by Becky Lower
Sophie’s wild eyes slid from Simon to Grace and back again. “You told me you were in the import/export business when we met.”
“And you didn’t bother to investigate, did you? You were so grateful a man would find you desirable. And I have found you desirable, haven’t I?” He again kissed her and ran his hands over her breasts.
Grace fought against the ropes that bound her to the bed.
“You can’t return here every day without someone noticing. The entire wedding party is probably searching for us right this minute.”
“There will be no need for me to be here every day. I’ve brought in provisions, and water, for you. Enough to last the week or more. I’ll place it within reach of you. And I’ll return next Sunday to pick you up. So sorry there will be no birthday party for you this year, Grace.”
Grace stared at him. The man had tipped over the edge into insanity, most definitely. “How are we supposed to eat if our hands are tied to the bedpost?”
Simon’s eyes sparkled in mad excitement. “You have mouths. And feet. You’ll figure it out once you become desperate enough. Oh, to be here and see the mighty Grace Wagner lower herself to bite into a side of beef using only her teeth.” He laughed again.
“Now, ladies, I must bid you adieu. Until next week … ” He tipped his hat in a grand show of formality, brandished his gun in their faces one more time, and slammed the door behind him.
• • •
Halwyn raced outside the church, along with several others. Alistair leapt off his sweating horse, an indication of how hard he had pushed the beast.
“Someone get Dr. Alexander and escort him to the Fitzpatrick home immediately. Robert’s been shot in the leg and Parr is taking him to the house.”
It took several seconds for Alistair’s words to register. Halwyn spoke first. “Robert’s been shot?”
“Yes, he’s lost a lot of blood, and the carriage has disappeared, along with Grace and Mrs. Huffman.” Alistair stared at Halwyn. “And Simon.”
A chill veered down Halwyn’s spine. His bride had been kidnapped! Never in his wildest dreams had he pictured this scenario.
“Could Robert tell you anything about what happened?”
“No, he’s unconscious. We applied a tourniquet, and did what we could for the man, but Parr had to drape him over his horse to get him back to the house.”
Halwyn shook his head. “Simon could not have gone far. We’ll mount a search party and go back to the site of the abduction.”
The doctor was quickly placed into a waiting carriage and sent back to the Fitzpatrick estate to tend to Robert. Since most of the guests had traveled to the church by carriage, there was the need to return first to the Fitzpatrick home and tack up horses to ride out. A precious hour was lost before the small scouting party returned to the scene of the abduction. The group followed the carriage wheel tracks, which quickly disappeared into the undergrowth.
Halwyn and his father led the others into the forest. “Where could he have gone? Why would Simon not have taken a real road instead of trying to move through the forest?”
George Fitzpatrick replied. “My guess is he would be too exposed on an open road, especially once we discovered what he had done. But why the woods?”
The group trekked on through the underbrush, which tangled their horses’ legs and made for slow going. A few of the men splintered off and followed another trail into the next town. Within a few hours, the men returned, reporting their findings. A carriage resembling the one the Huffmans had been in was found. It had been rolled over a ledge and horses and the carriage plunged to the bottom. The horses were dead, the carriage in splinters, but a closer examination revealed no one inside.
Halwyn released the breath he’d been holding. At least Grace hadn’t fallen to her death. There was still a chance she was alive. But where could Simon have taken her?
George caught up with Halwyn. He suddenly smacked his thigh as a thought came to him. “I know where she is!”
Halwyn’s gaze was riveted to his father’s face. “Where, in God’s name?”
“Remember when Ginger fell from her horse while on her way to Hempstead to watch Joseph win the horse race a few years back? When he found her in the woods, Joseph took her to a small cabin belonging to the Currans, to get her out of the rain. Basil found her the next morning as Ginger was walking back to the Currans. It must be close by.”
“Yes, of course, that makes sense. Can someone go fetch Mr. Curran so he can help us locate the cabin?”
Charles Gray rode up alongside the pair. “I’ll go, and gladly. Mrs. Curran is ill, which is why they weren’t at church today, but Nathaniel will join us now. I only hope it will be in time. Simon Huffman is a man over the edge.”
He rode off at a gallop to the Curran estate. Halwyn followed his flight for a moment before turning back to the woods. Fear formed a lump in his throat, making it hard for him to swallow. Charles’ words echoed his own sentiments. He hoped the rescue party would be in time to actually rescue his bride.
• • •
Grace’s mother was quietly crying as her husband took his leave. Mewling, as if she was a stray kitten. Grace breathed a sigh of relief and immediately began pulling again on the ropes that bound her hands to the bed. The bindings were tight, but if she could exert enough force to break the bed, possibly she could slide the ropes free from the headboard.
“Come on, Mother. Pull with me. We have no idea how long Simon will actually leave us alone, so we must act quickly.” Grace yanked again for emphasis.
“He said one week, and I have no doubt he will stay away for at least seven days. And by then, we’ll both be dead. Oh, I’ve really made a mess of things … ”
“Yes, you have, and I’m grateful you now see the danger you’ve put us in. But crying won’t help. We are on our own, and I need you to work with me.”
They pulled on the ropes and the bed for an hour or more, until they both fell back on the bed in exhaustion, their wrists bleeding from the constant chafing of the rough rope. Grace glanced out the window and registered the long shadows made by the trees. It was getting late and Simon hadn’t returned. Perhaps he would not come back for the next week, as he promised. So much the better. At least with him not brandishing his gun around her face, she could concentrate on getting free. Grace was determined not to give in to Simon. She may have missed her wedding day, but she was not going to miss her life.
She would not cry anymore, either, although she nearly did when she glanced at her wedding gown and mentally compared it to the pretty picture she had of herself right after Jasmine finished adjusting her dress earlier in the day. Had it only been that morning? Her gown was soiled now, and the hem was bloody.
“I hope someone found the poor man Simon shot before he bled out completely. I’d hate to think of an innocent man dying because of your deranged husband. It was bad enough to almost kill Halwyn. If Simon killed the driver, I’ll never forgive myself.”
She turned to her mother in the gloom of the cabin. Her mother had fallen into a light sleep. She turned her gaze to the window again. They had exhausted themselves, trying to break the bed, to no avail, so she didn’t blame her mother for wanting to sleep. With sleep came freedom, at least for a while. And she was tired of blaming her mother for how their life had gone so horribly wrong after her father died. It was time to forgive and move on. She and her mother would buy a small house once she managed to get them out of here and Simon was placed in jail. Then they’d live a peaceful, quiet existence and never have to worry about anything ever again.
She thought of Halwyn, waiting for her at the church this morning. What must he have thought when she never arrived? Dear Halwyn, this is just one more injustice I’ve burdened you with. There was no greater embarrassment than being left at the altar. Her adoration for him had grown even greater over the past several months, and she’d spend the rest of her life trying to pay him back for his willingness to help her in her time of need
.
Grace grew even angrier when she thought about what might have happened to Halwyn, all because of her. What kind of idiocy has she been thinking when she came up with this scheme to thwart Simon’s attempts to take over the trust? No amount of money was worth a human life. If she got out of this situation, she’d release Halwyn from his word. It was the right thing to do.
Not “if.” She would not let Simon win this last battle. If his plan was to keep her here, locked away until after her twenty-first birthday, she had a week to figure out a way to get free. So it was not “if.” It was “when.” She’d let her mother sleep for a while longer before she began on the ropes again. But she would be free of this place by the time Simon returned.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Nearly six hours had passed since Grace and Sophie went missing. Halwyn ran his hand through his hair, as he followed Nathaniel Curran through the growing darkness, frustrated by the slow pace. He realized that, for the safety of the horses and the men, it was essential to go slowly into the woods, but his nerves had been on edge since morning. Now his nervous system was clanging, and with every step, he could hear voices in his head, screaming at him to hurry.
Everyone was counting on Grace and her mother being in the cabin. What if they were somewhere else? Then this entire day would have been wasted. What if they were at the cabin, but Simon was there too, with a loaded gun, ready to pick each man off as the group approached the small dwelling? He’d shot Robert. He’d shoot again. They’d have to dismount once they got close enough and try to catch Simon unaware. It was not a good situation, any way you imagined the outcome. But Halwyn wanted to get there, and get it over with. One way or the other.
George rode up alongside Halwyn. “Maybe it would be best to wait until morning. It’s even darker here in the woods than out in the open.”
“No, I can’t wait, Father. I’m a wreck now, and I won’t sleep until this gets resolved. Besides, darkness might work best for us if Simon is in there with the ladies.”
The pair rode in silence for a few minutes. “You love her, don’t you, son?” George finally said.
“Yes, Father, I do. And I hope it’s not too late to tell her of my feelings. We may have begun this relationship as a marriage of convenience for her, but somewhere along the way, I began to develop true feelings for her. I don’t think she returns my ardor, but I must tell her anyway.”
Despite their dire mission, George smiled. “Any fool can tell what her feelings for you are. And have been, since she was but a young lady. And you’re no fool, Halwyn.”
“Lord, I hope you’re right. And I hope we find her unscathed soon.”
Nathaniel joined the pair of men. “We need to dismount. The cabin is just ahead, about five hundred feet away. There’s only one entrance, and if Simon’s there, the first man inside will be a sitting duck. How shall we handle this?”
Halwyn slid off his horse. “I’ll go in first.”
George Fitzpatrick took hold of Halwyn’s arm. “Are you certain? Maybe there’s another way.”
A small band of men surrounded the trio, each whispering their ideas on how best to approach the situation. After a few minutes’ discussion, the group decided that the most effective method was to sneak up on the cabin and barge in, with Halwyn leading the way. Charles Gray pressed a small revolver into Halwyn’s hand.
“You may need this.”
Halwyn placed the gun in his waistband. “Thank you, Charles. Let’s go.”
The band of men tied their horses out of view of the cabin, and began to walk forward in a line, one after the other. No one made a sound. Nathaniel led the way until the cabin came into view. Halwyn then stepped to the front of the line. This was it. He only hoped he was in time. His entire future was riding on it.
Halwyn crouched low as he silently led the group past the only window in the front side of the cabin. Just a few more feet to the door. When he cleared the window, he stood to full height, removed the gun from his waistband, and kicked the door in. The women inside screamed in fright.
A shaft of fading sun lit the room from the open doorway, but all else was in shadow. Halwyn’s eyes darted around the room, his gun at the ready, as the other men entered. Simon wasn’t to be found.
“Grace!” Halwyn rushed to her side and noticed the ropes around her wrists, which were lashed to the bedpost. “Are you injured?” He began to untie the restraints. Some of the other men began to do the same with Sophie.
“No, we’re fine. Simon brought us here at gunpoint, and tied us to the bed. But he didn’t harm us.”
Halwyn quickly freed his bride. “You have rope burns on your wrists, Grace.” He leaned over and placed a kiss on her wounds.
She stared at her arms. “I thought if we could break the bed, we could get free. Otherwise, Simon was planning to keep us here for a week, until after my birthday.”
Halwyn helped her up from the bed, and wrapped his arms around her. “You’re safe now.” She fell into his embrace, her body trembling.
“Is the driver of our carriage dead?” Grace’s voice wavered as she gazed into Halwyn’s eyes.
“No, Robert has been taken to the estate, and Dr. Alexander is tending to him. He’s lost a lot of blood, but he will live.”
“And what of Simon?”
“We found the carriage, which had been run off a ledge. The carriage was smashed to a pile of rubble and the horses are dead. But there was no sign of Simon. He’s on the loose, but not for long.”
Grace rested her head on Halwyn’s shoulder for a long moment before she stood up straight and took a deep breath. She removed her hand from his grasp.
“I’ve caused enough damage with this scheme of mine. It’s over.”
Halwyn stood alongside her. The other men in the group moved to the side of the cabin with Sophie, allowing Grace and Halwyn to speak quietly.
“What do you mean, it’s over? You still need protection from Simon.”
“No, Halwyn, I don’t. He will go to jail for what he’s done; to Robert, to you, and to Mother and me. Mother has agreed to obtain a divorce from him, so our money will be safe now. When I take stock of all that’s happened since I came to you with my plan, chills run down my spine. You could have been killed; Robert almost was. Mother and I were put in harm’s way … ”
Halwyn attempted to put his arms around her again, but she shrugged him off.
“There’s no longer a need for us to marry.” She turned away with a sob.
He addressed the small group huddled in the corner. “Gentlemen, Mrs. Huffman, could I impose on you to move to the porch and allow Grace and me a bit of privacy for a few minutes?”
“Don’t be long, Halwyn,” George Fitzpatrick cautioned. “It’s almost nightfall, and we still need to find our way out of the woods.”
“We just need a moment, Father.”
When the room finally cleared of people, Halwyn glanced at Grace. She was still trembling, but her back was straight and she returned his gaze steadily.
“There may no longer be the original urgency to marry in order to thwart Simon’s plans, but we do still need to marry, Grace.”
“Why?”
“Do you really need to ask?”
Her eyes filled with tears for the first time since he found her, and she turned away. “Enough, Halwyn. You’re such a fine gentleman, and I appreciate everything you’ve done to help me. You risked your life for me, and I’ll not soon forget it. But I repaid you with deception, and made you think we were an actual couple, and I will never forgive myself.”
“So, that’s it? You want to call off the wedding?”
“It was never going to be a real wedding anyway, Halwyn.”
He sighed, sensing defeat. “But it could have been.”
“No, it was always, for you at least, a marriage of convenience. And for me, it was about saving Father’s money from falling into Simon’s hands. This sham of an engagement has to end.”
“I couldn’t agree w
ith you more.”
Grace turned to face him again. “Good.” She wiped the tears from her eyes. “I’ll never forget your kindness.”
“I should hope not, since I plan to be around every day to remind you.”
Grace’s head snapped up. “What do you mean? I just called an end to the engagement. You’re a free man again. The only thing worse than living a life of poverty is being married to someone who doesn’t return your love.”
“You called an end to the sham of an engagement. I agree the sham should end. But why do you think the love is one-sided? If it is, you’re the one who doesn’t reciprocate. I love you, Grace. I may have been slow to come to the realization, but it’s true. I was beginning to fall in love with you before the accident, which is why I didn’t question you taking care of me. It was natural, and right. Then, when my memory returned, I realized Mother’s plan had worked. What would normally, for me, have taken a year or more, sped up. I love you, Grace, and desperately want to turn the blasted game room in our house back into a nursery, which it should have been all along.”
“You do?” Grace giggled, as new tears filled her eyes.
“Yes, Grace, and I want to marry you. Right here and right now. It’s still our wedding day, and the preacher’s just outside. Shall we?”
She put a hand to her hair. “But my hair’s a mess, and I have rope burns on my wrists. My beautiful wedding gown has blood on it, and it’s dirty … ”
“And despite all, you still take my breath away. I’m dirty and sweaty, too. I’d say we’re a fine match for one another. How about it?”
Grace’s smile lit the darkening room and she wrapped her arms around him. “Yes, Halwyn, let’s get married.”
