by Unknown
"You need something strong to drink, both of you. Sit down and tell me what has happened."
Amiee poured two liberal glasses of brandy and handed one to each man. "Now . . .?"
"Charles Brentwood has kidnapped Charity," Noah said abruptly; "at least we think it was him."
"Where has he taken her?"
"We don't know," Jason said quickly. "Amiee, we need your help, and maybe the help of everyone else in the Round."
"I've got to find her . . . I've got to," Noah groaned. "I threatened him, and he'll make Charity pay for every word. I've got to find her."
"The police" Amiee began, but she could not bear the look in Noah's eyes, for she realized that by the time the police found Charity, it might be too late.
What happened next would not only stun Noah, but would bring home to him the reality that Charity had made the finest friends a person could have, and wealth and position had nothing to do with it.
Amiee led them down to the center court of the Round. Noah stood in wonder as she called around her the most motley crew of misfits he had ever seen. Among them were Tiny, Minnow, and Piper. The crowd was large, and Amiee stood on a box to talk to them all. Noah watched as they silently stood and listened, their faces intent. One of their own was in need.
''Charity has been grabbed by a gent who doesn't mean to let her go. We all know how this works, don't we? Pretty girls are a market product, and they get stolen every day. They're somewhere in this city, and the police will never find them. This is her husband and he's going to give a big reward to the one who finds her." She turned to Noah, who nodded.
"I will let you name your own reward, for there isn't anything I wouldn't gladly give to get Charity back. This man means to take his hatred out on her," Noah said.
"Tiny, you take Marcus and go down to the docks. See if a ship is going to leave anytime soon."
Tiny nodded and left without a word. He looked quite prepared to do Charles a great deal of harm should he run across him.
"The rest of you spread the word. I want everyone out on the street. I want this town covered . . . I don't want a mouse to slip through, and I don't want a rat to get away."
There was a roar of encouraging laughter, and the crowd dispersed in seconds.
"Amiee . . . do you think they can find any trace of her?" Noah asked.
She smiled. "You can put your fortune on this. There is nothing going on in this city that these people don't know about, and no one they can't find. Charles Brentwood has just bitten off more than he can chew. Relax, Noah, because all we can do now . . . is wait."
They swarmed over the city like a horde of locusts, into places the police had never heard about. Gamine
children skittered here and there like inquisitive mice. Word fled ahead of them like a forest fire, alerting everyone and sending out the message that one of their own was in trouble.
Within the Round Noah waited. Minnow had not left his side, and neither had Jason. Amiee had gone to listen to reports that were brought back and to give any orders necessary. Time, to Noah, seemed to move at a snail's pace. He found it difficult to do nothing while others made the search, but Amiee assured him he would be even less effective than the police.
It was now nearing sunset, and Noah began to have nightmares about the night . . . Charity . . . and Charles. Then the door opened and Amiee entered.
Charity paced the room as her nerves grew more and more tense. She could not find the answer to this. Surely whoever had kidnapped her would know that Noah and all the force he could muster would be looking for her.
When she finally heard a sound at the door, she turned expectantly, and her mouth opened in surprise as Charles Brentwood entered, closed the door behind him, and turned the key in the lock. He smiled at her as he put the key in his pocket.
"Hello, Charity. How nice to see you again."
"What do you think you're doing? This is kidnapping."
"Charity, Charity," Charles said in a chiding voice. "There is no one who has any idea where you are, and I am asking no ransom."
"What do you want?"
"To share the last hours you will spend in London with you," he said mildly.
"Last"
"Oh, yes. You're going to go on a journey. In fact, the ship will be ready to leave these shores around midnight. Until then"his smile was now deadly, and she did not mistake the look of lust in his eyes"I will find something for us to do while we wait . . . something entertaining."
"You're mad."
"No, Charity," Charles laughed, "I am not mad. I am just going to finish a business transaction, and wipe you from my life. I will make quite a profit as well. Shall I tell you where you are bound?" She turned her back to him as if to push him from her sight. She gasped as he gripped her arm and spun her about to face him. "Look at me. I want you to have a lot of time to think of me and regret what you have done.
"You will be sold to a man who will take you to his home. There you will be part of his harem, subject to his desires whenever he chooses. And I must tell you, he is not the gentlest of men."
Charity had never been so frightened, nor so determined, in her life. She would not grovel or beg this man.
"How brave you are. Your ship leaves at midnight, as I have said. Until then . . . you and I will finish what was started. I intend to enjoy your last night here . . . very much." He started toward her, and Charity backed away from him.
There was to be more of a battle than Charles had
counted on, but there could be only one end to it and they both knew it. Charles was bigger and stronger . . . and he seemed to be enjoying the hunt.
"You can scream all you like," he said softly. "There's no one around that will come to a woman's scream, or anyone's scream, for that matter. This isn't the neighborhood for it."
"Charles, let me go."
"No, I think not," he said. He reached out, grasped the neckline of her dress, and jerked it fiercely until the sound of ripping cloth filled the room. With the same force he threw her on the bed. If he expected her to cower and beg, he had expected too much. She came up from the bed like a wildcat, and for a minute it was Charles who was fighting her off.
He did not realize that Charity was plying her trade again, for the key left Charles's pocket without his feeling a thing. He backed away from her, and Charity sought a weapon . . . anything.
"You are a fool to prolong this. It would be better for you to just surrender," Charles panted.
"I would rather give myself to a poxy sailor than you, you pig!"
His anger at her had been subdued for so long that he lost control of it now. He started for her again. With no weapon handy, Charity bent and removed her shoe. By the time his hand was on her, she brought the shoe down on his head with all the force of her anger and fear. The blow was hard enough to make him stagger. She took that time to turn the key in the lock and swing the door open.
The fact that she had again picked his pocket was
infuriating, and the fact that she had fought him so handily was even more so . . . but what stopped him in his tracks was that Charity stood framed in the doorway and did not move. He felt the last challenge to his will and came at her, roaring.
He had only taken two or three steps when she turned to face him as if she had changed her mind. He paused to gloat over his success, and Charity stepped aside to allow Noah Morgan into the room.
The two men looked at each other, and Charles knew he looked into the face of death. Charity was about to intervene. It would not be right for Lord Noah Morgan to commit murder. But a huge hand reached from the darkness and drew her away.
"Minnow, let me go"
"No, let him handle this." Minnow's voice was deep and very calm.
"But he might kill him!"
"No, I do not think he will. He is a very smart man. But Charles Brentwood will wish many times that he had," Minnow replied. He reached past Charity and brought the door closed. Charity looked up at him, then accepted what
she could no longer prevent.
Within the room there was a long silence while Charles digested the fact that his plans were destroyed.
"How did you find us?"
"Charity has more friends than you could possibly imagine. The people you drove her to have ways of sniffing out the worst scents, and you reek of rottenness."
"You can prove nothing, and it will ruin your wife if I were to testify in court."
"Most likely . . . if you were to testify, but I don't think you will be able to."
"You cannot kill me."
"No, I won't do that," Noah replied as a smile played on his lips. He drew off his gloves slowly. "But when I am finished with you, you're the one who will be taking a trip, and I think it will be a long, long time before you return to this city."
Charles backed away from the look in Noah's eyes, but there was no place to go. Noah struck and struck again . . . and again. Methodically he beat Charles until he was a groaning mass of bloody and battered flesh. When he left him crumpled on the floor, he opened the door and faced Minnow and Charity, who ran to his arms.
While Noah embraced her, he looked at Minnow, who moved past them and dragged Charles out.
"Where is Minnow taking him?"
"To his ship," Noah smiled. "It has been prescribed by his physican that he take a long sea voyage . . . for his health. Charity . . . are you all right?"
"I am now," she replied and could say no more, for Noah's lips were already claiming hers.
Epilogue
Noah watched Charity descend the stairs slowly, like a goddess descending to earth. They had decided to celebrate their second wedding anniversary by having a masked ball.
It had been Noah's idea and Charity quickly agreed. She knew that it held as many memories for her as it did for him. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, he came to her and took her hand. Both wore the same costumes they had worn that fateful night long ago when they had first met. With the exception of the exquisite diamond necklace that graced Charity's throat. It had been a gift at the birth of their son six months before.
"Ah, Aphrodite, you grow more beautiful every day."
"And you, Highwayman, grow more forward. What
would the ladies in your life say if they knew we were meeting like this?"
"There is only one lady in my life, and I will steal a kiss to prove it."
"You are a thief of hearts, I see."
"Can I steal your heart, Aphrodite?"
"Alas, I have given my heart away, and can no longer be free to gamble with highwaymen. I have a very jealous husband."
"And a very lucky one." Noah put his arm about her and drew her close. "And how is our little one tonight?"
"He's sleeping peacefully. Elizabeth is still hovering over him hoping he will wake up."
"Actually she is praying for him to grow up fast so she can teach him some of her tricks."
"And she is just the one to do it. I still believe her greatest goal is to be more like her uncle every day."
"You have tamed this highwayman, my sweet. There is noplace I would rather be than at your side."
"Noah, are you really as happy as I am?"
"I am happier now than I have ever been in my life. I am so glad you walked into my life, Charity. It would be desolate without you."
"It is still hard to believe that a girl from the streets, who picked pockets for her food, was lucky enough to find someone like you."
"I have figured that out."
"You have?"
"Yes. The fates found me floundering about, growing more miserably lonely by the day, and took pity on me. Their conversation must have gone something
like this. 'Let us offer this mortal the most beautiful and most compassionate of our creatures. Someone who can fill his days with the pleasure and joy he has sought all these years. Let us give him love, for he does not know what love tastes like. Let us give him hope, and peace, for he has known none. Let us give him passion, for he has not known the truth of it. Let us give him Charity.' Because of their gift, I have learned gratitude as well."
"Oh, Noah, I love you so much," Charity said as she returned his embrace and raised her lips to accept his kiss.
"I think it's time we go and join the others for this celebration. We must get in the habit of enjoying anniversaries, for I plan to have a great many of them."
Charity laughed as she tucked her hand under his arm and they walked together to share their vital and promising love with those who made up their lives. The future had become Charity's dream, and she meant to hold on to it forever.
