Rescued By the Captain

by Laura A. Barnes

She feathered her shaking fingers through Charles’s hair, tracing the bruises that covered his face. He moaned at her touch, whispering a name that wasn’t hers.

  “Raina?”

  “No, Charles it is me Ivy. You are safe now.”

  He drifted back to unconscious. Ivy looked up searching for the mystery lady Raina. She searched the darkness that was softly lighted by the torches. The lady had disappeared.

  “Thorn, where did she go?”

  Thorn stood up and looking around for the young lady. She was nowhere to be seen. In all the distraction, she had disappeared into the foggy night. They would find her later; she was the least of his concerns at the moment. For she wasn’t the only one that was making a disappearance. Thorn turned around in a circle looking for Maxwell. He lost sight of him as he was seeing to the rescue of Mallory.

  He looked over to where he left Shears and saw that he was gone too. Thorn took off to where he left Shears and noticed that Maxwell was aiding Shears in his getaway. They were climbing into a boat further down the beach that would take them to Shears’s ship. Thorn broke out in a run; he had to get to them before they took off in the water. Once they hit the water he had no way to get to them. There were no other boats around. Thorn saw the oars hit the water and was just about to jump into the water. He could swim to the boat and stop them. Before he could hit the water a shot rang out, the bullet flying past his ear.

  “Stop Thorn. I missed you on purpose but if you continue to pursue us, the next shot will hit its mark. I will not do that to Ivy if I do not have to. If you love her you will stop there.” Maxwell yelled out.

  Thorn came to a skidding halt. He knew that if he wanted to Maxwell could have hit him spot on. He was an excellent marksman. Also, he knew that something desperate was pushing Maxwell into collaboration with Shears. When men were desperate they did desperate things. He put up his hands and backed away from the water.

  “You won’t get far Maxwell. Come back and we can help you. Mallory and I will see that you don’t hang. You do not have to sink any lower with that scum.”

  Maxwell laughed, “That is where you are wrong my friend. Give Ivy my love and treat her like the precious gem that she is. If you don’t I will return to see that I do.”

  Shears and Maxwell continued rowing to the ship. Thorn was unable to put a stop to them. He would have to alert the proper authorities after them. But for right now he had to get Ivy back home and Charles needed immediate medical attention. Everything else could wait. He instructed Sammy to gather the men that Shears abandoned, empty the cave of weapons and to bring them to Thornhill. Once they were there he would send for the King’s men to arrest them for treason. The weapons would be destroyed.

  Thorn made his way back over to Ivy. He lifted her into his arms and climbed up onto Mercury’s back. He had his men load Charles and the young cabin boy onto the bed of a wagon that Shears’s men had used to transport the weapons. They slowly made their way back to Thornhill.

  As they approached the house Thorn saw that the party was over. He knew that a big scandal would surely be spreading through the gossip mill. With having the engaged couple both going missing during their engagement party would most certainly send their actions into the gossip story of the Season. It would quiet down again as soon as he gets Ivy in front of the preacher and speak their vows. He trusted his parents to have kept some of the rumors at bay. At least one good thing that came out of tonight was that they were bringing Charles home.

  He held onto Ivy tightly placing soft kisses on her head as they rode back. He never felt the fear that he did when Shears held a knife to her throat. He felt her body relax into him in sheer exhaustion. She was soft against him. He wanted to shower her with kisses and hold onto her tightly, never letting go. He was so thankful that she came out of this ordeal with no harm done to her. They didn’t speak a word back to Thornhill as they held each other close.

  When they rode up to the house, their parents came rushing out to them. Katherine wrapped Ivy up in a quilt. She yelled out orders to the staff directing them where to put Charles and the young boy they brought home. George and Hamilton went to the wagon and helped the footmen lift Charles out. They carried him inside taking him up to the family wing into a room that was prepared for him.

  “Take her to her room Marcus, Mabel is waiting there for her with a bath. The doctor is already here and will see to Charles. There is nothing for Ivy to do until the doctor is done with him. Make sure that she gets a little rest. Then we will discuss the outcome of tonight’s adventure.” Katherine ordered Marcus. She reached up and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

  “I am so glad you children are all right my son. I love you.”

  “I love you to Mother.” Marcus reached down and gave her a kiss back on her cheek.

  He lifted Ivy into his arms and carried her upstairs to her room. Mabel was waiting for her there with a bath. He lowered her to her feet and brushed a kiss across her forehead. He wanted to stay with her but knew that he couldn’t.

  “Get cleaned up my love. I will return to you later,” he whispered in her ear. He took her lips in a soft gentle kiss.

  He walked to the door to leave; he could feel her watching him. As he turned around he watched as Mabel urged her over to the bath. She smiled at him in her shy sweet way that always touched his heart. He smiled back at her with all his love.

  He made his way to his room to get cleaned up. When he entered his room, he made his way over to his desk and slid open the secret door in his drawer. Thorn reached into his pocket and pulled out the stone that he had returned to Maxwell earlier in the evening. In all the commotion, the stone must have slipped out of Maxwell’s pocket. He slid the stone into the hiding place and closed the drawer. He smiled to himself as he changed his clothes, knowing that Maxwell will be returning to him one day after all. When he did, Thorn will be ready for him.

  Chapter 28

  Thorn changed into a fresh pair of clothes and made his way down the hall to Charles’s room. The doctor was just finishing with him, he professed him to be badly injured but that he was not in any grave danger. That whoever had been taking care of him had been doing an excellent job and that they had saved his life. He was on the mend and would make a full recovery. The doctor said that he had given him a small dose of laudanum. He told Thorn that Charles was a little upset and wanted to get up and look for somebody named Raina. Charles’s father had managed to quiet him down with a promise that they would search for her. Thorn left the nurse to tend to Charles for the night and left the room.

  As he made his way down the hallway he noticed that the house had quieted itself back down. He passed Mabel in the hallway with a report that Ivy had laid on the bed and went right to sleep in sheer exhaustion. Thorn sent Mabel back to bed and told her to sleep in tomorrow. He watched Mabel make her way to the servants’ quarter; then he made his way to Ivy’s room.

  When he entered Ivy’s room he saw that Mabel had left the windows open. The breeze was softly blowing the curtains out in a slow dance against the windows. He looked over and saw Ivy asleep on top of her bedding. A light blanket was draped across her body. Thorn stood at the windows letting the soft breeze calm his soul as he watched the woman he loved sleep. He had almost lost her tonight before he could make her his wife. What a fool he had been all these years. When he did finally come to his senses, it had put her in grave danger and almost made him lose her.

  Thorn moved across the space of the bedroom and knelt at her side of the bed. He drew her hand into his; bringing it up to his lips he softly kissed her fingers.

  “I promise from this day forth you will always know of my love for you and I will protect you for the rest of our lives together,” he whispered.

  Ivy stirred at his words, slowly opening her eyes. She blinked the sleep from her eyes.

  “Marcus?” she whispered.

  “My Sweet Ivy,” he whispered back before he drew her into his arms and kissed her with all emotion of his love
for her. He poured his heart and soul into her body with his kisses. Marcus slid onto the bed drawing her body alongside his. His hands roamed over her body greedily wanting to touch every silken inch of her.

  Ivy kissed him back with all her passion and love for him. Her hands slid underneath his shirt drawing it up over his head. Her fingers fumbled trying to unbutton his trousers. Marcus reached down to help her. After he removed his hands Ivy began to undress him again. She slid his trousers down his legs her hands sliding back up. Her hands moved up his thighs, she hesitated when she reached his hardness. She looked up into Marcus’s eyes and saw his desire and need for her touch. He shook his head yes at her touch. She slid her fingers softly over him feeling his heat scorch her fingers. Wanting to burn from him she slid her hand around him, feeling him throb against her fingertips. She watched him close his eyes in agony at her touch. She started to withdraw thinking that she was hurting him, but he shook his head no and held her hand around him. Tightening her fingers around him, she let him guide her hand on how to touch him.

  He withdrew his hand as she stroked him to a fever pitch. He moaned as her fingers slid up and down. She felt the flame growing hotter at every stroke of her hand. She could feel the power of her touch that she had over him and it enflamed her soul. His flame flowed into her body bringing her into the fire with him. For every stroke of her hand was the stroke of his hand on her body. He had stripped her of her nightgown and was bringing her body along with his. His hands caressed her breasts as his lips kissed her body hungrily. She could feel the heat pooling between her thighs. Her body ached at the passion that just seemed to build hotter and hotter at every touch he trailed along her body.

  They spoke no words for they had none to say that could describe the feelings they had for one another. They let their hands and mouths convey their feelings for each other.

  Marcus slid his fingers down to her core and slid his finger inside her. Ivy arched her body at his touch, wanting more. He felt the heat of her at every stroke of his finger. His body wanted to be wrapped up inside of her before she exploded. He wanted to go down into the flames with her.

  He pulled Ivy up his body and crashed his mouth down upon hers. Kissing her hungrily as his tongue stroked hers he squeezed her to him tightly. Their mouths drawing their passion higher and higher, he slid her beneath him. Pulling away, he looked down into her eyes, seeing the passion and love clouding her eyes. Watching her, he slid inside of her heat slowly. He moved deep inside of her feeling every flame licking him as he moved in deeper. He continued gazing into her eyes as they darkened with desire.

  Ivy starred into Marcus’s eyes as he slowly moved his body into hers. She raised her hips to bring his heat inside of her deeper. Her fingers gripped his arms as their bodies built the fire higher. Marcus slid long deep strokes in an out of her, leaving Ivy with wanting more. She felt his love for her with every stroke, touch, and kiss. Ivy could feel his desperation at their love making. She knew he was afraid that he almost lost her tonight, but she had to let him know that it was going to be all right.

  Reaching up she slid her fingers through his hair, brushing his hair back from his face and she pulled up, softly kissing him on his lips. Her lips soothed his torture soul and let him know that she was safe in his arms. She continued kissing him softly as her fingers softly stroked his body calming his soul. She moved her hips along with his slowly drawing out every flame. Their bodies becoming one as their souls met as they were falling off their cliff into the cool blue sea they both loved.

  As their bodies floated on the clear water they clung to each other drifting slowly to sleep in each other’s arms.

  Thorn awoke early the next morning as the sun was starting to rise. He could hear the servants below stairs moving around starting their day. He needed to rise and return to his own room before anybody caught him in Ivy’s room. As he looked down at the woman in his arms he knew that while Charles was found, she was still in danger from Shears. He placed a kiss on the top of her head as he slid out from underneath her. He smiled watching her sleep as he got dressed. He needed to talk to Charles before everybody else woke up and questioned him.

  Chapter 29

  He left Ivy and made his way to Charles’s room. Thorn dismissed the nurse telling her to get breakfast and he would sit with the patient until she returned. He stretched out on the chair, waiting for Charles to awake. He closed his eyes only to open them again when he heard Charles’s scratchy voice.

  “Is she gone yet?”

  Thorn laughed. Charles always did hate to be told what to do and even hated laying around even more. Thorn reached for the pitcher of water and poured Charles a glass. He tried bringing it to his lips to drink to only have Charles reach out and grab it out of his hand. Charles drank it down quickly and motioned for Thorn to refill his glass. He drank the next glass more slowly, then he leaned back closing his eyes.

  There was complete silence in the room, Thorn heard Charles breathing deepen. He thought he had fallen back to sleep, only to be questioned by him again.

  “Well, are the rumors true that you ruined my sister Thornhill?”

  “Now where would you hear those kind of rumors Mallory?” Thorn questioned back.

  “Well from the nurse and the maid gossiping when they thought I was sleeping. One heard how both of you ran away together from a London ball to Gretna Green and the other heard that Ivy stow away on your boat. Either way she came back ruined and you two must get married. But of course, they both made it seem much more romantic in their stories.” Mallory said with sarcasm.

  “I love her Charles.”

  “And she loves you. But did you have to ruin her Marcus, she deserved so much more. She has waited for you for years.”

  “I know and I wanted to give her all that. I didn’t set out to ruin her. If it wasn’t for me rescuing her, she would be ruined in a way that none of us could fix.”

  Charles closed his eyes knowing that Thorn was right, he just didn’t have to like it. They had been best friends all their lives, but Ivy was his sister. Her happiness came first. He opened his eyes back up and regarded his best friend. He could tell that Thorn wanted his approval of the match but was too proud to ask for it. He reached out his hand for Thorn to shake.

  “Make her happy everyday of her life and love her like she deserves to be loved.”

  “I promise my friend,” Thorn shook Charles’s hand.

  “What are going to do now?” Thorn asked Charles.

  “I’m going after all of them.”

  “When?”

  “After the wedding. I cannot let their trail get cold. It will be long enough for me to heal.”

  “Charles I understand your need to go after Maxwell and Shears but you need more time to get better. Let me send my men out to track them. I will have Sammy and Jake look for them and they will keep us informed of their whereabouts.”

  “I appreciate the offer but I need to do this by myself. I know information that will get me in and out of places quicker if I am alone. I just need you to keep Ivy safe and out of harm’s way the best that you can.”

  “I will try. She is not going to like you going after them. She still thinks that Maxwell isn’t a danger to any of us. He shot at me last night to warn me off. Do you know why he is working with Shears?”

  “No, but that is one of things I am going to get an answer to.”

  Thorn reached into his pocket and withdrew the handkerchief, throwing it over to Charles. It landed on top of the covers covering him. He watched as Charles traced the initials R.L. over and over.

  “Are you going after her too?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you think that is wise?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “I wouldn’t trust her Charles, she is involved with Maxwell and Shears.”

  “There are many things you do not know about her.”

  “I know that she is not to be trusted and she is out for revenge.”

  “No
t towards me, she isn’t.”

  Thorn realizing that he wasn’t getting through to him decided to find out what his feelings were for her. He saw part of her feelings for Charles and wondered if Charles returned them.

  “Do you care for the girl?”

  “I have feelings for her. I must find out what they are and if she returns them. I will not walk away like you did to Ivy.”

  Thorn nodded his head, Charles was right. He was the fool seven years ago. His friend had more nerve then he ever did. He would not stand in his way but he could caution him to be careful.

  “Just be careful my friend and come back to us safely. Now I’m going to let you get a little more rest before the rest of the family wants to visit with you. You won’t get any after Ivy awakens.”

  “Thank you for everything Thorn.”

  “That is what friends are for.”

  Chapter 30

  When Ivy awoke next it was to find she was alone in bed. She looked around for Marcus and saw that her room was empty. Laying back on the bed smoothing the sheet beside her wondering if it was all a dream. When she looked over on the other pillow she noticed the rose. The rose had a piece of ivy wound through the thorns. She picked it up and smiled to herself. It wasn’t a dream; Marcus had made soul searching love with her last night.

  Ivy then remembered everything from the night before. They had rescued Charles. She had to talk with him. There was still so much to learn. But for now, she just wanted to see that he was safe.

  She rang for Mabel to come help her dress. Mabel brought in some tea and toast with instructions from Thorn to eat before she joined them. They would be waiting for her in Charles’s room. She listened to Mabel jabber on about how the ton wondered where they gone off to. There were rumors already floating around that they had left for Gretna Green to elope. Ivy just listened to Mabel smiling at everything the young girl was gossiping about. She knew that none of it mattered. All that mattered was that Charles was safe and she would be wed to Thorn soon.