She broke the horse into a canter and soared up into the air over the metal gate, clearing it easily, and landed with a gentle crunch in the snow. She turned back and patted the horse’s neck in reward and laughed. She could still do it. She looked back at the fields of snow stretching out towards the village and remembered the last time she saw them, they were full of sunflowers and lavender, the air heavenly scented with perfume. It had been so warm that day. Raoul had chased her all the way into the village and they had laughed over fresh croissants, brioche rolls dusted with sugar, and warm café au lait when he eventually calmed down.
She felt her heart ache. Sabrina looked back at the gate, backed the animal up again, and soared over it. She heard someone clap with gloved hands and turned around quickly. Cressida sat on her horse, laughing.
“Bravo, Sabrina.”
“What do you want?”
“I want you to get back over that fence and ride off into the sunset, never to return,” she said coldly.
“Sorry, Cressida, no deal. My memory is coming back and I want to know more. I want my life back and I want Raoul. You are not taking him from me.”
Cressida rode closer until she stood next to Sabrina.
“I’m sorry, Sabrina darling, but I am going to do everything in my power to see that you don’t get it all. This time you aren’t going to get the man. If I were you, I would get over that fence. I told him about you and Luc and your little torrid affair.”
“Bitch. I never had an affair with Luc or anyone and you know it.”
“But he doesn’t know that. He’s too blind. He doesn’t see how inferior you really are. He’s too busy trying to let you down gently and get what he needs: a divorce. He can do so much better with me. I will be an asset to his business and social contacts.”
“You mean you will sleep with them. And probably dump him if a better offer comes along.”
Cressida reached out, tugged her fingers around Sabrina’s coat, and pulled her close.
“You are going to pay for this. If you won’t go voluntarily, then I’ll make you go myself.”
It was too late before Sabrina realised Cressida held a kitchen knife. She struggled with the woman, helplessly watching her reach down to cut the girth of Sabrina’s saddle. She hit the horse’s rump, making it gallop off carrying Sabrina, who fought hard to keep in the saddle. It was hopeless and she felt herself sliding. The whole world seemed to slip in slow motion as she lost contact with the horse and fell to the ground, the saddle falling with her.
Sabrina found herself alone. The wind was fierce and howling, making the snow fall hard and fast in all directions. She ached all over, but she could move everything without searing pain, apart from a dull ache in her ankle. She remembered the horse trampling over it and slowly sat up, frightened that it would be broken. A quick prod told her it wasn’t broken, but it was probably badly bruised.
She shivered uncontrollably and folded her arms around herself, rubbing furiously in a futile attempt to generate warmth in her body. The sky was almost dark and she was afraid. Memories of the dark room she’d been held in flashed across her mind with lightning speed making adrenaline pump inside her. It gave her the impetus to rise. Her legs felt like jelly and it was an effort to stand. With her arms around her, she looked around for the horse but it was nowhere to be seen. She hoped it had made its way back to the house both for safety and to raise the alarm.
She couldn’t make out where she was. The horse had taken her off into the wooded area on the opposite side from where Cressida cut the girth of her saddle. She was disoriented and her ankle throbbed now that she was standing on it. She couldn’t get her bearings. The house wasn’t visible from the bottom of the gardens as they dipped into a valley. If she could just make it out of the woods and to the lake, then all she had to do was follow it and it would lead her back to the house. Sabrina heard her teeth chatter noisily and felt her body become weak with the cold. If she didn’t get a move on, she would end up with hypothermia.
There was a mist gathering as she walked and the frosty wind blew hard against her face. She dragged her ankle, tears of pain gathering in her eyes as her body grew colder and weaker. After a while she realised that she was going around in circles and was totally lost. She sank down on the snow, exhausted, and then tried to pull herself up again. It was like trying to lug a heavy weight around. It seemed like an eternity before she heard her name being called.
Sabrina tried to call out, but her voice was hoarse and no sound came. So she drew on every ounce of strength she had left and began to walk in the direction of the voice. She crunched along in the snow, feeling her feet slide precariously over its surface, and then stopped abruptly, hearing another set of feet pad behind her. She turned around quickly, feeling her body tense with apprehension.
“Who’s there? Raoul?” she cried out in a small voice.
The bare wood was silent apart from the wind. All she could hear was a bird fluttering its wings on a nearby branch and the howl of the ferocious wind. She turned around and made her movement faster than before. The footsteps were closing in on her. She gave a cry, feeling someone near. It was the same feeling that night in the study and in the dark dungeon she’d been locked away in from the world. The presence surrounded and suffocated her with horrible fleeting memories that disoriented her further and blocked her progress. The voice was growing distant. She gave a sob and cried out.
There was silence and then the voice sounded again, stronger this time, growing near. She managed to make a desperate cry in response, just as she felt the man come behind her and lunge for her body, knocking her to the ground. He turned her over and she struggled for her life. Sabrina tried to see his face as he pinned her to the ground, but it was covered.
There were more footsteps and the man looked up to see Raoul running for him at top speed, shouting at him in French. The man jumped off Sabrina and defended himself as Raoul tackled him using every technique she’d last seen in her kickboxing class at the University. But the man broke free and ran off through the trees. Raoul hesitated, wanting to go after him, but appeared reluctant to leave Sabrina in her present state. He let the man go and bent down to look at her as she tried to stand in her wet clothes.
He touched her face with his fingertips and looked at her with surprise when she pushed his hand away.
“You are so cold and wet, Sabrina, and you are shivering. We need to get you warm.”
He helped her to her feet.
“Sabrina, you can hardly walk. What’s wrong with your leg?”
He was taking her arm again, this time more firmly, so when she tried to move away, it was impossible.
“It’s my ankle. The horse trampled on it when I fell.”
The wind blew harshly against their bodies, nearly knocking Sabrina off balance. Raoul caught her as she swayed.
“I can manage.”
She stood before him, her voice drowsy, her teeth chattering. She backed away, determined that he should not have to worry about her all the time, but he was too fast and he was lifting her up over his shoulder and carrying her to his horse through the trees.
He moved as fast as he could through the snow, aware that her body was all of a sudden becoming still and her consciousness was beginning to slip. He kept her alert by talking to her and demanding answers.
“Sabrina, Sabrina, wake up,” he snapped, shaking her legs.
He shouted again and her eyes flew wide open. White flakes of snow settled against her cheek and forehead, but were hardly recognisable against the growing paleness of her skin.
“Why did you leave and come out here on your own? No, Sabrina, you must stay awake.”
“I’m so tired. I just want to close my eyes just for a minute.”
“No, answer me.”
“I just wanted to clear my head with some fresh air.”
He shook his head and growled.
“I was worried. Don’t leave my side again. Sabrina, stay awake.”
Sabrina’s eyes closed and then opened again. She could see the horse now, although not much else was visible in the strengthening mist. At least the wind was beginning to die. They would both be easy targets.
“Sabrina, wake up; you can’t sleep. You need to keep awake, Sabrina.”
Raoul gave her bottom a sharp slap. Every time she closed her eyes, his hand spanked her sharply.
Her eyes snapped open wide again.
“Why won’t you let me sleep, Raoul?”
“Why were you thrown from your horse?”
Sabrina frowned.
“Cressida. She had a knife. She cut my saddle and made the horse bolt.”
“Sabrina, I need you awake. Look, we’ve nearly reached the horse.”
“Ok. I’ll try, just one minute to sleep.”
Her words earned her bottom another harsh slap, making her cry out.
“Sabrina, why did Cressida hurt you?”
“She wants you. She said you want to be together. And if I wouldn’t go voluntarily, she would make me. She said she would tell you I had an affair with Luc, but I never did.”
“Sabrina, I know you never had an affair, darling. Come on, wake up, we’ve reached the horse.”
Raoul deposited her lethargic icy cold body on top of the horse and climbed on to sit behind her. He walked the horse on from the clearing and past the ornate fountain depicting a single large fish covered in snow and ice. They could hardly see anything. They would never make it back to the house in time. He turned the horse to walk further into the woods, heading for the summerhouse he’d recently had restored for the day Sabrina returned.
Raoul had lavished all of his attention on the structure imagining her in the rooms.
It was to be their secret haven, their retreat from the world when they wanted to be alone. He’d been there the morning before she came, so the heating and water would still be on. He’d planned to show her the place when everyone had left after the weekend. He could start a fire and put Sabrina in a warm bath, and they could shelter there until the weather was better. His arm around her waist tightened as he broke the horse out into a gallop, seeing part of the house through patches in the creeping fog. Sabrina’s alertness was decreasing and he needed to hurry.
When they reached the house Raoul had told her about to keep her awake and all the renovations he had made to it, he set her down on the ground and made her walk. He didn’t have the keys and he leant her against the side of the house whilst he used all of his strength to kick down the heavy door. When the task was accomplished, Sabrina felt her arm being firmly taken and she was made to move quickly, despite the injury to her ankle.
“I need to keep you moving, Sabrina, so you don’t get severe hypothermia. Go up the stairs. I will put the heating on.”
When he joined her, he found her slumped on the landing. Her legs just didn’t seem to want to take her any further. He scooped her up into his arms and carried her to the bathroom.
“We are so lucky that I have been spending most of my time here recently and everything is working.”
He took her straight to the large bathroom and sat her aching body on the edge of the bath. The ornate gold taps spewed out steaming hot water, insulating the white porcelain and marble room. He then began the task of taking off her wet clothes. Her hand shot out.
“Don’t you touch me.”
“Sabrina, I am not in the mood for your stubbornness. Now I need to get you out of those wet clothes before you get hypothermia and die.”
Sabrina flinched when he gave her a sharp shake.
“Come on. I am not going to lose you again.”
She nodded through her shaking, knowing it was futile not to comply. She didn’t offer any further resistance as he roughly pulled the long coat off her shoulders. His hands moved quickly, almost ripping her coat, her jumper and her trousers as he dragged them down her wet legs. He undid the catch of her bra and pulled the sodden garment down her arms. The moment she was naked, she was up in his arms again and then plunging into warm water up to her neck.
She sank under the water for a moment, trying to wake herself and stop her shaking. Slowly she felt the warmth seep into her skin to heat her core. When she came up, Raoul was quickly undressing. Once naked, he plunged into the bath behind her and gathered her close to his body.
His arms felt so strong and protective around her fragile body, she just wanted to melt against him. She rested her head against the smooth taut muscle of his chest and felt his strength surround her and support her sleepy chattering body. She wanted to sleep, but she knew he would not allow it. She sighed with defeat and listened to the comforting beat of his heart.
“Are you feeling warmer, Sabrina?” he asked gently after a while, lifting some water to trickle it lightly over her bare arms. “You aren’t shaking so much now.”
“Yes, I feel better. I’m just so tired and my head hurts.”
He ruffled her hair, looking for a cut.
“I have everything we need here. I’ll get you some aspirin when we get out. I’m just so glad I found you when I did. I still don’t know what you were doing out on your own. You know it’s dangerous. That man, if only I knew who he was. If I hadn’t reached you in time, it might have all happened again.”
His arms left her body, forcing her to sit up and watch him climb out of the bath. He was a beautiful sight. He carried his tight muscled form with aristocratic erectness. She pitied any man who chose him as a physical enemy. He wrapped the towel around his waist as he picked up her wet clothes and trotted out of the room, giving her a stern look. She lay back down in the water, feeling confused. Every time they got close, something or someone pulled them apart. When he came back into the room, she decided to have it out and clear the air.
“What have I done wrong now, Raoul?”
He was carrying another large white fluffy towel. He stopped and watched her intently, considering whether to confront her or not.
“When did your memory return? And why didn’t you tell me?”
Sabrina lowered her eyes.
“What do you mean?”
He gave her an impatient look.
“You can’t hide something like that from me. You had no right.”
“I didn’t. I just get flashes, I told you.”
“No. You know who I am now.”
He moved closer and looked down at her, cupping her chin to lift her face up to him.
“I can see it in your eyes. Whatever you try to hide is always bare in your eyes, Sabrina.”
“You’re wrong.”
She knew her defence was useless, but still she persisted, afraid if she revealed her suspicions she would hurt him and worse, he wouldn’t believe her about Luc.
“I don’t believe you are still trying to deny it. Before I carried you to the horse, I saw it in your eyes. You have a certain look, Sabrina, that you give only me.”
He gave a soft laugh.
“It’s a dangerous rebellious look when I take you in hand and you are not sure whether you should let me or not. For the first time since you came home, you gave it to me just before. I knew then that you were my Sabrina again.”
He bent his head and let go of her chin.
“I don’t understand why you thought it necessary to keep the return of your full memory secret from me.”
“I didn’t. It just happened this afternoon. And I was worried about Luc and whether I had an affair with him. The whole situation with him and Cressida hasn’t help me feel very secure.”
Raoul held up the towel for her to get out of the bath. She complied and felt him wrap the towel around her. He moved his hands over the dips and swells of her body to dry her adequately. He held her eyes as she felt the power of his seductive touch caress her curved form through the towel.
“Cressida has done a good job playing on your fears and loss of memory. When I have her arrested for assault and attempted murder, she will never bother you or us again, and we can get on with our lives. Now
come on, let’s get you warm and some food inside you and we can talk some more.”
Chapter Twelve
He led her to one of the six rooms that made up the summerhouse attached to the chateau, in the nineteenth-century style of the house. The bedroom was in a small tower with windows on either side of the circular room. Her feet felt so cold as she walked across its wooden floor to sit on the bed. His eyes searched the room as he pondered on the problem of keeping Sabrina warm. He turned and hurriedly pulled out a pile of his jumpers and trousers out of the dark antique wardrobe and some slippers. He pulled one of the jumpers over her head, ignoring her protests that she would be buried alive in its male size. The indignity of long cargo pants followed, but they were nothing compared to the long Italian wool socks and slippers that made her look as though she wore clown shoes. He stepped back to admire his work and grinned.
“At least you will be warm.”
She frowned, lifting up her arms hidden under the long sleeves of the beige polo neck woolly jumper. He dressed in a pair of trousers, shoes, and heavy black jumper. He gathered up some blankets from a chest at the bottom of the bed and disappeared downstairs. Sabrina made to follow him, finding her progress hampered by her rather large attire. But Raoul was back in an instant lifting her into his arms.
He carried her down the stone steps into a large room he’d made into a living room with a fireplace and every modern comfort. He sat her down on the long biscuit-coloured sofa and covered her body up to her chin in the warm blankets.
“You must keep warm, Sabrina. We may have stopped you from getting hypothermia, but you might get a bad chill.”
He arranged the cushions comfortably around her head and neck, then turned his attention to starting a fire. She watched him at work, feeling cosy and protected. It felt like old times. He sat back down on the sofa and pulled down her sock to look at her ankle. He rested it gently on his lap as he probed its soreness. She yelped.
“Sorry, Sabrina, but I needed to check. I don’t think anything is broken, but you are badly bruised. You will have to keep off it for a while. I’ll get the doctor to check it out when we get back to the house. Now I’ll get you a warm drink and some food, just relax.”
Conquering Sabrina Page 13
