Underground Captive (34 page)

             
Emotions, powerful and explosive, surged through him.

    
             
His gaze softened.  "And so I shall keep ye safe, Nicki," he said, his voice strained.  "That's one vow I intend to keep."  He carried her into the house, then put her down.  Gripping her hand, he led her to his drawing room.  He pointed to a chair near the fireplace.  "Sit down," he said without rancor.  He pulled a chair to the warmth of the fire and sat facing her.  His steady gaze held hers for a moment.

             
His heart ached.  She looked so small and vulnerable.

    
             
Drawing in a long breath, he threaded tense fingers through his hair "Do ye know where ye are, Nicollette?"

    
             
Nicki surveyed her surroundings.  It had not occurred to her that she was any place other than the house by the ram
parts.  And, although, she had been inside that house on two occa
sions these surroundings were unfamiliar.  Panic set in.  "
N-n-non
," she stammered, fear knotting inside her.  "W-w-where am I?"

    
             
"Ye're at Highland Acres, my horse farm, above the City of Carrollton.  The nearest plantation is Allard, some miles away.  New Orleans is east of here.  Be
tween Allard and here, and New Orleans and here, is wild, uncul
tured swampland with thickets and copses of trees where brigands, and runaway slaves alike, hide.  There are alligators that not only live in the swamp but sometimes make it through the swamp and hide in the bayous."  He paused when fear crept into her face.  "Shall I continue?"

    
             
"
N-non
, you needn't continue.”  Placing her hands in her lap, she looked at her palms.  "You've painted a very deterrent picture for me."

    
             
Jared stood.  "Nicollette, I know ye must be hungry," he said, concern lacing his voice.  "I'll have some
thing brought up if ye'd like."

    
             
"
Oui
," she said in a small voice.  "But first I think I'd like to bathe."

    
             
The sound of Nicki’s tremulous voice touched Jared deep within his soul.  "Of course.  Ye do reek.  I'll see to it."

    
             
In Nicki's bedchamber, Mary Douglas approached Nicollette with caution.  "Ye dinna be lyin' 'ere ye, lassie?  Master Jared said ye were ready tae bathe."

    
             
"I owe you an apology, Mary Douglas.  I didn't mean to cause you harm.  I only wanted to go home."  Resigned to her plight, for now, she went to her smallest trunk and took out Wild Splendor, her flowering herb-scented bath oil.  In the bathing room she poured a liberal amount into the bath water.  Steam encircled her, fill
ing her nostrils with its sweet scent. 

    
             
"Sha' I add more 'ot, lassie?" Mary asked, after a while, looking at Nicki.

    
             
"
Non
. 
Merci
, Mary.  I think I am ready to get out now.  Where's my towel?"

    
             
"Och, where's me 'ead?  I forgot tae bring it," Mary Douglas answered, moving from beside the tub and picking up Nicki's soiled clothes off the floor.

    
             
Crossing her arms over her chest, Nicki rubbed her hands up and down her forearms.  "Bring me my dressing gown, too, will you, Mary?"

    
             
"Aye, lassie.  I want tae run down first and bring yer clothes tae be boiled and washed wi' the other laundry."

             
Before Nicki responded, Mary Douglas left.  She moved very quickly for a woman of her size, Nicki observed.  So quickly, in fact, she forgot to close the door.

    
             
Nicollette sat in the tub awhile, waiting for Mary's return, looking anxiously at the door.  Uncom
fortable waiting with the door open, she rose up to close the door.

   
             
Heavy booted footsteps resounded in the hall. 
Mon Dieu
!  If that was Jared, he had to pass the bathing room to get to his bedchamber.  Paralyzed with alarm and uncertainty, she froze.

    
             
"Blast ye, Mary Douglas.  Ye know I don't want this door left op..."  Jared stopped in mid-sentence, his hand on the doorknob, ready to close it shut.  Taking a sharp intake of breath, he raked his gaze over Nicollette’s wet, nude body.

    
             
She stared in astonishment, immobilized by the shock of his in
vasion.

    
             
Nicki's hair was wet, but not dripping.  A raven's wing, so black it gave off bluish highlights, Jared concluded, fiery desire burning a path to his brain, to his heart.  Her smooth, ivory skin glowed a soft rose pink.  Her cheeks blushed just a shade darker and her lips formed an "O" in surprise.  He looked in wonder at her small, conical breasts with the strawberry tipped nipples.  Then his eyes traveled down to her impossibly tiny waist, which flared into slender, curvy hips.  His gaze went to the curly, jet-black triangle between her beautifully shaped thighs.  A water nymph, he thought, holding his breath as he looked once again at her stunned face.

    
             
She gasped, then turned her back to him.  She stood for a second without saying anything, then had the presence of mind to sit back down.

    
             
But not before Jared got a look at her firm buttocks.  His senses careened.  A spurt of hungry need spiraled through him and blood rushed to his loins. 

    
             
"Please leave,
Monsieur
Fleming," Nicollette ordered.  "And close the door!"  His presence was so male, so bracing, she felt almost drugged by it.

    
             
Without a word, Jared backed out of the room and closed the door, the shock of her naked before him more than a little disturbing.

    
             
Nicki's heart hammered foolishly against her breast.  His soft, caressing gaze had upset her balance and a shudder now leaped through her.  Her stomach churned and her blood coursed through her body in a hot, swift flow.  Without warning, a flash of grief ripped through her.  Panic clenched her insides as she thought of Jared.  Because of him, her life had become a bitter battle.  She bit down on her lip, fighting back a rush of tears, refusing to give in and cry.  He'd awakened her heart and her soul, but he'd crushed both with his betrayal.  She could never forgive him.

Her breath came in harsh, anguished bursts.  Assailed with rueful yearning, she shut

her eyes.

             
A few minutes later, Mary Douglas burst through the door, closing it noisily

behind her.  Nicki's eyes flew opened and she realized the water had grown

uncomfortably cold.

    
             
In the bedchamber as Mary Douglas brushed Nicki’s hair, Nicki told her what had happened.  Mary Douglas cried, apologizing for leaving the door open.  She begged Nicki not to tell the master of her mistake.  The woman was so distressed, Nicki forgot about her own embarrassment over the open door.

    
             
Giving it more thought, she realized she was more surprised than embarrassed.  Recalling the look on Jared's face as he’d watched her standing naked, heat rushed through her.  She’d seen lustful looks in men's eyes before.  However, anything but lust had been in Jared's eyes.  She’d seen shock and surprise but also a tender longing.  A desperate need.  And always the sadness.  The unexplained hurt look.  The un
conscious reaching out, yet not quite making contact. 
Oui
, his eyes had revealed anything but lust.  Perhaps, that was why she hadn't hastened to cover her nakedness.

    
             
He was too handsome for words and, though she hated him for his deceit, her body couldn't comprehend that hatred.  Therefore, she reacted strongly to him.

Not so
, her heart chided. 
You're tortured over discovering Jared is the Black Rider,

but you could never hate him
.     

             
She crisscrossed her arms and rubbed her shoulders, shivering with tormented want.  With recent memories of his lips burning hers as they stood in the stables earlier today, her pulse hammered.

             
Damn him!  Damn Jared to the everlasting fires of hell!

             
"Is mum'zelle ge'tin' a chill?" Mary Douglas massaged Nicki’s bare shoulders

again.  "I'll ge' more coal an' put on the fire."

    
             
"Never mind, Mary.  I'm fine.  I'd like to go down and have something to eat if you don't mind."

    
             
"Oh, I dinna mind, lassie.  I'll go down and prepare ye a scrumptious meal."

    
             
"
Merci
, Mary," Nicollette said as Mary rushed out of the door, forgetting once again to close it.  Shaking her head, Nicollette smiled, got up and closed it herself.  A feeling of excitement assailed her.  She couldn't deny how badly her inexperienced body ached for Jared.

    
             
Despite the lateness of the hour--it had to be close to mid
night, if not some minutes after--Nicki wore a deep rose poplin day dress.  Cautiously, she made her way down the hall to the stairs, expecting to run into Jared any moment.  She didn't.  She tried to tell herself that she wasn't disappointed.  But she was and no amount of reasoning with herself could convince her otherwise. Noticing his door closed, she supposed he was downstairs.

    
             
Mary met her at the foot of the steps when Nicki descen
ded.  "Oh lassie, 'ow pretty ye 'ere." Motherly ap
proval gleamed in Mary’s eyes.  "I 'ave the table set in the dining salon fer ye."

    
             
Nicki smiled.  "
Merci
, Mary."  She lowered her gaze.   "Is your master going to dine with me?"

    
             
"Nay, lassie.  Some unexpected business called 'im away."

    
             
"Tonight?" Nicki asked, her eyes widening.  Suddenly, a picture of a rider clad all in black sit
ting astride a shiny black stallion formed in her mind.  "Oh.” Her voice hardened.  The wanton feelings she had for him dissolved into loathing once again.  “Oh!  I-I really would prefer to eat in the kitchen.  It's rather lonesome in the dining salon."

    
             
"Och, mum'zelle! Ye can watch me shell the peas fer tomorrow's meal."

    
             
Forcing a smile, Nicki followed Mary to the kitchen.  For the time being, she'd cooperate and get the feel of her surroundings.  The next at
tempt she made at escaping, she intended to succeed.  If she could only find her way to New Orleans, she would be able to get back to Crescent Wood.  But New Orleans and the house on Dauphine would suit her just fine.  She'd befriend one of Jared's servants and enlist help.  At the moment, Mary Douglas seemed the likely one.

    
             
Nicki had no illusions that it would be easy.  They all seemed fiercely loyal to Jared.  She suspected their kindness toward her were more like orders from Jared rather than feelings from the heart. But still she had to try.

    
             
She couldn't trust herself to be around him.  She yearned for his touch even as she told herself she loathed him.  How could she dare want his touch, his kiss, when he had made her his prisoner?  When, at the very moment, she knew he was out betraying some planter's trust by freeing some of that planter's slaves?

    
             
"I would like some wine with my supper,
s`il vous plait
, Mary?"

             
"Aye, mum'zelle.  I'll just run oot tae the cooler an' ge' a bottle fer ye."

    
             
Long after she had finished eating, Nicki lingered in the warmth of the kitchen, glowing in the hospitality offered by her captors.  Perhaps, their kindness did come from the heart.  Perhaps, not.  Maybe, the wine made her think so.

25  

             
Rising slowly, Jared sat on the edge of the bed, his head feeling as if it would explode.  He studied the woman sleeping peacefully next to where he had lain.  As red as an autumn sunset, her hair covered her pillow.  Her wide, sensuous mouth was slightly parted by full, red lips.  Her eyes, blue in color, were closed and her long eyelashes, curled slightly at the ends.