The Desires of a Countess (34 page)

Simon broke the silence. “That bastard used to hit
her, you know.”

He and Noah hadn’t talked much about the reason
behind Dennison’s blackmail.

“Your cousin?” Noah asked.

Simon nodded.

Noah was silent for a long moment. “I guessed that
might be true. I should have come to York to see for myself, but
she pushed us so far away. She was angry. I thought it might make
things worse if it turned out I was wrong.”

“She’s scarred from it.” He tried not to think about
the small scars he’d seen on her body. Scars from God knew what
kind of torture. He wanted to ease her pain, as she had eased his.
Perhaps after a few years together the pain would be forgotten
forever.

“He deserved to die,” Noah growled. “I hope she did
kill him.”

Simon nodded. “To protect her son, I’m sure she
would have done anything.”

“I only wish she’d told me,” both men said in
unison.

Simon grinned at Noah. Yes, Ginny’s older brother
could pretend he didn’t like him all he wanted. Deep down, they
were the same. Both concerned with protecting their families. And
both ready to fight to do just that.

“Marion must be worried,” he said.

Noah’s face softened at the mention of his wife.
“I’m sure, but she knows I can handle myself.”

A pang of jealousy shot through Simon. Noah and
Marion had an easy relationship, as did Audrey and Griffin. He
longed for that with Ginny, and hoped someday they’d find it.

If he could find her.

They rounded the bend in the road to see a tavern in
the distance.

“We’ll stop there and ask around,” Noah said as he
motioned his head in the direction of the building that grew ever
closer.

“He hasn’t stopped at a tavern yet, but it may
help.”

Simon felt a curious anxiety when he looked at the
inn. A premonition he couldn’t dismiss. All he could do was ride
harder and hope Ginny would be there waiting for him.

Unharmed.

***

Ginny finished pulling her damp hair back into a bun
at the nape of her neck and took a quick glance at Jack. He was
sleeping peacefully on the lumpy bed. She wished she could do the
same. She’d convinced Robert to stop for a few hours so she could
rest, and her gaunt face and constant morning sickness had forced
him to agree.

The bath had helped considerably, but how could she
sleep knowing what lay ahead of her? Even if she could get a
message to Simon when she reached Westdale, she’d still have to
contend with Robert until someone arrived to help her.

At least travel had given her one benefit. Her
blackmailer hadn’t a chance to molest her beyond a few forced,
horrible kisses. But she knew he was aching to do more than press
his lips against hers. At home, with beds and so many
opportunities, she wasn’t sure how long she could put Robert off.
She frowned. Probably not as long as it would take Simon to find
her.

The knock at the door put Ginny on edge. The last
thing she needed was Robert’s sneers and advances. She was just
getting over her latest bout of nausea.

“What is it?” she called out as she steeled herself
for the unpleasant encounter.

“It’s Mrs. Wilding, my lady, the innkeeper’s wife. I
brought you something light for your stomach.”

Ginny breathed a sigh of relief as she went to the
door to let the woman in. “Thank you, Mrs. Wilding. You can put it
on the table.”

She wasn’t certain if she could handle more than tea
and a cake, but she wouldn’t argue. She could offer Jack some when
he got up and carry the rest with her for the hours Robert refused
to stop.

“I know you’re feeling poorly, but I thought a bit
of food could do you good. Keep your strength up.”

The older woman carried the tray to the table and
set it down. Then she eased her large frame into the chair and took
a cake for herself. Ginny sighed. Apparently this stranger was
settling in for the long run.

She took the seat opposite Mrs. Wilding and poured
herself a cup of tea. “Thank you, I do appreciate your kindness.
The bath helped a great deal.”

“Yes. And this is special tea. I took it all the
eight times I was in the family way and it helped me considerably.”
The woman gave her a knowing smile.

Ginny froze with the cup halfway to her lips. “What
makes you think I’m breeding, Mrs. Wilding?”

“You’ve got the look about you. But you don’t seem
to get along with your half-brother. Is he treating you right, my
dear?

Ginny had almost forgotten Robert had called himself
her half-brother to keep suspicions from being aroused.

“Actually, I simply miss my husband.” She leaned
closer. “Would it be possible to get a message to him in
London?”

The other woman bit her lip. “My dear, your brother
has insisted I tell him if you try to send any messages out. I’m
sorry, but my husband is quite strict about such things, and Mr.
Dennison paid him a good deal of money to follow his orders.”

Ginny sagged back in her chair. So much for reaching
Noah or Simon. “I understand.”

“How far along are you?” Mrs. Wilding asked with a
quirked eyebrow.

Ginny bit her lip. “I’m not sure. I wasn’t even
certain I was carrying a child until you mentioned it.”

“Well, I can tell you, you are.” The other woman
frowned. “But you seem so unhappy. Is there anything I can do,
besides post a letter?”

“No, I’m afraid-”

But before she could finish, she heard loud voices
outside her window. She jumped as recognition flooded her. That
sounded like Noah! But no, it couldn’t be true. How would her
brother know to be looking for her at all, let alone where?

On shaking legs, she crossed to the
window. When she looked outside, her heart leapt. It
was
her brother. He was
walking around the corner of a building near the stables in the
distance.

“There is something you could do,” she said as she
tried to control her excitement in the event that Mrs. Wilding was
under orders to report all her movements, as well as any messages
she tried to send. She wouldn’t put it past Robert to do just that.
“I’d like to get a breath of fresh air, would you mind watching my
son?”

Mrs. Wilding’s eyes lit up at the suggestion. “Oh,
of course, my dear. My grandchildren are all spread about and I do
miss the sight of a baby. You go take your walk. And don’t be
afraid. The men who work here are good ones. They won’t let you
come to any harm.”

Ginny smiled as she slipped from the room and
hurried down the hallway. The men might be kind, but the person
they needed to protect her from wasn’t some stranger. It was the
man with whom she’d come.

And now her head spun with the possibility of a
child. She prayed the man she’d seen from the window really was
Noah and not just her hopes manifesting themselves as visions.
Because if she’d ever needed saving, she needed it at that moment.
If it couldn’t be Simon who would come for her, she’d take Noah in
a heartbeat.

The trouble was, where was Robert? She hadn’t seen
him for an hour, since she’d gone to her room to take her bath.
He’d muttered something about joining her that had set her teeth on
edge, but he never arrived. And she thought most of his threats
about her body were empty, for now. For some reason, he wanted to
wait to have her until they were at Westdale. Perhaps to copy
Henry.

With a shiver, she looked around outside, then
turned toward the stables where she’d seen the man who looked like
Noah go.

“Please let it be him,” she whispered as she nodded
to the men who worked in the inn. The closer she got to the stable,
the more anxious she became.

“Noah?” she whispered as she entered the building.
“Noah?” she said it louder this time.

“So there is a young woman and a child here?” came a
voice in the distance.

It was him! Now that she was close, she knew his
voice like it was her own.

“Noah!” she called out as she hurried toward the
stable office in the back.

Her brother turned from where he leaned on a wooden
pillar and when he saw her his face cracked into the widest grin
she’d ever seen.

“Ginny! Thank God!” He swept her into his arms and
spun her in a circle.

Behind them, the stable hand smiled and excused
himself. Once the man was gone, Noah set her down and stepped back.
“Are you unharmed? Dennison didn’t touch you?”

“No.” She trembled in relief. “But he’s around him
somewhere, I don’t know where. Robert is dangerous, Noah. We must
be very careful. How in the world did you find me?”

Not that she cared. All that mattered was that he
was here and he would protect her. She may have lost Simon, but her
brother would free her. And then she’d just have to do her best to
protect the man she loved. She’d have to tell him about the baby.
Perhaps they could find another chance together once everything was
settled.

Noah smiled. “I found your letter. Ginny, we know
Dennison blackmailed you.” Her brother dragged her into another
hard hug. “Did you really kill your husband?”

“It’s a long story, Noah,” she said as she pulled
away. “And I promise you I’ll tell you all of it once you take me
and my son home. Take me back to London so I can see Mama and
explain everything to you all. But you must promise me you’ll take
care of Simon. You must help me protect Simon.”

Noah wrinkled his brow in confusion. “Protect
Simon?”

She nodded. “Yes. I know he’ll never speak to me
again after what I did and what I said to him, but I want him to be
safe. Dennison has promised to hurt him if I don’t go with
him.”

“Actually, I think Simon can take care of himself.”
Noah smiled at her. “And as for not speaking to you, he’s…”

Then there was a loud thump and her brother got a
strange look on his face.

“Noah?” she said as she drew back, then let out a
squeal as he crumpled to the ground. “Noah!” She dropped down to
her knees and cradled his head in her lap. Blood trickled from a
wound in the back of his head, but his breathing was regular. He
was only unconscious.

Robert Dennison stepped out from a stable stall with
a knobbed club in his hand. He looked like a cat who’d been in the
cream. The sunlight behind him made his shadow look even more
foreboding as he took a step toward her.

“Naughty, naughty girl,” he said with a cluck of his
tongue. He lifted up the club in mock toast. “This thing has come
in handy a few times.”

“Noah,” she whispered as she kept half an eye on
Dennison. “Please wake up.”

“Oh, he won’t wake up for a while now.” Robert
lifted the club again and looked at it with a smile. “Doesn’t this
seem familiar?”

Ginny let out her breath in frustration. “I don’t
know what you’re talking about. Please, I’ll go with you, just
leave my brother alone.”

“You
will
go with me, but I’m afraid I
can’t leave Lord Woodbury here.” Robert picked a splinter out of
the weapon in his hand before he pointed it in her direction again.
“You should know this.”

“Why?” she asked in a half-yell, finally giving into
his game. “Why would I know anything about that barbaric
thing?”

Dennison’s eyes lit up with
pleasure. “Well, this is the club I found outside your home that
fateful night so long ago. This is the club
I
killed Henry with.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

Simon burst into the room he had been told was
Ginny’s. He thought his heart would burst from his chest with the
fear and anticipation quaking through him. All he wanted to know
was that she was safe. The rest would come later.

A heavy, older woman rose from the chair by the
window with a start. “Who are you?”

“I’m sorry, I must have the wrong room,” he said as
he began to back out. “I was looking for Virginia Blanchard.”

He turned to close the door when he saw a little boy
on the bed. Jack. He stopped in shock as he stared at the child,
then slowly turned back to the stranger. She returned his stare
with a guarded expression.

“Where is Ginny?” he asked, surprised his voice
sounded so calm when he was bursting with emotions.

“This is Lady Westdale’s room, but I still don’t
know who you are,” she answered as she blocked Simon from reaching
the sleeping child.

“I’m sorry, I’m a, uh…”

Well, what the hell was he to Ginny? He wasn’t a
friend, their relationship had gone far beyond that. He was no
longer a fiancé and wouldn’t be until he’d had a chance to speak to
her and straighten out this whole mess.

“Are you her husband?” the woman asked. “Judging
from that lovesick look on your face, you must be.”

“Yes.” Simon latched on to the woman’s assumption.
“She, eh, mentioned me, did she?”

“Yes. I’m Mrs. Wilding, the innkeeper’s wife. Lady
Westdale asked me to watch little Jack while she got some air.”
Mrs. Wilding motioned to the child with a much friendlier smile.
“You must want to see your son, Lord Westdale.”

Simon flinched at being called by his cousin’s
title, but there was no need to explain the entire convoluted
scenario to the woman, so he didn’t correct her.

“Yes, I don’t want to wake him though,” he said as
he crept over to the bed. “He looks exhausted.”

Mrs. Wilding nodded sympathetically as Simon brushed
a few locks away from the child’s face.

“Oh yes, poor little lamb is all tired out from the
trip. Lady Westdale’s half-brother has been running them pretty
hard.”

“Her half-brother?”

“Mr. Dennison,” she said with a brief nod.

Simon stiffened, but the woman didn’t seem to
notice.

Her tone turned much sharper. “I swear, you’d think
the man would slow down with a child and sick woman in tow.”