aimee, shoving her legs apart as he fumbled with the fastening on his trousers. Aimee managed one shriek before Cullen clapped a hand over her mouth.

“Do you hear that?” Nick halted beneath a large maple tree, instantly alert.

“Sounded like an animal,” Birch said.

“Or a woman,” Nick argued.

“By God, do you suppose …”

Nick didn’t wait around for Birch’s answer as he
spurred his mount. Scout leaped forward, attuned to his master’s slightest command. Intuition told Nick that Aimee was nearby, and that she needed him. Keen instinct pointed him in the direction of the sound. But the going was slow, too slow to suit Nick. The forest was thick and dense. Finally, in desperation, he dismounted, tethered Scout to a nearby bush, and continued on foot. Birch was close behind him. They burst into a small clearing to a scene straight from hell.

Cullen had managed to pull down his trousers but was having difficulty holding Aimee. She was fighting furiously. Rolly hovered over them, laughing at Cullen’s efforts to tame her. Seeing Cullen’s thick, dirty fingers touching Aimee’s tender flesh made Nick wild with rage. He let out a trumpeting roar and lunged forward. Rolly reacted instantly, but Cullen was too consumed with lust even to notice.

Gathering his wits, Nick flew into action. He leaped at Cullen, knocking him aside. His eyes wide with shock, Cullen went sailing off Aimee. She sat up immediately, pulling down her dress.

“What the hell!” said Rolly, who reacted by drawing his gun from his holster and aiming at Nick. Suddenly Birch burst into the clearing, drew his weapon, and fired at Rolly. The gun flew out of Rolly’s hand, the impact of the bullet shattering his wrist. Birch hadn’t intended to kill the traitor; he wanted him to hang for his crimes.

Cullen merely sat on the ground, his pants still down, staring at Nick in confusion. But Nick had no time for Cullen; he went straight to Aimee and helped her to her feet. She was sobbing—her body shaking—and her eyes were squeezed tightly shut.
Nick uttered a violent curse when he saw the scratches on her arms and face. By now Birch’s men, having heard the shot, were emerging from the woods into the clearing, taking charge of the deserters. Nick noticed none of it.

“It’s all right, Aimee, they can’t hurt you anymore,” Nick crooned as he cradled Aimee in his arms. “Shhh, sweetheart, don’t cry, you’re safe now.”

The intimate scene drew the attention of more than one man, and Birch immediately ordered his patrol back to the road with their prisoners. Reluctantly they melted away, leaving Birch, Nick, and Aimee behind in the clearing.

“Is she all right?” Birch asked. His voice was filled with concern for the beautiful woman Nick held so tenderly in his arms.

“I think so.” Actually, Nick wasn’t so sure Aimee hadn’t already been ravished. He had no idea how long she had been held by the deserters or what they had done to her while she was in their custody. But he did know she was in no condition right now for further questions. Besides, he didn’t want to embarrass her in front of Birch.

“Will you be all right if I leave you now? I want to get those bastards back to headquarters as soon as possible.”

“We’ll be fine,” Nick assured him. “I’ll be taking Aimee back to her son at Tall Oaks as soon as she’s able to travel.”

Birch nodded, aware that Nick was perfectly capable of protecting himself and Aimee if the need arose. “I’ll be off then. Look me up after the war, Nick, if I don’t see you sooner.” He turned, walking
back through the woods to where he had tethered his mount.

Through all this, Aimee had kept her face carefully hidden against Nick’s shoulder, sobbing softly. She knew what the Yankee patrol had seen and was consumed with shame. She hated appearing weak and vulnerable before Yankees, but she was grateful they had arrived when they did.

“Aimee, look at me,” Nick ordered softly. She shook her head. “Please, sweetheart, I have to know how badly they hurt you. Should I take you to a doctor? There’s one at headquarters.”

Aimee found her voice. “No! No doctor, I’m fine.”

Nick looked skeptical. “Are you certain? Did—did either one of the deserters rape you?”

She shook her head in vigorous denial, but still he didn’t believe her. Gently he raised her chin, looking deeply into her soft amber eyes. A flicker of raw emotion was clearly visible in Nick’s expression as he searched her face. “It’s all right, Aimee, you can tell me the truth.”

“First tell me about Brand,” Aimee asked anxiously. “Is he well? Did Savannah get him back to Tall Oaks in time? Please, Nick, don’t keep me in suspense.”

“Brand is fine, Aimee, truly. I stayed with him until I was certain he was going to recover. He has measles. Savannah is caring for him.”

Aimee seemed to collapse inwardly and she sobbed in relief. “I was so frightened for him.” She dropped her face in her hands, then gazed back up at Nick, tears streaming from her eyes. She was crying in relief for Brand and for being saved by Nick. Also, the aching pain of hating Nick all these
years had nearly torn her apart. Did she still hate him? she wondered curiously. For years she’d fed off that hatred, nurtured it. Dear God! A flash of insight into the complicated workings of her heart nearly undid her. No! It couldn’t be love … it wasn’t possible! She wouldn’t allow that to happen.