Captive Pride

by Bobbi Smith

  As the door opened, he looked up eagerly. “Faith…”

  Faith felt her cheeks pinken as she met his avid regard. How handsome he was! She thought him even more so today, if that was possible. “Matthew, I’m so glad you’re here. Please, come in.”

  Matt wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms and kiss her, but he knew it was not the time or the place, for her mother was undoubtedly just inside. Instead he allowed his hungry gaze to feast upon Faith’s delicate beauty, taking in her slim yet womanly curves beneath the worn, but attractive, deep green day gown. No woman clad in the richest of silks and satins and bedecked in the most exquisite of expensive jewels had ever looked more lovely to him. She was the woman of his dreams, the woman he wanted above all others. He stepped indoors and was forced to turn his full attention to the lovely older woman and the tall, burly man standing in the door to the parlor.

  “Hello.” He smiled as he moved to meet them.

  “Lord Matthew Kincade, this is my mother, Ruth, and Ben Hardwick, an old family friend. Mother, Ben, this is Matthew.” Faith made the introductions quickly after closing the front door behind Matt.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lord Kincade,” Ruth began, but Matt quickly interrupted her.

  “Please, Mrs. Hammond, I’d appreciate it if you’d call me Matthew.” He bent over her hand in a courtly fashion as he flashed her his most engaging smile.

  “Matthew…” Ruth was won over in that moment, and she returned his smile. No wonder her daughter had thought Matthew Kincade so wonderful; he was. His dress was exemplary, his style quiet, yet manly. It would be a hard-hearted woman who could resist his charming ways.

  “Mr. Hardwick.” Matt turned to shake Ben’s hand, meeting his penetrating gaze squarely, with no reluctance. “I’d be pleased if you’d call me Matthew, too.”

  “And I’m Ben,” Ben replied, feeling that possibly Faith just might have been right in her estimation of this man. He certainly was unlike any nobleman he’d ever encountered.

  Matt glanced from Faith to her mother and knew that there could be no doubt as to her parentage. Both women were petite and delicately beautiful, with the same striking raven hair. Ruth had drawn hers back into a sedate bun, but not Faith. She had only pinned up the sides of hers, drawing the thick, lustrous tresses away from her face and allowing the shining waves to fall about her shoulders in a gleaming cascade. Matt knew a sudden urge to run his hands through its silken glory, and he was forced to stifle the impulse with an effort.

  “We’re honored by your presence, Matthew. I’m so glad you could join us,” Ruth told Matthew sincerely.

  It had come as quite a surprise to her when she’d returned home from her errand the day before and discovered that Faith had invited Lord Kincade to dinner. At the time she’d argued with her daughter over the wisdom of her invitation, but Faith had been adamant, insisting that it was the very least she could do for the man who had saved her life.

  Though she had acquiesced to her logic, Ruth had been expecting Matthew Kincade to be the typical English aristocrat and had prepared herself to deal with him as such. She was more than pleased to discover now that he was a gentleman above all else. She found, too, that Faith had been hedging a bit when she’d described Matthew merely as being handsome. Handsome wasn’t the word for Lord Matthew Kincade. The nobleman was devastating. Staring up at him now, Ruth allowed herself to dream of a match between Faith and Matthew, for she could think of nothing that would please her more than to see her daughter betrothed to such a wonderful man.

  “I’m glad to be here, Mrs. Hammond,” he replied respectfully, his eyes lingering on Faith even as he spoke with her mother, “and I thank both you and Faith for the invitation.”

  Still unable to believe her good fortune, Faith smiled dreamily as she met his steady regard. As her gaze dropped to the firm line of his chiseled lips, turned up now slightly in the barest of smiles, her breath caught in her throat. Had the touch of his mouth upon hers really been that exciting? The memory of his kiss affirmed the thought, and she wondered if he would kiss her tonight should the opportunity present itself. The possibility thrilled her.

  “Dinner is ready. Shall we go in?” Ruth suggested, directing the way into the small dining room.

  The surroundings were not fancy; there were no servants to wait on them; the dishes were not of the finest china and the wine not the best, but Matt found himself enjoying the simple, yet perfectly prepared, fare more than any other meal he’d ever had. The conversation was pleasant, the mood convivial, and Matt felt perfectly content.

  He put all troublesome thoughts from him during the dinner as he relaxed and enjoyed himself. At no time did he allow disturbing thoughts of the attack on Faith or of the state of his life in general to intrude. This was the moment he’d been waiting for, and he fully intended to make the most of it.

  Occasionally as they dined, his gaze would lock with Faith’s. All else would fade into the background as the image of their embraces the day before flooded through him in heated remembrance, and sent his blood racing through his veins. At those times it was only sheer willpower that enabled him to break off the contact and turn his attention back to the general conversation.

  “How do you find life in Boston, Matthew?” Ben asked as they lingered at the table, the meal finished. He found his suspicions being slowly laid to rest, for he’d found nothing in the younger man’s manner to indicate that he was being anything less than forthright with them.

  At the question, Matt’s gaze automatically swung back to Faith and he answered, “I’ve found I’ve fallen quite in love with Boston, Ben.”

  His words sent Faith’s hopes soaring. Was there hope that Matthew might stay here and forsake returning to England?

  “You find Boston more appealing than London?” Ben wondered, a bit amazed by his statement.

  “Boston is fresh and vital,” he explained, mentally comparing Faith with the city. “There’s a sense of excitement here that I’ve never experienced before, not even in London.”

  “Indeed, there is that,” Ben agreed.

  “Matthew, I have never really thanked you for saving Faith from the soldiers or for summoning the doctor for me,” Ruth put in appreciatively.

  “I wish I could have done more.” Matt’s answer was rigid as unwanted thoughts of the culprits going free and unpunished assailed him. “Especially where the attack was concerned. If I’d been able to catch the two men, things would have turned out differently. They would have been brought to justice, as they deserved.”

  Ben snorted in derision. “Don’t fool yourself, Matthew. It wouldn’t have mattered. Nothing would have been done, regardless.”

  Matt’s tone hardened as he thought of his helplessness in the situation. “I know. Faith explained it all to me, but mark my words, someday, somehow, I’m going to see justice done.”

  “Matthew…” Faith interrupted worriedly as she sensed the sudden anger in him.

  Ben, too, saw the undisguised outrage and determination in his expression. “Do you know much about the protests that are going on?”

  “Not too much. Faith has mentioned a man named Sam Adams as being one of the chief leaders of the group calling for complete independence, but beyond that I know very little about it.”

  “Would you like to learn more?” Ben asked, feeling that Matthew could possibly be an asset to their cause.

  “I would,” he answered firmly. “From what little I do know, I find myself quite in sympathy with them. It was hard for me to believe at first….” Matt shook his head sadly. “And I ended up questioning my entire life prior to this. It took some time, but I’m now firmly convinced that certain powers have been, and are continuing to be, abused here. There have been some serious errors in judgment regarding the governing of the colonies, and it seems quite obvious to me that the colonists are not being treated with the same respect as other full English citizens. It’s no wonder some of them are angry and are calling for a
separate nation.”

  “You’re right.” Ben was quick to agree. “Feelings are running hot and high over this tea thing right now.”

  “And well they should be. The imposing of the monopoly may prove to be the biggest tactical blunder of all.”

  “There’s a meeting of protest scheduled for later this week. It seems some of the ships carrying the tea are nearing port, and we’re trying to determine exactly what to do about it. If you’d be interested in attending…”

  Matt was instantly attentive, for he wanted to learn all he could. “I most certainly would be.”

  Faith felt a momentary chill as she remembered her father’s fate. She suddenly found herself worried over Matthew’s involvement with the rebels.

  “Matthew…are you sure?” She hated herself for asking, but she didn’t want him doing it unless he was certain.

  “Yes, Faith, I’m sure,” he replied with conviction.

  Faith nodded in acceptance as her heart swelled with emotions. Just when she thought she’d discovered every wonderful thing about Matthew, she was surprised by another facet of his character. No longer was he just the fascinating, handsome nobleman who’d rescued her. Now she knew that he was definitely more deep than that. He had very real concerns, and he was willing to act upon them.

  “I feel that my future is here in Boston, and I want to do whatever I can to make life better,” he told her, a tender note of understanding in his voice.

  A thrill rushed through her as she considered his statement. He claimed openly that his future was here in Boston, and Faith hoped she was a part of that future.

  “It will be better all around if I make contact with you directly and leave Faith and Ruth out of it,” Ben said.

  “All right, but is there truly that much danger involved?” Matt wondered.

  “There’s really no way of knowing. There have been no overt actions against individuals yet, but who can say it will remain that way? With things just now reaching the fever pitch that they are, anything could happen, and at any time. I just want to be cautious so Ruth and Faith aren’t put at risk. It’s common knowledge that I visit here regularly. Though it’s doubtful that anyone could make a connection between us simply because of the coincidence, I don’t want to chance it.”

  “I agree,” he replied seriously, “and I’ll be waiting to hear from you. I’m staying at the Red Lion Inn.”

  It was over an hour later when Matthew took his leave. He stood with Faith in the front hall, just out of sight of Ruth and Ben, who had discreetly remained in the parlor to give them a moment to themselves.

  “Dinner was wonderful, Faith. Thank you for the invitation.” Matt knew he should go, but his need to kiss her had become almost overpowering. He had been anticipating this moment all evening. Now that they were ostensibly alone, he wanted to take advantage of the moment.

  “I’m glad you were able to come, Matthew.” Her voice was soft, her lips moist and parted, and her turquoise eyes were sparkling in unspoken invitation.

  “So am I.” His voice was husky as, at last, he gave in to the desire to hold her close.

  Faith went into his arms without pause and, looping her arms about his neck, accepted his kiss with open pleasure. Matt, feeling her willingness, tightened his arms about her, bringing her even closer. The encounter was bliss-filled paradise for them both as they surrendered to the beauty of what was happening between them.

  The perfect wonder of it was almost painful, and when they broke apart, they were each stunned by the power of their own feelings. It was then that Faith knew without a doubt that she loved Matthew, for there could be no other name for the emotion that throbbed so vibrantly and demandingly within her. Matt, too, realized the depth of the emotion that filled him. He stared down at Faith in silent, cherishing awe, realizing that his entire future happiness rested with this small woman he still held in his arms.

  “When can I see you again?” Matt asked, his eyes dark with passion’s denied intent.

  “I don’t know….” she responded, still slightly breathless from the ardency of their kiss. “Tomorrow?”

  “Tomorrow,” he repeated, before bending to kiss her once more. This time, mindful of his own surging desire and Ben and her mother in the other room, Matt kept the embrace quick and sweet. “I’ll see you then,” he told her, and then he was gone, leaving Faith spellbound in his wake.

  As Matt made his way on foot through the narrow streets of Boston on his way back to the inn, he was totally unaware of the furtive figure who’d emerged from hiding near Faith’s house to follow him.

  Ben and Ruth looked up as Faith reentered the parlor.

  “Has Matthew gone, Faith?” Ruth asked.

  “Yes Mother. He just left, but he said he’d be back to see me tomorrow,” she told her dreamily.

  “That’s wonderful, dear. He’s a very nice young man. I like him,” her mother told her.

  “I like him, too, Mother,” she replied. “And I was right about him, wasn’t I, Ben?”

  “I believe you were, Faith. He seems everything you thought him to be. I wouldn’t have been so open with him about the meeting this week if I hadn’t thought he was truly interested.”

  “Good. Well, I think I’ll go to my room.” Faith was pleased that Matt had passed Ben’s scrutiny. Ben had become a sort of surrogate father figure for her since her own father’s death, and his approval of Matt meant a lot to her. “Good night, Ben. Good night, Mother.”

  “Good night.”

  When she’d gone Ben glanced to where Ruth was sitting. He had to take extra care not to let the depth of his emotions reflect in his expression. He had loved Ruth Hammond for as long as he could remember. His love for her had been born when he was a young and bashful lad, and it had endured unflaggingly through her subsequent marriage to his best friend.

  Not that Ruth had ever had a choice in the matter. She had never known of Ben’s true feelings for her because he had always been too insecure to profess them to her. He had silently suffered through the years, worshipping her from afar.

  Ben had been struck by a terrible guilt when Robert had died so violently and so unexpectedly, for, though he mourned his best friend, he could not deny that he still coveted Robert’s wife. The resulting misery had left him trapped in his world of unrequited love and had seen him devoting himself to Ruth in friendship only, never offering her the treasured love he kept locked privately within him.

  “I guess I’d better be going, too,” he said a bit edgily as he fought down the need to tell her everything.

  “I’m glad you were able to join us tonight, Ben. You know how Faith and I look forward to your visits,” Ruth told him pleasantly.

  Inwardly, Ben groaned at her statement—Faith and I look forward to your visits. Despondently he wondered if she would ever come to think of him as more than a good friend. He gritted his teeth as he answered, “I’ll be in touch with you during the week.”

  “That’ll be fine,” she said simply, and then added, “Matthew seemed quite smitten with Faith, don’t you think?”

  “He certainly did, but I just wonder if it will ever come to anything. Even though he seems personable enough, he is still a nobleman,” he offered in the way of counsel.

  “I know,” Ruth sighed a little unhappily. “I think they’d make a most handsome couple, and I can tell Faith cares deeply for him, but you’re right. Matthew Kincade is an English lord, and the differences between them are great.”

  Ben wanted to take Ruth in his arms and tell her not to worry, that everything would turn out for the best, but he knew he didn’t have the right. Instead he merely reached out and patted her hand.

  “I’m sure if they’re meant to be together, things will work out.”

  “I hope so,” she agreed as they both stood and started out of the room.

  “I’ll be in touch,” he told her as they paused by the front door. He struggled with the urge to tell her the truth of his feelings for her for a long momen
t. Then he finally gave up the attempt and said rather awkwardly, “Well, good night, Ruth.”

  “Good night, Ben.”

  Ruth watched him from the doorway until he was out of sight down the street and then turned quietly back into the house, her expression slightly forlorn. Somehow, when Ben was there with them, life seemed real again, but when he left…it was almost like the warmth went out of the day. She wondered what her life would be like if he never had to leave. Irritated for thinking such foolish thoughts, Ruth scolded herself for even imagining that Ben might want to be more than just their friend, and she busied herself with tidying the house.

  Matt was in a fine mood as he entered the inn, and he directed Polly to send up a hot bath and a bottle of wine to his room. So great was his excitement over his newly discovered love that he bypassed his own chambers and sought out Noah in his. Things had not been comfortable between them since they’d argued after the ball, and he wanted to tell him now all that had happened in hopes that they could come to an understanding.

  “Yes, what is it?” Noah’s voice rang out sharply in answer to his knock.

  “It’s Matt, Noah.”

  “Come on in,” he called out, and Matt entered the room to find his brother and Lyle involved in a game of cards.

  “Would you like to join us, Matthew?” Lyle invited, his eyes alive with good humor.

  “Yes, how about it, Matt? It would be a relief to let this harbor rat pick your pockets for a while. He’s already taken me for well over ten pounds.”